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Srivastava A, Sharma H, Chowdhury S, Chowdhury R, Mukherjee S. Transforming growth factor- β mediated regulation of epigenome is required for epithelial to mesenchymal transition associated features in liver cancer cells. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14665. [PMID: 37095942 PMCID: PMC10121648 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently unfolds under an inflammatory condition, which is a hub for a plethora of cytokines. A better understanding of the cytokine functions and their contributions to disease development is key to design of future therapeutic strategies and reduction of global HCC burden. In this context, one of the major cytokines present in the HCC tumour milieu is the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). One of its classical functions involve facilitation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), in tumour cells, promoting an invasive phenotype. In spite of its clinical relevance, the cellular events associated with TGF-β-induced EMT and its molecular regulation is poorly elucidated. Therefore, as part of this study, we treated HCC cells with TGF-β and characterized the cellular processes associated with EMT. Interestingly, EMT triggered by TGF-β was found to be associated with cytostasis and altered cellular metabolism. TGF-β resulted in down-regulation of cell cycle-associated transcripts, like Cyclin A2 (CCNA2), and metabolic genes, like Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 1 (GOT1) through epigenetic silencing. An overall increase in total histone repressive mark (H3K27me3) associated with a specific enrichment of H3K27me3 at the upstream promoter region of CCNA2 and GOT1 was observed after TGF-β exposure, leading to their down-regulation. Importantly, TGF-β-downstream signalling mediator- SMAD and chromatin repressive complex member-enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) were found to co-immunoprecipitate and were required for the above effects. Overall, our findings reflect that HCC cells undergoing EMT, attain cytostasis and modulate metabolic demands to efficiently facilitate the EMT differentiation switch, and these events are regulated at the epigenomic level through TGF-β-mediated signalling. Our results provide better understanding of cellular invasive features which can lead to development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Autier B, Manuel C, Lundstroem-Stadelmann B, Girard JP, Gottstein B, Gangneux JP, Samson M, Robert-Gangneux F, Dion S. Endogenous IL-33 Accelerates Metacestode Growth during Late-Stage Alveolar Echinococcosis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0423922. [PMID: 36786637 PMCID: PMC10101030 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04239-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
During the course of the infectious disease alveolar echinococcosis (AE), the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis develops in the liver, where an initial Th1/Th17 immune response may allow its elimination in resistant individuals. In patients susceptible to infection and disease, the Th2 response initiates later, inducing tolerance to the parasite. The role of interleukin 33 (IL-33), an alarmin released during necrosis and known to drive a Th2 immune response, has not yet been described during AE. Wild-type (WT) and IL-33-/- C57BL/6J mice were infected by peritoneal inoculation with E. multilocularis metacestodes and euthanized 4 months later, and their immune response were analyzed. Immunofluorescence staining and IL-33 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were also performed on liver samples from human patients with AE. Overall, metacestode lesions were smaller in IL-33-/- mice than in WT mice. IL-33 was detected in periparasitic tissues, but not in mouse or human serum. In infected mice, endogenous IL-33 modified peritoneal macrophage polarization and cytokine profiles. Th2 cytokine concentrations were positively correlated with parasite mass in WT mice, but not in IL-33-/- mice. In human AE patients, IL-33 concentrations were higher in parasitic tissues than in distant liver parenchyma. The main sources of IL-33 were CD31+ endothelial cells of the neovasculature, present within lymphoid periparasitic infiltrates together with FOXP3+ Tregs. In the murine model, periparasitic IL-33 correlated with accelerated parasite growth putatively through the polarization of M2-like macrophages and release of immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). We concluded that IL-33 is a key alarmin in AE that contributes to the tolerogenic effect of systemic Th2 cytokines. IMPORTANCE Infection with the metacestode stage of Echinococcus multilocularis, known as alveolar echinococcosis, is the most severe cestodosis worldwide. However, less than 1% of exposed individuals, in which the immune system is unable to control the parasite, develop the disease. The factors responsible for this interindividual variability are not fully understood. In this in vivo study comparing wild-type and IL-33-/- infected mice, together with data from human clinical samples, we determined that IL-33, an alarmin released following tissue injury and involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and asthma, accelerates the progression of the disease by modulating the periparasitic microenvironment. This suggests that targeting IL-33 could be of interest for the management of patients with AE, and that IL-33 polymorphisms could be responsible for increased susceptibility to AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Autier
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, CHU Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Christelle Manuel
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Britta Lundstroem-Stadelmann
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe Girard
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Bruno Gottstein
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Pierre Gangneux
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, CHU Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Michel Samson
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Florence Robert-Gangneux
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, CHU Rennes, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Sarah Dion
- IRSET (UMR_S 1085), INSERM (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), EHESP, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
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Ait-Ahmed Y, Lafdil F. Novel insights into the impact of liver inflammatory responses on primary liver cancer development. LIVER RESEARCH 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livres.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
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Lominadze Z, Hill K, Shaik MR, Canakis JP, Bourmaf M, Adams-Mardi C, Abutaleb A, Mishra L, Shetty K. Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Setting of Liver Transplantation: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032358. [PMID: 36768686 PMCID: PMC9917203 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging field of immuno-oncology has brought exciting developments in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has also raised urgent questions about the role of immunotherapy in the setting of liver transplantation, both before and after transplant. A growing body of evidence points to the safety and efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents as potential adjuncts for successful down-staging of advanced HCCs to allow successful transplant in carefully selected patients. For patients with recurrent HCC post-transplant, immunotherapy has a limited, yet growing role. In this review, we describe optimal regimens in the setting of liver transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zurabi Lominadze
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Kareen Hill
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Mohammed Rifat Shaik
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Justin P. Canakis
- Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Mohammad Bourmaf
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Cyrus Adams-Mardi
- Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Ameer Abutaleb
- Department of Surgery, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Lopa Mishra
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Kirti Shetty
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Peng X, Gong C, Zhang W, Zhou A. Advanced development of biomarkers for immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1091088. [PMID: 36727075 PMCID: PMC9885011 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1091088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Mono-immunotherapy and combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) inhibitors have become new standard therapies in advanced HCC (aHCC). However, the clinical benefit of these treatments is still limited. Thus, proper biomarkers which can predict treatment response to immunotherapy to maximize clinical benefit while sparing unnecessary toxicity are urgently needed. Contrary to other malignancies, up until now, no acknowledged biomarkers are available to predict resistance or response to immunotherapy for HCC patients. Furthermore, biomarkers, which are established in other cancer types, such as programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB), have no stable predictive effect in HCC. Thus, plenty of research focusing on biomarkers for HCC is under exploration. In this review, we summarize the predictive and prognostic biomarkers as well as the potential predictive mechanism in order to guide future research direction for biomarker exploration and clinical treatment options in HCC.
