ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role and significance of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against beta-catenin. Proteins were extracted and the expressions of beta-catenin, GSK-3beta, p-GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT were detected by Western blot at 72 h and 96 h respectively after transfection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>beta-catenin expression was inhibited at both time points and the expression at 96 h was higher than that at 72 h (t = 4.43, P < 0.05). Interestingly, GSK-3beta and p-GSK-3beta expressions increased gradually at 72 and 96 h (tGSK-3beta= 4.98, tp-GSK-3beta= 29.83, P < 0.05) respectively, and STAT3 expression showed no alteration after transfection (F = 0.49, P > 0.05). Smad3 expression was increased at 72 h (t = 10.67, P < 0.05) and decreased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P < 0.05), while TERT expression decreased at 72 h (t = 4.18, P is less than 0.05) and increased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is related to the expressions of GSK-3beta, Smad3 and TERT, but perhaps not related to STAT3 protein expression in HCC. It suggested that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway might participate in HCC genesis and development through regulating the above three factors.</p>