Background: By mediating local cell-cell interactions, the Notch signaling pathway seems to control a variety of processes from cell fate decisions during development, to stem cell renewal and to differentiation in many adult tissues. Hence, perturbed Notch signaling may be involved both in the development and the spread of cancer. The expression and the functional role of some major components of the Notch signaling pathway in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly characterized.
Materials and methods: Notch3, HES1, Jagged1 and Delta1 were analyzed both at the RNA and protein levels in the HepG2 liver cell line derived from human HCC.
Results: The results of this study demonstrated, for the first time, that both Jagged1 and Delta1 ligands and the downstream effector gene HES1 are expressed in the HepG2 actively proliferating cell line. Moreover, a high expression of Notch3 intracellular domain, indicative of constitutively activated Notch signaling, was the only detectable Notch3 subunit in HepG2.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that Notch3 may be involved in mechanisms controling the differentiation and the spread of HCC and that Notch3 activation may be dependent on both Jagged1 and Delta 1 ligands.