Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the early growth response gene 1 (EGR1) in inducing senescence in lung cancer cells by Qidongning Formula (QDF). Methods: Cell-Counting-Kit-8 was used to study the effect of QDF on A549 and NCI-H1975 cells proliferation. Senescence...

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Main Authors: Di Zhou MD, Wen-Xiao Yang MD, Cheng-Yan Wang MD, Cheng-Xin Qian MM, Ling Xu PhD, Chang-Sheng Dong PhD, Jie Chen MM, Ya-Bin Gong PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-02-01
Series:Integrative Cancer Therapies
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241307007
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author Di Zhou MD
Wen-Xiao Yang MD
Cheng-Yan Wang MD
Cheng-Xin Qian MM
Ling Xu PhD
Chang-Sheng Dong PhD
Jie Chen MM
Ya-Bin Gong PhD
author_facet Di Zhou MD
Wen-Xiao Yang MD
Cheng-Yan Wang MD
Cheng-Xin Qian MM
Ling Xu PhD
Chang-Sheng Dong PhD
Jie Chen MM
Ya-Bin Gong PhD
author_sort Di Zhou MD
collection DOAJ
description Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the early growth response gene 1 (EGR1) in inducing senescence in lung cancer cells by Qidongning Formula (QDF). Methods: Cell-Counting-Kit-8 was used to study the effect of QDF on A549 and NCI-H1975 cells proliferation. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-GAL) staining was used to examine the effect of QDF on cellular senescence. RT-qPCR analyses and Western blot were used to monitor the expression of EGR1 and the senescence-associated proteins p21 and p53. A rescue assay using an EGR1-overexpressing vector to explore whether EGR1 is a key target gene of QDF-induced lung cancer senescence. Bioinformatics analyses were used to identify the regulatory network involved in the process of QDF-induced senescence in lung cancer cells, downstream of EGR1 activation. Results: QDF could inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. SA-β-GAL assay showed that QDF can induce lung cancer cells senescence, an increase in QDF concentration led to a significant increase in the number of cells that stained positive in the SA-β-GAL assay in the group exposed to a higher concentration of QDF. Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses indicated that the expression levels of the p53 and p21 proteins in A549 and H1975 cells increased significantly after QDF intervention. Additionally, EGR1-overexpressing can enhance QDF-induced senescence in lung cancer cells. Bioinformatics analyses revealed the EGR1 target genes implicated in QDF-induced senescence in A549 cells, including 21 senescence-related genes. Conclusion: The present study suggests QDF induces cellular senescence through activation of EGR1 in lung cancer cells and provides an insight for understanding the antitumor mechanisms of this Chinese traditional medicine.
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spelling doaj-art-01bf0a705c594f0a985edd8ecbd68f4e2025-08-20T03:02:10ZengSAGE PublishingIntegrative Cancer Therapies1552-695X2025-02-012410.1177/15347354241307007Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1Di Zhou MD0Wen-Xiao Yang MD1Cheng-Yan Wang MD2Cheng-Xin Qian MM3Ling Xu PhD4Chang-Sheng Dong PhD5Jie Chen MM6Ya-Bin Gong PhD7Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaYueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaJingan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaYueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaCancer Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaLonghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaYueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaYueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaBackground: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the early growth response gene 1 (EGR1) in inducing senescence in lung cancer cells by Qidongning Formula (QDF). Methods: Cell-Counting-Kit-8 was used to study the effect of QDF on A549 and NCI-H1975 cells proliferation. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-GAL) staining was used to examine the effect of QDF on cellular senescence. RT-qPCR analyses and Western blot were used to monitor the expression of EGR1 and the senescence-associated proteins p21 and p53. A rescue assay using an EGR1-overexpressing vector to explore whether EGR1 is a key target gene of QDF-induced lung cancer senescence. Bioinformatics analyses were used to identify the regulatory network involved in the process of QDF-induced senescence in lung cancer cells, downstream of EGR1 activation. Results: QDF could inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. SA-β-GAL assay showed that QDF can induce lung cancer cells senescence, an increase in QDF concentration led to a significant increase in the number of cells that stained positive in the SA-β-GAL assay in the group exposed to a higher concentration of QDF. Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses indicated that the expression levels of the p53 and p21 proteins in A549 and H1975 cells increased significantly after QDF intervention. Additionally, EGR1-overexpressing can enhance QDF-induced senescence in lung cancer cells. Bioinformatics analyses revealed the EGR1 target genes implicated in QDF-induced senescence in A549 cells, including 21 senescence-related genes. Conclusion: The present study suggests QDF induces cellular senescence through activation of EGR1 in lung cancer cells and provides an insight for understanding the antitumor mechanisms of this Chinese traditional medicine.https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241307007
spellingShingle Di Zhou MD
Wen-Xiao Yang MD
Cheng-Yan Wang MD
Cheng-Xin Qian MM
Ling Xu PhD
Chang-Sheng Dong PhD
Jie Chen MM
Ya-Bin Gong PhD
Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
Integrative Cancer Therapies
title Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
title_full Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
title_fullStr Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
title_full_unstemmed Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
title_short Induction of Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells by Qidongning Formula via the Transcription Factor EGR1
title_sort induction of senescence in lung cancer cells by qidongning formula via the transcription factor egr1
url https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241307007
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