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PPARγ mediates the effects of WIN55,212-2, an synthetic cannabinoid, on the proliferation and apoptosis of the BEL-7402 hepatocarcinoma cells

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Abstract

Cannabis sativa has long been used as a traditional medicine in China. Among its effective compounds are cannabinoids. This study determined the effect of WIN55,212-2 (WIN), a synthetic cannabinoid, on the BEL-7402 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line. The results showed that WIN could decrease the proliferation of BEL-7402 cells. Moreover, WIN could cause apoptosis of the cells via up-regulation of Bax expression, down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression, induction of the mitochondrial membrane potential, increase of caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities, and induction of the cleavage of caspase-3 and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). The WIN-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the up-regulation of PPARγ expression, the activation of PPARγ DNA binding activity, and a down-regulation of PPARγ target oncogene c-myc. Conversely, the effects of WIN could be attenuated by PPARγ antagonist GW9662, and the WIN induced PPARγ expression was partially attenuated by AM630, a cannabinoid receptor-2 antagonist, whereas the WIN-induced reduction of c-myc expression was partially restored by GW9662. Collectively, our results suggest that WIN can decrease the proliferation and cause apoptosis of the BEL-7402 cells via a mitochondrial-caspase pathway and mediated by PPARγ. These results may provide a basis for the application of WIN in HCC treatment.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Fred Bogott, M.D., Ph.D., at Austin Medical Center, Austin, Minnesota, for his excellent English editing of this manuscript. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China [81141101] and the Scientific and Technological Project of Guangzhou City [No. 2009J1-C361].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China

    Yuehui Hong, Ying Wang, Shunhua Xiao & Qing Zhao

  2. Department of Biology, University of Kentuchy, Lexington, 40506, USA

    Yuting Zhou

  3. Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, 55912, USA

    D. Joshua Liao

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  1. Yuehui Hong
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  2. Yuting Zhou
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  3. Ying Wang
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  4. Shunhua Xiao
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  5. D. Joshua Liao
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  6. Qing Zhao
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Correspondence to Qing Zhao.

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Hong, Y., Zhou, Y., Wang, Y. et al. PPARγ mediates the effects of WIN55,212-2, an synthetic cannabinoid, on the proliferation and apoptosis of the BEL-7402 hepatocarcinoma cells. Mol Biol Rep 40, 6287–6293 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-013-2741-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-013-2741-x

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