Figure 5.

Schematic image of the underlying mechanism of the upregulation of CD147 for anoikis resistance in HCC metastasis. Enhanced expression of CD147 enables HCC cells to form multi-cellular spheroids and to activate the PI3K/Akt pathway, protecting cells from anoikis through a synoikis-like survival style. Thus, metastasis from the primary tumor was eventually induced in the liver. In comparison, during the process of metastatic circulation, the cell-cell contacts were destroyed when CD147 was inhibited and the disassociated cells ultimately underwent anoikis. HCC metastasis was successfully prevented.