Final Activity Report Summary - ER STRESS AND HCC (Endoplasmic reticulum stress and hepatocellular carcinoma: a new paradigm in tumor growth regulation)
These mechanisms aim to facilitate cell recovery and, to repair when possible, the damages causing the alterations of ER functions. Recently, a link between ER stress and tumour growth and development has been proposed, with in particular the high expression levels of the ER stress target proteins ATF-6 and XBP-1 correlated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the course of this project we have developed the tools to evaluate the activation of the UPR in HCC tissues, identified new molecular complexes potentially involved in the disease and also characterised a modulator of the UPR.