Centromere Protein I, a Cell Cycle Checkpoint Gene, Accelerates Tumor Progression via the Hippo Pathway and Mediates Immune Escape in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (IMAGE)
Caption
This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the prognostic significance of CCCRGs in HCC. Notably, our research provides the first mechanistic evidence that CENPI promotes HCC malignant progression through dysregulation of the Hippo pathway, while also revealing its novel role in mediating immune evasion by inhibiting the recruitment of antitumor effector cells, including CD8+ T cells and NK cells, to the tumor microenvironment. Although our findings establish a correlation between CENPI overexpression and impaired immune cell infiltration in HCC, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying CENPI-driven immune suppression remain to be fully elucidated. Future studies should focus on dissecting the upstream regulators of CENPI expression, its interactions with immune checkpoint pathways, and its potential role in shaping the tumor immune landscape through metabolic reprogramming or cytokine modulation. Given its dual role in promoting tumor aggressiveness and facilitating immune escape, CENPI represents a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment. Strategies targeting CENPI, either directly through gene silencing or indirectly via modulation of its regulatory networks, may offer a novel approach to simultaneously inhibit tumor growth and enhance antitumor immunity, potentially improving clinical outcomes for HCC patients.
Credit
Yunfu Cui, Jian Ma
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License
CC BY-NC