PMC

THIO inhibits tumor cell migration and expression of EMT-related genes.
Notes: (A) Transwell analysis for cells (SNU449, LM3, and Huh7) after treatments with THIO. (B) Quantification of migrated cells after transwell assay. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.005. (C–E) RT-PCR analysis of the EMT-related genes in SNU449 (C), LM3 (D), and Huh7 (E) cells after treatment with THIO for 24 hours.
Abbreviations: RT-PCR, real-time polymerase chain reaction; THIO, thioridazine; EMT, epithelial–mesenchymal transition.

THIO inhibits sphere formation and stemness genes expression.
Notes: (A) Morphology (left) and quantification (right) of sphere formation in HCC cell lines after treatments with DMSO as Control or THIO (10 μM). (B) Western blot analysis of CD133, EpCAM, and OCT4 expression in Huh7 and L02 cells after treatments with DMSO or THIO. (C) RT-PCR analysis for the stem cell markers in SNU449 and LM3 cells after treatments with DMSO or THIO. *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.005.
Abbreviations: HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; RT-PCR, real-time polymerase chain reaction; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; THIO, thioridazine.

Negative relationship between dopamine receptor and dopamine in HCC.
Notes: (A) Levels of DR1 was lower in HCC samples than those in tumor adjacent tissues. Thirty-two pairs of samples was detected in qPCR analysis. *P<0.05. (B) Levels of DR5 were higher in HCC samples than those in tumor adjacent tissues in qPCR analysis. Thirty-two pairs of samples was detected in qPCR analysis. *P<0.05. (C) Levels of dopamine in sera were detected by ELISA assay. ***P<0.005. (D, E) Dopamine increased proliferation of SNU449 and L02 cells in the MTT assay.
Abbreviations: DR, dopamine receptor; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; qPCR, quantitative polymerase chain reaction; MTT, methyl thiazol tetrazolium; OD, optical density.

Thioridazine (THIO) inhibits proliferation of hepatoma cells in vivo and in vitro.
Notes: (A) Inhibitory effects of THIO on proliferation of HCC cell lines (SNU449, LM3, Huh7) and normal hepatic cell L02. (B) Effects of THIO on cell cycle progression and apoptosis of these HCC cell lines. (C) Western blot analysis of cleaved Caspase-3 expression in Huh7 and LM3 cells after treatments with DMSO or THIO. (D) Volumes of tumors were detected in mice spontaneously injected with LM3 cells pretreated with DMSO or 10 μM THIO. (E) Visible tumors were shown from mice at the 24th day, the number below showed the ratio of tumor weight of Control over THIO group. (F) Weights of tumors from mice were measured at the 24th day after injection. *P<0.05.
Abbreviations: HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; THIO, thioridazine; OD, optical density.