Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Dedifferentiated hepatoma cells, in contrast to most other cell types including hepatoma cells, undergo apoptosis when treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHx). We recently reported that the dedifferentiated hepatoma cells also exhibit a strong and prolonged NF-kappaB induction phenotype upon exposure to LPS, suggesting that NF-kappaB signaling may play a pro-survival role, as reported in several other cell systems. To test the role of NF-kappaB in preventing LPS-mediated apoptosis, we examined the dedifferentiated cell line M38. Results show that antioxidants strongly inhibited LPS + CHx-mediated cell death in the M38 cells, yet only modestly inhibited NF-kappaB induction. In addition, inhibition of NF-kappaB translocation by infection of the M38 cells with an adenoviral vector expressing an IkappaBalpha super-repressor did not result in LPS-mediated cell death. These results suggest that unlike TNFalpha induction, the cell survival pathway activated in response to LPS is independent of NF-kappaB translocation in the dedifferentiated cells. Addition of inhibitors of JNK, p38 and ERK pathways also failed to elicit LPS-mediated apoptosis similar to that observed when protein synthesis is prevented. Thus, cell survival pathways other than those involving NF-kappaB inducible gene expression or other well-known pathways appear to be involved in protecting the dedifferentiated hepatoma variant cells from LPS-mediated apoptosis. Importantly, this pro-apoptotic function of LPS appears to be a function of loss of hepatic gene expression, as the parental hepatoma cells resist LPS-mediated apoptosis in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors.
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PMID:Apoptosis of dedifferentiated hepatoma cells is independent of NF-kappaB activation in response to LPS. 1765 37

Cinnamaldehyde (Cin) has been shown to be effective in inducing apoptotic cell death in a number of human cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pifithrin-alpha (PFTalpha; a specific p53 inhibitor) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) inhibitors [namely SP600125 (a specific JNK inhibitor), SB203580 (a specific p38 inhibitor) and PD98059 (a specific ERK inhibitor)] on apoptotic signaling transduction mechanism induced by Cin in human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5 (CD95-negative) cells. Using XTT assay, Cin exhibited a powerful cytotoxic effect and apoptotic induction in PLC/PRF/5 cells. Apoptosis was elicited when cells were treated with 1 microM Cin as characterized by morphological changes and the appearance of phosphatidylserine on the outer surface of the plasma membrane. Cin down-regulated the expression of Bcl-(XL), up-regulated mutant p53 and Bax proteins and promoted caspase-3 to active forms, as well as cleaving poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in a time-dependent pattern. This could be supported by the activation and phosphorylation of MAPKs, including JNK, ERK and p38 kinases. Pre-incubation with PFTalpha and specific MAPK inhibitors significantly diminished the effect of Cin-induced apoptosis. The activities of anti-apoptotic (Bcl-(XL)) and pro-apoptotic (Bax) proteins were remarkably affected by PFTalpha and PD98059 pre-treatment. PFTalpha effectively blocked PARP cleavage in cells treated with Cin, and also markedly prevented the phosphorylation of JNK, p38 and ERK proteins. These results suggest that p53 induction and MAPK signaling pathways are required for Cin-mediated apoptosis in PLC/PRF/5 cells.
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PMID:MAPK inhibitors and pifithrin-alpha block cinnamaldehyde-induced apoptosis in human PLC/PRF/5 cells. 1767 46

It has been reported that genipin, the aglycone of geniposide, induces apoptotic cell death in human hepatoma cells via a NADPH oxidase-reactive oxygen species (ROS)-c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent activation of mitochondrial pathway. This continuing work aimed to define that mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a key mediator, which connect between ROS and JNK in genipin-induced cell death signaling. In PC3 human prostate cancer cells, genipin stimulated MLK3 activity in concentration- and time-dependent manner. The PC3 cells stably transfected with dominant-negative form of MLK3 was less susceptible to population of the sub-G1 apoptotic cells, activation of caspase, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and release of cytochrome c triggered by genipin, suggesting a crucial role of MLK3 in genipin signaling to apoptotic cell death. Diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a specific inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, markedly inhibited ROS generation and MLK3 phosphorylation in the genipin-treated cells. Pretreatment with SP0600125, a specific inhibitor of JNK but neither U0126, a specific inhibitor of MEK1/2 nor PD169316, a specific inhibitor of p38 suppressed genipin-induced apoptotic cell death. Notably, both the phosphorylation of JNK and induction of c-Jun induced by genipin were markedly inhibited in PC3-EGFP-MLK3 (K144R) cells expressing a dominant-negative MLK3 mutant. Taken together, our observations suggest genipin signaling to apoptosis of PC3 cells is mediated via activation of ROS-dependent MLK3, which leads to downstream activation of JNK.
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PMID:Mixed lineage kinase 3 connects reactive oxygen species to c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-induced mitochondrial apoptosis in genipin-treated PC3 human prostate cancer cells. 1770 42

Certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) induce the clinical and biochemical manifestations of a metabolic syndrome by as yet unknown mechanism. Here we demonstrate that incubation (1 h) of rat hepatoma Fao cells with the SSRIs paroxetine and sertraline, but not with the atypical antipsychotic drug olanzapine, inhibited the insulin-stimulated Tyr phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) with half-maximal effects at approximately 10 microM. This inhibition correlated with a rapid phosphorylation and activation of a number of Ser/Thr IRS-1 kinases including JNK, S6K1, ERK and p38 MAPK, but not PKB (Akt). JNK appears as a key player activated by SSRIs because specific JNK inhibitors partially eliminated the effects of these drugs. The SSRIs induced the phosphorylation of IRS-1 on S307 and S408, which inhibits IRS-1 function and insulin signaling. These results implicate selected SSRIs as inhibitors of insulin signaling and as potential inducers of cellular insulin resistance.
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PMID:Antidepressants induce cellular insulin resistance by activation of IRS-1 kinases. 1772 40

Overwhelming lines of epidemiological evidence have indicated that persistent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major risk toward development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It remains controversial, however, in the pathogenesis of HCC associated with HCV, whether the virus plays a direct role or merely an indirect one. The studies using transgenic mouse models by us and others, in which the core protein of HCV has oncogenic potential, indicate that HCV is directly involved in hepatocarcinogenesis, albeit other factors such as continued cell death and regeneration associated with inflammation would play a role, as well. The downstream events of the core protein are segregated into two components. One is the augmented production of oxidative stress along with the activation of scavenging system including catalase and glutathion (GSH) in the putative preneoplastic stage with steatosis in the liver. Thus, oxidative stress production in the absence of inflammation by the core protein would partly contribute to the development of HCC. The generation of oxidative stress is estimated to originate from mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocytes by HCV infection. The other is the alteration of intracellular signaling cascade of MAPK (JNK),AP-1, cyclin D1, and CDK4. The combination of these pathways, collective with HCV-associated alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism, would lead to the frequent development of HCC in persistent HCV infection. Our results suggest that there would be a mechanism for hepatocarcinogenesis in persistent HCV infection that is distinct from those for other cancers. Similar to the pathogenesis of other cancers, the accumulation of a set of genetic aberrations may also be necessary for multistage development of HCC. However, HCV core protein, to which an oncogenic potential is ascribed, may allow some of the multiple steps to be bypassed in hepatocarcinogenesis. Therefore, unlike other cancers, HCV infection can elicit HCC in the absence of a complete set of genetic aberrations. Such a scenario, "non-Vogelstein-type" carcinogenesis, would explain the unusually high incidence and multicentric nature of HCC development in HCV infection.
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PMID:Pathogenesis of HCV-associated HCC: Dual-pass carcinogenesis through activation of oxidative stress and intracellular signaling. 1787 71

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, Met, known to control invasive growth program have recently been shown to play crucial roles in the survival of breast cancer patients. The diet-derived flavonoids have been reported to possess anti-invasion properties; however, knowledge on the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms in suppressing HGF/Met-mediated tumor invasion and metastasis is poorly understood. In our preliminary study, we use HGF as an invasive inducer to investigate the effect of flavonoids including apigenin, naringenin, genistein and kaempferol on HGF-dependent invasive growth of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Results show that apigenin presents the most potent anti-migration and anti-invasion properties by Boyden chamber assay. Furthermore, apigenin represses the HGF-induced cell motility and scattering and inhibits the HGF-promoted cell migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of apigenin on HGF-induced signaling activation involving invasive growth was evaluated by immunoblotting analysis, it shows that apigenin blocks the HGF-induced Akt phosphorylation but not Met, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation. In addition to MDA-MB-231 cells, apigenin exhibits inhibitory effect on HGF-induced Akt phosphorylation in hepatoma SK-Hep1 cells and lung carcinoma A549 cells. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy assay, apigenin inhibits the HGF-induced clustering of beta 4 integrin at actin-rich adhesive site and lamellipodia through PI3K-dependent manner. Treatment of apigenin inhibited HGF-stimulated integrin beta 4 function including cell-matrix adhesion and cell-endothelial cells adhesion in MDA-MB-231 cells. By Akt-siRNA transfection analysis, it confirmed that apigenin inhibited HGF-promoted invasive growth involving blocking PI3K/Akt pathway. Finally, we evaluated the effect of apigenin on HGF-promoted metastasis by lung colonization of tumor cells in nude mice and organ metastasis of tumor cells in chick embryo. By histological and gross examination of mouse lung and real-time PCR analysis of human alu in host tissues, it showed that apigenin, wortmannin, as well as anti-beta 4 antibody all inhibit HGF-promoted metastasis. These data support the inhibitory effect of apigenin on HGF-promoted invasive growth and metastasis involving blocking PI3K/Akt pathway and integrin beta 4 function.
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PMID:Apigenin inhibits HGF-promoted invasive growth and metastasis involving blocking PI3K/Akt pathway and beta 4 integrin function in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. 1796 21

