NF-κB mediates the induction of Fas receptor and Fas ligand by microcystin-LR in HepG2 cells

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the most frequent and most toxic microcystin identified. This natural toxin has multiple features, including inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, inducer of oxidative stress, as well as, tumor initiator and promoter. One unique character of MC-LR is this chemical can accumulate into liver after contacting and lead to severe damage to hepatocytes, such as apoptosis. Fas receptor (Fas) and Fas ligand (FasL) system is a critical signaling system initiating apoptosis. In current study, we explored whether MC-LR could induce Fas and FasL expression in HepG2 cells, a well used in vitro model for the study of human hepatocytes. The data showed MC-LR induced Fas and FasL expression, at both mRNA and protein levels. We also found MC-LR induced apoptosis at the same incubation condition at which it induced Fas and FasL expression. The data also revealed MC-LR promoted nuclear translocation and activation of p65 subunit of NF-κB. By applying siRNA to knock down p65 in HepG2 cells, we successfully impaired the activation of NF-κB by MC-LR. In these p65 knockdown cells, we also observed significant reduction of MC-LR-induced Fas expression, FasL expression, and apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that the NF-κB mediates the induction of Fas and FasL as well as cellular apoptosis by MC-LR in HepG2 cells. The results bring important information for understanding how MC-LR induces apoptosis in hepatocytes.     

乙肝病毒X 蛋白通过CREB 上调HBx结合蛋白促进肝癌细胞迁移

乙型肝炎病毒X蛋白（hepatitis B virus X protein,HBx）对肝癌的发生发展具有十分重要的作用. HBx 具有促进肝癌迁移的作用,但其作用的分子机制不清. 本研究对 HBx 促进肝癌细胞迁移的分子机制进行了探讨. 伤口愈合和 Boyden’s chamber结果表明,HBx 可明显促进肝癌 HepG2 细胞迁移. 在稳定转染 HBx 的 HepG2（HepG2-X）细胞中转染 HBx 结合蛋白（hepatitis B X-interacting protein,HBXIP）的 RNA 干扰片段,可明显抑制 HBx 的促迁移作用. 免疫组化和实时定量 PCR 结果表明,HBXIP 在肝癌组织中显著高表达,并且与 HBx 表达成正相关. 荧光素酶报告基因和免疫印迹结果表明,HBx 显著增强 HBXIP 的启动子活性和蛋白质表达水平. 应用 HBx 的 RNA 干扰处理 HepG2-X 细胞,HBXIP 的启动子活性和蛋白质表达水平明显下降.将 HBXIP 启动子区的cAMP效应元件结合因子（CREB）结合位点突变后,HBx 上调 HBXIP 的作用消失. 应用 CREB 的 RNA 干扰处理肝癌细胞,在启动子水平和蛋白质水平上, HBx 对 HBXIP 的上调作用被显著抑制. 染色质免疫共沉淀结果表明,HBx 能够通过 CREB 结合到 HBXIP 的启动子上,进而发挥激活 HBXIP 的功能. 本研究结果表明,HBx 促进肝癌细胞迁移的作用是通过 CREB 上调 HBXIP 实现的. 这一发现对进一步揭示 HBx 促进肝癌细胞迁移的分子机制具有重要意义.     

Hepatitis B virus X protein induces apoptosis by enhancing translocation of Bax to mitochondria

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is essential for viral replication and plays an important role in viral pathogenesis. HBx transactivates many viral and cellular genes and participates in cellular signal transduction pathways, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the present study, we report that HBx induces apoptosis by enhancing the translocation of Bax to mitochondria, followed by inducing the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome C. In addition, Bcl-2, inhibitor of Bax, rescues the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation induced by serum starvation in HepG2-X cells expressing HBx. We also found that HBx binds directly to Bax and interferes with the interaction between Bax and 14-3-3epsilon to enhance the translocation of Bax to mitochondria. Taken together, our data suggest that HBx induces apoptosis by interacting with Bax and enhancing its translocation to mitochondria.     

COX-2在乙肝病毒X蛋白（HBx）促进肝癌细胞和肝细胞增殖中的作用

乙型肝炎病毒（hepatitis B virus, HBV）X蛋白（HBx）对肝癌的发生发展具有十分重要的作用．大量研究结果表明,与花生四烯酸代谢相关的磷脂酶COX-2与肿瘤细胞的增殖密切相关．为了阐明COX-2在HBx促进肝细胞增殖中的作用,在前期应用基因芯片方法检测发现稳定转染HBx 基因的肝癌细胞H7402-X中COX-2基因表达明显上调的基础上,本研究应用免疫印迹技术在蛋白表达水平上获得了相同的结果．进而,应用COX-2的特异性抑制剂Indo分别作用H7402-X细胞和L-O2-X细胞（稳定转染HBx 基因的人永生化L-O2肝细胞）,观察HBx蛋白是否通过COX-2促进肝癌细胞或肝细胞增殖．BrdU掺入实验和流式细胞仪检测结果显示,50 μmol/L的Indo可明显抑制H7402-X细胞和L-O2-X细胞的增殖．本研究结果提示,HBx可通过COX-2所介导的花生四烯酸代谢促进肝癌细胞和肝细胞增殖．     

Upregulated microRNA-29a by hepatitis B virus X protein enhances hepatoma cell migration by targeting PTEN in cell culture model

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) plays important roles in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to cancer development by acting as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Previously, we reported that HBx was able to promote the migration of hepatoma HepG2 cells. However, the regulation of miRNAs in the development of HBV-related HCC is poorly understood. In the present study, we reported that miR-29a was a novel regulator of migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBx. Our data showed that the expression of miR-29a was dramatically increased in p21-HBx transgenic mice, HBx-transfected hepatoma HepG2-X (or H7402-X) cells and HepG2.2.15 cells that constitutively replicate HBV. However, our data showed that miR-29a was upregulated in 4 of the 11 clinical HCC samples. We found that the overexpression of miR-29a promoted the migration of HepG2 cells, while a specific miR-29a inhibitor could partially abolish the enhanced migration of HepG2-X cells. Moreover, we identified PTEN was one of the target genes of miR-29a in HepG2 cells. The deletion of the miR-29a-binding site was able to abolish the role of miR-29a in suppression of luciferase activity of the PTEN 3'UTR reporter. Meanwhile, the overexpression of PTEN was able to reverse the promoted migration of HepG2 cells mediated by miR-29a. Moreover, our data showed that the modulation of Akt phosphorylation, a downstream factor of PTEN, was involved in the cell migration enhanced by miR-29a, suggesting that miR-29a is responsible for the cell migration through its target gene PTEN. Thus, we conclude that miR-29a is involved in the regulation of migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBx through PTEN in cell culture model.     

Hepatitis B virus X protein mutant HBxΔ127 promotes proliferation of hepatoma cells through up-regulating miR-215 targeting PTPRT

The mutant of virus is a frequent event. Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) plays a vital role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, the identification of potent mutant of HBx in hepatocarcinogenesis is significant. Previously, we identified a natural mutant of the HBx gene (termed HBxΔ127). Relative to wild type HBx, HBxΔ127 strongly enhanced cell proliferation and migration in HCC. In this study, we aim to explore the mechanism of HBxΔ127 in promotion of proliferation of hepatoma cells. Our data showed that both wild type HBx and HBxΔ127 could increase the expression of miR-215 in hepatoma HepG2 and H7402 cells. However, HBxΔ127 was able to significantly increase miR-215 expression relative to wild type HBx in the cells. We identified that protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type T (PTPRT) was one of the target genes of miR-215 through targeting 3′UTR of PTPRT mRNA. In function, miR-215 was able to promote the proliferation of hepatoma cells. Meanwhile anti-miR-215 could partially abolish the enhancement of cell proliferation mediated by HBxΔ127 in vitro. Knockdown of PTPRT by siRNA could distinctly suppress the decrease of cell proliferation mediated by anti-miR-215 in HepG2-XΔ127/H7402-XΔ127 cells. Moreover, we found that anti-miR-215 remarkably inhibited the tumor growth of hepatoma cells in nude mice. Collectively, relative to wild type HBx, HBxΔ127 strongly enhances proliferation of hepatoma cells through up-regulating miR-215 targeting PTPRT. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism of HBx mutant HBxΔ127 in promotion of proliferation of hepatoma cells.     

HBV X基因的表达及在真核细胞中对内质网压力的作用

运用PCR技术获得HBx基因,分别克隆到原核表达载体pET-his和真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(-)上。重组质粒pET-his-HBx转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)后,IPTG诱导表达,利用Ni柱纯化后的蛋白免疫家兔,获得特异性的抗-HBx兔抗血清。重组质粒pcDNA3.1(-)-HBx分别转染HepG2和Hep3B细胞系后,经RT-PCR和Westernblot检测,证明HBx可以在这两种细胞系中表达。通过报告基因的表达研究了HBx对XBP1和GRP78启动子的激活活性,结果表明瞬时转染HBx的细胞系中,XBP1和GRP78启动子介导的荧光素酶活性比相应的对照细胞增加了3～7倍。通过RT-PCR分析证明,转染了HBx的细胞中XBP1mRNA发生了剪切。因此,可以初步推断HBx在HepG2和Hep3B细胞中的表达可以引起内质网压力反应,为进一步阐明HBx表达对内质网的影响和肝脏病原发生机制奠定了基础。     

脱氢表雄酮调节HepG2/GFP-HBx细胞p16基因甲基化及其与细胞周期和凋亡的相关性

目的探讨HBx与p16基因甲基化的关系,研究脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）对p16基因甲基化以及细胞周期和细胞凋亡的调节作用。方法以HepG2、HepG2/GFP和HepG2/GFP-HBx三种细胞为材料,采用MTT法检测细胞生长;流式细胞术检测细胞周期和凋亡率;MSP-PCR检测p16基因甲基化水平。比较分析HBx与p16基因启动子甲基化、DHEA与各检测指标的关系。结果HepG2/GFP-HBx细胞与HepG2细胞和HepG2/GFP细胞相比,细胞的增殖速度提高（P〈0.05）,G0/G1期细胞减少,S期细胞增多（P〈0.05）,凋亡率降低（P〈0.05）;HepG2/GFP-HBx细胞的p16基因启动子呈现高水平甲基化,HepG2和HepG2/GFP细胞呈现高水平非甲基化。100μmol/L的DHEA使三种细胞的增殖速度降低（P〈0.05）,G0/G1期细胞增加,S期细胞减少（P〈0.05）,凋亡率提高（P〈0.05）。DHEA可下调HepG2/GFP-HBx细胞的p16基因启动子甲基化水平,但对HepG2和HepG2/GFP细胞的p16基因启动子甲基化水平不产生影响。结论HBx引起肝癌细胞p16基因甲基化,并缩短细胞周期抑制细胞凋亡;DHEA可明显下调HBx引起的p16基因甲基化水平,延长细胞周期促进细胞凋亡,在无HBx基因整合的情况下,DHEA对肝癌细胞生长、细胞周期和凋亡的影响不通过p16基因甲基化的途径实现。     

Hepatitis B virus regulatory HBx protein binds to adaptor protein IPS-1 and inhibits the activation of beta interferon

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) encodes the regulatory HBx protein, which is required for virus replication, although its specific role(s) in the replication cycle remains under investigation. An immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry approach was used to identify four novel HBx binding proteins from the cytoplasmic fraction of HBx transgenic mouse livers. One of these HBx binding partners is beta interferon promoter stimulator 1 (IPS-1), an adaptor protein that plays a critical role in mediating retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling, which leads to the activation of beta interferon (IFN-β). The HBx-IPS-1 protein interaction was confirmed in plasmid-transfected HepG2 cells by reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation and Western blotting. We hypothesized that HBx might alter IPS-1 function since proteins of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis A virus similarly bind IPS-1 and target it for inactivation. The effect of HBx on IPS-1-mediated IFN-β signaling was tested in transfected 293T and HepG2 cells, and we show that HBx inhibits double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-mediated IFN-β activation in a dose-dependent manner when expressed either alone or within the context of HBV replication. However, HBx does not inhibit poly(I:C)-activated IFN-β signaling. These results demonstrate that HBx interferes with the RIG-I pathway of innate immunity. Hepatitis B virus now joins hepatitis C virus and hepatitis A virus in targeting the same innate immune response pathway, presumably as a shared strategy to benefit replication of these viruses in the liver.     

Oxysterol-binding Protein-related Protein 8 (ORP8) Increases Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Fas-Mediated Apoptosis

Human hepatoma (HCC) has been reported to be strongly resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study the function of oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 8 (ORP8) in human hepatoma cells apoptosis was assessed. We found that ORP8 is down-regulated, whereas miR-143, which controls ORP8 expression, is up-regulated in clinical HCC tissues as compared with liver tissue from healthy subjects. ORP8 overexpression triggered apoptosis in primary HCC cells and cell lines, which coincided with a relocation of cytoplasmic Fas to the cell plasma membrane and FasL up-regulation. Co-culture of HepG2 cells or primary HCC cells with Jurkat T-cells or T-cells, respectively, provided further evidence that ORP8 increases HCC cell sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis. ORP8-induced Fas translocation is p53-dependent, and FasL was induced upon ORP8 overexpression via the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Moreover, ORP8 overexpression and miR-143 inhibition markedly inhibited tumor growth in a HepG2 cell xenograft model. These results indicate that ORP8 induces HCC cell apoptosis through the Fas/FasL pathway. The role of ORP8 in Fas translocation to the plasma membrane and its down-regulation by miR-143 offer a putative mechanistic explanation for HCC resistance to apoptosis. ORP8 may be a potential target for HCC therapy.     

The X protein of hepatitis B virus inhibits apoptosis in hepatoma cells through enhancing the methionine adenosyltransferase 2A gene expression and reducing S-adenosylmethionine production

The X protein (HBx) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) promotes the growth of liver cancer cells through altering S-adenosylmethionine homeostasis. Thus, we speculated that a link between HBx and MAT2A may contribute to HCC development. In this study, the effects of HBx on MAT2A expression and cell apoptosis were investigated, and the molecular mechanism by which HBx and MAT2A regulate tumorigenesis was evaluated. Results from immunohistochemistry analyses of 37 pairs of HBV-associated liver cancer tissues/corresponding peritumor tissues showed that HBx and MAT2A are highly expressed in most liver tumor tissues. Our in vitro results revealed that HBx activates MAT2A expression in a dose-dependent manner in hepatoma cells, and such regulation requires the cis-regulatory elements NF-κB and CREB on the MAT2A gene promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) further demonstrated that HBx facilitates the binding of NF-κB and CREB to MAT2A gene promoter. In addition, overexpression of HBx or MAT2A inhibits cell apoptosis, whereas knockdown of MAT2A expression stimulates apoptosis in hepatoma cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that HBx reduces MAT1A expression and AdoMet production but enhances MAT2β expression. Thus, we proposed that HBx activates MAT2A expression through NF-κB and CREB signaling pathways to reduce AdoMet production, inhibit hepatoma cell apoptosis, and perhaps enhance HCC development. These findings should provide new insights into our understanding how the molecular mechanisms underline the effects of HBV infection on the production of MAT2A and the development of HCC.     

Hepatitis B viral X protein overcomes inhibition of E2F1 activity by pRb on the human Rb gene promoter

Hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein is known as an oncogenic transactivator, E2F1 as a positive regulator of the cell cycle, and pRb as a tumor suppressor. Here, we investigated the functional interactions of these proteins on the human Rb promoter. Interestingly, HBx transactivated the Rb promoter cooperatively with E2F1 in HepG2 cells but not in HeLa cells, in which the functions of p53 and pRb are inactive. Combinatorial cotransfection analyses in HepG2 cells showed that HBx overcame the inhibition of E2F1 activity by pRb but not that by p53. Domain analysis showed that aa 47-70 and aa 117-133 of HBx are important for this effect. These results suggest that HBx could inhibit the pRb tumor suppressor and increase E2F1 activity. Our data support the oncogenic potential of HBx, which may cause HBV-infected cells to grow continuously in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.