Abstract
BACKGROUND: NIMA-related kinase 6 (NEK 6) is over-expressed in some tumor cell lines and tissues. However, its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its correlation with clinical features remain unclear. METHODS: Total RNA from HCC liver tissues, other liver specimens, and hepatic cell lines was extracted and QPCR was adopted to detect NEK6 expression. The correlation between NEK6 expression and the clinical characteristics of HCC was analyzed. Scratch assay, Transwell assay, and tumor-formation assay were used to evaluate the effects of NEK6 on the HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The expression of NEK6 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and HCC cell lines: Li-7 and HepG2. The overexpression of NEK6 was correlated with hepatitis B virus infection and tumor diameter (P = 0.045). When down-regulated the expression of NEK6, both the migration and invasion capabilities of Li-7 and HepG2 cells and the growth of xenograft tumors were suppressed. (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NEK6 expression was up-regulated in HCC and correlated with the progression, suggesting it might be a valuable biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for HCC.