Oxidative Stress Induced Cell Cycle Arrest: Potential Role of PRX-2 and GSTP-1 as Therapeutic Targets in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: The increasing incidence and mortality rate of HCC is a major concern, especially for developing countries of the world. Hence, extensive research is being carried out in order to explore new approaches for developing successful therapeutic strategies for HCC. The controversial role of oxidative stress in the prognosis and treatment of various diseases such as cancer has become an area of great interest and intrigue for many scientists throughout the world. Objective: We aim to investigate the role of induced oxidative stress on the suppression of HCC Huh-7 cancerous cells as a therapeutic approach. Methods: Induction of oxidative stress via H2O2 treatment produced cell cytotoxicity in a dose dependent manner and also led to the overexpression of GSTP-1 and PRX-2. The expression of GSTP-1 and PRX-2 was compared in HCC Huh-7 treated, untreated cells and normal hepatocytes using immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, the effects of oxidative stress on cell cycle arrest were also studied through flow cytometry. Results: Our study demonstrated the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation as a result of H2O2 induction by arresting the cell cycle at the G2 phase. Conclusion: The induction of oxidative stress could be a potential therapeutic approach for treating HCC in the future. GSTP-1 and PRX-2 can serve as substantial therapeutic targets for the treatment of HCC.