Chromodomain Helicase DNA Binding 1 Like Protein (CHD1L)

ALC1 was overexpressed in more than 50% of informative HCC cases, primary HCCs, and HCC cell lines. Transfection of ALC1 in human liver and HCC cell lines increased colony formation in soft agar compared with vector controls and increased tumorigenicity of these cell lines in nude mice. Overexpression of ALC1 facilitated DNA synthesis and promoted G1/S phase transition. ALC1 downregulated expression of the cell growth inhibitors p53 (TP53) and p21(Waf1) (CDKN1A) and the proapoptotic proteins caspase-3 and BAX  and upregulated the cell cycle regulators CDK2 and cyclin E (CCNE1). Knockdown of ALC1 by RNA interference reduced the percentage of cells in S phase, reduced colony formation in soft agar, and inhibited the cell cycle at the G1/S checkpoint.