Liver Cancer Cells Uptake Labile Iron via L-type Calcium Channel to Facilitate the Cancer Cell Proliferation.

Herein, we studied the effect of labile iron (ferric chloride) on the progression of liver cancer cells (HepG2.2.15). The iron was found to induce cell proliferation, growth, and migration in both traditional two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional cell (3D) culture models. Biophysical and cell cycle determinations also showed the change in functional cellular biophysical features (cell morphology) and cell cycle kinetic during cancer cell growth induced by the labile iron. According to immunofluorescence and the iron uptake inhibition studies, L-type calcium channel was found to plays a role in the iron uptake in the liver cancer cells. This report gives new insights into iron-mediated cancer cell growth and will pave the new way to diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.