title: HINT1 inhibits beta-catenin/TCF4, USF2 and NFkappaB activity in human hepatoma cells.
abstract: In this study we explored the relevance of Hint, a novel tumor suppressor gene, to human hepatoma. The human hepatoma cell lines Hep3B and HepG2 express very low levels of the HINT1 protein but the Huh7 cells express a relatively high level. In Hep3B and HepG2 cells, but not in Huh7 cells, the promoter region of Hint1 is partially methylated and treatment with 5-azadcdeoxycytidine increased expression of the HINT1 protein and Hint1 mRNA in Hep3B and HepG2 cells. Increased expression of HINT1 in HepG2 cells markedly inhibited their growth. It also inhibited the transcriptional activities of beta-catenin/TCF4, and USF2, and inhibited the expression of endogenous cyclin D1 and TGFbeta2. Furthermore, HINT1 co-immunoprecipitated with USF2 in extracts of Hep2 cells. HINT1 also inhibited NFkappaB transcription factor reporter activity and inhibited translocation of the endogenous p65 protein to the nucleus of HepG2 cells. Therefore, decreased expression of the Hint1 gene through epigenetic silencing may play a role in enhancing the growth of a subset of human hepatoma by increasing the expression of genes controlled by the transcription factors beta-catenin, USF2, and NFkappaB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Haiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Regina M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Santella
authors.forename: I Bernard
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051720:Upstream Stimulatory Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C063306:HINT1 protein, human; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C532096:TCF4 protein, human; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497184:USF2 protein, human; D051720:Upstream Stimulatory Factors; D051176:beta Catenin