BackgroundHuayu Wan (HYW), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulation widely used in the clinical treatment of cancer, has demonstrated anti-tumor activity and augments chemotherapy efficacy by improving intratumoral drug delivery in non-small cell lung cancer. However, its efficacy and role in enhancing the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remain unclear.ObjectiveTo study the underlying mechanisms of HYW in enhancing the efficacy of ICIs for TNBC treatment.Materials and methodsIn the 4T1 TNBC model, tumor growth, vascular structure/function, immune cell infiltration, angiogenic factors and effector cytokines were evaluated using ultrasound imaging, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and ELISA.
HYW’s effects on angiogenesis were validated via in vitro assays (HUVEC proliferation, tube formation, wound healing and transwell invasion) under normal oxygen/hypoxic conditions.ResultsTCGA data and network pharmacology identified VEGFA and the PI3K-Akt/HIF-1 signaling axis as key targets of HYW. HYW significantly enhanced ICIs efficacy, with a tumor inhibition rate of 36.55% (vs.
5.01% for ICIs alone).
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 19 May 2026.
The item focuses on Huayu Wan enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer by normalizing tumor vasculature and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment.
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