title: Acetylcholinesterase is associated with a decrease in cell proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
abstract: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that rapidly splits acetylcholine into acetate and choline, presents non-cholinergic functions through which may participate in the control of cell proliferation and apoptosis. These two features are relevant in cancer, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a very aggressive liver tumor with high incidence and poor prognosis in advanced stages. Here we explored the relation between acetylcholinesterase and HCC growth by testing the influence of AChE on proliferation of Huh-7 and HepG2 cell lines, addressed in monolayer cultures, spheroid formation and human liver tumor samples. Results showed a clear relation in AChE expression and cell cycle progression, an effect which depended on cell confluence. Inhibition of AChE activity led to an increase in cell proliferation, which was associated with downregulation of p27 and cyclins. The fact that Huh-7 and HepG2 cell lines provided similar results lent weight to the relationship of AChE expression with cell cycle progression in hepatoma cell lines at least. Human liver tumor samples exhibited a decrease in AChE activity as compared with normal tissue. The evidence presented herein provides additional support for the proposed tumor suppressor role of AChE, which makes it a potential therapeutic target in therapies against hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors: Doctorado en Biología Experimental, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico; Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico.
authors: Benjamín
authors: B
authors: Pérez-Aguilar
authors: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular-A, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Murcia, Spain.
authors: Cecilio J
authors: CJ
authors: Vidal
authors: Laboratorio de Biomembranas, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico.
authors: Guillermina
authors: G
authors: Palomec
authors: Laboratorio de Patología, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, México DF, Mexico.
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: García-Dolores
authors: Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico.
authors: María Concepción
authors: MC
authors: Gutiérrez-Ruiz
authors: Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico.
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Bucio
authors: Laboratorio de Biomembranas, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico. Electronic address: gool@xanum.uam.mx.
authors: José Luis
authors: JL
authors: Gómez-Olivares
authors: Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México DF, Mexico. Electronic address: legq@xanum.uam.mx.
authors: Luis Enrique
authors: LE
authors: Gómez-Quiroz
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016213:Cyclins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016213:Cyclins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C413374:p27 antigen; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase
keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Cell cycle; HCC; HepG2 cell; Huh-7 cell; Liver