ArticleBMC pulmonary medicine2025
β-elemene inhibits tumor-promoting in small cell lung cancer by affecting M2 macrophages and TGF-β.
Article in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Progranulin promotes glioma progression through the M2-TGF-β axis: targeted therapy with SORT1-loaded HAMA hydrogel microspheres.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Apatinib and Adebrelimab Exhibit Synergistic Antitumor effects in Small Cell Lung Cancer: AnCurrent medicinal chemistry · 2026Article
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Abstract
objectiveM2 macrophages have been implicated in promoting tumor growth and metastasis in various cancers, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This study investigated the role of M2 macrophages in SCLC progression and explored the therapeutic potential of β-elemene, a natural compound, in modulating M2 macrophage-mediated tumor promotion.
methodsWe differentiated THP-1 monocytes into M2 macrophages using PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), IL-4 (interleukin-4), and IL-13 (interleukin-13). M2 macrophages were co-cultured with the SCLC cell line NCI-H209, and CCK-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays were performed. TGF-β expression levels were detected by ELISA. M2 macrophages and NCI-H209 co-cultured cells were treated with β-elemene, or M2 macrophages were transfected with TGF-β shRNA lentivirus, and then co-cultured with NCI-H209 cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell apoptosis. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess TGF-β expression.
resultsOur findings demonstrate that M2 macrophages significantly enhance the viability, proliferation, and migration of SCLC cells, and this effect is associated with increased TGF-β expression in SCLC cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages. Furthermore, β-elemene treatment significantly reduced the migration and viability of SCLC cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages. Silencing TGF-β expression in M2 macrophages also suppressed SCLC cell proliferation and migration, suggesting that β-elemene may inhibit the pro-tumorigenic effects of M2 macrophages in SCLC by modulating TGF-β signaling. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that β-elemene treatment significantly reduced TGF-β levels in SCLC cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages, supporting the hypothesis that β-elemene exerts its antitumor activity by modulating the TGF-β pathway.
conclusionsOur results suggest that β-elemene has the potential to suppress SCLC development by modulating M2 macrophages and the TGF-β, offering a new therapeutic avenue and potential drug candidate for SCLC treatment.
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