Correlation between inflammatory cytokines and liver cancer stem cell markers in DEN-induced liver cancer rats

Z.-H. Liu, M.-J. Bai, J.-Q. Li, S.-H. Yan, X.-W. Ye, J.-G. Bu, C.-Y. Chen

Department of Oncology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. 755591296@qq.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of inflammatory factors and hepatocarcinoma stem cells of induced liver cancer rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 SD male healthy rats were selected. 10 rats were given water as normal control group. 10 rats only were implemented laparotomy as sham operation group. The remaining 10 rats were the liver cancer model group and treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) to induce liver cancer. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the related inflammatory factors in HCC tissues, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β), human interleukin-1α (IL-1α), human interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and levels of hepatocarcinoma stem cells indicators CD90, CD133, Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between inflammatory factors and hepatocarcinoma stem cells markers CD90 and CD133.

RESULTS: The expression levels of IL-6, MCP-1 and TGF-β of HCC tissues in liver cancer model group were significantly higher than those in the control group and the sham operation group. The expression levels of CD90 and CD133 of tissues in the liver cancer model group were significantly higher than those in the control group and the sham operation group. The differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). By inhibiting related inflammatory factors, the growth, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells were significantly inhibited, and apoptosis was promoted. Correlation analysis results showed that the expression changes of IL-6, MCP-1 and TGF-β were significantly positively correlated with CD90 up-regulation (p<0.05), while the expression changes of IL-6, MCP-1 and TGF-β were significantly positively correlated with CD133 up-regulation (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory factors IL-6, MCP-1 and TGF-β are closely related to hepatocarcinoma stem cells, which play an important role in promoting the occurrence and deterioration of liver cancer.

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