title: AZGP1 suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and hepatic carcinogenesis by blocking TGFβ1-ERK2 pathways.
abstract: Zinc-α2-glycoprotein 1 (AZGP1) has been found to play important roles in TGF-β1 induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the mechanisms of AZGP1 inhibiting EMT and its therapeutic potential remain unknown in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AZGP1, TGF-β1 or ERK2 expressions were examined in liver tissues of HCC patients and rat model. The effect of AZGP1 on EMT and crosstalking of TGFβ1-ERK2 signaling in human hepatic cancer cell was tested in vitro and in vivo. Hepatic expression of AZGP1 was nearly deficient in HCC patients and rats. It was proved that AZGP1 has the ability of down-regulating mesenchymal markers, up-regulating epithelial marker, inhibiting cell invasion and suppressing EMT in human HCC cells. The results clarified that AZGP1 has the effect on blocking TGF-β1 mediated ERK2 phosphorylation leading to depressing EMT and invasive potential in vitro. Local injection of AZGP1 mimic in vivo could significantly withhold lung metastasis in HCC. In conclusion, loss of AZGP1 could trigger EMT induced by TGFβ1-ERK2 signaling, confuse in energy metabolism, reduce cell proliferation and apoptosis, activate survival signals and promote invasion. Up-regulation of AZGP1 should be proposed to reverse EMT and might be a new promising therapy for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Yi
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China. Electronic address: lungenlu1965@163.com.
authors.forename: Lun-Gen
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090203:Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein
chemical_list: C488891:AZGP1 protein, human; D054392:Adipokines; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000090203:Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein
keywords: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); Extracellular regulated protein kinase 2 (ERK2); Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1); Zinc-α2-glycoprotein 1 (AZGP1)