OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Biejiajian Pills on the expressions of the signal molecules and target genes of Wnt signal pathway in HepG2 cells and explore the mechanisms by which Biejiajian pills suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: HepG2 cells were cultured for 48 h in the presence of serum collected from rats fed with Biejiajian Pills. The expressions of β-catenin, GSK-3β and P-GSK-3β in the cultured cells were assessed by Western blotting and the expressions of CD44v6 and VEGF were detected using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: HepG2 cells cultured with the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills showed lowered expressions of β-catenin protein both in the cytoplasm and the nuclei with also inhibition of phosphorylation of GSK-3β and reduced expression of CD44v6 and VEGF. CONCLUSION: Biejiajian Pills can significantly reduce the expression of β-catenin by decreasing the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to cause down-regulation of the target genes CD44v6 and VEGF, which may be one of the molecular mechanisms by which Biejiajian Pills suppress the proliferation and invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Biejiajian Pills on the expressions of the signal molecules and target genes of Wnt signal pathway in HepG2 cells and explore the mechanisms by which Biejiajian pills suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: HepG2 cells were cultured for 48 h in the presence of serum collected from rats fed with Biejiajian Pills. The expressions of β-catenin, GSK-3β and P-GSK-3β in the cultured cells were assessed by Western blotting and the expressions of CD44v6 and VEGF were detected using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: HepG2 cells cultured with the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills showed lowered expressions of β-catenin protein both in the cytoplasm and the nuclei with also inhibition of phosphorylation of GSK-3β and reduced expression of CD44v6 and VEGF. CONCLUSION: Biejiajian Pills can significantly reduce the expression of β-catenin by decreasing the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to cause down-regulation of the target genes CD44v6 and VEGF, which may be one of the molecular mechanisms by which Biejiajian Pills suppress the proliferation and invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Authors: Haiyan An; Junhao Lin; Haitao Sun; Lili Xu; Jiaqi Su; Chunyu He; Jiamin Zeng; Peixiang Liang; Songqi He Journal: Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao Date: 2018-07-30