Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 27, 2025

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues
08:40

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues

Published on: October 31, 2016

8.7K

STEAP4 promoter methylation correlates with tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Yijie Tang1, Yingda Wang2, Xiaodong Xu3

  • 1Department of General Surgery, Nantong Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China; Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.

Pathology, Research and Practice
|April 7, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

STEAP4 acts as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its reduced expression, driven by promoter hypermethylation, inhibits cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, offering a potential therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Genetics

Background:

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis requires novel therapeutic targets.
  • Identifying key genes in HCC development is crucial for effective cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of STEAP4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development.
  • To determine if STEAP4 functions as a tumor suppressor or oncogene in HCC.
  • To explore the regulatory mechanisms, including DNA methylation, controlling STEAP4 expression in HCC.

Main Methods:

  • RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on GSE54503 and TCGA datasets to identify STEAP4.
  • Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to measure STEAP4 mRNA levels.
  • Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) to assess DNA methylation.
  • In vivo experiments to evaluate STEAP4's effect on tumorigenesis.
  • Treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC), a demethylating agent, to study methylation's functional impact.

Main Results:

  • STEAP4 expression was significantly reduced in HCC tissues compared to normal tissues.
  • Promoter region hypermethylation was strongly correlated with the downregulation of STEAP4 mRNA.
  • Overexpression of STEAP4 suppressed HCC cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo.
  • Demethylation using 5-Aza-dC treatment led to the re-expression of STEAP4.
  • STEAP4 exerted its tumor-suppressive effects by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Conclusions:

  • STEAP4 functions as a tumor suppressor gene in hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • Hypermethylation of the STEAP4 promoter is a key mechanism driving its downregulation and contributing to HCC progression.
  • Targeting STEAP4 or demethylation pathways may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC.
Keywords:
Hepatocellular carcinomaMethylationProgressionSTEAP4

More Related Videos

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images09:42

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

9.8K
Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer07:50

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Published on: September 18, 2020

5.7K

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
3.2K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.9K
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
14.1K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells01:06

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic...
4.4K
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
7.2K