Differences in the expression levels of ceramide-metabolizing enzymes between two liver cancer cell lines Hep3B and Huh6

Abstract

   Ceramide, a central molecule of sphingolipids, plays an important role in liver cancer and pathophysiology because this lipid regulates fatty acid metabolism, insulin resistance, and potently induces apoptosis. The metabolism of ceramide directly affects the viability of cancer cells and tumor formation during chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Therefore, ceramide-metabolizing enzymes are a new target in the research and development of cancer drugs and drug response mechanisms. In this study, qPCR method was used to comprehensively evaluate the expression level of enzymes that directly regulate ceramide metabolism in Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma cells. hepatocytes Huh6. The results showed that these two cell lines had markedly different expression levels of these enzymes. Compared with Huh6, Hep3B cells reduced the activity of C16-chain ceramide-producing enzymes, while increasing the expression levels of long-chain ceramide-producing enzymes C18 - C24; increased activity of the degrading enzymes ceramide hydrolase and sphingosine kinase, especially decreased expression of a neutral sphingomyelinase. These differences provide Hep3B stimulate cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis compared to Huh6. Therefore, we suggest that Hep3B (and possibly other hepatocarcinoma cell lines) should be chosen over Huh6 in liver cancer studies involving ceramide metabolism.