Alpha lipoic acid diminishes migration and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through an AMPK-p53 axis.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with viral or metabolic liver diseases is a growing cancer without effective therapy. AMPK is downregulated in HCC and its activation diminishes tumor growth. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), an indirect AMPK activator that inhibits hepatic steatosis, shows antitumor effects in different cancers. We aimed to study its putative action in liver-cancer derived cell lines through AMPK signaling. We performed cytometric studies for apoptosis and cell cycle, and 2D and 3D migration analysis in HepG2/C3A and Hep3B cells. ALA led to significant inhibition of cell migration/invasion only in HepG2/C3A cells. We showed that these effects depended on AMPK, and ALA also increased the levels and nuclear compartmentalization of the AMPK target p53. The anti-invasive effe

SUBMITTER: Hidalgo F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11390941 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature