Up-regulation of MIC19 promotes growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by activating ROS/NF-κB signaling.

Background: Mitochondrial malfunction has been well-recognized as a critical step in the pathogenesis of many types of diseases, including cancer. MIC19 is a core a subunit of the MICOS complex that plays a critical role in maintaining the normal function of mitochondria. However, the biological functions of MIC19 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear.