Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 1, 2004; 10(21): 3103-3106
Published online Nov 1, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i21.3103
Transfection of p27kip1 enhances radiosensitivity induced by 60Co γ-irradiation in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line
Xiao-Xiang Guan, Long-Bang Chen, Gui-Xia Ding, Wei De, Ai-Hua Zhang
Xiao-Xiang Guan, Long-Bang Chen, Department of Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Gui-Xia Ding, Ai-Hua Zhang, Center of Pediatric Nephrology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
Wei De, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Postdoctor Research Foundation of China, No. 2003034383
Correspondence to: Dr. Long-Bang Chen, Department of Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China. xxguan@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-25-86062033 Fax: +86-25-84801861
Received: March 27, 2004
Revised: April 6, 2004
Accepted: April 13, 2004
Published online: November 1, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To study the cell cycle alterations of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 in vitro after 60Co γ-irradiation and further to examine the mechanisms underlying the enhancement of radiosensitivity to γ-irradiation in HepG2 transiently transfected with wild type p27kip1.

METHODS: The proliferation of HepG2 cells was evaluated with MTT assay, and the cell cycle profile and apoptosis were assessed by cell morphology, DNA fragmentation analysis and flow cytometry. HepG2 cells were transfected with p27kip1 wild type by using Lipofectamine (LF2000), and the expression and subcellular localization of p27kip1 in HepG2 were detected by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS: 60Co γ-irradiation inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptosis of HepG2 cells was induced 48 h after γ ray exposure. Furthermore research was carried out to induce exogenous expression of p27kip1 in HepG2. The expression of p27kip1 induced G0/G1 phase arrest in HepG2 cells. The overexpression of p27kip1 enhanced 60Co γ-irradiation-induced radiosensitivity in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION: Overexpression of p27kip1 is a rational approach to improve conventional radiotherapy outcomes, which may be a possible strategy for human hepatoma therapy.

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