Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway

  • Authors:
    • Xinxin Yu
    • Yan Zheng
    • Xuchao Zhu
    • Xiaomei Gao
    • Chaoqun Wang
    • Yuanyuan Sheng
    • Wei Cheng
    • Lunxiu Qin
    • Ning Ren
    • Huliang Jia
    • Qiongzhu Dong
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 8, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9281
  • Pages: 5299-5308
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Abstract

The epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) serves critical roles in the migration, invasion and metastasis of human cancer cells. This process is initiated by regulation of E‑cadherin expression by the major inducers of EMT. Previous studies reported that osteopontin (OPN) is essential for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis as it facilitates the EMT in HCC. However, the role and clinical significance of OPN as an EMT regulator in HCC remains unknown. The present study revealed that OPN regulated the expression of Twist by activating RAC serine/threonine‑protein kinase (Akt), a critical EMT regulator. Interfering with the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway may suppress the expression of Twist enhanced by OPN. Increased Twist levels in HCC were associated with poor survival and tumor recurrence in patients with HCC following surgery. A significant association was observed between OPN expression and Twist levels in HCC, and a combination of these two parameters was revealed to be a more powerful predictor of poor patient prognosis. The findings of the present study indicate that Twist serves an notable role in OPN‑mediated metastasis of HCC through activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Twist may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of HCC metastasis in patients exhibiting high OPN expression.
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October-2018
Volume 16 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Yu X, Zheng Y, Zhu X, Gao X, Wang C, Sheng Y, Cheng W, Qin L, Ren N, Jia H, Jia H, et al: Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway. Oncol Lett 16: 5299-5308, 2018.
APA
Yu, X., Zheng, Y., Zhu, X., Gao, X., Wang, C., Sheng, Y. ... Dong, Q. (2018). Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway. Oncology Letters, 16, 5299-5308. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9281
MLA
Yu, X., Zheng, Y., Zhu, X., Gao, X., Wang, C., Sheng, Y., Cheng, W., Qin, L., Ren, N., Jia, H., Dong, Q."Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway". Oncology Letters 16.4 (2018): 5299-5308.
Chicago
Yu, X., Zheng, Y., Zhu, X., Gao, X., Wang, C., Sheng, Y., Cheng, W., Qin, L., Ren, N., Jia, H., Dong, Q."Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway". Oncology Letters 16, no. 4 (2018): 5299-5308. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9281