title: Notch1 activation contributes to tumor cell growth and proliferation             in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells.
abstract: Notch signaling controls cellular differentiation and proliferation. Recent             studies have shown that Notch signaling plays an important role in the carcinogenesis             and progression of a growing number of malignant tumors. We investigated the effect             of Notch1 activation on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In five human HCC             cell lines, it was found that SMMC7721 had relatively high while HepG2 relatively             low expression of Notch1 and the activity of Notch signaling. Notch1 activation             by transfection of active intracellular region of Notch1 (ICN1) into HCC HepG2             cells enhanced cell growth and proliferation, including in vitro single cell colony             formation, anchorage-independent proliferation, and in vivo tumorigenicity. Notch1             activation also promoted HepG2 cell cycle progression. Suppression of Notch1 activation             by RNAi of Notch1 or by γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) in HCC SMMC7721 cells decreased             cell growth capability and blocked cell cycle progression. Moreover, it was found             that suppression of Notch1 activation induced SMMC7721 cell apoptosis, as demonstrated             by apoptosis assays. These findings indicate that Notch1 activation promotes human             HCC cell growth and proliferation, which may contribute to the progression of             this type of malignant carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Diseases, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command PLA, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yongqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Bicheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Weitian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hualin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guorong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D051881:Receptor, Notch1