Aim: To verify the suppressive effect of berberine on the proliferation of the human pulmonary giant cell carcinoma cell line PG and to demonstrate the mecha-nisms behind the antitumoral effects of berberine. Methods: The proliferative effects of PG cells were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetry. The cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry. The expression level of cyclin D1 was detected by RT-PCR. The activities of the activating protein-1 (AP-1) and NF-κB signaling pathways related to cyclin D1 were examined by luciferase assay. The cytoplasmic level of c-Jun was detected by Western blot analysis. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay was used to examiae the binding of transcription factors to the cyclin D1 gene (CCNDl) AP-1 motif. Results: The results showed that the proliferation of PG cells treated with different concentrations (10, 20, and 40 μg/mL) of berberine for 24 and 48 h was suppressed significantly compared to the control group. After treatment with berberine, the proportion of PG cells at the G0/G1 phase increased, while cells at the S and G2/M phases decreased. Berberine could inhibit the expression of cyclin D1 in PG cells. Berberine inhibited the activity of the AP-1 signaling pathway, but had no significant effect on the NF-κB signaling pathway. Berberine suppressed the expression of c-Jun and decreased the binding of tran-scription factors to the CCND1 AP-1 motif. Conclusion: Berberine suppresses the activity of the AP-1 signaling pathway and decreases the binding of transcrip-tion factors to the CCND1 AP-1 motif. This is one of the important mechanisms behind the antitumoral effects of berberine as a regulator of cyclin D1.
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