Role of autophagy in HepG-2 cells induced by hepatitis B virus x protein

Abstract

To investigate the role of autophagy in the injury of HepG-2 cells induced by hepatitis B virus x protein (HBx). After HBx transfection, the cells were used to detect the formation of autophagosomes and observed by transmission electron microscopy, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining autophagic vacuole (AV), immunofluorescent ce staining microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 ( MAP1-LC3 ) protein, and Western blotting examining the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I (gray level: 0.760 ± 0.078 vs 0.520 ± 0.086, P < 0.05), beclin 1 (gray level: 0.875 ± 0.093 vs 0.220 ± 0.087, P < 0.05)and lysosome associated membrane protein 2a ( lamp2a ) protein (gray level: 0.320 ± 0.061 vs 0.120 ± 0.064, P < 0.05) levels. (1) HBx transfected upregulated the expression of LC3-II, LC3-I, beclin 1 and lamp2a protein. (2) HBx transfected brought about an increase in the formation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. HBx activates the autophagic lysosome pathway in HepG-2 cells through the LC3/beclin1 pathway.