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ROCK2 promotes HCC proliferation by CEBPD inhibition through phospho‐GSK3β/β‐catenin signaling
Author(s) -
Li Ming,
Zhou Wei,
Yuan Rongfa,
Chen Leifeng,
Liu Tiande,
Huang Da,
Hao Liang,
Xie Yuancai,
Shao Jianghua
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.03.004
Subject(s) - gene knockdown , rock2 , cancer research , catenin , carcinogenesis , suppressor , downregulation and upregulation , chemistry , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , wnt signaling pathway , apoptosis , biochemistry , rhoa , gene
Rho‐associated kinase 2 (Rock2) is known to promote tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CCAAT/enhancer‐binding protein delta (CEBPD) functions as a tumor suppressor. In this study, we found that the expression of Rock2 and CEBPD are inversely correlated. Knockdown of Rock2 increased CEBPD expression and inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that Rock2 regulates CEBPD expression through the p‐GSK3β/β‐catenin pathway. Taken together, we identified a novel Rock2–p‐GSK3β/β‐catenin–CEBPD regulatory circuitry, the dysfunction of which may contribute to the tumorigenic characteristic of HCC.