Oncology reports最新文献

Following the publication of the above paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that there appeared to be several instances of overlapping data panels comparing between the Transwell invasion and migration assay images shown in Figs. 2E and 4G, such that data which were intended to show the results from differently performed experiments were apparently derived from a (much) smaller number of original sources. Given the number of cases of overlapping data panels both within and between this pair of figures in the article itself, the Editor of Oncology Reports has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal on the basis of a lack of confidence in the presented data. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Oncology Reports 35: 1778-1786, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4538].

α‑Phellandrene (α‑PA), a natural constituent of herbs, inhibits cancer cell viability and proliferation. 5‑Fluorouracil (5‑FU) is a frequently utilized chemotherapeutic medicine for the treatment of colon cancer, which works by triggering cancer cell apoptosis. The present study examined how the combination of α‑PA and 5‑FU affects the suppression of human colon cancer cells by promoting apoptosis. The impact of this treatment on cell viability, apoptosis, and the expression levels of Bcl‑2 family members, caspase family members and mitochondria‑related molecules in HT‑29 cells was assessed by the MTT assay, immunocytochemistry, western blotting and quantitative PCR. The combination of 5‑FU and α‑PA had a synergistic inhibitory effect on cell viability, as determined by assessing the combination index value. Bax protein expression levels were higher in the 50, 100 or 250 µM α‑PA combined with 5‑FU groups compared with those in the 5‑FU alone group (P<0.05). By contrast, Bcl‑2 protein expression levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ΔΨm) were lower in the 100 or 250 µM α‑PA combined with 5‑FU groups than those in the 5‑FU alone group (P<0.05). In addition, hexokinase‑2 (HK‑2) protein expression levels were lower in the 50, 100 or 250 µM α‑PA combined with 5‑FU groups than those in the 5‑FU alone group (P<0.05). Compared with 5‑FU alone, after HT‑29 cells were treated with 50, 100 or 250 µM α‑PA combined with 5‑FU, the mRNA expression levels of extrinsic‑induced apoptotic molecules, including caspase‑8 and Bid, were higher (P<0.05). Treatment with 50, 100 or 250 µM α‑PA combined with 5‑FU also increased the mRNA expression levels of cytochrome c, caspase‑9 and caspase‑3, regulating intrinsic apoptosis (P<0.05). These results showed that α‑PA and 5‑FU had a synergistic effect on reducing the viability of human colon cancer HT‑29 cells by inducing extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. The mechanism by which apoptosis is induced may involve the intrinsic apoptosis pathway that activates the mitochondria‑dependent pathway, including regulating the expression levels of Bcl‑2 family members, including Bax, Bcl‑2 and Bid, regulating MMP and HK‑2 expression levels, and increasing the expression of caspase cascade molecules, including caspase‑9 and caspase‑3. In addition, it may involve the extrinsic apoptosis pathway that activates caspase‑8 and caspase‑3 leading to apoptosis.