Study On The Expression Of Lkb1and Its Signaling Pathway Molecules With The Relationship Of Epirubicin Sensitivity In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

ObjectiveTo study the expression of Lkb1and its signaling pathway molecules in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and liver cancer cells, and explore the relationship between Lkb1signaling pathway and the sensitivity to Epirubicin.Methods①Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Lkbl, pAMPK-Thr172and pS6K-Thr389proteins in51cases of HCC tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues respectively.②Immunocytochemistry and western blotting were used to detect Lkb1, pAMPK-Thr172and pS6K-Thr389protein expression in non-hepatoma cells(QSG7701), malignant transformed liver cells (pRcHCNS3/QSG), and hepatoma cells (Be17402and SMMC7721).③Compound C was added to suppress the phosphorylation expression of AMPK and MTT assay was performed to detect the changes of Epirubicin sensitivity in the above4cells.Results①The expression of Lkbl and pAMPK-Thr172protein in HCC was39.22%and49.02%respectively, which was significantly lower than in the adjacent tissues (98.04%and88.24%respectively). The difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). pS6K-Thr389protein expression was higher in HCC tissues(72.55%) than in adjacent tissues(52.94%)(P<0.05).②Lkb1and pAMPK-Thr172expression were lower in the pRcHCNS3/QSG cells than that in QSG7701cells. And pS6K-Thr389expression was higher in pRcHCNS3/QSG cells than in QSG7701cells.③After application of AMPK activity inhibitor Compound C to pRcHCNS3/QSG cells, QSG7701cells,Be17402cells and SMMC7721 cells, pAMPK-Thr172protein expression was reduced while pS6K-Thr389protein was up regulated. The inhibition rates are lower in the Compound C treated groups than in the untreated groups under the same concentration of epirubicin, which showed the sensitivity to Epirubicin was reduced.Conclusion①The expressions of Lkb1and pAMPK-Thr172protein were significantly reduced in HCC tissues; And the expression of pS6K-Thr389was higher in HCC tissues;②The suppression of Lkbl-pAMPK(Thr172)-mTOR signaling pathway may participate in the hepatocyte malignant transformation process;③The abnormalities of Lkbl-pAMPK(Thr172)-mTOR signaling pathway may be associated with epirubicin sensitivity in HCC cells.