鼻咽癌（NPC）是华南地区第三常见的恶性肿瘤，具有高复发和转移率。从传统中草药中提取的天然化合物已经被开发和利用于一系列不同的癌症治疗，具有适度疗效和轻微副作用。Maackiain（MA）是一种黄酮类化合物，最初从豆科植物中分离并已被报道可以缓解各种神经系统疾病，并具有抗过敏和抗炎作用。本研究证明MA在体内外抑制鼻咽癌CNE1和CNE2细胞的增殖、阻塞细胞周期和诱导凋亡，并且相关的蛋白质表达适合以上效应。此外，转录组测序和随后的Western blot实验表明，抑制MAPK / Ras通路可能是MA对NPC细胞的抗肿瘤作用的原因。因此，单独或联合研究了MA及其途径激活剂tertiary butylhydroquinone（TBHQ）的作用。结果表明，TBHQ中和了MA的抑制作用。这些数据表明MA通过抑制MAPK / Ras信号转导途径发挥其抗肿瘤作用，并有潜力成为NPC患者的治疗方法。版权所有©2023中国药科大学。由Elsevier B.V.出版。保留所有权利。

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the third most common malignancy with a high recurrence and metastasis rate in South China. Natural compounds extracted from traditional Chinese herbal medicines have been developed and utilized for the treatment of a variety of cancers with modest properties and slight side effects. Maackiain (MA) is a type of flavonoid that was first isolated from leguminous plants, and it has been reported to relieve various nervous system disorders and exert anti-allergic as well as anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we demonstrated that MA inhibited proliferation, arrested cell cycle and induced apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE1 and CNE2 cells in vitro and in vivo. The expression of the related proteins associated with these processes were consistent with the above effects. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing and subsequent Western blot experiments revealed that inhibition of the MAPK/Ras pathway may be responsible to the anti-tumor effect of MA on NPC cells. Therefore, the effects of MA and an activator of this pathway, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), alone or combination, were investigated. The results showed TBHQ neutralized the inhibitory effects of MA. These data suggest that MA exerts its anti-tumor effect by inhibiting the MAPK/Ras signaling pathway and it has the potential to become a treatment for patients with NPC.Copyright © 2023 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.