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Costante F, Stella L, Santopaolo F, Gasbarrini A, Pompili M, Asselah T, Ponziani FR. Molecular and Clinical Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with HBV-HDV Infection. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:713-724. [PMID: 37128594 PMCID: PMC10148646 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s384751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection affects more than 10 million people worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of nearly 4.5% among HBsAg-positive individuals. Epidemiological studies have shown a significant increase in the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic HDV infection compared to those with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) mono-infection. Despite the clinical findings, data on molecular oncogenic mechanisms are limited and fragmentary. Moreover, the role of HDV in promoting the development of HCC has so far been controversial, because it is difficult to weigh the respective contributions of the two viruses. In this review, we focused on the direct oncogenic action of HDV, its role in modifying the tumor microenvironment, and the genetic signature of HDV-related HCC, comparing these features with HBV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Costante
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
| | - Leonardo Stella
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
| | - Francesco Santopaolo
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, 00168, Italy
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, 00168, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, 00168, Italy
| | - Tarik Asselah
- Service d’Hépatologie, Hôpital Beaujon UMR 1149 Inserm - Université de Paris, Clichy, France
| | - Francesca Romana Ponziani
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, 00168, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, 00168, Italy
- Correspondence: Francesca Romana Ponziani; Federico Costante, Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology - Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Francesco Vito 1, Rome, 00168, Italy, Tel +390630156264, Email ;
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57
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Zhang H, Liao Z, Wang W, Liu Y, Zhu H, Liang H, Zhang B, Chen X. A micropeptide JunBP regulated by TGF-β promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis. Oncogene 2023; 42:113-123. [PMID: 36380240 PMCID: PMC9816058 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02518-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays important roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are important components of TGF-β signaling pathway and perform their functions through different mechanisms. Here, we found that LINC02551 was activated by TGF-β transcriptionally and identified a 174-amino-acid peptide, Jun binding micropeptide (JunBP), encoded by LINC02551 in HCC tissues and HCC cell lines. Functional study showed that JunBP promotes HCC metastasis through binding to c-Jun and subsequent promotion of its phosphorylated activation. Activated c-Jun has higher binding affinity to SMAD3, which in turn leads to more SMAD3 recruited to the promoter region of LINC02551. We find a positive feedback among them, and this mechanism provides a novel potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Zhang
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China ,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China
| | - Zhibin Liao
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China ,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China
| | - Weijian Wang
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China ,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China
| | - Yachong Liu
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China ,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China
| | - He Zhu
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China ,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei P.R. China
| | - Huifang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China. .,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China. .,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
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58
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Zou G, Park JI. Wnt signaling in liver regeneration, disease, and cancer. Clin Mol Hepatol 2023; 29:33-50. [PMID: 35785913 PMCID: PMC9845677 DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2022.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver exhibits the highest recovery rate from acute injuries. However, in chronic liver disease, the long-term loss of hepatocytes often leads to adverse consequences such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The Wnt signaling plays a pivotal role in both liver regeneration and tumorigenesis. Therefore, manipulating the Wnt signaling has become an attractive approach to treating liver disease, including cancer. Nonetheless, given the crucial roles of Wnt signaling in physiological processes, blocking Wnt signaling can also cause several adverse effects. Recent studies have identified cancer-specific regulators of Wnt signaling, which would overcome the limitation of Wnt signaling target approaches. In this review, we discussed the role of Wnt signaling in liver regeneration, precancerous lesion, and liver cancer. Furthermore, we summarized the basic and clinical approaches of Wnt signaling blockade and proposed the therapeutic prospects of cancer-specific Wnt signaling blockade for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gengyi Zou
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA,Corresponding author : Gengyi Zou Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd Unit 1054, Houston, TX 77030, USA Tel: +1-713-792-3659, Fax: +1-713-794-5369, E-mail:
| | - Jae-Il Park
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA,Genetics and Epigenetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA,Jae-Il Park Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, TX 77030, USA Tel: +1-713-792-3659, Fax: +1-713-794-5369, E-mail:
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59
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Niu ZS, Wang WH, Niu XJ. Recent progress in molecular mechanisms of postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:6433-6477. [PMID: 36569275 PMCID: PMC9782839 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatectomy is currently considered the most effective option for treating patients with early and intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC remains unsatisfactory, predominantly because of high postoperative metastasis and recurrence rates. Therefore, research on the molecular mechanisms of postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence will help develop effective intervention measures to prevent or delay HCC metastasis and recurrence and to improve the long-term survival of HCC patients. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence to lay a foundation for improving the understanding of HCC metastasis and recurrence and for developing more precise prevention and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Shan Niu
- Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wen-Hong Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Niu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Qingdao Shibei District People's Hospital, Qingdao 266033, Shandong Province, China
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Jiang L, Wang X, Ma F, Wang X, Shi M, Yan Q, Liu M, Chen J, Shi C, Guan XY. PITX2C increases the stemness features of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by up-regulating key developmental factors in liver progenitor. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:211. [PMID: 35765089 PMCID: PMC9238105 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02424-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Tumor cells exhibited phenotypic and molecular characteristics similar to their lineage progenitor cells. Liver developmental signaling pathways are showed to be associated with HCC development and oncogenesis. The similarities of expression profiling between liver progenitors (LPs) and HCC suggest that understanding the molecular mechanism during liver development could provide insights into HCC.
Methods
To profile the dynamic gene expression during liver development, cells from an in vitro liver differentiation model and two paired hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples were analyzed using deep RNA sequencing. The expression levels of selected genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the role of a key transcription factor, pituitary homeobox 2 (PITX2), was characterized via in vitro and vivo functional assays. Furthermore, molecular mechanism studies were performed to unveil how PITX2C regulate the key developmental factors in LPs, thereby increasing the stemness of HCC.
Results
PITX2 was found to exhibit a similar expression pattern to specific markers of LPs. PITX2 consists of three isoforms (PITX2A/B/C). The expression of PITX2 is associated with tumor size and overall survival rate, whereas only PITX2C expression is associated with AFP and differentiation in clinical patients. PITX2A/B/C has distinct functions in HCC tumorigenicity. PITX2C promotes HCC metastasis, self-renewal and chemoresistance. Molecular mechanism studies showed that PITX2C could up-regulate RALYL which could enhance HCC stemness via the TGF-β pathway. Furthermore, ChIP assays confirmed the role of PITX2C in regulating key developmental factors in LP.
Conclusion
PITX2C is a newly discovered transcription factor involved in hepatic differentiation and could increase HCC stemness by upregulating key transcriptional factors related to liver development.
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Reprograming immune microenvironment modulates CD47 cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109475. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Cai X, Zha H, Yang Z, Du Y, Dai X, Yang B, Wang J, He Q, Weng Q. Genetic dominance of transforming growth factor-β1 polymorphisms in chronic liver disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1058532. [DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1058532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is an extremely common clinical condition accompanied by sustained inflammatory response leading to tissue damage. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is known as a master immune regulator in CLDs, but the association between TGF-β1 polymorphisms and CLD risk is controversial and inconclusive, and the genetic dominance of CLDs remains unknown. In this study, the relationship between TGF-β1 polymorphisms and CLD susceptibility is systematically analyzed based on 35 eligible studies. Individuals with the TGF-β1-509 allele (TT or CT) or codon 10 allele (Pro/Pro) show an increased risk of CLDs. Subgroup analyses indicate TGF-β1-509C/T has a significant correlation with cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis C, codon 10 is associated with chronic hepatitis B occurrence, and codon 25 exhibits a relationship with autoimmune hepatitis risk. Missense mutations in G29E, A105S, D191N, and F321L of TGF-β1 are the genetic factors of HCC susceptibility. Furthermore, the TGF-β1 gene expression is significantly elevated in CLD patients, and the TGF-β1 codon 263 is located close to the region where the TGF-β1 dimerization interacts, indicating the TGF-β1 codon 263 variant may affect the secretion of TGF-β1 by altering its dimerization. Together, our findings provide new insights into the immune regulator gene TGF-β1 polymorphisms as susceptibility factors for CLD occurrence and regulators for TGF-β1 expression, which have implications for the regulation of immune factors during CLD development.
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63
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Yang C, Zhang H, Zhang L, Zhu AX, Bernards R, Qin W, Wang C. Evolving therapeutic landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 20:203-222. [PMID: 36369487 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00704-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common solid malignancies worldwide. A large proportion of patients with HCC are diagnosed at advanced stages and are only amenable to systemic therapies. We have witnessed the evolution of systemic therapies from single-agent targeted therapy (sorafenib and lenvatinib) to the combination of a checkpoint inhibitor plus targeted therapy (atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy). Despite remarkable advances, only a small subset of patients can obtain durable clinical benefit, and therefore substantial therapeutic challenges remain. In the past few years, emerging systemic therapies, including new molecular-targeted monotherapies (for example, donafenib), new immuno-oncology monotherapies (for example, durvalumab) and new combination therapies (for example, durvalumab plus tremelimumab), have shown encouraging results in clinical trials. In addition, many novel therapeutic approaches with the potential to offer improved treatment effects in patients with advanced HCC, such as sequential combination targeted therapy and next-generation adoptive cell therapy, have also been proposed and developed. In this Review, we summarize the latest clinical advances in the treatment of advanced HCC and discuss future perspectives that might inform the development of more effective therapeutics for advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hailin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Linmeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Andrew X Zhu
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA. .,Jiahui International Cancer Center, Jiahui Health, Shanghai, China.
| | - René Bernards
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Wenxin Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Cun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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The Prognostic Significance of FKBP1A and Its Related Immune Infiltration in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112797. [PMID: 36361587 PMCID: PMC9659304 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remains a global health challenge with poor prognosis and high mortality. FKBP1A was first discovered as a receptor for the immunosuppressant drug FK506 in immune cells and is critical for various tumors and cancers. However, the relationships between FKBP1A expression, cellular distribution, tumor immunity, and prognosis in LIHC remain unclear. Here, we investigated the expression level of FKBP1A and its prognostic value in LIHC via multiple datasets including ONCOMINE, TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, HCCDB, Kaplan–Meier plotter, LinkedOmics, and STRING. Human liver tissue microarray was employed to analyze the characteristics of FKBP1A protein including the expression level and pathological alteration in cellular distribution. FKBP1A expression was significantly higher in LIHC and correlated with tumor stage, grade and metastasis. The expression level of the FKBP1A protein was also increased in LIHC patients along with its accumulation in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). High FKBP1A expression was correlated with a poor survival rate in LIHC patients. The analysis of gene co-expression and the regulatory pathway network suggested that FKBP1A is mainly involved in protein synthesis, metabolism and the immune-related pathway. FKBP1A expression had a significantly positive association with the infiltration of hematopoietic immune cells including B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. Moreover, M2 macrophage infiltration was especially associated with a poor survival prognosis in LIHC. Furthermore, FKBP1A expression was significantly positively correlated with the expression of markers of M2 macrophages and immune checkpoint proteins such as PD-L1, CTLA-4, LAG3 and HAVCR2. Our study demonstrated that FKBP1A could be a potential prognostic target involved in tumor immune cell infiltration in LIHC.
