Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22992293›Full record

ArticleBMC complementary and alternative medicine2012

Astragalus saponins downregulate vascular endothelial growth factor under cobalt chloride-stimulated hypoxia in colon cancer cells.

Pui-Ching Law, Kathy K Auyeung, Lok-Yi Chan, Joshua K Ko

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 66 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A systematic review of anticancer effects of radix astragali.Chinese journal of integrative medicine · 2016
    Pooled it
  3. Review
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  8. Article
  9. Article
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  11. Herbal nutraceuticals: safe and potent therapeutics to battle tumor hypoxia.Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology · 2020
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. International journal of molecular sciences · 2018
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Anti-Aging Implications ofAging and disease · 2017
    Review
  18. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Pui-Ching LawCenter for Cancer and Inflammation Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Kathy K Auyeung
Lok-Yi Chan
Joshua K Ko
Hong Kong Baptist University · HK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOur ongoing research has revealed that total saponins extracted from the medicinal herb Radix Astragali (AST) exhibits significant growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects in human cancer cells. In the present study, the potential of AST in controlling angiogenesis was further investigated with elaboration of the underlying molecular mechanism in human colon cancer cell and tumor xenograft.

resultsAST decreased the protein level of VEGF and bFGF in HCT 116 colon cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Among the Akt/mTOR signal transduction molecules being examined, AST caused PTEN upregulation, reduction in Akt phosphorylation and subsequent activation of mTOR. AST also suppressed the induction of HIF-1α and VEGF under CoCl2-mimicked hypoxia. These effects were intensified by combined treatment of AST with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. Despite this, our data also indicate that AST could attenuate cobalt chloride-evoked COX-2 activation, while such effect on COX-2 and its downstream target VEGF was intensified when indomethacin was concurrently treated. The anti-carcinogenic action of AST was further illustrated in HCT 116 xenografted athymic nude mice. AST significantly suppressed tumor growth and reduced serum VEGF level in vivo. In the tumor tissues excised from AST-treated animals, protein level of p-Akt, p-mTOR, VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 was down-regulated. Immunohistochemistry has also revealed that AST effectively reduced the level of COX-2 in tumor sections when compared with that in untreated control.

conclusionTaken together, these findings suggest that AST exerts anti-carcinogenic activity in colon cancer cells through modulation of mTOR signaling and downregulation of COX-2, which together reduce VEGF level in tumor cells that could potentially suppress angiogenesis.

Indexed as

AnimalsAstragalus PlantCell Line, TumorCobaltColonic NeoplasmsCyclooxygenase 2Down-RegulationGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansHypoxiaMaleMiceMice, Inbred BALB CMice, NudeSaponinsSignal TransductionCobaltcobaltous chlorideCyclooxygenase 2SaponinsTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesVascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Identifiers

PMID22992293
PMCPMC3493357
OpenAlexW2156290369

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.