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Targeting Epha2 In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Uncovering Its Therapeutic Potential And Beyond, Hao Wang

Dissertations

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. One major obstacle to treatment is a lack of effective molecular-targeted therapies. Here, we identify EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase as a clinically relevant target for HCC. EphA2 expression and signaling is enriched in human HCC and associates with poor prognosis. Loss of EphA2 suppressed the initiation and growth of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, CRISPR/CAS9 mediated EphA2 inhibition significantly delayed tumor development in a genetically-engineered murine model of HCC. Mechanistically, we discovered that targeting EphA2 simultaneously suppresses both JAK1/STAT3 and AKT signaling, two separate oncogenic pathways in HCC. …