LPCAT1 functions as an oncogene in cervical cancer through mediating JAK2/STAT3 signaling

• Published in: Experimental cell research 2022-12, Vol.421 (1), p.113360-113360, Article 113360
• Main Authors: Gao, Fufeng, Chen, Jinlong, Zhang, Tingting, Liu, Naifu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase - genetics; 1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase - metabolism; Animals; Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - genetics; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Cervical cancer; EMT; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition - genetics; Female; Humans; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; JAK2/STAT3; Janus Kinase 2 - genetics; Janus Kinase 2 - metabolism; LPCAT1; Mice; Oncogene Proteins; Oncogenes; Phosphatidylcholines; Signal Transduction - genetics; STAT3 Transcription Factor - genetics; STAT3 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113360

Cervical cancer is a major gynecological tumor worldwide. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms involved in cervical cancer tumorigenesis still requires more clarification. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1), an enzyme involved in phosphatidylcholine metabolism, has been reported to regulate the proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and recurrence of malignancies. Here in our study, we found that LPAT1 was over-expressed in clinical cervical cancer tissues, and its high expression was closely correlated with poor outcomes of patients. We further showed that LPCAT1 knockdown remarkably restrained the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells, while it significantly induced apoptosis. RNA-seq and bioinformatics assays initially showed that interleukin-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL-6/STAT3) pathway was a key mechanism for LPCAT1 to regulate cervical cancer progression. LPCAT1 silence strongly decreased IL-6, p-Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and p-STAT3 expression levels in cervical cancer cells. Similarly, the expression levels of IL-6/STAT3 target genes were also highly down-regulated in cervical cancer cells with LPCAT1 deletion. Importantly, we found that human recombinant IL-6 addition considerably abolished the function of LPCAT1-knockdown to suppress the proliferation and EMT process in cervical cancer cells, accompanied with mitigated apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, our animal experiment results validated that stable LPCAT1 deletion efficiently reduced the tumor growth rates of xenograft mouse models and lung metastasis in vivo. Collectively, all our findings revealed that LPCAT1 may be a promising alternative prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cervical cancer through regulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. [Display omitted] •LPCAT1 is up-regulated in cervical cancer.•LPCAT1 silence induces cell death and inhibits EMT process in cervical cancer.•LPCAT1 promotes the transcription of IL-6/STAT3 target genes in cervical cancer cells.•LPCAT1 promotes cervical cancer growth by regulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling in vitro and in vivo.