Gamma-butyrobetaine hydroxylase (BBOX1) exerts suppressive effects on HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells

Gamma-butyrobetaine hydroxylase (BBOX1) plays a pivotal role in catalyzing the final stage of L-carnitine biosynthesis. Recently, increasing number of studies have reported that BBOX1 is weakly expressed in tumor cells and exhibits antitumor activity. The role of BBOX1 in Hepatoblastoma (HB) has yet to be determined. To substantiate this, we have investigated BBOX1 expression and its clinical relevance in HB, and explored how BBOX1 might inhibit the occurrence and development of HB. The GSE104766 and GSE131329 datasets were used to screen for the core gene BBOX1 in HB and to analyze differences in expression between hepatoblastoma and normal tissues. Based on the clinicopathological features of the GSE131329 dataset, the connections between the expression of BBOX1 and the clinicopathological feature of HB patients were determined. After BBOX1 was overexpressed, CCK-8 and colony formation assays were employed to assess cell proliferation and wound healing experiments were utilized to assess cell migration. The presence of cell apoptosis, cell cycle changes, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assayed using flow cytometry. Compared with normal tissues, the expression of BBOX1 in hepatoblastoma tissues was notably decreased. Dysregulated expression of BBOX1 was indicated as a prognostic risk factor closely linked to clinical stag of patients with HB. Furthermore, following BBOX1 overexpression, cell proliferation and migration are decreased, the cell cycle is arrested, and ROS are attenuated. BBOX1 has suppressive effects on HepG2 cells, potentially through its ability to hinder cancer cell proliferation, arrest cell cycle progression, and decrease ROS levels, suggesting its potential as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic candidate for hepatoblastoma. Graphical abstract