Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2002. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 2002; 8(6): 1053-1058
Published online Dec 15, 2002. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v8.i6.1053
Effects of tachyplesin on proliferation and differentiation of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells
Gao-Liang Ouyang, Qi-Fu Li, Xuan-Xian Peng, Qing-Rong Liu, Shui-Gen Hong
Gao-Liang Ouyang, Shui-Gen Hong, Laboratory of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Qi-Fu Li, Xuan-Xian Peng, Qing-Rong Liu, The Key Laboratory of China Education Ministry for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30170724 and Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, No. C97015.
Correspondence to: Dr. Qi-Fu Li, The Key Laboratory of China Education Ministry for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian Province, China. chifulee@163.net
Telephone: +86-592-2183619 Fax: +86-592-2186392
Received: May 2, 2002
Revised: June 4, 2002
Accepted: June 11, 2002
Published online: December 15, 2002
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the antitumor activities of tachyplesin on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

METHODS: Tachyplesin, isolated from acid extracts of Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) hemocytes, was used to treat the human HCC cell line SMMC-7721. Effects of tachyplesin on the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells were measured with trypan blue dye exclusion test and HE staining. The morphology and ultrastructure of the cells were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The activities of γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) were assayed with biochemical methods. The levels of alpha fetoprotein (α-FP), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p21WAF1/CIP1 and c-myc were examined by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS: After treatment with tachyplesin 3.0 mg/L, the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells was inhibited significantly, with the cell growth inhibitory rate amounted to 55.57% and the maximum cell mitotic index declined by 43.68%. The morphology and ultrastructure underwent restorational alteration. The activity of γ-GT declined while TAT activity increased obviously, and the levels of α-FP and PCNA decreased. Moreover, the expression of p21WAF1/CIP1 protein was up-regulated and that of c-myc protein was down-regulated.

CONCLUSION: Tachyplesin could effectively inhibit the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells, reverse the malignant morphological and ultrastructural characteristics, alter the levels of enzymes and antigens, regulate the expression of differentiation-associated oncogene and tumor suppressor gene, and induce hepatocarcinama cell differentiation.

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