Reactive oxygen species-induced activation of Yes-associated protein-1 through the c-Myc pathway is a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Hippo signaling pathway regulates organ size by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis with terminal effectors including Yes-associated protein-1 (YAP-1). Dysregulation in Hippo pathway has been proposed as one of the therapeutic targets in hepatocarcinogenesis. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase during the progression from early to advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AIM: To study the activation of YAP-1 by ROS-induced damage in HCC and the involved signaling pathway. METHODS: , which is a major component of ROS in living organisms, and with either YAP-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or control siRNA. To investigate the role of YAP-1 in HCC cells under oxidative stress, MTS assays were performed. Immunoblotting was performed to evaluate the signaling pathway responsible for the activation of YAP-1. Eighty-eight surgically resected frozen HCC tissue samples and 88 nontumor liver tissue samples were used for gene expression analyses. RESULTS: < 0.05). CONCLUSION: the c-Myc pathway, which leads to the activation of the UPR pathway, might be a therapeutic target in HCC.