RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of adenoviral vector-mediated over-expression of Wnt3 on the apoptosis of hepatic progenitor cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hepatic progenitor cells transfected with Ad-GFP-Wnt3 vector or the control vector Ad-GFP were examined for cell apoptosis under fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33342 staining, and the proportion of apoptotic cells were determined by flow cytometric analysis with Annexin-PE/7-ADD staining. The mRNA and protein expressions of Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in the cells were detected by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Real-time PCR and Western blotting showed a high expression of Wnt3 in Ad-GFP-Wnt3-transfected hepatic progenitor cells, which exhibited significantly decreased cell apoptosis as compared with the control group. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl mRNA and proteins increased significantly while Bax expression decreased obviously in Ad-GFP-Wnt3-transfected cells (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Adenoviral vector-mediated over-expression of Wnt3 can suppress apoptosis of hepatic progenitor cells possibly through the Bcl-2 pathway.</p>