Turkish Journal Of Biology, cilt.43, sa.5, ss.24, 2019 (SCI-Expanded)
The
second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide is hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC). Currently,
there is no specific drug for anti-metastasis treatment in HCC. Drugs used both
for the treatment of primary HCC tumors and even for fighting with tumor
metastasis are very similar. The
cytotoxic drugs used are cisplatin, doxorubicin and 5-FU. Epidermal growth
factor is an important mitogen for hepatocytes. Hepatocellular carcinogenesis
is promoted by its overexpression. Moreover the EGFR pathway plays an
important role in promoting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis
although the mechanism remains unclear. Acetylcholinesterase and
acetylcholin receptors which comprise the cholinergic system have been detected
in HCC. Furthermore ACh promotes HCC cell proliferation, which correlates with
the tumor aggressiveness, and low survival rate. However, the function and
molecular mechanism of cholinergic system in hepatic carcinogenesis remain
unknown. Different researcher suggested that long chain
saturated fatty acids induce apoptosis and reduce cell viability in liver
cells. They showed that exposure of human HepG2 hepatoma cells to palmitate
result in apoptosis.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of EGFR-AChR
signalling pathway in the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) regarding
proliferation and apoptosis. Using the hepatoma cells as a model
system, we analyzed the combined effects of EGFR, cholinergic receptors
and 5-FU on cell proliferation and effects of the apoptotic pathway including
BCL/BAX and caspase-3. We suggest that activation of M3R and EGFR pathway might be a potential
mechanism for ACh induced cell growth. Additionaly M3AChR antagonism
of 4-DAMP combined with 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) might effect the cell viability
and apoptosis in HepG2 cells and steatotic HepG2 cells.