Polo-like kinase 1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical significance and its potential as a therapeutic target

Abstract

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays important roles in the progression of cell cycle, especially for cells to transit from anaphase to telophase during mitosis. This study showed PLK1 was overexpressed frequently in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Significant anti-proliferative effect in a human hepatoma cell line Huh-7 that overexpressed PLK1 was observed when PLK1 gene expression was silenced with short interfering RNA (siRNA). Silencing of PLK1 gene expression also induced caspase-independent apoptosis pathway in Huh-7 with endonuclease G identified as the potential main apoptotic effector. The therapeutic potential of PLK1 was further examined in nude mice that were transplanted subcutaneously with Huh-7 in matrigel. Intratumor injection of siRNA targeted at PLK1 had successfully impeded the tumor growth. In conclusion, PLK1 is overexpressed in HCC and silencing of PLK1 gene expression produces anti-tumor effects that make PLK1 to be the potential therapeutic target in the treatment of HCC.