title: Inhibition of Annexin A2 gene transcription is a promising molecular target for hepatoma cell proliferation and metastasis.
abstract: Hepatocyte Annexin A2 (ANXA2) expression is associated with the progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Circulating ANXA2 levels in HCC patients are significantly higher compared with that of patients with benign liver disease. ANXA2 levels have been found to correlate with hepatitis B virus infection, extrahepatic metastasis and portal vein thrombus. By contrast, ANXA2 levels do not correlate with tumour size and AFP levels. However, the underlying mechanisms of ANXA2 remain obscure. The results of the current study identified that abnormalities in hepatic ANXA2 expression were localised to the cell membrane and cytoplasm of HCC tissues and mainly in the cytoplasm of para-cancerous tissues. ANXA2 was overexpressed in MHCC97-H cells which have high metastatic potential. Following specific ANXA2-small hairpin RNA (shRNA) transfectionin vitro,ANXA-2 was effectively inhibited and the S phase ratio of cells was 27.76%, compared with 36.14% in mock-treated cells. In addition, the invading cell ratio was reduced in the shRNA-treated group (52.16%) compared with the mock-treated group (86.14%). The growth and volume of xenograft tumoursin vivowas significantly suppressed (P<0.05) in the shRNA group compared with that of the mock group, indicating that ANXA2 may be a novel and useful target for elucidating molecular mechanisms involving the proliferation and metastasis of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhizhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China ; Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Haijian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meijuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dengfu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yao
keywords: Annexin A2; hepatitis B virus; hepatocellular carcinoma; metastasis; small hairpin RNA; upregulation