Overexpression of activating transcription factor 3 exerts suppressive effects in HepG2 cells

Li,Xiaoyan; Zang,Shengbing; Cheng,Haili; Li,Jiasi; Huang,Aimin

doi:10.3892/mmr.2018.9707

Overexpression of activating transcription factor 3 exerts suppressive effects in HepG2 cells

Authors:
- Xiaoyan Li
- Shengbing Zang
- Haili Cheng
- Jiasi Li
- Aimin Huang
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Affiliations: Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350004, P.R. China
Published online on: November 29, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9707
Pages: 869-876
Copyright: © Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The present study observed and compared the biological behaviour of HepG2 cells prior and subsequent to the overexpression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3). Experiments investigating the cytological function by which ATF3 affects liver cancer cells were also performed. MTT, Transwell and flow cytometry assays were used to observe and detect the biological behaviour of HepG2 cells with and without lentivirus (LV)‑ATF3‑enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) infection. The effects of ATF3 overexpression on cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle progression were evaluated. The LV‑ATF3‑EGFP overexpression vector was successfully constructed, and the HepG2 cells were successfully infected with the vector. Following ATF3 overexpression, cell proliferation was decreased, the rate of cell apoptosis was accelerated and cell cycle progression was slowed (P<0.05). There were no marked changes in cell migration (P>0.05), although there was a trend towards a gradual decrease. In conclusion, ATF3 exerted suppressive effects in HepG2 cells, potentially by inhibiting cancer cell growth, accelerating cell apoptosis, and blocking cell cycle progression. Intervention targeting ATF3 expression may represent a novel approach for the prevention and treatment of human liver cancer.

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