IL13RA2 promotes progression of infantile haemangioma by activating glycolysis and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Background: Interleukin 13 receptor subunit alpha 2 (IL13RA2) plays an essential role in the progression of many cancers. However, the role of IL13RA2 in infantile haemangioma (IH) is still unknown.
Materials and Methods: IL13RA2 expression in IH tissues was analyzed using western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. The role of IL13RA2 in haemangioma-derived endothelial cells (HemECs) was determined following knockdown or overexpression of IL13RA2 using CCK-8, colony formation, apoptosis, wound healing, tubule formation, Transwell, and western blot.
Results: IL13RA2 expression was upregulated in IH tissues. IL13RA2 overexpression promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion of HemECs and induced glycolysis, which was confirmed with a glycolysis inhibitor. Specifically, IL13RA2 interacted with β-catenin and activated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HemECs, which were involved in the above-mentioned effects of IL13RA2.
Conclusions: These findings revealed that targeting IL13RA2 is a potential therapeutic approach for IH.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to report regarding the present study.
(© 2024 The Authors.)