title: 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma development by reversing hepatic stellate cell-mediated immunosuppression in mice.
abstract: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have immunosuppressive capabilities and contribute to the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, activated HSCs may be a suitable target for HCC therapy. Our study used mixed leukocyte reactions (MLR) in vitro to demonstrate that 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) could reverse HSC-mediated immunosuppression by reducing T-cell apoptosis and regulatory T (Treg) cells expression, thereby enhancing the ability of T cells to attack tumor cells and attenuating HCC cell invasiveness. Moreover, we established a HCC orthotopic implantation model in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice, which suggested that GA played a protective role in HCC development by reducing immunosuppression mediated by HSCs in the tumor microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Penghao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Wenxiu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Weixue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhengqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guangli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C119129:18alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid