CAFs-derived SCUBE1 promotes malignancy and stemness through the Shh/Gli1 pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The tumour microenvironment and cirrhotic liver are excellent sources of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which participate in carcinogenesis. Thus, it is important to clarify the crosstalk between CAFs and HCC cells and the related mechanism in regulating carcinogenesis.

Methods

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues were obtained from HCC patients. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting (WB) and RT-qPCR were performed to detect the expression of SCUBE1. The roles of SCUBE1 in inducing stemness features in HCC cells were explored and investigated in vitro and in vivo. Student's t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare continuous variables, while chi-square tests or Fisher's exact tests were used to compar

SUBMITTER: Zhao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9644546 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature