Liver Cell Line (liver + cell_line)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Hepatocyte growth factor promotes cell survival from Fas-mediated cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via Akt activation and Fas-death,inducing signaling complex suppression

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2000
Atsushi Suzuki
The Akt/PI-3 kinase pathway is a system essential for cell survival. In the current study, we showed that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activates the Akt/PI-3 kinase pathway to suppress Fas-mediated cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; 3 lines; SK-Hep1, HLE, and Chang Liver cell lines), hepatoblastoma (1 line; HepG2), and embryonic hepatocyte (1 line; WRL). Five tested cell lines showed the resistance to Fas-mediated cell death by the pretreatment of HGF. This HGF-induced cell survival was suppressed by wortmannin (Akt/PI-3 kinase pathway inhibitor), suggesting an involvement of Akt. When cells were pretreated with HGF, Fas-mediated cell death was suppressed, followed by Akt phosphorylation at Ser473. Fas-death,inducing signaling complex (DISC) formation, especially FADD and caspase 8 interaction, was suppressed by HGF and the suppression of the Akt/PI-3 kinase pathway by transient expression of PTEN, resulting in acquisition of Fas-DISC formation and Fas-mediated cell death in HGF-treated cells. We suggest that HGF promotes cell survival in hepatocyte-derived cell lines (HCC, hepatoblastoma, and embryonic hepatocyte) from Fas-mediated cell death via Fas-DISC suppression as a result of Akt activation. [source]


The Effects of Ecstasy (MDMA) on Rat Liver Bioenergetics

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2004
Daniel E. Rusyniak MD
Abstract Objectives: Use of the drug ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) can result in life-threatening hyperthermia. Agents that uncouple mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are known to cause severe hyperthermia. In the present study, the authors tested the hypothesis that MDMA directly uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. Methods: Effects on mitochondrial bioenergetics were assessed both in vitro and ex vivo. In vitro studies consisted of measuring the effects of MDMA (0.1,5.0 mmol/L) on states of respiration in isolated rat liver mitochondria and on mitochondrial membrane potential in a rat liver cell line. In ex vivo studies, mitochondrial rates of respiration were measured in the livers of rats one hour after treatment with MDMA (40 mg/kg subcutaneously). Results: With the in vitro mitochondrial preparations, only concentrations of 5 mmol/L MDMA showed evidence of uncoupling with a slight increase in state 4 respiration and a corresponding decrease in the respiratory control index. MDMA (0.1,5.0 mmol/L) failed to decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential in 3,3-dihexyloxacarbocyanide iodide,stained WB-344 cells after either one or 24 hours of incubation. Ex vivo rates of respiration obtained from the livers of rats one hour after treatment with MDMA (40 mg/kg subcutaneously) showed no evidence of mitochondrial uncoupling. Conclusions: These data suggest that while high concentrations of MDMA have some mild uncoupling effects in isolated mitochondria, these effects do not translate to cell culture or ex vivo studies in treated animals. These data do not support the view that the hyperthermia induced by MDMA is from a direct effect on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. [source]


Development of a solvent-free, solid-phase in vitro bioassay using vertebrate cells

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2006
Stephanie K. Bopp
Abstract Miniaturized bioassays offer many advantages in exploring the toxic potential of chemicals, including small sample volumes and compatibility with high-throughput screening. One problem common to miniaturized systems, however, is the loss of test chemicals because of sorption. The idea of the current study was to use the sorption phenomenon in a positive way. It was found that contaminants sorbed to the growth surface in wells of tissue-culture plates or to the surface of selected sorbent bead materials are available to vertebrate cells growing in direct contact with the contaminant-coated surface. The use of beads provided more flexibility with regard to surface area, materials, and assay format. Biosilon, a bead cell-culture carrier made of polystyrene, was found to be most suitable. It supported cell adherence and allowed the detection of reproducible dose-response curves of an increase in cytochrome CYP1A enzyme activity by sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver cell line, RTL-W1. The resulting bead assay provides a miniaturized, solvent-free exposure system. Potential future applications include the coupling to environmental sampling, in which the bead material is used as solid receiving phase before serving as a surface for vertebrate cells to attach and respond. [source]


Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as inducers of cytochrome P4501A enzyme activity in the rainbow trout liver cell line, RTL-W1, and in primary cultures of rainbow trout hepatocytes

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2001
Anja Behrens
Abstract In order to investigate cell-specific differences in the response of in vitro models to environmental toxicants, we compared the capacity of nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to induce cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) in primary rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocytes and a rainbow trout liver cell line, RTL-W1. Induction of CYP1A was estimated from the catalytic activity of 7-ethoxyresorufin- O -deethylase (EROD) and compared by median effective concentration (EC50) values, induction spans, and benzo[a]pyrene induction equivalency factors for inducing PAHs. The influence of culture conditions was investigated with respect to the presence or absence of serum and varying exposure times. Both in vitro systems lead to an identical classification of the PAHs in noninducing (anthracene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) and inducing compounds with a similar ranking of inducing PAHs. Mean EC50 values in RTL-W1 cells were, respectively, 343 and 266 nM for benzo[a]anthracene, 57 and 92 nM for BaP, 134 and 283 nM for benzo[b]fluoranthene, 455 and 270 nM for chrysene, and 98 and 116 nM for 3-methylcholanthrene. Compared to primary hepatocytes, the RTL-W1 cell line was more sensitive in its EROD response to the presence or absence of serum and to the increase in exposure time, which led to higher EC50 values. [source]


Alpha-fetoprotein-specific transfer factors downregulate alpha-fetoprotein expression and specifically induce apoptosis in Bel7402 alpha-fetoprotein-positive hepatocarcinoma cells

HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2007
Hui Zhang
Aim:, To investigate the mechanisms of AFP-specific transfer factors (AFP-TF) in induced Bel7402 cells apoptosis. Further, we investigate the interaction between AFP-TF and AFP in the apoptosis. Methods:, Bel7402 and HepG2 AFP-positive hepatocarcinoma cell lines, SK-Hep-1 AFP-negative hepatocarcinoma cell line and Changliver normal liver cell line are used. Cell viability is evaluated by MTT assay and apoptosis is measured by Hoechst33342 staining and TUNEL assay. FACS is used to analyze the cell cycle. AFP expression is examined by RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The interaction between AFP-TF and AFP in the apoptosis is investigated by addition of AFP in cultures or AFP transfection in Bel7402 cells prior to AFP-TF treatment. Mitochondrial membrane potential (,,m) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration are respectively measured by Rhodamine123 and Fluo-3 AM Ester. Western blotting detects the involvement of several apoptosis-related proteins. Finally, caspase-3 and Caspase-9 activity are respectively examined. Results:, AFP-TF can induce apoptosis in Bel7402 and HepG2 AFP-positive hepatocarcinoma cells, but not SK-Hep-1 and Changliver cells. AFP-mRNA level changes little in apoptotic Bel7402 cells; while AFP expression is downregulated and uniformly dispersed throughout the whole cell. Addition of exogenous AFP or overexpression of intracellular AFP can reduce such apoptotic effect. Besides, apoptotic Bel7402 cells show a disruption of ,,m, an immediate elevation of Ca2+ concentration, a prominently decreased ratio of bcl-2 to bax, a release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol, and ultimately an activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Conclusion:, AFP-TF induced Bel7402 cells apoptosis is mitochondrial-dependent and is mediated by the interaction of AFP-TF with intracellular AFP. [source]


