The survival of HCC patients after

resection remains poor, mainly attributing to frequent metastases and recurrence [2]. Recently, plenty of researches have performed to explore mechanisms underlying the initiation, propagation and development of HCC [3,4]. However, the complexity of HCC need further hypothesis-drove researches to be exerted. Dysfunction of the cellular transport machinery is commonly observed in multiple cancers including HCC [5]. Although some molecules are able to diffuse through the large Nucleus Pore Complexes (NPCs) in the nucleus membrane, factors larger than 45 kDa including that associated with malignant diseases need to be mediated by karyopherin to import into the nucleus [6]. Karyopherin alpha 2 (KPNA2) is one of learn more karyopherin a family, and could form heterodimer with Karyopherin 1 to promote nucleus protein import as an adapter protein [7]. Recent studies have illustrated that KPNA2 might be a critical oncogene and a potential prognostic biomarker in malignant diseases including HCC [8–11]. Furthermore, this website KPNA2 knock-down could significantly inhibit HCC proliferation [12]. But till now, the mechanistic evidence of KPNA2 in HCC

was obscure and deserved to be explored. Transcriptional factors are widely involved in cancers and are bound to be enriched in nucleus. It raised the hypothesis that KPNA2 might affect cancer cells through the translocation of cancer-associated transcriptional factors. Previous report has indicated the direct association of KPNA2 with a zinc-finger transcription factors pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) by the yeast two-hybrid system [13], suggesting PLAG1 might be one of critical mediators of KPNA2 effects in malignant diseases. PLAG1 was identified as a candidate oncogene in various malignant cancers. Recent report illustrated the over-expression of PLAG1 in hepatoblastoma, suggesting a potential role of PLAG1 in liver malignant disease [14]. Besides, insulin-like old growth factor

2 (IGF-II), cellular retinoic acid binding protein (CRABP2) and cytokine receptor-like factor 1 (CRLF1), which are confirmed targets of PLAG1, might be involved in pathological process of HCC [15,16]. However, whether KPNA2 might associate with PLAG1 and assist PLAG1 nucleus import to activate downstream effectors in HCC remains unclassified. Here, we explored the functional interaction of KPNA2 with PLAG1 and the clinical significance of the mechanism in HCC. Methods Clinical specimens and follow-up The study protocol was approved by the clinical research ethics committee of Second Military Medical University (Shanghai, China). Written informed consent was obtained from all patients according to the policies of the committee. Information that could identify the patients was not included in this article. The tissue microarray (TMA) were constructed as described previously [17]. Tumoral and corresponding non-tumoral tissues are separately deposed in different slices.