SnoRD126 promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through transcriptional regulation of FGFR2 activation in combination with hnRNPK.

Liver cancer is the sixth most common malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary type of liver cancer. Small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) dysfunctions have been associated with cancer development. SnoRD126 is an orphan C/D box snoRNA. How snoRD126 activates the PI3K-AKT pathway, and which domain of snoRD126 exerts its oncogenic function was heretofore completely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that snoRD126 binds to hnRNPK protein to regulate FGFR2 expression and activate the PI3K-AKT pathway. Importantly, we identified the critical domain of snoRD126 responsible for its cancer-promoting functions. Our study further confirms the role of snoRD126 in the progression of HCC and suggests that knockdown snoRD126 may be of potential value as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of HCC.