Mouse recombinant leptin protects human hepatoma HepG2 against apoptosis, TNF-alpha response and oxidative stress induced by the hepatotoxin-ethanol

Obesity is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Leptin is a 16-kDa antiobesity hormone secreted mainly by adipocytes. The role of leptin on alcohol-mediated effects in cell line is yet to be unraveled. Therefore, we investigated the effect of leptin against ethanol-elicited cytoxicity in human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2). HepG2 cells were treated with leptin (31.2 nM), ethanol (500 mM), ethanol+leptin and untreated cells served as control. 48 h after treatment, cell viability, apoptosis, TNF-alpha secretory response and oxidative damage were analysed. Our results suggest that leptin at a concentration of 31.2 nM prevents ethanol elicited cytotoxicity as evidenced by MTT and trypan blue dye exclusion assay. Leptin also inhibited ethanol-induced apoptosis, which was confirmed by [(3)H] thymidine uptake and cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI) staining. Further, simultaneous leptin treatment along with ethanol showed protection against ethanol mediated cellular damage as indicated by significantly decreased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and significantly increased levels of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reduced glutathione (GSH) and elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In addition, leptin downregulated the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by ethanol-induced HepG2 cells. Our results demonstrate that simultaneous leptin treatment along with ethanol could be useful in preventing the damage produced by ethanol, which might be of therapeutic interest.     

Mouse recombinant leptin protects human hepatoma HepG2 against apoptosis,TNF-α response and oxidative stress induced by the hepatotoxin–ethanol

Obesity is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Leptin is a 16-kDa antiobesity hormone secreted mainly by adipocytes. The role of leptin on alcohol-mediated effects in cell line is yet to be unraveled. Therefore, we investigated the effect of leptin against ethanol-elicited cytoxicity in human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2). HepG2 cells were treated with leptin (31.2 nM), ethanol (500 mM), ethanol + leptin and untreated cells served as control. 48 h after treatment, cell viability, apoptosis, TNF-α secretory response and oxidative damage were analysed. Our results suggest that leptin at a concentration of 31.2 nM prevents ethanol elicited cytotoxicity as evidenced by MTT and trypan blue dye exclusion assay. Leptin also inhibited ethanol-induced apoptosis, which was confirmed by [³H] thymidine uptake and cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI) staining. Further, simultaneous leptin treatment along with ethanol showed protection against ethanol mediated cellular damage as indicated by significantly decreased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and significantly increased levels of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reduced glutathione (GSH) and elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In addition, leptin downregulated the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by ethanol-induced HepG2 cells. Our results demonstrate that simultaneous leptin treatment along with ethanol could be useful in preventing the damage produced by ethanol, which might be of therapeutic interest.     

Ethanol-induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells proceeds via intracellular Ca(2+) elevation, activation of TLCK-sensitive proteases, and cytochrome c release

Ethanol is known to induce apoptosis in hepatocytes. However, intracellular signaling events of ethanol-induced death are still only partially understood. We studied such processes in ethanol-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells as a model system for human liver cells. We determined the incidence of apoptosis by DNA fragmentation and tested the effects of various known inhibitors. Ethanol induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner as well as in rat primary hepatocytes. This effect was not mediated through the death receptor CD95 and the tumor necrosis factor receptors. It was efficiently inhibited by the caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk), the Ca(2+) chelator EGTA, and the serine protease inhibitor N-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK). Upon ethanol treatment, the intracellular calcium ion concentration was increased and cytochrome c was released from the mitochondria, and caspases were activated. EGTA and TLCK could inhibit cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. Furthermore, overexpression of Bcl-x(L) saved cells from ethanol-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that ethanol-induced apoptosis in liver cells is initiated by the intracellular Ca(2+) elevation in the cytoplasm and activation of TLCK-sensitive serine proteases. Our data provide new insight into ethanol-induced apoptosis in liver cells and may lead to therapeutic strategies to prevent liver damage.     

Lycopene attenuates alcoholic apoptosis in HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1

To test the hypothesis that ethanol-induced hepatic apoptosis is secondary to the oxidative stress generated by cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1), we assessed the effects of the carotenoid lycopene, a potent antioxidant extracted from tomatoes, on oxidative stress and apoptosis in HepG2 cells overexpressing CYP2E1 (2E1 cells). These were exposed for 5 days to 100mM ethanol and 10 microM lycopene or an equal volume of placebo (vehicle). Ethanol significantly increased apoptosis measured by flow cytometry and by TUNEL assay. This was accompanied by an ethanol-induced oxidative stress: hydrogen peroxide production was significantly increased and mitochondrial GSH was strikingly decreased. Both were restored by lycopene, with a significant decrease in apoptosis. The placebo had no protective effect. In conclusion, Lycopene opposes the ethanol-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in 2E1 cells. The parallelism between these effects suggests a causal link. Furthermore, these beneficial effects and the innocuity of lycopene now justify an in vivo trial.     

Ethanol and arachidonic acid produce toxicity in hepatocytes from pyrazole-treated rats with high levels of CYP2E1

Ethanol and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid were shown to be toxic and cause apoptosis in HepG2 cells which express CYP2E1 but not in control HepG2 cell lines. The goal of the current study was to extend the observations made with the HepG2 cells to non-transformed, intact hepatocytes. Rats were treated with pyrazole to increase CYP2E1 levels, hepatocytes were isolated and placed into culture and treated for varying time points with ethanol or arachidonic acid. Comparisons were made to hepatocytes from saline-treated rats, with low CYP2E1 content. Incubation with ethanol (100 mM) or especially arachidonic acid (60 µM) resulted in loss of viability of hepatocytes from the pyrazole-treated rats, without any effect on the hepatocytes from the saline-treated rats. The toxicity appeared to be apoptotic in nature and was prevented by diallyldisulfide, an inhibitor of CYP2E1. Toxicity was reduced by trolox, an antioxidant. The treatment with ethanol or arachidonic acid resulted in release of cytochrome c into the cytosol fraction, and activation of caspase 3 (but not caspase 1) in hepatocytes from the pyrazole-treated rats but not hepatocytes from the saline-treated rats. The activation of caspase 3 was prevented by diallyldisulfide, by trolox, and by DEVD-fmk. The latter also prevented the toxicity produced by ethanol or arachidonic acid. These results extend previous observations found with HepG2 cells expressing CYP2E1 to intact hepatocytes and suggest that release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase 3 play a role in the overall pathway by which CYP2E1 contributes towards the hepatotoxic actions of ethanol and polyunsaturated fatty acids     

Dihydromyricetin Reduced Bcl-2 Expression via p53 in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a major active ingredient of flavonoids compounds. It exhibited anticancer activity and induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells according to our previous data. In this study, we investigated whether p53 is involved in DHM-triggered viability inhibition and apoptosis induction in cancer cells. MTT [3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay was employed to evaluate the viability of HepG2 cells after DHM treatment. Meanwhile, p53 small interfering RNA (siRNA) was adopted to silence p53 expression. Protein level of p53 and Bax/Bcl-2 were evaluated by western blot analysis. Cell counting assay showed that DHM inhibited HepG2 cell growth effectively in a time- and dose-dependent manner. P53 expression was significantly increased after DHM treatment, whereas Bcl-2 was reduced potently. Furthermore, after co-treatment with Pifithrin-α (PFT-α, p53 inhibitor), Bcl-2 expression was reversed. The expression of Bax was no significant change, which was also observed after p53 silence. These findings defined and supported a novel function that DHM could induce human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells apoptosis by up-regulating Bax/Bcl-2 expression via p53 signal pathway.     

A natural phenylpropionate derivative from Mirabilis himalaica inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Bioactivity-guided study led to the isolation of a natural phenylpropionate derivative, (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)-propenoic acid 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl ester from the roots of Mirabilis himalaica. Cellular analysis showed that compound 1 specifically inhibited the cancer cell growth through the S phase arrest. Mechanistically, compound 1 was able to induce the apoptosis in HepG2 cells through mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in which Bcl-2 and p53 were required. Interestingly, the cellular phenotype of compound 1 were shown specifically in cancer cells originated from hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) while compromised influence by compound 1 were detected within the normal human liver cells (L-02). Consistently, the in vivo inhibitory effects of compound 1 on tumor growth were validated by the in xenograft administrated with HepG2 cells. Our results provided a novel compound which might serve as a promising candidate and shed light on the therapy of the hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Lentinan protects against pancreatic β-cell failure in chronic ethanol consumption-induced diabetic mice via enhancing β-cell antioxidant capacity

Chronic ethanol consumption is a well-established independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, increasing studies have confirmed that excessive heavy ethanol exerts direct harmful effect on pancreatic β-cell mass and function, which may be a mechanism of pancreatic β-cell failure in T2DM. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Lentinan (LNT), an active ingredient purified from the bodies of Lentinus edodes, on pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and dysfunction caused by ethanol and the possible mechanisms implicated. Functional studies reveal that LNT attenuates chronic ethanol consumption-induced impaired glucose metabolism in vivo. In addition, LNT ameliorates chronic ethanol consumption-induced β-cell dysfunction, which is characterized by reduced insulin synthesis, defected insulin secretion and increased cell apoptosis. Furthermore, mechanistic assays suggest that LNT enhances β-cell antioxidant capacity and ameliorates ethanol-induced oxidative stress by activating Nrf-2 antioxidant pathway. Our results demonstrated that LNT prevents ethanol-induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis, and therefore may be a potential pharmacological agent for preventing pancreatic β-cell failure associated with T2DM and stress-induced diabetes.     

Ethanol-Induced Apoptosis in Hepatoma Cells Proceeds via Intracellular Ca Elevation, Activation of TLCK-Sensitive Proteases, and Cytochrome c Release

Ethanol is known to induce apoptosis in hepatocytes. However, intracellular signaling events of ethanol-induced death are still only partially understood. We studied such processes in ethanol-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells as a model system for human liver cells. We determined the incidence of apoptosis by DNA fragmentation and tested the effects of various known inhibitors. Ethanol induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner as well as in rat primary hepatocytes. This effect was not mediated through the death receptor CD95 and the tumor necrosis factor receptors. It was efficiently inhibited by the caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk), the Ca²⁺ chelator EGTA, and the serine protease inhibitor N-p-tosyl- -lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK). Upon ethanol treatment, the intracellular calcium ion concentration was increased and cytochrome c was released from the mitochondria, and caspases were activated. EGTA and TLCK could inhibit cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. Furthermore, overexpression of Bcl-x_L saved cells from ethanol-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that ethanol-induced apoptosis in liver cells is initiated by the intracellular Ca²⁺ elevation in the cytoplasm and activation of TLCK-sensitive serine proteases. Our data provide new insight into ethanol-induced apoptosis in liver cells and may lead to therapeutic strategies to prevent liver damage.     

Oroxylin A induced apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was involved in its antitumor activity

We previously reported that wogonin, a flavonoid compound, was a potent apoptosis inducer of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells and murine sarcoma S180 cells. In the present study, the effect of oroxylin A, one wogonin structurally related flavonoid isolated from Scutellariae radix, on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was examined and molecular mechanisms were also investigated. Oroxylin A inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner measured by MTT-assay. Treatment with an apoptosis-inducing concentration of oroxylin A caused typical morphological changes and apoptotic blebbing in HepG2 cells. DNA fragmentation assay was used to examine later apoptosis induced by oroxylin A. FACScan analysis revealed a dramatic increase in the number of apoptotic and G(2)/M phase arrest cells after oroxylin A treatment. The pro-apoptotic activity of oroxylin A was attributed to its ability to modulate the concerted expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and pro-caspase-3 proteins. The expression of Bcl-2 protein and pro-caspase-3 protein was dramatically decreased after treatment with oroxylin A. These results demonstrated that oroxylin A could effectively induce programmed cell death and suggested that it could be a promising antitumor drug.     

Alcoholic pancreatitis in rats: injury from nonoxidative metabolites of ethanol

The mechanism by which alcohol injures the pancreas remains unknown. Recent investigations suggest a role for fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE), a nonoxidative metabolite of ethanol, in the pathogenesis of alcohol pancreatitis. In this study, we characterized ethanol-induced injury in rats and evaluated the contribution of oxidative and nonoxidative ethanol metabolites in this form of acute pancreatitis. Pancreatic injury in rats was assessed by edema, intrapancreatic trypsinogen activation, and microscopy after infusing ethanol with or without inhibitors of oxidative ethanol metabolism. Plasma and tissue levels of FAEE and ethanol were measured and correlated with pancreatic injury. Ethanol infusion generated plasma and tissue FAEE and, in a dose-dependent fashion, induced a pancreas-specific injury consisting of edema, trypsinogen activation, and formation of vacuoles in the pancreatic acini. Inhibition of the oxidation of ethanol significantly increased both FAEE concentration in plasma and pancreas and worsened the pancreatitis-like injury. This study provides direct evidence that ethanol, through its nonoxidative metabolic pathway, can produce pancreas-specific toxicity in vivo and suggests that FAEE are responsible for the development of early pancreatic cell damage in acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis.     

Regulation of ethanol-induced toxicity by mitochondrial NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

Chronic alcohol administration has been known to increase peroxynitrite hepatotoxicity by enhancing concomitant production of nitric oxide and superoxide. We previously reported that control of the mitochondrial redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage are primary functions of mitochondrial NADP⁺-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPm) through to supply NADPH for antioxidant systems. In the present study, we demonstrate that modulation of IDPm expression in HepG2 cells regulates ethanol-induced toxicity. We observed the significantly enhanced protection to cell killing, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and decrease in generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species in IDPm-overexpressed cells compared to control cells upon exposure to ethanol. In contrast, transfection of HepG2 cells with IDPm short interfering RNA markedly decreased the expression of IDPm, modulating cellular redox status and subsequently enhancing the susceptibility of ethanol-induced toxicity. These studies support the hypothesis that IDPm plays an important role in regulating the toxicity induced by ethanol presumably through maintaining the cellular redox status.     

紫花牡荆素诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡的研究

目的：研究紫花牡荆素（Casticin）对肝癌HepG2细胞增殖抑制和凋亡诱导的作用,并探讨其作用机制。方法：用终浓度为0、0.5、1.0、2.0umol/L的Casticin作用于HepG2细胞,于12、24、48h后采用MTT法检测细胞增殖抑制率;Hoechst33342核染色,观察细胞形态学变化;24h后收集各组肝癌HepG2细胞,流式细胞术检测细胞周期及凋亡率;RT-PCR检测survivin mRNA表达。结果：MTT法检测显示,Casticin对肝癌HepG2细胞有增殖抑制作用,并存在浓度和时间依赖关系;Hoechst33342染色后,可见核染色质凝集,凋亡细胞呈致密浓染,与对照组相比,Casticin处理后凋亡细胞比例增加;Casticin作用24h后,细胞被阻滞于G2/M期,随药物质量浓度的增加,细胞凋亡率逐渐增加;RT-PCR结果显示,Casticin下调肝癌HepG2细胞survivin mRNA表达。结论：Casticin在体外对肝癌HepG2细胞有明显的增殖抑制和凋亡诱导作用,初步推断Casticin诱发肝癌细胞凋亡与其对survivin基因表达的抑制有关。     

Cytochrome P450 2E1 potentiates ethanol induction of hypoxia and HIF-1α in vivo

Ethanol induces hypoxia and elevates HIF-1α in the liver. CYP2E1 plays a role in the mechanisms by which ethanol generates oxidative stress, fatty liver, and liver injury. This study evaluated whether CYP2E1 contributes to ethanol-induced hypoxia and activation of HIF-1α in vivo and whether HIF-1α protects against or promotes CYP2E1-dependent toxicity in vitro. Wild-type (WT), CYP2E1-knock-in (KI), and CYP2E1 knockout (KO) mice were fed ethanol chronically; pair-fed controls received isocaloric dextrose. Ethanol produced liver injury in the KI mice to a much greater extent than in the WT and KO mice. Protein levels of HIF-1α and downstream targets of HIF-1α activation were elevated in the ethanol-fed KI mice compared to the WT and KO mice. Levels of HIF prolyl hydroxylase 2, which promotes HIF-1α degradation, were decreased in the ethanol-fed KI mice in association with the increases in HIF-1α. Hypoxia occurred in the ethanol-fed CYP2E1 KI mice as shown by an increased area of staining using the hypoxia-specific marker pimonidazole. Hypoxia was lower in the ethanol-fed WT mice and lowest in the ethanol-fed KO mice and all the dextrose-fed mice. In situ double staining showed that pimonidazole and CYP2E1 were colocalized to the same area of injury in the hepatic centrilobule. Increased protein levels of HIF-1α were also found after acute ethanol treatment of KI mice. Treatment of HepG2 E47 cells, which express CYP2E1, with ethanol plus arachidonic acid (AA) or ethanol plus buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), which depletes glutathione, caused loss of cell viability to a greater extent than in HepG2 C34 cells, which do not express CYP2E1. These treatments elevated protein levels of HIF-1α to a greater extent in E47 cells than in C34 cells. 2-Methoxyestradiol, an inhibitor of HIF-1α, blunted the toxic effects of ethanol plus AA and ethanol plus BSO in the E47 cells in association with inhibition of HIF-1α. The HIF-1α inhibitor also blocked the elevated oxidative stress produced by ethanol/AA or ethanol/BSO in the E47 cells. These results suggest that CYP2E1 plays a role in ethanol-induced hypoxia, oxidative stress, and activation of HIF-1α and that HIF-1α contributes to CYP2E1-dependent ethanol-induced toxicity. Blocking HIF-1α activation and actions may have therapeutic implications for protection against ethanol/CYP2E1-induced oxidative stress, steatosis, and liver injury.     

索拉菲尼联合阿霉素对人肝癌细胞株HepG2的抑制作用

目的：探讨索拉非尼（Sorafenib）和阿霉素（adriamycin）联合用药对肝癌细胞株nepG2的作用及可能的机制。方法：以不同浓度索拉非尼和不同浓度阿霉素分别组成单药组和索拉非尼＋阿霉素联合用药组作用于HepG2细胞,MTT法检测增殖抑制率、流式细胞仪分析细胞周期和凋亡率。结果：索拉非尼、阿霉素单药与联用均能抑制HepG2细胞增殖,呈剂量依赖效应,两药联用有协同效应（P〈0.01）。索拉非尼、阿霉素单药与联用均能诱导HepG2细胞凋亡,并以联合组更为明显,与对照组比较有显著的统计学意义（P〈0.01）。索拉非尼及阿霉素单药作用均可使细胞周期阻滞于G0-G1期,联合用药组G0/Gl期细胞比率低于索拉非尼及阿霉素单药组,S期细胞比率高于单药组;阿霉素能抑制HepG2细胞Survivin mRNA表达诱导细胞的凋亡。结论：索拉非尼与阿霉素联合作用于人肝癌HepG2细胞具有协同作用,其机制可能是通过多途径共同抑制HepG2细胞增殖及诱导细胞凋亡。     

CaMKII activation is a novel effector of alcohol's neurotoxicity in neural crest stem/progenitor cells

Prenatal ethanol exposure causes significant neurodevelopmental deficits through its induction of apoptosis in neuronal progenitors including the neural crest. Using an established chick embryo model, we previously showed that clinically relevant ethanol concentrations cause neural crest apoptosis through mobilization of an intracellular calcium transient. How the calcium transient initiates this cell death is unknown. In this study, we identify CaMKII as the calcium target responsible for ethanol-induced apoptosis. Immunostaining revealed selective enrichment of activated phosphoCaMKII(Thr286) within ethanol-treated neural crest. CaMKII activation in response to ethanol was rapid (< 60 s) and robust, and CaMKII activity was increased 300% over control levels. Treatment with CaMKII-selective inhibitors but not those directed against CaMKIV or PKC completely prevented the cell death. Forced expression of dominant-negative CaMKII prevented ethanol's activation of CaMKII and prevented the ethanol-induced death, whereas constitutively active CaMKII in ethanol's absence significantly increased cell death to levels caused by ethanol treatment. In summary, CaMKII is the key signal that converts the ethanol-induced, short-lived Ca(i) (2+) transient into a long-lived cellular effector. This is the first identification of CaMKII as a critical mediator of ethanol-induced cell death. Because neural crest differentiates into several neuronal lineages, our findings offer novel insights into how ethanol disrupts early neurogenesis.     

四逆散对人肝癌HepG2细胞增殖、凋亡的影响及其机制*

目的: 探讨含四逆散药液血清对人肝癌HepG2细胞增殖、凋亡的影响及机制。方法: 将人肝癌HepG2细胞分为5组,每组3个复孔。实验组细胞用五氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)或不同浓度的含四逆散药液血清处理48 h后,用倒置显微镜观察含四逆散药液血清处理后人肝癌HepG2细胞形态的变化;MTT法检测含四逆散药液血清对HepG2细胞生长的抑制作用;荧光染色和流式细胞术分别分析含四逆散药液血清对HepG2细胞凋亡的影响。Rho123染色法检测线粒体膜电位变化,Western blot检测细胞凋亡相关蛋白的表达。结果: 与对照组比较,含四逆散药液血清处理人肝癌HepG2细胞后,细胞数量显著减少(P＜0.01),形态发生改变,呈现典型的凋亡细胞形态;G1期细胞数明显增加,而G2 期细胞数量显著减少(P＜0.05);Bax、Caspase-3、-9和Cyt-c的表达显著升高,而Bcl-2的表达显著降低(P＜0.05);随着含四逆散药液血清浓度增大,HepG2细胞线粒体膜电位显著下降(P＜0.05)。结论: 四逆散可以抑制HepG2细胞增殖,并通过线粒体途径诱导细胞凋亡。