Objective To investigate the effects of co-stimulatory molecule B7-H4/VTCN1 on apoptosis and autophagy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and the potential signaling pathways. Methods After Huh7 cells were treated by B7-H4 siRNA, CCK-8 assay was used to detect the cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 (c-caspase-3), Bcl2, LC3, P62, JNK and phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK) were examined by Western blot analysis. The autophagosome was observed by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) assay. Results After the knockdown of B7-H4, the apoptosis and autophagy of HCC cells increased, and cell proliferation decreased. Moreover, the expression levels of c-caspase-3 and LC3 II went up, while the expression levels of Bcl2 and P62 went down. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of JNK was also inhibited, and autophagosome was visible. Conclusion Knockdown of B7-H4 promotes the apoptosis and autophagy in HCC cells, which may be related to the inhibited phosphorylation of JNK.
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Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
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January 2025
Department of Physics and Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.
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Laboratory of Chronobiology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications (IBA), National Centre for Scientific Research (NCSR) "Demokritos", 153 41 Aghia Paraskevi, Greece.
: Pancreatic Ductal Adeno-Carcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer, with limited treatment options. Disruption of the circadian clock, which regulates key cellular processes, has been implicated in PDAC initiation and progression. Hence, targeting circadian clock components may offer new therapeutic opportunities for the disease.
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Department of OB/GYN and REI (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40255 Duesseldorf, Germany.
To date, very little is known about how apoptosis and autophagy affect human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs), particularly how these processes might determine the depth of implantation in humans. Before investigating how apoptosis and autophagy might modulate the implantation process in an infertile population, it is necessary to clarify how these processes are regulated in healthy individuals. This study examined the protein expression related to apoptosis and autophagy in primary ESCs from fertile women, particularly in the context of decidualization and embryo contact, using Western blot analysis.
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