目的:乙型肝炎病毒X蛋白(HBx)是一种反式作用因子,它通过增强各种转录和调控因子的表达影响肝细胞的增殖和凋亡,在原发性肝癌(HCC)的发生发展中发挥重要的作用。Wnt/β-catenin信号转导通路在胚胎发育和肿瘤发生中也发挥了重要的作用。本实验利用腺病毒表达系统,研究HBx与Wnt信号转导通路中主要信号分子β—catenin的相互作用及对它的影响,探讨HBV相关性肝癌的发生机制。方法:通过HEK293细胞扩增腺病毒获得高滴度的Ad—GFP和Ad—GFP—HBx,采用表达有绿色荧光蛋白的腺病毒高表达载体系统将HBx基因有效转入人正常肝细胞L02细胞系。通过Western blot证实HBx在L02细胞中有效表达。RT—PCR、Western blot检测转染Ad—GFP—HBx的L02细胞中β—catenin表达的变化。结果:HEK293扩增腺病毒获得的Ad—GFP滴度为:1.5×10^9pfu/ml,Ad—GFP—HBx的滴度为:1.0×10^8pfu/ml。Ad—GFP—HBx腺病毒感染细胞后能使HBx在L02细胞中有效表达,且感染Ad—GFP—HBx后HBx的表达显著增加L02细胞中β—cateninmRNA的表达量(P〈0.05)和β—catenin蛋白的表达量(P〈0.05)。结论:HBx可以上调人正常肝细胞系L02细胞中β—catenin的表达,提示HBx可能通过调控β—catenin的异常表达激活Wnt信号通路,促进原发性肝癌的发生。Wnt信号传导主要取决于β—catenin在细胞内的水平,当β—catenin水平低下,Wnt途径关闭;当β—catenin水平升高时,Wnt途径开启,而Wnt信号的激活与肿瘤的发生密切相关。可见,HBx能增强β—catenin的表达,提示HBx可能是调控β—catenin的关键因子,而β—catenin的异常表达又能激活Wnt信号通路,最终导致肝癌的发生。这也间接证明了HBx在肝癌的发生发展中具有重要的作用,且该作用与Wnt信号中的关键分子β—catenin密切相关。
Objective: To study the effect of Hepatitis B Virus X protein (HBx) on the expression of β-catenin in the L02 normal human hepatocyte cell line. Methods: A recombinant adenovirus expressing the HBx gene along with GFP was used to transfect the L02 normal human hepatocyte cell line. The expression of HBx protein in L02 cells was evaluated by Western blot. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to assess the effect of HBx on the expression of β-catenin in the L02 cell line. Results: A high titer of the recombinant adenovirus expressing HBx was obtained, and the virus was effectively transfected into L02 cells. HBx expression induced an increase in the expression of β-catenin in transfected L02 cells. Conclusion: The up-regulation of β-catenin in the L02 cell line indicates that HBx could activate the Wnt signaling pathway by regulating the ectopic expression of β-catenin. HBx may play a role in regulating the expression of β-catenin which is important in the development of HCC.