Synergistic Anti-tumour Effects of Quercetin and Oncolytic Adenovirus expressing TRAIL in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 1;8(1):2182. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20213-7.

Abstract

The combination of oncolytic adenoviruses and specific chemotherapy agents is fast emerging as a novel therapeutic approach for resistan the patocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. A detailed analysis of the network between adenovirus and chemotherapeutic agents can help design an effective strategy to combat HCC. We sought to investigate whether a combined treatment of ZD55-TRAIL and quercetin can have an enhanced cell-killing effect on HCC cells. In-vitro experiments showed that quercetin can enhance ZD55-TRAIL mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis in HCC cells. In addition, we showed that quercetin reduced ZD55-TRAIL mediated NF-κB activation and down-regulated its downstream targets, which in turn promoted the pro-apoptotic action of ZD55-TRAIL. Furthermore, in-vivo experiments in mice injected with HuH-7 cells resulted in significantly greater reduction in tumour growth and volume following combined ZD55-TRAIL and quercetin treatment. In conclusion, we demonstrated that quercetin could sensitize human HCC cells to apoptosis via ZD55-TRAIL in-vitro and in-vivo and presented ZD55-TRAIL and quercetin combination as a suitable anti-HCC therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / therapy
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Drug Combinations
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy*
  • Quercetin / therapeutic use*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Drug Combinations
  • Quercetin