Research Information System
6th International Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress (MIMIC-VI), İstanbul, Turkey, 27 - 30 April 2025, pp.89, (Summary Text)
Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive and fatal tumors
worldwide, accounting for 82% of primary liver cancers. It is the third leading cause of cancerrelated
mortality and has a very low five-year survival rate (<15%) due to late diagnosis and
underlying liver dysfunction. The number of patients eligible for curative treatments is limited, and
alternative therapies fail to improve patient survival. Therefore, there is a significant need for
prognostic markers and promising therapeutic strategies for HCC. Dysregulation of autophagy has
been associated with tumorigenesis in various cancers, and its role in HCC is well documented.
Artemisinin, a molecule extracted from Artemisia annua L., was first discovered as an antimalarial
agent and awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize. It is known for its immunomodulatory properties, G0/G1
cell cycle arrest at appropriate doses, and apoptotic effects in various diseases. Although different
aspects of artemisinin have been investigated, its autophagic effects in hepatocellular carcinoma
cells remain understudied. This study aims to investigate the effect of artemisinin on autophagymediated
cell death in the HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.
Materials-Methods: To assess autophagy, the pcDNA3-GFP-LC3-RFP-LC3ΔG plasmid was utilized.
The plasmid was amplified in E. coli, isolated via midiprep, and subjected to restriction analysis.
HEPG2 cells were cultured, and the optimal artemisinin dose was determined using the MTT assay.
Plasmid transfection was performed using Lipofectamine 6000, autophagosome formation was
evaluated using EVOS imaging, and cell death analysis was conducted via flow cytometry.
Results and Conclusion: Autophagosomes were clearly visualized, and artemisinin significantly
enhanced autophagy-mediated cell death. These findings suggest that artemisinin may serve as a
potential therapeutic agent for HCC treatment.