Screening to Identify Commonly Used Chinese Herbs That AffectERBB2andESR1Gene Expression Using the Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cell Line

Abstract

Aim. Our aim the was to screen the commonly used Chinese herbs in order to detect changes inERBB2andESR1gene expression using MCF-7 cells.Methods. Using the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line, cell cytotoxicity and proliferation were evaluated by MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays, respectively. A luciferase reporter assay was established by transient transfecting MCF-7 cells with plasmids containing either theERBB2or theESR1promoter region linked to the luciferase gene. Chinese herbal extracts were used to treat the cells at 24 h after transfection, followed by measurement of their luciferase activity. The screening results were verified by Western blotting to measure HER2 and ERαprotein expression.Results. At concentrations that induced little cytotoxicity, thirteen single herbal extracts and five compound recipes were found to increase eitherERBB2orESR1luciferase activity. By Western blotting, Si-Wu-Tang, Kuan-Shin-Yin, and Suan-Tsao-Ren-Tang were found to increase either HER2 or ERαprotein expression. In addition,Ligusticum chuanxiongwas shown to have a great effect onERBB2gene expression and synergistically with estrogen to stimulate MCF-7 cell growth.Conclusion. Our results provide important information that should affect clinical treatment strategies among breast cancer patients who are receiving hormonal or targeted therapies.