Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41329937›Full record

ArticleHepatology (Baltimore, Md.)2025

Targeting mTORC2-dependent AKT/FOXO1/RNF125 signaling exploits a therapeutic vulnerability in c-MET-activated and β-catenin-mutated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Xue Wang, Yi Zhou, Shu Zhang, Christine Farrar, Xuemei Xie, Jiaheng Li, Sophia M Zhang, Zheng Zhang, Andrew Yonemura, Jonathan Toshio Haynes and 13 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

23 authors.

Xue WangCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.ORCID 0009-0009-4148-0788
Yi ZhouDepartment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Shu ZhangDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Christine FarrarCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Xuemei XieCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Jiaheng LiCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Sophia M ZhangCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Zheng ZhangDivision of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Andrew YonemuraCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Jonathan Toshio HaynesCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Xuping FengDivision of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Runze ShangDepartment of General Surgery, Affiliated Strait Hospital of Huaqiao University, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, China.
Zhong XuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Yanhui WuCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Yu QiaoCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Guofei CuiCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Weiting LiaoCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Rong LiDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Diego F CalvisiInstitute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Shuxing ZhangCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Meng XuCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Xin ChenCancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Haichuan WangDivision of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Funding

Investigating Multifactorial Beta-catenin Activation in Hepatocellular CancersR01CA250227 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Xin Chen, Satdarshan Singh Monga · 2021 to 2026
$3.0M
Signaling pathways during hepatocarcinogenesisR01CA239251 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · PI CHEN, XIN · 2020 to 2024
$1.8M
Human Liver Tissue & Hepatocytes Research Resource (HLTHRR)R24DK139775 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI DAVID A GELLER, Satdarshan Singh Monga · 2024 to 2026
$1.4M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA239251NCI NIH HHS R01 CA250227NIDDK NIH HHS R24 DK139775
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsApproximately 10% of human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) exhibit concurrent c-MET activation and β-catenin gain-of-function mutations, representing a clinically relevant HCC subtype. This study aimed to investigate the role of mTORC2/AKT signaling in this subtype and identify potential therapeutic targets. APPROACH AND

resultsThe mTORC2/AKT cascade was activated in c-Met/β-cateninΔ90 HCC lesions. Genetic ablation of Rictor , the essential mTORC2 subunit, strongly suppressed c-Met/β-cateninΔ90 -dependent hepatocarcinogenesis. Mechanistically, both the TSC2/mTORC1 axis and FOXO1 transcription factors functioned as critical downstream effectors of mTORC2/AKT in this model. We further identified RNF125 as a direct transcriptional target of FOXO1. RNF125 overexpression significantly inhibited tumorigenesis in the c-Met/β-cateninΔ90 model and suppressed liver cancer cell growth in vitro. Notably, using an in vivo doxycycline-inducible system, we found that inducing RNF125 expression in established c-Met/β-cateninΔ90 HCC suppressed tumor progression, suggesting that activation of RNF125 may have translational implications for HCC treatment.

conclusionsOur study, for the first time, established the mTORC2/AKT/FOXO1/RNF125 axis as a critical driver and therapeutic vulnerability in c-MET-activated/β-catenin-mutated HCC. Our study filled a critical gap by defining the tumor-suppressive role of FOXO1 specifically in this HCC subtype. Furthermore, our results positioned RNF125 as a promising therapeutic target for this aggressive HCC subtype.

Indexed as

AKT signalingc-METhepatocellular carcinomasRNF125targeted therapyβ-catenin

Identifiers

PMID41329937
PMCPMC13071151

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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.