[Effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway and DKK-1 and FrpHe gene expressions in hepatocellular carcinoma cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway and its inhibitory gene (DKK-1 and FrpHe) expressions and explore the mechanism underlying the action of Biejiajian Pills to suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomized equally into 3 groups for gavage of normal saline and Biejiajian Pills at 20- and 10-fold clinical doses for 3 days. Blood samples were then collected from the rats, and the serum was separated and added in HepG2 cell cultures. After 48 h of culture, the cells were collected to determine the cellular content of β-catenin protein using flow cytometry and detect DKK-1 and FrpHe mRNA expressions using qRT-PCR.


RESULTS
HepG2 cells cultured in the presence of sera from rats fed with Biejiajian Pills showed significantly lowered β-catenin protein expression and obvious down-regulation of DKK-1 mRNA expression, and the effect was correlated with the doses of the drug administered. The expression of FrpHe mRNA showed no significant differences between the 3 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Biejiajian Pills can effectively inhibit the invasiveness and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, which is closely related to decreased expressions of β-catenin and DKK-1 to cause block of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. hesongqijz@126.com
Songqi
S
He
Yang
Y
Cheng
Yun
Y
Zhu
Qin
Q
Fan
Haitao
H
Sun
Wenyan
W
Jia
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; C501126:DKK1 protein, human; C118723:SFRP4 protein, human; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins