Resveratrol down-regulates Myosin light chain kinase, induces apoptosis and inhibits diethylnitrosamine-induced liver tumorigenesis in rats.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious healthcare problem worldwide because of its increasing morbidity and high mortality rates. However, our understanding of the mechanism of liver tumorigenesis remains incomplete. We report the expression of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in the livers of rats with diethylnitrosamine  (DENA)-induced HCC and investigated the correlation between MLCK and liver tumorigenesis by observing the expression of MLCK in a rat model of HCC. HCC was induced in rats by an intraperitoneal injection of DENA, and resveratrol-treated rats were orally administered resveratrol with 50 mg/kg body weight/day. The livers of rats were excised after 20 weeks and immersed in 10% formaldehyde prior to immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses for determining the level of MLCK expression. These analyses indicated that the MLCK expression was higher in the livers of HCC rats than in normal and resveratrol-treated rats. High level of MLCK expression was responsible for proliferation and anti-apoptotic effects. However, resveratrol down-regulated the expression of MLCK, which induced cell apoptosis and inhibited liver tumorigenesis in rats with DENA-induced HCC. Our results suggest that the over expression of MLCK may be related to the development of liver tumorigenesis.
Food and Drug College of Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu 233100, Anhui, China. zhangxiaolin8@126.com.
Xiao-Lin
XL
Zhang
Hao
H
Yu
You-Yi
YY
Xiong
Shi-Tang
ST
Ma
Lei
L
Zhao
Shi-Feng
SF
She
D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000477:Alkylating Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D013267:Stilbenes; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase; D000077185:Resveratrol