151
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Molecular and histological correlations in liver cancer. J Hepatol 2019; 71:616-630. [PMID: 31195064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 287] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous cancer, both at the molecular and histological level. High-throughput sequencing and gene expression profiling have identified distinct transcriptomic subclasses and numerous recurrent genetic alterations; several HCC subtypes characterised by histological features have also been identified. HCC phenotype appears to be closely related to particular gene mutations, tumour subgroups and/or oncogenic pathways. Non-proliferative tumours display a well-differentiated phenotype. Among this molecular subgroup, CTNNB1-mutated HCCs constitute a homogeneous subtype, exhibiting cholestasis and microtrabecular and pseudoglandular architectural patterns. Another non-proliferative subtype has a gene expression pattern similar to that of mature hepatocytes (G4) and displays a steatohepatitic phenotype. In contrast, proliferative HCCs are most often poorly differentiated, and notably include tumours with progenitor features. A novel morphological variant of proliferative HCC - designated "macrotrabecular-massive" - was recently shown to be associated with angiogenesis activation and poor prognosis. Altogether, these findings may help to translate our knowledge of HCC biology into clinical practice, resulting in improved precision medicine for patients with this highly aggressive malignancy. This manuscript reviews the most recent data in this exciting field, discussing future directions and challenges.
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152
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Development of an oncogenic dedifferentiation SOX signature with prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2019; 19:851. [PMID: 31462277 PMCID: PMC6714407 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-6041-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gradual loss of terminal differentiation markers and gain of stem cell-like properties is a major hall mark of cancer malignant progression. The stem cell pluripotent transcriptional factor SOX family play critical roles in governing tumor plasticity and lineage specification. This study aims to establish a novel SOX signature to monitor the extent of tumor dedifferentiation and predict prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) LIHC project were chronologically divided into the training (n = 188) and testing cohort (n = 189). LIRI-JP project from International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) data portal was used as an independent validation cohort (n = 232). Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox analyses were used to examine the clinical significance and prognostic value of the signature genes. Results The SOX gene family members were found to be aberrantly expressed in clinical HCC patients. A five-gene SOX signature with prognostic value was established in the training cohort. The SOX signature genes were found to be closely associated with tumor grade and tumor stage. Liver cancer dedifferentiation markers (AFP, CD133, EPCAM, and KRT19) were found to be progressively increased while hepatocyte terminal differentiation markers (ALB, G6PC, CYP3A4, and HNF4A) were progressively decreased from HCC patients with low SOX signature scores to patients with high SOX signature scores. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis further indicated that the newly established SOX signature could robustly predict patient overall survival in both training, testing, and independent validation cohort. Conclusions An oncogenic dedifferentiation SOX signature presents a great potential in predicting prognostic significance in HCC, and might provide novel biomarkers for precision oncology further in the clinic. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-6041-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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153
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Zhao L, Cao J, Hu K, Wang P, Li G, He X, Tong T, Han L. RNA-binding protein RPS3 contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis by post-transcriptionally up-regulating SIRT1. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:2011-2028. [PMID: 30517713 PMCID: PMC6393244 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although several studies indicate that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) contribute to key steps in a variety of physiological processes and cancer, the detailed biological functions and mechanisms remain to be determined. By performing bioinformatics analysis using well-established hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) datasets, we identified a set of HCC progression-associated RBPs (HPARBPs) and found that the global expression of HPARBPs was significantly correlated with patient prognosis. Among the 42 HPARBPs, human ribosomal protein S3 (RPS3) was one of the most abundant genes whose role remains uncharacterized in HCC. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses demonstrated that RPS3 promoted HCC tumorigenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) was a critical target of RPS3 and was essential for sustaining the RPS3-induced malignant phenotypes of HCC cells. RPS3 stabilized SIRT1 mRNA by binding to AUUUA motifs in the 3448–3530 region of the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of SIRT1 mRNA. In addition, we found that (5-formylfuran-2-yl) methyl 4-hydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate (FMHM) inhibited HCC progression by repressing the RPS3/SIRT1 pathway. Our study unveils a novel extra-ribosomal role of RPS3 in facilitating hepatocarcinogenesis via the post-transcriptional regulation of SIRT1 expression and proposes that the RPS3/SIRT1 pathway serves as a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zhao
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Jianzhong Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Kexin Hu
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Penghui Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Guodong Li
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodong He
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Tanjun Tong
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Limin Han
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
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154
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Zhao Y, Zhang L, Zhang Y, Meng B, Ying W, Qian X. Identification of hedgehog signaling as a potential oncogenic driver in an aggressive subclass of human hepatocellular carcinoma: A reanalysis of the TCGA cohort. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2019; 62:1481-1491. [PMID: 31313086 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-9560-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous disease and the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Marked developments in genomic technologies helped scientists to understand the heterogeneity of HCC and identified multiple HCC-related molecular subclasses. An integrative analysis of genomic datasets including 196 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) group has recently reported a new HCC subclass, which contains three subgroups (iCluster1, iCluster2, and iCluster3). However, the transcriptional molecular characteristics underlying the iClusters have not been thoroughly investigated. Herein, we identified a more aggressive subset of HCC patients in the iCluster1, and re-clustered the TCGA samples into novel HCC subclasses referred to as aggressive (Ag), moderate-aggressive (M-Ag), and less-aggressive (L-Ag) subclasses. The Ag subclass had a greater predictive power than the TCGA iCluster1, and a higher level of alpha fetoprotein, microscopic vascular invasion, immune infiltration, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 mutation status, and a worse survival than M-Ag and L-Ag subclasses. Global transcriptomic analysis showed that activation of hedgehog signaling in the Ag subclass may play key roles in tumor development of aggressive HCC. GLI1, a key transcriptional regulator of hedgehog signaling upregulated in the Ag subclass, was correlated with poor prognosis of HCC, and may be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for Ag subclass HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.,State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.,School of Statistics, Faculty of Economics and Management, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, West China-Washington Mitochondria and Metabolism Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Wantao Ying
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Xiaohong Qian
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China.
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155
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Machida K. NANOG-Dependent Metabolic Reprogramming and Symmetric Division in Tumor-Initiating Stem-like Cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1032:105-113. [PMID: 30362094 PMCID: PMC6687510 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-98788-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse synergistically heightens the development of the third most deadliest cancer hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ectopically expressed TLR4 promotes liver tumorigenesis in alcohol-fed HCV Ns5a or Core transgenic mice. CD133+/CD49f + tumor-initiating stem cell-like cells (TICs) isolated from these models are tumorigenic have p53 degradation via phosphorylation of the protective protein NUMB and its dissociation from p53 by the oncoprotein TBC1D15. Nutrient deprivation reduces overexpressed TBC1D15 in TICs via autophagy-mediated degradation, suggesting a possible role of this oncoprotein in linking metabolic reprogramming and self-renewal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keigo Machida
- Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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156
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Naseem A, Bhat ZI, Kalaiarasan P, Kumar B, Bin Hafeez Z, Tiwari RR, Wahabi K, Gandhi G, Alam Rizvi MM. Assessment of epigenetic alterations and in silico analysis of mutation affecting PTEN expression among Indian cervical cancer patients. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:15851-15866. [PMID: 31074114 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Genetic and epigenetic anomalies accountable for genetic dysregulation are the most common aberrations that determine the underlying heterogeneity of the tumor cells. Currently, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) incongruity has emerged as potent and persuasive malfunctioning in varied human malignancies. In this study, we have analysed the promoter hypermethylation and expression status of PTEN. We identified different mutations in the exonic region of PTEN. Functional consequences of these mutations were explored using in silico techniques. Promoter hypermethylation of PTEN was detected using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR), expression analysis was performed with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and mutation by direct sequencing in a total of 168 uterine cervix tumor cases. The findings were statistically correlated with the clinical parameters. In addition, the effect of nonsynonymous mutations was studied with molecular dynamics simulations. PTEN promoter hypermethylation (45.8%) was found to be significantly associated with the of PTEN loss (57.14%, P < 0.0001). Tumor stages, tumor size, lymph node (LN) were found to be significantly correlated with both PTEN promoter hypermethylation and PTEN loss. Histological grade, however, showed a significant association with only PTEN loss. In total, 11.76% of tumors exhibited mutations in exon 5 and 7, out of which E150K of exon 5 showed the highest deviations in the crystal structure of PTEN by in silico analysis. This study provides valuable insights into oncology and paves the path in the development of efficient biomarker and/or imperative therapeutic tool for cervical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afreen Naseem
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Zafar Iqbal Bhat
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Bhupender Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Zubair Bin Hafeez
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Raj Ranjan Tiwari
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Khushnuma Wahabi
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Gauri Gandhi
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, LNJP/MAMC Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - M Moshahid Alam Rizvi
- Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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157
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Vicent S, Lieshout R, Saborowski A, Verstegen MMA, Raggi C, Recalcati S, Invernizzi P, van der Laan LJW, Alvaro D, Calvisi DF, Cardinale V. Experimental models to unravel the molecular pathogenesis, cell of origin and stem cell properties of cholangiocarcinoma. Liver Int 2019; 39 Suppl 1:79-97. [PMID: 30851232 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive tumour entity arising from the biliary tree, whose molecular pathogenesis remains largely undeciphered. Over the last decade, the advent of high-throughput and cell-based techniques has significantly increased our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease while, at the same time, unravelling CCA complexity. In particular, it becomes clear that CCA displays pronounced inter- and intratumoural heterogeneity, which is presumably the consequence of the interplay between distinct tissues and cells of origin, the underlying diseases, and the associated molecular alterations. To better characterize these events and to design novel and more effective therapeutic strategies, a number of CCA experimental and preclinical models have been developed and are currently generated. This review summarizes the current knowledge and understanding of these models, critically underlining their translational usefulness and limitations. Furthermore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview on cells of origin, cancers stem cells and their dynamic interplay within CCA tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvestre Vicent
- Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruby Lieshout
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Saborowski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Monique M A Verstegen
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chiara Raggi
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Italy.,Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefania Recalcati
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Pietro Invernizzi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Center of Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery, San Gerardo Hospita, l, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
| | - Luc J W van der Laan
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Domenico Alvaro
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Vincenzo Cardinale
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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158
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Watanabe K, Yamamoto M, Xin B, Ooshio T, Goto M, Fujii K, Liu Y, Okada Y, Furukawa H, Nishikawa Y. Emergence of the Dedifferentiated Phenotype in Hepatocyte-Derived Tumors in Mice: Roles of Oncogene-Induced Epigenetic Alterations. Hepatol Commun 2019; 3:697-715. [PMID: 31061957 PMCID: PMC6492474 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma often reactivates the genes that are transiently expressed in fetal or neonatal livers. However, the mechanism of their activation has not been elucidated. To explore how oncogenic signaling pathways could be involved in the process, we examined the expression of fetal/neonatal genes in liver tumors induced by the introduction of myristoylated v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene (AKT), HRas proto-oncogene, guanosine triphosphatase (HRASV12), and MYC proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor (Myc), in various combinations, into mouse hepatocytes in vivo. Distinct sets of fetal/neonatal genes were activated in HRAS- and HRAS/Myc-induced tumors: aldo-keto reductase family 1, member C18 (Akr1c18), glypican 3 (Gpc3), carboxypeptidase E (Cpe), adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette, subfamily D, member 2 (Abcd2), and trefoil factor 3 (Tff3) in the former; insulin-like growth factor 2 messenger RNA binding protein 3 (Igf2bp3), alpha fetoprotein (Afp), Igf2, and H19, imprinted maternally expressed transcript (H19) in the latter. Interestingly, HRAS/Myc-induced tumors comprised small cells with a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of delta-like noncanonical Notch ligand 1 (Dlk1), Nanog homeobox (Nanog), and sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2). Both HRAS- and HRAS/Myc-induced tumors showed decreased DNA methylation levels of Line1 and Igf2 differentially methylated region 1 and increased nuclear accumulation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, suggesting a state of global DNA hypomethylation. HRAS/Myc-induced tumors were characterized by an increase in the mRNA expression of enzymes involved in DNA methylation (DNA methyltransferase [Dnmt1, Dnmt3]) and demethylation (ten-eleven-translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 [Tet1]), sharing similarities with the fetal liver. Although mouse hepatocytes could be transformed by the introduction of HRAS/Myc in vitro, they did not express fetal/neonatal genes and sustained global DNA methylation, suggesting that the epigenetic alterations were influenced by the in vivo microenvironment. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that human hepatocellular carcinoma cases with nuclear MYC expression were more frequently positive for AFP, IGF2, and DLK1 compared with MYC-negative tumors. Conclusion: The HRAS signaling pathway and its interactions with the Myc pathway appear to reactivate fetal/neonatal gene expression in hepatocytic tumors partly through epigenetic alterations, which are dependent on the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Watanabe
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
- Division of Gastroenterological and General Surgery, Department of SurgeryAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Bing Xin
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Takako Ooshio
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Masanori Goto
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Kiyonaga Fujii
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Yang Liu
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Yoko Okada
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Hiroyuki Furukawa
- Division of Gastroenterological and General Surgery, Department of SurgeryAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Yuji Nishikawa
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of PathologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
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159
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Itzel T, Spang R, Maass T, Munker S, Roessler S, Ebert MP, Schlitt HJ, Herr W, Evert M, Teufel A. Random gene sets in predicting survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. J Mol Med (Berl) 2019; 97:879-888. [PMID: 31001651 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-019-01764-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite multiple publications, molecular signatures predicting the course of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not yet been integrated into clinical routine decision-making. Given the diversity of published signatures, optimal number, best combinations, and benefit of functional associations of genes in prognostic signatures remain to be defined. We investigated a vast number of randomly chosen gene sets (varying between 1 and 10,000 genes) to encompass the full range of prognostic gene sets on 242 transcriptomic profiles of patients with HCC. Depending on the selected size, 4.7 to 23.5% of all random gene sets exhibit prognostic potential by separating patient subgroups with significantly diverse survival. This was further substantiated by investigating gene sets and signaling pathways also resulting in a comparable high number of significantly prognostic gene sets. However, combining multiple random gene sets using "swarm intelligence" resulted in a significantly improved predictability for approximately 63% of all patients. In these patients, approx. 70% of all random 50-gene containing gene sets resulted in equal and stable prediction of survival. For all other patients, a reliable prediction seems highly unlikely for any selected gene set. Using a machine learning and independent validation approach, we demonstrated a high reliability of random gene sets and swarm intelligence in HCC prognosis. Ultimately, these findings were validated in two independent patient cohorts and independent technical platforms (microarray, RNASeq). In conclusion, we demonstrate that using "swarm intelligence" of multiple gene sets for prognosis prediction may not only be superior but also more robust for predictive purposes. KEY MESSAGES: Molecular signatures predicting HCC have not yet been integrated into clinical routine Depending on the selected size, 4.7 to 23.5% of all random gene sets exhibit prognostic potential; independent of the technical platform (microarray, RNASeq) Using "swarm intelligence" resulted in a significantly improved predictability In these patients, approx. 70% of all random 50-gene containing gene sets resulted in equal and stable prediction of survival Overall, "swarm intelligence" is superior and more robust for predictive purposes in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Itzel
- Division of Hepatology & Division of Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rainer Spang
- Statistical Bioinformatics, Department of Functional Genomics, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Munker
- Department of Medicine II, Großhadern University Medical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Matthias P Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans J Schlitt
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Medicine III, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Evert
- Department of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Teufel
- Division of Hepatology & Division of Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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160
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The Role of Fibrosis and Liver-Associated Fibroblasts in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019. [PMID: 30959975 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071723.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Most HCC develops in the setting of chronic liver injury, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in liver fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis, respectively. CAFs, which probably derive from HSCs, activate into extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts and crosstalk with cancer cells to affect tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we describe the different components which form the HCC premalignant microenvironment (PME) and the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing on the liver fibrosis process and the biology of CAFs. We will describe the CAF-dependent mechanisms which have been suggested to promote hepatocarcinogenesis, such as the alteration of ECM, CAF-dependent production of cytokines and angiogenic factors, CAF-dependent reduction of immuno-surveillance, and CAF-dependent promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). New knowledge of the fibrosis process and the role of CAFs in HCC may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for liver cancer.
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161
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Baglieri J, Brenner DA, Kisseleva T. The Role of Fibrosis and Liver-Associated Fibroblasts in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071723. [PMID: 30959975 PMCID: PMC6479943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Most HCC develops in the setting of chronic liver injury, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in liver fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis, respectively. CAFs, which probably derive from HSCs, activate into extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts and crosstalk with cancer cells to affect tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we describe the different components which form the HCC premalignant microenvironment (PME) and the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing on the liver fibrosis process and the biology of CAFs. We will describe the CAF-dependent mechanisms which have been suggested to promote hepatocarcinogenesis, such as the alteration of ECM, CAF-dependent production of cytokines and angiogenic factors, CAF-dependent reduction of immuno-surveillance, and CAF-dependent promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). New knowledge of the fibrosis process and the role of CAFs in HCC may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Baglieri
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - David A Brenner
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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162
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Longerich
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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163
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Dang H, Pomyen Y, Martin SP, Dominguez DA, Yim SY, Lee JS, Budhu A, Shah AP, Bodzin AS, Wang XW. NELFE-Dependent MYC Signature Identifies a Unique Cancer Subtype in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3369. [PMID: 30833661 PMCID: PMC6399236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39727-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The MYC oncogene is dysregulated in approximately 30% of liver cancer. In an effort to exploit MYC as a therapeutic target, including in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), strategies have been developed on the basis of MYC amplification or gene translocation. Due to the failure of these strategies to provide accurate diagnostics and prognostic value, we have developed a Negative Elongation Factor E (NELFE)-Dependent MYC Target (NDMT) gene signature. This signature, which consists of genes regulated by MYC and NELFE, an RNA binding protein that enhances MYC-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, is predictive of NELFE/MYC-driven tumors that would otherwise not be identified by gene amplification or translocation alone. We demonstrate the utility of the NDMT gene signature to predict a unique subtype of HCC, which is associated with a poor prognosis in three independent cohorts encompassing diverse etiologies, demographics, and viral status. The application of gene signatures, such as the NDMT signature, offers patients access to personalized risk assessments, which may be utilized to direct future care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hien Dang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States. .,Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Research, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - Yotsawat Pomyen
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.,Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
| | - Sean P Martin
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Dana A Dominguez
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Sun Young Yim
- Department of Systems Biology, Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MDACC, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MDACC, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Anuradha Budhu
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Ashesh P Shah
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Adam S Bodzin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xin Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
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164
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Jiang Y, Sun A, Zhao Y, Ying W, Sun H, Yang X, Xing B, Sun W, Ren L, Hu B, Li C, Zhang L, Qin G, Zhang M, Chen N, Zhang M, Huang Y, Zhou J, Zhao Y, Liu M, Zhu X, Qiu Y, Sun Y, Huang C, Yan M, Wang M, Liu W, Tian F, Xu H, Zhou J, Wu Z, Shi T, Zhu W, Qin J, Xie L, Fan J, Qian X, He F. Proteomics identifies new therapeutic targets of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. Nature 2019; 567:257-261. [PMID: 30814741 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-0987-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 510] [Impact Index Per Article: 102.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third leading cause of deaths from cancer worldwide. Infection with the hepatitis B virus is one of the leading risk factors for developing hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in East Asia1. Although surgical treatment may be effective in the early stages, the five-year overall rate of survival after developing this cancer is only 50-70%2. Here, using proteomic and phospho-proteomic profiling, we characterize 110 paired tumour and non-tumour tissues of clinical early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma related to hepatitis B virus infection. Our quantitative proteomic data highlight heterogeneity in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma: we used this to stratify the cohort into the subtypes S-I, S-II and S-III, each of which has a different clinical outcome. S-III, which is characterized by disrupted cholesterol homeostasis, is associated with the lowest overall rate of survival and the greatest risk of a poor prognosis after first-line surgery. The knockdown of sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1)-high expression of which is a signature specific to the S-III subtype-alters the distribution of cellular cholesterol, and effectively suppresses the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, on the basis of a patient-derived tumour xenograft mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma, we found that treatment with avasimibe, an inhibitor of SOAT1, markedly reduced the size of tumours that had high levels of SOAT1 expression. The proteomic stratification of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma presented in this study provides insight into the tumour biology of this cancer, and suggests opportunities for personalized therapies that target it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Aihua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China.,College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Wantao Ying
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Huichuan Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinrong Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Baocai Xing
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Liangliang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangrong Qin
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghuan Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Manli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Yin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Jinan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Mingwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Yanjun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Mingchao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Huali Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Tieliu Shi
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weimin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Xie
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaohong Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China. .,College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China.
| | - Fuchu He
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China.
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165
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Martins-Filho SN, Alves VAF, Wakamatsu A, Maeda M, Craig AJ, Assato AK, Villacorta-Martin C, D'Avola D, Labgaa I, Carrilho FJ, Thung SN, Villanueva A. A phenotypical map of disseminated hepatocellular carcinoma suggests clonal constraints in metastatic sites. Histopathology 2019; 74:718-730. [PMID: 30636011 DOI: 10.1111/his.13809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Access to tissue in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited compared to other malignancies, particularly at advanced stages. This has precluded a thorough characterisation of molecular drivers of HCC dissemination, particularly in relation to distant metastases. Biomarker assessment is restricted to early stages, and paired primary-metastatic comparisons between samples from the same patient are difficult. METHODS AND RESULTS We report the evaluation of 88 patients with HCC who underwent autopsy, including multiregional sampling of primary and metastatic sites totalling 230 nodules analysed. The study included morphological assessment, immunohistochemistry and mutation status of the TERT promoter, the most frequently mutated gene in HCC. We confirm a strong predilection of HCC for lung dissemination, including subclinical micrometastases (unrecognised during imaging and macroscopic examinations) in 30% of patients with disseminated disease. Size of dominant tumour nodule; multinodularity; macrovascular invasion; high histological, nuclear and architectural grades; and cellular crowding were associated with the presence of extrahepatic metastasis. Among the immunohistochemistry markers tested, metastatic nodules had significantly higher K19 and EpCAM expression than primary liver tumours. Morphological and immunohistochemical features showed that metastatic HCC could be traced back to the primary tumour, sometimes to a specific hepatic nodule. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests limited heterogeneity in metastatic sites compared to primary tumour sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiao N Martins-Filho
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Venancio A F Alves
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratorio de Patologia do Fígado LIM 14, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alda Wakamatsu
- Laboratorio de Patologia do Fígado LIM 14, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miho Maeda
- Liver Cancer Research Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amanda J Craig
- Liver Cancer Research Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aline K Assato
- Laboratorio de Patologia do Fígado LIM 14, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Villacorta-Martin
- Liver Cancer Research Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Delia D'Avola
- Liver Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área Temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ismail Labgaa
- Liver Cancer Research Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Flair J Carrilho
- Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Swan N Thung
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Augusto Villanueva
- Liver Cancer Research Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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166
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Saborowski A, Wolff K, Spielberg S, Beer B, Hartleben B, Erlangga Z, Becker D, Dow LE, Marhenke S, Woller N, Unger K, Schirmacher P, Manns MP, Marquardt JU, Vogel A, Saborowski M. Murine Liver Organoids as a Genetically Flexible System to Study Liver Cancer In Vivo and In Vitro. Hepatol Commun 2019; 3:423-436. [PMID: 30859153 PMCID: PMC6396372 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rising incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) coupled with a low 5‐year survival rate that remains below 10% delineates the urgent need for more effective treatment strategies. Although several recent studies provided detailed information on the genetic landscape of this fatal malignancy, versatile model systems to functionally dissect the immediate clinical relevance of the identified genetic alterations are still missing. To enhance our understanding of CCA pathophysiology and facilitate rapid functional annotation of putative CCA driver and tumor maintenance genes, we developed a tractable murine CCA model by combining the cyclization recombination (Cre)‐lox system, RNA interference, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) technology with liver organoids, followed by subsequent transplantation into immunocompetent, syngeneic mice. Histologically, resulting tumors displayed cytokeratin 19–positive ductal structures surrounded by a desmoplastic stroma—hallmark features of human CCAs. Despite their initial biliary phenotype in vitro, organoids retained the plasticity to induce a broader differentiation spectrum of primary liver cancers following transplantation into recipient mice, depending on their genetic context. Thus, the organoid system combines the advantage of using nontransformed, premalignant cells to recapitulate liver tumorigenesis as a multistep process, with the advantage of a reproducible and expandable cell culture system that abrogates the need for recurrent isolations of primary cells. Conclusion: Genetically modified liver organoids are able to transform into histologically accurate CCAs. Depending on the oncogenic context, they are also able to give rise to liver cancers that show features of hepatocellular carcinomas. The model can be used to functionally explore candidate cancer genes of primary liver cancers in immunocompetent animals and evaluate novel treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Saborowski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Katharina Wolff
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Steffi Spielberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Benedikt Beer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Björn Hartleben
- Institute of Pathology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Zulrahman Erlangga
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Diana Becker
- Department of Medicine I, Lichtenberg Research Group Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Germany
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Meyer Cancer Center, Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine Weill Cornell Medicine New York NY
| | - Silke Marhenke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Norman Woller
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit of Radiation Cytogenetics Helmholtz Zentrum München Neuherberg Germany
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Institute of Pathology University Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Jens U Marquardt
- Department of Medicine I, Lichtenberg Research Group Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Germany
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - Michael Saborowski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
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167
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Hughes D, Al- Sarireh B. Hepatocellular carcinoma’s 100 most influential manuscripts: A bibliometric analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEPATOBILIARY AND PANCREATIC DISEASES 2019. [DOI: 10.5348/100083z04dh2019oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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168
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Molecular Subtypes and Genomic Signatures of Hepatocellular Carcinoma for Prognostication and Therapeutic Decision-Making. MOLECULAR AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-21540-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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169
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Dhanasekaran R, Nault JC, Roberts LR, Zucman-Rossi J. Genomic Medicine and Implications for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prevention and Therapy. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:492-509. [PMID: 30404026 PMCID: PMC6340723 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood, but recent advances in genomics have increased our understanding of the mechanisms by which hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, alcohol, fatty liver disease, and other environmental factors, such as aflatoxin, cause liver cancer. Genetic analyses of liver tissues from patients have provided important information about tumor initiation and progression. Findings from these studies can potentially be used to individualize the management of HCC. In addition to sorafenib, other multi-kinase inhibitors have been approved recently for treatment of HCC, and the preliminary success of immunotherapy has raised hopes. Continued progress in genomic medicine could improve classification of HCCs based on their molecular features and lead to new treatments for patients with liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean-Charles Nault
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte De Recherche 1162, Génomique Fonctionnelle des Tumeurs Solides, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, Labex Immuno-Oncology, Paris, France; Liver Unit, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Bondy, France; Unité de Formation et de Recherche Santé Médecine et Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Communauté d'Universités et Etablissements Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Lewis R Roberts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte De Recherche 1162, Génomique Fonctionnelle des Tumeurs Solides, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, Labex Immuno-Oncology, Paris, France; Hôpital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
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170
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Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers with high mortality rate. It is a heterogeneous cancer with diverse inter- and intra-heterogeneity, also in terms of histology, prognosis, and molecular profiles. A rapidly growing evidence has demonstrated that some HCCs, if not all, were caused by the activation of the cancer stem cells (CSC), a small population within the cancer that is responsible for the initiation and maintenance of cancer growth. Until now, various populations of hepatic CSC with more than ten different phenotypical protein markers, such as CD133, CD90, EpCAM, CD24, and CD13, have been identified and validated in xenotransplantation models. They are associated with risk factors, prognosis, chemo-resistance, and metastasis. This chapter summarizes available data on different hepatic CSC markers for the development of potential future therapy.
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171
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Benfeitas R, Bidkhori G, Mukhopadhyay B, Klevstig M, Arif M, Zhang C, Lee S, Cinar R, Nielsen J, Uhlen M, Boren J, Kunos G, Mardinoglu A. Characterization of heterogeneous redox responses in hepatocellular carcinoma patients using network analysis. EBioMedicine 2018; 40:471-487. [PMID: 30606699 PMCID: PMC6412169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.12.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Redox metabolism is often considered a potential target for cancer treatment, but a systematic examination of redox responses in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is missing. METHODS Here, we employed systems biology and biological network analyses to reveal key roles of genes associated with redox metabolism in HCC by integrating multi-omics data. FINDINGS We found that several redox genes, including 25 novel potential prognostic genes, are significantly co-expressed with liver-specific genes and genes associated with immunity and inflammation. Based on an integrative analysis, we found that HCC tumors display antagonistic behaviors in redox responses. The two HCC groups are associated with altered fatty acid, amino acid, drug and hormone metabolism, differentiation, proliferation, and NADPH-independent vs -dependent antioxidant defenses. Redox behavior varies with known tumor subtypes and progression, affecting patient survival. These antagonistic responses are also displayed at the protein and metabolite level and were validated in several independent cohorts. We finally showed the differential redox behavior using mice transcriptomics in HCC and noncancerous tissues and associated with hypoxic features of the two redox gene groups. INTERPRETATION Our integrative approaches highlighted mechanistic differences among tumors and allowed the identification of a survival signature and several potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Benfeitas
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gholamreza Bidkhori
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Bani Mukhopadhyay
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Martina Klevstig
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Sunjae Lee
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Resat Cinar
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Mathias Uhlen
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jan Boren
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - George Kunos
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Adil Mardinoglu
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Institute, King's College London, London, UK.
