title: The suppressive role of SOX7 in hepatocarcinogenesis.
abstract: SOX7 is a transcription factor mediating various developmental processes. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Here, we assessed the role of SOX7 in hepatocarcinogenesis. We found HCC samples exhibited lower levels of SOX7 mRNA and protein expression than non-tumor samples, and the expression of SOX7 was negatively correlated with tumor size. SOX7 expression was also reduced in four HCC cell lines (SMMC-7721, Hep3B, HepG2 and Huh 7). Overexpression of SOX7 could inhibit HCC cell growth, with G1to S phase arrest. In SOX7-overexpression cells, cyclin D1 and c-myc, two cell cycle promoters, were down-regulated. Moreover, ectopic expression of cyclin D1 or c-myc could override G1 to S pahse arrest induced by SOX7. Furthermore, overexpression of SOX7 suppressed tumor formation with down-regulation of cyclin D1 and c-myc in vivo. The expression of Ki-67, a proliferation marker, was also reduced in SOX7-overexpression tumors. Taken together, our study suggests that SOX7 plays an important inhibitory role in hepatocarcinogenesis, and might be a novel target for HCC therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences of Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatic Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zhiqun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C484456:SOX7 protein, human; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue