UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-Based Serum Metabolomics Reveals Potential Anti-tumor Mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction in Colorectal Cancer Mice

Yin-Zi Yue; Ming-Xuan Li; Xiao-Hui Wang; Yuan-Yuan Qin; Ya-Hui Wang; Jin-Hua Tan; Lian-Lin Su; Shuai Yan

doi:10.1007/s11655-023-3552-0

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-Based Serum Metabolomics Reveals Potential Anti-tumor Mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction in Colorectal Cancer Mice

Chin J Integr Med. 2023 May 24. doi: 10.1007/s11655-023-3552-0. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yin-Zi Yue¹, Ming-Xuan Li², Xiao-Hui Wang³, Yuan-Yuan Qin⁴, Ya-Hui Wang⁵, Jin-Hua Tan³, Lian-Lin Su², Shuai Yan⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Surgery, Suzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, 215009, China.
² School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
³ Department of General Surgery, Bayinguoleng Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Korla, 841000, China.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, Suzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, 215009, China.
⁵ Department of Anorectal Surgery, Suzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, 215009, China.
⁶ Department of Anorectal Surgery, Suzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, 215009, China. doctor_shuaiyan@njucm.edu.cn.

PMID: 37222828
DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3552-0

Abstract

Objective: To clarify the potential mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXD) on colorectal cancer (CRC) from the perspective of metabolomics.

Methods: Forty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control (NC), azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS) model, low-dose BXD (L-BXD), high-dose BXD (H-BXD) and mesalamine (MS) groups according to a random number table, 8 mice in each group. Colorectal cancer model was induced by AOM/DSS. BXD was administered daily at doses of 3.915 (L-BXD) and 15.66 g/kg (H-BXD) by gavage for consecutive 21 days, and 100 mg/kg MS was used as positive control. Following the entire modeling cycle, colon length of mice was measured and quantity of colorectal tumors were counted. The spleen and thymus index were determined by calculating the spleen/thymus weight to body weight. Inflammatory cytokine and changes of serum metabolites were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS), respectively.

Results: Notably, BXD supplementation protected against weight loss, mitigated tumor formation, and diminished histologic damage in mice treated with AOM/DSS (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, BXD suppressed expression of serum inflammatory enzymes, and improved the spleen and thymus index (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, 102 kinds of differential metabolites were screened in the AOM/DSS group, including 48 potential biomarkers, involving 18 main metabolic pathways. Totally 18 potential biomarkers related to CRC were identified, and the anti-CRC mechanism of BXD was closely related to D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, arginine biosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism and so on.

Conclusion: BXD exerts partial protective effects on AOM/DSS-induced CRC by reducing inflammation, protecting organism immunity ability, and regulating amino acid metabolism.

Keywords: Banxia Xiexin Decoction; Chinese medicine; azoxymethane; colorectal cancer; dextran sulfate sodium; metabolomics; ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.