These results indicate that CRAE may act as a Rho/ROCK signaling inhibitor to suppress MHCC97-L cell migration in vitro and suggested that total alkaloids in Coptidis Rhizoma may be a potential agent for suppressing liver cancer invasion.

Abstract. Berberine is an active ingredient extracted fromCoptidis rhizoma which has been used for centuries as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have indicated that berberine has anticancer properties. Berberine arrested cell growth and inhibited cell migration in various cancer cell lines. In this study, we examined the effects of berberine on HONE1 cells, which have been commonly used as a cell model for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We observed the inhibitory effects of berberine on HONE1 cells at a high dosage (>150 μM). Berberine effectively induced the mitotic arrest of HONE1 cells at 300 μM which was associated with apoptosis. Berberine had differential intracellular localization at low and high doses. At a low dose (50 μM), berberine was localized in the mitochondria while at a high dose (300 μM), berberine was localized in the nucleus which may have induced mitotic arrest. Berberine effectively inhibited cell migration and invasion at low doses. Using a specific GST pull-down assay of activated Rho GTPases, we demonstrated that berberine suppressed the activation of Rho GTPases including RhoA, Cdc42 and Rac1. This indicates a novel function of berberine in the suppression of Rho GTPase signaling to mediate its inhibitory action on cell migration and motility. The potential of berberine to inhibit cancer metastasis in cancer warrants further investigation.

Studies on work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMSs) have been conducted mainly on different types of workforce but not many on low-skilled workers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary exercise program in decreasing the number of body parts with WRMSs for low-skilled workers. This study used a repeated-measures, single-group design. One hundred and five (105) workers participated in eight weekly 90-min sessions (including 45-min workshops and 45-min exercises) in low-income community settings. The exercise program involved a 21-movement stretching exercise and a 10-movement muscle-strengthening exercise. Questionnaire and health-assessment data were collected at the baseline (N = 105) and immediately after the 8-week program (n = 86). The average age of the 105 participants was 50.5 ± 8.7 years (ranging from 31 to 67). Over 80% (n = 87) of them were female, 68.6% (n = 72) were married, and 68.6% (n = 72) had completed secondary school. They reported an average of three body parts with WRMSs at baseline (T0). By the end of the eight weeks (T1), the participants had reduced the number of WRMS-affected body parts, job stress, and incidences of working through pain, and had improved spine flexibility and handgrip strength. The factors significantly affecting the reduction in the number of body parts with WRMSs were change in the workstyle of working through pain, and self-rated health status. Our study has demonstrated that a community-based multidisciplinary program can reduce the number of body parts affected by WRMSs in low-skilled workers in low-income communities.