Human Hepatoma SMMC-7721 Cells Research Articles

Retraction Note: MicroRNA-302b suppresses cell proliferation by targeting EGFR in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells

Retraction Note: MicroRNA-302b suppresses cell proliferation by targeting EGFR in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells

Environmentally Friendly UV Absorbers: Synthetic Characterization and Biosecurity Studies of the Host-Guest Supramolecular Complex.

Isoamyl 4-methoxycinnamate (IMC) is widely used in various fields because of its exceptional UV-filter properties. However, due to its cytotoxicity and anti-microbial degradability, the potential eco-environmental toxicity of IMC has become a focus of attention. In this study, we propose a host-guest supramolecule approach to enhance the functionality of IMC, resulting in a more environmentally friendly and high-performance materials. Sulfobutyl-β-cyclodextrin sodium salt (SBE-β-CD) was used as the host molecule. IMC-SBE-β-CD supramolecular substances were prepared through the "saturated solution method", and their properties and biosecurity were evaluated. Meanwhile, we conducted the AOS tree evaluation system that surpasses existing evaluation approaches based on apoptosis, oxidative stress system, and signaling pathways to investigate the toxicological mechanisms of IMC-SBE-β-CD within human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells as model organisms. The AOS tree evaluation system aims to offer the comprehensive analysis of the cytotoxic effects of IMC-SBE-β-CD. Our findings showed that IMC-SBE-β-CD had an encapsulation rate of 84.45% and optimal stability at 30 °C. Further, IMC-SBE-β-CD promoted cell growth and reproduction without compromising the integrity of mitochondria and nucleus or disrupting oxidative stress and apoptosis-related pathways. Compared to IMC, IMC-SBE-β-CD is biologically safe and has improved water solubility with the UV absorption property maintained. Our study provides the foundation for the encapsulation of hydrophobic, low-toxicity organic compounds using cyclodextrins and offers valuable insights for future research in this field.

Synthesis of stimuli-responsive copolymeric hydrogels for temperature, reduction and pH-controlled drug delivery

Stimuli-responsive copolymeric hydrogels (CH) are synthesized for controlled drug delivery. Oxidized glycyrrhizic acid is connected to acrylamide through Schiff base reaction, which is then copolymerized with N,N-bis (acryloyl) cystamine and N-isopropylacrylamide by free-radical polymerization for the loading of 5-fluorouracil with a loading efficiency of 96.7 %. The lower critical solution temperature of the CH is 39.14 °C. The N-isopropylacrylamide unit in the CH is sensitive to temperature, endowing the CH with temperature sensitivity. The carboxyl groups of oxidized glycyrrhizic acid can be deprotonated in alkaline solutions, and the electrostatic repulsions between the resultant carboxylate can cause swelling of the CH. The disulfide bond (S–S) of the N,N-bis (acryloyl) cystamine unit can be reduced to sulfhydryl (–SH) by glutathione, and thus the CH is also reduction-sensitive. Therefore, temperature, reduction and pH-controlled delivery of 5-fluorouracil from the CH is achieved. Cytotoxicity assay reveals that the drug-free hydrogels have good biocompatibility while the CH shows high cytotoxicity against human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells, and the cell viability is only 25 % at the CH concentration of 1 mg mL−1.

Synthesis of oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose/chitosan hydrogels doped with graphene oxide for pH- and NIR-responsive drug delivery

Biological macromolecules hydrogels are synthesized via the Schiff base reaction between oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose (oxCMC) and chitosan (CS), and graphene oxide (GO) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) are co-doped in the oxCMC/CS hydrogels during the cross-linking process. The acylhydrazone bonds (–HC = N–) between oxCMC and CS can be easily hydrolyzed in acidic solutions, leading to the swelling of the hydrogels and facilitated delivery of 5-FU. On the other hand, the doped GO is a promising photothermal agent, and the delivery of 5-FU can also be facilitated by the generated hyperthermia upon near infrared (NIR) irradiation. Therefore, pH- and NIR-responsive delivery of 5-FU from the hydrogels can be achieved. The kinetics of drug delivery indicate that the delivery of 5-FU from the hydrogels is controlled by first-order model. The drug-free carrier (oxCMC/CS/GO) has excellent biocompatibility while the developed drug delivery system (oxCMC/CS/GO/5-FU) exhibits high cytotoxicity against human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells.

Cytotoxic terpenes from the flowers of Inula japonica against human hepatocarcinoma cells.

