Usage Information
Abstract
Stem cells play a pivotal role in the malignant behavior of gastric cancer (GC), complicating its treatment and prognosis. However, the regulatory mechanisms of GC stem cells (GCSCs) remain poorly understood. DAZ-associated protein 1 (DAZAP1), a splicing regulator linked to various malignancies, has an unclear role in GC. This study investigated DAZAP1’s impact on GC stemness and its mechanisms. DAZAP1 promoted tumor progression in GCSCs, as shown by sphere formation assays and stemness marker analysis. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that DAZAP1 enhanced tumor stemness by promoting oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), which was validated through Seahorse assays and measurements of mitochondrial potential. Transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated that DAZAP1 promoted mitophagy. RNA immunoprecipitation and PCR analysis revealed that DAZAP1 regulated the splicing and expression of the mitophagy-related gene ULK1 through nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Rescue experiments showed that overexpression of ULK1 reversed the suppression of GC stemness and OXPHOS levels induced by DAZAP1 silencing. Our findings indicate that DAZAP1 reduces ULK1 decay, thereby activating mitophagy and enhancing OXPHOS to fulfill the metabolic demands of cancer stem cells. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of DAZAP1 as a target for treating GC.
Authors
Peiling Zhang, Wei Wang, Hong Xiang, Yun Zhou, Qian Peng, Guolong Liu, Zhi-Xiang Xu, Lin Lu
Usage data is cumulative from May 2025 through February 2026.
| Usage | JCI | PMC |
|---|---|---|
| Text version | 2,137 | 366 |
| 541 | 101 | |
| Figure | 853 | 0 |
| Supplemental data | 371 | 25 |
| Citation downloads | 206 | 0 |
| Totals | 4,108 | 492 |
| Total Views | 4,600 | |
Usage information is collected from two different sources: this site (JCI) and Pubmed Central (PMC). JCI information (compiled daily) shows human readership based on methods we employ to screen out robotic usage. PMC information (aggregated monthly) is also similarly screened of robotic usage.
Various methods are used to distinguish robotic usage. For example, Google automatically scans articles to add to its search index and identifies itself as robotic; other services might not clearly identify themselves as robotic, or they are new or unknown as robotic. Because this activity can be misinterpreted as human readership, data may be re-processed periodically to reflect an improved understanding of robotic activity. Because of these factors, readers should consider usage information illustrative but subject to change.
