Pathway | Small molecule | Â | Target | Cell line | Animal model | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TGF-B | Galunisertib (LY2157299) | Phase II/III in HCC NCT01722825 | Receptor | SK-HEP1, HepG2, Hep3B, Huh7 | – | Decrease proliferation, increase apoptosis In combination with Sorafenib, the anti-cancer effects was increased in concentration dependent manner | [42] |
PD98059 | – | ERK | HepG2 | 7 × 105 HepG2 intraperitoneal into nude mice | Inhibit proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth – | [45] | |
Wnt | IC-2 | – | TCF/β-catenin | Huh7, HepG2, HLF | Huh7 spheres to flank of NOD/SCID mice | Decrease the CSC subpopulation – | [63] |
CGP049090/ PKF115-854 | -/ PMID: 23,626,717 | TCF/β-catenin | Huh7, HepG2, | 1 × 107 HepG2 subcutaneously to Nude mice | Induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, inhibit tumor growth – | [191] | |
Hh | Cyclopamine | Phase III | SMO receptor | Huh7, PLC, SM-7721, | 5 × 106 Mistheton Lectin-1 into the left liver of mice | Induce apoptosis, inhibit tumor growth -/- | |
GANT61 | – | Gli | Huh7, Hep3B, HepG2 | 1 × 107 Huh7 cells to flank of SCID mice | Induce the autophagy and apoptosis, Inhibit the HCC tumor growth Similar to Sorafenib, increase the apoptosis | [71] | |
GDC-0449 | Phase II | SMO receptor | Huh7, MHCC97 | 5 × 106 MHCC97subcutaneously to syngeneic rat | Decrease the angiogenesis Combined with Sorafenib can modulate the VEGF expression | [69] | |
Notch | PF-4014 | Phase II https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02299635?cond=PF-03084014&draw=2&rank=1 | γ-secretase | MHCC97, Huh7 | 1 × 106 MHCC97-H or 4 × 105 CSC subcutaneously to nude or SCID mice then tumor cubes were then implanted into nude mice liver lobes | Inhibited the proliferation of HCC and CSC self-renewal, decrease the tumor volume, and suppress the liver tumor metastasis PF-03084014 in combination with cisplatin or doxorubicin increase the anti-cancer effects | [80] |
GSI | Phase II | γ-secretase | Bel7404, HepG2 | – | Decrease the HCC proliferation and colony formation – | [81] | |
EGF | Brivanib | Phase II | Tyrosine kinase receptor | Hep3B, HepG2, Huh7 | DEN to rat | HCC apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, inhibit the liver tumor growth – | [193] |
U0126 | – | Erk | HCCLM3, HepG2 | – | Decrease proliferation – | [87] | |
BEZ-235/ SHBM1009 | PI3K | ||||||
HGF | PHA665752 | – | c-met | MHCC97l Huh7, Hep3B | 3 × 105 MHCC97 subcutaneously to nude mice | Inhibit proliferation, tumor growth, and CSC, increase apoptosis – | [93] |
AMG 337 | Phase I/II, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02096666 | c-met | MHCC97, HCCLM3, Hep3B, SNU, JHH5 | human primary HCC tumor tissues Subcutaneously injecting nude mice | Decrease proliferation, tumor growth – | [95] | |
Indo5 | – | c-met | HepG2, A549, SMMC-7721 MHCC97H | 2 × 106 HepG2, 4 × 106 MHCC 97H, 4 × 106 MHCC 97 L, 2 × 106 A549 cells, or 5 × 106 SMMC-7721 subcutaneously to flank of SCID mouse MHCC97H subcutaneously to flank of SCID mouse then insert tumor into liver | Inhibit proliferation, migration, and metastasis Similar or better result in animal model recovery compared with Sorafenib In contrast to Sorafenib without body weight lost | [94] | |
