[Effects of hepatitis B virus X gene on apoptosis and the activity of telomerase in HepG(2) cells].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of hepatitis B virus X gene on hepatic carcinoma.


METHODS
The expression vectors of HBs gene and HBc gene (pCEP4-S and pCEP4-C) were transfected into HepG(2) cells by electroporation technique, and the cells, HepG(2) cells which contained the expression vectors of HBs (pCEP4-X) were recovered and cultured stably. The activity index of telomerase and the apoptosis rates in three cell lines were determined by PCR-ELISA and flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The 39.50% of cells expressed HBx gene came into S-phase of cell cycle, and the activity index of telomerase was higher in the cell line (3.95 +/- 0.07) than in other cell lines and control (F=20.85, P<0.01; d'=2.15, P<0.05) after synchronized culture. Induced by antisense oligonucleotides against telomerase the apoptosis of cell line expressed HBx gene reduced (apoptosis rate: 1.75%). The activity of cells also reduced with the dose increase of the antisense oligonucleotides and it showed a dose-response relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
The activity of HepG(2) cell can be increased and the cell apoptosis can be reduced by HBx gene. It may be another malignant process of hepatocytes.
Zhou
W
W
Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 400010, China.
Shen
Q
Q
Gu
B
B
Ren
H
H
Zhang
D
D
D017209:Apoptosis; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000502:physiology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein; D019098:Telomerase