CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling

Abstract CD146 plays a key role in cancer progression and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation, drug resistance, metastasis, and recurrence. In this study, we explored the role of CD146 in the regulation of liver CSCs. Here, we demonstrated that CD146 was highly...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bing Yan, QiuYu Lu, TianMing Gao, KunQing Xiao, QianNi Zong, HongWei Lv, GuiShuai Lv, Liang Wang, ChunYing Liu, Wen Yang, GuoQing Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07470-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850252406708764672
author Bing Yan
QiuYu Lu
TianMing Gao
KunQing Xiao
QianNi Zong
HongWei Lv
GuiShuai Lv
Liang Wang
ChunYing Liu
Wen Yang
GuoQing Jiang
author_facet Bing Yan
QiuYu Lu
TianMing Gao
KunQing Xiao
QianNi Zong
HongWei Lv
GuiShuai Lv
Liang Wang
ChunYing Liu
Wen Yang
GuoQing Jiang
author_sort Bing Yan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract CD146 plays a key role in cancer progression and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation, drug resistance, metastasis, and recurrence. In this study, we explored the role of CD146 in the regulation of liver CSCs. Here, we demonstrated that CD146 was highly expressed in liver CSCs. CD146 overexpression promoted the self-renewal ability and chemoresistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Inversely, knockdown of CD146 restrained these abilities. Mechanistically, CD146 activated the NF-κB signaling to up-regulate JAG2 expression and activated the Notch signaling, which resulted in increased stemness of HCC. Furthermore, JAG2 overexpression restored the Notch signaling activity, the stemness, and chemotherapeutic resistance caused by CD146 knockdown. These results demonstrated that CD146 positively regulates HCC stemness by activating the JAG2-NOTCH signaling. Combined targeting of CD146 and JAG2 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-6ed08fe1a19345288c3b3dc4c1d4a2f7
institution OA Journals
issn 2041-4889
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Cell Death and Disease
spelling doaj-art-6ed08fe1a19345288c3b3dc4c1d4a2f72025-08-20T01:57:40ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-03-0116111210.1038/s41419-025-07470-xCD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signalingBing Yan0QiuYu Lu1TianMing Gao2KunQing Xiao3QianNi Zong4HongWei Lv5GuiShuai Lv6Liang Wang7ChunYing Liu8Wen Yang9GuoQing Jiang10Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s HospitalInternational Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s HospitalDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s HospitalInternational Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University)Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s HospitalAbstract CD146 plays a key role in cancer progression and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation, drug resistance, metastasis, and recurrence. In this study, we explored the role of CD146 in the regulation of liver CSCs. Here, we demonstrated that CD146 was highly expressed in liver CSCs. CD146 overexpression promoted the self-renewal ability and chemoresistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Inversely, knockdown of CD146 restrained these abilities. Mechanistically, CD146 activated the NF-κB signaling to up-regulate JAG2 expression and activated the Notch signaling, which resulted in increased stemness of HCC. Furthermore, JAG2 overexpression restored the Notch signaling activity, the stemness, and chemotherapeutic resistance caused by CD146 knockdown. These results demonstrated that CD146 positively regulates HCC stemness by activating the JAG2-NOTCH signaling. Combined targeting of CD146 and JAG2 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07470-x
spellingShingle Bing Yan
QiuYu Lu
TianMing Gao
KunQing Xiao
QianNi Zong
HongWei Lv
GuiShuai Lv
Liang Wang
ChunYing Liu
Wen Yang
GuoQing Jiang
CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
Cell Death and Disease
title CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
title_full CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
title_fullStr CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
title_full_unstemmed CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
title_short CD146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via JAG2-NOTCH signaling
title_sort cd146 regulates the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma via jag2 notch signaling
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07470-x
work_keys_str_mv AT bingyan cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT qiuyulu cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT tianminggao cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT kunqingxiao cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT qiannizong cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT hongweilv cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT guishuailv cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT liangwang cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT chunyingliu cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT wenyang cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling
AT guoqingjiang cd146regulatesthestemnessandchemoresistanceofhepatocellularcarcinomaviajag2notchsignaling