HOXA7 plays a critical role in metastasis of liver cancer associated with activation of Snail.
Liver cancer is one of the main causes of cancer-related death in human. HOXA7 has been proved to be related with several cancers.



The expression levels of HOXA7 were examined by Western blot, qRT-PCR or ICH. MTT was used to detect the proliferative rate of liver cancer cells. The invasive abilities were examined by matrigel and transwell assay. The metastatic abilities of liver cancer cells were revealed in BALB/c nude mice.



In this report, we revealed that HOXA7 promoted metastasis of HCC patients. First, increased levels of HOXA7 were examined in liver cancer especially in metastatic liver cancer. Moreover, higher expression level of HOXA7 was associated with poorer prognosis of liver cancer patients. Overexpression of HOXA7 significantly enhanced proliferation, migration, invasion in vitro and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo meanwhile silencing HOXA7 significantly inhibited the aboves abilities of liver cancer cells. In this research, we identified that HOXA7 performed its oncogenic characteristics through activating Snail.



Collectively, we identify the critical role and possible mechanism of HOXA7 in metastasis of liver cancer which suggest that HOXA7 may be a potential therapeutic target of liver cancer patients.
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Bo
B
Tang
Department of Pathology and Physiopathology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Guangying
G
Qi
Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Xiaoyu
X
Sun
Department of Pathology and Physiopathology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Fang
F
Tang
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Shengguang
S
Yuan
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Zhenran
Z
Wang
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Xingsi
X
Liang
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Bo
B
Li
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Shuiping
S
Yu
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Jie
J
Liu
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Qi
Q
Huang
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Yangchao
Y
Wei
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Run
R
Zhai
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Biao
B
Lei
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, Liaoning, People's Republic of China. guo.xinjin@139.com.
Xinjin
X
Guo
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China. glhsq1001@sina.com.|Laboratory of Liver Injury and Repair Molecular Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, People's Republic of China. glhsq1001@sina.com.
Songqing
S
He
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011379:Prognosis; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
C115962:HOXA7 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors
HOXA7; Liver cancer; Metastasis; Snail