Knockdown of RNF6 inhibits HeLa cervical cancer cell growth via suppression of MAPK/ERK signalling.

Ring finger protein 6 (RNF6) is implicated in various human malignancies, but its function in cervical cancer is incompletely understood. Here, we explored the biological significance of RNF6 in HeLa cervical cancer cells and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Expression of RNF6 was observed to be high in both primary tissues and cervical cancer cells. RNF6 promoted HeLa cervical cancer cell growth. Knockdown of RNF6 in cervical cancer cells resulted in suppression of proliferation and promotion of apoptosis. Moreover, elevation of RNF6 had an adverse effect on the prognosis of cervical cancer. Subsequent analyses showed that these effects may be mediated via activation of ERK signalling. These findings provide evidence that the knockdown of RNF6 suppresses the MAPK/ERK pathway to regulate the growth of cervical cancer cells, which suggests that RNF6 may have potential as a target for diagnosis and treatment for cervical cancer.