Hematological and neurological expressed 1 (HN1) activates c-Myc signaling by inhibiting ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation of c-Myc in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis due to the usually advanced stage at diagnosis. Sustained activation of the MYC oncogene is implicated in the development of HCC; however, the molecular mechanisms of MYC deregulation in HCC are poorly understood. Here, real-time PCR and western blotting were used to measure the expression of hematological and neurological expressed 1 (HN1) in HCC cells. Expression of HN1 and MYC in clinical specimens was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The role of HN1 in HCC proliferation, migration, and invasion was explored in vitro and in vivo. MYC expression was measured using real-time PCR and western blotting. MYC transcriptional activity was assessed using a luciferase reporter system. Expression of MYC target genes was quantified using real-time PCR. Protein interaction between MYC and HN1 was assessed using co-immunoprecipitation and western blotting. We identified HN1 as a novel regulatory factor of the glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β-MYC axis. HN1 expression is elevated in liver tumor tissues and cells, and significantly correlates with poor survival in HCC patients. Upregulation of HN1 promotes, and silencing of HN1 represses, the proliferation and metastasis of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, our results demonstrate that HN1 sustains stabilization and persistent activity of MYC via interaction with GSK3β in HCC. Importantly, the tumor-promoting effects of HN1 on HCC cells were attenuated by suppressing MYC. In conclusion, constitutive activation of MYC by HN1 promotes the progression of HCC; therefore, HN1 might be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.