Sophoraflavanone G decreases the migratory ability of cancer cells by altering the cytokine profile of the environment in endometrial cancer and macrophage co-culture

Background: Macrophages play key roles in initiating, sustaining, and resolving inflammation. Sophora flavescens has traditionally been used as a herbal anti-inflammatory treatment for inflammation-related conditions. This study aimed to investigate how sophoraflavanone G (SF-G) modulates the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages when co-cultured with Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells. Methods: The cytotoxicity of SF-G in RAW264.7 cells was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Gene expression analyses of inflammatory markers in macrophages and migration-related genes in co-cultured endometrial cancer cells were performed using quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Unstimulated RAW264.7 cells were used as the control group. Results: Co-culture with cancer cells significantly increased the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (Interleukin 1 beta (IL1β), Interleukin 6 (IL6), Cluster of Differentiation 86 (CD86), and Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ)) in macrophages. Treatment of macrophages with SF-G significantly upregulated anti-inflammatory markers (Cluster of Differentiation 163 (CD163) and Interleukin 10 (IL10)) during co-culture with cancer cells. Furthermore, the migratory ability of Ishikawa cells was markedly reduced in the co-culture with SF-G-treated macrophages compared with the co-culture without SF-G. Conclusions: Overall, SF-G treatment altered the inflammatory response of RAW264.7 macrophages in the co-culture microenvironment and inhibited the migration of Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells.

Macrophage; Endometrial cancer; Inflammation; Migration

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