Abstract: Objective:To explore sunitinib in highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines MHCC97-H in vitro cytotoxicity, as well as focal adhesion kinase (Focal Adhesion Kinase, FAK) expression levels.Methods:To observe the morphological changes of cells stained using Giemsa, to monitor highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines MHCC97-H inhibition by MTT assay，to detect the protein expression of FAK before and after treatment by Western-Blot. Results:Sunitinib on hepatoma cell lines MHCC97-H inhibition, Switzerland 400 times Giemsa staining can be observed under the light microscope chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic bodies and other typical apoptotic morphology. 48h drug inhibition rate the most obvious, 2.5, 5 and 20umol / L concentration inhibition rate were (32.9 ± 1.5)%, (49.2 ± 2.3)%, (63.8 ± 2.8)% and (58.9 ± 3.4) %, the group differences were statistically significant. Western-Blot results showed that different concentrations of sunitinib after 48h, FAK protein levels were reduced in 85.51%, 72.09%, 57.61%, 62.02% of the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:Sunitinib on hepatocellular carcinoma to inhibit and induce apoptosis, and can reduce the expression of FAK.

Key words: sunitinib, hepatocellular carcinoma, Focal Adhesion Kinase