title: Aggregation formation mediated anoikis resistance of BEL7402 hepatoma cells.
abstract: Anoikis resistance is the prerequisite of cancer cells metastasis. Elucidation of the mechanism of anoikis resistance remains a significant challenge. We reported here a model to mimic anoikis resistant process of hepatoma cells in vitro. Experimental results indicated cell to cell aggregation could mediate anoikis resistance of BEL7402 hepatoma cells. Further investigation of these aggregations indicated the biological properties changed greatly after the hepatoma cells lost their anchorage. Aggregation forming process could be separated into three distinct phases according to their biological characteristics, comprising of premature phase, mature phase and postmature phase. Mature phase aggregations have the premium state of cell viability and may mimic the metastatic cells in the circulating system. Biological properties of these three phases aggregations were studied in details including morphological alteration, cell viability and microarray expression profiles. It indicated there was a great upregulation of adhesion molecules during the process of aggregation formation and the cell to cell contact in the aggregation may be mediated independent of calcium involved adhesion pathway. This model might shed light on the anoikis resistance mechanism of hepatoma cells and help to develop new therapies that may target the anoikis resistant hepatoma cells in the metastasis process.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lihui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yugang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Changjun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Suxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wensheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D023102:Anoikis / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium