Qiaozhu Zuo1, Jia He1, Shu Zhang2, Hui Wang1, Guangzhi Jin3, Haojie Jin1, Zhuoan Cheng4, Xuemei Tao1, Chengtao Yu4, Botai Li4, Chen Yang5, Siying Wang1, Yuanyuan Lv1, Fangyu Zhao1, Ming Yao1, Wenming Cong3, Cun Wang1, Wenxin Qin1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. 2. Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, China. 3. Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. 4. Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China. 5. Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) coactivator-1α (PGC1α) is a key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration. PGC1α is involved in the carcinogenesis, progression, and metabolic state of cancer. However, its role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this study, we observed that PGC1α was down-regulated in human HCC. A clinical study showed that low levels of PGC1α expression were correlated with poor survival, vascular invasion, and larger tumor size. PGC1α inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells with both in vitro experiments and in vivo mouse models. Mechanistically, PGC1α suppressed the Warburg effect through down-regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 1 (PDK1) mediated by the WNT/β-catenin pathway, and inhibition of the WNT/β-catenin pathway was induced by activation of PPARγ. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of PGC1α expression indicate a poor prognosis for HCC patients. PGC1α suppresses HCC metastasis by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis through regulating the WNT/β-catenin/PDK1 axis, which depends on PPARγ. PGC1α is a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a therapeutic target for HCC patients.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) coactivator-1α (PGC1α) is a key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration. PGC1α is involved in the carcinogenesis, progression, and metabolic state of cancer. However, its role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this study, we observed that PGC1α was down-regulated in humanHCC. A clinical study showed that low levels of PGC1α expression were correlated with poor survival, vascular invasion, and larger tumor size. PGC1α inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells with both in vitro experiments and in vivo mouse models. Mechanistically, PGC1α suppressed the Warburg effect through down-regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 1 (PDK1) mediated by the WNT/β-catenin pathway, and inhibition of the WNT/β-catenin pathway was induced by activation of PPARγ. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of PGC1α expression indicate a poor prognosis for HCCpatients. PGC1α suppresses HCC metastasis by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis through regulating the WNT/β-catenin/PDK1 axis, which depends on PPARγ. PGC1α is a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a therapeutic target for HCCpatients.