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Devan AR, Pavithran K, Nair B, Murali M, Nath LR. Deciphering the role of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a diagnostic-prognostic-therapeutic candidate against hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:5250-5264. [PMID: 36185626 PMCID: PMC9521521 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i36.5250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that performs a dual role as a tumor suppressor and tumor promoter during cancer progression. Among different ligands of the TGF-β family, TGF-β1 modulates most of its biological outcomes. Despite the abundant expression of TGF-β1 in the liver, steatosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression triggers elevated TGF-β1 levels, contributing to poor prognosis and survival. Additionally, elevated TGF-β1 levels in the tumor microenvironment create an immunosuppressive stage via various mechanisms. TGF-β1 has a prime role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC. Moreover, TGF-β1 is widely studied as a therapeutic target either as monotherapy or combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review provides clinical relevance and up-to-date information regarding the potential of TGF-β1 in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy R Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Keechilat Pavithran
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Maneesha Murali
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
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66
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Pu Q, Yu L, Wang X, Yan H, Xie Y, Jiang Y, Yang Z. Immunomodulatory Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined with Systemic Therapy on Patients with Liver Cancer: A Systemic Review and Network Meta-analysis. J Cancer 2022; 13:3280-3296. [PMID: 36118529 PMCID: PMC9475362 DOI: 10.7150/jca.74829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: As immune combination therapy in the treatment of liver cancer made significant achievements, and the modulating effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on immunity gradually appeared. The main purpose of this study was to study the effect of different TCM combined with systemic therapy (ST) on immune regulation in patients with liver cancer, as well as the efficacy and safety of combined therapy, and to find the best combined application scheme by ranking. Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched from January 1, 2010, to November 12, 2021, to search for RCTs of TCM combined ST in the field of liver cancer for literature screening, quality evaluation and data extraction. STATA 15.0 and RevMan 5.3 software were used to conduct network meta-analysis to analyze and explore the significance of TCM combined ST in immune regulation, efficacy and safety in clinical application. The probability value of the surface under the cumulative ranking curve was used to rank the processing studied. Results: A total of 25 studies involving 2,152 participants were included in the network meta-analysis, including six traditional Chinese medicine injections and seven proprietary Chinese medicines. The results showed that Dahuang Zhechong Wan and Kangai injection combined with ST were the best choices for immune regulation. Moreover, the Huaier granule was the best choice to reduce vascular endothelial growth factors. Conclusion: For patients with liver cancer, TCM combined with ST was better than that of ST alone and can significantly improve the immune function of patients as well as the efficacy and safety of treatment. However, given the limited sample size and methodological quality of the trials that we included in our study, more centralized and randomized controlled trials with a large sample size are required to verify our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Pu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiwen Yan
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Xie
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuyong Jiang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Razpotnik R, Vidmar R, Fonović M, Rozman D, Režen T. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0062682 Binds to YBX1 and Promotes Oncogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184524. [PMID: 36139684 PMCID: PMC9497178 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Circular RNA (circRNA) have a role in carcinogenesis in different cancers, also in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The transcriptome analyses of HCC tumours identified an upregulated circRNA hsa_circ_0062682. We show that this circRNA affects several aspects of oncogenesis, which are cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Using transcriptome analyses we identified modulated signalling pathways and transcription factors, confirming the observed phenotype in cells. We identified Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX1), a known oncogene and RNA-binding protein, as a binding partner, which was in line with transcriptome analyses. We also identified a cell-specific response to sorafenib after circRNA modulation, which is in line with a heterogeneous molecular pathology of HCC subtypes. Abstract Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By implementing available transcriptomic analyses of HCC patients, we identified an upregulated circRNA hsa_circ_0062682. Stable perturbations of hsa_circ_0062682 in Huh-7 and SNU-449 cell lines influenced colony formation, migration, cell proliferation, sorafenib sensitivity, and additionally induced morphological changes in cell lines, indicating an important role of hsa_circ_0062682 in oncogenesis. Pathway enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis of the transcriptome data from hsa_circ_0062682 knockdown explained the observed phenotypes and exposed transcription factors E2F1, Sp1, HIF-1α, and NFκB1 as potential downstream targets. Biotinylated oligonucleotide pulldown combined with proteomic analyses identified protein interaction partners of which YBX1, a known oncogene, was confirmed by RNA immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, we discovered a complex cell-type-specific phenotype in response to the oncogenic potential of hsa_circ_0062682. This finding is in line with different classes of HCC tumours, and more studies are needed to shed a light on the molecular complexity of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rok Razpotnik
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Vidmar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Fonović
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damjana Rozman
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tadeja Režen
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-1-543-7592 or +386-1-543-7588
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Costante F, Airola C, Santopaolo F, Gasbarrini A, Pompili M, Ponziani FR. Immunotherapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related hepatocellular carcinoma: Lights and shadows. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 14:1622-1636. [PMID: 36187401 PMCID: PMC9516656 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v14.i9.1622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
About one-fourth of adults globally suffer from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is becoming a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Its prevalence has rapidly increased in recent years, and is projected to increase even more. NAFLD is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the sixth-most prevalent cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Although the molecular basis of HCC onset in NAFLD is not completely known, inflammation is a key player. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is heterogeneous in patients with HCC, and is characterized by complex interactions between immune system cells, tumor cells and other stromal and resident liver cells. The etiology of liver disease plays a role in controlling the TME and modulating the immune response. Markers of immune suppression in the TME are associated with a poor prognosis in several solid tumors. Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become the main option for treating cancers, including HCC. However, meta-analyses have shown that patients with NAFLD-related HCC are less likely to benefit from therapy based on ICIs alone. Conversely, the addition of an angiogenesis inhibitor showed better results regarding the objective response rate and progression-free survival. Adjunctive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, such as the application of novel biomarkers and the modulation of gut microbiota, should be considered in the future to guide personalized medicine and improve the response to ICIs in patients with NAFLD-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Costante
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
| | - Carlo Airola
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
| | - Francesco Santopaolo
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
- Catholic University, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
- Catholic University, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Romana Ponziani
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology-Hepatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma 00168, Italy
- Catholic University, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
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69
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Dai YW, Chen HB, Pan YT, Lv LX, Wang WM, Chen XH, Zhou X. Characterization of chromatin regulators identified prognosis and heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1002781. [PMID: 36158697 PMCID: PMC9505021 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1002781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver carcinogenesis is a multiprocess that involves complicated interactions between genetics, epigenetics, and transcriptomic alterations. Aberrant chromatin regulator (CR) expressions, which are vital regulatory epigenetics, have been found to be associated with multiple biological processes. Nevertheless, the impression of CRs on tumor microenvironment remodeling and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis remains obscure. Thus, this study aimed to systematically analyze CR-related patterns and their correlation with genomic features, metabolism, cuproptosis activity, and clinicopathological features of patients with HCC in The Cancer Genome Atlas, International Cancer Genome Consortium-LIRI-JP cohort, and GSE14520 that utilized unsupervised consensus clustering. Three CR-related patterns were recognized, and the CRs phenotype-related gene signature (CRsscore) was developed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-Cox regression and multivariate Cox algorithms to represent the individual CR-related pattern. Additionally, the CRsscore was an independent prognostic index that served as a fine predictor for energy metabolism and cuproptosis activity in HCC. Accordingly, describing a wide landscape of CR characteristics may assist us to illustrate the sealed association between epigenetics, energy metabolism, and cuproptosis activity. This study may discern new tumor therapeutic targets and exploit personalized therapy for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-wei Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Han-bin Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ya-ting Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lin-xi Lv
- Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wei-ming Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Hu Chen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Hu Chen, ; Xiang Zhou,
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Hu Chen, ; Xiang Zhou,
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70
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Xie Q, Zhang P, Wang Y, Mei W, Zeng C. Overcoming resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma: Challenges and opportunities. Front Oncol 2022; 12:958720. [PMID: 36119533 PMCID: PMC9478417 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.958720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality globally, and its incidence is increasing. Immune checkpoint therapy has revolutionized the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma over the past few years. However, only a limited proportion of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma respond to immunotherapy. Despite the significant breakthroughs, the molecular mechanisms that drive immune responses and evasion are largely unresolved. Predicting tumor response and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors is a significant challenge. In this review, we focus on the current research progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma. Importantly, this review highlights the underlying mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors and summarizes potential strategies to overcome the resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Xie
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Wuxuan Mei
- Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Changchun Zeng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Changchun Zeng,
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71
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Fang P, Zhou J, Liang Z, Yang Y, Luan S, Xiao X, Li X, Zhang H, Shang Q, Zeng X, Yuan Y. Immunotherapy resistance in esophageal cancer: Possible mechanisms and clinical implications. Front Immunol 2022; 13:975986. [PMID: 36119033 PMCID: PMC9478443 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.975986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common malignant gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in adults. Although surgical technology combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy has advanced rapidly, patients with EC are often diagnosed at an advanced stage and the five-year survival rate remains unsatisfactory. The poor prognosis and high mortality in patients with EC indicate that effective and validated therapy is of great necessity. Recently, immunotherapy has been successfully used in the clinic as a novel therapy for treating solid tumors, bringing new hope to cancer patients. Several immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and tumor vaccines, have achieved significant breakthroughs in EC treatment. However, the overall response rate (ORR) of immunotherapy in patients with EC is lower than 30%, and most patients initially treated with immunotherapy are likely to develop acquired resistance (AR) over time. Immunosuppression greatly weakens the durability and efficiency of immunotherapy. Because of the heterogeneity within the immune microenvironment and the highly disparate oncological characteristics in different EC individuals, the exact mechanism of immunotherapy resistance in EC remains elusive. In this review, we provide an overview of immunotherapy resistance in EC, mainly focusing on current immunotherapies and potential molecular mechanisms underlying immunosuppression and drug resistance in immunotherapy. Additionally, we discuss prospective biomarkers and novel methods for enhancing the effect of immunotherapy to provide a clear insight into EC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinhao Fang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianfeng Zhou
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiwen Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yushang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyuan Luan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaokun Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanlu Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qixin Shang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxi Zeng
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Yuan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Yuan,
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PRR7-AS1 Correlates with Immune Cell Infiltration and Is a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:1939368. [PMID: 36059812 PMCID: PMC9439911 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1939368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant disease, and numerous studies have shown that certain functional long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the progression of several cancers. The purpose of the research was to determine, using a database, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis, whether or not lncRNA PRR7-AS1 (PRR7-AS1) was related to HCC. TCGA datasets were used to conduct research on the PRR7-AS1 expression pattern in HCC. In order to evaluate the efficacy of GIHCG as a prognostic tool, both survival and Cox regression analyses were carried out. Furthermore, an investigation of the connection between the expression of PRR7-AS1 and immune infiltration in HCC was carried out. In this study, we identified 125 lncRNAs that were significantly dysregulated in HCC and were associated with long-term survival. Among the above 125 lncRNAs, our attention focused on PRR7-AS1. We found that PRR7-AS1 expressions were distinctly overexpressed in HCC samples compared with nontumor samples. ROC assays revealed that PRR7-AS1 effectively differentiated HCC specimens from normal tissues with an AUC of 0.875 (95% CI: 0.840 to 0.911). Moreover, the high PRR7-AS1 expression was associated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Importantly, the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model suggested that up-expression of PRR7-AS1 was an independent prognostic marker indicating shorter overall survival and disease-specific survival for HCC patients. Finally, we found that PRR7-AS1 expression was associated with the expression of NK CD56bright cells, Th2 cells, TFH, macrophages, Th1 cells, aDC, T helper cells, cytotoxic cells, DC, Tgd, neutrophils, and Th17 cells. Overall, the results of our study show that PRR7-AS1 was a biomarker that could be utilized to predict the prognosis of HCC patients and was linked to the infiltration of immune cells in HCC.
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73
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Guo C, Tang Y, Yang Z, Li G, Zhang Y. Hallmark-guided subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma for the identification of immune-related gene classifiers in the prediction of prognosis, treatment efficacy, and drug candidates. Front Immunol 2022; 13:958161. [PMID: 36032071 PMCID: PMC9399518 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.958161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for ~90% of all primary liver cancer, is a prevalent malignancy worldwide. The intratumor heterogeneity of its causative etiology, histology, molecular landscape, and immune phenotype makes it difficult to precisely recognize individuals with high mortality risk or tumor-intrinsic treatment resistance, especially immunotherapy. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated the activities of cancer hallmark gene sets and their correlations with the prognosis of HCC patients using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and identified two HCC subtypes with distinct prognostic outcomes. Based on these subtypes, seven immune-related genes (TMPRSS6, SPP1, S100A9, EPO, BIRC5, PLXNA1, and CDK4) were used to construct a novel prognostic gene signature [hallmark-guided subtypes-based immunologic signature (HGSIS)] via multiple statistical approaches. The HGSIS-integrated nomogram suggested an enhanced predictive performance. Interestingly, oncogenic hallmark pathways were significantly enriched in the high-risk group and positively associated with the risk score. Distinct mutational landscapes and immune profiles were observed between different risk groups. Moreover, immunophenoscore (IPS) and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) analysis showed different sensitivities of HGSIS risk groups for immune therapy efficacy, and the pRRophetic algorithm indicated distinguishable responses for targeted/chemotherapies in different groups. KIF2C was picked out as the key target concerning HGSIS, and the top 10 small molecules were predicted to bind to the active site of KIF2C via molecular docking, which might be further used for candidate drug discovery of HCC. Taken together, our study offers novel insights for clinically significant subtype recognition, and the proposed signature may be a helpful guide for clinicians to improve the treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengbin Guo
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuqin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gen Li
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yongqiang Zhang, ; Gen Li,
| | - Yongqiang Zhang
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yongqiang Zhang, ; Gen Li,
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74
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Zhang P, Li X, Chen JY, Abate A. Controlled fabrication of functional liver spheroids with microfluidic flow cytometric printing. Biofabrication 2022; 14. [PMID: 35917810 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac8622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Multicellular liver spheroids are 3D culture models useful in the development of therapies for liver fibrosis. While these models can recapitulate fibrotic disease, current methods for generating them via random aggregation are uncontrolled, yielding spheroids of variable size, function, and utility. Here, we report fabrication of precision liver spheroids with microfluidic flow cytometric printing. Our approach fabricates spheroids cell-by-cell, yielding structures with exact numbers of different cell types. Because spheroid function depends on composition, our precision spheroids have superior functional uniformity, allowing more accurate and statistically significant screens compared to randomly generated spheroids. The approach produces thousands of spheroids per hour, and thus affords a scalable platform by which to manufacture single-cell precision spheroids for disease modeling and high throughput drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, California, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Xiangpeng Li
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Jennifer Y Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 555 Mission Bay Blvd South, San Francisco, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Adam Abate
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, UNITED STATES
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Metformin modulate immune fitness in hepatocellular carcinoma: Molecular and cellular approach. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 109:108889. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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76
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Suhail M, Sohrab SS, Kamal M, Azhar EI. Role of hepatitis c virus in hepatocellular carcinoma and neurological disorders: an overview. Front Oncol 2022; 12:913231. [PMID: 35965577 PMCID: PMC9372299 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.913231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes serious issues, affecting 71 million people globally. The most common manifestations range from chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis, leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. Many mechanisms are known to play an important role in HCV-induced HCC. The interaction of viral proteins with host cells results in oxidative stress damage, liver inflammation, and irregularities in signaling pathways. These results in the activation of oncogenes and metabolic disturbances, liver fibrosis, and angiogenesis. Additionally, some non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and toll-like receptors have been identified and play a significant role in HCC development. This virus is also associated with impairment of the central nervous system, resulting in acute or sub-acute encephalopathy and inflammatory disorders. Neurological disorders are associated with the inflammatory responses of many cells, including microglia and astrocytes. Additionally, there are many other extrahepatic manifestations, including neurological disorders such as depression and fatigue, in 50% of infected patients. These manifestations include neuro-invasion, immune-mediated damage, neurotransmitter alterations, sensory-motor polyneuropathy, sensitivity loss, weakness of the leg, and cryoglobulinemia, which significantly results in a reduced quality of life. HCV infection may be improved using an appropriate diagnosis and direct antiviral therapy for sustained virological response. However, the success of therapy depends on the symptoms and organ damage, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies applied. Some published reports have discussed that HCV is associated with both HCC and neurological disorders. Additionally, it has also been observed that individuals with HCC also develop neurological disorders compared with individuals with HCV alone. This review aims to provide an overview of the latest information about the relationship between HCV-induced HCC and their role in neurological disorders. Additionally, we have also discussed the progress made in the diagnosis, physio-pathological mechanisms, and strong antiviral therapies developed for HCV infection and HCC, as well as the latest advancements made in the study of the neurological disorders associated with HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Suhail
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sayed Sartaj Sohrab
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Sayed Sartaj Sohrab,
| | - Mohammad Amjad Kamal
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- West China School of Nursing/Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Enzymoics Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, NSW, Australia
| | - Esam Ibraheem Azhar
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Maloberti T, De Leo A, Sanza V, Gruppioni E, Altimari A, Riefolo M, Visani M, Malvi D, D’Errico A, Tallini G, Vasuri F, de Biase D. Correlation of molecular alterations with pathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma: Literature review and experience of an Italian center. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:2854-2866. [PMID: 35978866 PMCID: PMC9280731 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i25.2854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the primary carcinoma of the liver and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The World Health Organization estimates an increase in cases in the coming years. The risk factors of HCC are multiple, and the incidence in different countries is closely related to the different risk factors to which the population is exposed. The molecular mechanisms that drive HCC tumorigenesis are extremely complex, but understanding this multistep process is essential for the identification of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers. The development of multigenic next-generation sequencing panels through the parallel analysis of multiple markers can provide a landscape of the genomic status of the tumor. Considering the literature and our preliminary data based on 36 HCCs, the most frequently altered genes in HCCs are TERT, CTNNB1, and TP53. Over the years, many groups have attempted to classify HCCs on a molecular basis, but a univocal classification has never been achieved. Nevertheless, statistically significant correlations have been found in HCCs between the molecular signature and morphologic features, and this leads us to think that it would be desirable to integrate the approach between anatomic pathology and molecular laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Maloberti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonio De Leo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Viviana Sanza
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Elisa Gruppioni
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Annalisa Altimari
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Michela Visani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Deborah Malvi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonia D’Errico
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tallini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Francesco Vasuri
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Dario de Biase
- Department of Pharmacy and biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
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78
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Liu N, Steer CJ, Song G. MicroRNA-206 enhances antitumor immunity by disrupting the communication between malignant hepatocytes and regulatory T cells in c-Myc mice. Hepatology 2022; 76:32-47. [PMID: 34606648 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intertumoral accumulation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC. Because of poor understanding of the immunosuppression mechanism(s) in HCC, immunotherapy is largely unsuccessful for the treatment of HCC. APPROACH AND RESULTS Hydrodynamic injection (HDI) of c-Myc into mice resulted in enlarged spleens and lethal HCC associated with an increase in hepatic Tregs and depletion of CTLs (cytotoxic T lymphocytes). Malignant hepatocytes in c-Myc mice overproduced TGFβ1, which enhanced the suppressor function of Tregs and impaired the proliferation and cytotoxicity of CTLs. In addition to activating TGFβ signaling, c-Myc synergized with Yin Yang 1 to impair microRNA-206 (miR-206) biogenesis. HDI of miR-206 fully prevented HCC and the associated enlargement of the spleen, whereas 100% of control mice died from HCC within 5-9 weeks postinjection. Mechanistically, by directly targeting errant kirsten ras oncogene (KRAS) signaling, miR-206 impeded the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) axis that drives expression of Tgfb1. By blocking the KRAS/MEK/ERK axis, miR-206 prevented TGFβ1 overproduction, thereby impairing the suppressor function and expansion of Tregs, but enhancing the expansion and cytotoxic program of CTLs. Disrupting the interaction between miR-206 and Kras offset the roles of miR-206 in inhibiting immunosuppression and HCC. Depletion of CD8+ T cells impaired the ability of miR-206 to inhibit HCC. CONCLUSIONS c-Myc-educated hepatocytes promoted immunosuppression by overproducing TGFβ1, which promoted HCC development. miR-206, by attenuating TGFβ1 overproduction, disrupted the communication of malignant hepatocytes with CTLs and Tregs, which prevented HCC. miR-206 represents a potential immunotherapeutic agent against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Liu
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Clifford J Steer
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Guisheng Song
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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79
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Irshad K, Srivastava C, Malik N, Arora M, Gupta Y, Goswami S, Sarkar C, Suri V, Mahajan S, Gupta DK, Suri A, Chattopadhyay P, Sinha S, Chosdol K. Upregulation of Atypical Cadherin FAT1 Promotes an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment via TGF-β. Front Immunol 2022; 13:813888. [PMID: 35720420 PMCID: PMC9205206 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.813888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
FAT atypical cadherin 1 (FAT1) promotes glioblastoma (GBM) by promoting protumorigenic inflammatory cytokine expression in tumor cells. However, tumors also have an immunosuppressive microenvironment maintained by mediators such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β cytokines. Here, we have studied the role of FAT1 in tumor immune suppression. Our preliminary TIMER2.0 analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database revealed an inverse correlation of FAT1 expression with infiltration of tumor-inhibiting immune cells (such as monocytes and T cells) and a positive correlation with tumor-promoting immune cells [such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)] in various cancers. We have analyzed the role of FAT1 in modulating the expression of TGF-β1/2 in resected human gliomas, primary glioma cultures, and other cancer cell lines (U87MG, HepG2, Panc-1, and HeLa). Positive correlations of gene expression of FAT1 and TGF-β1/2 were observed in various cancers in TCGA, Glioma Longitudinal Analysis Consortium (GLASS), and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Positive expression correlations of FAT1 were also found with TGF-β1/2 and Serpine1 (downstream target) in fresh-frozen GBM samples using q-PCR. siRNA-mediated FAT1 knockdown in cancer cell lines and in primary cultures led to decreased TGF-β1/2 expression/secretion as assessed by q-PCR, Western blotting, and ELISA. There was increased chemotaxis (transmigration) of THP-1 monocytes toward siFAT1-transfected tumor cell supernatant as a consequence of decreased TGF-β1/2 secretion. Reduced TGF-β1 expression was also observed in THP-1 cultured in conditioned media from FAT1-depleted glioma cells, thus contributing to immune suppression. In U87MG cells, decreased TGF-β1 upon FAT1 knockdown was mediated by miR-663a, a known modulator. FAT1 expression was also observed to correlate positively with the expression of surrogate markers of MDSCs [programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and interleukin (IL)-10] in glioma tumors, suggesting a potential role of FAT1 in MDSC-mediated immunosuppression. Hence, our findings elaborate contributions of FAT1 to immune evasion, where FAT1 enables an immunosuppressive microenvironment in GBM and other cancers via TGF-β1/2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Irshad
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Chitrangda Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Nargis Malik
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Manvi Arora
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Yakhlesh Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sanjeev Goswami
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Chitra Sarkar
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Vaishali Suri
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Swati Mahajan
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Kumar Gupta
- Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Suri
- Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Subrata Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kunzang Chosdol
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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80
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Liao J, Liu Q, Chen J, Lu Z, Mo H, Jia J. A risk score model based on TGF-β pathway-related genes predicts survival, tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy for liver hepatocellular carcinoma. Proteome Sci 2022; 20:11. [PMID: 35733217 PMCID: PMC9215003 DOI: 10.1186/s12953-022-00192-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signal is an important pathway involved in all stages of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) initiation and progression. Therefore, targeting TGF- β pathway may be a potential therapeutic strategy for LIHC. Prediction of patients' tumor cells response requires effective biomarkers. METHODS From 54 TGF-β-related genes, this research determined the genes showing the greatest relation to LIHC prognosis, and developed a risk score model with 8 TGF-β-related genes. The model divided LIHC patients from different datasets and platforms into low- and high-risk groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that the model was an independent prognostic factor for LIHC. The differences in genetic mutation, immune cell infiltration, biological pathway, response to immunotherapy or chemotherapy, and tumor microenvironment in LIHC samples showing different risks were analyzed. RESULTS Compared with low-risk group, in the training set and test set, high-risk group showed shorter survival, lower stromal score and higher M0 macrophages scores, regulatory T cells (Tregs), helper follicular T cells. Moreover, high-risk samples showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin, imatinib, sorafenib and salubrinal and pyrimethamine. High-risk group demonstrated a significantly higher Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score, but would significantly benefit less from taking immunotherapy and was less likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS In general, this work provided a risk scoring model based on 8 TGF-β pathway-related genes, which might be a new potential tool for predicting LIHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsheng Liao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jingtang Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zhibin Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huiting Mo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jun Jia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China. .,Department of Medical Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan City, 523000, Guangdong Province, China.
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81
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Ursodeoxycholic acid reduces antitumor immunosuppression by inducing CHIP-mediated TGF-β degradation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3419. [PMID: 35701426 PMCID: PMC9198048 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31141-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TGF-β is essential for inducing systemic tumor immunosuppression; thus, blocking TGF-β can greatly enhance antitumor immunity. However, there are still no effective TGF-β inhibitors in clinical use. Here, we show that the clinically approved compound ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), by degrading TGF-β, enhances antitumor immunity through restraining Treg cell differentiation and activation in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, UDCA synergizes with anti-PD-1 to enhance antitumor immunity and tumor-specific immune memory in tumor-bearing mice. UDCA phosphorylates TGF-β at T282 site via TGR5-cAMP-PKA axis, causing increased binding of TGF-β to carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP). Then, CHIP ubiquitinates TGF-β at the K315 site, initiating p62-dependent autophagic sorting and subsequent degradation of TGF-β. Notably, results of retrospective analysis shows that combination therapy with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 and UDCA has better efficacy in tumor patients than anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 alone. Thus, our results show a mechanism for TGF-β regulation and implicate UDCA as a potential TGF-β inhibitor to enhance antitumor immunity.
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82
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Peng Q, Hao LY, Guo YL, Zhang ZQ, Ji JM, Xue Y, Liu YW, Lu JL, Li CG, Shi XL. Solute carrier family 2 members 1 and 2 as prognostic biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma associated with immune infiltration. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:3989-4019. [PMID: 35665115 PMCID: PMC9131213 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i13.3989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic reprogramming has been identified as a core hallmark of cancer. Solute carrier family 2 is a major glucose carrier family. It consists of 14 members, and we mainly study solute carrier family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1) and solute carrier family 2 member 2 (SLC2A2) here. SLC2A1, mainly existing in human erythrocytes, brain endothelial cells, and normal placenta, was found to be increased in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while SLC2A2, the major transporter of the normal liver, was decreased in HCC.
AIM To identify if SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were associated with immune infiltration in addition to participating in the metabolic reprogramming in HCC.
METHODS The expression levels of SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were tested in HepG2 cells, HepG215 cells, and multiple databases. The clinical characteristics and survival data of SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were examined by multiple databases. The correlation between SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 was analyzed by multiple databases. The functions and pathways in which SLC2A1, SLC2A2, and frequently altered neighbor genes were involved were discussed in String. Immune infiltration levels and immune marker genes associated with SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were discussed from multiple databases.
RESULTS The expression level of SLC2A1 was up-regulated, but the expression level of SLC2A2 was down-regulated in HepG2 cells, HepG215 cells, and liver cancer patients. The expression levels of SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were related to tumor volume, grade, and stage in HCC. Interestingly, the expression levels of SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 were negatively correlated. Further, high SLC2A1 expression and low SLC2A2 expression were linked to poor overall survival and relapse-free survival. SLC2A1, SLC2A2, and frequently altered neighbor genes played a major role in the occurrence and development of tumors. Notably, SLC2A1 was positively correlated with tumor immune infiltration, while SLC2A2 was negatively correlated with tumor immune infiltration. Particularly, SLC2A2 methylation was positively correlated with lymphocytes.
CONCLUSION SLC2A1 and SLC2A2 are independent therapeutic targets for HCC, and they are quintessential marker molecules for predicting and regulating the number and status of immune cells in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Peng
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Li-Yuan Hao
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Ying-Lin Guo
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Zhi-Qin Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jing-Min Ji
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yu Xue
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yi-Wei Liu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jun-Lan Lu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Cai-Ge Li
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xin-Li Shi
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei Province, China
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83
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Bourayou E, Golub R. Signaling Pathways Tuning Innate Lymphoid Cell Response to Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:846923. [PMID: 35281021 PMCID: PMC8904901 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.846923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide and its incidence continues to rise globally. Various causes can lead to its development such as chronic viral infections causing hepatitis, cirrhosis or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The contribution of immune cells to HCC development and progression has been extensively studied when it comes to adaptive lymphocytes or myeloid populations. However, the role of the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) is still not well defined. ILCs are a family of lymphocytes comprising five subsets including circulating Natural Killer (NK) cells, ILC1s, ILC2s, ILC3s and lymphocytes tissue-inducer cells (LTi). Mostly located at epithelial surfaces, tissue-resident ILCs and NK cells can rapidly react to environmental changes to mount appropriate immune responses. Here, we provide an overview of their roles and actions in HCC with an emphasis on the importance of diverse signaling pathways (Notch, TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin…) in the tuning of their response to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Bourayou
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INSERM U1223, Lymphocyte and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Golub
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INSERM U1223, Lymphocyte and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
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84
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Li X, Yao Q, Liu C, Wang J, Zhang H, Li S, Cai P. Macrotrabecular-Massive Hepatocellular Carcinoma: What Should We Know? J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:379-387. [PMID: 35547829 PMCID: PMC9084381 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s364742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies globally. Recently, a newly identified histological subtype, designated as “macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma” (MTM-HCC), has been associated with an aggressive phenotype and has received extensive attention. MTM-HCC was a strong independent prognostic predictor of early and overall recurrence because it is closely related to tumor molecular subclass, gene mutation, carcinogenesis pathways, and immunohistochemical markers. In addition, preoperative imaging examination can potentially provide an essential clue for diagnosing MTM-HCC, intratumor necrosis or ischemia is an independent predictor for MTM-HCC on Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI or CT. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of MTM-HCC could prove beneficial for preventing early recurrence and could improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Li
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Military Medical University), Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Radiology, The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiandong Yao
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Science City Hospital, Mianyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Liu
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Military Medical University), Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Military Medical University), Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huarong Zhang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Third Military Medical University (Army Military Medical University), Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiguang Li
- Department of Radiology, The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Second People's Hospital of Guiyang (Jinyang Hospital), Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- Correspondence: Shiguang Li; Ping Cai, Email ;
| | - Ping Cai
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Military Medical University), Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
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Development an Immune-Related MicroRNA Risk Index in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:5224434. [PMID: 35466321 PMCID: PMC9019458 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5224434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HC) has emerged as one of the most prevalent malignancies on a global scale. Recently, immunotherapy has achieved favorable effectiveness in the management of multiple cancers. However, there are limited therapeutic options for advanced HC. As the liver is a special immune organ, we intend to uncover potential and effective immunotherapeutic modalities for HC. Our study was designed to develop specific immune-related miRNAs (IRMs) for outcome assessment and individualized strategies for the management of HC. Methods The miRNA-seq and survival data of TCGA-LIHC dataset was enrolled into this program. We first collected IRMs from Immune-miR website. Differentially expression analysis was applied to screen aberrantly expressed IRMs. In order to set up an IRM-related index (IRMRI) in HC, we conducted the Cox relevant methods. Next, the statistical approaches (survival curve and ROC curve analyses) were utilized to detect the evaluation capacity of our IRMRI. Subsequently, we obtained the target genes of hub miRNAs from IRMRI through three miRNA-related predictive online tools (miRDB, miRTarBase, and TargetScan websites). Results Five IRMs were determined to develop the IRMRI. It can effectively segregate all HC cases from two different risk subgroups. We identified a marked discrepancy in survival outcome between the two groups by survival analysis and confirmed the reliability of IRMRI in two testing sets. Moreover, we collected 10 hub target genes (ESR1, IGF1, PDGFRB, JUN, MYC, ZWINT, MAD2L1, TOP2A, KIF11, and CDCA8) which were strongly linked to HC progression and malignant behavior. Conclusion We screened out five hub IRMs with clinical value and constructed a risk index model in HC, which can precisely assess the risk status and outcome of patients to a certain extent.
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86
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Yuan F, Gao Q, Tang H, Shi J, Zhou Y. Ophiopogonin‑B targets PTP1B to inhibit the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the PI3K/AKT and AMPK signaling pathways. Mol Med Rep 2022; 25:122. [PMID: 35169857 PMCID: PMC8864608 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Ophiopogonin‑B (OP‑B) is a bioactive component from the root of Ophiopogon japonicus, which can exert anticancer effects on multiple malignant tumors. The present study aimed to uncover the effects of OP‑B on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanisms. An HCC‑xenografted mouse model was established and subsequently treated with OP‑B (15 and 75 mg/kg) to observe the effects of OP‑B on HCC progression and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) expression in vivo. The HCC cell line MHCC97‑H was transfected with either PTP1B overexpression (Ov)‑PTP1B or empty vector control, and then exposed to different concentrations of OP‑B. Subsequently, PTP1B expression, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and angiogenesis were evaluated by western blotting, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, Cell Counting Kit‑8, colony formation, TUNEL staining, wound healing, Transwell and tube formation assays. The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT and adenosine 5'‑monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) was also assessed by western blot assay. The results showed that OP‑B inhibited tumor growth and the expression of Ki67, CD31, VEGFA and PTP1B in HCC xenograft model. The expression of PTP1B in HCC cells was also inhibited by OP‑B in a concentration‑dependent manner. Results from the in vitro studies revealed that OP‑B suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis, and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells. However, PTP1B overexpression reversed the effect of OP‑B on HCC cells. PI3K/AKT was inactivated and AMPK was activated by OP‑B exposure in HCC cells, and PTP1B overexpression blocked these effects. In conclusion, OP‑B effectively inhibited the progression of HCC both in vivo and in vitro. These effects may depend on downregulating PTP1B expression, thereby inactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway and activating the AMPK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yuan
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Qian Gao
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Hailin Tang
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Jun Shi
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
| | - Yiqun Zhou
- Department of Liver Disease, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215101, P.R. China
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87
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The Bright and the Dark Side of TGF-β Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Mechanisms, Dysregulation, and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040940. [PMID: 35205692 PMCID: PMC8870127 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling is a preeminent regulator of diverse cellular and physiological processes. Frequent dysregulation of TGF-β signaling has been implicated in cancer. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer, the autocrine and paracrine effects of TGF-β have paradoxical implications. While acting as a potent tumor suppressor pathway in the early stages of malignancy, TGF-β diverts to a promoter of tumor progression in the late stages, reflecting its bright and dark natures, respectively. Within this context, targeting TGF-β represents a promising therapeutic option for HCC treatment. We discuss here the molecular properties of TGF-β signaling in HCC, attempting to provide an overview of its effects on tumor cells and the stroma. We also seek to evaluate the dysregulation mechanisms that mediate the functional switch of TGF-β from a tumor suppressor to a pro-tumorigenic signal. Finally, we reconcile its biphasic nature with the therapeutic implications. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with genetic and nongenetic aberrations that impact multiple genes and pathways, including the frequently dysregulated transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway. The regulatory cytokine TGF-β and its signaling effectors govern a broad spectrum of spatiotemporally regulated molecular and cellular responses, yet paradoxically have dual and opposing roles in HCC progression. In the early stages of tumorigenesis, TGF-β signaling enforces profound tumor-suppressive effects, primarily by inducing cell cycle arrest, cellular senescence, autophagy, and apoptosis. However, as the tumor advances in malignant progression, TGF-β functionally switches to a pro-tumorigenic signal, eliciting aggressive tumor traits, such as epithelial–mesenchymal transition, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and immune evasion of cancer cells. On this account, the inhibition of TGF-β signaling is recognized as a promising therapeutic strategy for advanced HCC. In this review, we evaluate the functions and mechanisms of TGF-β signaling and relate its complex and pleiotropic biology to HCC pathophysiology, attempting to provide a detailed perspective on the molecular determinants underlying its functional diversion. We also address the therapeutic implications of the dichotomous nature of TGF-β signaling and highlight the rationale for targeting this pathway for HCC treatment, alone or in combination with other agents.
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88
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Liu Z, You Y, Chen Q, Li G, Pan W, Yang Q, Dong J, Wu Y, Bei JX, Pan C, Li F, Li B. Extracellular vesicle-mediated communication between hepatocytes and natural killer cells promotes hepatocellular tumorigenesis. Mol Ther 2022; 30:606-620. [PMID: 34601133 PMCID: PMC8821954 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is frequently characterized by metabolic and immune remodeling in the tumor microenvironment. We previously discovered that liver-specific deletion of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1), a gluconeogenic enzyme ubiquitously suppressed in HCC tissues, promotes liver tumorigenesis and induces metabolic and immune perturbations closely resembling human HCC. However, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we reported that FBP1-deficient livers exhibit diminished amounts of natural killer (NK) cells and accelerated tumorigenesis. Using the diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC mouse model, we analyzed potential changes in the immune cell populations purified from control and FBP1-depleted livers and found that NK cells were strongly suppressed. Mechanistically, FBP1 attenuation in hepatocytes derepresses an zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)-dependent transcriptional program to inhibit PKLR expression. This leads to reduced levels of PKLR cargo proteins sorted into hepatocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), dampened activity of EV-targeted NK cells, and accelerated liver tumorigenesis. Our study demonstrated that hepatic FBP1 depletion promotes HCC-associated immune remodeling, partly through the transfer of hepatocyte-secreted, PKLR-attenuated EVs to NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Liu
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yuyu You
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qiyi Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Guobang Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wenfeng Pan
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiajun Dong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Affiliated Jiangmen Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong 529030, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Affiliated Jiangmen Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong 529030, China
| | - Jin-Xin Bei
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510080, China; Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chaoyun Pan
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Fuming Li
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Bo Li
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510080, China; Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
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89
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Mikhael M, Pasha B, Chela H, Tahan V, Daglilar E. Immunological and Metabolic Alterations in Esophageal Cancer. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2022; 22:579-589. [PMID: 35086463 DOI: 10.2174/1871530322666220127113752] [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: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is one of the most common types of gastrointestinal malignancies that is encountered. It has a global distribution and affects males and females and is linked to significant morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms underlying pathophysiology are multifactorial and involve the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. This review article describes the immunological and metabolic changes that occur in malignancy of the esophagus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Mikhael
- University of Missouri Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Bilal Pasha
- University of Missouri Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Harleen Chela
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,2 Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Veysel Tahan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,2 Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Ebubekir Daglilar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,2 Columbia, Missouri, USA
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90
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High Expression of Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 39 and Its Roles in Prognosis in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2021:6233175. [PMID: 34987596 PMCID: PMC8723855 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6233175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ubiquitin-specific protease 39 is mainly involved in mRNA splicing and multiple kinds of tumors. Accumulating evidence has shown that USP39 participated in the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to demonstrate the association between USP39 expression and clinical features and the diagnostic value in HCC based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). METHODS A comprehensive analysis for expression of USP39 in HCC was conducted by using multiple databases. The mRNA level of USP39, clinical features, survival rate, and diagnostic value in HCC were analyzed using data from TCGA. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted to analyze signaling pathways correlated with USP39 expression in HCC. RESULTS The mRNA level of USP39 was significantly elevated in HCC. The expression of USP39 showed significant correlation with T stage, pathologic stage, tumor status, age, and histologic grade. Logistic analysis demonstrated that high expression of USP39 was significantly associated with older age, tumor status, advanced pathologic stage, T stage, and higher histologic grade. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that high expression of USP39 was significantly associated with advanced T stage, pathological stage, and tumor status. Multivariate Cox analysis confirmed the result that USP39 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in HCC. Results of Kaplan-Meier curves showed that high expression of USP39 had a significant association with poor OS, disease-free survival (DSS), and progress-free interval (PFI) in HCC. ROC analysis indicated that USP39 could be regarded as a promising marker for distinguishing HCC from nontumor. CONCLUSION The increased USP39 might play roles in the progression, diagnosis, and prognosis of HCC.
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91
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Wu B, Yan J, Yang J, Xia Y, Li D, Zhang F, Cao H. Extension of the Life Span by Acarbose: Is It Mediated by the Gut Microbiota? Aging Dis 2022; 13:1005-1014. [PMID: 35855337 PMCID: PMC9286917 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Acarbose can extend the life span of mice through a process involving the gut microbiota. Several factors affect the life span, including mitochondrial function, cellular senescence, telomere length, immune function, and expression of longevity-related genes. In this review, the effects of acarbose-regulated gut microbiota on the life span-influencing factors have been discussed. In addition, a novel theoretical basis for improving our understanding of the mechanisms by which acarbose extends the life span of mice has been suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyun Wu
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
| | - Jiai Yan
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Ju Yang
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Yanping Xia
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Feng Zhang
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Hong Cao, () and Dr. Feng Zhang (), Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Clinical Assessment Center of Functional Food, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Hong Cao, () and Dr. Feng Zhang (), Nutritional Department, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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92
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Zaidi S, Gough NR, Mishra L. Mechanisms and clinical significance of TGF-β in hepatocellular cancer progression. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 156:227-248. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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93
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Argemi J, Ponz-Sarvise M, Sangro B. Immunotherapies for hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Current and developing strategies. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 156:367-413. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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94
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Bioinformatics analysis of tumor-educated platelet microRNAs in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:230271. [PMID: 34806748 PMCID: PMC8661502 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211420] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies that seriously threaten global health. The primary reason for its grim prognosis is the lack of sensitive tools for early diagnosis. The purpose of the present study was to apply bioinformatics analysis to explore tumor-educated platelet (TEP) microRNA (miRNA) expression and its potential diagnostic utility in HCC. Methods: Twenty-five HCC patients and 25 healthy controls were included. RNA sequencing was utilized to screen miRNA alterations in platelets derived from HCC patients (n=5) and controls (n=5). Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to analyze the targeted mRNAs of differentially expressed miRNAs by using the Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases, aiming at main functions and pathways, respectively. We then verified the selected platelet miRNAs in another cohort by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) amplification. Results: A total of 250 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, among which 111 were down-regulated and 139 were up-regulated. The functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs suggested that their target genes were involved primarily in pathways related to HCC. Expression levels of miR-495-3p and miR-1293 were further validated by qRT-PCR, which yielded results consistent with the sequencing analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of miR-495-3p and miR-1293 as diagnostic tests for HCC were 0.76 and 0.78, respectively. Conclusion: TEP miRNAs such as miR-495-3p and miR-1293 were differentially expressed in HCC patients, and may be involved in the pathophysiology of HCC.
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95
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Liu X, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Liu L, Zhang G, Li J, Ren Z, Dong Z, Yu Z. PRRC2A Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression and Associates with Immune Infiltration. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:1495-1511. [PMID: 34881207 PMCID: PMC8646232 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s337111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high morbidity and poor prognosis due to the propensity of recurrence and metastasis. Emerging studies have confirmed that proline-rich coiled-coil2A (PRRC2A) plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and immunoregulation. However, its expression status and biological functions in HCC remain poorly documented. Methods The presence and prognostic value of PRRC2A were determined by a tissue microarray (TMA) cohort and multiple databases, mainly from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC). Functional enrichment analysis was applied to identify the mechanisms of PRRC2A in HCC. The biological function of PRRC2A in HCC progression in vitro was determined by CCK-8, colony formation, EdU, transwell migration and invasion assays. Moreover, the Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using Expression data (ESTIMATE), single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithms, immunophenoscore (IPS) and public available immunotherapy cohorts were performed to classify their associations with tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immunotherapy. Results PRRC2A was upregulated in HCC at both mRNA and protein levels. High PRRC2A expression was correlated with poor prognosis and could be an independent risk factor. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that elevated PRRC2A was significantly correlated with the activation of various oncogenic pathways. Additionally, in vitro experiments confirmed that silencing PRRC2A could suppress the proliferation and metastasis capacities of HCC cells. More importantly, PRRC2A was negatively associated with many anti-tumor immune cells, but positively related to the expression of markers of exhaustive T cells. And HCC patients with high PRRC2A were more likely to be nonresponsive to immunotherapy. Conclusion This study explored the predictive value and biological roles of PRRC2A in HCC progression and indicated that it might be a potential biomarker for HCC patients and a predictor for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yize Zhang
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zenghan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwen Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Guizhen Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhao Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Ren
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zihui Dong
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zujiang Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.,Gene Hospital of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
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Zhou J, Zhang S, Guo C. Crosstalk between macrophages and natural killer cells in the tumor microenvironment. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108374. [PMID: 34824036 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is jointly constructed by a variety of cell types, including tumor cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells, among others. The cells within the TME interact with each other and with tumor cells to influence tumor development and progression. As the most abundant immune cells in the TME, macrophages regulate the immune network by not only secreting a large amount of versatile cytokines but also expressing a series of ligands or receptors on the surface to interact with other cells directly. Due to their strong plasticity, they exert both immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive effects in the complex TME. The major effector cells of the immune system that directly target cancer cells include but are not limited to natural killer cells (NKs), dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, mast cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Among them, NK cells are the predominant innate lymphocyte subsets that mediate antitumor and antiviral responses. The activation and inhibition of NK cells are regulated by cytokines and the balance between activating and inhibitory receptors. There is an inextricable regulatory relationship between macrophages and NK cells. Herein, we systematically elaborate on the regulatory network between macrophages and NK cells through soluble mediator crosstalk and cell-to-cell interactions. We believe that a better understanding of the crosstalk between macrophages and NKs in the TME will benefit the development of novel macrophage- or NK cell-focused therapeutic strategies with superior efficacies in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingping Zhou
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Shaolong Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Changying Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, PR China.
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Wu MZ, Yuan YC, Huang BY, Chen JX, Li BK, Fang JH, Zhuang SM. Identification of a TGF-β/SMAD/lnc-UTGF positive feedback loop and its role in hepatoma metastasis. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:395. [PMID: 34785655 PMCID: PMC8595887 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00781-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway is often observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whether lncRNA regulates the TGF-β/SMAD signaling remains largely unknown. Here, we identified an oncogenic lncRNA that was upregulated in HCC and was transcriptionally induced by TGF-β (named lnc-UTGF, lncRNA upregulated by TGF-β). Upon TGF-β stimulation, SMAD2/3 bound to the lnc-UTGF promoter and activated lnc-UTGF expression. In turn, the TGF-β/SMAD signaling was augmented by overexpressing lnc-UTGF, but was inhibited by silencing lnc-UTGF. Mechanism investigations revealed that lnc-UTGF interacted with the mRNAs of SMAD2 and SMAD4 via complementary base-pairing, resulting in enhanced stability of SMAD2/4 mRNAs. These data suggest a novel TGF-β/SMAD/lnc-UTGF positive feedback circuitry. Subsequent gain- and loss-of-function analyses disclosed that lnc-UTGF promoted the migration and invasion of hepatoma cells, and this effect of lnc-UTGF was attenuated by repressing SMAD2/4 expression or by mutating the SMAD2/4-binding sites in lnc-UTGF. Studies using mouse models further confirmed that in vivo metastasis of hepatoma xenografts was inhibited by silencing lnc-UTGF, but was enhanced by ectopic expression of lnc-UTGF. The lnc-UTGF level was positively correlated with the SMAD2/4 levels in xenografts. Consistently, we detected an association of lnc-UTGF upregulation with increase of SMAD2, SMAD4, and their metastasis effector SNAIL1 in human HCC. And high lnc-UTGF level was also significantly associated with enhanced metastasis potential, advanced TNM stages, and worse recurrence-free survival. Conclusion: there exists a lnc-UTGF-mediated positive feedback loop of the TGF-β signaling and its deregulation promotes hepatoma metastasis. These findings may provide a new therapeutic target for HCC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Zhi Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Xin Gang Xi Road 135#, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Chuan Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Dong Feng Road East 651#, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Bi-Yu Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Xin Gang Xi Road 135#, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Jin-Xi Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Xin Gang Xi Road 135#, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Bin-Kui Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Dong Feng Road East 651#, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Hong Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Xin Gang Xi Road 135#, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China.
| | - Shi-Mei Zhuang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Xin Gang Xi Road 135#, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China.
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98
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J. Key promoters of tumor hallmarks. Int J Clin Oncol 2021; 27:45-58. [PMID: 34773527 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-021-02074-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of tumor hallmarks is a result of accommodation of tumor cells with their nearby milieu called tumor microenvironment (TME). Accommodation or adaptive responses is highly important for a cell to survive, without which no cell is allowed to take any further steps in tumorigenesis. Metabolism of cancer cells is largely depended on stroma. Composition and plasticity of cells within the stroma is highly affected from inflammatory setting of TME. Hypoxia which is a common event in many solid cancers, is known as one of the key hallmarks of chronic inflammation and the master regulator of metastasis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is produced in the chronic inflammatory and chronic hypoxic settings, and it is considered as a cardinal factor for induction of all tumor hallmarks. Aging, obesity and smoking are the main predisposing factors of cancer, acting mainly through modulation of TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Disease Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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99
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Sükei T, Palma E, Urbani L. Interplay between Cellular and Non-Cellular Components of the Tumour Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5586. [PMID: 34771746 PMCID: PMC8583132 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215586] [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: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and lethal cancers worldwide. Currently, treatments available for advanced HCC provide dismal chances of survival, thus there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. While much of the focus of recent decades has been on targeting malignant cells, promising results have emerged from targeting the tumour microenvironment (TME). The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the main non-cellular component of the TME and it profoundly changes during tumorigenesis to promote the growth and survival of malignant cells. Despite this, many in vitro models for drug testing fail to consider the TME leading to a high failure rate in clinical trials. Here, we present an overview of the function and properties of the ECM in the liver and how these change during malignant transformation. We also discuss the relationship between immune cells and ECM in the TME in HCC. Lastly, we present advanced, 3D culture techniques of cancer modelling and argue that the incorporation of TME components into these is essential to better recapitulate the complex interactions within the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Sükei
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK; (T.S.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Elena Palma
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK; (T.S.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Luca Urbani
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK; (T.S.); (E.P.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
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100
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Haberl EM, Pohl R, Rein-Fischboeck L, Höring M, Krautbauer S, Liebisch G, Buechler C. Accumulation of cholesterol, triglycerides and ceramides in hepatocellular carcinomas of diethylnitrosamine injected mice. Lipids Health Dis 2021; 20:135. [PMID: 34629057 PMCID: PMC8502393 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-021-01567-w] [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: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulated lipid metabolism is critically involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The respective metabolic pathways affected in HCC can be identified using suitable experimental models. Mice injected with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and fed a normal chow develop HCC. For the analysis of the pathophysiology of HCC in this model a comprehensive lipidomic analysis was performed. METHODS Lipids were measured in tumor and non-tumorous tissues by direct flow injection analysis. Proteins with a role in lipid metabolism were analysed by immunoblot. Mann-Whitney U-test or paired Student´s t-test were used for data analysis. RESULTS Intra-tumor lipid deposition is a characteristic of HCCs, and di- and triglycerides accumulated in the tumor tissues of the mice. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase protein were low in the tumors whereas proteins involved in de novo lipogenesis were not changed. Higher rates of de novo lipogenesis cause a shift towards saturated acyl chains, which did not occur in the murine HCC model. Besides, LDL-receptor protein and cholesteryl ester levels were higher in the murine HCC tissues. Ceramides are cytotoxic lipids and are low in human HCCs. Notably, ceramide levels increased in the murine tumors, and the simultaneous decline of sphingomyelins suggests that sphingomyelinases were involved herein. DEN is well described to induce the tumor suppressor protein p53 in the liver, and p53 was additionally upregulated in the tumors. CONCLUSIONS Ceramides mediate the anti-cancer effects of different chemotherapeutic drugs and restoration of ceramide levels was effective against HCC. High ceramide levels in the tumors makes the DEN injected mice an unsuitable model to study therapies targeting ceramide metabolism. This model is useful for investigating how tumors evade the cytotoxic effects of ceramides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth M Haberl
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rebekka Pohl
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Rein-Fischboeck
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Höring
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Krautbauer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Liebisch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christa Buechler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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