ZNF498 promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis by suppressing p53-mediated apoptosis and ferroptosis via the attenuation of p53 Ser46 phosphorylation

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional p53 signaling is one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis and development, but the mechanisms underlying p53 inactivation in HCC have not been fully clarified. The role of Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-type zinc-finger protein ZNF498 in tumorigenesis and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. METHODS: Clinical HCC samples were used to assess the association of ZNF498 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and patient outcomes. A mouse model in which HCC was induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was used to explore the role of ZNF498 in HCC initiation and progression. ZNF498 overexpression and knockdown HCC cell lines were employed to examine the effects of ZNF498 on cellular proliferation, apoptosis, ferroptosis and tumor growth. Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, qPCR, luciferase assays and flow cytometry were also conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms related to ZNF498 function. RESULTS: ZNF498 was found to be highly expressed in HCC, and increased ZNF498 expression was positively correlated with advanced pathological grade and poor survival in HCC patients. Furthermore, ZNF498 promoted DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and progression in mice. Mechanistically, ZNF498 directly interacted with p53 and suppressed p53 transcriptional activation by inhibiting p53 Ser46 phosphorylation. ZNF498 competed with p53INP1 for p53 binding and suppressed PKCδ- and p53INP1-mediated p53 Ser46 phosphorylation. In addition, functional assays revealed that ZNF498 promoted liver cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, ZNF498 inhibited p53-mediated apoptosis and ferroptosis by attenuating p53 Ser46 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results strongly suggest that ZNF498 suppresses apoptosis and ferroptosis by attenuating p53 Ser46 phosphorylation in hepatocellular carcinogenesis, revealing a novel ZNF498-PKCδ-p53INP1-p53 axis in HCC cells that would enrich the non-mutation p53-inactivating mechanisms in HCC. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02288-3.