In vitro markers for virulence in Yersinia ruckeri

JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, Issue 3 2010
E Tobback
Abstract In this study, different traits that have been associated with bacterial virulence were studied in Yersinia ruckeri. Two isolates that had been shown to cause disease and mortality in experimentally infected rainbow trout were compared with five avirulent isolates. Both virulent isolates showed high adhesion to gill and intestinal mucus of rainbow trout, whereas the majority of non-virulent strains demonstrated significantly lower adhesion. A decrease in adherence capability following bacterial treatment with sodium metaperiodate and proteolytic enzymes suggested the involvement of carbohydrates and proteins. All strains were able to adhere to and invade chinook salmon embryo cell line (CHSE-214), fathead minnow epithelial cell line (FHM) and rainbow trout liver cell line (R1). One non-virulent strain was highly adhesive and invasive in the three cell lines, whereas the virulent strains showed moderate adhesive and invasive capacity. The internalization of several isolates was inhibited by colchicine and cytochalasin-D, suggesting that microtubules and microfilaments play a role. For all strains, intracellular survival assays showed a decrease of viable bacteria in the cells 6 h after inoculation, suggesting that Y. ruckeri is not able to multiply or survive inside cultured cells. Analysis of the susceptibility to the bactericidal effect of rainbow trout serum demonstrated that virulent Y. ruckeri strains were serum resistant, whereas non-virulent strains were generally serum sensitive. [source]


Antitumor activity of chloroform fraction of Scutellaria barbata and its active constituents

PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2007
Jianqing Yu
Abstract Scutellaria barbata (SB) is widely used as an antitumor agent in China, but the antitumor components of SB are still unclear. The antitumor activity of various fractions of an ethanol extract of SB was studied in six human malignant cell lines. Bio-based assays showed that non-polar and low-polar solvent fractions of SB had dose-dependent cytotoxicities on six cancer cell lines. The IC50 values of these fractions on the cancer cell lines tested ranged from 16 to 70 µg/mL after 48 h of treatment. Among them, the chloroform fraction (CE-SB) had the strongest cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines with a lower cytotoxic effect on a normal liver cell line. Bel-7402 cell apoptosis induced by CE-SB was examined using Hoechst 33258 staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. CE-SB dose-dependently decreased the S phase content. Treatment with CE-SB caused cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-9. The antitumor activity of CE-SB in vivo was also evaluated. At 60 mg/kg/day, CE-SB significantly inhibited the solid tumor proliferation and increased the life span of ascites tumor bearing mice (p < 0.01). CE-SB was subjected to bioassay-guided isolation of the active compounds by chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Phytol, wogonin, luteolin and hispidulin were obtained as cytotoxic constituents. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Toxicity of a trivalent organic arsenic compound, dimethylarsinous glutathione in a rat liver cell line (TRL 1215)

BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 7 2006
T Sakurai
Background and purpose: Although inorganic arsenite (AsIII) is toxic in humans, it has recently emerged as an effective chemotherapeutic agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). In humans and most animals, AsIII is enzymatically methylated in the liver to weakly toxic dimethylarsinic acid (DMAsV) that is a major pentavalent methylarsenic metabolite. Recent reports have indicated that trivalent methylarsenicals are produced through methylation of AsIII and participate in arsenic poisoning. Trivalent methylarsenicals may be generated as arsenical,glutathione conjugates, such as dimethylarsinous glutathione (DMAsIIIG), during the methylation process. However, less information is available on the cytotoxicity of DMAsIIIG. Experimental approach: We synthesized and purified DMAsIIIG using high performance TLC (HPTLC) methods and measured its cytotoxicity in rat liver cell line (TRL 1215 cells). Key results: DMAsIIIG was highly cytotoxic in TRL 1215 cells with a LC50 of 160 nM. We also found that DMAsIIIG molecule itself was not transported efficiently into the cells and was not cytotoxic; however it readily became strongly cytotoxic by dissociating into trivalent dimethylarsenicals and glutathione (GSH). The addition of GSH in micromolar physiological concentrations prevented the breakdown of DMAsIIIG, and the DMAsIIIG-induced cytotoxicity. Physiological concentrations of normal human serum (HS), human serum albumin (HSA), and human red blood cells (HRBC) also reduced both the cytotoxicity and cellular arsenic uptake induced by exposure to DMAsIIIG. Conclusions and implications: These findings suggest that the significant cytotoxicity induced by DMAsIIIG may not be seen in healthy humans, even if DMAsIIIG is formed in the body from AsIII. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 149, 888,897. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706899 [source]


