We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Protective Effect of Escitalopram on Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inducing Autophagy.
- Authors
Chen, Li-Jeng; Hsu, Tsai-Ching; Chan, Hsiang-Lin; Lin, Chiao-Fan; Huang, Jing-Yu; Stewart, Robert; Tzang, Bor-Show; Chen, Vincent Chin-Hung
- Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. Although recent research has indicated that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including escitalopram, have anticancer effects, little is known about the effects of escitalopram on HCC. Methods: Both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to verify the potentials of escitalopram on HCC treatment. To explore whether the effects of escitalopram are clinically consistent with laboratory findings, a nationwide population-based cohort study was also adopted to examine the association between escitalopram and HCC risk. Results: As compared with THLE-3 cells, escitalopram significantly inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. Specifically, escitalopram significantly induced autophagy in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells by increasing the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio and the expression of ATG-3, ATG-5, ATG-7, and Beclin-1 proteins. Moreover, escitalopram significantly inhibited the growth of xenografted Huh-7 cells in SCID mice that were treated with 12.5 mg/kg escitalopram. Accordingly, the risk of HCC was negatively correlated with escitalopram use. Conclusions: These findings provided evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of escitalopram for HCC. Both laboratory and nationwide population-based cohort evidence demonstrated the attenuated effects of escitalopram on HCC.
- Subjects
HEPATOCELLULAR carcinoma; SEROTONIN uptake inhibitors; ESCITALOPRAM; AUTOPHAGY; ONE-way analysis of variance; ANTIDEPRESSANTS
- Publication
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022, Vol 23, Issue 16, p9247
- ISSN
1661-6596
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ijms23169247