α-Fetoprotein fragment synergizes with sorafenib to inhibit hepatoma cell growth and migration and promote the apoptosis

Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by stimulating the proliferation, metastasis and drug resistance. The application of AFP fragments to inhibit the malignant behaviours induced by AFP is a new strategy for the treatment of HCC. In an effort to design, screen and discover drugs, we attempted to express different human AFP fragments (AFP(220-609), AFP(390-609) and AFP(460-609)) in a Bac-to-Bac system. We found that the AFP(390-609) fragment was highly expressed in the system. Then, we assessed the bioactivity of the fragment in the human liver cancer cell line Bel7402, and the results indicated that the AFP fragment synergized with sorafenib to inhibit the hepatoma cell growth and migration and promote the apoptosis. This study provides a method to produce significant AFP fragments to screen AFP inhibitors for use in HCC therapy.

Automated summary

This study presents a new strategy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by inhibiting its malignant behavior with AFP fragments. A specific AFP fragment was found to be highly expressed in human cells and was shown to synergize with the drug sorafenib to inhibit HCC cell growth and migration while promoting apoptosis.