Cells
UBQLN4 Is a Prognostic Biomarker in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma That Is Associated with Cisplatin Resistance
By Abe K, Chong K, Abe Y and 10 others.
Abstract
Background
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is an aggressive biliary tract malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Platinum-based drugs are one of the major therapies; however, resistance remains a major therapeutic challenge. Ubiquilin-4 (UBQLN4), a ubiquitin-binding protein implicated in cancer progression and DNA damage responses, is located at chromosome 1q22, a region recurrently amplified in several cancers. We investigated the clinical and functional relevance of UBQLN4 in iCCA.
Methods
Public datasets (TCGA-CHOL and GSE107943) were analyzed to identify genomic alterations and UBQLN4 expression in iCCA. UBQLN4 mRNA expression was evaluated in an independent clinical cohort and correlated with patient outcomes. Functional studies using iCCA cell lines and three-dimensional spheroid models examined the role of UBQLN4 in cisplatin resistance.