title: Impact of temperature on cell death in a cell-culture model of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one treatment option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) where tumour cells are destroyed by heat. However, there is lack of knowledge about cellular reactions after heating. Therefore, we studied cell death after heat application in a cell-culture setting mimicking HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intracellularly stained hepatic stellate cells (LX-1) and HCC cells (HepG2) were cultivated in co-culture or alone. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry using AnnexinV-PE and eFluor®450.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heating resulted in early apoptosis for 20-30% of HepG2 cells and 10-15% of LX-1 cells. Late apoptosis was observed in a large percentage of cells 24 h after heating at 65°C for 15 min or 75°C for 5 min; 65°C for 10 min resulted in a moderate increase and 55°C for 15 min resulted in a minor percentage of late apoptotic cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heat-treated LX-1 and HepG2 cells die by apoptosis. This finding is important for future planning tools to ameliorate RFA outcome in clinic.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leber
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mayrhauser
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leopold
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koestenbauer
authors.forename: Karlheinz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tscheliessnigg
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stadlbauer
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stiegler
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013696:Temperature