Metabolic benefits of inhibition of p38α in white adipose tissue in obesity

p38 has long been known as a central mediator of protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in brown adipocytes, which positively regulate the transcription of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1). However, the physiological role of p38 in adipose tissues, especially the white adipose tissue (WAT), is largely unknown. Here, we show that mice lacking p38α in adipose tissues display a lean phenotype, improved metabolism, and resistance to diet-induced obesity. Surprisingly, ablation of p38α causes minimal effects on brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult mice, as evident from undetectable changes in UCP-1 expression, mitochondrial function, body temperature (BT), and energy expenditure. In contrast, genetic ablation of p38α in adipose tissues not only markedly facilitates the browning in WAT upon cold stress but also prevents diet-induced obesity. Consistently, pharmaceutical inhibition of p38α remarkably enhances the browning of WAT and has metabolic benefits. Furthermore, our data suggest that p38α deficiency promotes white-to-beige adipocyte reprogramming in a cell-autonomous manner. Mechanistically, inhibition of p38α stimulates the UCP-1 transcription through PKA and its downstream cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), which form a positive feedback loop that functions to reinforce the white-to-beige phenotypic switch during cold exposure. Together, our study reveals that inhibition of p38α is able to promote WAT browning and confer metabolic benefits. Our study also indicates that p38α in WAT represents an exciting pharmacological target to combat obesity and metabolic diseases.

The functional brown adipose tissue (BAT) identified in human adults consists of not only classic brown adipocytes but also brown-like adipocytes (beige adipocytes), both of which are important for energy homeostasis. Due to the same ability to convert fat into heat as brown adipocytes, beige adipocytes have been considered as a novel pharmacological target to combat obesity. Growing evidence suggests that promoting the development and formation of beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue (WAT), also called the browning of WAT, is able to prevent diet-induced obesity and improve metabolism in rodents. Thus, understanding the molecular basis for the regulation of browning in WAT may help us to develop new strategies to counteract obesity and metabolic diseases. In this study, adipocyte-specific p38α knockout (Fp38αKO) mice are generated that display a lean phenotype, improved metabolism, and resistance to diet-induced obesity. Interestingly, we found that adipocyte p38α deficiency facilitates the browning in WAT. Then, we show that pharmaceutical inhibition of p38α enhances the browning in WAT and has metabolic benefits. We propose that inhibiting p38α in WAT, possibly combined with cold exposure, could constitute an exciting pharmacological target to combat obesity and metabolic diseases.

Direct Conversion of Mouse Fibroblasts into Cholangiocyte Progenitor Cells

Disorders of the biliary epithelium, known as cholangiopathies, cause severe and irreversible liver diseases. The limited accessibility of bile duct precludes modeling of several cholangiocyte-mediated diseases. Therefore, novel approaches for obtaining functional cholangiocytes with high purity are needed. Previous work has shown that the combination of Hnf1β and Foxa3 could directly convert mouse fibroblasts into bipotential hepatic stem cell-like cells, termed iHepSCs. However, the efficiency of converting fibroblasts into iHepSCs is low, and these iHepSCs exhibit extremely low differentiation potential into cholangiocytes, thus hindering the translation of iHepSCs to the clinic. Here, we describe that the expression of Hnf1α and Foxa3 dramatically facilitates the robust generation of iHepSCs. Notably, prolonged in vitro culture of Hnf1α- and Foxa3-derived iHepSCs induces a Notch signaling-mediated secondary conversion into cholangiocyte progenitor-like cells that display dramatically enhanced differentiation capacity into mature cholangiocytes. Our study provides a robust two-step approach for obtaining cholangiocyte progenitor-like cells using defined factors.

Prenatal diagnostic testing and atypical chromosome abnormalities following combined first-trimester screening: implications for contingent models of non-invasive prenatal testing

OBJECTIVES

To investigate by means of a population-based analysis of a cohort of women who underwent combined first-trimester screening (CFTS), changes in uptake of invasive prenatal diagnosis according to risk of trisomy 21 (T21) on CFTS, and prevalence and methods for ascertainment of atypical chromosome abnormalities.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study using state-wide prenatal datasets from Victoria, Australia. A three-step approach was taken to analyze the data: (1) linkage of records between serum screening and diagnostic results; (2) comparison of rates of diagnostic testing according to CFTS T21 risk result category in a 2014-2015 cohort with those of a historical 2002-2004 cohort; (3) detailed analysis of atypical abnormalities in the 2014-2015 group according to CFTS T21 risk result, individual serum analyte level and other indications for invasive diagnostic testing.

RESULTS

In 2014-2015, there were 100 418 CFTS results issued for 146 776 births (68.4%). The overall prevalence of atypical chromosome abnormalities in the entire CFTS cohort was 0.10% and was highest in those with CFTS T21 risk > 1 in 10 (4.6%), or serum analyte levels < 0.2 multiples of the median (MoM) (6.9% for pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and 5.2% for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG)). Almost half (49.2%) of women with PAPP-A < 0.2 MoM had a risk for T21 on CFTS of less than 1 in 100. The majority (55%) of atypical abnormalities occurred in women with CFTS T21 risk below 1 in 300, and were most commonly detected on ultrasound examination (47.1%).

CONCLUSION

Concerns regarding missed diagnoses of atypical chromosome abnormalities when non-invasive prenatal testing is offered after a result of high risk on CFTS can be mitigated if invasive diagnostic testing is offered to those women with CFTS T21 risk of > 1 in 100, serum PAPP-A or β-hCG < 0.2 MoM, or ultrasound-detected abnormality. This has implications for contingent models of screening. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of a CCR3 inhibitor, AXP1275, on allergen-induced airway responses in adults with mild-to-moderate atopic asthma

BACKGROUND

CCR3 is the cognate receptor for major human eosinophil chemoattractants from the eotaxin family of proteins that are elevated in asthma and correlate with disease severity.

OBJECTIVE

This proof-of-mechanism study examined the effect of AXP1275, an oral, small-molecule inhibitor of CCR3, on airway responses to inhaled allergen challenge.

METHODS

Twenty-one subjects with mild atopic asthma and documented early and late asthmatic responses to an inhaled aeroallergen completed a randomized double-blind cross-over study to compare early and late allergen-induced asthmatic responses, methacholine PC₂₀ , blood and sputum eosinophils and exhaled nitric oxide after 2 weeks of treatment with once-daily doses of AXP1275 (50 mg) or placebo.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase in methacholine PC₂₀ after 12 days of AXP1275 treatment compared to placebo (increase of 0.92 doubling doses versus 0.17 doubling doses, P = .01), but this protection was lost post-allergen challenge. There was no effect of AXP1275 on allergen-induced late asthmatic responses, or eosinophils in blood and sputum. The early asthmatic response and exhaled nitric oxide levels were slightly lower with AXP1275, but this did not reach statistical significance. The number of subjects who experienced treatment-emergent adverse events while receiving AXP1275 was comparable placebo.

CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE

AXP1275 50 mg administered daily was safe and well tolerated, and there was no difference in the type, severity or frequency of treatment-emergent adverse events in subjects while receiving AXP1275 compared to placebo. AXP1275 increased the methacholine PC₂₀ ; however, the low and variable exposure to APX1275 over a short treatment period may have contributed to poor efficacy on other outcomes.

Cas9-nickase-mediated genome editing corrects hereditary tyrosinemia in rats

Hereditary tyrosinemia type I (HTI) is a metabolic genetic disorder caused by mutation of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH). Because of the accumulation of toxic metabolites, HTI causes severe liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. HTI is an ideal model for gene therapy, and several strategies have been shown to ameliorate HTI symptoms in animal models. Although CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing is able to correct the Fah mutation in mouse models, WT Cas9 induces numerous undesired mutations that have raised safety concerns for clinical applications. To develop a new method for gene correction with high fidelity, we generated a Fah mutant rat model to investigate whether Cas9 nickase (Cas9n)-mediated genome editing can efficiently correct the Fah First, we confirmed that Cas9n rarely induces indels in both on-target and off-target sites in cell lines. Using WT Cas9 as a positive control, we delivered Cas9n and the repair donor template/single guide (sg)RNA through adenoviral vectors into HTI rats. Analyses of the initial genome editing efficiency indicated that only WT Cas9 but not Cas9n causes indels at the on-target site in the liver tissue. After receiving either Cas9n or WT Cas9-mediated gene correction therapy, HTI rats gained weight steadily and survived. Fah-expressing hepatocytes occupied over 95% of the liver tissue 9 months after the treatment. Moreover, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene therapy prevented the progression of liver cirrhosis, a phenotype that could not be recapitulated in the HTI mouse model. These results strongly suggest that Cas9n-mediated genome editing is a valuable and safe gene therapy strategy for this genetic disease.

Distinct Gene Expression and Epigenetic Signatures in Hepatocyte-like Cells Produced by Different Strategies from the Same Donor

Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) can be generated through directed differentiation or transdifferentiation. Employing two strategies, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-HLCs and hiHeps from the same donor cell line. Both types of HLCs clustered distinctly from each other during gene expression profiling. In particular, differences existed in gene expression for phase II drug metabolism and lipid accumulation, underpinned by H3K27 acetylation status in iPSC-HLCs and hiHeps. While distinct phenotypes were achieved in vitro, both types of HLCs demonstrated similar phenotypes following transplantation into Fah-deficient mice. In conclusion, functional HLCs can be obtained from the same donor using two strategies. Global gene expression defined the differences between those populations in vitro. Importantly, both HLCs displayed partial but markedly improved hepatic function following transplantation in vivo, demonstrating plasticity and the potential for cell-based modeling in the dish and cell-based therapy in the future.

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hiHeps and iPSC-HLCs from the same donor are compared

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hiHeps and iPSC-HLCs show distinct expression patterns and hepatic functions

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Different expressions in hiHeps and iPSC-HLCs are partially attributed to H3K27ac

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Both HLCs are further matured in the in vivo microenvironment of livers

Arid1a Has Context-Dependent Oncogenic and Tumor Suppressor Functions in Liver Cancer

ARID1A, an SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling gene, is commonly mutated in cancer and hypothesized to be tumor suppressive. In some hepatocellular carcinoma patients, ARID1A was highly expressed in primary tumors but not in metastatic lesions, suggesting that ARID1A can be lost after initiation. Mice with liver-specific homozygous or heterozygous Arid1a loss were resistant to tumor initiation while ARID1A overexpression accelerated initiation. In contrast, homozygous or heterozygous Arid1a loss in established tumors accelerated progression and metastasis. Mechanistically, gain of Arid1a function promoted initiation by increasing CYP450-mediated oxidative stress, while loss of Arid1a within tumors decreased chromatin accessibility and reduced transcription of genes associated with migration, invasion, and metastasis. In summary, ARID1A has context-dependent tumor-suppressive and oncogenic roles in cancer.

Paper supported long-term 3D liver co-culture model for the assessment of hepatotoxic drugs

Preservation of hepatic phenotype and functions in vitro has always been a great challenge for the reconstruction of liver tissue engineering and in pharmaceutical research studies. Human induced hepatocytes (hiHeps) generated from fibroblasts can be reproducible with almost normal levels of liver specific functions, which are considered as a new source of hepatocytes for biomedical applications. Moreover, paper has served as an attractive biocompatible material for cell-based applications. In this study, we established a simple paper-based scaffold array for creating a 3D liver co-culture model that enabled the assessment of drug induced hepatotoxicity. The hiHeps co-cultured with HUVECs exhibited a 3D like morphology and maintained the liver specific functions of producing albumin and urea for up to 2 months. In addition, the hiHeps in this co-cultured model maintained a higher expression of cytochrome P450 genes as compared with a monolayer culture on a plate and a single culture on paper of hiHeps, revealing a marked enhancement of hepatic functions in the 3D liver co-culture model. Moreover, the 3D liver co-culture model was exposed to acetaminophen (APAP) and pioglitazone, exhibiting near physiological hepatotoxic responses compared to those of the monolayer cultures. Taken together, the low-cost and bioactive paper scaffold could offer great opportunities as 3D in vitro platforms for tissue engineering applications and high-throughput drug testing.

