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Hu B, Gao J, Shi J, Zhang F, Shi C, Wen P, Wang Z, Guo W, Zhang S. Necroptosis throws novel insights on patient classification and treatment strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:970117. [PMID: 35967375 PMCID: PMC9363630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.970117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionNecroptosis is a novel pattern of immunogenic cell death and has triggered an emerging wave in antitumor therapy. More evidence has suggested the potential associations between necroptosis and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Currently, the underlying role of necroptosis remains elusive in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at antitumor immunity and inter-tumoral heterogeneity.MethodsThis study enrolled a total of 728 HCC patients and 139 immunotherapy patients from eight public datasets. The consensus clustering approach was employed to depict tumor heterogeneity of cancer necroptosis. Subsequently, our study further decoded the heterogeneous clinical outcomes, genomic landscape, biological behaviors, and immune characteristics in necroptosis subtypes. For each patient, providing curative clinical recommendations and developing potential therapeutic drugs were used to promote precise medicine.ResultsWith the use of the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) algorithm, necroptosis-associated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (NALRs) were identified in HCC. Based on the NALR expression, two heterogeneous subtypes were decoded with distinct clinical outcomes. Compared to patients in C1, patients in C2 harbored superior pathological stage and presented more unfavorable overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Then, the robustness and reproducibility of necroptosis subtypes were further validated via the nearest template prediction (NTP) approach and classical immune phenotypes. Through comprehensive explorations, C1 was characterized by enriched immune-inflammatory and abundant immune infiltration, while C2 possessed elevated proliferative and metabolic activities and highly genomic instability. Moreover, our results indicated that C1 was more prone to obtain desirable benefits from immunotherapy. For patients in C2, numerous underlying therapeutic agents were developed, which might produce significant efficacy.ConclusionThis study identified two necroptosis subtypes with distinct characteristics, decoding the tumor heterogeneity. For an individualized patient, our work tailored corresponding treatment strategies to improve clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jihua Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chengcheng Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Peihao Wen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhihui Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Diagnosis & Treatment League for Hepatopathy, Zhengzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shuijun Zhang,
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Sun X, Cai M, Wu L, Zhen X, Chen Y, Peng J, Han S, Zhang P. USP28 Deubiquitinates TCF7L2 to Govern the Action of Wnt Signaling Pathway in Hepatic Carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:3463-3475. [PMID: 35880246 PMCID: PMC9530868 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15509] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of ubiquitin‐specific protease 28 (USP28) is found in hepatic carcinoma. It is unclear whether the deubiquitinase plays a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Deregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway is frequently associated with liver cancer. Transcription factor 7‐like 2 (TCF7L2) is an important downstream transcription factor of the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway, but the mechanisms by which TCF7L2 itself is regulated have not yet been revealed. Here, we report that USP28 promotes the activity of the Wnt signaling pathway through maintaining the stability of TCF7L2. We further show that FBXW7 is the E3 ubiquitin ligase for TCF7L2. By regulating the levels of TCF7L2, USP28 modulates the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in liver cancer and USP28 depletion or inhibition by a small molecule inhibitor leads to a halt of growth in liver cancer cells. These results suggest that USP28 could be a potential therapeutic target for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengjiao Cai
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, China
| | - Lingzhi Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinghua Zhen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuetong Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, China
| | - Jin Peng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Suxia Han
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, Xi'an, China
| | - Pumin Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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153
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Guo J, Zhao J, Fu W, Xu Q, Huang D. Immune Evasion and Drug Resistance Mediated by USP22 in Cancer: Novel Targets and Mechanisms. Front Immunol 2022; 13:918314. [PMID: 35935969 PMCID: PMC9347222 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.918314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of ubiquitination is involved in various processes in cancer occurrence and development, including cell cycle arrest, cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and immunity. Ubiquitination plays an important role not only at the transcriptional and post-translational levels but also at the protein level. When ubiquitination is in a pathological state, abnormally activated biological processes will not only induce cancer progression but also induce immune evasion. The main function of deubiquitinases (DUBs) is to remove ubiquitin chains from substrates, changing the biological activity of the substrates. It has great potential to improve the prognosis of cancer by targeting DUB to regulate proteome. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) belongs to the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family of DUBs and has been reported to be related to various physiological and pathological processes. USP22 is abnormally expressed in various malignant tumors such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer, which suggests that USP22 may play an important role in tumors. USP22 may stabilize programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) by deubiquitination while also regulating T-cell infiltration into tumors. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a unique class of immunosuppressive CD4+ T cells that primarily suppress the immune system by expressing the master transcription factor forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3). USP22 was found to be a positive regulator of stable FOXP3 expression. Treg-specific ablation of USP22 leads to reduced tumor volume in multiple cancer models. This suggests that USP22 may regulate tumor resistance to immunotherapy. In this article, we review and summarize the biological functions of USP22 in multiple signal transduction pathways during tumorigenesis, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Furthermore, we propose a new possibility of combining USP22 with chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunosuppressive drugs in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhui Guo
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen Fu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qiuran Xu
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Huang
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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154
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Zhang H, Yao Y, Wu J, Zhou J, Zhao C, He J, Xu B. Comprehensive Analysis Identifies and Validates the Tumor Microenvironment Subtypes to Predict Anti-Tumor Therapy Efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:838374. [PMID: 35924239 PMCID: PMC9339643 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.838374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore and verify the subtypes in hepatocellular carcinoma based on the immune (lymphocyte and myeloid cells), stem, and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment and analyze the biological characteristics and potential relevance of each cluster.MethodsWe used the xCell algorithm to calculate cell scores and got subtypes by k-means clustering. In the external validation sets, we verified the conclusion stability by a neural network model. Simultaneously, we speculated the inner connection between clusters by pseudotime trajectory analysis and confirmed it by pathway enrichment, TMB, CNV, etc., analysis.ResultAccording to the results of the consensus cluster, we chose k = 4 as the optimal value and got four different subtypes (C1, C2, C3, and C4) with different biological characteristics based on infiltrating levels of 48 cells in TME. In univariable Cox regression, the hazard ratio (HR) value of C3 versus C1 was 2.881 (95% CI: 1.572–5.279); in multivariable Cox regression, we corrected the age and TNM stage, and the HR value of C3 versus C1 was 2.510 (95% CI: 1.339–4.706). C1 and C2 belonged to the immune-active type, C3 and C4 related to the immune-insensitive type and the potential conversion relationships between clusters. We established a neural network model, and the area under the curves of the neural network model was 0.949 in the testing cohort; the same survival results were also observed in the external validation set. We compared the differences in cell infiltration, immune function, pathway enrichment, TMB, and CNV of four clusters and speculated that C1 and C2 were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy and C3 may benefit from FGF inhibitors.DiscussionOur analysis provides a new approach for the identification of four tumor microenvironment clusters in patients with liver cancer and identifies the biological differences and predicts the immunotherapy efficacy between the four subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haohan Zhang
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Yao
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Provincial Research Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junju He
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Bin Xu,
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155
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Guo T, You K, Chen X, Sun Y, Wu Y, Wu P, Jiang Y. RBM47 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression by targeting UPF1 as a DNA/RNA regulator. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:320. [PMID: 35831298 PMCID: PMC9279423 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01112-3] [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: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms by which the tumor behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) support growth and metastasis remain largely unknown, and it has become increasingly apparent that molecular dysregulation is of considerable importance for cellular signaling pathways. Recently, RNA-binding motif protein 47 (RBM47) has been suggested to function as a tumor regulator by acting as an RNA binding protein (RBP), but its role in HCC remains ambiguous. Here, in HCC, we identified that RBM47 had an inhibitory influence on tumor behaviors in vitro and accordingly suppressed the growth and metastasis of xenograft tumors in vivo. Additionally, RBM47 was verified to positively regulate Upframeshift 1 (UPF1), which is a crucial protein involved in the nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) process and was previously determined to be an HCC suppressor. Mechanistically, the stability of UPF1 mRNA was demonstrated to be enhanced with its 3’UTR bound by RBM47, which acted as an RNA binding protein. Meanwhile, RBM47 was also proven to promote the transcription of UPF1 as a transcription factor. Taken together, we concluded that RBM47 functioned as a tumor suppressor by upregulating UPF1, acting as a DNA/RNA binding protein at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China
| | - Ke You
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Xi Chen
- School of Stomatology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China
| | - Yuqi Sun
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Liuzhou Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Immunity Research, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital affiliated to Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, 545006, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, China
| | - Yingying Jiang
- School of Stomatology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China. .,Department of Dentistry, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261035, China.
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156
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Construction of a Novel Clinical Stage-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Outcome and Immune Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:6535009. [PMID: 35865652 PMCID: PMC9296277 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6535009] [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: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high heterogeneity is one of the most frequent malignant tumors. However, there were no studies to create a clinical stage-related gene signature for HCC patients. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with clinical stage of HCC were analyzed based on TCGA datasets. Functional enrichment analysis was carried out by the use of stage-related DEGs. Then, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and univariate Cox regression were performed to reduce the overfit and the number of genes for further analysis. Next, survival and ROC assays were carried out to demonstrate the model using TCGA. Functional analysis and immune microenvironment analysis related to stage-related DEGs were performed. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were applied to examine the expression and function of PNCK in HCC. In this research, there were 21 DEGs between HCC specimens with stage (I-II) and HCC specimens with stage (III-IV), including 20 increased genes and 1 decreased genes. A novel seven-gene signature (including PITX2, PNCK, GLIS1, SCNN1G, MMP1, ZNF488, and SHISA9) was created for the prediction of outcomes of HCC patients. The ROC curves confirmed the prognostic value of the new model. Cox assays demonstrated that the seven-gene signature can independently forecast overall survival. The immune analysis revealed that patients with low risk score exhibited more immune activities. Moreover, we confirmed that PNCK expressions were distinctly increased in HCC, and its silence suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells. Overall, our research offered a robust and reliable gene signature which displayed an important value in the prediction of overall survival of HCC patients and might deliver more effective personalized therapies.
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157
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Tang H, Yang Q, Tang Q, Li X, Ding W, Chen W. Integrated transcriptomics unravels implications of glycosylation-regulating signature in diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic benefits of hepatocellular carcinoma. Comput Biol Med 2022; 148:105886. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Katabathina VS, Khanna L, Surabhi VR, Minervini M, Shanbhogue K, Dasyam AK, Prasad SR. Morphomolecular Classification Update on Hepatocellular Adenoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. Radiographics 2022; 42:1338-1357. [PMID: 35776676 DOI: 10.1148/rg.210206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs), hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (iCCAs) are a highly heterogeneous group of liver tumors with diverse pathomolecular features and prognoses. High-throughput gene sequencing techniques have allowed discovery of distinct genetic and molecular underpinnings of these tumors and identified distinct subtypes that demonstrate varied clinicobiologic behaviors, imaging findings, and complications. The combination of histopathologic findings and molecular profiling form the basis for the morphomolecular classification of liver tumors. Distinct HCA subtypes with characteristic imaging findings and complications include HNF1A-inactivated, inflammatory, β-catenin-activated, β-catenin-activated inflammatory, and sonic hedgehog HCAs. HCCs can be grouped into proliferative and nonproliferative subtypes. Proliferative HCCs include macrotrabecular-massive, TP53-mutated, scirrhous, clear cell, fibrolamellar, and sarcomatoid HCCs and combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma. Steatohepatitic and β-catenin-mutated HCCs constitute the nonproliferative subtypes. iCCAs are classified as small-duct and large-duct types on the basis of the level of bile duct involvement, with significant differences in pathogenesis, molecular signatures, imaging findings, and biologic behaviors. Cross-sectional imaging modalities, including multiphase CT and multiparametric MRI, play an essential role in diagnosis, staging, treatment response assessment, and surveillance. Select imaging phenotypes can be correlated with genetic abnormalities, and identification of surrogate imaging markers may help avoid genetic testing. Improved understanding of morphomolecular features of liver tumors has opened new areas of research in the targeted therapeutics and management guidelines. The purpose of this article is to review imaging findings of select morphomolecular subtypes of HCAs, HCCs, and iCCAs and discuss therapeutic and prognostic implications. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata S Katabathina
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Lokesh Khanna
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Venkateswar R Surabhi
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Marta Minervini
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Krishna Shanbhogue
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Anil K Dasyam
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
| | - Srinivasa R Prasad
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229 (V.S.K., L.K.); Department of Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex (V.R.S., S.R.P.); Departments of Pathology (M.M.) and Radiology (A.K.D.), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; and Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY (K.S.)
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159
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Zeng Q, Klein C, Caruso S, Maille P, Laleh NG, Sommacale D, Laurent A, Amaddeo G, Gentien D, Rapinat A, Regnault H, Charpy C, Nguyen CT, Tournigand C, Brustia R, Pawlotsky JM, Kather JN, Maiuri MC, Loménie N, Calderaro J. Artificial intelligence predicts immune and inflammatory gene signatures directly from hepatocellular carcinoma histology. J Hepatol 2022; 77:116-127. [PMID: 35143898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) displaying overexpression of immune gene signatures are likely to be more sensitive to immunotherapy, however, the use of such signatures in clinical settings remains challenging. We thus aimed, using artificial intelligence (AI) on whole-slide digital histological images, to develop models able to predict the activation of 6 immune gene signatures. METHODS AI models were trained and validated in 2 different series of patients with HCC treated by surgical resection. Gene expression was investigated using RNA sequencing or NanoString technology. Three deep learning approaches were investigated: patch-based, classic MIL and CLAM. Pathological reviewing of the most predictive tissue areas was performed for all gene signatures. RESULTS The CLAM model showed the best overall performance in the discovery series. Its best-fold areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) for the prediction of tumors with upregulation of the immune gene signatures ranged from 0.78 to 0.91. The different models generalized well in the validation dataset with AUCs ranging from 0.81 to 0.92. Pathological analysis of highly predictive tissue areas showed enrichment in lymphocytes, plasma cells, and neutrophils. CONCLUSION We have developed and validated AI-based pathology models able to predict the activation of several immune and inflammatory gene signatures. Our approach also provides insights into the morphological features that impact the model predictions. This proof-of-concept study shows that AI-based pathology could represent a novel type of biomarker that will ease the translation of our biological knowledge of HCC into clinical practice. LAY SUMMARY Immune and inflammatory gene signatures may be associated with increased sensitivity to immunotherapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, the use of artificial intelligence-based pathology enabled us to predict the activation of these signatures directly from histology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghe Zeng
- Centre d'Histologie, d'Imagerie et de Cytométrie (CHIC), Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France; Laboratoire d'Informatique Paris Descartes (LIPADE), Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Klein
- Centre d'Histologie, d'Imagerie et de Cytométrie (CHIC), Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Stefano Caruso
- INSERM UMR-1162, Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors, Paris, France
| | - Pascale Maille
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Créteil, France; Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; INSERM, Unit U955, Team 18, Créteil, France
| | - Narmin Ghaffari Laleh
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniele Sommacale
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Digestive and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Créteil, France
| | - Alexis Laurent
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Digestive and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Créteil, France
| | - Giuliana Amaddeo
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Hepatology, Créteil, France
| | - David Gentien
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Translational Research Department, Genomics Platform, Paris, F-75248 France
| | - Audrey Rapinat
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Translational Research Department, Genomics Platform, Paris, F-75248 France
| | - Hélène Regnault
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Hepatology, Créteil, France
| | - Cécile Charpy
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Créteil, France
| | - Cong Trung Nguyen
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; INSERM, Unit U955, Team 18, Créteil, France
| | - Christophe Tournigand
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Créteil, France
| | - Raffaele Brustia
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Digestive and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Créteil, France
| | - Jean Michel Pawlotsky
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; INSERM, Unit U955, Team 18, Créteil, France
| | - Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Chiara Maiuri
- Centre d'Histologie, d'Imagerie et de Cytométrie (CHIC), Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Loménie
- Laboratoire d'Informatique Paris Descartes (LIPADE), Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Julien Calderaro
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Créteil, France; Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, IMRB, F-94010 Créteil, France; INSERM, Unit U955, Team 18, Créteil, France.
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The Role of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in HCC Carcinogenesis and Treatment: Harnessing Innate Immunity. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133150. [PMID: 35804922 PMCID: PMC9264914 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains a major concern for the public health. The pandemic of metabolic syndrome in the Western societies and the considerable amounts of viral hepatitis in the underdeveloped countries keep fueling s the development of HCC. The hepatotropic viruses evade the NLRP3 inflammasome in order to sustain the chronicity of infection leading to cirrhosis while in the established tumors the activation of NLRP3 promotes several pro-tumorigenic effects. That leads to substantial economic burden for the societies and alternative therapeutic targets should be investigated. Reviewing past and more recent literature it can be deduced that the NLRP3 inflammasome could be an ideal therapeutic effects and it should be studied in more depth. Abstract The HCC constitutes one of the most frequent cancers, with a non-decreasing trend in disease mortality despite advances in systemic therapy and surgery. This trend is fueled by the rise of an obesity wave which is prominent the Western populations and has reshaped the etiologic landscape of HCC. Interest in the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat containing (NLR) family member NLRP3 has recently been revived since it would appear that, by generating inflammasomes, it participates in several physiologic processes and its dysfunction leads to disease. The NLRP3 inflammasome has been studied in depth, and its influence in HCC pathogenesis has been extensively documented during the past quinquennial. Since inflammation comprises a major regulator of carcinogenesis, it is of paramount importance an attempt to evaluate the contribution of the NLRP3 inflammasome to the generation and management of HCC. The aim of this review was to examine the literature in order to determine the impact of the NLRP3 inflammasome on, and present a hypothesis about its input in, HCC.
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The Therapeutic Role of PNU-74654 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma May Involve Suppression of NF-κB Signaling. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2022; 58:medicina58060798. [PMID: 35744061 PMCID: PMC9228701 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58060798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: PNU-74654, a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor, has reported antitumor activities; however, the therapeutic potential of PNU-74654 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated in detail. The aim of this study was to clarify the cytotoxic effects of PNU-74654 against HCC and to uncover its molecular mechanism. Materials and Methods: HepG2 and Huh7 liver cancer cell lines were selected to determine the antitumor properties of PNU-74654. Survival of the liver cancer cells in response to PNU-74654 was assessed by cell viability assays, and the apoptosis effect of PNU-74654 was analyzed by flow cytometry and visualized by Hoechst staining. An oncology array was used to explore the underlying molecular routes of PNU-74654 action in the cells. The migration properties were examined with a wound healing assay, and western blotting was conducted to evaluate protein expression. Results: Treatment with PNU-74654 decreased cell viability and inhibited cell migration. The cell cycle analysis and Hoechst staining revealed an increase in the population of cells at the sub-G1 stage and apoptotic morphological changes in the nucleus. The oncology array identified 84 oncology-related proteins and a suppressed expression of Bcl-xL and survivin. Western blotting showed that PNU-74654 could interfere with cell cycle-related proteins through the NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: PNU-74654 shows antiproliferative and antimigration effects against HepG2 and Huh7 cells, and its antitumor activity may be attributable to its interference in cell cycle regulation and the NF-κB pathway.
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Fu Y, Yang Z, Hu Z, Yang Z, Pan Y, Chen J, Wang J, Hu D, Zhou Z, Xu L, Chen M, Zhang Y. Preoperative serum ctDNA predicts early hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence and response to systemic therapies. Hepatol Int 2022; 16:868-878. [PMID: 35674872 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-022-10348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be useful in tumor diagnosis and surveillance. However, its value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving curative resection remains unknown. Here, we aim to determine the prognostic value of ctDNA in HCC patients. METHODS A prospective cohort enrolled 258 HCC patients who underwent curative liver resection from April 1, 2019, to September 31, 2020. Blood samples were collected before surgery for the detection of ctDNA. RESULTS The number of total mutant genes in ctDNA was associated with early tumor relapse (HR = 2.2, p < 0.001). We defined a gene set consisting of APC, ARID1A, CDKN2A, FAT1, LRP1B, MAP3K1, PREX2, TERT and TP53 as high-risk genes (HRGs) associated with early recurrence. Patients were classified into low-, median- and high-risk levels based on the number of mutant genes in the HRGs. High-risk patients had worse recurrence free survival, especially single-tumor patients (HR = 13.0, p < 0.001). The risk level and TNM stage were independently associated with tumor recurrence. A preoperative recurrence estimation nomogram based on those two factors was constructed and demonstrated good accuracy with a C index of 0.76 (95% CI 0.70-0.82). Patients preserved FAT1 or LRP1B variants but without TP53 variants had worse progression free survival for receiving lenvatinib combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors after recurrence (HR = 17.1, p < 0.001). Furthermore, RNA sequencing data revealed that ctDNA status was associated with tumor immune infiltration. CONCLUSION Preoperative serum ctDNA can be a practical noninvasive approach to predict recurrence after surgery and response to systemic therapies. ctDNA-guided HCC management should be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zili Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhoutian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangxun Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinbin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Juncheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongguo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Minshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yaojun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.
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Liu C, Gao J, Yang D, Yu Q, Zhang S. Title: Multi-Omics and Immune Landscape of Proliferative LncRNA Signatures: Implications for Risk Stratification and Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:907433. [PMID: 35662721 PMCID: PMC9158467 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.907433] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are significantly implicated in tumor proliferation. Nevertheless, proliferation-derived lncRNAs and their latent clinical significance remain largely unrevealed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: This research enrolled 658 HCC patients from five independent cohorts. We retrieved 50 Hallmark gene sets from the MSigDB portal. Consensus clustering was applied to identify heterogeneous proliferative subtypes, and the nearest template prediction (NTP) was utilized to validate the subtypes. We introduced an integrative framework (termed “ProLnc”) to identify proliferation-derived lncRNAs. Moreover, a proliferation-related signature was developed and verified in four independent cohorts. Results: In 50 Hallmarks, seven proliferation pathways were significantly upregulated and correlated with a worse prognosis. Subsequently, we deciphered two heterogeneous proliferative subtypes in TCGA-LIHC. Subtype 2 displayed enhanced proliferative activities and a worse prognosis, whereas subtype 1 was associated with hyperproliferative HCC and a favorable prognosis. The NTP further verified the robustness and reproducibility of two subtypes in four cohorts derived from different platforms. Combining the differentially expressed lncRNAs from two subtypes with proliferative lncRNA modulators from our ProLnc pipeline, we determined 230 proliferation-associated lncRNAs. Based on the bootstrapping channel and the verification of multiple cohorts, we further identified ten lncRNAs that stably correlated with prognosis. Subsequently, we developed and validated a proliferative lncRNA signature (ProLncS) that could independently and accurately assess the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of HCC patients in the four cohorts. Patients with high ProLncS score displayed significantly genomic alterations (e.g., TP53 mutation, 8p23-8p24 copy number variation) and higher abundances of immune cells and immune checkpoint molecules, which suggested immunotherapy was more suitable for patients with high ProLncS score. Conclusion: Our work provided new insights into the heterogeneity of tumor proliferation, and ProLncS could be a prospective tool for tailoring the clinical decision and management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Research & Development International Joint Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Immunomodulation, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Engineering Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Technique and Application, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Research & Development International Joint Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Immunomodulation, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Engineering Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Technique and Application, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongjing Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Research & Development International Joint Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Immunomodulation, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Engineering Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Technique and Application, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiwen Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Research & Development International Joint Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Immunomodulation, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Engineering Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Technique and Application, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Engineering & Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Diseases, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Research & Development International Joint Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Immunomodulation, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Engineering Laboratory for Organ Transplantation Technique and Application, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
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Liu Y, Zhang Y, Du D, Gu X, Zhou S. PCDH17 is regulated by methylation of DNMT3B and affects the malignant biological behavior of HCC through EMT. Exp Cell Res 2022; 418:113245. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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165
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Calderaro J, Seraphin TP, Luedde T, Simon TG. Artificial intelligence for the prevention and clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2022; 76:1348-1361. [PMID: 35589255 PMCID: PMC9126418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) currently represents the fifth most common malignancy and the third-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with incidence and mortality rates that are increasing. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a unique opportunity to improve the full spectrum of HCC clinical care, by improving HCC risk prediction, diagnosis, and prognostication. AI approaches include computational search algorithms, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models. ML consists of a computer running repeated iterations of models, in order to progressively improve performance of a specific task, such as classifying an outcome. DL models are a subtype of ML, based on neural network structures that are inspired by the neuroanatomy of the human brain. A growing body of recent data now apply DL models to diverse data sources - including electronic health record data, imaging modalities, histopathology and molecular biomarkers - to improve the accuracy of HCC risk prediction, detection and prediction of treatment response. Despite the promise of these early results, future research is still needed to standardise AI data, and to improve both the generalisability and interpretability of results. If such challenges can be overcome, AI has the potential to profoundly change the way in which care is provided to patients with or at risk of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Calderaro
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Henri Mondor University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Créteil, France; Inserm U955 and Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, 94010, Creteil, France
| | - Tobias Paul Seraphin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty at Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Tom Luedde
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty at Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Tracey G. Simon
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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166
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Molecular targeted drugs, comprehensive classification and preclinical models for the implementation of precision immune oncology in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Clin Oncol 2022; 27:1101-1109. [PMID: 35633441 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-022-02174-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex heterogeneous disease with high morbidity and mortality. Recent progress in molecular targeted drugs including multikinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors has demonstrated substantial survival improvement in patients with advanced HCC, but it remains as a challenging issue to discover surrogate markers for precisely distinguishing responders and non-responders. Genome-based medicine has changed cancer treatment from empirical use of cytotoxic agents to theoretical use of molecular targeted drugs in various types of cancer, while not in HCC due to lack of druggable targets. Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis reveal that HCC is divided into three major subtypes, proliferative, CTNNB1-mutated and metabolic disease-associated, with distinctive molecular and immunological features, and an increasing number of studies provide evidence for the close correlation between the subtype and the response to molecular targeted drugs using both of clinical data and preclinical models. Dozens of immunocompetent mouse models, such as hydrodynamic tail vain injection models and implantable syngeneic models, reflect molecular characteristics and tumor immune microenvironment of the subtypes, and help us to evaluate the efficacy of single and combination therapies and understand the molecular mechanisms underlying vulnerability and resistance to them. Thus, the consensus classification and relevant preclinical models could accelerate the establishment of predictive biomarkers and the development of subtype-specific therapies.
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167
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Chen HY, Ge P, Liu JY, Qu JL, Bao F, Xu CM, Chen HL, Shang D, Zhang GX. Artificial intelligence: Emerging player in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive disease. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:2152-2162. [PMID: 35721881 PMCID: PMC9157617 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i20.2152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the breakthroughs in key technologies, such as image recognition, deep learning and neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be increasingly developed, leading to closer and deeper integration with an increasingly data-, knowledge- and brain labor-intensive medical industry. As society continues to advance and individuals become more aware of their health needs, the problems associated with the aging of the population are receiving increasing attention, and there is an urgent demand for improving medical technology, prolonging human life and enhancing health. Digestive system diseases are the most common clinical diseases and are characterized by complex clinical manifestations and a general lack of obvious symptoms in the early stage. Such diseases are very difficult to diagnose and treat. In recent years, the incidence of diseases of the digestive system has increased. As AI applications in the field of health care continue to be developed, AI has begun playing an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system. In this paper, the application of AI in assisted diagnosis and the application and prospects of AI in malignant and benign digestive system diseases are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yang Chen
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Peng Ge
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jia-Yue Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jia-Lin Qu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Fang Bao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Cai-Ming Xu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Hai-Long Chen
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Dong Shang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Gui-Xin Zhang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic-Biliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
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Ma S, Adzavon YM, Wen X, Zhao P, Xie F, Liu M, Ma X. Novel Insights in the Regulatory Mechanisms of Ferroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:873029. [PMID: 35663406 PMCID: PMC9160826 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.873029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a newly defined programmed cell death, which by its mechanism differs from other programmed cell death processes such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. It has a unique morphology and biological properties that antioxidants and iron-chelating agents can regulate. Ferroptosis has the characteristics of iron ion deposition and dependence on lipid peroxidation. It can affect the progression of many cancers, including liver cancer, by inducing an intracellular iron-dependent accumulation of reactive oxygen species, providing new possibilities for cancer treatment. At present, great progress has been made in exploring the molecular mechanism of ferroptosis. In this review, we summarize the characteristics, mechanisms, and regulatory factors of ferroptosis in detail, discuss the progress of ferroptosis research in liver cancer, and provide directions and new ideas for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwen Ma
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Mawulikplimi Adzavon
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yao Mawulikplimi Adzavon,
| | - Xiaohu Wen
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Pengxiang Zhao
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Xie
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Mengyu Liu
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemei Ma
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Molecular Hydrogen Research Center, Beijing, China
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Calaf GM, Crispin LA, Muñoz JP, Aguayo F, Bleak TC. Muscarinic Receptors Associated with Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092322. [PMID: 35565451 PMCID: PMC9100020 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Recently, cancer research has described the presence of the cholinergic machinery, specifically muscarinic receptors, in a wide variety of cancers due to their activation and signaling pathways associated with tumor progression and metastasis, providing a wide overview of their contribution to different cancer formation and development for new antitumor targets. This review focused on determining the molecular signatures associated with muscarinic receptors in breast and other cancers and the need for pharmacological, molecular, biochemical, technological, and clinical approaches to improve new therapeutic targets. Abstract Cancer has been considered the pathology of the century and factors such as the environment may play an important etiological role. The ability of muscarinic agonists to stimulate growth and muscarinic receptor antagonists to inhibit tumor growth has been demonstrated for breast, melanoma, lung, gastric, colon, pancreatic, ovarian, prostate, and brain cancer. This work aimed to study the correlation between epidermal growth factor receptors and cholinergic muscarinic receptors, the survival differences adjusted by the stage clinical factor, and the association between gene expression and immune infiltration level in breast, lung, stomach, colon, liver, prostate, and glioblastoma human cancers. Thus, targeting cholinergic muscarinic receptors appears to be an attractive therapeutic alternative due to the complex signaling pathways involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria M. Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile; (L.A.C.); (J.P.M.); (T.C.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Leodan A. Crispin
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile; (L.A.C.); (J.P.M.); (T.C.B.)
| | - Juan P. Muñoz
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile; (L.A.C.); (J.P.M.); (T.C.B.)
| | - Francisco Aguayo
- Laboratorio de Oncovirología, Programa de Virología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile;
| | - Tammy C. Bleak
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile; (L.A.C.); (J.P.M.); (T.C.B.)
