title: Functional characterization of Fospeg, and its impact on cell cycle upon PDT of Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although several treatment options are available for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), their application is mostly restricted to early diagnosed cases or includes liver transplantation, which is rarely available due to donor scarcity. The attractiveness of PDT as a cancer treatment does not only come from its minimal invasiveness, but also from the high selectivity due to tumor localization that can be applied. Precise focusing of light on tumor lesions will result in tumor-specific PDT activation. Novel photosensitizers can be applied in such low concentrations that cells not subjected to irradiation remain healthy. The lethal effect and mechanism of death induction of the photosensitizer Fospeg has never been studied on hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the present study is to functionally analyze the impact of PDT on Huh-7 HCC cell line, as well as to analyze its impact on cell cycle protein expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cellular viability, and proliferation assays were conducted via MTT and BrdU assay, respectively. Transfected cell models of Huh7 with different constructs harboring cell cycle genes and downstream reporter luciferase gene were generated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show a statistically significant decrease in both viability and proliferation of Huh-7 cells following PDT, while maintaining Fospeg and laser concentrations far below toxic levels. Proliferative cell cycle genes show a tendency of inhibition, while p53 levels show a significant increase following PDT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fospeg-mediated PDT is a promising strategy for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and needs to be further explored in vivo.
authors: Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Pharmacology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Sherifa
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Saad Zaghloul
authors: O F
authors: OF
authors: Elsayed
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Rueck
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Steiner
authors: A I
authors: AI
authors: Abdelaziz
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Abdel-Kader
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008652:Mesoporphyrins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D008652:Mesoporphyrins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C072269:temoporfin