title: Growth control and gene expression in a new hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Hep40: inhibitory actions of vitamin K.
abstract: The growth characteristics of a newly established cell line, Hep40, derived from a human hepatoma are described. An absolute requirement was found for serum to mediate cell growth. Neither EGF, TGF-alpha, nor HGF altered cell growth in the presence or absence of serum. A partial suppression of cell growth was achieved by several TGF-beta family proteins. Affinity crosslinking gels using 125I-labeled TGF-beta showed a significant decrease in the TGF-beta cell-surface type II receptor in Hep40 cells, compared to the TGF-beta-sensitive Hep3B cell line. However, growth could be completely suppressed by addition of vitamins K to the culture medium in both Hep40 and several other hepatoma cell lines. Growth suppression by vitamins K was accompanied by an increased level of transcripts for c-myc, c-jun, and prothrombin genes, in contrast to the actions of TGF-beta 1 protein, which caused a decrease in the level of c-myc transcripts. These data show that this new human hepatoma cell line has partial resistance to growth inhibition by TGF-beta with a unique TGF-beta receptor defect. However, growth was completely suppressed by vitamins K. The differing gene expression patterns in response to TGF-beta as compared to vitamin K suggest that these two growth inhibitors act through differing pathways.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouzahzah
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000235:genetics; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014812:Vitamin K; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011516:Prothrombin