[Laminin-dependent growth arrest of human hepatic carcinoma cell line, HuH-7, in association with expression of p21/WAF-1 protein].

Laminin-overlay to the culture of a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HuH-7, resulted in changes in the cell behavior; suppression of the cell growth, conversion of the cell morphology, and the elevated secretion of cellular AFP in the culture medium, implying that the cells had undergone apparent differentiation in vitro. Together with the behavioral changes, the cells showed positive immunohistochemical staining of the anti-p 21/WAF 1 antibody over the cell nucleus and the amount of p 21/WAF-1 proteins was increased in the cells. p53 protein was detected both in the control cells and the cells with the laminin overlay. These findings indicate that the laminin-dependent changes in the cell behavior are closely associated with the activation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p 21/WAF-1, and that? is uncoupled with the p 53 expression.