Arsenic Sulfide Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Suppressing the HIF-1α/VEGF Pathway.

BACKGROUND

Metastasis is one of the principal reasons of cancer mortality from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The goal of our investigation was to examine the mechanism by which arsenic sulfide (As4S4) represses the metastasis of HCC.

METHODS

The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was conducted to observe cell viability of HCC cell lines HepG2 and Hep3B following As4S4 treatment, and their metastasis was studied using the wound-healing and transwell assays. HCC-induced angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was assessed by tube formation assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were utilized to evaluate key molecules involved in metastasis, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Vimentin, N-cadherin and E-cadherin.

RESULTS

As4S4 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines in a concentration-dependent pattern, and inhibited HCC cell-induced angiogenesis of HUVEC in the tube formation assay. Treatment with As4S4 also decreased the expression of crucial elements involved in the metastasis of HCC cells, including HIF-1α and VEGF, while reducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as shown by Western blot, ELISA and immunofluorescence staining.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, results above indicate that As4S4 suppresses the metastasis of HCC cells via the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway.