scholarly journals Zingiberensis Newsaponin Inhibits the Malignant Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Suppressing Autophagy Moderated by the AKR1C1-Mediated JAK2/STAT3 Pathway

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Keqing He ◽  
Xing Liu ◽  
Shiping Cheng ◽  
Pingsheng Zhou

Objective. Saponins are a group of compounds from various plants, which exhibit an anticancer activity. This study aimed to explore the anticancer effect of zingiberensis newsaponin (ZnS) against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanism involving autophagy. Methods. HCC cells (Huh7 and SMMC7721) were treated with ZnS and/or 3-MA. The cell viability, migration, and apoptosis were determined using CCK-8 assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of oxidative stress markers (ROS, SOD, and MDA) were measured by ELISA assay. Autophagy was monitored using MDC assay, immunofluorescence staining, and transmission electron microscopy. The relative protein expression of LC3II/LC3I, P62, AKR1C1, p-JAK2, p-STAT3, JAK2, and STAT3 was determined using Western blot. Results. ZnS or 3-MA inhibited the cell viability and migration, and it promoted cell apoptosis and oxidative stress in HCC. MDC-positive cells and autophagosomes were reduced by ZnS or 3-MA treatment. The expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3 (LC3II/LC3I) and P62 was, respectively, downregulated and upregulated after ZnS or 3-MA treatment. In addition, ZnS or 3-MA suppressed the protein expression of AKR1C1, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in HCC cells. Furthermore, the above phenomena were evidently enhanced by ZnS combined 3-MA treatment. AKR1C1 overexpression weakened the effect of ZnS on inhibiting the expression of AKR1C1, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3. Conclusion. ZnS exerts an anticancer effect on HCC via inhibiting autophagy moderated by the AKR1C1-mediated JAK2/STAT3 pathway. ZnS and 3-MA exert a synergistic effect on inhibiting HCC.

Author(s):  
Yanhua Li ◽  
Xia Chen ◽  
Hong Lu

The gene solute carrier family 34 (sodium phosphate), member 2 (SLC34A2), is a member of the SLC34 family. Increasing evidence suggests that SLC34A2 is involved in the development of many human carcinomas. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Therefore, in this study we investigated the role of SLC34A2 in HCC and explored the underlying mechanism. We found that the expression of SLC34A2 is upregulated in HCC cell lines. Knockdown of SLC34A2 obviously inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration/invasion, and the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. Furthermore, knockdown of SLC34A2 significantly inhibited the expression of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT in HCC cells. Taken together, these results suggest that knockdown of SLC34A2 inhibits proliferation and migration by suppressing activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in HCC cells, and SLC34A2 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-qi Cao ◽  
Xue-wei Yang ◽  
Yu-bin Chen ◽  
Da-wei Zhang ◽  
Xiao-Feng Jiang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background As an important means of communication, exosomes play an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assays, methylation-specific quantitative PCR, and ChIP-PCR analysis were used to gain insight into the underlying mechanism of miR-21 in HCC. Results The detection of miRNAs in exosomes of HCC showed that miR-21 expression in exosomes was positively correlated with the expression level of miR-21 in cells and negatively correlated with the expression of its target genes PTEN, PTENp1 and TETs. HCC cell-derived exosomes could increase miR-21 and p-Akt expression in HCC cells and downregulate the expression of PTEN, PTENp1 and TETs. MiR-21 inhibitors or PTENp1 overexpression vectors could weaken the effect of the abovementioned exosomes and simultaneously weaken their role in promoting cell proliferation and migration and inhibiting apoptosis. Further studies showed that miR-21 not only directly regulated the expression of PTEN, PTENp1 and TETs but also increased the methylation level of the PTENp1 promoter by regulating the expression of TETs, thereby inhibiting the expression of PTENp1 and further downregulating the expression of PTEN. Conclusions Exosomal miR-21 can regulate the expression of the tumor suppressor genes PTEN and PTENp1 in various ways and affect the growth of HCC cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Min ◽  
Dayong Jin ◽  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Yanxia Kang ◽  
Yuhong Qi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be biological regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). DLG1 antisense RNA 1 (DLG1-AS1) has been found to be up-regulated in cervical cancer. However, its function and underlying mechanism in HCC remains unknown. Methods DLG1-AS1 expression was assessed in HCC cells and normal cell by RT-qPCR. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull down assay and RIP assay were used to demonstrate the interaction between DLG1-AS1 and miR-497-5p. Results DLG1-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC cells. Silencing of DLG1-AS1 led to the inhibition of HCC cell growth and migration. Besides, MYC induced the transcriptional activation of DLG1-AS1. MYC could facilitate HCC cellular processes by up-regulating DLG1-AS1. MiR-497-5p could interact with DLG1-AS1 in HCC cells. Down-regulation of miR-497-5p could reverse the impacts of DLG1-AS1 silencing on HCC cells. SSRP1 expression could be positively regulated by DLG1-AS1 but was negatively regulated by miR-497-5p. Knockdown of DLG1-AS1 suppressed tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusions DLG1-AS1 is activated by MYC and functions as an oncogene in HCC via miR-497-5p/SSRP1 axis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 160 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 650-658
Author(s):  
Yichen Le ◽  
Yi He ◽  
Meirong Bai ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Jiaxue Wu ◽  
...  

