CKLF1 Enhances Inflammation-Mediated Carcinogenesis and Prevents Doxorubicin-Induced Apoptosis via IL6/STAT3 Signaling in HCC

Abstract Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common and deadliest malignancies worldwide, has a poor prognosis, owing to its high potential for vascular invasion and metastasis and the lack of biomarkers for early diagnosis. Thus, it must be a crucial factor for investigating therapeutic strategies for HCC to identify the functional molecular targets. Here, we reported a novel chemokine, CKLF1, that might act as a pivotal modulator in the invasion and metastasis of HCC and could serve as an attractive target for cancer therapy. Experimental Design: Bioinformatics analysis, PCR, Western blotting, and IHC were performed to detect the expression of CKLF1 in HCC. The function of CKLF1 was demonstrated by a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. Pharmacologic treatment, flow cytometry, and Western blotting were carried out to demonstrate the potential mechanisms of CKLF1. Results: We proved that CKLF1 was overexpressed in HCC tissues and was related to tumor stage, vascular invasion, and patient survival. Then, functional assays showed that CKLF1 promoted hepatocellular carcinogenesis and metastatic potential. Finally, the IL6/STAT3 signaling pathway was involved in the mechanistic investigation. The results demonstrated that CKLF1 enhanced the progression of HCC and prevented doxorubicin-induced apoptosis through activating the IL6/STAT3 pathway. Conclusions: These data showed that CKLF1 inhibited apoptosis and promoted malignant transformation through the IL6/STAT3 pathway, and ultimately enhanced the development and metastasis of HCC. Thus, our work revealed that CKLF1 was a significant prognostic factor of HCC and might be a potential molecular therapeutic target for HCC.