title: Interleukin‑6 induces epithelial‑mesenchymal transition in human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell (HIBEC) lines in vitro. HIBECs were stimulated with IL-6 at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 50 and 100 µg/l for 24 h. A wound healing and Transwell assay were performed to determine the migratory and invasive capacity of HIBECs, respectively. Following 24 h of incubation, IL-6 at 10 and 20 µg/l significantly increased the number of migrated and invaded cells (P<0.05), while stimulation with 50 and 100 µg/l IL-6 resulted in a further increase of the migratory and invasive capacity compared to that in all other groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of EMT markers E-cadherin and vimentin in HIBECs. Decreased mRNA levels of E-cadherin accompanied by higher mRNA levels of vimentin were observed in the 10, 20, 50, 100 µg/l IL-6 groups compared to those in the 0 µg/l group (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the protein expression of E-cadherin was decreased, while that of vimentin was increased in the 50 and 100 µg/l IL-6 groups compared to those in the 0, 10 and 20 µg/l IL-6 groups (all P<0.05). The present study therefore indicated that IL-6 promoted the process of EMT in HIBECs as characterized by increased migration and invasion of HIBECs and the typical changes in mRNA and protein expression of the EMT markers E-cadherin and vimentin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Gui-Xing
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150086, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Peng-Cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150086, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tian-Yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150086, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yun-Fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002465:Cell Movement; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014746:Vimentin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014746:Vimentin