Ajuba has been found to be mutated or aberrantly regulated in several human cancers and plays important roles in cancer progression via different signaling pathways. However, little is known about the role of Ajuba in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we found an upregulation of Ajuba expression in HCC tissues compared with normal liver tissues, while a poor prognosis was observed in HCC patients with high Ajuba expression. Knockout of Ajuba in HCC cells inhibited cell growth in vitro and in vivo, suppressed cell migration, and enhanced the cell apoptosis under stress. Moreover, re-expression of Ajuba in Ajuba-deficient cells could restore the phenotype of Ajuba-deficient cells. In conclusion, these results indicate that Ajuba is upregulated in HCC and promotes cell growth and migration of HCC cells, suggesting that Ajuba could possibly be a new target for HCC diagnosis and treatment.


Open Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 317-326
Author(s):  
Dongqiang Song ◽  
Beili Xu ◽  
Dongmin Shi ◽  
Shuyu Li ◽  
Yu Cai

AbstractPurposeS100A6 protein (calcyclin), a small calcium-binding protein of the S100 family, is often upregulated in various types of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to illustrate the molecular mechanism of S100A6 in regulating the proliferation and migration of HCC cells.MethodsThe expressions of S100A6 in human HCC and adjacent non-tumor liver specimens were detected using immunoblotting and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged human S100A6 protein was purified and identified. After treatment with S100A6, the proliferation of HepG2 cells was detected by the MTT and colony formation assay, and the migration of HepG2 cells was investigated by the transwell migration assay; the protein levels of cyclin D1 (CCND1), E-cadherin, and vimentin were also tested by immunoblotting. The effect of S100A6 on p21 and nuclear factor-κB pathway was verified by performing the dual luciferase assay. Then, the expression of p21 and its transcription activator, p53, was examined using immunoblotting and qPCR, the ubiquitination of which was investigated through co-immunoprecipitation.ResultsIt was found that the level of S100A6 was higher in the HCC tissues than in the adjacent non-tumor liver specimens. Exogenous overexpression of S100A6 promoted the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells. S100A6 was observed to regulate p21 mRNA and protein expression levels and decrease p53 protein expression level, not mRNA level, by promoting the ubiquitination of p53 via the proteasome-dependent degradation pathway.ConclusionOur study indicated that S100A6 overexpression could promote the proliferation and migration of HCC cells by enhancing p53 ubiquitin-dependent proteasome degradation, ultimately regulating the p21 expression level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 8303
Author(s):  
Min Hee Yang ◽  
Seung Ho Baek ◽  
Jae-Young Um ◽  
Kwang Seok Ahn

