Ampelopsis japonica enhances the effect of radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is widely used in the clinical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its effectiveness often proves unsatisfactory. Ampelopsis japonica (AJ) is a traditional Chinese herb with anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. However, whether AJ could enhance the effect of radiotherapy in NSCLC needs to be further explored. METHODS: In vivo, BALB/c nude mice were used for a xenograft tumor model to explore whether AJ could enhance the effect of radiation therapy (RT) in NSCLC. In vitro, human NSCLC cell lines HCC827 and H1299 were used to explore the effect of AJ on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of RT-treated NSCLC. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis was performed to analyze the signaling pathways regulated by AJ. RESULTS: Ampelopsis japonica enhanced the inhibitory effect of RT on NSCLC tumor growth in vivo. Simultaneously, AJ further enhanced the inhibitory effect of RT on NSCLC proliferation and the promoting effect of RT on NSCLC apoptosis. Bioinformatic analysis showed that AJ regulated the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. We confirmed that AJ decreased the protein levels of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, the combination of AJ and RT suppressed activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Ampelopsis japonica augmented the inhibitory impact of RT on NSCLC cell proliferation and tumor growth by suppressing the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.