Effects of Feijining Decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression and changes of T cell subsets in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice

Angiogenesis is crucial for cancer growth and metastasis. T cells are also key members of the adaptive immunity against tumorigenesis. The aim of the present study was to observe the effects of Feijining Decoction (FJND) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression and T cell subsets [cluster of differentiation 4(+)(CD4(+)) and CD8(+) T lymphocyte] in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-bearing mice. C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously implanted with LLC cells. Forty carcinoma-bearing mice were randomly assigned to four groups (10 animals/group). The control group (CG) were the untreated group, the cisplatinum (DDP) group (DG) mice were treated with DDP, the FJND group (FG) were treated with FJND and the FJND + DDP group (FDG) were treated with FJND and DDP. Western blot and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the VEGF protein expression of tumor tissue and T cell subsets of the spleen. Spontaneous activity in 5 min was observed by the photoelectric counting method. DDP + FJND (FDG group) markedly inhibited tumor growth compared to the DG mice. The protein expression of VEGF was significantly downregulated in the carcinoma of FG mice compared to CG mice. VEGF protein expression was significantly reduced in FDG compared to DG mice. In the FG mice, the splenic CD4(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) cells were significantly increased compared to the CG mice, and the splenic CD4(+) cells in the FDG mice were significantly increased compared to the DG group. In conclusion, FJND can inhibit tumor growth by downregulating VEGF protein expression and improving the immune function.