TRIM44 is indispensable for glioma cell proliferation and cell cycle progression through AKT/p21/p27 signaling pathway

Purpose Glioma is one of the lethal cancers which needs effective therapeutic target. TRIM44 has been found playing a carcinogenic role in human tumors such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer. However, the pathophysiological significance of TRIM44 in glioma is still unclear. Methods Quantitative-PCR and western blot were used to assess the expression of TRIM44 in glioma cells. For cell proliferation, Brdu incorporation and colony formation assays were performed. By Caspase 3 staining and FACS analysis, we revealed that TRIM44 knockdown induced glioma cell apoptosis. A BALB/c nude mouse xenograft model and following immunohistochemical (IHC) staining enables us to explore the effect of TRIM44 deletion on glioma growth in vivo. Western blot of p21, p27 and AKT indicated the possible role of TRIM44 in regulation AKT pathway in glioma. Results TRIM44 was significantly elevated in glioma cells, and high expression of TRIM44 is related to poor prognostic of glioma patients. TRIM44 knockdown by shRNAs inhibit glioma cell proliferation, migration, induced cell cycle disruption and further cellular apoptosis in vitro. As well, TRIM44 inactivation obviously inhibit tumor growth in xenograft model. Furthermore, the negative cell cycle regulators p21/p27 are significantly upregulated, while AKT which is known as the main regulator of p21/p27 is inactivated in TRIM44-dificient cells. These results suggested that TRIM44 inactivation disrupted cell cycle progression and inhibit cell proliferation through AKT/p21/p27 pathway in glioma. Conclusion TRIM44 was associated with oncogenic potential of glioma. Targeting TRIM44 might be beneficial for glioma therapy.