RBM23 Drives Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Activating NF-κB Signaling Pathway

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and angiogenesis has been proven to be significantly involved in its progression. However, the molecular mechanism underlying HCC angiogenesis has not been well researched. In this study, RNA Binding Motif Protein 23 (RBM23) was identified as a novel proangiogenic factor in HCC cell lines and tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, we analyzed the correlation of clinical specimens. In HCC tissues, the levels of RBM23 and microvessel density (MVD) showed a strong positive correlation. Furthermore, data from related cytology experiments showed that the knockdown of RBM23 expression in HCC cells significantly inhibited the tube formation by the human vascular endothelial cells in vitro. The mechanism of this phenomenon was found to be through increasing the mRNA of p65 and enhanced the nuclear accumulation of p65. Consequently, RBM23 activated the NF-κB signaling pathway and promoted expression of the proangiogenic cytokines selectively. Results and Conclusion. In summary, this study revealed that RBM23 promotes the angiogenesis properties of HCC via the NF-κB signaling pathway. It may, therefore, be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.