Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34537070›Full record

ArticleCancer cell international2021

Gly-tRF enhances LCSC-like properties and promotes HCC cells migration by targeting NDFIP2.

Yongqiang Zhou, Jinjing Hu, Lu Liu, Mengchao Yan, Qiyu Zhang, Xiaojing Song, Yan Lin, Dan Zhu, Yongjian Wei, Zongli Fu and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer cell international, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 36 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
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  8. The Roles of tRNA-Derived Fragments in Cancer: Updates and Perspectives.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
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  18. The mCell death & disease · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Yongqiang Zhou *The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Jinjing Hu *Gansu Province Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Lu LiuThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Mengchao YanThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Qiyu ZhangThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Xiaojing SongThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Yan LinThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Dan ZhuThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Yongjian WeiThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Zongli FuThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Liming HuSchool of Life Science of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Yue ChenThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Xun LiThe First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. lix@lzu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6862-7692
Lanzhou University · CNFirst Hospital of Lanzhou University · CN

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82060119
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccumulating evidence demonstrates that tRFs (tRNA-derived small RNA fragments) and tiRNAs (tRNA-derived stress-induced RNA), an emerging category of regulatory RNA molecules derived from transfer RNAs (tRNAs), are dysregulated in in various human cancer types and play crucial roles. However, their roles and mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are still unknown.

methodsThe expression of glycine tRNA-derived fragment (Gly-tRF) was measured by qRT-PCR. Flow cytometric analysis and sphere formation assays were used to determine the properties of LCSCs. Transwell assays and scratch wound assays were performed to detect HCC cell migration. Western blotting was conducted to evaluate the abundance change of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins. Dual luciferase reporter assays and signalling pathway analysis were performed to explore the underlying mechanism of Gly-tRF functions.

resultsGly-tRF was highly expressed in HCC cell lines and tumour tissues. Gly-tRF mimic increased the LCSC subpopulation proportion and LCSC-like cell properties. Gly-tRF mimic promoted HCC cell migration and EMT. Loss of Gly-tRF inhibited HCC cell migration and EMT. Mechanistically, Gly-tRF decreased the level of NDFIP2 mRNA by binding to the NDFIP2 mRNA 3' UTR. Importantly, overexpression of NDFIP2 weakened the promotive effects of Gly-tRF on LCSC-like cell sphere formation and HCC cell migration. Signalling pathway analysis showed that Gly-tRF increased the abundance of phosphorylated AKT.

conclusionsGly-tRF enhances LCSC-like cell properties and promotes EMT by targeting NDFIP2 and activating the AKT signalling pathway. Gly-tRF plays tumor-promoting role in HCC and may lead to a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Indexed as

AKTEMTHepatocellular carcinomaLiver cancer stem cellsNDFIP2tRNA-derived fragments

Identifiers

PMID34537070
PMCPMC8449465
OpenAlexW3200290402

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.