Effect of panax notoginseng saponins on growth and metastasis of malignant melanoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of PNS on malignant melanoma and the expression of connexin32 in melanoma. Methods The spontaneous and experimental lung metastasis models of B16 melanoma were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of PNS on tumor growth and metastasis. The expression of connexin in melanoma were detected by immunohistoehemistry. Results (1) PNS can obviously inhibit the growth of B16 melanoma. The inhibition rate of the 480mg/kg PNS group was 50. 85%. (2) PNS can obviously inhibit the lung metastasis of B16 melanoma. The number of tumor colonies in lung of the 240 mg/kg PNS group and 480 mg/kg PNS group were lower than that in the negative control group. ( 3 ) The expression of connexin32 in melanoma was detected by immunohistochemistry:PNS could up-regulate the expression of connexin32 in membrane of melanoma. Conclusion PNS can inhibit malignant melanoma growth and metastasis and could also up-regulate the expression of connexin32 in membrane of melanoma. Key words: Panax notoginseng saponins; Malignant melanoma; Connexin