STRN3 promotes tumour growth in hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting the hippo pathway

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Finn

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high global incidence and remains difficult to treat because its pathogenesis is not fully understood. STRN3 has been reported as elevated across cancers, yet its expression pattern and biological role in HCC were unclear. Clinical correlation analyses using TCGA and GEO datasets (371 patients) were combined with experimental validation of proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. STRN3 expression and prognosis association were assessed by qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry, with mechanistic focus on the Hippo pathway and YAP nuclear localization. Results showed strong STRN3 upregulation in tumour tissues, and STRN3 knockdown suppressed malignant behaviours by inhibiting Hippo signalling, supporting STRN3 as a contributor to HCC growth and a potential therapeutic insight.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

STRN3 background and rationale in cancer

Abstract and study objectives

Clinical correlation analysis and datasets

Cell experiments and functional assays

Mechanistic analysis of Hippo pathway and YAP

DOI: 10. 1111/jcmm.18147 OR I G I NAL ART I C L E STRN3 promotes tumour growth in hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting the hippo pathway Jie Zhu1 | Wenjia Tang1 | Peiqi Fang1 | Chong Wang1 | Meixiu Gu1 | Wenjing Yang1 | Baishen Pan1 | Beili Wang1 | Wei Guo1,2,3,4 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Geriatric Medical Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China 3 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, China 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wusong Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China Correspondence Wei Guo and Beili Wang, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, China. [Email:](Email: guo.wei@zs-hospital.sh.cn)[ guo.wei@zs-hospital.sh.cn](Email: guo.wei@zs-hospital.sh.cn) and [wang.beili1@zs-hospital.sh.cn](wang.beili1@zs-hospital.sh.cn) Funding information Specialized Fund for the Clinical Researches of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Grant/Award Number: 2020ZSLC54; Key Medical and Health Projects of Xiamen, Grant/Award Number: YDZX20193502000002; National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant/ Award Number: 81902139, 81972000, 82102483, 82172348 and 82202608; Shanghai Baoshan Medical Key Specialty, Grant/Award Number: BSZK2023A18; Constructing Project of Clinical Key Disciplines in Shanghai, Grant/Award Number: shslczdzk03302 Abstract HCC is a globally high-incidence malignant tumour, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Recently, STRN3 has been found to be elevated in various tumours, but its expression and biological functions in HCC have not been studied. In the study, clinical correlation analysis was performed on 371 liver cancer patients from TCGA database and liver cancer tissues and normal tissues from the GEO database. qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to detect relevant proteins in cells, and CCK8 and colony formation experiments were performed to analyse cell proliferation ability. Transwelland wound healing experiments were performed to detect cell invasion ability, and flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis. Single-cell sequencing data and multiple immunofluorescence were analysed for the expression abundance and distribution of certain proteins. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of STRN3 in patients' tumour and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. The results indicated STRN3 was highly expressed in liver tumour tissues and was closely associated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of STRN3 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation and migration ability. At the same time, we found that STRN3 could inhibit the Hippo pathway and promote the entry of YAP protein into the nucleus. Our study first found that STRN3 could promote tumour growth by inhibiting the Hippo pathway. The study of STRN3 can promote the understanding and treatment of the occurrence and development of HCC. K E Y WO R D S hepatocellular carcinoma, hippo pathway, STRN3, TCGA database, YAP | Jie Zhu, Wenjia Tang and Peiqi Fang contributed equally. | | --- | | This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | J Cell Mol Med. 2024;28:e18147 . [https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.18147](https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.18147) [wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jcmm](wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jcmm) 1 of 12 1 | INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent and lethal form of cancer that is responsible for the most cancer-related deaths globally,1 and is considered as one of the lowest 5-year relati

FAQs

What was the main aim of the study on STRN3 in hepatocellular carcinoma?

To evaluate STRN3 expression features in HCC, determine its prognostic significance, and clarify its association with clinical characteristics. The study also investigated STRN3’s biological functions during HCC development.

How were STRN3 expression levels and patient associations assessed?

Clinical correlations were analyzed in TCGA and GEO resources, and STRN3 expression was measured using qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry in tumour and adjacent non-cancerous tissues.

What mechanism did the study identify linking STRN3 to tumour growth in HCC?

STRN3 was found to inhibit the Hippo pathway and promote YAP entry into the nucleus, indicating that STRN3 promotes tumour growth through Hippo pathway suppression.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Finn