Inhibiting CBX4 efficiently protects hepatocellular carcinoma cells against sorafenib resistance

Distinctive tumorigenic significance and innovative oncology targets of SUMOylation

Protein SUMOylation, a post-translational modification, intricately regulates diverse biological processes including gene expression, cell cycle progression, signaling pathway transduction, DNA damage response, and RNA metabolism. This modification contributes to the acquisition of tumorigenicity and the maintenance of cancer hallmarks. In malignancies, protein SUMOylation is triggered by various cellular stresses, promoting tumor initiation and progression. This augmentation is orchestrated through its specific regulatory mechanisms and characteristic biological functions. This review focuses on elucidating the fundamental regulatory mechanisms and pathological functions of the SUMO pathway in tumor pathogenesis and malignant evolution, with particular emphasis on the tumorigenic potential of SUMOylation. Furthermore, we underscore the potential therapeutic benefits of targeting the SUMO pathway, paving the way for innovative anti-tumor strategies by perturbing this dynamic and reversible modifying process.

A novel antagonist of the CCL5/CCR5 axis suppresses the tumor growth and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer by CCR5-YAP1 regulation

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) with a high mortality rate, and few effective therapeutic strategies are available. CCL5/CCR5 is an appealing immunotherapeutic target for TNBC. However, its signaling mechanism is poorly understood and its direct antagonists have not been reported. Here, we developed a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay for discovering its antagonists. Verteporfin was identified as a more selective and potent antagonist than the known CCR5 antagonist maraviroc. Without photodynamic therapy, verteporfin demonstrated significant inhibition on TNBC tumor growth through immune regulation, remarkable suppression of lung metastasis by cell-intrinsic mechanism, and a significant extension of overall survival in vivo. Mechanistically, CCR5 was found to be essential for expression of the key hippo effector YAP1. It promoted YAP1 transcription via HIF-1α and exerted further control over the migration of CD8+ T, NK, and MDSC immune cells through chemokines CXCL16 and CXCL8 which were identified from RNA-seq. Moreover, the CCR5-YAP1 axis played a vital role in promoting metastasis by modulating β-catenin and core epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factors ZEB1 and ZEB2. It is noteworthy that the regulatory relationship between CCR5 and YAP1 was observed across various BC subtypes, TNBC patients, and showed potential relevance in fifteen additional cancer types. Overall, this study introduced an easy-to-use HTS assay that streamlines the discovery of CCL5/CCR5 axis antagonists. Verteporfin was identified as a specific molecular probe of this axis with great potentials as a therapeutic agent for treating sixteen malignant diseases characterized by heightened CCR5 and YAP1 levels.

SETD1A drives stemness by reprogramming the epigenetic landscape in hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor progression and recurrence. However, the mechanisms regulating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stemness remain unclear. Applying a genome-scale CRISPR knockout screen, we identified that the H3K4 methyltransferase SETD1A and other members of Trithorax group proteins drive cancer stemness in HCC. SET domain containing 1A (SETD1A) was positively correlated with poor clinical outcome in patients with HCC. Combination of SETD1A and serum alpha fetoprotein substantially improved the accuracy of predicting HCC relapse. Mechanistically, SETD1A mediates transcriptional activation of various histone-modifying enzymes, facilitates deposition of trimethylated H3K4 (H3K4me3) and H3K27me3, and activates oncogenic enhancers and super-enhancers, leading to activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes simultaneously in liver CSCs. In addition, SETD1A cooperates with polyadenylate-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 to regulate H3K4me3 modification on oncogenes. Our data pinpoint SETD1A as a key epigenetic regulator driving HCC stemness and progression, highlighting the potential of SETD1A as a candidate target for HCC intervention and therapy.

An integrative bioinformatics investigation and experimental validation of chromobox family in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors. Chromobox (CBX) family plays the role of oncogenes in various malignancies.

METHODS

The transcriptional and protein levels of CBX family were confirmed by GEPIA, Oncomine, CCLE, and HPA database. Screening of co-expressed genes and gene function enrichment analysis were performed by GeneMANIA and DAVID 6.8. The prognostic value, immune cell infiltration and drug sensitivity analysis of CBX family in DLBCL were performed by Genomicscape, TIMER2.0, and GSCALite database. Confirmatory Tests of CBX family protein expression in DLBCL were performed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The mRNA and protein expressions of CBX1/2/3/5/6 were higher in DLBCL tissues than control groups. Enrichment analysis showed that the functions of CBX family were mainly related to chromatin remodeling, methylation-dependent protein binding, and VEGF signaling pathway. The high mRNA expressions of CBX2/3/5/6 were identified to be associated with short overall survival (OS) in DLBCL patients. Multivariate COX regression indicated that CBX3 was independent prognostic marker. Immune infiltration analysis revealed that the mRNA expressions of CBX family (especially CBX1, CBX5, and CBX6) in DLBCL were significantly correlated with the infiltration of most immune cells (including B cells, CD8 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and Treg cells). Meanwhile, there was a strong correlation between the expression levels of CBX1/5/6 and surface markers of immune cells, such as the widely studied PVR-like protein receptor/ligand and PDL-1 immune checkpoint. Notably, our study found that DLBCL cells with CBX1 over-expression were resistant to the common anti-tumor drugs, but CBX2/5 had two polarities. Finally, we confirmed the higher expressions of CBX1/2/3/5/6 in DLBCL tissues compared with control groups by immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSION

We provided a detailed analysis of the relationship between the CBX family and the prognosis of DLBCL. Distinguished from other studies, We found that high mRNA expressions of CBX2/3/5/6 were associated with poor prognosis in DLBCL patients, and Multivariate COX regression indicated that CBX3 was independent prognostic marker. Besides, our study also found an association between the CBX family and anti-tumour drug resistance, and provided a relationship between CBX family expression and immune cell infiltration.

Chromobox proteins in cancer: Multifaceted functions and strategies for modulation (Review)

Chromobox (CBX) proteins are important epigenetic regulatory proteins and are widely involved in biological processes, such as embryonic development, the maintenance of stem cell characteristics and the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Disorder and dysfunction of CBXs in cancer usually lead to the blockade or ectoptic activation of developmental pathways, promoting the occurrence, development and progression of cancer. In the present review, the characteristics and functions of CBXs were first introduced. Subsequently, the expression of CBXs in cancers and the relationship between CBXs and clinical characteristics (mainly cancer grade, stage, metastasis and relapse) and prognosis were discussed. Finally, it was described how CBXs regulate cell proliferation and self‑renewal, apoptosis and the acquisition of malignant phenotypes, such as invasion, migration and chemoresistance, through mechanisms involving epigenetic modification, nuclear translocation, noncoding RNA interactions, transcriptional regulation, posttranslational modifications, protein‑protein interactions, signal transduction and metabolic reprogramming. The study also focused on cancer therapies targeting CBXs. The present review provides new insight and a comprehensive basis for follow‑up research on CBXs and cancer.

MicroRNA-6838-5p suppresses the self-renewal and metastasis of human liver cancer stem cells through downregulating CBX4 expression and inactivating ERK signaling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary human liver malignancy with high mortality. Liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been demonstrated to contribute to the recurrence, metastasis and drug resistance of liver cancer. Human HCC cohort analysis indicated that the epigenetic regulator polycomb chromobox homologue 4 (CBX4) was overexpressed in human HCC. Moreover, we found that CBX4 expression was significantly higher in CD44⁺ CD133⁺ Hep3B CSCs. Functionally, we demonstrated that CBX4 regulated cell proliferation, self-renewal, and metastasis ability of Hep3B CSCs. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that CBX4 was a direct target of microRNA-6838-5p (miR-6838-5p), which was further confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. MiR-6838-6p was down-regulated in HCC tumors and overexpression of miR-6838-5p attenuated the malignant traits of human liver CSCs in vitro. In addition, we found that miR-6838-5p/CBX4 axis modulates the biological properties of human liver CSCs via regulating ERK signaling. Overexpression of miR-6838-5p suppressed Hep3B xenograft tumor growth in vivo, while CBX4 overexpression abrogated the suppression effect, restored the angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and ERK signaling in Hep3B tumor. In summary, our findings suggest that miR-6838-5p/CBX4 axis regulates liver tumor development and metastasis, which could be utilized as potential therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

MiR-507 inhibits the progression of gastric carcinoma via targeting CBX4-mediated activation of Wnt/β-catenin and HIF-1α pathways

PURPOSE

Gastric carcinoma (GC) is a common malignant disease with high morbidity and mortality. MiR-507 has been confirmed as a tumor inhibitor which can suppress the progression of multiple cancers while its role in GC remains unknown.

METHODS

In this study, the expression levels of miR-507 in the GC tissues and cells were observed by qRT-PCR, and CCK-8 assay, transwell asssay and TUNEL assay were used to observe the function of miR-507 on GC. The miRNA database and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate the downstream target of miR-507. Moreover, the activities of Wnt/β-catenin and HIF-1α pathways were observed by western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that miR-507 was significantly downregulated in GC tissues and cell lines, and miR-507 upregulation effectively inhibited the proliferation and invasion and induced the apoptosis of GC cells. CBX4 was a downstream target of miR-507, and CBX4 could reverse the effects of miR-507 on the GC cells. Moreover, it was determined that miR-507 could inhibit CBX4 expression to suppress the activation of Wnt/β-catenin and HIF-1α pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it suggests that miR-507 could inhibit the progression of GC via regulating CBX4-mediated activation of Wnt/β-catenin and HIF-1α pathways.

Protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in malignant tumors: molecular mechanisms and future perspective

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are a class of proteins with tyrosine kinase activity that phosphorylate tyrosine residues of critical molecules in signaling pathways. Their basal function is essential for maintaining normal cell growth and differentiation. However, aberrant activation of PTKs caused by various factors can deviate cell function from the expected trajectory to an abnormal growth state, leading to carcinogenesis. Inhibiting the aberrant PTK function could inhibit tumor growth. Therefore, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), target-specific inhibitors of PTKs, have been used in treating malignant tumors and play a significant role in targeted therapy of cancer. Currently, drug resistance is the main reason for limiting TKIs efficacy of cancer. The increasing studies indicated that tumor microenvironment, cell death resistance, tumor metabolism, epigenetic modification and abnormal metabolism of TKIs were deeply involved in tumor development and TKI resistance, besides the abnormal activation of PTK-related signaling pathways involved in gene mutations. Accordingly, it is of great significance to study the underlying mechanisms of TKIs resistance and find solutions to reverse TKIs resistance for improving TKIs efficacy of cancer. Herein, we reviewed the drug resistance mechanisms of TKIs and the potential approaches to overcome TKI resistance, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficacy of TKIs.

Expression and Prognostic Value of Chromobox Family Proteins in Esophageal Cancer

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common human malignant tumors worldwide. Chromobox (CBX) family proteins are significant components of epigenetic regulatory complexes. It is reported that CBXs play critical roles in the oncogenesis and development of various tumors. Nonetheless, their functions and specific roles in EC remain vague and obscure. Methods and Materials: We used multiple bioinformatics tools, including Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2), UALCAN, Kaplan–Meier plotter, cBioPortal, Metascape, TIMER2 and TISIDB, to investigate the expression profile, gene alterations and prognostic roles of CBX family proteins, as well as their association with clinicopathologic parameters, immune cells and immune regulators. In addition, RT-qPCR, Western blot, CCK8, colony formation, wound healing and transwell assays were performed to investigate the biological functions of CBX3 in EC cells. Results: CBX3 and CBX5 were overexpressed in EC compared to normal tissues. Survival analysis revealed that high expression of CBX1 predicted worse disease-free survival (DFS) in EC patients. Functionally, CBXs might participate in mismatch repair, spliceosome, cell cycle, the Fanconi anemia pathway, tight junction, the mRNA surveillance pathway and the Hippo signaling pathway in EC development. Furthermore, CBXs were related to distinct immune cells infiltration and immune regulators. Additionally, depletion of CBX3 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of EC cells. Conclusions: Our study comprehensively investigated the expression pattern, prognostic value, and gene alterations of CBXs in EC, as well as their relationships with clinicopathologic variables, immune cells infiltration and immune regulators. These results suggested that CBX family proteins, especially CBX3, might be potential biomarkers in the progression of EC.

Mechanisms of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in liver cancer stem cells and potential therapeutic approaches

The administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of advanced-stage patients is common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, therapy resistance is often encountered, and its emergence eventually curtails long-term clinical benefits. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are essential drivers of tumor recurrence and therapy resistance; thus, the elucidation of key hallmarks of resistance mechanisms of liver CSC-driven HCC may help improve patient outcomes and reduce relapse. The present review provides a comprehensive summary of the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of TKI resistance in liver CSCs, which mediate treatment failure, and discusses potential strategies to overcome TKI resistance from a preclinical perspective.

New insights into antiangiogenic therapy resistance in cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutic aspects

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer and is required for tumor growth and progression. Antiangiogenic therapy has been revolutionarily developing and was approved for the treatment of various types of cancer for nearly two decades, among which bevacizumab and sorafenib continue to be the two most frequently used antiangiogenic drugs. Although antiangiogenic therapy has brought substantial survival benefits to many cancer patients, resistance to antiangiogenic drugs frequently occurs during clinical treatment, leading to poor outcomes and treatment failure. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated that the intricate interplay among tumor cells, bone marrow-derived cells, and local stromal cells critically allows for tumor escape from antiangiogenic therapy. Currently, drug resistance has become the main challenge that hinders the therapeutic efficacies of antiangiogenic therapy. In this review, we describe and summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms conferring tumor drug resistance to antiangiogenic therapy, which was predominantly associated with redundancy in angiogenic signaling molecules (e.g., VEGFs, GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL17), alterations in biological processes of tumor cells (e.g., tumor invasiveness and metastasis, stemness, autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, vessel co-option, and vasculogenic mimicry), increased recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (e.g., myeloid-derived suppressive cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and tumor-associated neutrophils), and changes in the biological functions and features of local stromal cells (e.g., pericytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells). We also review potential biomarkers to predict the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients, which mainly consist of imaging biomarkers, cellular and extracellular proteins, a certain type of bone marrow-derived cells, local stromal cell content (e.g., pericyte coverage) as well as serum or plasma biomarkers (e.g., non-coding RNAs). Finally, we highlight the recent advances in combination strategies with the aim of enhancing the response to antiangiogenic therapy in cancer patients and mouse models. This review introduces a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with the evasion of antiangiogenic therapy in cancer, providing an outlook for developing more effective approaches to promote the therapeutic efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy.

Low miR-10b-3p associated with sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Sorafenib is one of the standard first-line therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, there are currently no appropriate biomarkers to predict the clinical efficacy of sorafenib in HCC patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been studied for their biological functions and clinical applications in human cancers.

METHODS

In this study, we found that miR-10b-3p expression was suppressed in sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines through miRNA microarray analysis.

RESULTS

Sorafenib-induced apoptosis in HCC cells was significantly enhanced by miR-10b-3p overexpression and partially abrogated by miR-10b-3p depletion. Among 45 patients who received sorafenib for advanced HCC, those with high miR-10b-3p levels, compared to those with low levels, exhibited significantly longer overall survival (OS) (median, 13.9 vs. 3.5 months, p = 0.021), suggesting that high serum miR-10b-3p level in patients treated with sorafenib for advanced HCC serves as a biomarker for predicting sorafenib efficacy. Furthermore, we confirmed that cyclin E1, a known promoter of sorafenib resistance reported by our previous study, is the downstream target for miR-10b-3p in HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This study not only identified the molecular target for miR-10b-3p, but also provided evidence that circulating miR-10b-3p may be used as a biomarker for predicting sorafenib sensitivity in patients with HCC.

Chromobox 4 (CBX4) promotes tumor progression and stemness via activating CDC20 in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The Chromobox homolog 4 (CBX4) has been found to be overexpressed in multiple malignancies. However, the associations between CBX4 and gastric cancer (GC) have remained unclear. This study aimed to determine the biological roles of CBX4 in GC and identify effective therapeutic targets.

METHODS

The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) (MTT) assays were used to screen CBX family members. Differential analysis was utilized to evaluate the CBX4 levels. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to perform prognostic analysis. Western blotting assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to assess CBX4 expressions. Colony formation assay, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and Transwell assay were used to assess progression features of cells. The tail vein injection model was utilized to determine the metastatic efficacy of GC cells. Tumor sphere formation assay was used to assess tumor stemness maintenance ability. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR assay was used to evaluate the associations between CBX4 and CDC20. A subcutaneous tumor model was used to assess the in vivo growth ability of GC.

RESULTS

The MTT assay revealed that only CBX4 inhibition could lead to notable restriction of GC growth, as compared to others. Differential analysis suggested that CBX4 was upregulated in tumor samples relative to normal tissues. Less favorable overall survival (OS) outcomes were noticed in GC patients with high CBX4 in comparison to those with low CBX4. High CBX4 could notably enhance cell proliferation capacity, migration ability, and in vivo metastatic efficacy. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated the relationships between CBX4 and GC stemness, and CBX4 overexpression could remarkably elevate self-renewal ability of GC cells. In addition, CBX4 could mainly promote CDC20 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, and targeting CBX4 suppressed the relative CDC20 levels. The ChIP-qPCR assay further demonstrated that CBX4 coordinated with H3K4me3 to bind at the CDC20 promoter region. Additionally, CBX4 depended on CDC20 to drive GC growth. Lastly, downregulated CBX4 could notably inhibit the growth of GC in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the oncogenic roles of CBX4 in GC. CBX4 activates CDC20 to maintain stemness features of GC, thereby creating therapeutic vulnerabilities in the treatment of GC.

CTB-193M12.5 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via Enhancing NSD1-Mediated WNT10B/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Activation

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Augmented Efficacy of Uttroside B over Sorafenib in a Murine Model of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We previously reported the remarkable potency of uttroside B (Utt-B), saponin-isolated and characterized in our lab from Solanum nigrum Linn, against HCC. Recently, the U.S. FDA approved Utt-B as an ‘orphan drug’ against HCC. The current study validates the superior anti-HCC efficacy of Utt-B over sorafenib, the first-line treatment option against HCC. The therapeutic efficacies of Utt-B vs. sorafenib against HCC were compared in vitro, using various liver cancer cell lines and in vivo, utilizing NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J mice bearing human HCC xenografts. Our data indicate that Utt-B holds an augmented anti-HCC efficacy over sorafenib. Our previous report demonstrated the pharmacological safety of Utt-B in Chang Liver, the normal immortalized hepatocytes, and in the acute and chronic toxicity murine models even at elevated Utt-B concentrations. Here, we show that higher concentrations of sorafenib induce severe toxicity, in Chang Liver, as well as in acute and chronic in vivo models, indicating that, apart from the superior therapeutic benefit over sorafenib, Utt-B is a pharmacologically safer molecule, and the drug-induced undesirable effects can, thus, be substantially alleviated in the context of HCC chemotherapy. Clinical studies in HCC patients utilizing Utt-B, is a contiguous key step to promote this drug to the clinic.

LPCAT1 overexpression promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common malignant neoplasms. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) plays a key role in the lipid remodelling and is correlated with various neoplasms. Nonetheless, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of LPCAT1 underlying HCC remain obscure.

METHODS

In the present study, we investigated the role of LPCAT1 in the progression of HCC. In-house RT-qPCR, tissue microarrays, and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect the expression levels and the clinical value of LPCAT1 in HCC. External datasets were downloaded to confirm the results. Proliferation, migration, invasiveness, cell cycle, and apoptosis assays were conducted to reveal the biological effects LPCAT1 has on SMMC-7721 and Huh7 cells. HCC differentially expressed genes and LPCAT1 co-expressed genes were identified to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC progression.

RESULTS

LPCAT1 showed upregulated expression in 3715 HCC specimens as opposed to 3105 non-tumour specimens. Additionally, LPCAT1 might be an independent prognostic factor for HCC. LPCAT1-knockout hampered cellular proliferation, migration, and metastasis in SMMC-7721 and Huh7 cells. More importantly, the cell cycle and chemical carcinogenesis were the two most enriched signalling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated that increased LPCAT1 correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients and fuelled HCC progression by promoting cellular growth, migration, and metastasis.

Human Polycomb Protein 2 (hPC2) as a Novel Independent Prognostic Marker in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Purpose

Human polycomb protein 2(hPC2) is a vital component of polycomb repressive complex 1(PRC1). It plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and progression. However, whether HPC2 expression affects the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is currently unclear. In the present study, we investigated the expression of hPC2and elucidated its clinical prognostic significance in NPC.

Patients and Methods

The expression of hPC2 in 180 NPCs samples was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and evaluated by H-score staining intensity. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine cut-off values of hPC2 expression. The chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier (Log rank test), and the Cox proportional hazards model were utilized to analyze the data.

Results

We found hPC2 is highly expressed in 48.3% of NPC specimens, which significantly correlated with T stage (p=0.032), N stage (p=0.006), and clinical stage (p=0.003). Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that NPCs with high hPC2 expression tended to have a lower cumulative rates of overall survival (OS, p<0.001), recurrence-free survival (RFS, p=0.001), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS, p=0.003). In the NPCs subgroup, T3–T4, N2–N3, and stages III–IV, high hPC2 expression also had a prognostic impact on worse outcome in terms of OS, RFS, and DMFS. More importantly, multivariate analyses demonstrated that hPC2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 95% (confidence interval [CI]), p=0.001), RFS (HR, 95% CI, p=0.018), and DMFS (HR, 95% CI, p=0.022).

Conclusion

We present evidence that high expression of hPC2 correlated with poorer prognosis in NPC. hPC2 could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and might be a promising therapeutic target for NPC.