Ozonated Water Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Invasion and Metastasis by Regulating the HMGB1/NF-κB/STAT3...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a highly conserved chromosome protein, is considered as a potential therapeutic target and novel biomarker because of its regulation in the proliferation and metastasis of HCC. Ozone has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer. The objective of this study was to explore the effects and molecular mechanism of ozonated water on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BEL7402 HCC cells.

We assessed cell proliferation using a CCK-8 assay kit and flow cytometry; we performed wound healing and transwell assays to evaluate the effects of ozonated water treatment on cell invasion and migration. We determined reactive oxygen species (ROS) values by flow cytometry and used ELISAs to detect cytokines HMGB1, IL-6, and TNF-α. In addition, we assessed mRNA and protein cytokine expressions using RT-qPCR and Western blot.

Ozonated water decreased the viability of the HCC cells; the IC50 of ozonated water at 24 h was approximately 1.5 μg/mL. Compared with control groups, ozone treated cells revealed reduced mobility on wound healing assays and decreased invasion in transwell assays. HMGB1, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokines were found at lower levels in ozone treated cells than in control cells. Ozonated water-induced ROS accumulation. Likewise, the expressions of phosphorylated nuclear factor Kappa B (NF-κB), p65, NF-κB, P-STAT3, IL-6, JAK2, Slug, Twist, vimentin, MMP-2, MMP-9, and HMGB1 were decreased in the treated cells.

Our findings suggest that ozonated water inhibits the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HCC cells via regulation of the HMGB1/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway.