βII‐Spectrin (SPTBN1) suppresses progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and Wnt signaling by regulation of Wnt inhibitor kallistatin

SPTBN1 expression in human HCC tissues is positively correlated with E-cadherin and kallistatin levels, and decreased SPTBN1 and kallistatin gene expression is associated with decreased relapse-free survival. Our data suggest that loss of SPTBN1 activates Wnt signaling, which promotes acquisition of stem cell-like features, and ultimately contributes to malignant tumor progression.