Nifuroxazide in combination with CpG ODN exerts greater efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumour in China that remains a major challenge to the medical community, and effective treatment is urgently needed. Due to complex tumorigenesis, monotherapy shows poor therapeutic effects, and combined treatment becomes a necessary option. YW002, a CpG ODN-containing sequence, has been proven to enhance antitumor effects in tumour-bearing mouse models. Moreover, as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug, nifuroxazide exhibited an anti-HCC effect through activation of p-Stat3. Here, we tested the effect of nifuroxazide on HCC in vitro and then explored the therapeutic effect of combined nifuroxazide and CpG ODN on HCC in vivo. Nifuroxazide inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis and suppressed migration and invasion in HepG2 cells in vitro. The combination therapy using nifuroxazide and CpG ODN significantly suppressed the growth of tumours in tumour-bearing mice with few side effects and achieved better therapeutic effects on HCC than monotherapy. Moreover, combined nifuroxazide and CpG ODN therapy significantly induced apoptosis, enhanced the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and macrophages in tumour tissue, and increased the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the spleens of tumour-bearing mice. The introduction of this combination therapy combining nifuroxazide and CpG ODN provided a new strategy for HCC treatment.

• Authors: Yanling Wang, Wei Liu, Miaomiao Liu, Hongxian Wang, Lin Zhou, Jian Chen, Hao Sun, Xihang Wei, Meihua Fan, Mingru Yang, Zhi'ang Liu, Zishan Yang, Jiateng Zhong, Chengbiao Lu, Tiesuo Zhao, Huijie Jia
• Journal: International immunopharmacology (Int Immunopharmacol) Vol. 108 Pg. 108911 (Jul 2022) ISSN: 1878-1705 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 35729838 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Adjuvants, Immunologic
• Hydroxybenzoates
• Nitrofurans
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
• nifuroxazide

Topics

• Adjuvants, Immunologic (therapeutic use)
• Animals
• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy, pathology)
• Hydroxybenzoates (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology)
• Mice
• Nitrofurans (therapeutic use)
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides (pharmacology)