title: BRD4 promotes tumor growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins are epigenetic readers that play an important role in chromatin remodeling and transcriptional regulation. In this study, we found that BRD4, a BET family member, is significantly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, the overexpression of BRD4 in cancer tissues was correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Using shRNA-mediated knockdown of BRD4 or lentivirus-mediated overexpression of BRD4 in HCC cells, we further showed that BRD4 was involved in HCC cell growth and invasion in vitro. Forced expression of BRD4 was sufficient to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotypes in HCC cells. Additionally, BRD4 shRNA significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation in vivo. Collectively, our study confirmed that BRD4 expression is a valuable predictor of recurrence and survival in patients with HCC. BRD4 can be further used as a potential therapeutic target of HCC.
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Pengfei
authors: P
authors: Zhang
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Zhaoru
authors: Z
authors: Dong
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Jiabin
authors: J
authors: Cai
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Chi
authors: C
authors: Zhang
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Zaozhuo
authors: Z
authors: Shen
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Aiwu
authors: A
authors: Ke
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Dongmei
authors: D
authors: Gao
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Fan
authors: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, PR China shigmkm@hotmail.com.
authors: Guoming
authors: G
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D000092468:Bromodomain Containing Proteins
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; C441289:BRD4 protein, human; D000092468:Bromodomain Containing Proteins
keywords: bromodomain and extraterminal domain proteins; epigenetics; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; hepatocellular carcinoma; prognosis