TRIP13 Activates the PI3K/AKT Signal Pathway to Promote Melanoma Progression by Interacting With FLNA

Abstract Background: Skin melanoma is a malignant tumor originated from skin melanocytes. It is highly malignant and easy to relapse and metastasis. Finding new diagnostic and therapeutic targets has become a hot issue. Accumulating evidence now indicates that thyroid hormone receptor interactor 13 (TRIP13) plays important roles in tumor development. However, its role in melanoma remains unclear.Methods: Bioinformatic analyses were employed to excavate crucial genes in melanoma using several public databases. The expression of TRIP13 was detected by immunohistochemistry. MV3 cell and A2058 cell were steadily transfected with TRIP13 knock-down or overexpression lentiviruses, then the function and potential mechanism of TRIP13 were studied in vitro and in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and mass spectrum were employed to screen out the interacting molecule of TRIP13.Results: Our results showed that TRIP13 was generally upregulated in melanoma tissues and was related to the poor prognosis of melanoma patients. The overexpression of TRIP13 promotes the invasion, migration and EMT transformation of melanoma cells in vitro, and promotes lung metastasis in vivo. Mechanismly, TRIP13 interacts with FLNA, and activates the PI3K/AKT pathway, and then induces melanoma migration, invasion and EMT transformation.Conclusion: Elevated TRIP13 drives tumor progression via the FLNA/PI3K/AKT axis, and TRIP13 is a innovative prognostic molecule and potential target of targeted therapy in melanoma.