Fig. 5

The mechanism of IGFBP2 promoting invasion and metastasis of HCC. IGFBP2 interacts with LRP6, and then β-catenin is dephosphorylated. Nonphosphorylated β-catenin accumulates in the cytoplasm and is translocated into the nucleus where it interacts with the TCF/LEF1 transcription complex to promote target gene transcription. Gene expression causes the occurrence of EMT phenomenon which eventually leads to the invasion and metastasis of HCC