Objective:

2

To investigate the anti-tumor effects of Pien Tze Huang (PZH) in mouse models of B16-F10 melanoma

MC38 colorectal cancer

Hep1-6 hepatocellular carcinoma and chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model.

Methods:

2

Various tumor models

including B16-F10

MC38 and Hep1-6 tumor hypodermic inoculation models

B16-F10 and Hep1-6 pulmonary metastasis models

Hep1-6 orthotopic implantation model

and chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model

were utilized to evaluate the anti-tumor function of PZH. Tumor growth was assessed by measuring tumor size and weight of solid tumors isolated from C57BL/6 mice. For cell proliferation and death of tumor cells

in vitro

as well as T cell activation markers

cytokine production and immune checkpoints analysis

single-cell suspensions were prepared from mouse spleen

lymph nodes

and tumors after PZH treatment.

Results:

2

PZH demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth (

P

<

0.01). Treatment with PZH resulted in a reduction in tumor size in subcutaneous MC38 colon adenocarcinoma and B16-F10 melanoma models

and decreased pulmonary metastasis of B16-F10 melanoma and Hep1-6 hepatoma (

P

<

0.01). However

in vitro

experiments showed that PZH only had slight impact on the cell proliferation and survival of tumor cells (

P

>

0.05). Nevertheless

PZH exhibited a remarkable ability to enhance T cell activation and the production of interferon gamma

tumor necrosis factor alpha

and interleukin 2 in CD4

+

T cells

in vitro

(

P

<

0.01 or

P

<

0.05). Importantly

PZH substantially inhibited T cell exhaustion and boosted cytokine production by tumor-infiltrating CD8

+

T cells (

P

<

0.01 or

P

<

0.05).

Conclusion:

2

This study has confirmed a novel immunomodulatory function of PZH in T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity

indicating that PZH holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer treatment.