TRIM44 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion Through the Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Chun-Guang Li; Hang Hu; Xiao-Jun Yang; Chao-Qun Huang; Xue-Qiao Yu

doi:10.2147/OTT.S228637

TRIM44 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion Through the Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Onco Targets Ther. 2019 Dec 9:12:10693-10701. doi: 10.2147/OTT.S228637. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Chun-Guang Li¹, Hang Hu¹, Xiao-Jun Yang², Chao-Qun Huang², Xue-Qiao Yu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Colorectal & Anal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Purpose: The tripartite motif protein 44 (TRIM44) participates in a variety of biological processes of malignant tumors. However, the expression and molecular mechanism of TRIM44 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear.

Patients and methods: 123 CRC tissues were used for immunohistochemical assay and survival analysis. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology was used to silence the expression of TRIM44 in CRC cell lines. Then, we explored the effect of TRIM44 on the biological behavior of CRC cells. Finally, we studied the underlying mechanisms by Western blot.

Results: We found that TRIM44 is up-regulated in CRC tissues and cells. TRIM44 is a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with CRC. In vitro, we effectively silenced the expression of TRIM44 in CRC cell lines. Silencing of TRIM44 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells. In terms of mechanistic studies, we found that high TRIM44 expression activates the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Conclusion: Our research showed that TRIM44 may serve as a biomarker for CRC patients.

Keywords: Akt/mTOR; CRC; TRIM44; prognosis.