FGF19 activates β-catenin signaling and induces AR gene expression in human HCC cells.

<p>(A) Hep3B cells were transfected with a Tcf-regulated reporter vector and after 24 h were treated or not with FGF19 (50 ng/mL) for 5 h, then luciferase activity was measured as described in Methods. *<i>P</i><0.05 <i>vs</i> control (C) cells. (B) Hep3B cells were treated or not with FGF19 (50 ng/mL, 10 min) and active β-catenin or phosphorylated GSK3β (p-GSK3β) were detected by Western blotting. Representative blots of two experiments performed in duplicates are shown. (C) Expression (mRNA levels) of the β-catenin target gene <i>Tbx3</i> in Hep3B cells treated or not with FGF19 (50 ng/mL, 5 h). **<i>P</i><0.01 <i>vs</i> control. (D) Left panels: dose-dependent induction of AR expression (mRNA) in Hep3B and Huh7 cells treated with the indicated concentrations of FGF19 for 5 h. Right panels: time-dependent induction of AR expression (mRNA) in Hep3B and Huh7 cells treated with 50 ng/mL of FGF19. *<i>P</i><0.05 <i>vs</i> control, **<i>P</i><0.01 <i>vs</i> control (C). (E) AR protein contents were determined by ELISA in the conditioned media of FGF19 treated (50 ng/mL, 24 h) or control (C) Hep3B and Huh7 cells. *<i>P</i><0.05 <i>vs</i> control cells. AU: arbitrary units.