Ginkgolide C (GGC) derived from Ginkgo biloba, has been reported to exhibit various biological functions. However, the anti-neoplastic effect of GGC and its mechanisms in liver cancer have not been studied previously. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-mesenchymal–epithelial transition receptor (c-Met) pathway can regulate tumor growth and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-neoplastic effect of GGC against HCC cells and we observed that GGC inhibited HGF-induced c-Met and c-Met downstream oncogenic pathways, such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MEK/ERK. In addition, GGC also suppressed the proliferation of expression of diverse tumorigenic proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Survivin, IAP-1, IAP-2, Cyclin D1, and COX-2) and induced apoptosis. Interestingly, the silencing of c-Met by small interfering RNA (siRNA) mitigated c-Met expression and enhanced GGC-induced apoptosis. Moreover, it was noted that GGC also significantly reduced the invasion and migration of HCC cells. Overall, the data clearly demonstrate that GGC exerts its anti-neoplastic activity through modulating c-Met phosphorylation and may be used as an effective therapy against HCC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruoyu Wang ◽  
Dong Zhang ◽  
Kewei Sun ◽  
Jianping Peng ◽  
Wenfang Zhu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a high-risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cellular immune responses are essential for HCC development, and the CD4+ and CD8+ T subtypes are identified as the primary anti-tumor immune cells. In the study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of amygdalin in the cellular immune response in HBV-related HCC and HCC progression. Methods The cell proliferation was examined by MTT analysis. Cells metastasis ability was detected by Invasion and migration assays. Quantification of apoptotic cells was performed with Flow cytometer assay. The protein levels of p-STAT3, STAT3, p-JAK2, JAK2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 were detected by performing immunoblotting assays. Results We demonstrate that amygdalin treatment could rescue the HBV-T cell viability and IFN-γ and TNF-αproduction. In HBV-T cells, the MFI levels of CD8+ are lower than that in NC-T cells. Moreover, the phosphorylation levels of STAT3 and JAK2 are higher in HBV-T cells, compared to those in NC-T cells, and then reduced by amygdalin treatment. Co-culture with HBV-T cells could reduce IFN-γ and TNF-α, production while increase IL-6 and IL-10 production in HepG2.2.15 cells; these alterations could be partially reversed by amygdalin pretreatment. Finally, co-culture with HBV-T cells significantly promoted the cell viability, inhibited the apoptosis, and promoted the migration of HepG2.2.15 cells, and these alterations could be partially reversed by amygdalin treatment. Conclusion Our findings provide a rationale for further studies on the functions and mechanism of amygdalin inhibiting HBV-related HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration via T cell-mediated tumor immunity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 213 (5) ◽  
pp. 859-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Yang ◽  
Ye-xiong Tan ◽  
Guang-zhen Yang ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Yu-fei Pan ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress status has a key role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. Normally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are tightly controlled by an inducible antioxidant program that responds to cellular stressors. How HCC cells respond to excessive oxidative stress remains elusive. Here, we identified a feedback loop between gankyrin, an oncoprotein overexpressed in human HCC, and Nrf2 maintaining the homeostasis in HCC cells. Mechanistically, gankyrin was found to interact with the Kelch domain of Keap1 and effectively competed with Nrf2 for Keap1 binding. Increased expression of gankyrin in HCC cells blocked the binding between Nrf2 and Keap1, inhibiting the degradation of Nrf2 by proteasome. Interestingly, accumulation and translocation of Nrf2 increased the transcription of gankyrin through binding to the ARE elements in the promoter of gankyrin. The positive feedback regulation involving gankyrin and Nrf2 modulates a series of antioxidant enzymes, thereby lowering intracellular ROS and conferring a steadier intracellular environment, which prevents mitochondrial damage and cell death induced by excessive oxidative stress. Our results indicate that gankyrin is a regulator of cellular redox homeostasis and provide a link between oxidative stress and the development of HCC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 168 (5) ◽  
pp. 547-555
Author(s):  
Jin Dou ◽  
Daoyuan Tu ◽  
Haijian Zhao ◽  
Xiaoyu Zhang

Abstract MiR-301a is as an oncogene involved in the regulation of gastric cancer (GC) progression, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. This study was to explore the lncRNA PCAT18/miR-301a/TP53INP1 axis in regulating the GC cell proliferation and metastasis. In the present study, GC tissues and cell lines were collected for the detection of PCAT18 expression. Herein, we found that PCAT18 is significantly decreases in human GC tissues and five GC cell lines. Overexpression of PCAT18 inhibits cell viability, invasion and migration of GC cells and tumour growth of GC xenograft tumours. PCAT18 negatively regulates the expression level of miR-301a. The interaction between PCAT18 and miR-301a is confirmed by RIP and RNA pull down. MiR-301a mimic increases cell viability and promotes cell migration and invasion and reverses the inhibitory action of PCAT18. TP53INP1 expression is negatively regulated by miR-301a and TP53INP1/miR-301a is involved in GC viability, migration and invasion. The promoting of PCAT18 on TP53INP1 expression is abolished by miR-301a overexpression. In conclusion, lncRNA PCAT18 acts as a tumour suppressor for GC and lncRNA PCAT18, miR-301a and TP53INP1 comprise a signal axis in regulating GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion.


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