DLC1 is a chromosome 8p tumor suppressor whose loss promotes hepatocellular carcinoma

W Xue, A Krasnitz, R Lucito, R Sordella… - Genes & …, 2008 - genesdev.cshlp.org
W Xue, A Krasnitz, R Lucito, R Sordella, L VanAelst, C Cordon-Cardo, S Singer, F Kuehnel…
Genes & development, 2008genesdev.cshlp.org
Deletions on chromosome 8p are common in human tumors, suggesting that one or more
tumor suppressor genes reside in this region. Deleted in Liver Cancer 1 (DLC1) encodes a
Rho-GTPase activating protein and is a candidate 8p tumor suppressor. We show that DLC1
knockdown cooperates with Myc to promote hepatocellular carcinoma in mice, and that
reintroduction of wild-type DLC1 into hepatoma cells with low DLC1 levels suppresses
tumor growth in situ. Cells with reduced DLC1 protein contain increased GTP-bound RhoA …
Deletions on chromosome 8p are common in human tumors, suggesting that one or more tumor suppressor genes reside in this region. Deleted in Liver Cancer 1 (DLC1) encodes a Rho-GTPase activating protein and is a candidate 8p tumor suppressor. We show that DLC1 knockdown cooperates with Myc to promote hepatocellular carcinoma in mice, and that reintroduction of wild-type DLC1 into hepatoma cells with low DLC1 levels suppresses tumor growth in situ. Cells with reduced DLC1 protein contain increased GTP-bound RhoA, and enforced expression a constitutively activated RhoA allele mimics DLC1 loss in promoting hepatocellular carcinogenesis. Conversely, down-regulation of RhoA selectively inhibits tumor growth of hepatoma cells with disabled DLC1. Our data validate DLC1 as a potent tumor suppressor gene and suggest that its loss creates a dependence on the RhoA pathway that may be targeted therapeutically.
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