Objective

To study the effects of Feiyanning Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on gene expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549).
Methods

A549 cells were incubated with rat serum containing Feiyanning at different concentrations for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Morphology of cells was observed by an inverted microscope after treatment with reagents. The cell proliferation was examined by 2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2, 4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt (WST-8) assay. The expressions of NF-κB and inhibitor κBα (IκBα) were studied by Western blotting. NF-κB-dependent luciferase reporter (3×κB-luc) was transfected for 24 h, and the cells were treated with the reagents for 24 h, and then the transcriptional activity of NF-κB promoter was detected by luciferase assay.
Results

TNF-α (1 μg/L) strongly induced the expression of NF-κB by approximately 1.76-fold compared with the control in the nuclei of A549 cells, and the induced NF-κB expression was significantly suppressed by addition of Feiyanning (P<0.01). In addition, Feiyanning inhibited the transcriptional activity of the NF-κB promoter. However, we observed no significant changes in IκBα expression (P>0.05).
Conclusion

Feiyanning Decoction can markedly inhibit human lung cancer A549 cell proliferation, which may be partly due to inhibition of NF-κB activation induced by TNF-α. It is therefore expected to be a new strategy for treating lung cancer.

Key words: Lung neoplasms, Feiyanning Decoction, NF-kappa B, Tumor necrosis factor-a