Upregulated TRIM32 correlates with enhanced cell proliferation and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major type of primary liver cancer and the sixth most prevalent human malignancies worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatocarcinogenesis remain unclear. For HCC patients, there is not only a lack of effective therapeutic targets but also a lack of predictive or prognostic biomarkers. In this article, we reported that TRIM32 was obviously upregulated in HCC tumor tissues and HCC cell lines. Its expression patterns were positively correlated with histological grade, tumor sizes, and HBsAg of HCC patients. TRIM32 expression was a significant predictor for the overall survival time of HCC patients. Moreover, the overexpression of TRIM32 in cells accelerated the G1-S phase transition, promoted cell proliferation rates, and induced the resistance of HCC patients to oxaliplatin. All these findings suggest that TRIM32 might play important roles in the hepatocarcinogenesis. TRIM32 could be a novel direction to explore the mechanism underlying HCC pathogenesis.

Expression and the potential functions of TRIM32 in lung cancer tumorigenesis

“…TRIM proteins act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors implicated in various cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, immunity, inflammation, and antiviral. 10,21 TRIM32 is highly expressed in gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer, associated with poor clinical prognosis, [12][13][14] which was in line with our findings in The Human Protein Atlas website based on IHC analysis in lung cancer tissues that TRIM32 protein expression is higher in both lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma tissues compared with lung normal tissues ( Figure 1A) and associated with a shorter survival time in patients with lung cancer, including lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, compared with patients with a lower TRIM32 expression ( Figure 1B-D). It has been reported that some TRIMs are upregulated in NSCLC cell lines compared with normal human bronchial epithelial cell line, suggesting that they are acting as a protooncogene in lung cancer.…”

“…9 TRIM59 was significantly increased in NSCLC cell lines and knockdown of TRIM59 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration and arrested the cell cycle in the G2 phase of NSCLC cell lines. 13 TRIM32 promoted cell oncogenic transformation and tumorigenesis through ubiquitination and degradation of p53. 11 The biological function of TRIM32 in lung cancer tumorigenesis is not well understood.…”

“…[12][13][14]20 However, its expression and possible molecular mechanism in regulating lung cancer cell growth and motility are not fully understood. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 compared with vector group.…”

“…10,21 TRIM32 is highly expressed in gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer, associated with poor clinical prognosis, [12][13][14] which was in line with our findings in The Human Protein Atlas website based on IHC analysis in lung cancer tissues that TRIM32 protein expression is higher in both lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma tissues compared with lung normal tissues ( Figure 1A) and associated with a shorter survival time in patients with lung cancer, including lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, compared with patients with a lower TRIM32 expression ( Figure 1B-D). 10,21 TRIM32 is highly expressed in gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer, associated with poor clinical prognosis, [12][13][14] which was in line with our findings in The Human Protein Atlas website based on IHC analysis in lung cancer tissues that TRIM32 protein expression is higher in both lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma tissues compared with lung normal tissues ( Figure 1A) and associated with a shorter survival time in patients with lung cancer, including lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, compared with patients with a lower TRIM32 expression ( Figure 1B-D).…”

“…[12][13][14]20 Thus, TRIM32 may primarily confer a survival advantage. [12][13][14]20 Thus, TRIM32 may primarily confer a survival advantage.…”