Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41858922›Full record

ReviewJournal of hepatocellular carcinoma2026

TRIM21 as a Context-Dependent Regulator in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Integrating Etiological Landscapes (HBV/NASH) with Core Tumor Progression Mechanisms.

Jiatong Sun, Zixuan Gao, Yuanhao Li, Jiajun Gao, Peiyin Wang, Yibo Qin, Yanru Chen, Ruihong Zhang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of hepatocellular carcinoma, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jiatong SunKey Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Zixuan GaoClinical Medicine (5+3 Integrated Bachelor-Master Program), Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People's Republic of China.
Yuanhao LiSchool of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
Jiajun GaoKey Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Peiyin WangKey Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Yibo QinKey Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0009-0003-1238-1971
Yanru ChenLiver Transplantation Center, Clinical Research Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, People's Republic of China.
Ruihong ZhangKey Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), an E3 ubiquitin ligase of the TRIM superfamily, modulates critical cellular processes including ubiquitination, autophagy, and oxidative stress response. Accumulating evidence highlights its context-dependent regulatory roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-the most prevalent primary liver malignancy with high mortality and limited therapeutic efficacy. This review systematically summarizes the core mechanisms by which TRIM21 orchestrates HCC progression: ① Autophagy regulation: TRIM21 modulates HCC autophagy via multiple axes, including CCR4-NOT complex (TNKS1BP1/CNOT4)-mediated substrate ubiquitination, ATG14-dependent autophagosome initiation, and RETREG1-driven reticulophagy, with context-dependent effects on tumor proliferation. ② Drug resistance: TRIM21 enhances oxaliplatin sensitivity by ubiquitinating and degrading G6PD (the rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway), while its role in sorafenib resistance involves dual pathways-the MST1/YAP axis and the ApoE/cholesterol/PI3K-AKT cascade. ③ Metastasis suppression: TRIM21 restricts HCC invasion and metastasis by ubiquitinating key oncoproteins, preserving epithelial integrity and inhibiting mesenchymal transition. ④ Reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance: TRIM21 regulates oxidative stress in HCC via the SQSTM1/p62-Keap1-NRF2 axis, coordinating with HIF1α to modulate antioxidant responses and tumor cell survival. Additionally, we discuss the regulatory significance of TRIM21 in HCC associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (via HBx/DNA polymerase ubiquitination) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (via suppressing lipogenic enzymes to reduce steatosis-driven carcinogenesis). This review provides a theoretical basis for TRIM21 as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Indexed as

autophagyclinical targetdrug resistanceHCChepatocellular carcinomareactive oxygen speciesROSTRIM21

Identifiers

PMID41858922
PMCPMC12998660

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.