Hypoxia activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling by regulating the expression of BCL9 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is abnormally activated in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). BCL9 is an essential co-activator in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Importantly, BCL9 is absent from tumors originating from normal cellular counterparts and overexpressed in many cancers including HCC. But the mechanism for BCL9 overexpression remains unknown. Ample evidence indicates that hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) play a role in the development of HCC. It was found in our study that BCL9 was overexpressed in both primary HCC and bone metastasis specimens; loss of BCL9 inhibited the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of HCC; and that that hypoxia mechanically induced the expression of BCL9. BCL9 induction under the hypoxic condition was predominantly mediated by HIF-1α but

SUBMITTER: Xu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5225427 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature