ANKHD1, a novel component of the Hippo signaling pathway, promotes YAP1 activation and cell cycle progression in prostate cancer cells

• ANKHD1 was reported as a novel member of the Hippo signaling pathway.
• ANKHD1 expression and function were evaluated in prostate cancer cells.
• ANKHD1 silencing decreases cell growth and delays cell cycle progression.
• YAP1 expression and activation were downregulated by ANKHD1 silencing.
• ANKHD1 silencing decreases xenograft prostate tumor growth in mice.

ANKHD1 is a multiple ankyrin repeat containing protein, recently identified as a novel member of the Hippo signaling pathway. The present study aimed to investigate the role of ANKHD1 in DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells. ANKHD1 and YAP1 were found to be highly expressed in prostate cancer cells, and ANKHD1 silencing decreased cell growth, delayed cell cycle progression at the S phase, and reduced tumor xenograft growth. Moreover, ANKHD1 knockdown downregulated YAP1 expression and activation, and reduced the expression of CCNA2, a YAP1 target gene. These findings indicate that ANKHD1 is a positive regulator of YAP1 and promotes cell growth and cell cycle progression through Cyclin A upregulation.