High therapeutic concentration of prazosin up-regulates angiogenic IL6 and CCL2 genes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Alteration of the oxidative stress of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells can influence the expressions of genes favored angiogenesis. Quinone reductase 2 which can activate quinones leading to reactive oxygen species production is a melatonin receptor known as MT3. Prazosin prescribed for benign prostate hyperplasia and hypertension is a potent antagonist for MT3. This study was to investigate the influence of therapeutic concentrations of prazosin (0.01 and 0.1 μM) on cell proliferation and differential expressions of CCL2, CCL20, CXCL6, CXCL10, IL8 and IL6 genes related to inflammation and/or oxidative stress in human HCC cell lines. Two HCC cell lines including one without susceptible to amphotericin B-induced oxidative stress (cell line A; HCC24/KMUH) and one with this effect (cell line B; HCC38/KMUH) were investigated by 0.01 and 0.1 μM prazosin. The premixed WST-1 cell proliferation reagent was applied for proliferation assay. Differential expressions of genes were examined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that both 0.01 and 0.1 μM prazosin did not influence cell proliferation in both cell lines. Both 0.01 and 0.1 μM prazosin in cell line A and 0.01 μM prazosin in cell line B did not cause differential expressions of tested genes. However, 0.1 μM prazosin caused remarkable up-regulation of IL6 gene and slightly up-regulation of CCL2 gene in cell line B. In conclusion, high therapeutic concentration of prazosin can up-regulate angiogenic IL6 and CCL2 genes in human HCC cells susceptible to amphotericin B-induced oxidative stress. Clinical application of prazosin in patients with HCC should consider this possibility.