Effect of tumor-stroma crosstalk on amino acid metabolism in hepatic stellate cells / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of tumor-stroma crosstalk on amino acid metabolism in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). MethodsHuman hepatoma cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh7 and the HSC LX-2 were cultured separately. HSCs were cultured in HSC LX-2 conditioned medium (LX2-CM) and HepG2/Hep3B/Huh7 mixed conditioned medium (Hep-CM), respectively. The supernatants were collected and an amino acid analyzer was used to measure the change in aminogram. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsThere was a significant change in amino acid metabolism in HSCs. Compared with the LX2-CM control group, the Hep-CM experimental group had significant reductions in the levels of citrulline (t=3.426, P=0.027), valine (t=2.892, P=0.045), isoleucine (t=4.224, P=0.013), leucine (t=4.150, P=0.014), tyrosine (t=3556, P=0.024), phenylalanine (t=4.023, P=0.016), and lysine (t=3.369, P=0.028) in cell supernatant. ConclusionTumor-stroma crosstalk can influence amino acid metabolism in HSCs in tumor microenvironment, and such change in turn makes hepatoma cells better adapted to hypoxic microenvironment.