Quxie Capsule Inhibits Colon Tumor Growth Partially Through Foxo1-Mediated Apoptosis and Immune Modulation

Abstract

Quxie capsule (QX), a herbal remedy used in traditional Chinese medicine, is routinely used in advanced colorectal cancer treatment in Xiyuan Hospital in Beijing, China. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the effect of QX in colorectal cancer remain unclear, which hampers the optimal use of QX for the treatment of the disease. The transcription factor forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) plays important roles in regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, and immune response in various cancers. In this study, we examined the antitumor efficacy of QX in a mouse model of colorectal cancer and further investigated the mechanism by which QX regulated Foxo1 protein-mediated pathways. QX administered via gavage daily for 2 weeks in mice carrying CT26 mouse colon tumors resulted in significantly lower mean tumor weight (0.93 ± 0.32 g) compared with that in vehicle control-treated mice (1.57 ± 0.57 g, P