Hepatitis B virus X protein modulates the apoptosis of hepatoma cell line induced by TRAIL

The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of HBx on the apoptosis of hepatoma cells induced by TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and to study preliminary molecular mechanisms for its effects. In order to set up a model in vitro, BEL7402-HBx cell line, stably expressing HBx mRNA, was established by stable transfection of pcDNA-HBx, which contains HBx gene, into hepatoma cell line BEL7402. Control cell line BEL7402-cDNA3, stably transfected with pcDNA3, was set up simultaneously as a control. Trypan blue exclusion test, caspase 3 activity detection and TUNEL assay were performed to detect the apoptosis of BEL7402, BEL7402-cDNA3, BEL7402-HBx induced by TRAIL. The expression of TRAIL receptors in three groups was analyzed by Flow cytometry. In addition, phosphorothioated antisense oligonucleotide against the translation initial region of HBx gene (PS-asODNs/HBx) was used to block the expression of HBx in HepG2.2.15 cells and to further confirm the effects of HBx on TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Trypan blue exclusion test indicated that TRAIL had a dose-dependent cytotoxicity on BEL7402, BEL7402-cDNA3 and BEL7402-HBx cells. Under treatment of the same concentration of TRAIL, BEL7402-HBx had a higher apoptosis rate and a higher level of Caspase 3 activation than BEL7402 and BEL7402-cDNA3. TUENL assay showed that the apoptosis rate of BEL7402-HBx induced by 10 microg/L TRAIL was 41.4% +/- 7.2%, significantly higher than that of BEL7402 and BEL7402-cDNA3 cells. Blockade of HBx expression in Hep G2.2.15 cells partly inhibited the apoptosis induced by TRAIL. The introduction or blockade of HBx did not change the expression pattern of TRAIL receptors. The present study firstly confirms the effects of HBx on TRAIL- induced apoptosis from two different points and it is not related with the expression level of TRAIL receptors. This would be useful to further clarify the roles of imbalanced apoptosis in pathogenesis of Hepatitis B and related hepatocellular carcinoma.