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[HBxAg enhanced p53 protein accumulation in hepatoma cells]
Objective:
In order to determine the interaction between HBxAg and p53 protein and its role in hepatocarcinogenesis.
Methods:
Cotransfection was performed using reporter gene, chloramphenical acetyltransferase (CAT), p53 and HBVx gene, and dexamethasone inducible HBx plasmid pMAMHBx was constructed for the experiment. Human hepatoma cell line Hep3B was used as the target cell. The activity of HBxAg and p53 was detected by CAT assay and immunohistochemical staining after transient transfection.
Results:
HBxAg could increase the accumulation of p53 protein in cells and enhance CAT expression. Immunohistochemical staining showed that p53 protein bound to HBxAg in the cytoplasm and formed a complex causing a partial block of the process of p53 during passing through the nuclear membrane from the cytoplasm.
Conclusion:
Data strongly suggested that HBxAg is capable of binding p53 and forms a protein-protein complex which might reduce or inactivate p53's antiproliferative activity and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.