Fig. 4

IL-1β promotes HCC cell growth. (a) HepG2 cell growth following rhIL-1β treatment is assessed by MTS assay (n = 6). (b) The effect of an IL-1β NAb on HepG2 cell growth cultured in CM from PA-treated LX-2 cells is examined using MTS assay (n = 6). Conditioned media from BSA-treated, PA-treated, and PERK siRNA-transfected PA-treated LX-2 cells are used to examine the effect of HSCs on HCC cell growth. (c) IL-1β concentration in each CM is measured using ELISA (n = 4). (d) HepG2 cell growth cultured in each CM is verified using MTS assay (n = 6). Data are shown as the mean ± SE. Statistical analysis is performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Abbreviations: PERK, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase; IL-1β, interleukin-1 beta; siRNA, small interfering RNA; HSCs, hepatic stellate cells; SE, standard error; PA, palmitic acid; ANOVA, analysis of variance; BSA, bovine serum albumin; CM, conditioned medium; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; MTS, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium; OD, optical density; n.s., not significant; rhIL-1β, recombinant human interleukin-1 beta; IL-1β Nab, interleukin-1 beta neutralizing antibody.