Synthesis, Antiproliferative Evaluation, and Structure,Activity Relationships of 3-Arylquinolines

CHEMMEDCHEM, Issue 10 2008
Zhu-Ping Xiao
The cytotoxicity of substituted 3-aryl-4-chloroquinolines: A series of 3-arylquinolines were designed, synthesized and evaluated as antitumor agents. While the majority of the 34 compounds evaluated exhibited potent cytotoxicity in one or more of the human tumor cell lines tested, two compounds were identified as potential leads, with high activity against human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (Hep-G2), human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia (K562) and human oral epidermoid carcinoma (KB) cell lines, and lacking significant cytotoxicity against the normal human liver cell line (L02). [source]


Epigenetic and genetic alterations of PTEN in hepatocellular carcinoma

HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007
Li Wang
Aim:, To investigate the roles of epigenetic and genetic alterations of the phosphatase and tensin homologue on chromosome 10 gene (PTEN) in carcinogenesis and the development of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Methods:, A total of 56 cases of HCC tissues and six liver cell lines were studied for the expression of PTEN by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. The PTEN gene mutations in exon5 and exon8 were detected by a combination of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was used to identify PTEN promoter methylation. Results:, Of the 56 cases of HCC, 24 (42.9%) expressed the PTEN protein. All surrounding liver tissues of the hepatoma (32 cases) were positive for PTEN. Of the six cell lines, three liver cancer cell lines showed a low expression of PTEN. Five mutations of 56 HCC samples were detected. All of them were located at intron4. No mutation was found in exon5 and exon8. After MSP analysis, we found nine cases of PTEN promoter methylation in 56 specimens (16.1%). However, no CpG island of PTEN was found to be methylated in all six liver cell lines. Conclusion:, The level of PTEN protein was altered in part of the HCC. The downregulation of PTEN expression may not be mainly associated with the PTEN mutations, but partly due to PTEN promoter methylation and other epigenetic regulation. [source]


Functional and morphological comparison of three primary liver cell types cultured in the AMC bioartificial liver

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2007
Paul P.C. Poyck
The selection of a cell type for bioartificial liver (BAL) systems for the treatment of patients with acute liver failure is in part determined by issues concerning patient safety and cell availability. Consequently, mature porcine hepatocytes (MPHs) have been widely applied in BAL systems. The success of clinical BAL application systems is, however, largely dependent on the functionality and stability of hepatocytes. Therefore, we compared herein the general metabolic and functional activities of MPHs with mature human hepatocytes (MHHs) in the Academic Medical Center (AMC)-BAL during a 7-day culture period. We also tested fetal human hepatocytes (FHHs), since their proliferation capacity is higher than MHHs and their function is increased compared to human liver cell lines. The results showed large differences between the 3 cell types. MHHs eliminated 2-fold more ammonia and produced 3-fold more urea than MPHs, whereas FHHs produced ammonia. Lidocaine elimination of FHHs was 3.5-fold higher than MPHs and 6.6-fold higher than of MHHs. Albumin production was not different between the 3 cell types. MPHs and FHHs became increasingly glycolytic, whereas MHHs remained metabolically stable during the whole culture period. MHHs and MPHs formed tissue-like structures inside the AMC-BAL. In conclusion, we propose that FHHs can be considered as a suitable cell type for pharmacological studies inside a bioreactor. However, we conclude that MHHs are the preferred cell source for loading a BAL device for clinical use, because of their high ammonia eliminating capacity and metabolic stability. MPHs should be considered as the best alternative cell source for BAL application, although their phenotypic instability urges application within 1 or 2 days after loading. Liver Transpl 13:589,598, 2007. © 2007 AASLD. [source]