Fli-1 promotes metastasis by regulating MMP2 signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Friend leukemia virus integration 1 (Fli-1) is a newly identified ETS protein, and has critical roles in many malignancies. However, the physiological characters and potential mechanisms of Fli-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remains unclear. In the present study, Fli-1 was highly expressed in HCC samples and tumor cell lines. knockdown of Fli-1 with small interfering (si)RNAs significantly reduced the colony formation and metastasis capacity of HCC cell lines in vitro. Subsequent investigation identified that Fli-1 functioned as an oncogene in HCC carcinogenesis and it exerted its promoting metastatic effect primarily by modulating the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 signaling pathway. Collectively, these data provide a novel insight into the mechanism of Fli-1/MMP2 signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of HCC, and Fli-1 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for HCC.