Traditional Chinese medicine, Fuzheng Kang‚ÄëAi decoction, inhibits metastasis of lung cancer cells through the STAT3/MMP9 pathway
Authors: Shunqin Long
Sumei Wang
Xiaobin Yang
Wanyin Wu
Shujing Xiao
Swei Sunny Hann
Longmei Li
Journal: Molecular Medicine Reports (2017)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Lung cancer; Traditional Chinese medicine; Fuzheng Kang-Ai (FZKA); Metastasis; Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9)
Affiliations: Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Targeted Therapies of TCM, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, P.R. China., Department of Medical Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, P.R. China.

Abstract:  Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer‚Äëassociated mortality worldwide, including in developing countries such as China. Traditional Chinese medicine may provide a novel insight for the treatment of patients with lung cancer. The present study aimed to uncover the mechanism by which the Chinese herbal medicine, Fuzheng Kang‚ÄëAi (FZKA), functions on lung cancer cell metastasis. The results demonstrated that treatment with FZKA markedly inhibited cell viability, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells, as determined by cell viability and Transwell assays. Notably, the activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) was significantly inhibited by FZKA treatment on lung cancer cells, as determined by an MMP9 activity assay and western blot analysis. Furthermore, FZKA markedly inhibited epithelial‚Äëmesenchymal transition (EMT) of lung cancer cells by inhibiting the expression of the mesenchymal markers N‚Äëcadherin and vimentin. In addition, activation of the oncoprotein signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was suppressed following treatment with FZKA. Conversely, overexpression of STAT3 was able to rescue MMP9 activity following FZKA treatment. The present study indicated that FZKA may inhibit lung cancer metastasis via the STAT3/MMP9 pathway and EMT, suggesting that FZKA may serve as a novel promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients with late stage lung cancer. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 2 and 3 purport to show invasion and migration, but multiple images appear to overlap as marked with Green, cyan, and red boxes. There appear to be magnification differences. ***  , 
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 #2  , 
 June 25, 2021 Following the publication of the above article, an interested reader drew to the authors attention that various of the data panels shown for the cell migration assay experiments in Figs. 2B and 3 appeared to show overlapping regions, such that they were not generated from discretely performed experiments. The authors have re-examined their original data, and realize that the figures in question were assembled incorrectly. In addition, the authors have also realized that certain of the western blotting data panels in Figs. 5 and 6 had likewise been assembled incorrectly. PDF with corrected images can be downloaded at this link: https: www.spandidos-publications.com 10.3892 mmr.2021.12244 download ,