Berberine and Liver Cancer: Analyzing Gene Expression for Therapeutic Clues

Liver cancer has a substantial global impact, ranking as the sixth most frequently diagnosedcancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths as of ۲۰۲۰ estimates [۱]. Hepatocellularcarcinoma (HCC), a prevalent form of liver cancer, is characterized by the excessive growth ofmalignant cells, presenting challenges due to high incidence rates, unfavorable prognosis, andtherapeutic limitations, notably severe adverse reactions to synthetic chemotherapeutic compounds [۲].To address these challenges, ongoing experimental research explores natural herbal-based compounds.Notably, certain bioactive compounds, like alkaloids, have shown significant benefits in treating variousdiseases. Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid derived from medicinal plants like Berberisspecies, holds promise for investigating liver cancer [۲, ۳]. This study analyzed gene expressionassociated with HepG۲ cell lines and HepG۲ cells treated with BBR for ۲۴ hours using microarray data(GSE۱۲۶۱۳۲) through R programming. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the two cell linegroups were identified, and interactions between DEGs were explored using String software. Hub geneswere determined through Centiscape and Cytohubba, resulting in ۲۰ hub genes associated with keysignaling pathways like TNF, Wnt, Hedgehog, MAPK, IL-۴, -۳, -۱۷, and Insulin. These genes play acrucial role in Type II diabetes mellitus, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Hepatitis B, Oncostatin Msignaling, and transcription factor regulation in adipogenesis, all influential in HCC. Consequently,BBR emerges as a potential candidate for future drug formulations in liver cancer treatment, especiallyHCC.

کلیدواژه ها:

Liver cancer ، Hepatocellular carcinoma ، Berberine ، Gene expression ، Signaling pathways