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Kurebayashi Y, Matsuda K, Ueno A, Tsujikawa H, Yamazaki K, Masugi Y, Kwa WT, Effendi K, Hasegawa Y, Yagi H, Abe Y, Kitago M, Ojima H, Sakamoto M. Immunovascular classification of HCC reflects reciprocal interaction between immune and angiogenic tumor microenvironments. Hepatology 2022; 75:1139-1153. [PMID: 34657298 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Immune cells and tumor vessels constitute important elements in tumor tissue; however, their detailed relationship in human tumors, including HCC, is still largely unknown. Consequently, we expanded our previous study on the immune microenvironment of HCC and analyzed the relationship among the immune microenvironment, inflammatory/angiostatic factor expression, angiogenic factor expression, and tumor vessel findings, including vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) and macrotrabecular-massive (MTM) patterns. APPROACH AND RESULTS We classified HCC into four distinct immunovascular subtypes (immune-high/angiostatic [IH/AS], immune-mid/angio-mid [IM/AM], immune-low/angiogenic [IL/AG], and immune-low/angio-low [IL/AL]). IH/AS, IM/AM, and IL/AG subtypes were associated with decreasing lymphocytic infiltration and increasing angiogenic factor expression and VETC/MTM positivity, reflecting their reciprocal interaction in the tumor microenvironment of HCC. IL/AG subtype was further characterized by CTNNB1 mutation and activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. IL/AL subtype was not associated with increased lymphocyte infiltration or angiogenic factor expression. Prognostically, IH/AS subtype and VETC/MTM positivity were independently significant in two independent cohorts. Increased angiogenic factor expression was not necessarily associated with VETC/MTM positivity and poor prognosis, especially when inflammatory/angiostatic milieu coexisted around tumor vessels. These results may provide insights on the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy, antiangiogenic therapies, and their combinations. The potential of evaluating the immunovascular microenvironment in predicting the clinical effect of these therapies in nonresectable HCC needs to be analyzed in the future study. CONCLUSIONS HCC can be classified into four distinct immunovascular subtypes (IH/AS, IM/AM, IL/AG, and IL/AL) that reflect the reciprocal interaction between the antitumor immune microenvironment and tumor angiogenesis. In addition to its clinicopathological significance, immunovascular classification may also provide pathological insights on the therapeutic effect of immunotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and their combination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kosuke Matsuda
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Akihisa Ueno
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan.,Division of Diagnostic PathologyKeio University HospitalTokyoJapan
| | - Hanako Tsujikawa
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan.,Division of Diagnostic PathologyKeio University HospitalTokyoJapan
| | - Ken Yamazaki
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Yohei Masugi
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan.,Division of Diagnostic PathologyKeio University HospitalTokyoJapan
| | - Wit Thun Kwa
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Kathryn Effendi
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Yasushi Hasegawa
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Hiroshi Yagi
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Yuta Abe
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Minoru Kitago
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Hidenori Ojima
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
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Dinh TA, Utria AF, Barry KC, Ma R, Abou-Alfa GK, Gordan JD, Jaffee EM, Scott JD, Zucman-Rossi J, O’Neill AF, Furth ME, Sethupathy P. A framework for fibrolamellar carcinoma research and clinical trials. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:328-342. [PMID: 35190728 PMCID: PMC9516439 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00580-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC), a rare, lethal hepatic cancer, occurs primarily in adolescents and young adults. Unlike hepatocellular carcinoma, FLC has no known association with viral, metabolic or chemical agents that cause cirrhosis. Currently, surgical resection is the only treatment demonstrated to achieve cure, and no standard of care exists for systemic therapy. Progress in FLC research illuminates a transition from an obscure cancer to one for which an interactive community seems poised to uncover fundamental mechanisms and initiate translation towards novel therapies. In this Roadmap, we review advances since the seminal discovery in 2014 that nearly all FLC tumours express a signature oncogene (DNAJB1-PRKACA) encoding a fusion protein (DNAJ-PKAc) in which the J-domain of a heat shock protein 40 (HSP40) co-chaperone replaces an amino-terminal segment of the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Important gains include increased understanding of oncogenic pathways driven by DNAJ-PKAc; identification of potential therapeutic targets; development of research models; elucidation of immune mechanisms with potential for the development of immunotherapies; and completion of the first multicentre clinical trials of targeted therapy for FLC. In each of these key areas we propose a Roadmap for future progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A. Dinh
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,These authors contributed equally: Timothy A. Dinh, Alan F. Utria, Kevin C. Barry
| | - Alan F. Utria
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,These authors contributed equally: Timothy A. Dinh, Alan F. Utria, Kevin C. Barry
| | - Kevin C. Barry
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,These authors contributed equally: Timothy A. Dinh, Alan F. Utria, Kevin C. Barry
| | - Rosanna Ma
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - John D. Gordan
- Gastrointestinal oncology, University of California at San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Jaffee
- Department of oncology, Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John D. Scott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne université, Inserm, Université de Paris, Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors, Paris, France
| | - Allison F. O’Neill
- Department of Paediatric Hematology/oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark E. Furth
- Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation, Greenwich, CT, USA.,;
| | - Praveen Sethupathy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,;
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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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173
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Molecular features of primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:680-687. [PMID: 34949765 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00970-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma are poorly defined. It is speculated that primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma develops in the setting of preceding primary hepatic carcinoma. We investigated 14 primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinomas through targeted next-generation sequencing and immunohistochemistry. A panel of genes commonly mutated in primary liver carcinomas were examined. We found a similar clinical context as primary hepatic carcinoma, including a high prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis (86%), cirrhosis (57%), and elevated alpha-fetoprotein (29%). Tumors had sheet-like and poorly cohesive growth patterns. Rhabdoid cytomorphology was observed in four samples. Notably, the most common genetic mutations in primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma were in the promoter of TERT (n = 8, 57%) and TP53 (n = 8, 57%), which are common in hepatocellular carcinoma. The mutation rate of TP53 was elevated compared with hepatocellular carcinoma. No other typical genetic features of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were identified, such as an IDH1/IDH2 mutation, FGFR2 fusions, or aberrant BAP1 expression. Furthermore, novel switch/sucrose nonfermenting complex inactivation was found, including SMARCA4/SMARCA2 (n = 1) and PBRM1 deficiency (n = 2). The three tumors demonstrated poorly cohesive histology, including rhabdoid features. High PD-L1 expression (57%) was observed in a majority of the tumors. Primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma shares clinical and genetic features with hepatocellular carcinoma but harbors progressive molecular characteristics that may initiate tumor dedifferentation. High PD-L1 expression in primary hepatic undifferentiated carcinoma may be a useful biomarker for potential immunotherapeutic strategies.
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174
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Sun J, Chen Q, Ma J. Notch–Sox9 Axis Mediates Hepatocyte Dedifferentiation in KrasG12V-Induced Zebrafish Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094705. [PMID: 35563098 PMCID: PMC9103821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in humans. Hepatocytes normally undergo dedifferentiation after the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma, which in turn facilitates the progression of cancer. Although the process of hepatocellular carcinoma dedifferentiation is of significant research and clinical value, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying it are still not fully characterized. We constructed a zebrafish liver cancer model based on overexpression of the oncogene krasG12V to investigate the hepatocyte dedifferentiation in hepatocellular carcinoma. We found that, after hepatocarcinogenesis, hepatocytes dedifferentiated and the Notch signaling pathway was upregulated in this progress. Furthermore, we found that inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway or deficiency of sox9b both prevented hepatocyte dedifferentiation following hepatocellular carcinoma induction, reducing cancer metastasis and improving survival. In conclusion, we found that hepatocytes undergo dedifferentiation after hepatocarcinogenesis, a process that requires Notch signaling and likewise the activation of Sox9.
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175
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Zhou Y, Lei D, Hu G, Luo F. A Cell Cycle-Related 13-mRNA Signature to Predict Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:760190. [PMID: 35419294 PMCID: PMC8995863 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.760190] [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: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to propose a cell cycle-related multi/mRNA signature (CCS) for prognosis prediction and uncover new tumor-driver genes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cell cycle-related gene sets and HCC samples with mRNA-Seq data were retrieved from public sources. The genes differentially expressed in HCCs relative to normal peritumoral tissues were extracted through statistical analysis. The CCS was constructed by Cox regression analyses. Predictive capacity and clinical practicality of the signature were evaluated and validated. The expression of the function-unknown genes in the CCS was determined by RT-qPCR. Candidate gene TICRR was selected for subsequent validation through functional experiments. A cell cycle-related 13-mRNA signature was generated from the exploratory cohort [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), n = 371)]. HCC cases were classified as high- vs. low-risk groups per overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.699]. Significantly, the CCS exhibited great predictive value for prognosis in three independent cohorts, particularly in GSE76427 cohort [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.835/0.822/0.808/0.821/0.826 at 1/2/3/4/5 years]. The nomogram constructed by integrating clinicopathological features with the CCS indicated high accuracy and practicability. Significant enrichment of tumorigenesis-associated pathways was observed in the high-risk patients by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). RT-qPCR revealed that TICRR was overexpressed in HCC samples. Increased TICRR expression implied poor prognosis in HCC patients. Furthermore, depletion of TICRR in HCC cells decreased cell proliferation and the G1/S transition. In conclusion, the established 13-CCS had efficacy in prognostic prediction of HCC patients. Additionally, TICRR was demonstrated as a tumor-driver gene for this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dengliang Lei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gangli Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fang Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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176
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Analysis of the Heterogeneity of the Tumor Microenvironment and the Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response of Different Immune Subtypes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:1087399. [PMID: 35401750 PMCID: PMC8984740 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1087399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The current clinical classification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cannot well predict the patient's possible response to the treatment plan, nor can it predict the patient's prognosis. We use the gene expression patterns of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to reveal the heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma and analyze the differences in prognosis and immunotherapy response of different immune subtypes. Methods Firstly, using the hepatocellular carcinoma expression profile data of TCGA, combined with the single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm, the immune enrichment of the patient's tumor microenvironment was analyzed. Subsequently, the spectral clustering algorithm was used to extract different classifications, and the cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma was divided into 3 subtypes, and the correlation between immune subtypes and clinical characteristics and survival prognosis was established. The patient's risk index is obtained through the prognostic prediction model, suggesting the correlation between the risk index and various types of immune cells. Results We can divide the liver cancer cohort into three subtypes: stromal cell activated immune-enriched type (A-IS), general immune-enriched type (N-IS), and non-immune-enriched type (non-IS). The 3-year survival rate of TCGA's A-IS is higher than that of N-IS and non-IS, and the three components are significantly different (p = 0.017). The 3-year survival rates of ICGC's A-IS and N-IS groups were higher than those of the non-IS group. The analysis of the correlation between the risk index and immune cells showed that the patient's disease risk was significantly positively correlated with cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) stimulated cell, activated stroma cell, and anti-PD-1 resistant cell. Conclusion The tumor gene expression characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma can be used as a basis for clinical patient classification. Different immune subtypes are closely related to survival prognosis. Different immune cell states of patients may lead to different disease risk levels. All these provide important references for the clinical identification and prognosis prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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177
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CircLATS2 Regulates miR-520a-3p/E2F7/p-VEGFR2 Signaling Pathway to Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression and Angiogenesis. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:3744560. [PMID: 35444695 PMCID: PMC9015858 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3744560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Objective To investigate the effect of circLATS2 on the progression and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma and its molecular mechanism. Methods The expression of circLATS2 in hepatocellular carcinoma was detected by qRT-PCR. The StarBase database was used to predict the potential miRNA, and the combination of the above was cytological verified by luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull down. The potential target genes of miRNA were predicted by TargetScan, verified by the above experiments, and the influence of circLATS2 on its expression was determined. The biological function of circLATS2 was investigated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The effects of miRNA and target genes on the malignant behavior of HCC cells were determined by the reverse experiment. Results circLATS2 was highly expressed in HCC and was positively correlated with tumor size and tumor stage. miR-520a-3p was sponged by circLATS2 and was low expressed in HCC tissues. As the target gene of miR-520a-3p, the expression level of E2F7 is affected by circLATS2. In vitro experiments showed that circLATS2 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, clone formation, migration, and invasion ability of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In vivo knockdown of circLATS2 inhibits the proliferation of HCC cells, while overexpression of circLATS2 promotes the proliferation of HCC cells. Overexpression of miR-520a-3p and E2F7 knockdown reversed the role of circLATS2 in promoting malignant behavior of HCC cells and affected phosphorylation of VEGFR2. Conclusion CircLATS2 promotes the progression of HCC by regulating miR-520a-3p/E2F7/P-VEGFR2 signaling pathway.
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Li P, Liang Y, Zeng B, Yang G, Zhu C, Zhao K, Xu Z, Wang G, Han C, Ye H, Liu Z, Zhu Y, Liang C. Preoperative prediction of intra-tumoral tertiary lymphoid structures based on CT in hepatocellular cancer. Eur J Radiol 2022; 151:110309. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2022.110309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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179
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Holczbauer Á, Wangensteen KJ, Shin S. Cellular origins of regenerating liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2022; 4:100416. [PMID: 35243280 PMCID: PMC8873941 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant primary cancer arising from the liver and is one of the major causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The cellular origin of HCC has been a topic of great interest due to conflicting findings regarding whether it originates in hepatocytes, biliary cells, or facultative stem cells. These cell types all undergo changes during liver injury, and there is controversy about their contribution to regenerative responses in the liver. Most HCCs emerge in the setting of chronic liver injury from viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, alcohol, and environmental exposures. The injuries are marked by liver parenchymal changes such as hepatocyte regenerative nodules, biliary duct cellular changes, expansion of myofibroblasts that cause fibrosis and cirrhosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration, all of which may contribute to carcinogenesis. Addressing the cellular origin of HCC is the key to identifying the earliest events that trigger it. Herein, we review data on the cells of origin in regenerating liver and HCC and the implications of these findings for prevention and treatment. We also review the origins of childhood liver cancer and other rare cancers of the liver.
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180
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A Novel Gene Signature Based on CDC20 and FCN3 for Prediction of Prognosis and Immune Features in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:9117205. [PMID: 35402624 PMCID: PMC8986430 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9117205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term survivals of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unfavorable, which is largely attributed to active carcinogenesis. Growing studies have suggested that the reliable gene signature could act as an independent prognosis factor for HCC patients. We tried to screen the survival-related genes and develop a prognostic prediction model for HCC patients based on the expression profiles of the critical survival-related genes. In this study, we analyzed TCGA datasets and identified 280 genes with differential expressions (125 increased genes and 155 reduced genes). We analyzed the prognosis value of the top 10 dysregulated genes in HCC patients and identified three critical genes, including FCN3, CDC20, and E2F1, which were confirmed to be associated with long-term survival in both TCGA and ICGC datasets. The results of the LASSO model screened CDC20 and FCN3 for the development of the prognostic model. The CDC20 expression was distinctly increased in HCC specimens, while the FCN3 expression was distinctly decreased in HCC. At a suitable cutoff, patients were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups. Survival assays revealed that patients in high-risk groups exhibited a shorter overall survival than those in low-risk groups. Finally, we examine the relationships between risk score and immune infiltration abundance in HCC and observed that risk score was positively correlated with infiltration degree of B cells, T cell CD4+ cells, neutrophil, macrophage, and myeloid dendritic cells. Overall, we identified three critical survival-related genes and used CDC20 and FCN3 to develop a novel model for predicting outcomes and immune landscapes for patients with HCC. The above three genes also have a high potential for targeted cancer therapy of patients with HCC.
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181
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He Z, Peng C, Li T, Li J. Cell Differentiation Trajectory in Liver Cirrhosis Predicts Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prognosis and Reveals Potential Biomarkers for Progression of Liver Cirrhosis to Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:858905. [PMID: 35360852 PMCID: PMC8960263 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.858905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Most hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients occur on a background of liver cirrhosis, the molecular mechanisms of liver cirrhosis and its progression to HCC remain to be fully elucidated. Single cell differentiation trajectory analysis has been used in cell classification and tumor molecular typing, which correlated with disease progression and patient prognosis. Here we use cell differentiation trajectory analysis to investigate the relevance of liver cirrhosis and HCC. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of liver cirrhosis and bulk RNA-seq and clinical data of HCC were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for analysis. HCC samples were divided into three subtypes, based on differentiation-related genes (DRGs) of liver cirrhosis, each with a different expression profile and overall survival (OS). A two- DRGs (CD34 and RAMP3) based prognostic risk scoring (RS) signature was established which could differentiate OS between high-risk and low-risk groups. And expression levels of CD34 and RAMP3 were predominantly high in endothelial cells. By integrating the RS and clinicopathological features, a nomogram was constructed and can accurately predicted the 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years OS. In conclusion, cell differentiation trajectory of liver cirrhosis can predict the prognosis of HCC, and provides new perspectives on the mechanisms of progression of liver cirrhosis to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tianen Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Jie Li,
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182
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He Q, Fan B, Du P, Jin Y. Construction and Validation of Two Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Progression Prognostic Scores Based on Gene Set Variation Analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:806989. [PMID: 35356272 PMCID: PMC8959467 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.806989] [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: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remains a global health challenge with a low early diagnosis rate and high mortality. Therefore, finding new biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis is still one of the current research priorities. Methods: Based on the variation of gene expression patterns in different stages, the LIHC-development genes (LDGs) were identified by differential expression analysis. Then, prognosis-related LDGs were screened out to construct the LIHC-unfavorable gene set (LUGs) and LIHC-favorable gene set (LFGs). Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was conducted to build prognostic scoring models based on the LUGs and LFGs. ROC curve analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were carried out to verify the diagnostic and prognostic utility of the two GSVA scores in two independent datasets. Additionally, the key LCGs were identified by the intersection analysis of the PPI network and univariate Cox regression and further evaluated their performance in expression level and prognosis prediction. Single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) was performed to understand the correlation between the two GSVA enrichment scores and immune activity. Result: With the development of LIHC, 83 LDGs were gradually upregulated and 247 LDGs were gradually downregulated. Combining with LIHC survival analysis, 31 LUGs and 32 LFGs were identified and used to establish the LIHC-unfavorable GSVA score (LUG score) and LIHC-favorable GSVA score (LFG score). ROC curve analysis and univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested the LUG score and LFG score could be great indicators for the early diagnosis and prognosis prediction. Four genes (ESR1, EHHADH, CYP3A4, and ACADL) were considered as the key LCGs and closely related to good prognosis. The frequency of TP53 mutation and copy number variation (CNV) were high in some LCGs. Low-LFG score patients have active metabolic activity and a more robust immune response. The high-LFG score patients characterized immune activation with the higher infiltration abundance of type I T helper cells, DC, eosinophils, and neutrophils, while the high-LUG score patients characterized immunosuppression with the higher infiltration abundance of type II T helper cells, TRegs, and iDC. The high- and low-LFG score groups differed significantly in immunotherapy response scores, immune checkpoints expression, and IC50 values of common drugs. Conclusion: Overall, the LIHC-progression characteristic genes can be great diagnostic and prognostic signatures and the two GSVA score systems may become promising indices for guiding the tumor treatment of LIHC patients.
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183
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ANP32 Family as Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Biomarker Related to Immune Infiltrates in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:5791471. [PMID: 35280441 PMCID: PMC8913125 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5791471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rate. There is an urgent need to identify effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HCC. Members of the acidic leucine-rich nucleophosphoprotein 32 (ANP32) family, which mainly includes ANP32A, ANP32B, and ANP32E, are abnormally expressed and have prognostic value in certain cancers. However, the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value of ANP32 family members in HCC has not yet been fully studied. In this study, we identified the diagnostic and prognostic value of ANP32 family members in HCC. Transcriptome data from public databases, such as the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases, suggested that ANP32A, ANP32B, and ANP32E were upregulated in HCC tissues, and high expression of ANP32 family members was associated with advanced pathologic stage and histologic grade. Our immunohistochemistry and western blot results further verified the differential expression of ANP32 family members. ANP32A, ANP32B, and ANP32E had an outstanding diagnostic potential. Survival analysis of HCC patients in TCGA databases demonstrated that ANP32A, ANP32B, and ANP32E were associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses suggested the capability of ANP32B and ANP32E to independently predict the OS and DSS of HCC patients. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that ANP32 family members were associated with immune response, epidermal cell differentiation, and stem cell proliferation. Expression of ANP32 family members was associated with immune cell infiltration and immune status in the tumor microenvironment of HCC, and patients with high ANP32 family expression had poor sensitivity to immunotherapy. Finally, we identified potential chemotherapy drugs for HCC patients with high ANP32 family expression by CellMiner database. This study suggested the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic roles of the ANP32 family in HCC patients, providing potential therapeutic targets for HCC.
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184
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Zhang K, Fang T, Zhao D, Cen F, Yan X, Jin X. Circular RNA Circ_0008043 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the microRNA (miR)-326/RAB21 axis. Bioengineered 2022; 13:6600-6614. [PMID: 35220907 PMCID: PMC8973620 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2044260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs with covalently closed structures that modulate the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we explored whether circ_0008043 regulated the biological function of HCC cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect circ_0008043, microRNA (miR)-326, and RAB21 levels. Expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin was assessed using qPCR. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, colony formation, and transwell assays. Xenograft tumors were used to evaluate cell growth in vivo. The interaction between miR-326 and circ_0008043 or RAB21 was assessed using dual-luciferase reporter analysis and RNA pull-down analysis. The data illustrated that circ_0008043 and RAB21 were highly expressed, while miR-326 was expressed at less levels in HCC tissues and cells. Interfering with circ_0008043 suppressed cellular proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell growth. Circ_0008043 was confirmed to be an miR-326 sponge that targets RAB21. Rescue experiments showed that inhibiting miR-326 abrogated the effect induced by knockdown of circ_0008043, and overexpressed RAB21 abolished the effect induced by miR-326 overexpression. In summary, silencing of circ_0008043 impeded HCC progression by regulating the miR-326/RAB21 axis. These data suggest that circ_0008043 may have clinical value in the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangjun Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Department, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Taishi Fang
- Hepatic Surgery Department, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Dong Zhao
- Hepatic Surgery Department, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Fulan Cen
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xu Yan
- Hepatic Surgery Department, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xin Jin
- Hepatic Surgery Department, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
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Variant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Subtypes According to the 2019 WHO Classification: An Imaging-Focused Review. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2022; 219:212-223. [PMID: 35170359 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.21.26982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The 2019 5th edition of the WHO Classification of Digestive System Tumors estimates that up to 35% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) can be classified as one of eight subtypes defined by molecular characteristics: steatohepatitic, clear cell, macrotrabecular massive, scirrhous, chromophobe, fibrolamellar, neutrophil-rich, and lymphocyte-rich HCC. Due to their distinct cellular and architectural characteristics, these subtypes may not display the classic MRI features of HCC of arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) and washout appearance, creating challenges in noninvasively diagnosing such lesions as HCC. Moreover, certain subtypes with atypical imaging features have a worse prognosis than other HCCs. A range of distinguishing imaging features may help raise suspicion that a liver lesion represents one of these HCC subtypes. In this review, we describe the MRI features that have been reported in association with various HCC subtypes according to the 2019 WHO classification, with attention to current understanding of these subtypes' pathologic and molecular bases and relevance to clinical practice. Imaging findings that differentiate the subtypes from benign liver lesions and non-HCC malignancies are highlighted. Familiarity with these subtypes and their imaging features may allow the radiologist to suggest their presence, though histologic analysis remains needed to establish the diagnosis.
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186
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Cheng Y, Bai F, Ren X, Sun R, Guo X, Liu W, Wang B, Yang Y, Zhang X, Xu Y, Li C, Yang X, Gao L, Ma C, Li X, Liang X. Phosphoinositide-binding protein TIPE1 promotes alternative activation of macrophages and tumor progression via PIP3/Akt/TGF-β axis. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1603-1616. [PMID: 35135809 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages perform key and distinct functions in maintaining tissue homeostasis by finely tuning their activation state. Within the tumor microenvironment, macrophages are reshaped to drive tumor progression. Here we report that tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 8-like 1 (TIPE1) is highly expressed in macrophages, and that depletion of TIPE1 impedes alternative activation of macrophages. TIPE1 enhanced activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway in macrophages by directly binding with and regulating the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3). Accordingly, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway significantly attenuated the effect of TIPE1 on macrophage alternative activation. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in human liver cancer and melanoma tissues showed significantly upregulated TIPE1 expression that negatively correlated with patient survival. In vitro and in vivo, TIPE1 knockdown in macrophages retarded the growth and metastasis of liver cancer and melanoma. Furthermore, blockade or depletion of TGF-β signaling in macrophages abrogated the effects of TIPE1 on tumor cell growth and migration. Together, these results highlight that the phosphoinositide-related signaling pathway involves reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages to optimize the microenvironment for cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Cheng
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Fuxiang Bai
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Regeneration, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration and Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration
| | - Xiaolei Ren
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Renhui Sun
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Xiaowei Guo
- Dept of Immunology, Shandong University School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Wen Liu
- Dept of Immunology, Shandong University School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Yongheng Yang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Shandong University
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Shandong University
| | - Yong Xu
- Dept of Immunology, Shandong University School of Basic Medical Science
| | - Chunyang Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Shandong University
| | | | - Lifen Gao
- Shandong University School of Medicine, Immunology
| | | | - Xueen Li
- Qilu Hospital of Shandong University
| | - Xiaohong Liang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science
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187
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Valenti L, Pedica F, Colombo M. Distinctive features of hepatocellular carcinoma in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dig Liver Dis 2022; 54:154-163. [PMID: 34294580 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2021.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is on the rise globally, causing more than 800 thousand deaths annually, with an estimated annual percent change of 0.51 for causes other than viral hepatitis, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The incidence of NAFLD-related HCC is peaking in several Far East regions (6-12% vs. 2-3% in Western Europe and USA), HCC risk being mainly driven by the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, both favored by an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. Under inherited susceptibility outlined by such genetic markers as variants in PNPLA3, TM6SF2 and MBOAT7, neoplastic transformation of NAFLD is driven by sublethal lipotoxicity consequent to hepatocyte lipid overload, whereas a myriad of factors spanning from subverted circadian homeostasis and gut dysbiosis to alcohol abuse and tobacco may interact as risk modifiers. At variance with viral HCC, NAFLD-HCC shows a frequent association with cardiovascular co-morbidities, absence of cirrhosis in up to half of patients and an association with persistently normal transaminase values. All these misleading features of NAFLD-related HCC account for the low uptake of surveillance and linkage to curative treatments that has been reported in patients with this cancer, a downside that could be attenuated when scores for cost-effective risk stratification become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy; Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Pedica
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Pathology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Colombo
- Liver Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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188
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1,8 Cineole and Ellagic acid inhibit hepatocarcinogenesis via upregulation of MiR-122 and suppression of TGF-β1, FSCN1, Vimentin, VEGF, and MMP-9. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0258998. [PMID: 35081125 PMCID: PMC8791452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most burdened tumors worldwide, with a complex and multifactorial pathogenesis. Current treatment approaches involve different molecular targets. Phytochemicals have shown considerable promise in the prevention and treatment of HCC. We investigated the efficacy of two natural components, 1,8 cineole (Cin) and ellagic acid (EA), against diethylnitrosamine/2-acetylaminofluorene (DEN/2-AAF) induced HCC in rats. DEN/2-AAF showed deterioration of hepatic cells with an impaired functional capacity of the liver. In addition, the levels of tumor markers including alpha-fetoprotein, arginase-1, alpha-L-fucosidase, and ferritin were significantly increased, whereas the hepatic miR-122 level was significantly decreased in induced-HCC rats. Interestingly, treatment with Cin (100mg/kg) and EA (60mg/kg) powerfully restored these biochemical alterations. Moreover, Cin and EA treatment exhibited significant downregulation in transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), Fascin-1 (FSCN1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) key marker, vimentin, along with a restoration of histopathological findings compared to HCC group. Such effects were comparable to Doxorubicin (DOX) (2mg/kg); however, a little additive effect was evident through combining these phytochemicals with DOX. Altogether, this study highlighted 1,8 cineole and ellagic acid for the first time as promising phytochemicals for the treatment of hepatocarcinogenesis via regulating multiple targets.
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189
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Du M, Cai YM, Yin YL, Xiao L, Ji Y. Evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma using hematoxylin and eosin-stained tumor sections. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:856-869. [PMID: 35127901 PMCID: PMC8790462 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i3.856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) constitute a prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, different methods of assessing TILs have various pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical challenges. The evaluation of TILs in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained tumor sections proposed by the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group was demonstrated to be a reproducible, affordable and easily applied method in many tumors.
AIM To evaluate the prognostic significance of TILs in H&E-stained slides of HCCs.
METHODS This was a retrospective study performed in the hospital. HCC patients who underwent liver resection between 2015 and 2017 in Zhongshan Hospital were enrolled in this study. Patients who experienced recurrence or received therapy in addition to antiviral therapy before surgery at this time were excluded. A total of 204 patients were enrolled in the study. The ILs were counted manually in tumor sections stained with H&E under an optical microscope at 400 ×. The ILs were assessed separately in the center of the tumor (TILsCT), the invasive front (TILsIF), and peritumor (PILs) areas. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed using a Cox regression model. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and all P-values were two-sided.
RESULTS Among the 204 patients, univariate analysis indicated that macrovascular invasion (MaVI) (P = 0.001), microvascular invasion (MVI) (P = 0.012), multiple tumors (P = 0.008), large tumors (> 10 cm) (P = 0.001), absence of a tumor capsule (P = 0.026), macrotrabecular histological subtype (P = 0.001), low density of TILsCT (P = 0.039), TILsIF (P = 0.014), and PILs (P = 0.010) were predictors of progression-free survival (PFS). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that MaVI (P = 0.009), absence of a tumor capsule (P = 0.031), low-density of TILsIF (P = 0.047) and PILs (P = 0.0495) were independent predictors of PFS. A three-category analysis was carried out by combining TILsCT, TILsIF, and PILs, after which HCCs were classified into immunehigh [(TILsCT)high, (TILsIF)high, and PILshigh, 83 cases], immunemod (tumors other than immunehigh and immunelow subtypes, 94 cases), and immunelow [(TILsCT)low, (TILsIF)low, and PILslow, 27 cases)] subtypes. The immunehigh subtype had a lower rate of MVI (40.96%) than the immunemod (61.70%, P = 0.017) and immunelow (66.67%, P = 0.020) subtypes. The recurrence rates of the immunehigh, immunemod and immunelow subtypes were 10.8%, 25.5% and 33.3%, respectively.
CONCLUSION HCC patients with high infiltrating lymphocytes tend to have a lower recurrence rate and less MVI. The evaluation of TILs in H&E-stained specimens could be a prognostic parameter for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Du
- Department of Pathology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, Shanghai Province, China
| | - Yu-Meng Cai
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, Shanghai Province, China
| | - Yu-Lei Yin
- Department of Pathology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, Shanghai Province, China
| | - Li Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, Shanghai Province, China
| | - Yuan Ji
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, Shanghai Province, China
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190
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Dupuy M, Iltache S, Rivière B, Prieur A, Pageaux GP, Bedoya JU, Faure S, Guillaumée H, Assenat E. Plasma hPG80 (Circulating Progastrin) as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020402. [PMID: 35053564 PMCID: PMC8774261 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer world-wide and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer, accounts for 90% of the cases. The diagnosis of HCC is usually based on non-invasive criteria using detection of a liver nodule in abdominal ultrasonography or high serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. However, as it is only elevated in 60% of patients with HCC, AFP has limited accuracy, especially in early stages, as both a diagnostic and prognostic test. We investigated hPG80 (circulating progastrin), which is associated with liver cancer biology, and found that hPG80 levels is both an independent prognostic marker in HCC and used in combination with AFP, it improves the stratification of the patients in good and poor prognosis, especially for those patients at early-stage. This will help stratify HCC patients more accurately in the future and improve the management of these patients. Abstract Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most widely used biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. However, AFP is not useful in establishing a prognosis for patients with a tumor in the early stages. hPG80 (circulating progastrin) is a tumor promoting peptide present in the blood of patients with various cancers, including HCC. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of plasma hPG80 in patients with HCC, alone or in combination with AFP. A total of 168 HCC patients were tested prospectively for hPG80 and analyzed retrospectively. The prognostic impact of hPG80 and AFP levels on patient survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. hPG80 was detected in 84% of HCC patients. There was no correlation between hPG80 and AFP levels in the training and validation cohorts. Both cohorts showed higher sensitivity of hPG80 compared to AFP, especially at early stages. Patients with high hPG80 (hPG80+) levels (optimal cutoff value 4.5 pM) had significantly lower median overall survival (OS) compared to patients with low hPG80 (hPG80−) levels (12.4 months versus not reached respectively, p < 0.0001). Further stratification by combining hPG80 and AFP levels (cutoff 100 ng/mL) improved prognosis in particular for those patients with low AFP level (hPG80−/AFP+ and hPG80−/AFP−, 13.4 months versus not reached respectively, p < 0.0001 and hPG80+/AFP+ and hPG80+/AFP−, 5.7 versus 26 months respectively, p < 0.0001). This was corroborated when analyses were performed using the BCLC staging especially at early stages. Our findings show that hPG80 could serve as a new prognostic biomarker in HCC. Used in combination with AFP, it improves the stratification of the patients in good and poor prognosis, especially for those patients with negative AFP and early-stage HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Dupuy
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Sarah Iltache
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Benjamin Rivière
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | | | - George Philippe Pageaux
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - José Ursic Bedoya
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Stéphanie Faure
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Heloïse Guillaumée
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Eric Assenat
- Department of Medical Oncology, CNRS UMR 5535 St-Eloi University Hospital Montpellier, School of Medicine, 34295 Montpellier, France; (M.D.); (S.I.); (B.R.); (G.P.P.); (J.U.B.); (S.F.); (H.G.)
- Correspondence:
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191
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Hu X, Chen R, Wei Q, Xu X. The Landscape Of Alpha Fetoprotein In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Where Are We? Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:536-551. [PMID: 35002508 PMCID: PMC8741863 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.64537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and has been acknowledged as a leading cause of death among cirrhosis patients. Difficulties in early diagnosis and heterogeneity are obstacles to effective treatment, especially for advanced HCC. Liver transplantation (LT) is considered the best therapy for HCC. Although many biomarkers are being proposed, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which was identified over 60 years ago, remains the most utilized. Recently, much hope has been placed in the immunogenicity of AFP to develop novel therapies, such as AFP vaccines and AFP-specific adoptive T-cell transfer (ACT). This review summarizes the performance of AFP as a biomarker for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, as well as its correlation with molecular classes. In addition, the role of AFP in LT is also described. Finally, we highlight the mechanism and application prospects of two immune therapies (AFP vaccine and ACT) for HCC. In general, our review points out the prevalence of AFP in HCC, accompanied by some controversies and novel directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Ronggao Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Center for Integrated Oncology and Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China.,Institute of Organ Transplantation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
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192
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Wu C, Luo Y, Chen Y, Qu H, Zheng L, Yao J. Development of a prognostic gene signature for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2022; 31:100511. [PMID: 35030478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2022.100511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Accurate prediction of overall survival is important for prognosis and the assignment of appropriate personalized clinical treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The aim of the present study was to establish an optimal gene model for the independent prediction of prognosis associated with common clinical patterns. Gene expression profiles and the corresponding clinical information of the LIHC cohort were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Differentially expressed genes were found using the R package "limma". Subsequently, a prognostic gene signature was developed using the LASSO Cox regression model. Kaplan-Meier, log-rank, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to verify the predictive accuracy of the prognostic model. Finally, a nomogram and calibration plot were created using the "rms" package. Differentially expressed genes were screened with threshold criteria (FDR < 0.01 and |log FC|>3) and 563 differentially expressed genes were obtained, including 448 downregulated and 115 upregulated genes. Using the LASSO Cox regression model, a prognostic gene signature was developed based on nine genes, IQGAP3, BIRC5, PTTG1, STC2, CDKN3, PBK, EXO1, NEIL3, and HOXD9, the expression levels of which were quantitated using RT-qPCR. According to the risk scores, patients were separated into high-risk and low-risk groups. In conclusion, the prognostic gene signature can be used as a combined biomarker for the independent prediction of overall survival in HCC patients. Moreover, we created a nomogram that can be used to infer prognosis and aid individualized decisions regarding treatment and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiyun Wu
- Department of Laboratory, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China
| | - Yaosheng Luo
- Medical research center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinghui Chen
- Department of Laboratory, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongling Qu
- Department of Laboratory, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Zheng
- Department of Laboratory, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Yao
- Department of Laboratory, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China; Medical research center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, 528308, Guangdong, China.
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193
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Chen ZY, Li J, Zhu SD, Li ZD, Yu JL, Wu J, Zhang C, Zeng LH. Harmine reinforces the effects of regorafenib on suppressing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in liver cancer cells. Exp Ther Med 2022; 23:209. [PMID: 35126712 PMCID: PMC8796640 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yi Chen
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Shu-Di Zhu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Di Li
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Lin Yu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Jie Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical and Materials Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, P.R. China
| | - Chong Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
| | - Ling-Hui Zeng
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, P.R. China
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194
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Xu P, Luo A, Xiong C, Ren H, Yan L, Luo Q. SCUBE3 downregulation modulates hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting CCNE1 via TGFβ/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:1. [PMID: 34980127 PMCID: PMC8725472 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02402-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to verify the role of signal peptide-CUB-EGF-like domain-containing protein3 (SCUBE3) in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. METHODS The role of SCUBE3 in HCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle in vitro were detected using MTT assay, colony formation assay, 5-ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine assay (EDU), Celigo cell counting assay, Caspase3/7 activity assay, and flow cytometry. The effect of SCUBE3 on HCC cell proliferation in vivo was inspected by a xenograft tumour model in nude mice. The related mechanisms were further studied. RESULTS The level of SCUBE3 was upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of SCUBE3 inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and induced cell cycle arrest in HCC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Screening of cell cycle-related proteins revealed that CCNL2, CDK6, CCNE1, and CCND1 exhibited a significantly different expression profile. We found that SCUBE3 may promote the proliferation of HCC cells by regulating CCNE1 expression. The pathway enrichment analysis showed that the TGFβ signalling pathway and the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway were significantly altered. Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that SCUBE3 binds to the TGFβRII receptor. SCUBE3 knockdown inhibited the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway and the phosphorylation of GSK3β to inhibit its kinase activity. CONCLUSIONS SCUBE3 promotes HCC development by regulating CCNE1 via TGFβ/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. In addition, SCUBE3 may be a new molecular target for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Aoran Luo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuan Xiong
- Biotechnology and Nuclear Technology Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610061, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Ren
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Yan
- Clinical Laboratory Department, Chongqing Hygeia Cancer Hospital, 200 SiXian Road, Chongqing, 401332, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qiang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
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195
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Oropeza CE, Ondracek CR, Tarnow G, Maienschein-Cline M, Green SJ, McLachlan A. Heterogeneous phenotypes of Pten-null hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus transgenic mice parallels liver lobule zonal gene expression patterns. Virology 2022; 566:16-25. [PMID: 34844082 PMCID: PMC8712409 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chronic HBV infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. The phenotypes of HCC are diverse, in part, due to mutations in distinct oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. These genetic drivers of HCC development have generally been considered as major mediators of tumor heterogeneity. Using the liver-specific Pten-null HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic viral infection, a critical role for liver lobule zone-specific gene expression patterns in determining HCC phenotype and β-catenin-dependent HBV biosynthesis is demonstrated. These observations suggest that the position of the hepatocyte within the liver lobule, and hence its intrinsic gene expression pattern at the time of cellular transformation, make critical contributions to the properties of the resulting liver tumor. These results may explain why therapies targeting pathways modulated by specific identified tumor driver genes display variable treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia E. Oropeza
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Caitlin R. Ondracek
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Grant Tarnow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Mark Maienschein-Cline
- Research Resources Center, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 835 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Stefan J. Green
- Research Resources Center, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 835 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612,Current address: Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Alan McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612,Corresponding author Telephone number (312) 355-0211: Fax number (312) 996-6415,
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196
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Okamura S, Shimose S, Niizeki T, Kamachi N, Noda Y, Shirono T, Iwamoto H, Nakano M, Kuromatsu R, Koga H, Torimura T. Association between contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT and lenvatinib effectiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Clin Oncol 2022; 16:8. [PMID: 34881028 PMCID: PMC8647186 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2021.2442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the degree of contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT can predict the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with lenvatinib (LEN). A total of 67 consecutive patients with LEN-treated HCC were retrospectively analysed. In the pretreatment CE-CT, the CT values were measured using a region of interest within the main nodule and the liver parenchyma in the arterial phase, and the macroscopic degree of contrast enhancement of the tumour area was quantified by calculating the enhancement ratio (ER) of the liver parenchyma. The associations of pretreatment ER with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were then investigated. There were 20, 27 and 20 patients in the ER ≥1.5, 1.0≤ ER <1.5 and ER <1.0 groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the PFS and OS among the three ER groups (PFS, P=0.63; OS, P=0.455). The ER <1.0 group had significantly more patients with larger tumour diameters, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C with extrahepatic metastases, and higher des-γ-carboxy prothrombin values compared with the ER ≥1.0 group, suggesting that ER <1.0 reflected more aggressive types of HCC. The multivariate analysis revealed tumour size and α-fetoprotein as independent predictors of shorter PFS. Albumin-bilirubin grade 2 and BCLC stage C were significant predictors of poor OS, whereas the ER was confirmed as a non-significant predictor of both PFS and OS. Only non-alternating LEN and transarterial therapy (AT) were identified as independent predictors of unfavourable OS in patients with BCLC stage B HCC. Therefore, LEN has a strong therapeutic effect on HCC, regardless of the degree of contrast enhancement. Furthermore, AT may prolong the OS of LEN-treated patients with BCLC stage B HCC, regardless of tumour vascularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusuke Okamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Shigeo Shimose
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takashi Niizeki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Naoki Kamachi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Yu Noda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Tomotake Shirono
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hideki Iwamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Masahito Nakano
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Ryoko Kuromatsu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takuji Torimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
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197
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Aoki T, Nishida N, Kudo M. Current Perspectives on the Immunosuppressive Niche and Role of Fibrosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and the Development of Antitumor Immunity. J Histochem Cytochem 2022; 70:53-81. [PMID: 34751050 PMCID: PMC8721576 DOI: 10.1369/00221554211056853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have become the mainstay of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, they are ineffective in some cases. Previous studies have reported that genetic alterations in oncogenic pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin are the important triggers in HCC for primary refractoriness. T-cell exhaustion has been reported in various tumors and is likely to play a prominent role in the emergence of HCC due to chronic inflammation and cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction. Immunosuppressive cells including regulatory T-cells and tumor-associated macrophages infiltrating the tumor are associated with hyperprogressive disease in the early stages of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. In addition, stellate cells and tumor-associated fibroblasts create an abundant desmoplastic environment by producing extracellular matrix. This strongly contributes to epithelial to mesenchymal transition via signaling activities including transforming growth factor beta, Wnt/β-catenin, and Hippo pathway. The abundant desmoplastic environment has been demonstrated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma to suppress cytotoxic T-cell infiltration, PD-L1 expression, and neoantigen expression, resulting in a highly immunosuppressive niche. It is possible that a similar immunosuppressive environment is created in HCC with advanced fibrosis in the background liver. Although sufficient understanding is required for the establishment of immune therapies of HCC, further investigations are still required in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Aoki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Naoshi Nishida
- Naoshi Nishida, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, 377-2 Ohno-higashi, Osaka-Sayama 589-8511, Japan. E-mail:
| | - Masatoshi Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
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198
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Zou C, El Dika I, Vercauteren KOA, Capanu M, Chou J, Shia J, Pilet J, Quirk C, Lalazar G, Andrus L, Kabbani M, Yaqubie A, Khalil D, Mergoub T, Chiriboga L, Rice CM, Abou‐Alfa GK, de Jong YP. Mouse characteristics that affect establishing xenografts from hepatocellular carcinoma patient biopsies in the United States. Cancer Med 2021; 11:602-617. [PMID: 34951132 PMCID: PMC8817074 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chenhui Zou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Imane El Dika
- Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
- Department of Medicine Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
| | - Koen O. A. Vercauteren
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Marinela Capanu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
| | - Joanne Chou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
| | - Jinru Shia
- Department of Pathology Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
| | - Jill Pilet
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Corrine Quirk
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Gadi Lalazar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
- Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Linda Andrus
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Mohammad Kabbani
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Amin Yaqubie
- Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
| | - Danny Khalil
- Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
- Department of Medicine Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
| | - Taha Mergoub
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Sloan Kettering Institute New York New York USA
| | - Luis Chiriboga
- Department of Pathology Center for Biospecimen Research and Development NYU Langone Health New York New York USA
| | - Charles M. Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
| | - Ghassan K. Abou‐Alfa
- Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York New York USA
- Department of Medicine Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
| | - Ype P. de Jong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Weill Medical College at Cornell University New York New York USA
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease The Rockefeller University New York New York USA
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199
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Ridder DA, Weinmann A, Schindeldecker M, Urbansky LL, Berndt K, Gerber TS, Lang H, Lotz J, Lackner KJ, Roth W, Straub BK. Comprehensive clinicopathologic study of alpha fetoprotein-expression in a large cohort of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2021; 150:1053-1066. [PMID: 34894400 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is the most widely used diagnostic and prognostic serum biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite its wide clinical use, a systematic clinicopathologic study comparing AFP expression in HCC in situ with serum AFP concentrations has not yet been conducted. To analyze AFP expression in a large cohort of patients by immunohistochemistry, we employed a comprehensive tissue microarray with 871 different HCCs of overall 561 patients. AFP immunoreactivity was detected in only about 20% of HCC core biopsies, whereas 48.9% of the patients displayed increased serum values (>12 ng/mL). Immunostaining of whole tumor slides revealed that lack of detectable immunoreactivity in core biopsies in a subgroup of patients with elevated AFP serum concentrations is due to heterogeneous intratumoral AFP expression. Serum AFP concentrations and AFP expression in situ were moderately correlated (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient .53, P = 1.2e - 13). High AFP expression detected in serum (>227.3 ng/mL) or in situ predicted unfavorable prognosis and was associated with vascular invasion, higher tumor grade and macrotrabecular-massive tumor subtype. Multivariate and ROC curve analysis demonstrated that high AFP concentrations in serum is an independent prognostic parameter and represents the more robust prognostic predictor in comparison to AFP immunostaining of core biopsies. The previously published vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) pattern turned out as an additional, statistically independent prognostic parameter. AFP-positivity was associated with increased tumor cell apoptosis, but not with increased vascular densities. Additionally, AFP-positive tumors displayed increased proliferation rates, urea cycle dysregulation and signs of genomic instability, which may constitute the basis for their increased aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Andreas Ridder
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Arndt Weinmann
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mario Schindeldecker
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Tissue Biobank, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lana Louisa Urbansky
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kristina Berndt
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tiemo Sven Gerber
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hauke Lang
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Johannes Lotz
- Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Karl J Lackner
- Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wilfried Roth
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beate Katharina Straub
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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200
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Abstract
The microbiome modulates key processes in metabolism, inflammation, and immunity and plays pivotal roles in many gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated a key role of the microbiome in hepatocarcinogenesis. Dysfunctions of the gut bacterial flora have a significant effect on liver disease. Dysbiosis is found to be associated with chronic liver diseases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The majority of HCC develops in patients with chronic liver disease, caused by chronic viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and alcohol-related fatty liver disease. This review discusses molecular mechanisms of gut microbiome-related hepatocarcinogenesis and the impact of dysbiosis on chronic liver disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikmet Akkız
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey.
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