Objective: To study the effect of Changweiqing on survival duration

tumor growth and copper-transporting tumor tissues-related protein expression of nude mice in colon carcinoma liver metastasis model

in order to discuss the synergistic mechanism of Changweiqing on the chemotherapy for colorectal cancers. Method: BALB/C nude mice were selected to establish the nude mice colorectal cancer hepatic metastasis model and randomly divided into the model group

the Changweiqing group

the chemotherapy group and the Changweiqing plus chemotherapy (combination) group

with 20 mice in each group. The Changweiqing group was orally administered with corresponding drugs and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline.The chemotherapy group was intraperitoneally injected with oxaliplation(L-OHP) and 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) and orally administered with normal saline.The combination group was orally administered with Changweiqing and intraperitoneally injected with L-OHP and 5-FU;The model group was orally administered and intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. All group were treated for three weeks. The effect of the Changweiqing on survival duration and tumor growth of colorectal cancer hepatic metastasis in nude mice was observed. Human copper transporter 1(hCTR1)

ATPase Cu2+ transporting alpha polypeptide(ATP7A)

copper transporting P-type adenosine triphosphotase(ATP7B)

multidrug resistanceassociated protein 2(MRP2) and glutathione-S-transferase-π(GST-π) protein expressions in tumor tissue were detected by the immunohistochemical method. The apoptosis rate of transplanted tumor tissues was observed by TUNEL method. Result: The Changweiqing group

the chemotherapy group and the Combination group revealed the tumor inhibition rate of 45.33%

70.51%

72.07%

particularly the Combination group (P<0.01).Those group showed a longer nude mice survival time compared with the control group (P<0.05).The Changweiqing group and the Combination group showed higher hCTR1 but lower ATP7A

ATP7B

MRP2

GST-π protein expressions in nude mouse tumors than the model group and the chemotherapy group (P<0.05).The Combination group displayed a higher apoptosis index than the chemotherapy group and the model group(P<0.01). Conclusion: The Changweiqing group can up-regulate the expression of hCTR1 in liver metastases tumor tissues

down-regulate ATP7A and ATP7B protein expressions

reduce GST-π and MRP2 expressions

increase platinum content in tumor tissues

induce apoptosis and increase the apoptosis rate

so as to enhance the chemosensitivity.