title: Alpha fetoprotein plays a critical role in promoting metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
abstract: A high level of serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is positively associated with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carcinogenesis and metastasis; however, the function of AFP in HCC metastasis is unknown. This study has explored the effects of AFP on regulating metastatic and invasive capacity of human HCC cells. Forty-seven clinical patients' liver samples were collected and diagnosed; HCC cells line, Bel 7402 cells (AFP-producing) and liver cancer cell line cells (non-AFP-producing) were selected to analyse the role of AFP in the metastasis of HCC cells. The results indicated that high serum concentration of AFP was positively correlated with HCC intrahepatic, lymph nodes and lung metastasis. Repressed expression of AFP significantly inhibited the capability of migration and invasion of Bel 7402 cells, expression of keratin 19 (K19), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), matrix metalloproteinase 2/9 (MMP2/9) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) were also down-regulated in Bel 7402 cells; migration and invasion, expression of K19, EpCAM, MMP2/9 and CXCR4 were significantly enhanced when HLE cells were transfected with AFP-expressed vector. The results demonstrated that AFP plays a critical role in promoting metastasis of HCC; AFP promoted HCC cell invasion and metastasis via up-regulating expression of metastasis-related proteins. Thus, AFP may be used as a novel therapeutic target for treating HCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Mingyue
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Department of Pathophysiology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xieju
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Junli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.|Institution of Tumor, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Mengsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
keywords: alpha fetoprotein; liver cancer cells metastasis; therapeutic target