title: NLRC5 promotes cell proliferation via regulating the AKT/VEGF-A signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: NLRC5, a newly found member of the NLR family and the largest member of nucleotide-binding, has been reported to regulate immune responses and is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the mechanisms and signaling pathways of NLRC5 in HCC progression. Increased expression of NLRC5, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) were found in human HCC tissue. There was a positive correlation between NLRC5 and VEGF-A expression and cell proliferation were enhanced in NLRC5-overexpressing HepG2 cells, but inhibited in cells with NLRC5 silencing treatment. Interestingly, we found that up-regulation of NLRC5 also coordinated the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. An AKT inhibitor LY294002 blocked VEGF-A expression and AKT phosphorylation in HepG2 cells and NLRC5-overexpressing HepG2 cells. These results demonstrate that NLRC5 promotes HCC progression via the AKT/VEGF-A signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Key Laboratory of Bioactivity of Natural Products, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Institute for Liver Diseases, Anhui Medical University, ILD- AMU, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; The Key Laboratory of Antiinflammatory and Immune Medicines, Ministry of Education, China. Electronic address: lj@ahmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C548042:NLRC5 protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
keywords: HCC; NLRC5; PI3K/AKT signaling pathway; VEGF-A