ANGPTL4 Stabilizes Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 Through Deubiquitination and Promotes HCC Proliferation via the SMAD/MAPK Pathway.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the function of angiopoietin-related protein 4 (ANGPTL4) and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Overexpressing plasmids were cotransfected into HepG2 cells to determine the interaction between ANGPTL4 and BMP7. The effect of ANGPTL4 on the stability of BMP7 is examined by detecting the expression and ubiquitination levels. In vitro and in vivo experiments of knocking down ANGPTL4 while overexpressing BMP7 were performed to investigate whether the effects of ANGPTL4 on HCC proliferation, migration, and downstream signaling pathways were dependent on BMP7. ANGPTL4 is able to interact with BMP7, and knockdown of ANGPTL4 increased BMP7 expression and ubiquitination. Overexpression of BMP7 reversed the inhibition of HCC proliferation and migration as well as the decrease in the expression levels of Smad1/5/8 and MAPK14 caused by knockdown of ANGPTL4. ANGPTL4 promotes the proliferation and migration of HCC by inhibiting the ubiquitination degradation of BMP7 and the Smad/MAPK pathway, providing a novel mechanism and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.