Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Guizhi Fuling Decoction-containing serum in regulation of endometrial cancer cell proliferation,epithelium-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and apoptosis through the regulation of inositol 3-phosphate kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT).Seventy-two SD rats were divided into healthy group,high-dose Guizhi Fuling Decoction group,middle-dose Guizhi Fuling Decoction group,low-dose Guizhi Fuling Decoction group and oxaliplatin group.Corresponding doses of drugs were given by gavage,and blood was drawn from the abdominal aorta to prepare drug-containing serum.Human endometrial cancer HEC-B cells were cultured and grouped into control group,high-dose drug-containing serum group,medium-dose drug-containing serum group,low-dose drug-containing serum group,oxaliplatin serum group,high-dose drug-containing serum + pathway activator group.Corresponding serum and reagents were added to the cell culture medium of each group.The proliferation of cells in each group was detected by tetramethylazolyl blue (MTT) method;cell apoptosis in each group was detected by flow cytometry;the expression levels of EMT-related proteins E-cadherin (E-cadherin),cellular vimentin (Vimentin),N-cadherin (N-cadherin) and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins were detected by Western Blot.Compared with the control group,the cell survival rate,Vimentin,N-cadherin protein expression,PI3K and AKT phosphorylation levels in the high-dose drug-containing serum group,the medium-dose drug-containing serum group,and the low-dose drug-containing serum group were obviously decreased (P＜0.05);while the apoptosis rate and E-cadherin protein expression were obviously increased (P＜0.05),in a dose-dependent manner.Compared with the high-dose drug-containing serum group,the cell survival rate,Vimentin,N-cadherin protein expression,PI3K and AKT phosphorylation levels in the high-dose drug-containing serum + pathway activator group were obviously increased (P＜0.05),and the apoptosis rate and E-cadherin protein expression were obviously decreased (P＜0.05),and there was no significant difference in each index between the oxaliplatin serum group (P＞0.05).Guizhi Fuling Decoction regulates the PI3K/AKT pathway to inhibit the phosphorylation of related proteins,hinder cell growth,aggravate cell apoptosis,relieve EMT,and thus alleviate the condition of uterine fibroids.

Key words: Guizhi Fuling Decoction, phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase B, endometrial cancer, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition