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

Tetrandrine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derived from the root of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore, which has been reported to elicit in vitro cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells, and in vivo suppressive effects on mouse ascites tumors. In the present study, we examined the antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of tetrandrine in HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line. Tetrandrine showed potent cytotoxic activity in HepG2 cells (IC(50)=9.0+/-1.0 micro M) following incubation for 48 h. Dose-dependent induction of apoptosis was observed by agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometric analysis. Treatment of HepG2 cells with tetrandrine resulted in the activation of caspase-3 protease, and subsequent proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. These results suggest that tetrandrine is potentially useful as a chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive agent in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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PMID:Inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis by tetrandrine in HepG2 cells. 1206 55

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays an import role in the control of apoptosis. The most well known apoptotic pathway regulated by TNF involves the TNFR1-associated death domain protein, Fas-associated death domain protein, and caspase-8. This study examines the mechanism of TNF-induced apoptosis in FaO rat hepatoma cells. TNF treatment significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells. TNF did not activate caspase-8 but activated caspase-3, -10, and -12. The effect of TNF on the expression of different members of the Bcl-2 family in these cells was studied. We observed no detectable changes in the steady-state levels of Bcl-X(L), Bax, and Bid, although TNF suppresses Bcl-2 expression. Dantrolene suppressed the inhibitory effect of TNF on Bcl-2 expression. TNF induced release of Ca(2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that was blocked by dantrolene. Importantly, the expression of Bcl-2 blocked TNF-induced apoptosis and decreased TNF-induced Ca(2+) release. These results suggest that TNF induces apoptosis by a mechanism that involves increasing Ca(2+) release from the ER and suppression of Bcl-2 expression.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor induces apoptosis in hepatoma cells by increasing Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum and suppressing Bcl-2 expression. 1207 31

Wogonin and fisetin are flavonoids, which are widely distributed in plants. Our recent study demonstrated that, among seven structurally related flavonoids, wogonin and fisetin showed the most potent apoptosis-inducing activities in human promyeloleukemic cells HL-60. In the present investigation, we performed molecular studies to assess the apoptotic effects of wogonin and fisetin on hepatocellular carcinoma cells SK-HEP-1. Both wogonin and fisetin showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on SK-HEP-1 cells, accompanied by DNA fragmentation. Microscopic observation under Giemsa staining showed that wogonin and fisetin, at the dose of 80 microM, induced cellular swelling and the appearance of apoptotic bodies, characteristics of apoptosis, in SK-HEP-1 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed an increase of hypodiploid cells in wogonin- and fisetin-treated SK-HEP-1 cells. These data demonstrated that wogonin and fisetin were effective inducers of apoptosis in SK-HEP-1 cells. Treatment with an apoptosis-inducing concentration of wogonin or fisetin caused induction of caspase 3/CPP32 activity, but not of caspase 1 activity. In addition, a caspase 3 inhibitor, Ac-DEVD-CHO, but not the caspase 1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CHO, reversed the cytotoxic effects of wogonin and fisetin on SK-HEP-1 cells. Further, cleavage of caspase 3 substrates including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and D4-GDI protein, and decrease of pro-caspase 3 protein were detected in wogonin- and fisetin-treated SK-HEP-1 cells. Increase of p53 protein was associated with wogonin- and fisetin-induced apoptosis; however, a p53-controlled gene, p21(Waf/Cip-1), was only induced in wogonin- (not fisetin-) treated SK-HEP-1 cells. Serum starvation elevated p21(Waf/Cip-1) protein expression, and enhanced the apoptotic induction activity of wogonin (not fiseitn) in SK-HEP-1 cells. Our study has provided molecular evidence to demonstrate that wogonin and fisetin had effective cytotoxic effects through apoptosis induction in hepatocellular carcinoma cells SK-HEP-1; activation of caspase 3 cascade, induction of p53 protein and alternative expression of p21(Waf/Cip-1) protein were involved.
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PMID:Wogonin and fisetin induction of apoptosis through activation of caspase 3 cascade and alternative expression of p21 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma cells SK-HEP-1. 1210 53

NCTD is a demethylated form of cantharidin with antitumor properties, which is now in use as a routine anticancer drug against hepatoma. However, there is limited information on the effect of NCTD on human cancer cells. In the present study, NCTD inhibited proliferation, caused mitotic arrest, then progressed to apoptosis within 96 hr in 3 human hepatoma cell lines: HepG2, Hep3B and Huh-7. NCTD treatment (5 microg/ml) enhanced the expression of Cdc25C and p21(Cip1/Waf1), increasing the phosphorylation of these 2 proteins. In addition, NCTD treatment induced an earlier increase in cyclin B1-associated histone H1 kinase activity within 48 hr, but an approximately 70% reduction of both protein level and kinase activity of cyclin B1 was observed at 72 hr. Treatment with NCTD significantly decreased the expression of p53 protein but did not affect the expression of Cdk1 and p27(Kip1). Moreover, NCTD treatment also increased the phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) but did not affect the expression of Bax or Bad. Bcl-2 phosphorylation appears to inhibit its binding to Bax since less Bax was detected in immunocomplex with Bcl-2 in NCTD-treated HepG2 cells. In addition, NCTD treatment caused activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, preceding DNA fragmentation and morphologic features of apoptosis. Pretreatment with the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk markedly inhibited NCTD-induced caspase-3 activity and cell death. These results suggest that phosphorylation of p21(Cip1/Waf1) and Cdc25C and biphasic regulation of cyclin B1-associated kinase activity may contribute to NCTD-induced M-phase cell-cycle arrest. Furthermore, the increase of p21(Cip1/Waf1), phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L), activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 may be the molecular mechanism through which NCTD induces apoptosis.
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PMID:Effector mechanisms of norcantharidin-induced mitotic arrest and apoptosis in human hepatoma cells. 1211 64

Many types of cancer cells widely express cytokeratin 19 (CK19). Clinical investigations have suggested that serum CYFRA 21-1, a fragment of CK19, is one of the most useful tumor markers. In the present study, we hypothesized that released CYFRA 21-1 is closely associated with cellular apoptosis during tumor growth. Apoptosis was induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the HuH-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Both TNF-alpha-treated and non-treated cells of HuH-7 were simultaneously examined by immunoradiometric assay, annexin-V apoptosis analysis, immunohistochemical staining and colorimetric protease measurement. Levels of CYFRA 21-1 increased significantly in TNF-alpha-treated cells displaying a high percentage of apoptosis, granular-like aggregation of CK19, and elevated activity of caspase-3 in contrast to non-treated cells. Levels of CYFRA 21-1 decreased significantly after caspase-3 was inhibited in TNF-alpha-treated cells. Thus, the release of CYFRA 21-1 may suggest cellular apoptosis in the process of tumor growth.
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PMID:CYFRA 21-1 is released in TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HuH-7. 1211 43

Elevated serum and tissue bilirubin concentrations that occur in pathological conditions such as cholestasis, jaundice, and other liver diseases are known to stimulate cytotoxic responses. In preliminary studies, we noted that bilirubin seemed to cause apoptosis in murine hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 wild-type (WT) cells. Consequently, we investigated apoptosis caused by bilirubin in WT, mutant C12 [aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-deficient], and C4 (AHR nuclear translocator-deficient) Hepa 1c1c7 cells. Three independent measures of apoptosis were used to quantify the effects of exogenous bilirubin (0, 1, 10, 25, 50, or 100 microM). Caspase-3 activity and cytochrome c release from mitochondria increased at 3 h post-treatment, before increased caspase-8 activity at 6 h, and nuclear condensation by 24 h after treatment with bilirubin. No differences in whole-cell lipid peroxidation were observed between the cell types; however, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was greater in WT cells than C12 or C4 cells 3 h after bilirubin exposure. Pretreatment of cells for 1 h with 1 or 10 microM alpha-naphthoflavone, an AHR antagonist, before bilirubin exposure resulted in decreased caspase-3 activity at 6 h and nuclear condensation at 24 h in WT cells. These results indicate that bilirubin, a potential AHR ligand, causes apoptosis in murine Hepa 1c1c7 WT cells by a mechanism(s) partially involving the AHR, disruption of membrane integrity, and increased intracellular ROS production.
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PMID:Apoptosis in murine hepatoma hepa 1c1c7 wild-type, C12, and C4 cells mediated by bilirubin. 1213 Jun 76

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocols employing lysosomal sensitizers induce apoptosis via a mechanism that causes cytochrome c release prior to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)). The current study was designed to determine how lysosomal photodamage initiates mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in murine hepatoma 1c1c7 cells. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that the photosensitizer N-aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6) localized to the lysosomes. Irradiation of cultures preloaded with NPe6 induced the rapid destruction of lysosomes, and subsequent cleavage/activation of Bid, pro-caspases-9 and -3. Pro-caspase-8 was not activated. Release of cytochrome c occurred at about the time of Bid cleavage and preceded the loss of DeltaPsi(m). Extracts of purified lysosomes catalyzed the in vitro cleavage of cytosolic Bid, but not pro-caspase-3 activation. Pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin B, L and D activities did not suppress Bid cleavage or pro-caspases-9 and -3 activation. These studies demonstrate that photodamaged lysosomes trigger the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by releasing proteases that activate Bid.
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PMID:Release of cytochrome c and activation of pro-caspase-9 following lysosomal photodamage involves Bid cleavage. 1218 44

This report is focused on the apoptotic effect induced by MG132, an inhibitor of 26S proteasome, in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. The results were compared with those obtained with non-transformed human Chang liver cells. MG132 reduced the viability of HepG2 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effect was in tight connection with the induction of apoptosis, as indicated by fluorescence microscopy and cytometric analysis, and was accompanied by a remarkable increase in the production of H2O2 and a reduction in mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsim). In addition cell death was prevented by antioxidants such as GSH, N-acetylcysteine or catalase. Western blot analysis showed that HepG2 cells contain a very low level of Bcl-2 and a much higher level of Bcl-XL, another antiapoptotic factor of the same family. When the cells were exposed to MG132 the level of Bcl-XL diminished, while a new band, corresponding to the expression of the proapoptotic protein Bcl-XS was detected. MG132 also caused the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the activation of caspase-3 with the consequent degradation of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). The observation that the broad spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD markedly reduced the apoptotic effect of the drug clearly demonstrated that caspases play an important role in MG132-induced apoptosis. MG132 exerted a modest effect on the viability of Chang liver cells which primarily depended on the G2/M arrest of cell cycle while only a small percentage of apoptotic cells was found. The remarkable differences in the effects induced by MG132 in Chang liver cells and HepG2 cells made us hypothesise the potential use of proteasome inhibitors in hepatocarcinoma therapy.
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PMID:Apoptosis induced in hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells by the proteasome inhibitor MG132 is associated with hydrogen peroxide production, expression of Bcl-XS and activation of caspase-3. 1223 27

Recent studies have shown increased levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a variety of human malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but so far it is unknown whether COX-2 contributes to the malignant growth and whether inhibition of COX-2 function modifies the malignant potential of liver tumors. COX-1 and COX-2 expression was determined in 4 liver tumor cell lines (Hep 3B, HuH-7, Hep G2, Sk-hep1) by Northern hybridization and Western immunoblot. The functional effects of the nonselective inhibitor sulindac sulfide and the COX-2 selective inhibitors SC-58635 and meloxicam were examined by 3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT)-assays and BrdU uptake, morphology, and TUNEL analysis of apoptosis. Apoptosis regulating proteins were analyzed by Western immunoblot. COX-1 and COX-2 expression was demonstrable in all tested liver tumor cell lines. Sulindac sulfide (50 to 400 micromol/L), SC-58635 (6,25 to 400 micromol/L), and meloxicam (6.25 to 400 micromol/L) led to a significant time- and dose-dependent reduction of cell numbers of up to 80% (P <.05). At equimolar concentrations the effect was more pronounced when COX-2 was selectively blocked. COX-2 inhibition induced apoptosis and reduced tumor cell proliferation. Apoptosis after COX-2 inhibition with SC-58635 (50 micromol/L) was independent of BCL-2, BAX, and the phosphorylation status of AKT/PKB and BAD, but correlated with activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, and caspase-6. In conclusion, selective inhibition of COX-2 leads to a marked growth inhibition of human liver tumor cells, based on the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation and, thus, may offer therapeutic and preventive potential in human hepatocarcinogenesis.
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PMID:Proapoptotic and antiproliferative potential of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors in human liver tumor cells. 1229 35

We evaluated the cytotoxic effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on rat hepatoma dRLh-84 cells in vitro. When cells were cultured in the presence of CLA, strong cytotoxic effect on dRLh-84 cells was recognized at 1 microM level compared to the control vehicle group, and trans10, cis12-CLA but not cis9, trans11-CLA was shown to be an active isomer for inducing this effect. Increase of the sub-G1 population and activation of caspase-3 and 9 accompanied with a time-dependent cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase were recognized in dRLh-84 cells treated with trans10, cis12-CLA. In addition, we could see nuclear fragmentation in dRLh-84 cells treated with trans10, cis12-CLA by laser scanning confocal microscopy observation. Cytotoxic effect of trans10, cis12-CLA on normal hepatocytes was weaker than on dRLh-84 cells. These data indicate trans10, cis12-CLA has a potent cytotoxic effect on dRLh-84 cells through at least in part by an apoptotic pathway.
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PMID:Potent cytotoxic effect of the trans10, cis12 isomer of conjugated linoleic acid on rat hepatoma dRLh-84 cells. 1240 62


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