[Effects of α1-PDX, a furin inhibitor, on growth, invasion, and tumorigenicity of cervical cancer HeLa cells].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of the furin inhibitor α1-PDX on the growth, invasion, and tumorigenicity of cervical cancer cells and explore the mechanisms.

METHODS

The changes in the growth, migration and invasion of α1-PDX-transfected HeLa cells were observed using MTT assay, Boyden migration and invasion assay. The protein levels of furin and MT1-MMP were measured using Western blotting and furin activity was detected by enzyme activity assay in the transfected cells. HeLa cells were seeded subcutaneously in nude mice and the tumor volume changes were recorded.

RESULTS

Compared with the control cells, α1-PDX-treated cells showed a significant growth inhibition by 18.4% at 24 h (P<0.01) with obviously lowered migration ability and cell invasiveness (P<0.01). Treatment with α1-PDX significantly reduced furin enzyme activity and MTI-MMP protein levels in HeLa cells. In nude mice, α1-PDX-treated HeLa cells exhibited a delayed and lowered tumorigenicity with reduced size of the tumors.

CONCLUSION

α1-PDX can inhibit the growth, metastasis and tumorigenicity of HeLa cells, the mechanism of which may involve a decreased furin activity and MTI-MMP expression.