Abstract: Objective To analyze the effect of lupeol on proliferation, migration, invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting CDC25A. Methods The targets of lupeol and their correlation with clinical phenotypes of lung adenocarcinoma were analyzed by bioinformatics. A549 and Calu-3 cells were divided into 6 groups: control group, lupeol group, vector group, lupinol + vector group, silence group and lupinol + silence group. The cells activity, migration and invasion were detected. The xenograft models of nude mice with lung adenocarcinoma were constructed to observe the effects of lupeol on volume and weight of xenograft tumors, and expression levels of Ki67 and CDC25A proteins. The relationship between expression level of CDC25A protein and the concentration and time of lupeol treatment was measured. Results Bioinformatic analysis showed thatCDC25A might be one of lupeol targets, and the expression level of CDC25A was closely related tothe progression of lung adenocarcinoma. The survival rates and colony numbers of A549 and Calu-3cells were decreased with the increase of lupeol concentration (P < 0. 05). The number of migrationand invasion lung adenocarcinoma cells in the lupeol group were significantly lower than those in thecontrol group ( P < 0. 05), the volume and weight of xenograft tumors, the expression levels of Ki67 and CDC25A were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0. 05). The expression level of CDC25A was significantly decreased with the increase of time and concentration of lupeol treatment (P < 0. 05). The expression level of CDC25A, the cells activities, the number of colonies and migration and invasion cells in the lupinol + vector group, the silence group and the lupinol +silence group were significantly lower than those in the vector group (P < 0. 05). Conclusion Lupeol can inhibit malignancy of lung adenocarcinoma tumor cells by down-regulating CDC25A.

Key words: lupeol, lung adenocarcinoma, cell proliferation, cell migration, cell invasion