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes chronic hepatitis, which often results in the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. In this study, we demonstrated that the non-structural protein NS3 of HCV enhances cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene promoter activity, COX-2 mRNA expression, COX-2 protein production, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release in HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent fashion. We also showed that transcription factor NF-kappaB is required for the activation of COX-2 regulated by NS3. In addition, multiple signaling pathways are involved cooperatively in the expression of COX-2 activated by the viral protein in a calcium-independent manner, which requires signaling components including JNK, ERK, and PKD2. A thorough investigation of mechanism involved in the activation of COX-2 regulated by HCV would provide insights into our understanding the processes of liver inflammatory response and hepatocellular carcinoma development caused by the viral infection and also into the development of novel therapeutics against HCV infection.
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PMID:NS3 protein of hepatitis C virus regulates cyclooxygenase-2 expression through multiple signaling pathways. 1796 30

Smilax glabra Roxb. (SGR) is the root of a traditional Chinese herb, referred to as tu fu ling in Chinese medicine. It is an inexpensive traditional Chinese medicine commonly used for the treatment of liver diseases, and a few studies have indicated that SGR has anti-hepatocarcinogenic and anti-cancer growth activities. In the current study, raw SGR plant was extracted with Accelerate Solvent Extractor, and the molecular mechanism by which S. glabra Roxb. extract (SGRE) has an anti-proliferative effect on the human hepatoma cell lines, HepG2 and Hep3B, was determined. We showed that SGRE inhibited HepG2 and Hep3B cell growth by causing cell-cycle arrest at either S phase or S/G2 transition and induced apoptosis, as evidenced by a DNA fragmentation assay. SGRE-induced apoptosis by alternation of mitochondrial transmembrane depolarization, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, activation of caspase-3, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. The SGRE-mediated mitochondria-caspase dependent apoptotic pathway also involved activation of p38, JNK, and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. Isometric compounds of astilbin (flavonoids) and smilagenin (saponin) have been identified as the main chemical constituents in SGRE by HPLC-MS/MS. These results have identified, for the first time, the biological activity of SGRE in HepG2 and Hep3B cells and should lead to further development of SGR for liver disease therapy.
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PMID:Anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect of Smilax glabra Roxb. extract on hepatoma cell lines. 1799 28

The role of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication was investigated in this study. After transient transfection with HBV plasmid, p38 MAPK, but not JNK or ERK1/2, was significantly phosphorylated in human hepatoma cell Huh7. Interestingly, HBV proteins and RNA synthesis were significantly inhibited by a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, SB203580, in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular core-associated DNA, extracellular virion-associated DNA and covalently closed circular DNA were also significantly inhibited by SB203580. Further results showed the antiviral role of nitric oxide (NO) on the suppression of HBV replication and downregulation of p38 MAPK phosphorylation. In conclusion, these results suggested that suppression of phosphorylation of p38 MAPK by inhibitor or NO could inhibit intracellular HBV replication.
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PMID:Suppression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibits hepatitis B virus replication in human hepatoma cell: the antiviral role of nitric oxide. 1822 Dec 99

The mammalian amino acid response (AAR) pathway is up-regulated by protein or amino acid depletion. This pathway involves detection of uncharged tRNA by the GCN2 kinase, phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2alpha (eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha), and, through subsequent translational control, enhanced de novo synthesis of the transcription factor ATF4. The present studies demonstrate that inhibition of MEK activation in HepG2 human hepatoma cells by PD98059 or U0126 blocked the increased phosphorylation of eIF2alpha and ATF4 synthesis triggered by amino acid limitation, showing that the AAR requires activation of the MEK-ERK pathway. Inhibitors of the JNK or p38 MAPK pathways were ineffective. Consequently, inhibition of MEK activation blocked transcriptional induction of ATF4 target genes, but the induction was rescued by overexpression of ATF4 protein. Furthermore, the enhanced ERK phosphorylation following amino acid deprivation required GCN2 kinase activity and eIF2alpha phosphorylation. Inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 action on phospho-eIF2alpha by knockdown of GADD34 did not block the sensitivity to PD98059, suggesting that MEK functions to enhance GCN2-dependent eIF2alpha phosphorylation rather than suppressing dephosphorylation. Collectively, these results document a critical interdependence between the MEK-ERK MAPK signaling pathway and the amino acid stress-activated pathway.
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PMID:MEK signaling is required for phosphorylation of eIF2alpha following amino acid limitation of HepG2 human hepatoma cells. 1828 93


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