Sirtuin 6 promotes transforming growth factor‐β1/H2O2/HOCl‐mediated enhancement of hepatocellular carcinoma cell tumorigenicity by suppressing cellular senescence

Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) can function as a tumor suppressor by suppressing aerobic glycolysis and apoptosis resistance. However, the negative effect of SIRT6 on cellular senescence implies that it may also have the potential to promote tumor development. Here we report that the upregulation of SIRT6 expression was required for transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 and H₂O₂/HOCl reactive oxygen species (ROS) to promote the tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Transforming growth factor‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl could upregulate SIRT6 expression in HCC cells by inducing the sustained activation of ERK and Smad pathways. Sirtuin 6 in turn abrogated the inducing effect of TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl on cellular senescence of HCC cells, and was required for the ERK pathway to efficiently suppress the expression of p16 and p21. Sirtuin 6 altered the effect of Smad and p38 MAPK pathways on cellular senescence, and contributed to the inhibitory effect of the ERK pathway on cellular senescence. However, SIRT6 was inefficient in antagonizing the promoting effect of TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl on aerobic glycolysis and anoikis resistance. Intriguingly, if SIRT6 expression was inhibited, the promoting effect of TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl on aerobic glycolysis and anoikis resistance was not sufficient to enhance the tumorigenicity of HCC cells. Suppressing the upregulation of SIRT6 enabled TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl to induce cellular senescence, thereby abrogating the enhancement of HCC cell tumorigenicity by TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl. These results suggest that SIRT6 is required for TGF‐β1/H₂O₂/HOCl to enhance the tumorigenicity of HCC cells, and that targeting the ERK pathway to suppress the upregulation of SIRT6 might be a potential approach in comprehensive strategies for the therapy of HCC.