ZNF677, a potential target in liver cancer, inhibits growth and stemness in hepatoma cells

Liver cancer is a common type of cancer worldwide, with over 90% of cases being hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The discovery of new targets holds promise for improving the prognosis of HCC patients. Zinc finger protein 677 (ZNF677), a member of the Kruppel C2H type 2 zinc finger family, has been implicated in the progression of several tumors. However, its specific role in HCC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of ZNF677 in HCC progression. Our analysis revealed low expression of ZNF677 in HCC, which correlated with patient prognosis. Functionally, ZNF677 suppressed the growth, migration, invasion, and stemness of HCC cells. Additional data confirmed its ability to block the stemness of HCC cells. Mechanistically, ZNF677 achieved these effects by targeting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) axis. In summary, ZNF677 inhibits both growth and stemness in hepatoma cells via modulation of the PI3K/Akt axis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); ZNF677; Prognosis; Stemness; Migration; Invasion; PI3K/Akt pathway

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