Huisheng Oral Solution exerts anti-tumor effects by downregulating tissue factor and inhibiting the expression of metastasis-related factors, CD44, MMP2, and VEGF

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects of Huisheng Oral Solution (HSOS) on the promotion of blood circulation to dispel blood stasis, the inhibition of metastasis and inflammation, the pathogenesis of tumor progression, and to provide guidelines for using HSOS in clinical settings. METHODS: Eight-month-old Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-bearing C(57)BL/6 mice were orally administered HSOS (0.25 mL/d) for 21 d starting on day 2 of model generation. One hour after the final administration, their eyeballs were dissected out to collect serum to determine tissue factor (TF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels via ELISA. Blood was collected intracardially with an anticoagulant to determine fibrinogen levels, using an automated blood coagulation analyzer. The mice were euthanized via cervical dislocation and their thymi, spleens, and tumors were extracted for weight measurement and organ index calculation. CD44 and MMP2 expression and VEGF protein and mRNA expression in tumor tissues were detected using immunohistochemical (IHC) and RT-qPCR assays, respectively. Lastly, the effect of HSOS on the migration ability of A549 lung carcinoma cells was investigated using in vitro scratch assay. RESULTS: HSOS significantly downregulated TF and Fib in tumor-bearing mice. HSOS inhibited the overexpression of CD44, MMP2, and VEGF, and the migration ability of tumor cells. Moreover, the pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6) was significantly downregulated, but the thymic and splenic indices increased. CONCLUSIONS: HSOS might exert anti-tumor effects by improving hypercoagulability in tumor-bearing mice, inhibiting tumor cell metastasis, alleviating inflammatory responses, and enhancing immune function.