Two new 1,10-seco-eudesmanolides (1 and 2) were isolated from the flowers of Inula japonica together with two eudesmanolide analogues (3 and 4) and two monoterpene derivatives (5 and 6). Their structures were established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses and ECD data. All isolates were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. Compound 3 exhibited the most potent effect with the IC50 values of 14.60 ± 1.62 and 22.06 ± 1.34 μM against HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells, respectively. Furthermore, compound 3 showed significant efficacies of arresting the cell cycle at the S/G2-M stages, inducing mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration in HepG2 cells.

Cytotoxic phenyl polyketides from Hypericum curvisepalum N. Robson

(±)-Hypecurvone A (1) and B (2), two new undescribed phenyl polyketides, along with seven known analogues (3–9) were isolated from the whole plant of Hypericum curvisepalum. Chiral separation of 1 and 2 yielded two pairs of enantiomers 1a/1b and 2a/2b, respectively. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and ECD spectra simulations. All isolates exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells, and compound 3 also showed weak cytotoxicity toward MGC-803 cells. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was found to be related to enhanced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and inhibition of the G2/M phase of the cell cycle.

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine promotes apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma through switching energy metabolism phenotype via upregulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species

Mitochondrion is an important organelle that maintains cellular homeostasis and plays a crucial role in determining cell fate. The present study investigated the effect of levo-tetrahydropalmatine(THP) on autophagic flux and energy metabolism phenotype of human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cells. SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cells were treated with THP(100 μmol·L~(-1)) with or without N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC, 10 μmol·L~(-1)) for 24 h. The mitochondrial reactive oxygen species(mtROS) was detected by flow cytometry(FCM) with MitoSOX probe and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Thereafter, autophagic flux was detected by FCM with CYTO-ID probe, and the protein levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 A/1 B-light chain 3-Ⅰ(LC3Ⅰ), LC3Ⅱ, and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase(p-AMPK)/AMPK were measured by Western blot. Mitochondrial respiration was examined by Seahorse XFp assay and cell proliferation by a system. Annexin V-FITC and PI/RNase staining was employed to detect apoptosis of SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cells treated with THP and/or NAC. Subsequently, membrane potential was measured with MitoTracker Red CMXRos. Compared with the control group, THP promoted mtROS production and THP combined with NAC attenuated the autophagic flux increase induced by THP alone in SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cells. When cells were co-treated with THP and chloroquine(CQ, an autophagy inhibitor), THP further increased mtROS and apoptosis. In addition, THP significantly reduced mitochondrial respiration in terms of mitochondrial basal respiration, ATP production, and maximal respiration. Meanwhile, THP significantly reduced the proliferation index and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCC cells accompanied by the increased apoptosis. This study demonstrates that the up-regulation of mtROS by THP significantly promotes HCC cell autophagy(protective autophagy) and impairs mitochondrial respiration through reprogramming energy metabolism, ultimately inducing the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis of SMMC-7721 and BEL-7402 cells.

Catechin, rutin and quercetin in Quercus mongolica Fisch leaves exert inhibitory effects on multiple cancer cells.

We aimed to identify anti-tumor agents in Quercus mongolica Fisch (QMF). Bioactive compounds in QMF leaves, which were extracted using ethanol as a co-solvent. Five point zero six grams of flavonoids were obtained from 100 g of QMF leaves. Catechin (18.4%), rutin (6.3%), ellagic acid (34.9%), quercetin (5.1%) and kaempferol (20.6%) are the main ingredients of the extracts and were further purified by HPLC. CCK-8 cell proliferation assay showed that catechin and ellagic acid exerted strong inhibitory effects on the proliferation of all cancer cells with lower IC50 values against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines, SMMC-7721 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HeLa human cervical carcinoma cell lines and SKOV3 human ovarian carcinoma cell lines (p < .05). Catechin, rutin and quercetin induced a higher rate of apoptosis and inhibited all cancer cell proliferation by inducing the G0/G1 phase and G2/M phase arrest (p < .05). However, ellagic acid induced tumor cell death, not through apoptosis and there may be other molecular mechanisms. High levels of catechin and ellagic acid in QMF can be developed as potential drugs to treat different types of cancer cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Quercus species have been widely studied because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-tumor properties. Bioactive compounds in the leaves of Quercus mongolica Fisch have high levels of catechin and ellagic acid, which exert significant inhibitory properties on the proliferation of various types of cancer cells. Therefore, the bioactive compounds may be potential natural drugs in the prevention of cancer development and progression.

