Cytotoxicity was assessed by alanine and aspar-tate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, water-soluble tetrazolium salt 1 proliferation and caspase-3 activity assays. Small animal imaging by dynamic

contrast-enhanced-MRI and choline PET was performed. Results. In both cell lines, artesunate dose dependently reduced cell viability and proliferation (from 50 micromolar: p<0.05). This reduction was enhanced by hypoxia (from 12.5 micromolar: p<0.01). Moreover, artesunate downregulated the secretion of VEGF and placental growth factor in vitro (both p<0.05) and in vivo (both p<0.01). In the mouse model for HCC, artesunate decreased vessel density and tumor burden (both p<0.05). No apparent hepatotox-icity or mortality was observed. In vitro and in vivo activation of the PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase pathway (resp. p<0.05 and p<0.01) together with decreased ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 expression (resp. Cabozantinib cost p<0.01 and p<0.05) by artesunate

was demonstrated. Conclusions. These observations exhibit the potential of artesunate as a safe treatment of HCC optionally combined with current hypoxia-inducing therapies such as transarterial embolization or sorafenib. As a low-cost drug, artesunate might be of particular interest for the developing countries with high incidence of HCC. Disclosures: Isabelle Colle – Advisory Committees or Review Panels: MSD, Janssen, MSD, Gilead; Patent Held/Filed: Trombogenics; Speaking and Teaching: BMS, Janssen The following people have nothing to disclose: Yves-Paul Vandewynckel, Debby Laukens, Anja M. Geerts, Louis Libbrecht, Eliene Bogaerts, Roxadustat Lindsey Devisscher, Annelies Paridaens,

Xavier Verhelst, Christian Vanhove, Benedicte Descamps, Sophie Janssens, Bart Lambrecht, Christophe Van Steenkiste, Hans Van Vlier-berghe Background/Aim: Aptamers not are small synthetic oligonu-cleotides that bind to protein targets with high specificity and affinity. AS1411 is the first nucleic acid aptamer in clinical development for cancers. AS1411 binds to the protein nucle-olin, which is over-expressed in the cytoplasm and on the surface of cancer cells. Glypican-3 (GPC3), a cell surface protein that is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has emerged as a candidate therapeutic target. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of aptamers for HCC by evaluating AS1411 effect on HCC cell growth and by confirming the affinity and specificity of GPC3 aptamer in HCC cells. Methods: Human HCC cell lines (Huh-7, SNU 761 cells) and human cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cell lines (KMBC, Witt cells) were used. Cell growth was assessed using MTS assay and cell death signaling was explored by immunoblot analysis. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was performed to evaluate the affinity and specificity of GPC3 aptamers in HCC cells.