TATA-box binding protein associated factor 2 (TAF2) in… : Hepatology
has not been documented. We identified TAF2 mRNA and protein overexpression in human HCC cells and tissue samples, compared to their normal counterparts. A significant negative correlation between TAF2 levels and overall survival of HCC patients was observed. The role of TAF2 in HCC regulation was examined using a hepatocyte-specific conditional knockout mouse (Taf2ΔHEP), TAF2 knockdown and overexpressing human HCC cells, and TAF2 overexpression in mouse liver by hydrodynamic approach. As a core component of basal transcription machinery, TAF2 is required for hepatocyte survival. As such, in Taf2ΔHEP mice there were hepatocyte death and compensatory proliferation, contributing to an inflammatory/fibrotic milieu favoring HCC. Accordingly, N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)/high fat high sugar diet-induced HCC was robustly augmented in Taf2ΔHEP mice compared to their wild-type littermates. TAF2 overexpression in mouse liver did not lead to tumor development, but significantly augmented HCC that
