Dachaihu decoction inhibits hypernutrition-induced liver metastasis from colorectal cancer by maintaining the gut vascular barrier

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy and the second deadliest cancer worldwide. Metastasis to the liver, the most common metastatic site in CRC, is the leading cause of death in patients with CRC. Hyperlipidemia, which is common in patients with CRC, promotes CRC progression and metastasis. Hyperlipidemia is commonly observed in obese patients and is often induced by hypernutrition. The underlying mechanism of hypernutrition-induced hyperlipidemia in promoting CRC liver metastasis remains unclear, and there is an unmet need for effective and low-cost treatments for patients with CRC.

Methods

A mouse cecum orthotopic CRC model combined with high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, was established to mimic liver metastasis in CRC in obese patients. The effects of Dachaihu decoction (DCHD), a traditional herbal medicine used to treat inflammation and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and of the conventional prescription medicine obeticholic acid (OCA) were evaluated. HFD-induced obesity, hyperlipidemia, and CRC liver metastasis were assessed, along with the histology and pathology of the liver and intestine and the expression of metabolic genes in these tissues. The effects of DCHD and OCA on HFD-induced outcomes were evaluated, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with bile acids (BAs) and DCHD were used to study the underlying mechanisms in vitro.

Results

HFD-mediated obesity and hyperlipidemia promoted CRC metastasis, accompanied by disruption of the gut vascular barrier (GVB) and altered bile acid (BA) metabolism. DCHD decreased HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and liver metastasis in CRC, improving overall survival. Those effects of DCHD were equivalent to or better than those of OCA. DCHD regulated the expression of genes of BA metabolism and tight junctions (TJ) to prevent HFD-induced disruption of the GVB. In HUVECs, DCHD prevented the increases in intracellular Ca²⁺ and accumulation of reactive oxygen species induced by primary conjugated BAs, assisting in the maintenance of redox homeostasis and preventing the downregulation of TJ proteins, thereby maintaining the integrity of the endothelial barrier.

Conclusions

The data provide a link between hypernutrition and GVB disruption, which contributes to high liver metastasis in patients with CRC. DCHD may represent a novel therapy in CRC, and targeting abnormal lipid metabolism could be a promising therapeutic strategy for avoiding hypernutrition-associated CRC metastasis.