Abstract

To explore the role of steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn on lung cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the molecular mechanisms. Lung cancer cells (A549) were divided into normal control group, steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn group, microRNA-181a-5p group, microRNA-control group, 40 μg/ml steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn+anti-microRNA-181a-5p group and 40 μg/ml steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn+anti-microRNA-control group. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was utilized for detecting ribonucleic acid expression. 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, clone formation test and transwell assays were performed to analyze A549 lung cancer cell process. Western blot was conducted for detecting protein expression. Steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn treatment inhibited A549 lung cancer cell proliferation and motility, accompanied by decrease of matrix metalloproteinase 2, matrix metalloproteinase 9, N-cadherin, vimentin as well as beta-catenin expression and increases of E-cadherin and microRNA-181a-5p expression. At the same time, elevating microRNA-181a-5p reduced the number of cell clones, repressed cell ability to motility and decreased matrix metalloproteinase 2, matrix metalloproteinase 9, N-Cadherin and vimentin expressions, whereas elevating microRNA-181a-5p increased E-cadherin expression. Inhibiting microRNA-181a-5p expression can rescue steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn induced effects on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and beta-catenin expression in A549 cells. Steroid saponins from the flowers of Cestrum noctumum Linn inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lung cancer cells through regulation of microRNA-181a-5p/Wnt/β-catenin pathway.