Effect of bFGF on cyclin D1 and GADD153 expression in human ovarian cancer CAOV3 cells

AIM: To evaluate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the expression of cyclin D1, growth arrest, DNA damage inducible gene 153 (GADD153), and its roles involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair in starvation-induced ovarian cancer CAOV3 cells apoptosis. METHODS: Apoptosis of ovarian cancer CAOV3 cells was induced by serum-free culture (starvation). After bFGF treatment, the cell proliferation rate, cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by MTT, FACS analysis and agarose electrophoresis, respectively. The expression of c-Fos, c-Jun and cyclin D1, GADD153 were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: bFGF increased the cell proliferation and prevented starvation-induced cell apoptosis. In a time-dependent manner, bFGF induced the expression of c-Fos, c-Jun and cyclin D1 and inhibited GADD153. CONCLUSION: bFGF plays a critical role in anti-apoptosis and the proliferation in human ovarian cancer by upregulating the expression of c-Fos, c-Jun and cyclin D1 and inhibiting GADD153.