Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 regulates gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration by regulating fatty acid synthase
10.3760/cma.j.cn115396-20250130-00021
- VernacularTitle:泛素特异性蛋白酶38通过调控FASN影响胃癌细胞增殖和迁移
- Author:
Jing ZHANG
1
;
Haiqiao ZHANG
;
Xiaoye LIU
;
Jie YIN
;
Jun CAI
;
Jun ZHANG
;
Zhi ZHENG
Author Information
1. 北京中医药大学房山医院普通外科，北京 102400
- Keywords:
Stomach neoplasms;
Cell proliferation;
Fatty acids;
Cell migration
- From:
International Journal of Surgery
2025;52(5):302-306
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the impact of ubiquitin-specific protease 38 (USP38) on the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells.Methods:Between March and September 2023, tissue samples were collected from 18 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy in the Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, and had complete clinical data. The samples included tumor tissue, adjacent tumor tissue, and normal tissue. Among the patients, there were 12 males and 6 females, aged between 34 and 71 years, with an average age of 62.5 years. The expression levels of USP38 in different tissue samples were validated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The functional significance of USP38 was verified through cell experiments and human tissue samples by knocking down or exogenously overexpressing USP38. Potential molecular mechanisms of USP38 were validated through qRT-PCR, MTT, Transwell, Western blot, mass spectrometry, clone formation assays, and immunoprecipitation. Measurement data with a normal distribution are expressed as the mean±standard deviation ( ± s). Comparisons between groups were performed using a t-test or one-way analysis of variance. Measurement data with a skewed distribution were described as [ M( Q1, Q3)], and comparisons between groups were performed using non-parametric tests. Comparisons between counting data were performed using the chi-squared test or Fisher′s exact probability method, with P<0.05 indicating a statistically significant difference. Results:qRT-PCR confirmed that USP38 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues compared to normal and paratumor tissues. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis identified FASN as a potential downstream target of USP38, and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated a positive correlation between its expression level and USP38. USP38 was highly expressed in the SGC7901, AGS, and HGC27 gastric cancer cell lines. Knockdown of USP38 reduced FASN expression, thereby inhibiting cell proliferation and migration abilities. While the ability of cell proliferation and migration was increased significantly.Conclusions:USP38 is highly expressed in gastric cancer cells and promotes their proliferation and migration, potentially through downstream FASN-mediated fatty acid synthesis.