Chemical Cocktails Enable Hepatic Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts with a Single Transcription Factor

Liver or hepatocytes transplantation is limited by the availability of donor organs. Functional hepatocytes independent of the donor sources may have wide applications in regenerative medicine and the drug industry. Recent studies have demonstrated that chemical cocktails may induce reprogramming of fibroblasts into a range of functional somatic cells. Here, we show that mouse fibroblasts can be transdifferentiated into the hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) using only one transcription factor (TF) (Foxa1, Foxa2, or Foxa3) plus a chemical cocktail. These iHeps show typical epithelial morphology, express multiple hepatocyte-specific genes, and acquire hepatocyte functions. Genetic lineage tracing confirms the fibroblast origin of these iHeps. More interestingly, these iHeps are expandable in vitro and can reconstitute the damaged hepatic tissues of the fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase-deficient (Fah⁻/⁻) mice. Our study provides a strategy to generate functional hepatocyte-like cells by using a single TF plus a chemical cocktail and is one step closer to generate the full-chemical iHeps.

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Fibroblasts are converted to iHeps using only one TF plus a chemical cocktail

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Genetic lineage tracing confirms the fibroblast origin of these iHeps

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The iHeps are expendable and functional both in vitro and in vivo

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and pregnancy-potential for improvements in Australasian maternity health providers' knowledge

PURPOSE

To assess the knowledge, practice and attitudes of maternity clinicians regarding congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). It is the most common congenital infection, and well-recognized cause of neurodevelopmental disability and hearing loss. New consensus recommendations state all pregnant women and health-care providers should be educated about congenital CMV infection and preventive measures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An email questionnaire was distributed in October 2015 to specialists, diplomates (general practitioners), and trainees of the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), and Victorian and New South Wales midwives.

RESULTS

774 responded: (37.3% specialists, 17.3% diplomates, 16.8% trainees, 28.6% midwives). Clinicians had variable knowledge of fetal sequelae, transmission routes and prevention. Overall, 30.2% felt confident about discussing CMV in pregnancy: less than 10% of midwives (7.4%) and less than half of specialists (47.1%, p < .0001). Only 8.8% of respondents routinely discussed CMV prevention with pregnant women. The majority (69.3%) responded that professional societies should make practice recommendations, and 88% thought more patient information was needed, preferably leaflets.

CONCLUSIONS

Australasian maternity clinicians lack confidence and knowledge about congenital CMV. Few (<10%) routinely provide advice on prevention. There is urgent need for clinical guidance and patient information to reduce the burden of disease.

Fatty acid synthesis is critical for stem cell pluripotency via promoting mitochondrial fission

Pluripotent stem cells are known to display distinct metabolic phenotypes than their somatic counterparts. While accumulating studies are focused on the roles of glucose and amino acid metabolism in facilitating pluripotency, little is known regarding the role of lipid metabolism in regulation of stem cell activities. Here, we show that fatty acid (FA) synthesis activation is critical for stem cell pluripotency. Our initial observations demonstrated enhanced lipogenesis in pluripotent cells and during cellular reprogramming. Further analysis indicated that de novo FA synthesis controls cellular reprogramming and embryonic stem cell pluripotency through mitochondrial fission. Mechanistically, we found that de novo FA synthesis regulated by the lipogenic enzyme ACC1 leads to the enhanced mitochondrial fission via (i) consumption of AcCoA which affects acetylation-mediated FIS1 ubiquitin-proteasome degradation and (ii) generation of lipid products that drive the mitochondrial dynamic equilibrium toward fission. Moreover, we demonstrated that the effect of Acc1 on cellular reprogramming via mitochondrial fission also exists in human iPSC induction. In summary, our study reveals a critical involvement of the FA synthesis pathway in promoting ESC pluripotency and iPSC formation via regulating mitochondrial fission.

