Inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) affects the proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 hepatoma carcinoma cells via the β-catenin/C-myc signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Research in the last few years has proven that inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) suppresses the migration and invasion of hepatoma carcinoma cells. This study aims to explore the effect of fatty acid synthase knockdown on the apoptosis and proliferation of HepG2 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The human liver cancer cell line HepG2 was cultured and then transfected with FASN-specific siRNA and negative control RNAi. After 48h, cells and protein lysates were used for western blotting, CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8) assays, flow cytometry and other tests. To assess cell apoptosis, Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected; to assess proliferation, CDK4 (cyclin-dependent kinases 4) and P21 were detected; and to determine the signaling pathway involved, β-catenin and C-myc were also detected.

RESULTS

Inhibition of FASN in HepG2 cells can decrease proliferation and promote apoptosis. Flow cytometry and CCK-8 assays demonstrated that the apoptosis rate of FASN-specific siRNA-transfected cells was significantly increased compared to that of the control cells (p<0.01). In addition, the cell cycle analysis revealed that FASN-specific siRNA-transfected cells induced G1 phase arrest (p<0.05), but an increasing trend in G2 (p<0.05). Compared with expression in negative RNAi-transfected cells, the expression of Bcl-2 and CDK-4 was reduced and the expression of Bax, caspase-3 and P21 was increased in FASN-specific siRNA-transfected cells (p<0.05). Regarding the signaling pathway, the expression of β-catenin and C-myc was significantly reduced when compared to that in negative control cells (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Inhibition of FASN suppressed the cell survival of HepG2 cells by inhibiting the β-catenin/C-myc pathway. This result suggests the potential treatment value of FASN for hepatoma carcinoma (HCC).

TIGIT/PVR and LncRNA ANRIL dual-targetable PAMAM polymeric nanoparticles efficiently inhibited the hepatoma carcinoma by combination of immunotherapy and gene therapy

Herein, a novel polymeric nanoparticle was designed to inhibit hepatoma carcinoma by simultaneously targeting the T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT)/poliovirus receptor (PVR) and long noncoding RNAs antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus (LncRNA ANRIL). Firstly, the siANRIL-loaded nanoparticles (NP-siANRIL) was developed by methoxy-poly (ethylene glycol)-polyamidoamine (mPEG-PAMAM) and polyamidoamine-poly (ethylene glycol)-disulphide bond-carboxyl (PAMAM-PEG-S₂-COOH) using the self-assembly method. Then the ^DTBP-3 peptide, a newly developed identified peptide which could occupy the binding interface and effectively block the interaction of TIGIT with its ligand PVR, was further conjugated on the surface of NP-siANRIL via the glutathione (GSH)-sensitive disulphide linkage. In this way, the binding ability of ^DTBP-3 to TIGIT was remained once they were entrapped into the tumour tissues which were abundant of GSH. The present study demonstrated that ^DTBP-3NP-siANRIL exhibited an excellent anti-tumour effect on hepatoma carcinoma in vivo by simultaneously inhibited the expression of miR-203a and its downstream genes and increased the percentages of NK cells and T cells. In a word, the present study has presented a novel strategy for treatment of hepatoma carcinoma by simultaneously targeting of TIGIT/PVR and LncRNA ANRIL.

Solasonine promotes ferroptosis of hepatoma carcinoma cells via glutathione peroxidase 4-induced destruction of the glutathione redox system

Solasonine is a compound isolated from Solanum melongena that has anti-infection properties, and promotes neurogenesis. However, the use of solasonine for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been reported. So, the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of solasonine for the treatment of HCC. The effects of solasonine were tested using the HCC cell lines HepG2 and HepRG. Metabolomics analysis was conducted to assess the effects of solasonine on tumor growth of nude mice xenografts using HepG2 cells. The data demonstrated that solasonine significantly suppressed proliferation of HepG2 and HepRG cells. A mouse xenograft model of HepG2 tumor formation confirmed that solasonine suppressed tumor volume and weight, and inhibited HCC cell migration and invasion, as determined with the Transwell and scratch wound assays. To further reveal the underlying regulatory mechanism, metabolomics analysis was performed. The results revealed the effects of solasonine on glutathione metabolism, including glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and glutathione synthetase (GSS). The glutathione-dependent lipid hydroperoxidase GPX4 prevents ferroptosis by converting lipid hydroperoxides into non-toxic lipid alcohols. Ferroptosis has previously been implicated in the cell death that underlies several degenerative conditions, and induction of ferroptosis by the inhibition of GPX4 has emerged as a therapeutic strategy to trigger cancer cell death. Solasonine increased lipid ROS levels in HepG2 cells by suppression of GPX4 and GSS. However, the use of a ferroptosis inhibitor reversed solasonine-induced ROS production and cell apoptosis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that solasonine promotes ferroptosis of HCC cells via GPX4-induced destruction of the glutathione redox system.

Influence of Toxoplasma gondii on in vitro proliferation and apoptosis of hepatoma carcinoma H7402 cell

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the influence of tachyzoite of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) RH strain on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatoma carcinoma (HCC) H7402 cell.

METHODS

The HCC H7402 cell in logarithmic phase and tachyzoite of T. gondii RH strain in different concentrations (1 × 10(7)/mL, 2 × 10(7)/mL, 4 × 10(7)/mL, 8 × 10(7)/mL and 16 × 10(7)/mL) were co-cultured. CCK-8 was utilized to determine the inhibition rate of T. gondii tachyzoite on H7402 cell growth. Flow cytometry was used to detect the change of cell cycle. RT-PCR method was used to detect the expression of cyclinB1 and cdc2-two genes related to cell cycle. Western blot method was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3 and Bcl-2.

RESULTS

The tachyzoite of T. gondii RH strain can inhibit the proliferation of HCC H7402 cells. The inhibition rate of tumor cell growth increased with the increase of concentration of T. gondii tachyzoite. With the increase of concentration of T. gondii tachyzoite, the proportion of G0/G1 phase of H7402 cell increased, the proportion of S phase decreased, and PI value decreased accordingly. The expression of cyclinB1 and cdc2 genes decreased with the increase of the concentration of T. gondii tachyzoite. With the increase of the concentration of tachyzoite of T. gondii RH strain, the expression quantity of Caspase-3 in H7402 cell increased, but the expression quantity of Bcl-2 protein decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

T. gondii can inhibit the in vitro proliferation of HCC H7402 cell, and induce its apoptosis. This effect shows a trend of concentration-dependent increase. Moreover, it is related to the down-regulation of cyclinB1 and cdc2 (cell cycle-related genes), the increase of apoptosis-related protein Caspase-3, and the decrease of Bcl-2 expression.