Aurora-A promotes chemoresistance in hepatocelluar carcinoma by targeting NF-kappaB/microRNA-21/PTEN signaling pathway.
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ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly resistant to chemotherapy. Previously, we have shown that Aurora-A mRNA is upregulated in HCC cells or tissues and silencing of Aurora-A using small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreases growth and enhances apoptosis in HCC cells. However, the clinical significance of Aurora-A protein expression in HCC and association between Aurora-A expression and HCC chemoresistance is unclear. Here, we showed that Aurora-A protein is upregulated in HCC tissues and significantly correlated with recurrence-free and overall survival of patients and multivariate analysis indicated that immunostaining of Aurora-A will be an independent prognostic factor for patients. Silencing of Aurora-A significantly increased the chemosensitivity of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of Aurora-A induced the opposite effects. Furthermore, overexpression of Aurora-A reduces chemotherapy-induced apoptosis by promoting microRNA-21 expression, which negatively regulates PTEN and then inhibits caspase-3-mediated apoptosis induction. Mechanically, we demonstrated that Aurora-A promotes expression of nuclear Ikappa?-alpha (I???) protein and enhances NF-kappa B (NF-?B) activity, thus promotes the transcription of miR-21. This study first reported the involvement of Aurora-A/NF-?B/miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling axis in chemoresistance of HCC cells, suggesting that targeting this signaling pathway would be helpful as a therapeutic strategy for the reversal of chemoresistance in HCC.
SUBMITTER: Zhang K
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4350360 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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