Dysregulation of SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) expression has been reported in several kinds of cancer, including human colorectal and prostate cancers, proposing SENP1 as an oncogene with a critical role in cancer progression. miR-133a-3p has been reported as a tumor suppressor in several malignant neoplasias.
Taken together, our findings suggest the significance of this positive feedback loop between HIF-1α and SENP1 in contributing to the increased cancer stemness in HCC and hepatocarcinogenesis under hypoxia.
SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) is an important regulation protease in the protein desumoylation, which was shown to have a prooncogenicrole in many types of cancer.
Detectable SENP1 immunostaining was found in 41 % of ERG positive and in 47 % of PTEN deleted cancers but in only 30 % of ERG negative and 30 % of PTEN non-deleted cancers (p < 0.0001 each).