The effects of arsenic trioxide on CD44v6 ,and ezrin gene expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression of CD44v6,and Ezrin mRNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2), and evaluate the effects of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on the expression in HepG2 in vitro.Methods The expression levels of CD44v6 and Ezrin mRNA were examined by RT-PCR in HepG2 cells in vitro.Results The expression of CD44v6 and Ezrin mRNA was detected in HepG2 cells.The expression levels of CD44v6 and Ezrin mRNA were 1.57 ± 0.47 and 0.70 ±0.18, respectively.A significant down-regulation of expression of CD44v6 mRNA was observed in HepG2 cells when 0.25 mg/L As2O3 was given at the 4th,6th,and 8th day (0.95±0.25,0.90±0.24,and 0.63± 0.19,P <0.05).No change was found in the expression of Ezfin mRNA when HepG2 cells were treated with As2O3 for 4,6, or 8 days (0.70 ± 0.21,0.75 ± 0.22, and 0.71 ± 0.20, P 0.05).Conclusion As2O3 can decrease the expression of CD44v6 mRNA, but it can not directly regulate the expression of Ezrin mRNA in HepG2 cells in vitro. Key words: Carcinoma, hepatocellular; CD44; Ezrin; Arsenic trioxide