Apigenin sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to doxorubic through regulating miR-520b/ATG7 axis

作者：Gao, Ai-Mei; Zhang, Xiao-Yu; Hu, Juan-Ni; Ke, Zun-Ping^*

来源：Chemico-Biological Interactions, 2018, 280: 45-50.

DOI：10.1016/j.cbi.2017.11.020

• Apigenin
• MicroRNA-520b
• Chemo-sensitization
• ATG7
• Hepatocellular carcinoma

Chemo-resistance is a serious obstacle for successful treatment of cancer. Apigenin, a dietary flavonoid, has been reported as an anticancer drug in various malignant cancers. This study aimed to investigate the potential chemo-sensitization effect of apigenin in doxorubicin-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402/ADM. We observed that apigenin significantly enhanced doxorubicin sensitivity, induced miR-520b expression and inhibited ATG7-dependent autophagy in BEL-7402/ADM cells. In addition, we also showed that miR-520b mimics increased doxorubicin sensitivity and inhibited ATG7-dependent autophagy. Meanwhile, we indicated that ATG7 was a potential target of miR-520b. Furthermore, APG inhibited the growth of hepatocellar carcinoma xenografts in nude mice by up-regulating miR-520b and inhibiting ATG7. Our finding provides evidence that apigenin sensitizes BEL-7402/ADM cells to doxorubicin through miR-520b/ATG7 pathway, which furtherly supports apigenin as a potential chemo-sensitizer for hepatocellular carcinoma.

• 出版日期2018-1-25
• 单位复旦大学; 上海交通大学; 徐州医科大学