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  • Title: Rho-associated kinase inhibitor reduces tumor recurrence after liver transplantation in a rat hepatoma model.
    Author: Ogawa T, Tashiro H, Miyata Y, Ushitora Y, Fudaba Y, Kobayashi T, Arihiro K, Okajima M, Asahara T.
    Journal: Am J Transplant; 2007 Feb; 7(2):347-55. PubMed ID: 17229077.
    Abstract:
    Tumor recurrence after liver transplantation still remains a significant problem in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The small GTPase Rho/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathway is involved in the motility and invasiveness of cancer cells. We investigated whether tacrolimus activated the Rho/ROCK signal pathway to promote the invasiveness of rat hepatocellular carcinoma cells. We also investigated whether the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 suppressed tumor recurrence after experimental liver transplantation in a rat hepatocellular carcinoma model. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line McA-RH7777-bearing rats. Tacrolimus was administered to liver transplant rats and these rats were divided into two groups: the Y-27632-treated (10 mg/kg, for 28 days) group and the Y-27632-untreated group. Tacrolimus enhanced the cancer cell migration and stimulated phosphorylation of the myosin light chain (MLC), a downstream effector of Rho/ROCK signaling. Y-27632 suppressed the cancer cell migration and tacrolimus-induced MLC phosphorylation. Suppression of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation and significant prolongation of survival were observed in the Y-27632-treated rats in comparison with theY-27632-untreated rats. Tacrolimus stimulates the Rho/ROCK signal pathway to enhance the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 can be used as a new antimetastatic agent for the prevention of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation.
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