ASAP1 promotes extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vitro and in vivo

This study sought to identify the relationship between ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein (ASAP1) expression and clinical outcomes in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) patients. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the expression of ASAP1 in cholangiocarcinoma (CC) tissue samples and cell lines. The survival rate and clinicopathological characteristics of CC patients were also examined. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays were used to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cell cycle distribution. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that ASAP1 knockdown decreased cell proliferation, inhibited cell cycle progression, and increased apoptosis. ASAP1 regulates Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in CC, promoting cell migration, and invasion in culture; and promotes tumor development in vivo. ASAP1 plays a key role in EHCC tumor development and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for EHCC.