Effect of berberine on the adhesion between human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human pulmonary carcinoma cells

AIM: To study the mechanism of berberine on the adhesion between human pulmonary carcinoma cells(PG cells) and HUVECs.METHODS: The effect of berberine(2.5-40 mg/L) on the proliferation of HUVECs was detected by MTT method.Further,PG cells were treated with berberine at doses of 2.5,5,10 mg/L for 6,12,24 h.The adhesion between PG cells and HUVECs was determined by rose bengal staining.The expression of CD44s on PG cells were determined by fluorescence antibody staining.Fluorescence anisotropy imaging system was used to assay the fluidity of PG cell membrane.RESULTS: Berberine at concentrations of 2.5,5,10 mg/L were the safety doses to the proliferation of HUVECs treated for 6,12,24 h.Berberine inhibited the adhesion between PG cells and HUVECs significantly in a dose-dependent manner(P0.05 or P0.01).Meanwhile,berberine increased the expression of CD44s on PG cells(P0.05 or P0.01).Berberine decreased the fluidity of PG cell membrane in a dose-dependent manner after 24 h incubation.CONCLUSION: Berberine inhibits the adhesion between PG cells and HUVECs by regulating the expression of adhesion molecules and the fluidity of cell membrane on PG cells.