Effects of bFGF on proliferation and apoptosis in liver carcinoma cell line Bel-7402 via ERK1/2 pathway

Objective: To investigate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) on the proliferation and apoptosis in liver carcinoma cell line Bel-7402 via Ras-Raf-ERK1/2 pathway,and to study the relationship between signal transduction mechanism of bFGF and the development of liver carcinoma.Methods: The Bel-7402 cell line was treated with bFGF alone(bFGF group) and bFGF and PD98059(PD98059+bFGF group),respectively.The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate,proliferation rate,and ERK1/2 activity of Bel-7402 cell line were determined by flow cytometry,MTT assay,and Western blot,respectively.Results: bFGF induced S-phase entry,and the percentage of cell in S-phase in bFGF group was significantly higher than that in control group(42.45±1.06% vs.27.49±0.72%).bFGF increased the proliferation of Bel-7402 cell line in a dose-dependent manner,and the proliferation rate increased to 129% when the cell line was treated with 25 ng/ml bFGF.Induced by starvation,the apoptosis rate of Bel-7402 cell line in bFGF group was significantly lower than that in control group(1.70±2.10% vs.28.89±3.13%).bFGF increased ERK1/2 activity in a time-and dose-dependent manner.All these effects of bFGF mentioned above were inhibited by PD98059,the MEK1 inhibitor.Conclusion:In liver carcinoma cell line Bel-7402,bFGF could promote the cell cycle,increase the proliferation rate,and decrease apoptosis rate via Ras-Raf-ERK1/2 pathway.bFGF signal transduction may play important roles in the development of liver carcinoma.