Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
06:00

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Published on: May 14, 2016

11.6K

Celastrol downregulates E2F1 to induce growth inhibitory effects in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

Liang Ma1, Lei Peng1, Sheng Fang1

  • 1Department of Chemical Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui 243002, P.R. China.

Oncology Reports
|October 20, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Celastrol, a natural compound, inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth by downregulating E2F1. This suggests celastrol as a potential therapeutic leading compound for HCC treatment targeting E2F1.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Celastrol from Tripterygium wilfordii shows anticancer potential.
  • E2F1 overexpression is common in human tumors, making it a therapeutic target.
  • The mechanism of celastrol's apoptosis-inducing effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and E2F1 targeting are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular mechanism of celastrol's pro-apoptotic effects on HCC cells.
  • To determine if celastrol affects E2F1 expression in HCC.
  • To evaluate celastrol as a potential therapeutic agent for HCC targeting E2F1.

Main Methods:

  • Human HCC cells (HepG2) were treated with celastrol.
  • Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed.
  • E2F1 expression was analyzed at mRNA and protein levels.
  • Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence E2F1.

Main Results:

  • Celastrol inhibited HCC cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner.
  • Celastrol dose- and time-dependently downregulated E2F1 mRNA and protein levels.
  • E2F1 silencing amplified celastrol-induced apoptosis and proliferation inhibition.

Conclusions:

  • Celastrol's inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells are linked to E2F1 downregulation.
  • Celastrol shows promise as a lead compound for developing E2F1-inactivating drugs for HCC therapy.

More Related Videos

In Vitro Cultivation Techniques for Modeling Liver Organogenesis, Building Assembloids, and Designing Synthetic Tissues using Human Cell Lines08:50

In Vitro Cultivation Techniques for Modeling Liver Organogenesis, Building Assembloids, and Designing Synthetic Tissues using Human Cell Lines

Published on: April 18, 2025

988
Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer10:36

Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer

Published on: March 17, 2016

11.0K

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
8.2K
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
16.7K
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
2.7K
Liver Regeneration01:24

Liver Regeneration

The liver is an important organ in vertebrates that plays an essential role in metabolism. It is also responsible for storing and redistributing nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins in the body. Additionally, the liver releases bile salts which are critical for digesting food and eliminating toxic metabolites from the body.
Cells of Liver
The liver comprises four major types of cells— hepatocytes, stellate, Kupffer, and sinusoidal endothelial cells. The hepatocytes are...
4.5K