title: Nimesulide inhibits the proliferation of HepG2 by up-regulation of Smad4.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is receiving increased attention. This study was designed to investigate the effect of selective Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, nimesulide, on the expression of Smad4 in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2.
  
  
  METHODS
  HepG2 cells were incubated in various concentrations of nimesulide (25, 50, 100, 200, 400 μmol/L) to detect the effect of proliferation by MTS. The apoptosis of HepG2 was determined by TUNEL; fluorescence microscope was used to observe the expression of Smad4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result showed that nimesulide inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cell in a concentrations-dependent manner, and promoted the karyopyknosis and fragmentation of HepG2 cell nucleus, induced its apoptosis, the number of fluorescence labeling of Smad4 in Nimesulide group was higher than control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nimesulide inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis of HepG2 by up-regulation of Smad4 in HepG2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of NingXia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
authors.forename: Shaoqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ruifang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Liya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; C497796:SMAD4 protein, human; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D013449:Sulfonamides; C012655:nimesulide
keywords: Hepatic carcinoma cell; Nimesulide; Smad4