ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of octreotide on transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-?)-induced cell proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and its possible mechanism. Methods The effect of octreotide on TGF-?-induced cell proliferation of the liver cancer cells (LCC) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry method. The effect of octreotide on TGF-? secretion and epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) expression in the cells was determined by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). The effect of octreotide on extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) expression in the cells was measured by Western-blot and immunohistochemistry method. Results The TGF-?-induced expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in nucleus were obviously increased by TGF-?. TGF-?mRNA index of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was decreased by octreotide. Octreotide inhibited significantly the expressions of EGFR mRNA induced by TGF-?. Octreotide inhibited significantly the expressions of ERK protein induced by TGF-?. There was intense staining in the nucleus of the cells by TGF-? and weak staining in the nucleus of the cells treated simultaneously by octreotide and TGF-?.Conclusions Octreotide can inhibit the secretion of TGF-?, the expression of EGFR, and the signal transduction of EGFR of LCC, and consequently exerts an inhibitory effect on TGF-?-induced hepatocellular carcinoma cells proliferation.
