International Journal of Molecular and Cellular Medicine (IJMCM)

Transforming growth factor-beta/transforming growth factor-beta receptor (TGF-β/TBR) relates to a family of proteins containing TGF-β, cytokines, and activins/inhibins. The signaling pathway of the Hippo regulates the size of organs. There is a kinase cascade in the center of this pathway from the tumor suppressor Hippo (Mst-1 and Mst-2 within the body of mammals) to the oncoprotein Yki (TAZ and YAP within the body of mammals), which is a coactivator that transcript target genes and contributes in cell survival and proliferation.  The main objective of the present study is to provide a detailed comprehension of the role of TGF-β/TBR in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and the potential consequences of their use in cancer treatment. The present study examined the expression of key proteins of the Hippo pathway in HCC cells treated with TGF-β proteins and their correlation with the Hippo signaling pathway (HSP). One important achievement of this study was to reveal the significant inhibitory role of the HSP in the growth of HCC cells through TGF-β proteins. Both Yes‑associated protein (YAP) and large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) were correlated with HCC cells. In the HSP, LATS1 plays as an upstream inhibitory agent of YAP. Nucleus-cytoplasm translocation of YAP1 and overexpression of LATS1 occurred in HCC cells treated with TGF-β. The nucleocytoplasmic distribution of YAP1 and overexpression of LATS1 have anti-oncogenetic roles in the incidence and progression of HCC.