Dermcidin Enhances the Migration, Invasion, and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract

Background and Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common primary liver neoplasm with high mortality. Dermcidin (DCD), an antimicrobial peptide, has been re-ported to participate in oncogenesis. This study assessed the effects and underlying molecular events of DCD overex-pression and knockdown on the regulation of HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The serum DCD level was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. DCD overexpression, knockdown, and Ras-related C3 botu-linum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) rescue were performed in SK-HEP-1 cells using plasmids. Immunofluorescence stain-ing, quantitative PCR, and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of different genes and proteins. Dif-ferences in HCC cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell migration and invasion assays. A nude mouse HCC cell orthotopic model was employed to verify the in vitro data. Results: The level of serum DCD was higher in patients with HCC and in SK-HEP-1 cells. DCD overexpres-sion caused upregulation of DCD, fibronectin, Rac1, and cell division control protein 42 homologue (Cdc42) mRNA and proteins as well as actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) protein (but reduced Arp2/3 mRNA levels) and activated Rac1 and Cdc42. Phenotypically, DCD overexpression induced HCC cell migration and invasion in vitro, whereas knockout of DCD expression had the opposite effects. A Rac1 rescue experiment in DCD-knockdown HCC cells increased HCC cell migration and invasion and increased the levels of active Rac1/total Rac1, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome family protein (WASP), Arp2/3, and fibronectin. DCD overexpression induced HCC cell metastasis to the abdomen and liver in vivo. Conclusions: DCD promotes HCC cell migration, invasion, and metastasis through upregulation of noncatalytic region of tyrosine kinase adaptor protein 1 (Nck1), Rac1, Cdc42, WASP, and Arp2/3, which induce actin cytoskeletal remodeling and fibronectin-mediated cell adhesion in HCC cells.