Background:The emergence of treatment resistance has hindered the
efficacy of targeted therapies used to treat patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC).Objective:This study aimed to explore the mechanism of organoids constructed from
lenvatinib-resistant HCC cells.Methods:Hep3B cell and human HCC organoids were cultured and identified using
hematoxylin and eosin staining and Immunohistochemistry. Lenvatinib-sensitive/
resistant Hep3B cells were constructed using lenvatinib (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μM) and
lenvatinib (0, 1, 10, and 100 μM). qRT-PCR and flow cytometry were utilized to determine
HCC stem cell markers CD44, CD90, and CD133 expressions. Transcriptome
sequencing was performed on organoids. Western blot evaluated Notch pathwayrelated
proteins (NOTCH1 and Jagged) expressions. Furthermore, DAPT, an inhibitor
of the Notch pathway, was used to investigate the effects of lenvatinib on resistance or
stemness in organoids and human HCC tissues.Results:The organoids were successfully cultivated. With the increase of lenvatinib
concentration, sensitive cell organoids were markedly degraded and ATP activity was
gradually decreased, while there was no significant change in ATP activity of resistant
cell organoids. CD44 expressions were elevated after lenvatinib treatment compared
with the control group. KEGG showed that lenvatinib treatment of organoids
constructed from Hep3B cells mainly activated the Notch pathway. Compared with the
control group, NOTCH1 and Jagged expressions elevated, and ATP activity decreased
after lenvatinib treatment. However, ATP activity was notably decreased after DAPT
treatment. Moreover, DAPT inhibited lenvatinib resistance and the increase in the
expressions of CD44 caused by lenvatinib. Besides, 100 μM lenvatinib significantly
inhibited the growth and ATP activity of human HCC organoids, and DAPT increased
the inhibitory effect of lenvatinib.Conclusion:Lenvatinib regulated resistance and stemness in organoids via the Notch
pathway.