华中科技大学学报(医学版) ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (4): 519-525.doi: 10.3870/j.issn.1672-0741.25.08.035

• 论著 • 上一篇    下一篇

过表达Cry2通过介导c-Myc泛素化降解抑制肝细胞癌细胞增殖并诱导凋亡*

熊杰, 刘扬, 张喜华, 何前进   

  1. 湖北省黄冈市中心医院肝胆疝外科,黄冈 438000
  • 收稿日期:2025-08-26 出版日期:2026-08-15 发布日期:2026-07-28
  • 通讯作者: E-mail:44223706@qq.com
  • 作者简介:熊 杰,男,1991年生,主治医师,E-mail:709894952@qq.com
  • 基金资助:
    *湖北省卫生健康委员会科研项目(No.WJ2021M086)

Overexpression of Cry2 Suppresses Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Mediating Ubiquitination and Degradation of c-Myc

Xiong Jie, Liu Yang, Zhang Xihua, et al   

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary Hernia Surgery,Huanggang Central Hospital,Huanggang 438000,China
  • Received:2025-08-26 Online:2026-08-15 Published:2026-07-28
  • Contact: E-mail:44223706@qq.com

摘要: 目的 探讨过表达隐花色素蛋白2(Cry2)基因对肝细胞癌(HCC)细胞增殖和凋亡的影响及机制。方法 采用qRT-PCR和Western blot检测人永生化肝细胞THLE-3及HCC细胞系HepG2、HuH-7、SNU-398、MHCC97-H中的Cry2 mRNA和蛋白表达水平。将Cry2过表达质粒(OE-Cry2)、c-Myc过表达质粒(OE-c-Myc)及其阴性对照(Vector)分别转染至HuH-7细胞中,并联合10 μmol/L蛋白酶体抑制剂(MG132)或100 μg/mL放线菌酮(CHX)干预。qRT-PCR检测各组细胞中Cry2和c-Myc mRNA表达水平;Western blot检测各组细胞中Cry2、c-Myc和cleaved Caspase-3蛋白表达水平;CCK-8检测各组细胞增殖率;流式细胞术检测各组细胞凋亡率;免疫沉淀(IP)实验检测Cry2过表达对c-Myc蛋白泛素化的影响。结果 与THLE-3细胞比较,HCC各细胞系中Cry2 mRNA和蛋白表达水平均显著降低(均P<0.05)。过表达Cry2可降低HuH-7细胞增殖率,诱导细胞凋亡,上调cleaved Caspase-3蛋白表达水平,并通过泛素修饰促进c-Myc蛋白降解。c-Myc过表达可逆转Cry2过表达对HuH-7细胞增殖及凋亡的影响。结论 过表达Cry2可抑制HCC细胞增殖并诱导细胞凋亡,其作用机制可能与介导c-Myc泛素化降解有关。

关键词: 肝细胞癌, 增殖, 凋亡, 隐花色素蛋白2, 髓细胞增生原癌基因, 泛素化

Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of cryptochrome 2(Cry2)gene overexpression on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells.Methods The expression levels of Cry2 mRNA and protein in human immortalized hepatocytes(THLE-3)and HCC cell lines(HepG2,HuH-7,SNU-398,and MHCC97-H)were determined using qRT-PCR and Western blot.Cry2 overexpression plasmid(OE-Cry2),c-Myc overexpression plasmid(OE-c-Myc),and their respective negative controls(Vector)were transfected into HuH-7 cells.Cells were treated with either 10 μmol/L proteasome inhibitor(MG132)or 100 μg/mL cycloheximide(CHX).The mRNA expression levels of Cry2 and c-Myc were assessed by qRT-PCR,while Western blot was used to evaluate the protein expression levels of Cry2,c-Myc,and cleaved Caspase-3.Cell proliferation was measured using CCK-8 assay,and the apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry.Additionally,the ubiquitination level of the c-Myc protein following Cry2 overexpression was analyzed using an immunoprecipitation(IP)assay.Results Compared with THLE-3 cells,the expression levels of Cry2 mRNA and protein in all HCC cell lines were significantly reduced(all P<0.05).Cry2 overexpression reduced the proliferation rate,induced apoptosis,upregulated cleaved Caspase-3 expression,and promoted ubiquitin-mediated degradation of c-Myc in HuH-7 cells.However,c-Myc overexpression reversed the effects of Cry2 overexpression on both cell proliferation and apoptosis in HuH-7 cells.Conclusion Overexpression of Cry2 may inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of HCC cells.Its mechanism of action may be related to mediating c-Myc ubiquitination and degradation.

Key words: hepatocellular carcinoma, proliferation, apoptosis, cryptochrome 2, myelocytomatosis oncogene, ubiquitination

中图分类号: