ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect of Liuwei Dihuangwan on connexin 32 (Cx32) in hepatoma cell line CBRH7919 and its gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC), and furthermore study its mechanism of enhancing the bystander killing effect of suicide gene therapy. Method: Liuwei Dihuangwan (32 g·kg·d-1) and the same volume of normal saline were given to the rats by intragastrical administration. Blood was taken to prepare the medicated serum of Liuwei Dihuangwan and blank control serum, respectively. The hepatoma cell line CBRH7919 were treated by control serum and medicated serum of Liuwei Dihuangwan in different concentrations. There were four groups in experiment:the blank control group (volume fraction of 10%), medicated serum high dose group of Liuwei Dihuangwan (the volume fraction of 10%), medicated serum middle dose group of Liuwei Dihuangwan (the volume fraction of 5%), and medicated serum low dose group of Liuwei Dihuangwan (the volume fraction of 2.5%). The expression levels of Cx32 protein and mRNA in hepatoma cell line CBRH7919 were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay (ⅡA) and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) assay. The fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP) method was used to detect the function of GJIC of hepatoma cell line CBRH7919. Result: ① The indirect immunofluorescence assay (ⅡA) analysis indicated that as compared with the blank control group, the cx32 expression of CBRH7919 cells was up-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner in each dose group of the serum containing Liuwei Dihuangwan (PPPPConclusion: The mechanism of medicated serum of Liuwei Dihuangwan in enhancing the bystander killing effect of suicide geneis related to gap junction. Liuwei Dihuangwan may enhance the function of GJIC by increasing the localization of cx32 on the cell membrane of CBRH7919 cells and increasing the expression of cx32 mRNA and protein to achieve the synergistic action.