{
  "abstract": "Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major cause of cancer mortality, highlighting the need to identify functionally relevant molecular determinants. We systematically evaluated 38 genes classified as members of the methyltransferase-like (METTL) family and/or seven-β-strand lysine methyltransferases using pan-cancer genomic, transcriptomic, survival, and dependency datasets, followed by functional assessment in HCC cell lines. Integrated analysis prioritized ATP synthase c-subunit lysine methyltransferase (ATPSCKMT) for investigation in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), where elevated expression was associated with adverse prognosis. DEMETER2 analysis also identified widespread RNAi dependency across cancer types. siRNA-mediated ATPSCKMT knockdown in JHH7 and HEP3B cells reduced CCK-8 signals and EdU incorporation. Network and co-expression analyses identified CCT5 as a representative ATPSCKMT-associated candidate, with reproducible positive correlations across independent HCC cohorts. In TCGA-LIHC, the ATPSCKMT–CCT5 correlation persisted after adjustment for shared local copy-number variation (partial Spearman ρ = 0.522). Single-cell analysis of primary HCC malignant hepatocytes further revealed patient-level co-detection, although these findings may be influenced by differences in transcript detection. Overall, our findings support further investigation of ATPSCKMT in HCC proliferation-associated phenotypes and identify CCT5 as a reproducible co-expression candidate.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Convergence Stem Cell Research Center, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea",
    "Laboratory for Vascular Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea",
    "Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 49 Busandaehak-ro, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea",
    "Research Center for Molecular Control for Cancer Cell Diversity, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea",
    "Research Institute of Convergence Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Soon Hyung Kwon",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-3563-0370"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ji Eon Ha"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Sae-Ock Oh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Sang-Mo Kwon"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xc1qszkfte5p.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/molecules31213887",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "6xc1qszkfte5p",
  "issns": [
    "1420-3049"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/3887",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2721|Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224090437",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-28",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xc1qszkfte5p.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/molecules31213887",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/3887"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2721|Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Integrated Pan-Cancer Analysis and Functional Characterization of ATPSCKMT in Hepatocellular Carcinoma",
  "title_text": "Integrated Pan-Cancer Analysis and Functional Characterization of ATPSCKMT in Hepatocellular Carcinoma",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xc1qszkfte5p",
  "venue": "Molecules",
  "versions": []
}