Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) ›› 2019, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (02): 228-233.doi: 10.13481/j.1671-587x.20190203

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Inhibitory effects of zingerone combined with sorafenib on migration and invasion of human liver cancer HepG2 cells

XU Zhenhua1, SU Rongjian2   

  1. 1. Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121000, China;
    2. Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121000, China
  • Received:2018-07-23 Published:2019-03-29

Abstract: Objective: To explore the inhibitory effects of zingerone in combination with sorafenib on the migration and invasion of human liver cancer HepG2 cells, and to clarify their relative mechanisms.Methods: The HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of zingerone and sorafenib alone or in combination. The cellpoliferation rate was determined by MTT assay. The appropriate concentrations of zingerone and sorafenib were selected according to the results. The experiment was divided into control group (DMSO), zingerone group (30μmol·L-1), sorafenib group (3 μmol·L-1) and combination group (zingerone 30 μmol·L-1+ sorafenib 3μmol·L-1).The scratch healing rate was measured by cell wound healing test;Transwell assay was used to detect the number of transmembrane cells in each group. The expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were determined by Western blotting method.Results: Compared with control group, the proliferation rates of the HepG2 cells in zingerone group and combination group were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with control group,the scratch healing rates of the HepG2 cells in zingerone group and sorafenib group were reduced (P<0.05);the scratch healing rate in combination group was significantly lower than those in zingerone group and sorafenib group (P<0.01). In the Transwell experiment, the number of transmembrane cells in zingerone group and sorafenib group was decreased compared with control group (P<0.05);the number of transmembrane cells in combination group was significantly lower than those in zingerone group and sorafenib group(P<0.01).The Western blotting results showed the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the HepG2 cells in zingerone group and sorafenib group were lower than those in control group (P<0.05),and the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in combination group were significantly lower than those in zingerone group and sorafenib group (P<0.01).Conclusion: Zingerone can inhibit the migration and invasion of the human hepatoma cells by decreasing the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins in the HepG2 cells, and it has better effect with sorafenib.

Key words: liver neoplasms, zingerone, sorafenib, cell migration, cell invasion

CLC Number: 

  • R735.7