Xiacheng Sun1, Haiyan Cao1, Lei Zhan2, Chun Yin1, Gang Wang3, Ping Liang4, Jibin Li1, Zhe Wang1, Bingrong Liu2, Qichao Huang1, Jinliang Xing1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. 2. Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. 3. Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. 4. The State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pharmacogenomics, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mitochondrial dynamics of fission and fusion plays critical roles in a diverse range of important cellular functions, and its deregulation has been increasingly implicated in human diseases. Previous studies have shown that increased mitochondrial fission significantly promoted the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, how they influence the migration of tumour cells remained largely unknown. METHODS: In the present study, we further investigated the effect of mitochondrial fission on the migration and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms and therapeutic application were explored. RESULTS: Our data showed that dynamin-1-like protein expression was strongly increased in distant metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma when compared to primary hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, the mitochondrial fusion protein mitofusin 1 showed an opposite trend. Moreover, the expression of dynamin-1-like protein and mitofusin 1 was significantly associated with the disease-free survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. In addition, our data further showed that mitochondrial fission significantly promoted the reprogramming of focal-adhesion dynamics and lamellipodia formation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells mainly by activating typical Ca2+ /CaMKII/ERK/FAK pathway. Importantly, treatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 significantly decreased calcium signalling in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and had a potential treatment effect for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings demonstrate that mitochondrial fission plays a critical role in the regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma cell migration, which provides strong evidence for this process as a drug target in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis treatment.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mitochondrial dynamics of fission and fusion plays critical roles in a diverse range of important cellular functions, and its deregulation has been increasingly implicated in human diseases. Previous studies have shown that increased mitochondrial fission significantly promoted the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, how they influence the migration of tumour cells remained largely unknown. METHODS: In the present study, we further investigated the effect of mitochondrial fission on the migration and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms and therapeutic application were explored. RESULTS: Our data showed that dynamin-1-like protein expression was strongly increased in distant metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma when compared to primary hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, the mitochondrial fusion protein mitofusin 1 showed an opposite trend. Moreover, the expression of dynamin-1-like protein and mitofusin 1 was significantly associated with the disease-free survival of hepatocellular carcinomapatients. In addition, our data further showed that mitochondrial fission significantly promoted the reprogramming of focal-adhesion dynamics and lamellipodia formation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells mainly by activating typical Ca2+ /CaMKII/ERK/FAK pathway. Importantly, treatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 significantly decreased calcium signalling in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and had a potential treatment effect for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings demonstrate that mitochondrial fission plays a critical role in the regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma cell migration, which provides strong evidence for this process as a drug target in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis treatment.