A Chinese herbal Formula, Chang-Wei-Qin, Synergistically Enhances Antitumor Effect of Oxaliplatin

Chang-Wei-Qing (CWQ), a Chinese herbal formula, has long been employed clinically to treat cancers. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of CWQ with oxaliplatin (OXA) on the tumor growth inhibition of orthotopic transplanted colon cancer and explored the underlying mechanism. By generating the orthotopic transplanted nude mouse model of human colon carcinoma, we found that (1) CWQ enhanced OXA-mediated tumor suppression by 4.25-fold. (2) The body weights of nude mice in CWQ group and combination group were increased. (3) The survival time of tumor-bearing nude mice was dramatically improved in CWQ and CWQ/OXA group. (4) CWQ could restore OXA-mediated deregulation of copper transporter genes, hCTR1, ATP7A and ATP7B. (5) OXA-induced drug resistance index for OXA, 5-FU, HCPT and THP were 7.59, 4.28, 5.78 and 4.50 respectively, while the reversal index by combined CWQ treatment were 6.57, 2.61, 4.97 and 3.10, respectively. Our study demonstrates that the repeated intraperitoneal injection of OXA can induce multi-drug resistance of orthotopic transplanted nude mouse model of human colon carcinoma. The CWQ treatment can alleviate OXA-triggered side effects and reverse platinum drug resistance via up-regulation of hCTR1 expression and down-regulation of ATP7A and ATP7B levels.