RESUMEN
Objective To investigate the effects of the interaction between human hepatoma cells and hepatic stellate cells on their growth state,and study its role of interaction on the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods Human hepatoma cell line HepG2 and hepatic stellate cell line hepatic stallate cells (HSC)-T6 were used and the methods including methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay,flow cytometry (FCM) analysis,immunohistochemistry,and electron microscopy were employed in this experiment.The effects of conditioned medium (CM) of HepG2 on the activation and proliferation of HSC were explored.The effects of activated HSC CM on HepG2 proliferation were investigated.The uhrastructural changes of the two co-cultured cells were observed.Results MTT assay result showed that HepG2/HSC CM could promote HSC/HepG2 proliferation.FCM result demonstrated that HepG2/HSC CM could influence the cell cycle distribution in HSC/HepG2.Immunohistochemistry exhibited that after the treatment of HepG2/HSC CM,the expression ofα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in HSC and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in HepG2 were increased.When HepG2 and HSC were co-cultured,the ultrastructure of HSC displayed an activated feature.Conclusions HepG2 cells can induce the activation and proliferation of HSC,and the activated HSC can also stimulate the proliferation of HepG2.Interaction between hepatoma cells and hepatic stellate cells may play an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
RESUMEN
The effects of A-L tonic capsule on DNA content in rat experimental hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DENA) were observed. The experimental rats were divided into 4 groups. With exception of group D in which the rats were only administered with DENA, the rats in the groups A, B, C were previously, simultaneously and subsequently fed with A-L tonic capsule respectively while they were administered with DENA. The DNA content of all rat livers was measured using automatic image analysis technique 20 weeks after administration of DENA. The results showed that the highest and lowest DNA contents were respectively seen in the groups D and A. There was significant difference in DNA contents between the groups A or B or C and D, and also between the groups A and B or C (both P < 0.01). 4 components (4C) and > or = 5C cells were predominant in the group D, while 2C cells were the minority. The number of 2C cells in the groups A, B, C was significantly higher than that in the group D, and the number of > or = 5C cells in the groups A, B, C was markedly lower than that in the group D (P < 0.01). Also, there was very significant difference in the number of 2C and > or = 5C cells between group A and B or C (P < 0.01). It was concluded that A-L tonic capsule could effectively inhibit the increase of DNA content of hepatocytes and improve the distribution of DNA content in rat hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in group A.