鳖甲煎丸对肝癌细胞中Wnt信号分子β-catenin、GSK-3β及靶基因CD44v6、VEGF的影响

Effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway molecules β-catenin and GSK-3β and the target genes CD44v6 and VEGF in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

目的通过研究鳖甲煎丸对肝癌细胞HepG2中Wnt信号通路的信号分子及靶基因的影响,探讨鳖甲煎丸抗肝细胞癌转移侵袭的分子机制。方法使用含鳖甲煎丸药物血清培养肝癌细胞HepG2,48 h后采用Western blotting技术检测Wnt/β-catenin通路信号分子β-catenin、GSK-3β和磷酸化GSK-3β表达水平,免疫组化技术检测靶基因CD44v6、VEGF的表达情况。结果含鳖甲煎丸药物血清可以降低肝癌细胞HepG2中β-catenin表达水平,下调磷酸化GSK-3β表达水平,明显抑制CD44v6、VEGF的表达。结论鳖甲煎丸抗肝细胞癌转移侵袭的药理作用可能与其下调肝癌细胞HepG2中Wnt/β-catenin信号通路的信号分子β-catenin及磷酸化GSK-3β的表达水平并有效降低靶基因CD44v6、VEGF的表达水平具有相关性,这可能是鳖甲煎丸抑制肝癌细胞HepG2的生长、黏附及转移的重要分子机制之一。

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. 【Key Words】：