简介：Objective:TodeterminewhetherInterferon-alpha-2b(IFN-α2b)canmodulatetheautophagicresponseinhepatocellularcarcinomacells.Methods:HepatocellularcarcinomacellsweretreatedwithIFN-α2b.Autophagywasassessedbyacridineorangestaining,GFP-LC3dottedassay,transmissionelectronmicroscopyandimmunoblotting.Results:AcridineorangestainingshowedthatIFN-α2btriggeredtheaccumulationofacidicvesicularandautolysosomesinHepG2cells.TheacridineorangeHepG2cellratioswere(4.3±1.0)%,(6.9±1.4)%,and(13.1±2.3)%,respectively,aftertreatmentwith100,1,000,and10,000IU/mLIFN-α2bfor48h.AmarkedlypunctatepatternwasobservedinHepG2cellstreatedwith10,000IU/mLIFN-α2bfor48h,butonlydiffuseandweaklyfluorescentGFP-LC3punctawasobservedincontrolcells.HepG2cellstreatedwith10,000IU/mLIFN-α2bfor48hdevelopedautophagosome-likecharacteristics,includingsingle-ordouble-membranevacuolescontainingintactanddegradedcellulardebris.TheBeclin1andLC3-IIproteinexpressionwasup-regulatedbyIFN-α2btreatment.Conclusion:Autophagycanbeinducedinadose-dependentmannerbytreatmentwithIFN-α2binHepG2cells,andtheBeclin1signalingpathwaywasstimulatedbyIFN-α2b.