51
|
Chen J, Li H, Zhang B, Xiong Z, Jin Z, Chen J, Zheng Y, Zhu X, Zhang S. ABI2-mediated MEOX2/KLF4-NANOG axis promotes liver cancer stem cell and drives tumour recurrence. Liver Int 2022; 42:2562-2576. [PMID: 36017822 PMCID: PMC9825985 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Tumour recurrence and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma remain challenging. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumour initiation because of their stemness characteristics. CSCs accounting for drug resistance and tumour relapse are promising therapeutic targets. We report that Abelson interactor 2 (ABI2) is a novel therapeutic target of HCC CSCs. First, ABI2 was upregulated in HCC tissues compared with liver tissues and was associated with tumour size, pathological grade, liver cirrhosis, worse prognosis and a high recurrence rate. Functional studies illustrate that ABI2 knockdown suppresses cell growth, migration, invasion and sorafenib resistance in vitro. Furthermore, ABI2 knockdown inhibited HCC sphere formation and decreased the CD24+ , CD133+ and CD326+ CSCs populations, suggesting the suppression of HCC stemness characteristics. A tumour xenograft model and limiting dilution assay demonstrated the inhibition of tumorigenicity and tumour initiation. Moreover, molecular mechanism studies showed that ABI2 recruits and directly interacts with the transcription factor MEOX2, which binds to the KLF4 and NANOG promoter regions to activate their transcription. Furthermore, overexpression of MEOX2 restored HCC malignant behaviour and the CSC population. The ABI2-mediated transcriptional axis MEOX2/KLF4-NANOG promotes HCC growth, metastasis and sorafenib resistance by maintaining the CSC population, suggesting that ABI2 is a promising CSC target in HCC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiandi Chen
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Huizi Li
- Department of General SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhiyuan Xiong
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhe Jin
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jiaxi Chen
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Yang Zheng
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Xiangnan Zhu
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Shuixing Zhang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
52
|
Zhao H, Chen C, Song H, Qin R, Wang X, He Q, Li F, Zhao H, Li Y. DNA Topoisomerase II-α Regulated by miR-22-5p Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Invasion and Migration through the Hippo Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:4277254. [PMID: 36299605 PMCID: PMC9592219 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4277254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
DNA topoisomerases (TOPs) are dysregulated in various types of cancer. However, how TOP II-alpha (TOP2A) contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remains elusive. Cohort analysis revealed that the increased expression of TOP2A was associated with poor clinical outcomes and TOP2A was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. In vitro, TOP2A expression level is related to cell invasion and migration, which may be due to the alteration of epithelial-mesenchymal transition by the TOP2A. Moreover, we used verteporfin (a Hippo inhibitor) to test how the Hippo pathway promotes the effect of TOP2A on the HCC phenotype and found that TOP2A induces tumor progression through the Hippo pathway. Finally, miR-22-5p inhibited tumor progression by sponging TOP2A.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haichao Zhao
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 300032, China
| | - Changzhou Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 300032, China
| | - Huangqin Song
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Rongyi Qin
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Qizu He
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Feng Li
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Haoliang Zhao
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| | - Yanjun Li
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China
| |
Collapse
|
53
|
Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Molecular Mechanisms in Stemness Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012327. [PMID: 36293184 PMCID: PMC9604119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the most predominant type of liver cancer with an extremely poor prognosis due to its late diagnosis and high recurrence rate. One of the culprits for HCC recurrence and metastasis is the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are a small subset of cancer cells possessing robust stem cell properties within tumors. CSCs play crucial roles in tumor heterogeneity constitution, tumorigenesis, tumor relapse, metastasis, and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Elucidation of how these CSCs maintain their stemness features is essential for the development of CSCs-based therapy. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge of intrinsic molecules and signaling pathways involved in hepatic CSCs, especially the CSC surface markers and associated signaling in regulating the stemness characteristics and the heterogeneous subpopulations within the CSC pool. In addition, we recapitulate the effects of crucial extrinsic cellular components in the tumor microenvironment, including stromal cells and immune cells, on the modulation of hepatic CSCs. Finally, we synopsize the currently valuable CSCs-targeted therapy strategies based on intervention in these intrinsic and extrinsic molecular mechanisms, in the hope of shedding light on better clinical management of HCC patients.
Collapse
|
54
|
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma-current situation and outlook. Mol Immunol 2022; 151:218-230. [PMID: 36179604 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most severe malignant tumors that threaten human health, and its incidence is still on the rise recently. In spite of the current emerging treatment strategies, the overall prognosis of liver cancer remains worrying. Currently, immunotherapy has become a new research-active spot. The emergence of immune checkpoints and targeted immune cell therapy can significantly improve the prognosis of HCC. To a large extent, the effect of this immunotherapy depends on the tumor immune microenvironment (TME), an intricate system in which cancer cells and other non-cancer cells display various interactions. Understanding the immunosuppressive situation of these cells, along with the malignant behavior of cancer cells, can assist us to design new therapeutic approaches against tumors. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the TME of HCC for further improvement of clinical treatment. This review discussed the functions of several immunosuppressive cells and exosomes in the latest research progress of HCC, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) interacted actively to facilitate tumor progression. It further describes the treatment methods targeting them and the potential that needs to be explored in the future.
Collapse
|
55
|
Guizhen Z, Guanchang J, Liwen L, Huifen W, Zhigang R, Ranran S, Zujiang Y. The tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma and its targeting strategy by CAR-T cell immunotherapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:918869. [PMID: 36093115 PMCID: PMC9452721 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.918869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype of liver cancer, which ranks sixth in cancer incidence and third in mortality. Although great strides have been made in novel therapy for HCC, such as immunotherapy, the prognosis remains less than satisfactory. Increasing evidence demonstrates that the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) exerts a significant role in the evolution of HCC and has a non-negligible impact on the efficacy of HCC treatment. In the past two decades, the success in hematological malignancies made by chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cell therapy leveraging it holds great promise for cancer treatment. However, in the face of a hostile TME in solid tumors like HCC, the efficacy of CAR-T cells will be greatly compromised. Here, we provide an overview of TME features in HCC, discuss recent advances and challenges of CAR-T immunotherapy in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Guizhen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ji Guanchang
- Department of Urology People’s Hospital of Puyang, Puyang, China
| | - Liu Liwen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wang Huifen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ren Zhigang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sun Ranran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yu Zujiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
56
|
Liu ZY, Zhang DY, Lin XH, Sun JL, Abuduwaili W, Zhang GC, Xu RC, Wang F, Yu XN, Shi X, Deng B, Dong L, Weng SQ, Zhu JM, Shen XZ, Liu TT. Nalidixic acid potentiates the antitumor activity in sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma via the tumor immune microenvironment analysis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:952482. [PMID: 36071851 PMCID: PMC9441713 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.952482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib resistance is often developed and impedes the benefits of clinical therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the relationship between sorafenib resistance and tumor immune environment and adjuvant drugs for sorafenib-resistant HCC are not systemically identified. This study first analyzed the expression profiles of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells to explore immune cell infiltration levels and differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs). The prognostic value of DEIRGs was analyzed using Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas. The primary immune cells infiltrated in sorafenib-resistant HCC mice were explored using flow cytometry (FCM). Finally, small-molecule drugs for sorafenib-resistant HCC treatment were screened and validated by experiments. The CIBERSORT algorithm and mice model showed that macrophages and neutrophils are highly infiltrated, while CD8+ T cells are downregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC. Totally, 34 DEIRGs were obtained from sorafenib-resistant and control groups, which were highly enriched in immune-associated biological processes and pathways. NR6A1, CXCL5, C3, and TGFB1 were further identified as prognostic markers for HCC patients. Finally, nalidixic acid was identified as a promising antagonist for sorafenib-resistant HCC treatment. Collectively, our study reveals the tumor immune microenvironment changes and explores a promising adjuvant drug to overcome sorafenib resistance in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yong Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan-Ying Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Xia-Hui Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Lei Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Weinire Abuduwaili
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang-Cong Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Ru-Chen Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Fu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Nan Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ling Dong
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu-Qiang Weng
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Min Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi-Zhong Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xi-Zhong Shen, ; Tao-Tao Liu,
| | - Tao-Tao Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Liver Disease, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xi-Zhong Shen, ; Tao-Tao Liu,
| |
Collapse
|
57
|
Recent Advances and Challenges in Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14163972. [PMID: 36010965 PMCID: PMC9406446 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14163972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immunotherapy helps a person’s immune system to target tumor cells. Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibition, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and cancer vaccination, have changed the landscape of cancer treatment. These approaches have had profound success in certain cancer types but still fail in the majority of cases. This review will cover both successes and current challenges in cancer immunotherapy, as well as recent advances in the field of basic tumor immunology that will allow us to overcome resistance to existing treatments. Abstract Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the field of oncology in recent years. Harnessing the immune system to treat cancer has led to a large growth in the number of novel immunotherapeutic strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibition, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and cancer vaccination. In this review, we will discuss the current landscape of immuno-oncology research, with a focus on elements that influence immunotherapeutic outcomes. We will also highlight recent advances in basic aspects of tumor immunology, in particular, the role of the immunosuppressive cells within the tumor microenvironment in regulating antitumor immunity. Lastly, we will discuss how the understanding of basic tumor immunology can lead to the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
58
|
Interplays between non-coding RNAs and chemokines in digestive system cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 152:113237. [PMID: 35716438 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Within tumors, chemokines and their cognate receptors are expressed by infiltrated leukocytes, cancerous cells, and related cells of stroma, like tumor-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages. In malignancies, the altered expression of chemokines/chemokine receptors governs leukocyte infiltration and activation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) contribute to multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes. Some miRNAs can exert anti-tumorigenic activity in digestive system malignancies by repressing the expression of tumor-promoting chemokines/chemokine receptors or by upregulating tumor-suppressing chemokines/chemokine receptors. However, many miRNAs exert pro-tumorigenic activity by suppressing the expression of chemokines/chemokine receptors or by upregulating tumor-promoting chemokines/chemokine receptors. LncRNA and circRNAs also exert pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects by targeting downstream miRNAs influencing the expression of tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressor chemokines/chemokine receptors. On the other side, some chemokines influence the expression of ncRNAs affecting tumor formation. The current review explains the communications between ncRNAs and chemokines/chemokine receptors in certain digestive system malignancies, such as gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers and hepatocellular carcinoma to gain better insights into their basic crosstalk as well as possible therapeutic modalities.
Collapse
|
59
|
Yin Z, Chen D, Liang S, Li X. Neoadjuvant Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:929-946. [PMID: 36068876 PMCID: PMC9441170 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s357313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by low resection and high postoperative recurrence rates, and conventional treatment strategies have failed to meet clinical needs. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is widely employed in the routine management of several solid tumors because it increases resectability and reduces the rate of postoperative recurrence. However, a consensus has not been reached regarding the effects of NAT on HCC. As systemic therapy, particularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy, is given for HCC treatment, accumulating evidence shows that the “spring” of NAT for HCC is imminent. In the future, HCC researchers should focus on identifying biomarkers for treatment response, explore the mechanisms of resistance, and standardize the endpoints of NAT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zongyi Yin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases & Carson International Cancer, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongying Chen
- Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaowu Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases & Carson International Cancer, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Xiaowu Li, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Xueyuan AVE 1098, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 755 2183 8184, Email
| |
Collapse
|
60
|
Marsh-Wakefield F, Ferguson AL, Liu K, Santhakumar C, McCaughan G, Palendira U. Approaches to spatially resolving the tumour immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2022; 14:17588359221113270. [PMID: 35898965 PMCID: PMC9310213 DOI: 10.1177/17588359221113270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and deadly cancer worldwide. Many factors contribute to mortality and place an individual at high risk of developing HCC, including viral infection, alcohol intake, metabolic-associated disease, autoimmunity and genetic liver disorders. Although there are many therapeutics available, much about this disease remains to be understood. This is most evident when investigating the tumour microenvironment (TME). Both innate and adaptive immune cells have been associated with carcinogenesis within the TME of HCC patients. The ability to interrogate the TME more thoroughly with spatial technologies continues to improve, both at the experimental and analytical stages. This review provides insight into technologies available to investigate the TME, and how such technologies are beneficial for improving our understanding of HCC carcinogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Marsh-Wakefield
- Liver Injury & Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Angela L Ferguson
- Liver Injury & Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ken Liu
- Liver Injury & Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey McCaughan
- Liver Injury & Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
61
|
Tumor-associated neutrophils and neutrophil-targeted cancer therapies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188762. [PMID: 35853517 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Neutrophils are the frontline cells in response to microbial infections and are involved in a range of inflammatory disorders in the body. In recent years, neutrophils have gained considerable attention in their involvement of complex roles in tumor development and progression. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) that accumulate in local region could be triggered by external stimuli from tumor microenvironment (TME) and switch between anti- and pro-tumor phenotypes. The anti-tumor neutrophils kill tumor cells through direct cytotoxic effects as well as indirect effects by activating adaptive immune responses. In contrast, the pro-tumor phenotype of neutrophils might be associated with cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression in TME. More recently, neutrophils have been proposed as a potential target in cancer therapy for their ability to diminish the pro-tumor pathways, such as by immune checkpoint blockade. This review discusses the complex roles of neutrophils in TME and highlights the strategies in neutrophil targeting in cancer treatment with a particular focus on the progresses of ongoing clinical trials involving neutrophil-targeted therapies.
Collapse
|
62
|
Tumor-Associated Inflammation: The Tumor-Promoting Immunity in the Early Stages of Tumorigenesis. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:3128933. [PMID: 35733919 PMCID: PMC9208911 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3128933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumorigenesis is a multistage progressive oncogenic process caused by alterations in the structure and expression level of multiple genes. Normal cells are continuously endowed with new capabilities in this evolution, leading to subsequent tumor formation. Immune cells are the most important components of inflammation, which is closely associated with tumorigenesis. There is a broad consensus in cancer research that inflammation and immune response facilitate tumor progression, infiltration, and metastasis via different mechanisms; however, their protumor effects are equally important in tumorigenesis at earlier stages. Previous studies have demonstrated that during the early stages of tumorigenesis, certain immune cells can promote the formation and proliferation of premalignant cells by inducing DNA damage and repair inhibition, releasing trophic/supporting signals, promoting immune escape, and activating inflammasomes, as well as enhance the characteristics of cancer stem cells. In this review, we focus on the potential mechanisms by which immune cells can promote tumor initiation and promotion in the early stages of tumorigenesis; furthermore, we discuss the interaction of the inflammatory environment and protumor immune cells with premalignant cells and cancer stem cells, as well as the possibility of early intervention in tumor formation by targeting these cellular mechanisms.
Collapse
|
63
|
Sajid M, Liu L, Sun C. The Dynamic Role of NK Cells in Liver Cancers: Role in HCC and HBV Associated HCC and Its Therapeutic Implications. Front Immunol 2022; 13:887186. [PMID: 35669776 PMCID: PMC9165341 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains an important complication of chronic liver disease, especially when cirrhosis occurs. Existing treatment strategies include surgery, loco-regional techniques, and chemotherapy. Natural killer cells are distinctive cytotoxic lymphocytes that play a vital role in fighting tumors and infections. As an important constituent of the innate immune system against cancer, phenotypic and functional deviations of NK cells have been demonstrated in HCC patients who also exhibit perturbation of the NK-activating receptor/ligand axis. The rate of recurrence of tumor-infiltrating and circulating NK cells are positively associated with survival benefits in HCC and have prognostic significance, suggesting that NK cell dysfunction is closely related to HCC progression. NK cells are the first-line effector cells of viral hepatitis and play a significant role by directly clearing virus-infected cells or by activating antigen-specific T cells by producing IFN-γ. In addition, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered NK cells suggest an exclusive opportunity to produce CAR-NKs with several specificities with fewer side effects. In the present review, we comprehensively discuss the innate immune landscape of the liver, particularly NK cells, and the impact of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) on the function of NK cells and the biological function of HCC. Furthermore, the role of NK cells in HCC and HBV-induced HCC has also been comprehensively elaborated. We also elaborate on available NK cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches in HCC treatment and summarize current advancements in the treatment of HCC. This review will facilitate researchers to understand the importance of the innate immune landscape of NK cells and lead to devising innovative immunotherapeutic strategies for the systematic treatment of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajid
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
- Transplant and Immunology Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lianxin Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
- Transplant and Immunology Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
64
|
Mechanism of cancer stemness maintenance in human liver cancer. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:394. [PMID: 35449193 PMCID: PMC9023565 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04848-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer mainly includes the following four types: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), hepatoblastoma (HB), and combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA). Recent studies have indicated that there are differences in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties among different types of liver cancer. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), also called liver tumor-initiating cells, have been viewed as drivers of tumor initiation and metastasis. Many mechanisms and factors, such as mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, epigenetic modifications, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor plasticity, are involved in the regulation of cancer stemness in liver cancer. In this review, we analyze cancer stemness in different liver cancer types. Moreover, we further evaluate the mechanism of cancer stemness maintenance of LCSCs and discuss promising treatments for eradicating LCSCs.
Collapse
|
65
|
Geh D, Leslie J, Rumney R, Reeves HL, Bird TG, Mann DA. Neutrophils as potential therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:257-273. [PMID: 35022608 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00568-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The success of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment contributed to a shift in systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) towards combinations that include cancer immunotherapeutic agents. Thus far, the principal focus of cancer immunotherapy has been on interrupting immune checkpoints that suppress antitumour lymphocytes. As well as lymphocytes, the HCC environment includes numerous other immune cell types, among which neutrophils are emerging as an important contributor to the pathogenesis of HCC. A growing body of evidence supports neutrophils as key mediators of the immunosuppressive environment in which some cancers develop, as well as drivers of tumour progression. If neutrophils have a similar role in HCC, approaches that target or manipulate neutrophils might have therapeutic benefits, potentially including sensitization of tumours to conventional immunotherapy. Several neutrophil-directed therapies for patients with HCC (and other cancers) are now entering clinical trials. This Review outlines the evidence in support of neutrophils as drivers of HCC and details their mechanistic roles in development, progression and metastasis, highlighting the reasons that neutrophils are well worth investigating despite the challenges associated with studying them. Neutrophil-modulating anticancer therapies entering clinical trials are also summarized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Geh
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jack Leslie
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rob Rumney
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Helen L Reeves
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- The Liver Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Multidisciplinary Team, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Thomas G Bird
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Derek A Mann
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
66
|
Chen D, Liu J, Zang L, Xiao T, Zhang X, Li Z, Zhu H, Gao W, Yu X. Integrated Machine Learning and Bioinformatic Analyses Constructed a Novel Stemness-Related Classifier to Predict Prognosis and Immunotherapy Responses for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:360-373. [PMID: 34975338 PMCID: PMC8692161 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.66913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has made great progress in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet there is still a lack of biomarkers for predicting response to it. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the primary cause of the tumorigenesis, metastasis, and multi-drug resistance of HCC. This study aimed to propose a novel CSCs-related cluster of HCC to predict patients' response to immunotherapy. Based on RNA-seq datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium (PCBC), one-class logistic regression (OCLR) algorithm was applied to compute the stemness index (mRNAsi) of HCC patients. Unsupervised consensus clustering was performed to categorize HCC patients into two stemness subtypes which further proved to be a predictor of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) status, immunogenomic expressions and sensitivity to neoadjuvant therapies. Finally, four machine learning algorithms (LASSO, RF, SVM-RFE and XGboost) were applied to distinguish different stemness subtypes. Thus, a five-hub-gene based classifier was constructed in TCGA and ICGC HCC datasets to predict patients' stemness subtype in a more convenient and applicable way, and this novel stemness-based classification system could facilitate the prognostic prediction and guide clinical strategies of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongjie Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Jixing Liu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China.,Department of Nephrology, Institute of Nephrology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, P.R. China
| | - Longjun Zang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Tijun Xiao
- Department of General Surgery, Shaoyang University Affiliated Second Hospital, Shaoyang University, Shaoyang, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Xianlin Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Hongwei Zhu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Wenzhe Gao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
67
|
She S, Ren L, Chen P, Wang M, Chen D, Wang Y, Chen H. Functional Roles of Chemokine Receptor CCR2 and Its Ligands in Liver Disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:812431. [PMID: 35281057 PMCID: PMC8913720 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.812431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are a family of cytokines that orchestrate the migration and positioning of immune cells within tissues and are critical for the function of the immune system. CCR2 participates in liver pathology, including acute liver injury, chronic hepatitis, fibrosis/cirrhosis, and tumor progression, by mediating the recruitment of immune cells to inflammation and tumor sites. Although a variety of chemokines have been well studied in various diseases, there is no comprehensive review presenting the roles of all known chemokine ligands of CCR2 (CCL2, CCL7, CCL8, CCL12, CCL13, CCL16, and PSMP) in liver disease, and this review aims to fill this gap. The introduction of each chemokine includes its discovery, its corresponding chemotactic receptors, physiological functions and roles in inflammation and tumors, and its impact on different immune cell subgroups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaoping She
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liying Ren
- Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Pu Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongbo Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongsong Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Hongsong Chen,
| |
Collapse
|
68
|
Song J, Zhou H, Gu D, Xu Y. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Differentiation: Research Progress in Mechanism and Treatment. Front Oncol 2022; 11:790358. [PMID: 35096588 PMCID: PMC8790246 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.790358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver. Although progress has been made in diagnosis and treatment, morbidity and mortality continue to rise. Chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis are still the most important risk factors for liver cancer. Although there are many treatments, it can only be cured by orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) or surgical resection. And the worse the degree of differentiation, the worse the prognosis of patients with liver cancer. Then it can be considered that restoring a better state of differentiation may improve the prognosis. The differentiation treatment of liver cancer is to reverse the dedifferentiation process of hepatocytes to liver cancer cells by means of drugs, improve the differentiation state of the tumor, and restore the normal liver characteristics, so as to improve the prognosis. Understanding the mechanism of dedifferentiation of liver cancer can provide ideas for drug design. Liver enrichment of transcription factors, imbalance of signal pathway and changes of tumor microenvironment can promote the occurrence and development of liver cancer, and restoring its normal level can inhibit the malignant behavior of tumor. At present, some drugs have been proved to be effective, but more clinical data are needed to support the effectiveness and reliability of drugs. The differentiation treatment of liver cancer is expected to become an important part of the treatment of liver cancer in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianning Song
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangzhou Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongzhong Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dayong Gu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangzhou Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
69
|
Whole-genome sequencing reveals the evolutionary trajectory of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma early recurrence. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:24. [PMID: 35078970 PMCID: PMC8789859 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00838-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have poor long-term survival following curative resection because of the high rate of tumor early recurrence. Little is known about the trajectory of genomic evolution from primary to early-recurrent HCC. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on 40 pairs of primary and early-recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC tumors from patients who received curative resection, and from four patients whose primary and recurrent tumor were extensively sampled. We identified two recurrence patterns: de novo recurrence (18/40), which developed genetically independently of the primary tumor and carried different HCC drivers, and ancestral recurrence (22/40), which was clonally related to the primary tumor and progressed more rapidly than de novo recurrence. We found that the recurrence location was predictive of the recurrence pattern: distant recurrence tended to display the de novo pattern, whereas local recurrence tended to display the ancestral pattern. We then uncovered the evolutionary trajectories based on the subclonal architecture, driver-gene mutations, and mutational processes observed in the primary and recurrent tumors. Multi-region WGS demonstrated spatiotemporal heterogeneity and polyclonal, monophyletic dissemination in HCC ancestral recurrence. In addition, we identified recurrence-specific mutations and copy-number gains in BCL9, leading to WNT/β-catenin signaling activation and an immune-excluded tumor microenvironment, which suggests that BCL9 might serve as a new therapeutic target for recurrent HCC. Collectively, our results allow us to view with unprecedented clarity the genomic evolution during HBV-related HCC early recurrence, providing an important molecular foundation for enhanced understanding of HCC with implications for personalized therapy to improve patient survival.
Collapse
|
70
|
Li J, Hu ZQ, Yu SY, Mao L, Zhou ZJ, Wang PC, Gong Y, Su S, Zhou J, Fan J, Zhou SL, Huang XW. CircRPN2 inhibits aerobic glycolysis and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1055-1069. [PMID: 35045986 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-1259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Song-Yang Yu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Mao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng-Jun Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Gong
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Su
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shao-Lai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Wu Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
71
|
Cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma - from origin to clinical implications. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:26-44. [PMID: 34504325 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00508-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 96.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive disease with a poor clinical outcome. The cancer stem cell (CSC) model states that tumour growth is powered by a subset of tumour stem cells within cancers. This model explains several clinical observations in HCC (as well as in other cancers), including the almost inevitable recurrence of tumours after initial successful chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, as well as the phenomena of tumour dormancy and treatment resistance. The past two decades have seen a marked increase in research on the identification and characterization of liver CSCs, which has encouraged the design of novel diagnostic and treatment strategies for HCC. These studies revealed novel aspects of liver CSCs, including their heterogeneity and unique immunobiology, which are suggestive of opportunities for new research directions and potential therapies. In this Review, we summarize the present knowledge of liver CSC markers and the regulators of stemness in HCC. We also comprehensively describe developments in the liver CSC field with emphasis on experiments utilizing single-cell transcriptomics to understand liver CSC heterogeneity, lineage-tracing and cell-ablation studies of liver CSCs, and the influence of the CSC niche and tumour microenvironment on liver cancer stemness, including interactions between CSCs and the immune system. We also discuss the potential application of liver CSC-based therapies for treatment of HCC.
Collapse
|
72
|
The Systemic Inflammatory Response Identifies Patients with Adverse Clinical Outcome from Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010186. [PMID: 35008350 PMCID: PMC8750517 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of cancer, and it has a pivotal role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. We conducted a retrospective study including 362 patients receiving immune check-point inhibitors (ICIs) across three continents, evaluating the influence of neutrophiles to lymphocytes ratio (NLR), platelets to lymphocytes ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on overall (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and radiologic responses. In our 362 patients treated with immunotherapy, median OS and PFS were 9 and 3.5 months, respectively. Amongst tested inflammatory biomarkers, patients with NLR ≥ 5 had shorter OS (7.7 vs. 17.6 months, p < 0.0001), PFS (2.1 vs. 3.8 months, p = 0.025), and lower objective response rate (ORR) (12% vs. 22%, p = 0.034); similarly, patients with PLR ≥ 300 reported shorter OS (6.4 vs. 16.5 months, p < 0.0001) and PFS (1.8 vs. 3.7 months, p = 0.0006). NLR emerged as independent prognostic factors for OS in univariate and multivariate analysis (HR 1.95, 95%CI 1.45-2.64, p < 0.001; HR 1.73, 95%CI 1.23-2.42, p = 0.002) and PLR remained an independent prognostic factor for both OS and PFS in multivariate analysis (HR 1.60, 95%CI 1.6-2.40, p = 0.020; HR 1.99, 95%CI 1.11-3.49, p = 0.021). Systemic inflammation measured by NLR and PLR is an independent negative prognostic factor in HCC patients undergoing ICI therapy. Further studies are required to understand the biological mechanisms underlying this association and to investigate the predictive significance of circulating inflammatory biomarkers in HCC patients treated with ICIs.
Collapse
|
73
|
Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Prospects for the Cancer Therapy. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121355. [PMID: 34947886 PMCID: PMC8704694 DOI: 10.3390/life11121355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. HCC patients may benefit from liver transplantation, hepatic resection, radiofrequency ablation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and targeted therapies. The increased infiltration of immunosuppressive immune cells and the elevated expression of immunosuppressive factors in the HCC microenvironment are the main culprits of the immunosuppressive nature of the HCC milieu. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment can substantially attenuate antitumoral immune responses and facilitate the immune evasion of tumoral cells. Immunotherapy is an innovative treatment method that has been promising in treating HCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), adoptive cell transfer (ACT), and cell-based (primarily dendritic cells) and non-cell-based vaccines are the most common immunotherapeutic approaches for HCC treatment. However, these therapeutic approaches have not generally induced robust antitumoral responses in clinical settings. To answer to this, growing evidence has characterized immune cell populations and delineated intercellular cross-talk using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies. This review aims to discuss the various types of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and highlight their roles in HCC development. Besides, we discuss the recent advances in immunotherapeutic approaches for treating HCC, e.g., ICIs, dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines, non-cell-based vaccines, oncolytic viruses (OVs), and ACT. Finally, we discuss the potentiality of scRNA-seq to improve the response rate of HCC patients to immunotherapeutic approaches.
Collapse
|
74
|
Satilmis B, Sahin TT, Cicek E, Akbulut S, Yilmaz S. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Microenvironment and Its Implications in Terms of Anti-tumor Immunity: Future Perspectives for New Therapeutics. J Gastrointest Cancer 2021; 52:1198-1205. [PMID: 34625923 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular cancer is an insidious tumor that is often diagnosed in a later stage of life. The tumor microenvironment is the key to tumorigenesis and progression. Many cellular and non-cellular components orchestrate the intricate process of hepatocarcinogenesis. The most important feature of hepatocellular cancer is the immune evasion process. The present review aims to summarize the key components of the tumor microenvironment in the immune evasion process. METHODS Google Scholar and PubMed databases have been searched for the mesh terms "Hepatocellular carcinoma" or "Liver Cancer" and "microenvironment." The articles were reviewed and the components of the tumor microenvironment were summarized. RESULTS The tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells and non-tumoral stromal and immune cells. HCC tumor microenvironment supports aggressive tumor behavior, provides immune evasion, and is an obstacle for current immunotherapeutic strategies. The components of the tumor microenvironment are intratumoral macrophages (tumor-associated macrophages (TAM)), bone marrow-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, and the activated hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSION There are intricate mechanisms that drive hepatocarcinogenesis. The tumor microenvironment is at the center of all the complex and diverse mechanisms. Effective and multistep immunotherapies should be developed to target different components of the tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Basri Satilmis
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Tevfik Tolga Sahin
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey.
| | - Egemen Cicek
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sami Akbulut
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sezai Yilmaz
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
75
|
Neutrophils: Driving inflammation during the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2021; 522:22-31. [PMID: 34517084 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between immune and inflammatory responses in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has garnered significant interest. In the peripheral blood and tumour microenvironment (TME), neutrophils, which are innate immune cells, crucially respond to various inflammatory factors, leading to tumour progression. To some extent, they affect the clinical treatment strategy and survival among HCC patients. A high circulating neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a reliable factor that can be used to predict poor outcomes in HCC patients. However, the mechanisms underlying the protumoural effects of circulating neutrophils remain poorly understood. Besides, the distinct role and function of neutrophils at the site of HCC remain relatively unclear, which is partially attributed to their substantial heterogeneity compared with other immune cells. In this review, we firstly discuss the current information available, detailing distinct subsets, functional phenotypes, and the impact of circulating and tumour-infiltrating neutrophils on tumourigenesis in HCC. Furthermore, we describe recent pre-clinical and clinical studies concerning neutrophils for evaluating the feasibility of targeting diverse protumoural aspects to improve therapeutic efficacy, thus paving the way for neutrophil-based treatment, especially in combination with immunotherapy.
Collapse
|
76
|
Wang PC, Hu ZQ, Zhou SL, Yu SY, Mao L, Su S, Li J, Ren N, Huang XW. The Spatial Distribution of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2021; 113:423-431. [PMID: 34779545 PMCID: PMC8819352 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) influence tumor progression and patient prognosis, making them attractive therapeutic targets for immunotherapy research. A deeper understanding of immune cell distributions in the TME in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is needed to identify interactions among different immune cell types that might impact the effectiveness of potential immunotherapies. We performed multiplex immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray of samples from 302 patients with HCC to elucidate the spatial distributions of immune cell subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD66b+, and CD68+) in HCC and normal liver tissues. We analyzed the associations between different immune subpopulations using Pearson's correlation. G(r) functions, K(r) functions and Euclidean distance were applied to characterize the bivariate distribution patterns among the immune cell types. Cox regression and Kaplan‐Meier analysis were used to evaluate the associations between tumor infiltration by different immune cells and patient outcomes after curative surgery. We also analyzed the relationship between the spatial distribution of different immune cell subpopulations with HCC patient prognosis. We found that the immune cell spatial distribution in the HCC TME is heterogeneous. Our study provides a theoretical basis for HCC immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Cheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Whole-period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital & AHS, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shao-Lai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Song-Yang Yu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Li Mao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sheng Su
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ning Ren
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Whole-period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer (SMHC), Minhang Hospital & AHS, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, China
| | - Xiao-Wu Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
77
|
Romualdo GR, Leroy K, Costa CJS, Prata GB, Vanderborght B, da Silva TC, Barbisan LF, Andraus W, Devisscher L, Câmara NOS, Vinken M, Cogliati B. In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Strategies for Translational Modeling. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5583. [PMID: 34771745 PMCID: PMC8582701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally. HCC is a complex multistep disease and usually emerges in the setting of chronic liver diseases. The molecular pathogenesis of HCC varies according to the etiology, mainly caused by chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections, chronic alcohol consumption, aflatoxin-contaminated food, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with metabolic syndrome or diabetes mellitus. The establishment of HCC models has become essential for both basic and translational research to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and unravel new molecular drivers of this disease. The ideal model should recapitulate key events observed during hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression in view of establishing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to be translated into clinical practice. Despite considerable efforts currently devoted to liver cancer research, only a few anti-HCC drugs are available, and patient prognosis and survival are still poor. The present paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of in vivo and in vitro models used for translational modeling of HCC with a specific focus on their key molecular hallmarks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Kaat Leroy
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Cícero Júlio Silva Costa
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Gabriel Bacil Prata
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Bart Vanderborght
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Tereza Cristina da Silva
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Luís Fernando Barbisan
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
| | - Wellington Andraus
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences IV, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
78
|
Zhou SL, Xin HY, Sun RQ, Zhou ZJ, Hu ZQ, Luo CB, Wang PC, Li J, Fan J, Zhou J. Association of KRAS Variant Subtypes With Survival and Recurrence in Patients With Surgically Treated Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. JAMA Surg 2021; 157:59-65. [PMID: 34730772 PMCID: PMC8567187 DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.5679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Question What is the prevalence of KRAS variant subtypes and their association with survival and recurrence in patients with surgically treated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)? Findings In this cohort study including 1024 patients, a total of 14 different subtypes of KRAS somatic variants affecting 127 patients with ICC (12.4%) were identified, including G12D (43.3%), G12V (19.7%), G12C (7.1%), and G13D (6.3%). G12 KRAS variants but not non-G12 KRAS variants were independently associated with worse overall and disease-free survival, and the G12V KRAS variant was the strongest prognostic determinant for the worst overall and disease-free survival. Meaning This cohort study characterized the distribution of KRAS variant subtypes in a large cohort of patients with ICC and showed an association with patient outcome. Importance KRAS variants are associated with tumor progression; however, the prevalence of KRAS variant subtypes and their association with survival and recurrence in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after curative resection are largely unknown. Objective To explore the prognostic association of KRAS variant subtypes with survival and recurrence in patients with ICC. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cohort study, patients who underwent curative resection for ICC from January 2009 through December 2016 at a single hospital in China were recruited, and whole-exome sequencing, targeted sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify KRAS variants. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used to compare overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Data were analyzed from April 2020 to January 2021. Interventions Hepatectomy in patients with ICC. Main Outcomes and Measures The association of KRAS variant subtypes with OS and DFS. Results Of 1024 included patients with ICC, 621 (60.6%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 59.2 (10.2) years. A total of 14 different subtypes of KRAS somatic variants affecting 127 patients (12.4%) were identified. G12D was the most frequent allele in this cohort, accounting for 55 of 127 identified KRAS variants (43.3%), followed by G12V (25 [19.7%]), G12C (9 [7.1%]), and G13D (8 [6.3%]). Compared with patients with wild-type KRAS, patients with variant KRAS were more likely to have high levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (92 of 127 [72.4%] vs 546 of 897 [60.9%]; P = .01) and γ-glutamyltransferase (72 of 127 [56.7%] vs 420 of 897 [46.8%]; P = .04). Multivariable analysis revealed that G12 KRAS variants but not non-G12 KRAS variants were independently associated with worse OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.69; 95% CI, 1.31-2.18; P < .001) and DFS (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.16-1.88; P = .002). Among the patients with G12 KRAS variants, the G12V KRAS variant was the strongest prognostic determinant for the worst OS (HR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.94-4.79; P < .001) and DFS (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.13-2.85; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, the distribution of KRAS variant subtypes was characterized in a large cohort of patients with ICC from China. The presence of G12 KRAS variants but not non-G12 KRAS variants was associated with worse survival and increased risk of recurrence. Patients with the G12V variant exhibited the worst outcomes in the whole cohort.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Lai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Yang Xin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong-Qi Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng-Jun Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Chu-Bin Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
79
|
Jiang X, Liang L, Chen G, Liu C. Modulation of Immune Components on Stem Cell and Dormancy in Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:2826. [PMID: 34831048 PMCID: PMC8616319 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) refer to a certain subpopulation within the tumor entity that is characterized by restricted cellular proliferation and multipotent differentiation potency. The existence of CSCs has been proven to contribute to the heterogeneity of malignancies, accounting for intensified tumorigenesis, treatment resistance, and metastatic spread. Dormancy was proposed as a reversible state of cancer cells that are temporarily arrested in the cell cycle, possessing several hallmarks that facilitate their survival within a devastating niche. This transient period is evoked to enter an actively proliferating state by multiple regulatory alterations, and one of the most significant and complex factors comes from local and systemic inflammatory reactions and immune components. Although CSCs and dormant cancer cells share several similarities, the clear relationship between these two concepts remains unclear. Thus, the detailed mechanism of immune cells interacting with CSCs and dormant cancer cells also warrants elucidation for prevention of cancer relapse and metastasis. In this review, we summarize recent findings and prospective studies on CSCs and cancer dormancy to conclude the relationship between these two concepts. Furthermore, we aim to outline the mechanism of immune components in interfering with CSCs and dormant cancer cells to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of relapse and metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Caigang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
80
|
Sionov RV. Leveling Up the Controversial Role of Neutrophils in Cancer: When the Complexity Becomes Entangled. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092486. [PMID: 34572138 PMCID: PMC8465406 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in the circulation of human and act as gatekeepers to discard foreign elements that have entered the body. They are essential in initiating immune responses for eliminating invaders, such as microorganisms and alien particles, as well as to act as immune surveyors of cancer cells, especially during the initial stages of carcinogenesis and for eliminating single metastatic cells in the circulation and in the premetastatic organs. Since neutrophils can secrete a whole range of factors stored in their many granules as well as produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species upon stimulation, neutrophils may directly or indirectly affect carcinogenesis in both the positive and negative directions. An intricate crosstalk between tumor cells, neutrophils, other immune cells and stromal cells in the microenvironment modulates neutrophil function resulting in both anti- and pro-tumor activities. Both the anti-tumor and pro-tumor activities require chemoattraction towards the tumor cells, neutrophil activation and ROS production. Divergence is seen in other neutrophil properties, including differential secretory repertoire and membrane receptor display. Many of the direct effects of neutrophils on tumor growth and metastases are dependent on tight neutrophil–tumor cell interactions. Among them, the neutrophil Mac-1 interaction with tumor ICAM-1 and the neutrophil L-selectin interaction with tumor-cell sialomucins were found to be involved in the neutrophil-mediated capturing of circulating tumor cells resulting in increased metastatic seeding. On the other hand, the anti-tumor function of neutrophils was found to rely on the interaction between tumor-surface-expressed receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and Cathepsin G expressed on the neutrophil surface. Intriguingly, these two molecules are also involved in the promotion of tumor growth and metastases. RAGE is upregulated during early inflammation-induced carcinogenesis and was found to be important for sustaining tumor growth and homing at metastatic sites. Cathepsin G was found to be essential for neutrophil-supported lung colonization of cancer cells. These data level up the complexity of the dual role of neutrophils in cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Vogt Sionov
- Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem Campus, P.O.B. 12272, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
81
|
Zhao Y, Wang J, Liu WN, Fong SY, Shuen TWH, Liu M, Harden S, Tan SY, Cheng JY, Tan WWS, Chan JKY, Chee CE, Lee GH, Toh HC, Lim SG, Wan Y, Chen Q. Analysis and Validation of Human Targets and Treatments Using a Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Immune Humanized Mouse Model. Hepatology 2021; 74:1395-1410. [PMID: 33738839 PMCID: PMC9540409 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Recent development of multiple treatments for human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has allowed for the selection of combination therapy to enhance the effectiveness of monotherapy. Optimal selection of therapies is based on both HCC and its microenvironment. Therefore, it is critical to develop and validate preclinical animal models for testing clinical therapeutic solutions. APPROACH AND RESULTS We established cell line-based or patient-derived xenograft-based humanized-immune-system mouse models with subcutaneous and orthotopic HCC. Mice were injected with human-specific antibodies (Abs) to deplete human immune cells. We analyzed the transcription profiles of HCC cells and human immune cells by using real-time PCR and RNA sequencing. The protein level of HCC tumor cells/tissues or human immune cells was determined by using flow cytometry, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The HCC tumor size was measured after single, dual-combination, and triple-combination treatment using N-(1',2-Dihydroxy-1,2'-binaphthalen-4'-yl)-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide (C188-9), bevacizumab, and pembrolizumab. In this study, human immune cells in the tumor microenvironment were strongly selected and modulated by HCC, which promoted the activation of the IL-6/Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway in tumor cells and led to augmented HCC proliferation and angiogenesis by releasing angiogenic cytokines in humanized-immune-system mice with HCC. In particular, intratumor human cluster of differentiation-positive (hCD14+ ) cells could produce IL-33 through damage-associated molecular pattern/Toll-like receptor 4/activator protein 1, which up-regulated IL-6 in other intratumor immune cells and activated the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in HCC. Specific knockdown of the CD14 gene in human monocytes could impair IL-33 production induced by cell lysates. Subsequently, we evaluated the in vivo anti-HCC effect of C188-9, bevacizumab, and pembrolizumab. The results showed that the anti-HCC effect of triple-combination therapy was superior to that of single or dual treatments. CONCLUSIONS Humanized-immune-system HCC mouse models are suitable for identifying targets from cancer and immune components and for testing combinational therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhao
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Jiaxu Wang
- Genome Institute of SingaporeAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Wai Nam Liu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Shin Yie Fong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | | | - Min Liu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Sarah Harden
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Sue Yee Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Jia Ying Cheng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Wilson Wei Sheng Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Jerry Kok Yen Chan
- Department of Reproductive MedicineKandang Kerbau Women’s and Children's HospitalSingapore,Experimental Fetal Medicine GroupYong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingapore
| | - Cheng Ean Chee
- Department of Hematology‐OncologyNational University Cancer InstituteSingapore
| | - Guan Huei Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNational University Health SystemSingapore
| | - Han Chong Toh
- Division of Medical OncologyNational Cancer Centre SingaporeSingapore
| | - Seng Gee Lim
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNational University Health SystemSingapore
| | - Yue Wan
- Genome Institute of SingaporeAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore
| | - Qingfeng Chen
- Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchSingapore,Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyYong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingapore
| |
Collapse
|
82
|
Gisina A, Novikova S, Kim Y, Sidorov D, Bykasov S, Volchenko N, Kaprin A, Zgoda V, Yarygin K, Lupatov A. CEACAM5 overexpression is a reliable characteristic of CD133-positive colorectal cancer stem cells. Cancer Biomark 2021; 32:85-98. [PMID: 34092615 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-203187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CD133 (prominin-1) is the most commonly used molecular marker of the cancer stem cells (CSCs) that maintain tumor progression and recurrence in colorectal cancer. However, the proteome of CSCs directly isolated from colorectal tumors based on CD133 expression has never been investigated. OBJECTIVE To reveal biomarkers of CD133-positive colorectal CSCs. METHODS Thirty colorectal tumor samples were collected from patients undergoing bowel resection. CD133-positive and CD133-negative cells were isolated by FACS. Comparative proteomic profiling was performed by LC-MS/MS analysis combined with label-free quantification. Verification of differentially expressed proteins was performed by flow cytometry or ELISA. CD133-knockout Caco-2 and HT-29 cell lines were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. RESULTS LC-MS/MS analysis identified 29 proteins with at least 2.5-fold higher expression in CD133-positive cells versus CD133-negative cells. Flow cytometry confirmed CEACAM5 overexpression in CD133-positive cells in all clinical samples analyzed. S100A8, S100A9, and DEFA1 were differentially expressed in only a proportion of the samples. CD133 knockout in the colon cancer cell lines Caco-2 and HT-29 did not affect the median level of CEACAM5 expression, but led to higher variance of the percentage of CEACAM5-positive cells. CONCLUSIONS High CEACAM5 expression in colorectal cancer cells is firmly associated with the CD133-positive colorectal CSC phenotype, but it is unlikely that CD133 directly regulates CEACAM5 expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Gisina
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana Novikova
- Laboratory of Systems Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yan Kim
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry Sidorov
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Stanislav Bykasov
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Volchenko
- Department of Oncomorphology, P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Kaprin
- P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor Zgoda
- Laboratory of Systems Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin Yarygin
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey Lupatov
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
83
|
Zheng Y, Li Y, Feng J, Li J, Ji J, Wu L, Yu Q, Dai W, Wu J, Zhou Y, Guo C. Cellular based immunotherapy for primary liver cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:250. [PMID: 34372912 PMCID: PMC8351445 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02030-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is a common malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. Poor prognosis and easy recurrence on PLC patients calls for optimizations of the current conventional treatments and the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. For most malignancies, including PLC, immune cells play crucial roles in regulating tumor microenvironments and specifically recognizing tumor cells. Therefore, cellular based immunotherapy has its instinctive advantages in PLC therapy as a novel therapeutic strategy. From the active and passive immune perspectives, we introduced the cellular based immunotherapies for PLC in this review, covering both the lymphoid and myeloid cells. Then we briefly review the combined cellular immunotherapeutic approaches and the existing obstacles for PLC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jiao Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Liwei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Weiqi Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jianye Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200060, China.
| | - Yingqun Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| | - Chuanyong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200060, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| |
Collapse
|
84
|
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment are independent yet synergistic drivers of tumour progression and underlie therapeutic resistance. Recent studies have highlighted the complex interaction between these cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms. The reciprocal communication between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and infiltrating immune cell populations in the tumour microenvironment is a paradigm for these interactions. In this Perspective, we discuss the signalling programmes that simultaneously induce CSCs and reprogramme the immune response to facilitate tumour immune evasion, metastasis and recurrence. We further highlight biological factors that can impact the nature of CSC-immune cell communication. Finally, we discuss targeting opportunities for simultaneous regulation of the CSC niche and immunosurveillance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Defne Bayik
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
85
|
Tumor-Associated Neutrophils in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Pathogenesis, Prognosis, and Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122899. [PMID: 34200529 PMCID: PMC8228651 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma represents the most prevalent primary liver cancer worldwide, and it is either caused by intrinsic genetic mutations or by a multitude of extrinsic risk factors. Even though the interplay between chronic inflammatory changes and hepatocarcinogenesis has been at the forefront of clinical investigation for the past few decades, the role of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) in HCC development still remains ambiguous. On the one hand, N1 TANs exhibit an anti-tumorigenic activity, mediated by direct or indirect tumor cell lysis, whereas on the other hand, N2 TANs have been correlated with increased HCC growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. The association of an elevated Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) with poor prognosis in patients with HCC, has been recently brought into spotlight, consolidating its widespread use as a reliable biomarker. Due to the decisive involvement of TANs in HCC pathogenesis and development, the utilization of various neutrophil-centered anticancer treatment modalities has been under clinical experimentation, selectively targeting and modulating the processes of neutrophil recruitment, activation, and migration. This review summarizes current evidence on the role of TANs in HCC pathogenesis and progression, as well as in their potential involvement in tumor therapy, shedding light on emerging anticancer treatment methods targeting neutrophils.
Collapse
|
86
|
Luo C, Xin H, Yin D, Zhao T, Hu Z, Zhou Z, Sun R, Yao N, Sun Q, Fan J, Huang X, Zhou J, Zhou S. Characterization of immune infiltration in sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:15126-15138. [PMID: 34081621 PMCID: PMC8221324 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) is a rare type of liver malignancy. Currently, the tumor immune features of sHCC are poorly understood. We recruited 31 patients with resected sHCC for whom tissue samples and complete clinicopathologic and follow-up data were available. To understand the immune infiltration of sHCC, immunohistochemical staining was performed on the resected sHCC samples to compare the expressions of programmed death-1 (PD-1), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), B7-H3, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), CD8, FOXP3, and CD68 in tumor and peritumoral tissues. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to assess the predictive value of immune markers. Sarcomatoid components were characterized with significantly higher expression of PD-L1 and B7-H3 in tumor cells than in conventional HCC components, as well as in peritumoral tissue. Additionally, sarcomatoid components had a higher density of FOXP3+ and LAG-3+ cells and a lower density of CD8+ cells than conventional HCC components or peritumoral tissue. Higher expression of PD-L1 in tumor cells significantly correlated with higher densities of CD8+, PD-1+, and LAG-3+ cells. Increased tumor PD-L1 expression and decreased CD8+ T-cell density were associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients of sHCC. These findings suggest further characterization on relative mechanism of sHCC immune infiltration may identify therapeutic targets for immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chubin Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Haoyang Xin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Dan Yin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tongyi Zhao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiqiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhengjun Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rongqi Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Na Yao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiman Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaowu Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shaolai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
87
|
Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Immunosuppressive Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115801. [PMID: 34071550 PMCID: PMC8198390 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer has the fourth highest mortality rate of all cancers worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most prevalent subtype. Despite great advances in systemic therapy, such as molecular-targeted agents, HCC has one of the worst prognoses due to drug resistance and frequent recurrence and metastasis. Recently, new therapeutic strategies such as cancer immunosuppressive therapy have prolonged patients' lives, and the combination of an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and VEGF inhibitor is now positioned as the first-line therapy for advanced HCC. Since the efficacy of ICIs depends on the tumor immune microenvironment, it is necessary to elucidate the immune environment of HCC to select appropriate ICIs. In this review, we summarize the findings on the immune microenvironment and immunosuppressive approaches focused on monoclonal antibodies against cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 and programmed cell death protein 1 for HCC. We also describe ongoing treatment modalities, including adoptive cell transfer-based therapies and future areas of exploration based on recent literature. The results of pre-clinical studies using immunological classification and animal models will contribute to the development of biomarkers that predict the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy and aid in the selection of appropriate strategies for HCC treatment.
Collapse
|
88
|
Guan X, Lu Y, Zhu H, Yu S, Zhao W, Chi X, Xie C, Yin Z. The Crosstalk Between Cancer Cells and Neutrophils Enhances Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis via Neutrophil Extracellular Traps-Associated Cathepsin G Component: A Potential Therapeutic Target. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:451-465. [PMID: 34046369 PMCID: PMC8144903 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s303588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emerging evidences have highlighted the roles of neutrophils, as the major host microenvironment component, in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Neutrophils extracellular traps (NETs) produced in the infection can strengthen the behavior of cancer metastasis. Here, we investigated the roles of NETs in HCC metastasis and further explore the underlying mechanism of how NETs interact with cancer. Methods The neutrophils were isolated from whole blood of HCC patients and used to evaluate the formation of NETs. NET markers were detected in tissue samples, plasma and cell climbing slice. Mouse models were used to evaluate the roles of NETs in HCC metastasis in vivo, and the corresponding mechanisms were explored using in vivo and in vitro assays. Results An increase in the release of NETs in patients with HCC, particularly those with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). The presence of NETs in HCC tumor tissues closely correlated with a poor prognosis. Functionally, the invasion ability of HCC cells was enhanced by co-culture with HCC neutrophils, through NETs formation, while the neutrophils from a healthy donor (HD) exhibited the inhibition of the invasion ability. Furthermore, we observed an enhanced ability of forming NETs in neutrophils from HCC patients in vitro, especially patients with PVTT or extra-hepatic metastasis. An in-vivo animal study demonstrated that neutrophils of HCC facilitated the metastatic behavior towards the lung. The further mechanistic investigation unveiled that HCC cells-derived cytokine IL-8 triggered NETs formation in an NADPH oxidase-dependent manner, and NETs-associated cathepsin G (cG) promoted HCC metastasis in vitro as well as vivo. Clinically, the expression of the cG protein in tumor tissues displayed a close correlation with the disease prognosis of HCC patients. Conclusion Our findings implicated that the induction of NETs by HCC cells is a critical metastasis-supporting cancer–host interaction and that NETs may serve as an immune-based potential therapeutic target against HCC progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqian Guan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyan Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Heping Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuqi Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxiu Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqin Chi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengrong Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyu Yin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
89
|
Gramantieri L, Giovannini C, Piscaglia F, Fornari F. MicroRNAs as Modulators of Tumor Metabolism, Microenvironment, and Immune Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:369-385. [PMID: 34012928 PMCID: PMC8126872 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s268292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Molecular heterogeneity and absence of biomarkers helping patient allocation to the best therapeutic option contribute to poor prognosis in advanced stages. MicroRNAs’ (miRNAs) deregulated expression contributes to tumor development and progression and influences drug resistance in HCC. Accordingly, miRNAs have been extensively investigated as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The diagnostic and prognostic roles of circulating miRNAs have been ascertained, though with some inconsistencies across studies. From a therapeutic perspective, miRNA-based approaches demonstrated safety profiles and antitumor efficacy in HCC animal models. Nevertheless, caution should be used when transferring preclinical findings to the clinic, due to possible molecular inconsistency between animal models and the heterogeneous patterns of human diseases. A wealth of information is offered by preclinical studies exploring the mechanisms driving miRNAs’ aberrant expression, the molecular cascades triggered by miRNAs and the corresponding phenotypic changes. Ex-vivo analyses confirmed these results, further shedding light on the intricacy of the human disease often overcoming pre-clinical models. This complexity seems to be ascribed to the intrinsic heterogeneity of HCC, to different risk factors driving its development, as well as to changes across stages and previous treatments. Preliminary findings suggest that miRNAs associated with specific risk factors might be more informative in defined patients’ subgroups. The first issue to be considered when trying to envisage a possible translational perspective is the molecular context that often drives different miRNA functions, as clearly evidenced by “dual” miRNAs. Concerning the possible roles of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets, we will focus on miRNAs’ involvement in metabolic pathways and in the modulation of tumor microenvironment, to support their exploitation in defined contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gramantieri
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Catia Giovannini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Piscaglia
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary and Immunoallergic Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Fornari
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research - CRBA, University of Bologna, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.,Department for Life Quality Studies (QuVi), University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
90
|
Xia S, Ji L, Tao L, Pan Y, Lin Z, Wan Z, Pan H, Zhao J, Cai L, Xu J, Cai X. TAK1 Is a Novel Target in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Contributes to Sorafenib Resistance. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 12:1121-1143. [PMID: 33962073 PMCID: PMC8350196 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Identifying novel and actionable targets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains an unmet medical need. TAK1 was originally identified as a transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase and was further proved to phosphorylate and activate numerous downstream targets and promote cancer progression. However, the role of TAK1 in developed HCC progression and targeted therapy resistance is poorly understood. METHODS The expression of TAK1 or MTDH in HCC cell lines, tumor tissues, and sorafenib-resistant models was analyzed by in silico analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. In vivo and in vitro experiments were introduced to examine the function of TAK1 or MTDH in HCC and sorafenib resistance using small interfering RNA and pharmacologic inhibitors in combination with or without sorafenib. Co-immunoprecipitation and RNA immunoprecipitation were carried out to determine the binding between TAK1 and FBXW2 or between MTDH and FBXW2 mRNA. Protein half-life and in vitro ubiquitination experiment was performed to validate whether FBXW2 regulates TAK1 degradation. RESULTS Our findings unraveled the clinical significance of TAK1 in promoting HCC and sorafenib resistance. We identified a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase, FBXW2, targeting TAK1 for K48-linked polyubiquitylation and subsequent degradation. We also found that MTDH contributes to TAK1 up-regulation in HCC and sorafenib resistance through binding to FBXW2 mRNA and accelerates its degradation. Moreover, combination of TAK1 inhibitor and sorafenib suppressed the growth of sorafenib-resistant HCCLM3 xenograft in mouse models. CONCLUSIONS These results revealed novel mechanism underlying TAK1 protein degradation and highlighted the therapeutic value of targeting TAK1 in suppressing HCC and overcoming sorafenib resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shunjie Xia
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liye Tao
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhongjie Lin
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhe Wan
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haoqi Pan
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liuxin Cai
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Junjie Xu, MD, PhD, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China,Xiujun Cai, MD, PhD, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
91
|
Wang J, Zhang C, Chen X, Li Y, Li A, Liu D, Li F, Luo T. Functions of CXC chemokines as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in the hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment. Transl Cancer Res 2021; 10:2169-2187. [PMID: 35116536 PMCID: PMC8797652 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-21-127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Several studies have indicated that CXC chemokines influence the prognosis and therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there are limited studies on the roles of CXC chemokines in HCC based on data acquired from various databases. This study aimed to conduct an in-depth and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the expression and functions of CXC chemokines in HCC. Methods Data was obtained from various databases including ONCOMINE, UALCAN, STRING, GeneMinia, DAVID, Kaplan-Meier plotter, TIMER, GSCALite and NetworkAnalyst for the analysis of the expression and functions of the CXC chemokines in HCC. Results Analysis of the differential expression levels of CXC chemokines between HCC and adjacent normal tissues revealed that the mRNA expression levels of CXCL1/2/5/6/7/12/14 were significantly lower in HCC tissues than those in adjacent normal tissues, whereas the mRNA expression levels of CXCL9/16/17 were significantly higher in HCC tissues. Analysis of the relationship between CXC chemokines and overall survival revealed that high mRNA expression levels of CXCL1/3/5/6/8 were associated with poor overall survival, whereas high mRNA expression levels of CXCL2/4/7/9/10/12 were associated with better overall survival. The functions of CXC chemokines and related genes were associated with cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and chemokine signaling pathway. Analysis of the association between CXC chemokines and activity of cancer pathways indicated that the DNA damage response and hormone androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathways were inhibited, whereas apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were activated. The expression of CXC chemokines was positively correlated with the infiltration of six types of immune cells (B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells). Conclusions This study has demonstrated that CXC chemokines can influence survival of patients with HCC by recruiting different types of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jukun Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongbin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
92
|
Song M, He J, Pan QZ, Yang J, Zhao J, Zhang YJ, Huang Y, Tang Y, Wang Q, He J, Gu J, Li Y, Chen S, Zeng J, Zhou ZQ, Yang C, Han Y, Chen H, Xiang T, Weng DS, Xia JC. Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-Mediated Cellular Crosstalk Supports Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression. Hepatology 2021; 73:1717-1735. [PMID: 33682185 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in multicellular, stromal-dependent alterations leading to HCC pathogenesis. However, the intricate crosstalk between CAFs and other components in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the cellular crosstalk among CAFs, tumor cells, and tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) during different stages of HCC pathogenesis. APPROACH AND RESULTS In the HCC-TME, CAF-derived cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1) increased chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 6 (CXCL6) and TGF-β secretion in tumor cells, which subsequently promoted tumor cell stemness in an autocrine manner and TAN infiltration and polarization in a paracrine manner. Moreover, CXCL6 and TGF-β secreted by HCC cells activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 signaling of CAFs to produce more CLCF1, thus forming a positive feedback loop to accelerate HCC progression. Inhibition of ERK1/2 or CLCF1/ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor signaling efficiently impaired CLCF1-mediated crosstalk among CAFs, tumor cells, and TANs both in vitro and in vivo. In clinical samples, up-regulation of the CLCF1-CXCL6/TGF-β axis exhibited a marked correlation with increased cancer stem cells, "N2"-polarized TANs, tumor stage, and poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals a cytokine-mediated cellular crosstalk and clinical network involving the CLCF1-CXCL6/TGF-β axis, which regulates the positive feedback loop among CAFs, tumor stemness, and TANs, HCC progression, and patient prognosis. These results may support the CLCF1 cascade as a potential prognostic biomarker and suggest that selective blockade of CLCF1/ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor or ERK1/2 signaling could provide an effective therapeutic target for patients with HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Song
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Junyi He
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Qiu-Zhong Pan
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jieying Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yao-Jun Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yan Tang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Qijing Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jia He
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jiamei Gu
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yongqiang Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Shiping Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jianxiong Zeng
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zi-Qi Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chaopin Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yulong Han
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Tong Xiang
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - De-Sheng Weng
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Chuan Xia
- Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
93
|
Bian J, Long J, Yang X, Yang X, Xu Y, Lu X, Guan M, Sang X, Zhao H. Construction and validation of a prognostic signature using CNV-driven genes for hepatocellular carcinoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:765. [PMID: 34268378 PMCID: PMC8246234 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-7101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Copy number variations (CNVs) affect the expression of genes and play critical roles in carcinogenesis. We aimed to identify specific CNV-driven genes and establish a prognostic model for HCC. Methods Integrative analysis of CNVs difference data and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were conducted to identify critical CNV-driven genes for HCC. A risk model was constructed based on univariate Cox regression analysis, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The associations between CNV-driven genes signature and infiltrating immune cells were explored. The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset was utilized to validate this model. Results After integrative analysis of CNVs and corresponding mRNA expression profiles, 568 CNV-driven genes were identified. Sixty-three CNV-driven genes were found to be markedly associated with overall survival (OS) after univariate Cox regression analysis. Finally, eight CNV-driven genes were screened to generate a prognostic risk model. Compared with low-risk group, the OS of patients in the high-risk group was significantly shorter in both the TCGA [hazard ratio (HR) =6.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.72-13.86, P<0.001] and ICGC (HR =3.23, 95% CI: 1.17-8.92, P<0.001) datasets. Further analysis revealed the infiltrating neutrophils were positively correlated with risk score. Meanwhile, the high-risk group was associated with higher expression of immune checkpoint genes. Conclusions A novel signature based on CNV-driven genes was built to predict the survival of HCC patients and showed good performance. The results of our study may improve understanding of the mechanism that drives HCC, and provide an immunological perspective for individualized therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Bian
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Junyu Long
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Yiyao Xu
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Mei Guan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xinting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
94
|
Yin D, Hu Z, Luo C, Wang X, Xin H, Sun R, Wang P, Li J, Fan J, Zhou Z, Zhou J, Zhou S. LINC01133 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by sponging miR-199a-5p and activating annexin A2. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e409. [PMID: 34047479 PMCID: PMC8101537 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are functionally associated with cancer development and progression. Although gene copy number variation (CNV) is common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is not known how CNV in lncRNAs affects HCC progression and recurrence. We aimed to identify a CNV-related lncRNA involved in HCC progression and recurrence and illustrate its underlying mechanisms and prognostic value. METHODS We analyzed the whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of matched cancerous and noncancerous liver samples from 49 patients with HCC to identify lncRNAs with CNV. The results were validated in another cohort of 238 paired HCC and nontumor samples by TaqMan copy number assay. We preformed Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test to identify lncRNA CNV with prognostic value. We conducted loss- and gain-of-function studies to explore the biological functions of LINC01133 in vitro and in vivo. The competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) mechanism was clarified by microRNA sequencing (miR-seq), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. We confirmed the binding mechanism between lncRNA and protein by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR, and western blot analyses. RESULTS Genomic copy numbers of LINC01133 were increased in HCC, which were positively related with the elevated expression of LINC01133. Increased copy number of LINC01133 predicted the poor prognosis in HCC patients. LINC01133 overexpression in HCC cells promoted proliferation and aggressive phenotypes in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo, whereas LINC01133 knockdown had the opposite effects. LINC01133 sponged miR-199a-5p, resulting in enhanced expression of SNAI1, which induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC cells. In addition, LINC01133 interacted with Annexin A2 (ANXA2) to activate the ANXA2/STAT3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS LINC01133 promotes HCC progression by sponging miR-199a-5p and interacting with ANXA2. LINC01133 CNV gain is predictive of poor prognosis in patients with HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yin
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zhi‐Qiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Chu‐Bin Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xiao‐Yi Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Hao‐Yang Xin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Rong‐Qi Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Peng‐Cheng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jia Fan
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zheng‐Jun Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Shao‐Lai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University)Ministry of EducationShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
95
|
Bozward AG, Warricker F, Oo YH, Khakoo SI. Natural Killer Cells and Regulatory T Cells Cross Talk in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Exploring Therapeutic Options for the Next Decade. Front Immunol 2021; 12:643310. [PMID: 33995362 PMCID: PMC8120158 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.643310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite major advances in immunotherapy, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenging target. Natural Killer (NK) cells are crucial components of the anti-HCC immune response, which can be manipulated for immunotherapeutic benefit as primary targets, modulators of the tumour microenvironment and in synchronising with tumour antigen specific effector CD8 cells for tumour clearance. Regulatory T cells shape the anti-tumour response from effector T cells via multiple suppressive mechanisms. Future research is needed to address the development of novel NK cell-targeted immunotherapy and on restraining Treg frequency and function in HCC. We have now entered a new era of anti-cancer treatment using checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-based strategies. Combining GMP-NK cell immunotherapy to enhance the frequency of NK cells with CPI targeting both NK and CD8 T cells to release co-inhibitory receptors and enhance the cells anti-tumour immunity of HCC would be an attractive therapeutic option in the treatment of HCC. These therapeutic approaches should now be complemented by the application of genomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches to understanding the microenvironment of HCC which, together with deep immune profiling of peripheral blood and HCC tissue before and during treatment, will provide the much-needed personalised medicine approach required to improve clinical outcomes for patients with HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber G. Bozward
- Centre for Liver and Gastroenterology Research and National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR BRC) Birmingham, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Rare Diseases, European Reference Network Centre- Rare Liver, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Frazer Warricker
- The School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ye H. Oo
- Centre for Liver and Gastroenterology Research and National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR BRC) Birmingham, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Rare Diseases, European Reference Network Centre- Rare Liver, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Unit, University Hospital of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Salim I. Khakoo
- The School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Unit, University Hospital of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
96
|
Jia N, Song Z, Chen B, Cheng J, Zhou W. A Novel Circular RNA circCSPP1 Promotes Liver Cancer Progression by Sponging miR-1182. Onco Targets Ther 2021; 14:2829-2838. [PMID: 33935503 PMCID: PMC8079351 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s292320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aberrant circular RNA (circRNA) expression has been extensively discovered for its involvement in both the initiation and progression of various cancers. Through screening circRNA profile, we identified a novel circRNA has_circ_0001806, which is termed as circCSPP1 in liver cancer. In the present study, we aim to investigate the role of circCSPP1 in the progression of liver cancer. METHODS Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect the location of circCSPP1. Function studies including MTT, colony formation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry were carried out to detect the malignant behaviour of circCSPP1 on liver cancer cells. Luciferase assay and RNA pull down were used to detect the interaction between miR-1182 and circCSPP1 as well as RAB15. Quantitative realtime (qPCR) and Western blot were performed to evaluate the RNA and protein expression, respectively. RESULTS CircCSPP1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion while promoted apoptosis of liver cancer cells. Mechanically, we predicted and verified the target miR of circCSPP1 which is miR-1182. miR-1182 was capable of reversing the effect of circCSPP1 on liver cancer cells. Moreover, miR-1182 was found to also target RAB15 to participate in the regulation of cell phenotype. DISCUSSION Taken together, circCSPP1 promoted progression of liver cancer cells via sponging miR-1182 which may serve as a novel prognostic and therapeutic target for liver cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jia
- Department of General Surgery, CangZhou General Hospital, CangZhou, Hebei, 061001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhe Song
- Department of General Surgery, CangZhou General Hospital, CangZhou, Hebei, 061001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baosheng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, CangZhou General Hospital, CangZhou, Hebei, 061001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinsheng Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, CangZhou General Hospital, CangZhou, Hebei, 061001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyong Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, CangZhou General Hospital, CangZhou, Hebei, 061001, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
97
|
Microvesicles - promising tiny players' of cancer stem cells targeted liver cancer treatments: The interesting interactions and therapeutic aspects. Pharmacol Res 2021; 169:105609. [PMID: 33852962 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide with poor prognosis. Intracellular mediators like microvesicles (MVs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered as potential candidates in liver cancer progression. CSCs receive stimuli from the tumor microenvironment to initiate tumor formation in which it's secreted MVs play a noteworthy role. The phenotypic conversion of tumor cells during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key step in tumor invasion and metastasis which indicates that the diverse cell populations within the primary tumor are in a dynamic balance and can be regulated by cell to cell communication via secreted microvesicles. Thus, in this review, we aim to highlight the evidences that suggest CSCs are crucial for liver cancer development where the microvesicles plays an important part in the maintenance of its stemness properties. In addition, we summarize the existing evidences that support the concept of microvesicles, the tiny particles have a big role behind the rare immortal CSCs which controls the tumor initiation, propagation and metastasis in liver cancer. Identifying interactions between CSCs and microvesicles may offer new insights into precise anti-cancer therapies in the future.
Collapse
|
98
|
Tang J, Yan Z, Feng Q, Yu L, Wang H. The Roles of Neutrophils in the Pathogenesis of Liver Diseases. Front Immunol 2021; 12:625472. [PMID: 33763069 PMCID: PMC7982672 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.625472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are the largest population of circulating leukocytes and the first responder against invading pathogens or other danger signals. Sophisticated machineries help them play critical roles in immunity and inflammation, including phagocytosis, superoxide production, cytokine and chemokine production, degranulation, and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). After maturation and release from the bone marrow, neutrophils migrate to inflamed tissues in response to many stimuli. Increasing evidences indicate that neutrophils are critically involved in the pathogenesis of liver diseases, including liver cancer, thus making them promising target for the treatment of liver diseases. Here, we would like to provide the latest finding about the role of neutrophils in liver diseases and discuss the potentiality of neutrophils as target for liver diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Tang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory on Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-Biliary Tumor Biology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zijun Yan
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory on Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-Biliary Tumor Biology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Graduate Management Unit, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiyu Feng
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory on Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-Biliary Tumor Biology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, China
| | - Lexing Yu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory on Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-Biliary Tumor Biology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory on Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-Biliary Tumor Biology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
99
|
Zhou Z, Wang P, Sun R, Li J, Hu Z, Xin H, Luo C, Zhou J, Fan J, Zhou S. Tumor-associated neutrophils and macrophages interaction contributes to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression by activating STAT3. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001946. [PMID: 33692217 PMCID: PMC7949476 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) and macrophages (TAMs) can each influence cancer growth and metastasis, but their combined effects in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remain unclear. METHODS We explored the distributions of TANs and TAMs in patient-derived ICC samples by multiplex immunofluorescent staining and tested their separate and combined effects on ICC in vitro and in vivo. We then investigated the mechanistic basis of the effects using PCR array, western blot analysis and ELISA experiments. Finally, we validated our results in a tissue microarray composed of primary tumor tissues from 359 patients with ICC. RESULTS The spatial distributions of TANs and TAMs were correlated with each other in patient-derived ICC samples. Interaction between TANs and TAMs enhanced the proliferation and invasion abilities of ICC cells in vitro and tumor progression in a mouse xenograft model of ICC. TANs and TAMs produced higher levels of oncostatin M and interleukin-11, respectively, in co-culture than in monoculture. Both of those cytokines activated STAT3 signaling in ICC cells. Knockdown of STAT3 abolished the protumor effect of TANs and TAMs on ICC. In tumor samples from patients with ICC, increased TAN and TAM levels were correlated with elevated p-STAT3 expression. All three of those factors were independent predictors of patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS TANs and TAMs interact to promote ICC progression by activating STAT3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjun Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengcheng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongqi Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoyang Xin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Chubin Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaolai Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
100
|
Malik A, Thanekar U, Amarachintha S, Mourya R, Nalluri S, Bondoc A, Shivakumar P. "Complimenting the Complement": Mechanistic Insights and Opportunities for Therapeutics in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 10:627701. [PMID: 33718121 PMCID: PMC7943925 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.627701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and a leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. HCC remains a global health problem and is highly aggressive with unfavorable prognosis. Even with surgical interventions and newer medical treatment regimens, patients with HCC have poor survival rates. These limited therapeutic strategies and mechanistic understandings of HCC immunopathogenesis urgently warrant non-palliative treatment measures. Irrespective of the multitude etiologies, the liver microenvironment in HCC is intricately associated with chronic necroinflammation, progressive fibrosis, and cirrhosis as precedent events along with dysregulated innate and adaptive immune responses. Central to these immunological networks is the complement cascade (CC), a fundamental defense system inherent to the liver which tightly regulates humoral and cellular responses to noxious stimuli. Importantly, the liver is the primary source for biosynthesis of >80% of complement components and expresses a variety of complement receptors. Recent studies implicate the complement system in liver inflammation, abnormal regenerative responses, fibrosis, carcinogenesis, and development of HCC. Although complement activation differentially promotes immunosuppressive, stimulant, and angiogenic microenvironments conducive to HCC development, it remains under-investigated. Here, we review derangement of specific complement proteins in HCC in the context of altered complement regulatory factors, immune-activating components, and their implications in disease pathogenesis. We also summarize how complement molecules regulate cancer stem cells (CSCs), interact with complement-coagulation cascades, and provide therapeutic opportunities for targeted intervention in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Astha Malik
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Unmesha Thanekar
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Surya Amarachintha
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Reena Mourya
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Shreya Nalluri
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Alexander Bondoc
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Pranavkumar Shivakumar
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| |
Collapse
|