Solamargine inhibited the progression of non-small cell lung cancer in vitro by activating T cells.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death globally and the most common cancer type. Solamargine is an extract from the traditional Chinese medicine, Long Kui, which exhibits antitumor effects in a number of cancer types, including lung cancer. However, the possible association between solamargine and the tumor microenvironment (TME) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains to be elucidated. In the present study, Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays were used to evaluate the viability and proliferation of NSCLC cells, respectively. In addition, NSCLC cells were co-cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells with or without prior solamargine treatment to evaluate the possible association between solamargine and the TME. The results indicated that solamargine can inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation and migration directly. In addition, it was demonstrated that solamargine can prevent the progression of NSCLC indirectly via activating the function of T cells. These findings may provide a novel theoretical basis in drug discovery for the treatment of NSCLC.