VEGF | Bufalin | – | VEGFR/EGFR | SMMC-7721, PLC | 5 × 106 SMMC-7721 subcutaneously to flank of nude mice | Inhibit angiogenesis, HCC migration, and proliferation The anti-cancer effects of Bufalin improved in combination with Sorafenib | [194] |
Stat3 | Jaki | – | Jak | Huh7, Hep3B, HepG2 | – | Increase apoptosis Sensitize the HCC to anti-cancer effects of Sorafenib | [112] |
C188-9 | – | Stat3 | PLC, HepG2, Huh7 | HepPten- mice Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) | Decrease the survival of HCC, reduce the HCC proliferation, decrease the secretion of inflammatory factors – | [113] | |
S3i-201 | – | Stat3 | Huh7, Hep3B, HepG2 | – | Induce HCC apoptosis and enhance the Sorafenib effects Increase the anti-cancer effects of Sorafenib | [112] | |
UA | – | Stat3 | Huh7, HepG2, SM-7721, Hep3B | 1 × 107 HepG2 subcutaneously into flank of nude mice | Increase the HCC apoptosis, inhibit the tumor growth – | [114] | |
2-Ethoxystypandrone |  | Stat3 | HepG2 | – | Induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, inhibit the CSC self-renewal – | [115] | |
YAP/TAZ | verteporfin | – | YAP/TEAD | Huh7, MLP29 | IP injection of DENA to Rats | Decrease the colony formation, survival, and tumor colony – | [125] |
HIF | PT2385 | HIF-2a | HepG2, Sk-hep1 | of 1 × 106 SK-Hep1 intrahepatic injections to nude mice | Increase the efficiency of Sorafenib treatment, decrease invasion and survival Increase the anti-cancer effects of Sorafenib | [136] | |
Cell cycle | Dinaciclib | Phase I https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01711528?cond=Dinaciclib&draw=2&rank=2 | Cdk1,2,5,9 | Hep3B, HLE | 1 × 106 Huh7 cells or 2 × 106 PLC BALB/c subcutaneously to nude mice | Decrease the colony formation, survival, induce cell cycle arrest, decrease the tumor size Similar results with Sorafenib | [143] |
Ribociclib | – | CylinD/cdk4,6 | Huh7, HepG2, Hep3B, PLC | – | Decrease cell proliferation Synergist effects with Sorafenib and anti-cancer effects on Sorafenib resistance-HCC lines | [144] | |
Apoptosis | Tumstatin | – | Akt/mTOR | Huh7, Hep3B | 5 × 106 Hep3B cells subcutaneously to armpit of nude mice | Induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, decrease the tumor growth, increase the apoptotic proteins – | [171] |
Brivanib | – | FGF, VEGF, P53 | Huh7, HepG2, Hep3B, | Rat with DENA | Induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis – | [82] | |
Nutlin | – | MDM | Huh7, SM-7721, | – | Inhibit proliferation and survival – | [161] | |
Rubone | – | miR-34a, Bcl2, cyclinD | HepG2, HuH7, Hep3B | 5 × 106 HepG2 to dorsal flanks of nude mice | Activate the miR34 and inhibit the TGF-B pathway and tumor growth Stronger than Sorafenib | [162] | |
Autophagy | Verteporfin |  | lysosom | HepG2, HuH7 | 2 × 106 HepG2 to dorsal flanks of nude mice | Induce autophagy Increase the anti-cancer effects with Sorafenib | [173] |
NVP-BGT226 | – | mTOR | Hep3B, HepG2, SNU475, Mahlavu | – | Induce autophagy More sensitive to Sorafenib | [174] | |
Mitoxantrone | – | mTOR | HepG2, HuH7 | – | Induce autophagy – | [170] | |
ROS | Propyl gallate | – | ROS formation | HepJ5, Hep3B, Mahlava | 200 HepJ5 or Hep3B injected to yolk of zebrafish embryos | Decrease proliferation, increase apoptosis and autophagy – | [186] |
Auranofin | – | TXNRD | Hep3B | – | Increase apoptosis – | [184] |