Oncogenic Serine-Threonine Kinase Receptor Associated Protein Supports Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Growth by Enhancing Wnt/β-catenin Signaling

Serine-threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) is upregulated in breast, colorectal and lung cancers, promoting their growth. We identify the upregulation of STRAP in hepatocellular carcinomas. Elevated STRAP endows tumor cells with growth advantage by reprograming a variety of metabolic processes and signaling pathways critical for hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Especially, enhanced Wnt/β-catenin signaling is likely to be a major effector of its tumor-promoting role. mRNA profiles of STRAP knock-out (KO) and control (CON) hepatocellular carcinoma cells were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate.