title: Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on the expressions of Cox-2 and GST-Pi in rats with hepatocellular carcinoma risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and aggressive cancers worldwide, and the pathogenesis is complicated at present. There iare few effective therapeutic measures, and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently required to improve clinical outcome. Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) is reported to have an anti-cancer activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of EGb on expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and glutathione S-transferase Pi (GST-Pi) in the pathogenesis of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  120 Wistar rats were divided into three groups at random: normal control group (control group), HCC risk group without treatment (HCC risk group), HCC risk group treated with EGb (EGb group); n=40, respectively. The HCC risk in rat was induced by aflatoxin B1 injection. At the end of 13-week, 33-week, 53-week and 73-week, 10 rats in each group were killed and the relevant samples were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 and GST-Pi were measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical analysis and western-blot. When compared with those in the control group in 73-week, the mRNA and protein expressions of GST-Pi in EGb group were weaker than those in HCC risk group in 73-week. However, the mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 in HCC risk group were increased than that of control group, and there was no statistical difference for mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 between HCC risk group and EGb group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGb can regulate the expression of GST-Pi, but it does not seem to have an effect on Cox-2 expression in the liver of HCC risk rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jia
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Jian
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery , The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi Province 530021, China.
authors.forename: Le-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi
keywords: Cox-2; GST-Pi; Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb); Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)