biostudies-literaturePique-Gili MAlfonso Martín Escudero FoundationNCATS NIH HHSUniversity Jaume I Department of MathematicsBelgian American Educational Foundation IncRamon Areces FoundationNational Institutes of HealthAugust Pi i Sunyer Institute of Biomedical ResearchCholangiocarcinoma FoundationUniversity of BarcelonaSpanish Association for the Study of the LiverHorizon 2020 Framework ProgrammeSamuel Waxman Cancer Research FoundationMinisterio de Ciencia e InnovaciónNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR)NCI NIH HHSCatalan Digestology SocietyUS Department of DefenseDamon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationSpanish Association Against Cancer Scientific FoundationNIH HHSIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai101212https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11550205biostudies-literatureUnknown6(11)<h4>Background & aims</h4>Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) plays an oncogenic role in advanced cancer by promoting cell proliferation, metastasis and immunosuppression. <i>PMEPA1</i> (prostate transmembrane protein androgen induced 1) has been shown to promote TGF-β oncogenic effects in other tumour types. Thus, we aimed to explore the role of <i>PMEPA1</i> in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).<h4>Methods</h4>We analysed 1,097 tumours from patients with HCC, including discovery (n = 228) and validation (n = 361) cohorts with genomic and clinicopathological data. <i>PMEPA1</i> levels were assessed by qPCR (n = 228), gene expression data (n = 869) and at the single-cell level (n = 54). Genetically engineered mouse models overexpressing <i>MYC+PMEPA1</i> compared to <i>MYC</i> were generatedJHEP reports : innovation in hepatologyOncogenic role of PMEPA1 and its association with immune exhaustion and TGF-β activation in HCC.PMC11550205R01 CA285580P30 CA196521S10 OD030463S10 OD026880UL1 TR004419R01 CA273932Fernandez-Martinez EMontironi CPique-Gili MBarcena-Varela MPeix JSia DPinyol RGris-Oliver ALindblad KEThung SNLlovet JMMauro EMesropian ARuiz de Galarreta MCappuyns SLambrechts DEsteban-Fabro RKeraite IAndreu-Oller CAbril-Fornaguera JDekervel JMartinez-Quetglas ITorres-Martin MLujambio AfalseOncogenic role of PMEPA1 and its association with immune exhaustion and TGF-β activation in HCC.<h4>Background & aims</h4>Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) plays an oncogenic role in advanced cancer by promoting cell proliferation, metastasis and immunosuppression. <i>PMEPA1</i> (prostate transmembrane protein androgen induced 1) has been shown to promote TGF-β oncogenic effects in other tumour types. Thus, we aimed to explore the role of <i>PMEPA1</i> in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).<h4>Methods</h4>We analysed 1,097 tumours from patients with HCC, including discovery (n = 228) and validation (n = 361) cohorts with genomic and clinicopathological data. <i>PMEPA1</i> levels were assessed by qPCR (n = 228), gene expression data (n = 869) and at the single-cell level (n = 54). Genetically engineered mouse models overexpressing <i>MYC+PMEPA1</i> compared to <i>MYC</i> were generated2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Nov2026-06-02T10:38:37.21Z2025-04-04T00:21:55.866ZS-EPMC115502053952420610.1016/j.jhepr.2024.101212