DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN HEPATOMA-CELLS INDUCED BY THE EXPRESSION OF ANTISENSE PKC-ALPHA

The model of human hepatoma cells expressing antisense PKC alpha in vi tro was previously established and characterized. II was found that PK C alpha acted as a positive regulator of proliferation in BEL-7402 hum an hepatoma cells. Further studies indicated that cell morphology alte red, dependent on serum recovered in human hepatoma cells expressing a ntisense PKC alpha(HT. AS6). In addition, RNA hybridization demonstrat ed the decreased expression of oncogene Ha-res, myc and increased expr ession of tumor-suppressor gene p53. In contrast to control cells (HTC 1) and parent cells (BEL-7402), the ability of AFP secretion reduced a nd gamma-GT activity decreased apparently. The results indicate for th e first time that the expression of antisense PKC alpha caused differe ntiation in human hepatoma cells and PKC alpha may be an important che motherapeutic target for the treatment of hepatomas.