GCF2 mediates nicotine-induced cancer stemness and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf
; 271: 115952, 2024 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38218109
ABSTRACT
Cigarette smoking is one of the most impactful behavior-related risk factors for multiple cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nicotine, as the principal component of tobacco, is not only responsible for smoking addiction but also a carcinogen; nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report that nicotine enhances HCC cancer stemness and malignant progression by upregulating the expression of GC-rich binding factor 2 (GCF2), a gene that was revealed to be upregulated in HCC and whose upregulation predicts poor prognosis, and subsequently activating the Wnt/êµ-catenin/SOX2 signaling pathway. We found that nicotine significantly increased GCF2 expression and that silencing of GCF2 reduced nicotine-induced cancer stemness and progression. Mechanistically, nicotine could stabilize the protein level of GCF2, and then GCF2 could robustly activate its downstream Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, our results thus suggest that GCF2 is a potential target for a therapeutic strategy against nicotine-promoted HCC.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Carcinoma Hepatocelular
/
Neoplasias Hepáticas
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article