Purpose Jatrorrhizine (JAT) is a natural protoberberine alkaloid, possesses detoxification, bactericidal and hypoglycemic activities. However, its anti-cancer mechanism is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of JAT through which inhibits colorectal cancer in HCT-116 and HT-29 cells. Methods MTT assay and colony formation assay were used to check the cell proliferation ability. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were measured by Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell migration and invasion were detected by scratch wound healing assay and trans-well assay, respectively. Further, expression of related proteins was examined via Western blotting and the in vivo anti-cancer effect of JAT was confirmed by nude mice xenograft model. Results The research showed that JAT inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 and HT-29 cells with IC 50 values of 6.75±0.29 μM and 5.29±0.13 μM, respectively, for 72 hrs. It has also showed a time dependently, cell cycle arrested in S phase, promoted cell apoptosis and suppressed cell migration and invasion. In addition, JAT inhibited Wnt signaling pathway by reducing β-catenin and increasing GSK-3β expressions. Increased expression of E-cadherin, while decreased N-cadherin, indicating that JAT treatment suppressed the process of cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In HCT-116 nude mice xenograft model, JAT inhibited tumor growth and metastasis, and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Conclusion This study demonstrated that JAT efficiently inhibited colorectal cancer cells growth and metastasis, which provides a new point for clinical treatment of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcomas are a rare, heterogeneous and malignant group of bone tumors that have a high potential for metastasis and aggressive growth patterns. Treatment of metastasized osteosarcoma is often insufficient and research is compromised by problems encountered when culturing cells or analyzing genetic alterations due to the high level of intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity. The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model, a 3D-in-vivo-tumor-model, could potentially facilitate the investigation of osteosarcoma heterogeneity at an individual and highly specified level. OBJECTIVE: Objective was to establish the grafting and transplantation of different primary osteosarcoma tissue parts onto several consecutive CAMs for tumor profiling and investigation of osteosarcoma heterogeneity. METHODS: Various parts of primary osteosarcoma tissue were grafted onto CAMs and were transplanted onto another CAM for five to seven consecutive times, enabling further experimental analyzes. RESULTS: Primary osteosarcoma tissue parts exhibited satisfactory growth patterns and displayed angiogenic development on the CAM. It was possible to graft and transplant different tumor parts several times while the tissue viability was still high and tumor profiling was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Primary osteosarcoma tissue grew on several different CAMs for an extended time period and neovascularization of serial transplanted tumor parts was observed, improving the versatility of the 3D-in-vivo-tumor-model.

Background Amputation is still the most common therapy for patients suffering from osteosarcoma in Myanmar, despite the fact that limb salvage surgery e.g. Borggreve–Van Nes-Winkelmann rotationplasty for malignant tumors located within the distal femur or proximal tibia is the current state-of-the-art reconstructive procedure. A safe and reliable operation technique is crucial in order to perform a complex surgical procedure like the rotationplasty in lower-middle income economies with limited infrastructure and resources. The authors present seven cases of patients with osteosarcomas that received a Borggreve–Van Nes-Winkelmann rotationplasty with an evaluation of the procedures focusing on safety and sustainability. Methods From 2019 until 2020, seven young patients with osteosarcomas of the distal femur or proximal tibia were treated with Borggreve–Van Nes-Winkelmann rotationplasties in the Orthopaedic Hospital in Mandalay, Myanmar. As modification of the standard procedure the dissection and subsequent clamping of the femoral artery in order to minimize blood loss as well as the formation of an adipocutaneous flap that minimizes swelling and decreases the pressure on the vessels were successfully performed. This modified procedure resembles a safe and simplified surgical technique that is feasible under the circumstances of lower-middle income economies with good outcomes. Results All patients showed good functional and aesthetic results. One of the seven patients needed secondary wound closure due to wound dehiscence. Conclusions A simplified and safe operation technique for the performance of the Van Nes-Borggreve rotationplasty was adapted to the given constraints in lower-middle income economies and proved to be successful. Trial registration All patients approved to participate in the study and have given consent to publication.