[Overexpression of Wnt3 inhibits apoptosis of hepatic progenitor cells in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of adenoviral vector-mediated over-expression of Wnt3 on the apoptosis of hepatic progenitor cells in vitro.


METHODS
Hepatic progenitor cells transfected with Ad-GFP-Wnt3 vector or the control vector Ad-GFP were examined for cell apoptosis under fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33342 staining, and the proportion of apoptotic cells were determined by flow cytometric analysis with Annexin-PE/7-ADD staining. The mRNA and protein expressions of Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in the cells were detected by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively.


RESULTS
Real-time PCR and Western blotting showed a high expression of Wnt3 in Ad-GFP-Wnt3-transfected hepatic progenitor cells, which exhibited significantly decreased cell apoptosis as compared with the control group. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl mRNA and proteins increased significantly while Bax expression decreased obviously in Ad-GFP-Wnt3-transfected cells (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenoviral vector-mediated over-expression of Wnt3 can suppress apoptosis of hepatic progenitor cells possibly through the Bcl-2 pathway.
Research Center of Molecular Medicine and Cancer, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. E-mail: shengwu07_1@126.com.
Xifeng
X
Zhang
Daixi
D
Hu
Chao
C
Zhang
Qin
Q
Zhong
Tao
T
Feng
Jiayi
J
Huang
D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014162:Transfection; D060508:Wnt3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C555507:WNT3 protein, human; D060508:Wnt3 Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein