PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - SYLVIA MUCHE
AU  - MELISSA KIRSCHNICK
AU  - MICHAEL SCHWARZ
AU  - ALBERT BRAEUNING
TI  - Synergistic Effects of β-Catenin Inhibitors and Sorafenib in Hepatoma Cells
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 4677--4683
VI  - 34
IP  - 9
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/9/4677.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/9/4677.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2014 Sep 01; 34
AB  - Background/Aim: The kinase inhibitor sorafenib is the only approved drug which is effective against late-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mean survival of patients is still less than one year, making new approaches for tumor treatment essential. Oncogenic signaling through β-catenin is frequently overactivated in HCC and therefore a potential target for a combination therapy with sorafenib. Materials and Methods: Two hepatoma cell lines were treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations of sorafenib and different β-catenin inhibitors. The tumor-relevant end-points of proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration, and colony formation were assessed in vitro along with the activity of the Wingless/Int-1(WNT)/β-catenin and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Results: Combined treatment with sorafenib and β-catenin inhibitors synergized in the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, colony formation ability, and induction of apoptosis. Conclusion: In vitro data suggest that the combination of sorafenib and β-catenin inhibition might be a promising approach for HCC treatment.