title: Downregulation of hepatoma-derived growth factor activates the Bad-mediated apoptotic pathway in human cancer cells.
abstract: Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is highly expressed in human cancer and its expression is correlated with poor prognosis of cancer. The growth factor is known to stimulate cell growth while the underlying mechanism is however not clear. Transfection with HDGF cDNA stimulated while its specific antisense oligonucleotides repressed the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Furthermore, knock-down of HDGF by antisense oligos also induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells and in other human cancer cells, e.g. human squamous carcinoma A431 cells. HDGF knock-down was found to induce the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bad and also inactivate ERK and Akt, which in turn led to dephosphorylation of Bad at Ser-112, Ser-136, and activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, i.e. depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, increase in the processing of caspase 9 and 3. As HDGF knock-down not only suppresses the growth but also induces apoptosis in human cancer cells, HDGF may therefore serve as a survival factor for human cancer cells and a potential target for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Tsun Yee
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Wan Yee
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wing Pui
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Ngai Na
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Co
authors.forename: Siu Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Tim Tak
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Kwok
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; C051610:hepatoma-derived growth factor; D005576:Colforsin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases