Published online Aug 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i31.4192
Revised: March 23, 2007
Accepted: March 26, 2007
Published online: August 21, 2007
AIM: To study the inhibitory effect of Huqi San (Qi-protecting powder) on rat prehepatocarcinoma induced by diethylinitrosamine (DEN) by analyzing the mutational activation of c-fos proto-oncogene and over-expression of c-jun and c-myc oncogenes.
METHODS: A Solt-Farber two-step test model of prehepatocarcinoma was induced in rats by DEN and 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) to investigate the modifying effects of Huqi San on the expression of c-jun, c-fos and c-myc in DEN-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis. Huqi San was made of eight medicinal herbs containing glycoprival granules, in which each milliliter contains 0.38 g crude drugs. γ-glutamy-transpeptidase-isoenzyme (γ-GTase) was determined with histochemical methods. Level of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (OHdG) formed in liver and c-jun, c-fos and c-myc proto-oncogenes were detected by immunohistochemical methods.
RESULTS: The level of 8-OHdG, a mark of oxidative DNA damage, was significantly decreased in the liver of rats with prehepatocarcinoma induced by DEN who received 8 g/kg body weight or 4 g/kg body weight Huqi San before (1 wk) and after DEN exposure (4 wk). Huqi San-treated rats showed a significant decrease in number of γ-GT positive foci (P < 0.001, prevention group: 4.96 ± 0.72 vs 29.46 ± 2.17; large dose therapeutic group: 7.53 ± 0.88 vs 29.46 ± 2.17). On the other hand, significant changes in expression of c-jun, c-fos and c-myc were found in Huqi San-treated rats.
CONCLUSION: Activation of c-jun, c-fos and c-myc plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of liver cancer. Huqi San can inhibit the over-expression of c-jun, c-fos and c-myc oncogenes and liver preneolastic lesions induced by DEN.