Downregulating the expression of heparanase inhibits the invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

Invasion and metastasis are key features of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that can degrade extracellular matrix by cleaving heparan sulfate chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycan, thus playing important roles in the invasion and metastasis of human cancers. Heparanase has been detected in various human cancers and regarded as a prospective target in human cancer treatments. However, the effects of inhibiting the expression of heparanase on human HCC have not been fully evaluated. In this article we show that downregulating the expression of heparanase either by antisense oligodeoxynucleotide or by RNA interferencing can significantly reduce the expression of heparanase in SMMC7721 human HCC cells, leading to inhibition of the invasiveness, metastasis, and angiogenesis of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that genetic downregulation of the expression of heparanase may serve as an efficient cancer therapeutic for human HCC.

• Authors: Youlei Zhang, Li Li, Yi Wang, Jun Zhang, Gongtian Wei, Yanfu Sun, Feng Shen
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 358 Issue 1 Pg. 124-9 (Jun 22 2007) ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States
• PMID: 17467664 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Oligonucleotides, Antisense
• RNA, Small Interfering
• heparanase
• Glucuronidase

Topics

• Animals
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (blood supply, drug therapy, metabolism, secondary)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Down-Regulation
• Glucuronidase (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, genetics)
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (blood supply, drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy, secondary)
• Mice
• Mice, Nude
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Neovascularization, Pathologic (drug therapy)
• Oligonucleotides, Antisense (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• RNA, Small Interfering (pharmacology, therapeutic use)