Baf60b-mediated ATM-p53 activation blocks cell identity conversion by sensing chromatin opening

Lineage conversion by expression of lineage-specific transcription factors is a process of epigenetic remodeling that has low efficiency. The mechanism by which a cell resists lineage conversion is largely unknown. Using hepatic-specific transcription factors Foxa3, Hnf1α and Gata4 (3TF) to induce hepatic conversion in mouse fibroblasts, we showed that 3TF induced strong activation of the ATM-p53 pathway, which led to proliferation arrest and cell death, and it further prevented hepatic conversion. Notably, ATM activation, independent of DNA damage, responded to chromatin opening during hepatic conversion. By characterizing the early molecular events during hepatic conversion, we found that Baf60b, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, links chromatin opening to ATM activation by facilitating ATM recruitment to the open chromatin regions of a panel of hepatic gene loci. These findings shed light on cellular responses to lineage conversion by revealing a function of the ATM-p53 pathway in sensing chromatin opening.

Lipid-mediated Wnt protein stabilization enables serum-free culture of human organ stem cells

Wnt signalling proteins are essential for culture of human organ stem cells in organoids, but most Wnt protein formulations are poorly active in serum-free media. Here we show that purified Wnt3a protein is ineffective because it rapidly loses activity in culture media due to its hydrophobic nature, and its solubilization requires a detergent, CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate), that interferes with stem cell self-renewal. By stabilizing the Wnt3a protein using phospholipids and cholesterol as carriers, we address both problems: Wnt activity remains stable in serum-free media, while non-toxic carriers allow the use of high Wnt concentrations. Stabilized Wnt3a supports strongly increased self-renewal of organ and embryonic stem cells and the serum-free establishment of human organoids from healthy and diseased intestine and liver. Moreover, the lipophilicity of Wnt3a protein greatly facilitates its purification. Our findings remove a major obstacle impeding clinical applications of adult stem cells and offer advantages for all cell culture uses of Wnt3a protein.

High-throughput screening for Survivin and Borealin interaction inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma

Survivin, a key member of the chromatin passenger complex (CPC), is often highly expressed in human cancers, making it a promising target for cancer treatment. Out of the numerous reported Survivin inhibitors, YM155 is only one entering clinical trial, but was recently failed in the Phase II trial. It is important to develop Survivin inhibitors with new strategies. We recently reported that both Survivin and its binding protein Borealin in the CPC complex are essential for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that disrupting the interaction between Survivin and Borealin would be a promising strategy. Here, we developed a high-throughput screening method based on bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) technology in cultured cells, which allowed the identification of small chemical inhibitors specifically blocking the Survivin and Borealin interaction. Primary hits from BiFC were further validated in an in vitro AlphaScreen system, which detects the direct interactions of Survivin and Borealin. Etoposide was identified as one of the effective hits. Direct interaction between Survivin and Etoposide was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance assay, and molecular docking analysis suggested the structural information on how Etoposide inhibits the Survivin and Borealin interaction. These results demonstrate a screening system to identify small molecule chemicals inhibiting Survivin and Borealin interaction. In future, an even larger scale screening may lead to identification of better Survivin and Borealin inhibitors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma repression by TNFα-mediated synergistic lethal effect of mitosis defect-induced senescence and cell death sensitization

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer lacking effective therapies. Several measures have been proposed to treat HCCs, such as senescence induction, mitotic inhibition, and cell death promotion. However, data from other cancers suggest that single use of these approaches may not be effective. Here, by genetic targeting of Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) that plays dual roles in mitosis and cell survival, we identified a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)-mediated synergistic lethal effect between senescence and apoptosis sensitization in malignant HCCs. Survivin deficiency results in mitosis defect-associated senescence in HCC cells, which triggers local inflammation and increased TNFα. Survivin inactivation also sensitizes HCC cells to TNFα-triggered cell death, which leads to marked HCC regression. Based on these findings, we designed a combination treatment using mitosis inhibitor and proapoptosis compounds. This treatment recapitulates the therapeutic effect of Survivin deletion and effectively eliminates HCCs, thus representing a potential strategy for HCC therapy.

CONCLUSION

Survivin ablation dramatically suppresses human and mouse HCCs by triggering senescence-associated TNFα and sensitizing HCC cells to TNFα-induced cell death. Combined use of mitotic inhibitor and second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspases mimetic can induce senescence-associated TNFα and enhance TNFα-induced cell death and synergistically eliminate HCC. (Hepatology 2016;64:1105-1120).

Hepatic Loss of Borealin Impairs Postnatal Liver Development, Regeneration, and Hepatocarcinogenesis

Borealin, a member of the chromosomal passenger complex, plays a key regulatory role at centromeres and the central spindle during mitosis. Loss of Borealin leads to defective cell proliferation and early embryonic lethality. The in vivo functions of Borealin in mammalian postnatal development, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis remain elusive. We specifically analyzed the role of Borealin in regulating postnatal liver development, damage-induced liver regeneration, and liver carcinogenesis using mice carrying conditional Borealin alleles. Perinatal loss of Borealin caused increased genome ploidy and enlarged cell size in hepatocytes, likely due to the impaired function of the chromosomal passenger complex in mitosis. Borealin deletion also showed attenuated expansion of Sox9⁺HNF4α⁺ progenitor-like cells in liver regeneration during 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine diet-induced liver injury. Moreover, ΔN90-β-Catenin and c-Met-induced hepatocarcinogenesis development was largely impeded by Borealin deletion. These findings indicate that Borealin plays a key role in liver development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis and suggests that Borealin could be a potential target for related liver diseases.

Assessing the fetal effects of maternal obesity via transcriptomic analysis of cord blood: a prospective case-control study

OBJECTIVE

To analyse fetal gene expression at term using umbilical cord blood, in order to provide insights into the effects of maternal obesity on human development.

DESIGN

Prospective case-control study.

SETTING

Academic tertiary care centre.

POPULATION

Eight obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2)) and eight lean (body mass index <25 kg/m(2)) pregnant women undergoing prelabour caesarean delivery at term.

METHODS

Women were matched for gestational age and fetal sex. Cord blood RNA was extracted and hybridised to gene expression arrays. Differentially regulated genes were identified using paired t-tests and the Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Functional analyses were performed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, BioGPS and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis with a fetal-specific annotation. Z-scores ≥2.0 or P-values <0.01 were considered significant.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Functions of differentially regulated genes in fetuses of obese women.

RESULTS

A total of 701 differentially regulated genes were identified, producing an expression profile implicating neurodegeneration, decreased survival of sensory neurons, and decreased neurogenesis in the fetuses of obese women. Upstream regulators related to inflammatory signalling were significantly activated; those related to insulin receptor signalling, lipid homeostasis, regulation of axonal guidance, and cellular response to oxidative stress were significantly inhibited. Of 26 tissue-specific genes that were differentially regulated in fetuses of obese women, six mapped to the fetal brain.

CONCLUSION

Maternal obesity affects fetal gene expression at term, implicating dysregulated brain development, inflammatory and immune signalling, glucose and lipid homeostasis, and oxidative stress. This may have implications for postnatal neurodevelopment and metabolism.

Hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines retain the genomic and transcriptomic landscapes of primary human cancers

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines are useful in vitro models for the study of primary HCCs. Because cell lines acquire additional mutations in culture, it is important to understand to what extent HCC cell lines retain the genetic landscapes of primary HCCs. Most HCC cell lines were established during the last century, precluding comparison between cell lines and primary cancers. In this study, 9 Chinese HCC cell lines with matched patient-derived cells at low passages (PDCs) were established in the defined culture condition. Whole genome analyses of 4 HCC cell lines showed that genomic mutation landscapes, including mutations, copy number alterations (CNAs) and HBV integrations, were highly stable during cell line establishment. Importantly, genetic alterations in cancer drivers and druggable genes were reserved in cell lines. HCC cell lines also retained gene expression patterns of primary HCCs during in vitro culture. Finally, sequential analysis of HCC cell lines and PDCs at different passages revealed their comparable and stable genomic and transcriptomic levels if maintained within proper passages. These results show that HCC cell lines largely retain the genomic and transcriptomic landscapes of primary HCCs, thus laying the rationale for testing HCC cell lines as preclinical models in precision medicine.