Qianliening capsule treats benign prostatic hyperplasia through regulating the expression of sex hormones, estrogen receptor and androgen receptor

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

et al. 2013

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Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a pathological overgrowth of the human prostate. It may cause increased resistance to urine flow through the urethra and occasionally kidney damage, bladder stones and urinary tract infections, and therefore affect the quality of life. Qianliening capsule (QC) is a traditional Chinese formula that has been used clinically in China to treat BPH for a number of years. However, the mechanism of its anti-BPH effect remains largely unknown. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of QC in a rat model of BPH, established by the injection of testosterone following castration, and investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of action. We observed that QC treatment significantly and dose-dependently decreased the prostatic volume (PV) and prostatic index (PI; P<0.05 or P<0.01), and ameliorated the histological damage of the prostate tissue in the BPH rats. In addition, treatment with QC inhibited the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), as well as the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cyclin D1 and Bcl-2. Our results suggest that suppression of the EGF/STAT3 pathway may be one of the mechanisms by which QC treats BPH.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qianliening capsule treats benign prostatic hyperplasia via suppression of the EGF/STAT3 signaling pathway

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

et al. 2013

Self Cite

“…QC are a Traditional Chinese Medicinal formulation, which has been used clinically in China for numerous years, exhibiting significant efficacy in BPH treatment (16,(30)(31)(32)(33). However, the mechanism underlying its anti-BPH activity remains to be fully elucidated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Qianliening capsules (QC) are a Traditional Chinese Medicine and consist of a combination of rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei), leech (Hirudo), Astragalus (Radix Astragali), Achyranthes (Radix Achyranthis bidentatae) and Dodder (Semen Cuscutae). These products together confer the QC properties of heat-clearance, detoxification, promotion of blood circulation, removal of blood stasis and tonfication of the kidney, the latter being considered to nourish vitality and referred to as replenishing the kidney qi in Chinese Medicine (29,30). It has been reported that QCs have significant therapeutic effects on BPH by improving a series of LUTS and the dynamic index of urine flow in patients with BPH (29,31).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, studies involving animal experiments have demonstrated that QC significantly decreases the prostatic volume and weight and inhibits prostatic hyperplasia. Previous studies by our group have shown that this occurs by improving the abnormal ratio of estrogen to androgen in the serum via regulating the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) (30), inhibiting the expression levels of pro-proliferative cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) via suppression of the EGF/STAT3 signaling pathway in vivo (16), and inducing prostatic cell apoptosis through the mitochondrion-dependent apoptotic pathway in vivo and in vitro (32,33). However, the precise mechanism of its anti-BPH activity remains to be fully elucidated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inhibition of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway by Qianliening capsules suppresses the growth and induces the apoptosis of human prostate cells

Molecular Medicine Reports

Zhong

et al. 2014

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The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway is one of the main growth factor-mediated signal transduction pathways and is closely associated with the occurrence and development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Qianliening capsules (QC) have significant therapeutic effects on BPH; however, the precise mechanism underlying its anti-BPH activity remains to be elucidated. To further elucidate the molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effect of QC on BPH, the present study used epidermal growth factor (EGF), which has a role in the pathogenesis of BPH, to stimulate the growth of human prostate WPMY-1 cells and activate the STAT3 pathway in the WPMY-1 cells. The cell viability was determined using an MTT assay and the cell morphology was observed by phase-contrast microscopy. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis with Annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) staining and PI staining were performed to examine cell apoptosis and the cell cycle. The activation of caspase-9 and -3 were evaluated by colorimetric assay. STAT3 phosphorylation and transcriptional activity were detected by western blot analysis and the luciferase gene reporter, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels of B-cell lymhoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and p21 were measured by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. In the present study, QC was found to significantly and dose-dependently inhibit the EGF-stimulated growth of WPMY-1 cells, as evidenced by QC-induced cell morphological changes and a reduction in cell viability. In addition, QC treatment markedly induced the activation of caspase-9 and -3. QC treatment also inhibited the EGF-mediated increase of STAT3 phosphorylation levels and transcriptional activity in WPMY-19 cells, accompanied by downregulation of the expression of Bcl-2, cyclin D1 and CDK4 and upregulation of the expression of Bax and p21. These results suggested that QC effectively inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of human prostate cells via modulation of the STAT3 signaling pathway and its target genes, which is likely to be one of the mechanisms underlying its activity in BPH treatment.

“…The predominant actions of QC include heat-clearing and detoxification, promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, toning up the kidney and nourishing vitality (termed 'replenishing qi' in Chinese) (9). Our previous studies revealed that QC inhibits the proliferation of benign prostatic hyperplastia epithelial cell line 1 (BPH-1) cells, promotes their apoptosis and regulates the effects of certain cytokines (10)(11)(12)(13) to exert its therapeutic effects on BPH. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effectiveness of QC remain to be elucidated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qianliening capsules influence the apoptosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial-1 cells by regulating the extracellular matrix

Molecular Medicine Reports

Liu

et al. 2015

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The present study investigated whether Qianliening capsules (QC) affected the apoptosis of benign prostatic hyperplastia epithelial (BPH‑1) cells by regulating the extracellular matrix (ECM). The levels of fibronectin (FN) and collagen IV were determined in the culture medium of BPH‑1 cells maintained in normal medium and of BPH‑1 cells maintained in an environment rich in FN and collagen IV using an enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were performed to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of FN, collagen IV, B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2), Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax) and cyclin D1, respectively. The cell morphology and viability were determined using light microscopy and an MTT assay and cell apoptosis was detected by annexin V staining. The results demonstrated that FN and collagen IV affected the apoptotic response of the BPH‑1 cells, QC treatment significantly reduced the levels of FN and collagen IV secreted by the cells into the culture medium (P<0.01), inhibited the mRNA and protein expression levels of FN, collagen IV, Bcl‑2 and cyclin D1 and promoted the mRNA and protein expression of Bax. Therefore, one of the mechanisms underlying the anti‑BPH action of QC involves promoting apoptosis by regulating the expression of the extracellular matrix.