Objective: To study the retardation effect of calcium-binding protein S100A2 on the growth and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma QGY7701 cells.
Methods: After the plasmid of EGFP-S100A2 had been regrouped and introduced into the hepatocellular carcinoma QGY7701 cells with lipofectin, the expression and location of the products were observed by fluorescent microscopy. The cell growth and proliferation were monitored through cell colony formation in vitro and xenografting subcutaneously in the nude mice in vivo. The effect of S100A2 on the QGY7701 cell cycle was examined with flow cytometry.
Results: The chimera protein of S100A2 and green fluorescent protein were detected and appeared to be localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, while the green fluorescent protein was found to be localized only in the cytoplasm. The cell colony formation of QGY7701/A2 was significantly reduced as compared with the controls. The xenografted tumor of QGY7701/A2 in the nude mice showed a growth at a considerably slower rate than that of QGY7701/pc and QGY7701 groups. The cell cycle review showed retardation of QGY7701/A2 cells in the G1 phase and the DNA content was obviously reduced as compared with the controls.
Conclusion: The exogenous S100A2 is able to check the QGY7701 cell cycle, stop the cell growth and proliferation either in vitro or in vivo in the QGY7701 cells.