Up-regulation of the activities of insulin-like growth facfor-IIfetal promoters by hepatitis virus x gene in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line

Objective To study the effects of hepatit is virus x gene (HBx gene) on the activities of insulin-like growth facfor-Ⅱ (IGF-Ⅱ)promoters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line for investigation of the molecular mechanisms of HBx gene affecting the malignant behavior of HCC cells. Methods By means of quantitative reverse transcri ption polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), the activities of adult promoter P1 an d fetal promoters P3 and P4 of IGF-Ⅱgene were determined in QGY7701 HCC cell l ine and QGY/HBx HCC cell line with HBx gene modified. Results Comparing with QGY7701 cells, the promoter P1 activity of IGF-Ⅱ did not o bviously change (3.12±1.18 vs 3.74±1.87, P＞0.05), but the P3 and P4 acti vities were increased significantly in QGY/HBx cells (2.27±0.68, 3.97±1.66 vs 1.20±0.39, 1.45±0.43，P＜0.05). Conclusion The HBx gene could up-regulate the activities of the fetal promoters P3 and P4 of I GF-Ⅱ, which might be a likable important mechanism of HBx gene to enhance the malignant behavior of HCC cells.