MRTO4 Enhances Glycolysis to Facilitate HCC Progression by Inhibiting ALDOB

BACKGROUND MRT4 Homolog, Ribosome Maturation Factor (MRTO4) is often upregulated in cancer cells. However, its impact in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is less well understood. Herein, we explored the prognostic and energy metabolism reprogramming role of MRTO4 in HCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the expression of MRTO4 in clinical samples was analyzed. The association between different variables and overall survival (OS) was studied, as well as their potential as independent prognostic factors, using Cox regression analysis. We constructed a nomogram including clinical pathological variables and MRTO4 expression to provide a predictive model for prognosis. Heatmaps, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed the relationship between energy metabolism pathways and MRTO4. We used classic molecular biology research methods, including RT-qPCR, Western blotting, CCK8, TUNEL, Clone formation, Transwell assay, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry, to study the role of MRTO4 in promoting the progression of HCC through glycolysis regulation. RESULTS Our study showed that MRTO4 is an independent prognostic risk factor for HCC and that MRTO4 accelerates glycolysis of HCC cells, promotes proliferation and invasion, and suppresses apoptosis of HCC cells. The underlying mechanism involves MRTO4 promoting glycolysis and accelerating HCC by inhibiting ALDOB. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed a novel mechanism by which MRTO4 promotes glycolysis and accelerates HCC progression, and suggests that inhibiting MRTO4 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC.