This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zhang, K. Articles by Chow, P. K. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zhang, K. Articles by Chow, P. K. H.

The Effect of Megestrol Acetate on Growth of HepG2 Cells In vitro and In vivo

¹ Department of Experimental Surgery and ² Department of General Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is generally considered as a sex hormone-dependent tumor, and hormonal therapy has been proposed as a strategy for the treatment of HCC. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of megestrol acetate, a synthetic progesteronal agent, on growth of HepG2 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Experimental Design: Cell growth in vitro was assessed by a colormetric method, and cell growth in vivo was assessed by tumor volumetrics.

Results: Megestrol acetate was shown to inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells in vitro in dose- and time-dependent manners with an IC ₅₀ of 260 µM (24-h incubation). The growth of HepG2 cell-transplanted tumors in nude mice was also inhibited by i.p. injection of megestrol acetate (10 mg/kg/day). The tumor volumes of the megestrol acetate-treated group regressed to 59% of controls by week 6 and to 41% of controls by week 13. Apoptosis following G₁ arrest was observed in megestrol acetate-treated cells and may be a mechanism through which megestrol acetate inhibits HepG2 cells. Megestrol acetate was also demonstrated to have a beneficial effect on the weight gain of tumor-bearing nude mice, and the mean weight of the megestrol acetate-treated animals was higher than that of controls from week 4 of the treatment period, and the differences were statistically significant in week 5 and 6 (P < 0.05, compared with controls). No significant survival advantage was, however, demonstrated in the treatment group.

Conclusions: This study showed that megestrol acetate inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells grown in vitro and in vivo. These data provide useful information for clinical study of megestrol acetate for the treatment of HCC.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. N. Armaiz-Pena, L. S. Mangala, W. A. Spannuth, Y. G. Lin, N. B. Jennings, A. M. Nick, R. R. Langley, R. Schmandt, S. K. Lutgendorf, S. W. Cole, et al. Estrous Cycle Modulates Ovarian Carcinoma Growth Clin. Cancer Res., May 1, 2009; 15(9): 2971 - 2978. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S-N Wang, Y-T Yeh, S-F Yang, C-Y Chai, and K-T Lee Potential role of leptin expression in hepatocellular carcinoma J. Clin. Pathol., September 1, 2006; 59(9): 930 - 934. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]