Development of icariside II loaded polymeric micelles and evaluation of anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo

Icariside II (ICA II) is a bioactive flavonoid in the traditional Chinese medicine Epimedii Folium with potential anticancer effects. However, poor water solubility and low systemic bioavailability limit its application in clinic. Therefore the present study aimed to develop an injectable polymeric micellar system delivering ICA II for cancer chemotherapy. The amphiphilic block copolymers were used as drug carrier, and the drug loaded micelles were prepared via thin-film hydration according to the optimal formulation and conditions from the response surface methodology. The physicochemical properties of micelles were characterized and the antitumor effects were investigated by the in vitro and in vivo assays. Resultantly the micelles had an average particle size of about 20 nm along with a narrow size distribution, and favorable drug loading (∼10%) and entrapment efficiency (>98%). The drug loaded micelles displayed sustained drug release over 10 days in the in vitro system. Compared with the free drug of ICA II, these micelles showed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against in vitro proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells. The results from nude mice bearing human liver carcinoma further revealed the potent anticancer efficacy in vivo of these micelles. All the findings thus demonstrated that the micellar formulation of the natural bioactive flavonoid ICA II may serve as promising nanocarrier for anticancer treatments.

Design, Synthesis, and Apoptosis-Promoting Effect Evaluation of Chalcone Derivatives Containing Aminoguanidine Units.

Chalcones are precursors of flavonoids or isoflavonoids, and they are abundant in edible plants. Chalcones constitute an important group of natural and synthetic products with a wide range of pharmacological activities. To determine the seeds of the anti-tumor agents, we focused on the potential bioactive materials obtained from chalcone derivatives. Two series of chalcone derivatives containing aminoguanidine or bis-chalone were designed, synthesized, and screened for their cytotoxicity, proliferation inhibition, and apoptosis-promoting activity in vitro against a panel of human tumor cell lines. Among the various compounds studied in this work, 2-((E)-4-((E)-3-oxo-3-(p-tolyl)prop-1-en-1- yl)benzylidene)hydrazine-1-carboximidamide (5f) was the most potent, with IC50 values of 7.17 μM and 3.05 μM antiproliferative activity in vitro against human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells and SMMC-7721 cells, respectively. This result showed that the compound possessed a certain degree of selectivity for human hepatocarcinoma cells, especially for SMMC-7721. Then, Annexin V/PI flow cytometry assay was used to investigate different concentrations of compound 5f to demonstrate the ability of compound 5f in inducing apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells in a concentrationdependent manner. Finally, these results were further verified by Western blot analysis. Based on the collective results, compound 5f may be a promising anti-cancer compound, and may play a significant role in subsequent research.

Transcriptome changes in ERGIC3-knockdown hepatocellular carcinoma cells: ERGIC3 is a novel immune function related gene.

ObjectiveThe expression of ERGIC3 is increased in a variety of tumors and promotes the growth and metastasis of liver cancer, but the molecular mechanism needs to be further studied.In this study, we aimed to analyze the molecular mechanism of ERGIC3 regulating the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) SMMC-7721 cells using transcriptomics.MethodsERGIC3 was knocked down in SMMC-7721 cells by RNAi technique, and the expression of ERGIC3 was detected by Q-RT-PCR and Western Blot. RNA sequencing was performed in the Illumina HiSeq platform in the control group and the ERGIC3i group and bioinformatics methods were selected to analyze the data.ResultsThe expression of ERGIC3 was reduced to 10% in SMMC-7721 cells by RNAi technique, and 176 genes were up-regulated and 34 genes were down-regulated in ERGIC3i group compared with the control group. Analysis of the pathways and biological processes that enrich the function of differentially expressed genes showed thatthese differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in vesicular transport, growth factors, PI3K-Akt, NOD-like, Jak-STAT, NF-kappa B and other protein kinase-coupled receptors mediated signal transduction pathways, tumor immune response, collagen-integrin receptor-actin axis, and miRNA pathways. More importantly, most of the significantly altered pathways were related to immunity. ERGIC3 may be a key immune-related gene.ConclusionBased on the transcriptomic analysis, the mechanism of ERGIC3 promoting the growth of HCC is link with the transport of growth factor receptor, cytokine receptor and collagen. Then it is involved in signal transduction pathways mediated by protein kinase-coupled receptors, PI3K-Akt, NOD-like, Jak-STAT and NF-kappa B. In particular, the mechanism is also involved in the ERGIC3-dependent immune pathways. ERGIC3 is a potential target for prevention and treatment of HCC.

