DaHuangWan targets EGF signaling to inhibit the proliferation of hepatoma cells

PLoS One. 2020 Apr 16;15(4):e0231466. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231466. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

DaHuangWan (DHW) is a traditional herbal medicine used by Mongolian to treat liver cancer for many years. Clinical application of the drug has been shown to help control tumor progression, prolong survival and improve quality of life. However, the underlying mechanisms and side effects of this drug remain unclear, which greatly limits the clinical application and further optimization of DHW. In this study, we found that DHW inhibits the proliferation of hepatoma cells by modulating the epithelial growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway. Berberine and Costunolide are the main active ingredients in DHW. Interestingly, the combination of Berberine and Costunolide has a dramatic synergistic effect on inhibiting the proliferation of hepatoma cells. Neither Berberine nor Costunolide directly block EGFR phosphorylation. Berberine promotes endocytosis of activated EGFR, while as Costunolide increases ubiquitination of EGFR and reduces EGFR recycling to cell membrane distribution, thereby inhibiting EGF signaling. Berberine and Costunolide target two different steps in regulating the EGF signaling, which explains the synergistic anti-cancer effect of DHW. Since Berberine and Costunolide do not directly target EGFR phosphorylation, DHW could be a supplementary medicine to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Berberine / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Herbal Medicine / methods*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Medicine, East Asian Traditional / methods*
  • Mongolia
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Sesquiterpenes / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Berberine
  • costunolide
  • Epidermal Growth Factor

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia (NO. 2018MS08038, to HS) and National Natural Science foundation of China (NSFC, 81773112, to QF).