Knockdown of integrin subunit α 7 inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and promotes apoptosis via downregulating FAK/PI3K signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background The study aimed to explore the effect of integrin subunit α 7 (ITGA7) knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and regulation of FAK/PI3K pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods ITGA7 mRNA and protein expressions were detected in HCC tumor tissues, adjacent tissues, HCC cell lines (including: Hep G2, BEL-7402, SMMC-7721, Huh-7 cell lines) and human liver epithelial cell line (THLE-3). The effect of ITGA7 knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, expressions of FAK and PI3K were detected after transfection of ITGA7 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and control siRNA into Huh-7 cells.Results ITGA7 was upregulated in HCC tumor tissues compared with adjacent tissues, and increased in Hep G2, SMMC-7721 and Huh-7 cell lines while unchanged in BEL-7402 cell line compared with THLE-3 cell line. As for cell activities, ITGA7 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, invasion but promoted apoptosis in Huh-7 cells. In addition, ITGA7 knockdown decreased the expressions of FAK and PI3K in Huh-7 cells, implying that ITGA7 knockdown might reduce HCC progression via inhibition of FAK/PI3K pathway in HCC.Conclusions ITGA7 is upregulated, and its knockdown inhibits cell proliferation, invasion but promotes apoptosis via suppression of FAK/PI3K signaling pathway in HCC, which implies that ITGA7 might serve as a potential treatment target for HCC.