The Effects of Astragalus Polysaccharide on Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Proliferation and Morphology Induced by A549 Lung Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND The tumor microenvironment in lung cancer plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) co-cultured with A549 lung cancer cells show changes in morphology, increase cell proliferation, and cell migration. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on the changes induced in bone marrow-derived MSCs by A549 lung cancer cells in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS Bone marrow-derived MSCs were co-cultured with A549 cells (Co-BMSCs). Co-cultured bone marrow-derived MSCs and A549 cells treated with 50 μg/ml of APS (Co-BMSCs + APS) were compared with untreated Co-BMSCs. Cell proliferation was measured using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow cytometry evaluated the cell cycle. Microarray assays for mRNA expression and Western blot for protein expression were used. RESULTS Compared with untreated Co-BMSCs, APS treatment of Co-BMSCs improved cell morphology, reduced cell proliferation, and inhibited cell cycle arrest. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) pathway, TP53, caspase-3, acetylated H4K5, acetylated H4K8, and acetylated H3K9 were involved in the regulatory process. CONCLUSIONS APS treatment reduced cell proliferation and morphological changes in bone marrow-derived MSCs that were co-cultured with A549 lung cancer cells in vitro.