• The Effect of Ivermectin on HepG2 Cell Line Autophagy
  • Sima Orouie,1 Mohammad Hossein Gholami,2 Teimour Tabari,3 Negin Esfandiari,4,*
    1. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
    2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun, Iran
    3. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
    4. Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.


  • Introduction: Hepatoma cell lines are commonly employed as in vitro substitutes for primary human hepatocytes. These cell lines possess enduring viability, a consistent phenotype, widespread accessibility, and straightforward manageability. HepG2, a human hepatoma cell line, finds frequent use in research related to drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity. These cells are non-tumorigenic, exhibit rapid proliferation, and display an epithelial-like appearance. Furthermore, they carry out various differentiated hepatic functions. Ivermectin has gained attention in cancer therapy due to its potential as an adjunct treatment in some cancer types. Preliminary studies have suggested that it might help inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells, although further research is needed to fully understand its efficacy and mechanisms in the context of cancer treatment. The present study aimed to study the effect of ivermectin on HepG2 autophagy.
  • Methods: HepG2 cells were cultured in DMEM medium containing 10% FBS and treated with 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.5, and 8 µM concentration of ivermectin and 72 hours later were assessed for their viability by MTT assay. Giemsa staining and invert microscopy were used to evaluate the cell morphology. The expression of Beclin-1 and mTOR genes was evaluated by real-time PCR. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27.
  • Results: In the present study, IC50 of ivermectin on HepG2 was determined to be 0.4 µM. The highest effect was recorded on 8 µM concentration. The expression of Beclin-1 and mTOR was increased and reduced in PCR results.
  • Conclusion: The present study confirms the positive effect of ivermectin on HepG2 cancer cell autophagy. This could suggest the possible use of ivermectin against liver cancer, however, more extensive studies are needed to prove its efficacy.
  • Keywords: Ivermectin, Autophagy, HepG2