LINC01468 drives NAFLD-HCC progression through CUL4A-linked degradation of SHIP2

Accumulating evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are deregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and play a role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the current understanding of the role of lncRNAs in NAFLD-associated HCC is limited. In this study, transcriptomic profiling analysis of three paired human liver samples from patients with NAFLD-driven HCC and adjacent samples showed that LINC01468 expression was significantly upregulated. In vitro and in vivo gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that LINC01468 promotes the proliferation of HCC cells through lipogenesis. Mechanistically, LINC01468 binds SHIP2 and promotes cullin 4 A (CUL4A)-linked ubiquitin degradation, thereby activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, resulting in the promotion of de novo lipid biosynthesis and HCC progression. Importantly, the SHIP2 inhibitor reversed the sorafenib resistance induced by LINC01468 overexpression. Moreover, ALKBH5-mediated N(6)-methyladenosine (m(6)A) modification led to stabilization and upregulation of LINC01468 RNA. Taken together, the findings indicated a novel mechanism by which LINC01468-mediated lipogenesis promotes HCC progression through CUL4A-linked degradation of SHIP2. LINC01468 acts as a driver of HCC progression from NAFLD, highlights the potential of the LINC01468-SHIP2 axis as a therapeutic target for HCC.