Hydrogen sulfide promotes autophagy of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), in its gaseous form, plays an important role in tumor carcinogenesis. This study investigated the effects of H₂S on the cell biological functions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC cell lines, HepG2 and HLE, were treated with NaHS, a donor of H₂S, and rapamycin, a classic autophagy inducer, for different lengths of time. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scratch assay, CCK-8 and flow cytometric analysis were carried out to examine the effects of H₂S on HCC autophagy, cell behavior and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. Treatment with NaHS upregulated expression of LC3-II and Atg5, two autophagy-related proteins, in HepG2 and HLE cells. TEM revealed increased numbers of intracellular do

SUBMITTER: Wang SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386547 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature