Platelets promote primary hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis through TGF-β1-mediated cancer cell autophagy

mice showed reduced TGF-β1 in primary tumors, which corresponded with decreased cancer cell EMT, autophagy, migration ability and tumor metastasis. Inhibition of autophagy via Atg5 knockdown in cancer cells negated EMT and metastasis induced by platelet-released TGF-β1. Clinically, higher platelet count correlated with increased TGF-β1, LC3 and N-cad expression in primary tumors of HCC patients, suggesting a link between platelets and HCC progression. Our study indicates that platelets promote cancer cell EMT in the primary tumor and HCC metastasis through TGF-β1-induced HCC cell autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway. These findings offer novel insights into the role of platelets in HCC metastasis and the potential therapeutic targets for HCC metastasis.