Extraction of total triterpenoids from raspberry fruit and evaluation of their effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

In this study, the total triterpenoids of raspberry fruit (TTRF) were prepared, and their effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells were investigated. SMMC-7721 cells were treated with TTRF with concentration of 0 (control), 50, 100, 200 and 400 μg/mL, respectively. The cell proliferation, cycle and apoptosis were detected. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X (Bax) in cells were determined. Results showed that, TTRF could obviously inhibit the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells, arrest most cells in S and G2/M phases, and promote their apoptosis. In addition, TTRF could increase the ROS level, down-regulate the Bcl-2 protein expression and up-regulate the Bax protein expression in cells. In conclusion, cucurbitacin I has inhibitory effect on growth of SMMC-7721cells. The action mechanism may be related to its increasing ROS level and regulating of Bcl-2 and Bax expression in cells.

Retraction Note to: Hispidulin induces ER stress-mediated apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo by activating AMPK signaling pathway.

Hispidulin (4’,5,7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone) is a phenolic flavonoid isolated from the medicinal plant S. involucrata, which exhibits anti-neoplastic activity against several types of cancer. However, the mechanism underlying its anti-cancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether and how hispidulin-induced apoptosis of human HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. We showed that hispidulin (10, 20 μmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited cell growth and promoted apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in human HCC SMMC7721 cells and Huh7 cells. More importantly, we revealed that its pro-apoptotic effects depended on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and unfolded protein response (UPR), as pretreatment with salubrinal, a selective ERS inhibitor, or shRNA targeting a UPR protein CHOP effectively abrogated hispidulin-induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we showed that hispidulin-induced apoptosis was mediated by activation of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway as pretreatment with Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, or AMPK-targeting siRNA reversed the pro-apoptotic effect of hispidulin. In HCC xenograft nude mice, administration of hispidulin (25, 50 mg/kg every day, ip, for 27 days) dose-dependently suppressed the tumor growth, accompanied by inducing ERS and apoptosis in tumor tissue. Taken together, our results demonstrate that hispidulin induces ERS-mediated apoptosis in HCC cells via activating the AMPK/mTOR pathway. This study provides new insights into the anti-tumor activity of hispidulin in HCC.

Expression and biological role of the neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase 1 gene in liver cancer tissue and cell lines

Objective To investigate the expression of the neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase 1 (NCEH1) gene in liver cancer tissue and human hepatoma cell lines and the effect of NCEH1 gene knockdown on the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis abilities of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells. Methods Liver cancer tissue samples and adjacent tissue samples were collected from 32 patients with liver cancer who underwent surgical treatment in Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University from January 2013 to June 2019, and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the relative expression level of the NCEH1 gene. Gene expression data of liver cancer samples up to September 2020 were downloaded from the ICGC database, and R software was used to analyze the data and obtain the expression level of the NCEH1 gene in each sample. The paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to investigate the differences between liver cancer tissue and adjacent tissue. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the expression level of the NCEH1 gene in human hepatoma SMMC-7721, Bel-7402, HepG2, and Hep3B cells and normal human HL7702 liver cells. The lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) technique was used to establish a human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cell line with NCEH1 gene knockdown, and the cells were divided into NCEH1 knockdown group (KD group) and negative control group (NC group); quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the knockdown efficiency of the NCEH1 gene, and then MTT assay, flow cytometry with Annexin V-APC single staining, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, and Transwell chamber invasion assay were used to measure the proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and invasion abilities of SMMC-7721 cells in both groups. The t-test was used for statistical analysis of data between the two groups. Results The mean expression level of the NCEH1 gene in liver cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissue (specimens from our hospital: Z=2.263, P=0.024; ICGC database: U=18 768, P Conclusion There is a significant increase in the expression of the NCEH1 gene in liver cancer tissue and cell lines, and the NCEH1 gene can promote the growth, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of hepatoma cells and inhibit their apoptosis, suggesting that it may be a potential therapeutic target for liver cancer.

Chemerin reverses the malignant phenotype and induces differentiation of human hepatoma SMMC7721 cells.

Chemerin exhibits an inhibitory effect on hepatocellular carcinoma; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, low chemerin expression was confirmed in samples of liver cancer patients and hepatoma cells. Chemerin altered hepatoma cell morphology but had no effect on normal hepatocytes. Chemerin inhibited proliferation of several human hepatoma cell lines. Real-time PCR detection of hepatocellular carcinoma markers showed that mRNA levels of albumin and A-type gamma-glutamyl transferase increased whereas those of alpha-fetoprotein, alkaline phosphatase, B-type gamma-glutamyl transferase, insulin-like growth factor II, and human telomerase reverse transcriptase decreased in chemerin-treated SMMC7721 cells. Western blotting revealed that chemerin up-regulated albumin and vimentin expressions, and downregulated alpha-fetoprotein expression. Phosphorylated STAT3 was significantly up-regulated, whereas phosphorylated ERK and AKT were significantly downregulated by chemerin. Chemerin decreased phosphorylated ERK and AKT expression and the cell proliferation induced by PI3K activator 740 Y-P but could not significantly alter phosphorylated STAT3 expression and the cell growth induced by STAT3 inhibitor NSC74859. In conclusion, chemerin reversed the malignant phenotype and induced SMMC7721 cell differentiation by inhibiting MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling; growth inhibition by chemerin is not directly related to the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Our study provides novel evidence that chemerin could be utilized for liver cancer treatment.

Synergistic Antitumor Effect of 5-Fluorouracil Combined with Constituents from Pleurospermum lindleyanum in Hepatocellular Carcinoma SMMC-7721 Cells.

A Chinese folk medicine plant Pleurospermum lindleyanum possesses pharmacological activities of heat-clearing, detoxifying and preventing from hepatopathy, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and high altitude sickness. We isolated and characterized its constituents to investigate its synergistic effects against human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells. The aim of this study was to explore the synergistic anti-cancer activities of isolates from P. lindleyanum with 5-FU on hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and their primary mechanisms. Sequential chromatographic techniques were conducted for the isolation studies. The isolate's structures were established by spectroscopic analysis as well as X-ray crystallographic diffraction. Growth inhibition was detected by MTT assay. The isobologram method was used to assess the effect of drug combinations. Flow cytometry and western blot were used to examine apoptosis and protein expression. A new coumarin (16), along with sixteen known compounds, were isolated from the whole plant of P. lindleyanum and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Four coumarins (2, 3, 5, and 16), two flavonoids (8 and 9) and three phytosterols and triterpenes (12-14) were found to synergistically enhance the inhibitory effect of 5-FU against SMMC-7721 cells. Among them, compounds 3 and 16 exhibited the best synergistic effects with IC50 of 5-FU reduced by 16-fold and 22-fold possessing the minimum Combination Index (CI) 0.34 and 0.27. The mechanism of action of combinations might be through synergistic arresting for the cell cycle at G1 phases and the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, western blotting and molecular docking revealed that compounds 3 or 5 might promote 5-FU-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of Caspase 9 and PARP. Constituents from P. lindleyanum may improve the treatment effectiveness of 5-FU against hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Alpha-Fetoprotein Regulates the Expression of Immune-Related Proteins through the NF-κB (P65) Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Background The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poor, with 60% to 70% of patients developing recurrence and metastasis within five years of radical resection. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) plays a significant role in predicting the recurrence and metastasis of HCC after surgery. However, its role in modulating tumor immunity has not been investigated. Our objective was to examine the effect of AFP on the expression of B7 family and activation of the NF-κB (P65) pathway in HCC. Methods We generated human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cell lines with or without recombinant AFP transfection (AFPup and control groups). Colony formation assay, Transwell invasion assay, and wound healing assay were used to detect the function of AFP. Liver cancer xenografts were made in BALB/c nude male mice (N = 6 per group). After 28 days of inoculation, the expression of immune genes in the HCC tissues, including PD-L (B7-H1), B7-H3, B7-H4, and P65, was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blot. In addition, immunofluorescence was used to determine the subcellular localization of the P65 protein, a key factor in the NF-κB pathway. An online HCC patients' dataset was also used to detect the connection between AFP and P65. Results Overexpression of AFP could enhance proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC cells. Both qPCR and western blot results demonstrated that the expressions of PD-L1, B7-H4, and P65 were significantly higher in the AFP group compared to the controls (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence results indicated that the majority of the P65 protein was located in the cytoplasm in the control group but was translocated to the nucleus in the AFPup group. The Spearman correlation coefficient confirms that AFP has a positive correlation with P65 in HCC patients (R = 0.33, P=0.05). Conclusion AFP could enhance proliferation, invasion, and migration in HCC cells. The upregulation of AFP would increase the PD-L1 and B7-H4 mRNA and protein expression in HCC tissues through the upregulation and activation of the P65 protein.

Effects and mechanism of Lanthanum Citrate on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721.

To investigate the effect and the possible mechanism of lanthanum citrate on the proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC-7721 through the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Different concentrations of lanthanum citrate and KAAD-cyclopamine (the Hh signaling pathway representative inhibitor) were used to treat SMMC-7721 cells. Cell proliferation was detected using Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry analysis of Annexin V-FITC/ propidium iodide (PI). The protein expressions of regulatory genes, such as cell cycle protein D1 (CyclinD1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (Caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1), and sonic hedgehog (Shh) were quantified using Western blot assays. The mRNA expressions of Gli1 and Shh were tested using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays and the protein expressions of Gli1 and Shh were determined using immunofluorescence assays. The Annexin V-FITC and PI double staining results revealed that the 0.1 mM lanthanum citrate group and the 15 µM KAAD-cyclopamine group had both increased the apoptosis rate of SMMC-7721 cells. Both lanthanum citrate and KAAD-cyclopamine downregulated the protein expressions of CyclinD1, Bcl-2, Gli1, and Shh and upregulated the protein expressions of p21 and Caspase-3. Additionally, the immunofluorescence results revealed that the protein expressions of Gli1 and Shh were significantly decreased in both the lanthanum citrate group and the KAAD-cyclopamine group compared to the control group. Lanthanum citrate inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in HCC SMMC-7721 cells by suppressing the Hh signaling pathway.

Antibody-Free Hydrogel with the Synergistic Effect of Cell Imprinting and Boronate Affinity: Toward the Selective Capture and Release of Undamaged Circulating Tumor Cells.

The selective and highly efficient capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood and their subsequent release without damage are very important for the early diagnosis of tumors and for understanding the mechanism of metastasis. Herein, a universal strategy is proposed for the fabrication of an antibody-free hydrogel that has a synergistic effect by featuring microinterfaces obtained by cell imprinting and molecular recognition conferred by boronate affinity. With this artificial antibody, highly efficient capture of human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells is achieved: as many as 90.3 ± 1.4% (n = 3) cells are captured when 1 × 105 SMMC-7721 cells are incubated on a 4.5 cm2 hydrogel, and 99% of these captured cells are subsequently released without any loss of proliferation ability. In the presence of 1000 times as many nontarget cells, namely, leukaemia Jurkat cells, the SMMC-7721 cells can be captured with an enrichment factor as high as 13.5 ± 3.2 (n = 3), demonstrating the superior selectivity of the artificial antibody for the capture of the targeted CTCs. Most importantly, the SMMC-7721 cells can be successfully captured even when spiked into whole blood, indicating the great promise of this approach for the further molecular characterization of CTCs.

Role of miR-541-3p/TMPRSS4 in the metastasis and EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-541-3p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to explore the possible underlying mechanism. 80 pairs of cancerous and para-cancerous tissues were collected in this study. Human HCC SMMC-7721 cells and normal liver HL-7702 cells were enrolled as well. Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) was performed to detect the expression level of miR-541-3p in tissues and cells. Potential target genes of miR-541-3p were screened and confirmed by online prediction websites and Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay, respectively. SMMC-7721 cells were used for functional experiments in vitro. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. The invasion and migration of the cells were evaluated by transwell and scratch wound-healing assay, respectively. Furthermore, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) associated markers were measured by Western blot assay. MiR-541-3p was lowly expressed in both HCC tissues and cells. Transmembrane protease serines 4 (TMPRSS4) was defined as a functional target of miR-541-3p. The miR-541-3p/TMPRSS4 axis showed containment in HCC cells, such as proliferation, invasion and migration. These effects might be manifested by altering the expressions of EMT-related molecular proteins, including TGF-β, E-cadherin and N-cadherin. Our data indicated that miR-541-3p suppressed the invasion and migration of HCC cells by directly targeting and inhibiting TMPRSS4 protein expression. Furthermore, the newly identified miR-541-3p/TMPRSS4 axis provided new insight into the pathogenesis of HCC. It might also serve as a novel potential therapeutic target for HCC treatment.