title: HBxAg suppresses apoptosis of human placental trophoblastic cell lines via activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.
abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein on the apoptosis of placental trophoblastic cells and its potential mechanism. A pcDNA3.1 expression vector of HBx gene was built and transfected into JEG-3 and HTR-8 human placental trophoblastic cell lines, respectively. After transfection for 48 h, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analyses showed that HBx mRNA and protein expression was detected in JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells. Flow cytometry revealed that early apoptosis of JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells was reduced by pcDNA-HBx transfection. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting showed that PI3K and p-Akt were significantly upregulated in HTR-8 cells. HBx ectopic expression did not change the viability of JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells when the PI3K/Akt pathway was blocked by its specific inhibitor LY294002. Moreover, the pcDNA-PI3K expression vector and pcDNA-HBx were transfected individually or co-transfected into the cells. The results showed that pcDNA-PI3K/pcDNA-HBx co-transfection promoted the expression of PI3K protein compared with the pcDNA-PI3K transfection group but did not increase the expression of HBx protein compared with pcDNA-HBx transfection group. In conclusion, HBx gene can be transferred into JEG-3 and HTR-8 human placental trophoblastic cell lines and cause inhibition of cell apoptosis. Its effect of apoptosis inhibition is related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an City, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, People's Hospital of Tongchuan (North Hospital), Tongchuan City, China.
authors.forename: Ya'e
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an City, China.
authors.forename: Guiqin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu City, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an City, China.
authors.forename: Yongxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an City, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an City, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014162:Transfection; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
chemical_list: D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein
keywords: PI3 K/Akt pathway; apoptosis; hepatitis B virus X; human placental trophoblastic cell; pcDNA transfection