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Recently, the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has been considered to be a liver tumor suppressor. However, the role of FXR in liver cancer invasion and metastasis remains unclear. The results of the current study demonstrated that FXR suppressed the migratory and invasive capacities of SK‑Hep‑1 cells in vitro and that FXR overexpression inhibited local invasion and lung metastasis of SK‑Hep‑1 xenografts in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis of the gene expression profile of SK‑Hep‑1 cells with different FXR levels indicated that FXR may regulate the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway. Compared with controls, FXR‑overexpressing SK‑Hep‑1 cells exhibited decreased expression of β‑catenin target genes and reduced nuclear translocation of β‑catenin proteins in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these results indicated that FXR may suppress SK‑Hep‑1 cell invasion and metastasis by suppressing the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. The current study provided novel insight into the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) acts as a liver protector by regulating normal liver homeostasis. Spontaneously developed liver tumors have been found in FXR-null mice. However, the role of FXR in the tumorigenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still poorly understood. In this study, we measured the expression of FXR and its primary target gene, small heterodimer partner, and analyzed the clinical significance of FXR expression in HCC patients. A lentiviral vector that selectively overexpresses FXR was used to investigate the function of FXR in HCC cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Our data showed that in human HCC, FXR expression was significantly reduced and was positively correlated with multiple malignant clinicopathological characteristics. Lentivirus-mediated exogenous FXR expression resulted in a marked increase of small heterodimer partner expression, significant repression of liver cancer cell proliferation, and tumor growth in nude mice. These results suggest that FXR may be of clinical and pharmacological importance as a promising biomarker of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The copolymer poly(fluorene-co-thiophene) (PFT) has strong absorption in the visible light region. In this paper, PFTs with four different thiophene contents were evaluated for their suitability as photosensitizers of TiO2. All four of the PFTs were capable of being excited by light with wavelengths above 455 nm, and all had reductive potentials more negative than the conduction band potential of TiO2. Consequently, it was deemed that transfer of electrons from the excited PFTs to the conduction band of TiO2 was thermodynamically possible. PFTs with higher thiophene content had more electron transitions in the excited state, resulting in increased photocatalytic activity of PFT-sensitized TiO2. The method used to prepare the combined PFT/TiO2 photocatalyst affected its photocatalytic activity. Best results in this study were achieved by dropwise addition of a tetrahydrofuran solution of PFT to a stirred TiO2/ethanol suspension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]