Wang Guoyu,Han Yang,Zhuang Juhua,Mai Zhongchao,Xia Wei,Ye Ying
BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-attributed mortality and the primary liver malignancy in the world. Echinacoside is a phenylethanoid glycoside derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs which possessed multiple health benefits on humans, including anti-tumor effects. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to demonstrate the function of echinacoside in HCC progression and the involvement of miR-30c-5p/FOXD1/KLF12 axis. METHODS: The HepG2 cells were treated by different dose of echinacoside, miR-30c-5p mimic, miR-30c-5p inhibitor, and FOXD1 overexpression lentiviruses or siRNA individually or simultaneously. The cell invasion and migration were measured by transwell assay. RNA and protein levels were tested by RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. The regulatory function of miR-30c-5p on Forkhead box D1 (FOXD1), FOXD1 on Krüppel-like factor 12 (KLF12) was tested by luciferase reporter assay or/and ChIP assay. Meanwhile, a liver cancer lung metastasis mice model was used to examine the functions of echinacoside and miR-30c-5p on HCC metastasis in vivo. Moreover, the correlations among miR-30c-5p, FOXD1, KLF12, and HCC prognosis was analyzed using clinical sample and TCGA database. RESULTS: Based on both in vitro and in vivo investigations, we found that echinacoside could inhibit HCC cell migration, invasiveness, and tumor metastasis, and associated with the enhanced miR-30c-5p/FOXD1/KLF12 axis. Furthermore, through analyzing the interactions among intermediate molecules, we revealed that miR-30c-5p, FOXD1, and KLF12üere clinically relevant with each other in HCC patients, correlated with HCC prognosis, and regulated by echinacoside to contribute in the inhibition of HCC progression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that echinacoside could inhibit HCC progression, and the mechanism related to the enhanced miR-30c-5p/FOXD1/KLF12 axis. Moreover, the abovementioned intermediate molecules might serve as prospective biomarkers for HCC prognosis.
Xianyong Li,Mingqiang Su,Jingxian Luo,Dengjun Han,Liangliang Qing,Dayong Zhang,Sheng Liu,Junfa Liu,Guangqing Fu
FOXD1 is upregulated in cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer cells. • FOXD1 promotes β-catenin nuclear translocation to transcribe DARS2. • DARS2 enhances glycolysis, increasing glucose uptake and lactate output. • Glycolytic reprogramming by DARS2 drives cisplatin resistance in BLCA. • The FOXD1–β-catenin–DARS2 axis is a potential therapeutic target. Background Chemotherapy remains the most effective systemic treatment for bladder cancer (BLCA), with cisplatin as the primary agent. However, the frequent development of cisplatin resistance limits its clinical efficacy. Forkhead box D1 (FOXD1) is implicated in BLCA progression, yet its role in mediating cisplatin resistance remains unexplored. Methods FOXD1 expression and its correlation with patient prognosis in BLCA were analyzed using the TCGA database. Cisplatin-resistant BLCA cell lines (T24-R and HT-1376-R) were established by treatment with gradient concentrations of cisplatin. qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the expression levels of FOXD1, β-catenin, and Aspartyl-tRNA Synthetase 2 (DARS2). Cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were assessed using CCK-8, colony formation assays, and flow cytometry. Co-IP was performed to examine the interaction between FOXD1 and β-catenin. Glycolysis levels in BLCA cells were determined using specific assay kits. Results FOXD1 was highly expressed in BLCA tissues and correlated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of FOXD1 inhibited proliferation and cell cycle progression, promoted apoptosis, and enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in T24-R cells, while reducing β-catenin nuclear translocation and DARS2 expression. Overexpression of FOXD1 exerted the opposite effects on HT-1376-R cells and increased DARS2 expression, which were reversed by β-catenin knockdown. Moreover, knockdown of TCFs/LEF suppressed DARS2 expression. DARS2 was enriched in the glycolysis pathway. Its overexpression promoted glycolysis, proliferation, and cell cycle progression, while inhibiting apoptosis and cisplatin sensitivity in HT-1376-R cells—effects were reversed by 2-DG. Conclusion FOXD1 facilitates β-catenin nuclear translocation and upregulates DARS2 to enhance glycolysis, thereby promoting cisplatin resistance in BLCA. These findings identify the FOXD1/β-catenin/DARS2 axis as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming cisplatin resistance in BLCA clinically. Download: Download high-res image (234KB) Download: Download full-size image