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172
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Fibroinflammatory Liver Injuries as Preneoplastic Condition in Cholangiopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123875. [PMID: 30518128 PMCID: PMC6321547 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cholangipathies are a class of liver diseases that specifically affects the biliary tree. These pathologies may have different etiologies (genetic, autoimmune, viral, or toxic) but all of them are characterized by a stark inflammatory infiltrate, increasing overtime, accompanied by an excess of periportal fibrosis. The cellular types that mount the regenerative/reparative hepatic response to the damage belong to different lineages, including cholagiocytes, mesenchymal and inflammatory cells, which dynamically interact with each other, exchanging different signals acting in autocrine and paracrine fashion. Those messengers may be proinflammatory cytokines and profibrotic chemokines (IL-1, and 6; CXCL1, 10 and 12, or MCP-1), morphogens (Notch, Hedgehog, and WNT/β-catenin signal pathways) and finally growth factors (VEGF, PDGF, and TGFβ, among others). In this review we will focus on the main molecular mechanisms mediating the establishment of a fibroinflammatory liver response that, if perpetuated, can lead not only to organ dysfunction but also to neoplastic transformation. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis/Caroli’s disease, two chronic cholangiopathies, known to be prodrome of cholangiocarcinoma, for which several murine models are also available, were also used to further dissect the mechanisms of fibroinflammation leading to tumor development.
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173
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Zhang L, Chen Y, Zhang LJ, Wang M, Chang DL, Wan WW, Zhang BX, Zhang WG, Chen XP. HBV induces different responses of the hepatocytes and oval cells during HBV-related hepatic cirrhosis. Cancer Lett 2018; 443:47-55. [PMID: 30503551 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cause a sever health problem worldwide, the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. This study aimed to investigate the responses of different cell types isolated from HBV transgenic mice. A cross-sectional set of hepatocytes and oval cells were obtained from HBV transgenic and control mice. Flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and microarray were applied to investigate the cell biology of the hepatocytes and oval cells. Our results showed that HBV induced the proliferation of both cell oval cells and hepatocytes, and induced cell death of HBV hepatocytes while had minimal effects on oval cells. Further molecular and pathways analysis identified some genes and signaling pathways may be responsible for the different responses between oval cells and hepatocytes. In addition, analyses of selectively ten genes by IHC staining in human samples were consistent with microarray data. In summary, HBV transgenic mice is a useful model for studying the biological behaviors of oval cells affected by HBV and HBV-cirrhosis. Also, our results help better understand the mechanisms of HBV induced cirrhosis, and provide novel progenitor markers or prognostic/therapeutic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Jun Zhang
- Institute for Personalized Medicine, Pennsylvania State University-College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Ming Wang
- Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University-College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Dong-Lei Chang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Wei Wan
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Bi-Xiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan-Guang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Ping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
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174
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Metabolic network-based stratification of hepatocellular carcinoma reveals three distinct tumor subtypes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E11874-E11883. [PMID: 30482855 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807305115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent forms of liver cancer, and effective treatment methods are limited due to tumor heterogeneity. There is a great need for comprehensive approaches to stratify HCC patients, gain biological insights into subtypes, and ultimately identify effective therapeutic targets. We stratified HCC patients and characterized each subtype using transcriptomics data, genome-scale metabolic networks and network topology/controllability analysis. This comprehensive systems-level analysis identified three distinct subtypes with substantial differences in metabolic and signaling pathways reflecting at genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic levels. These subtypes showed large differences in clinical survival associated with altered kynurenine metabolism, WNT/β-catenin-associated lipid metabolism, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Integrative analyses indicated that the three subtypes rely on alternative enzymes (e.g., ACSS1/ACSS2/ACSS3, PKM/PKLR, ALDOB/ALDOA, MTHFD1L/MTHFD2/MTHFD1) to catalyze the same reactions. Based on systems-level analysis, we identified 8 to 28 subtype-specific genes with pivotal roles in controlling the metabolic network and predicted that these genes may be targeted for development of treatment strategies for HCC subtypes by performing in silico analysis. To validate our predictions, we performed experiments using HepG2 cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions and observed opposite expression patterns between genes expressed in high/moderate/low-survival tumor groups in response to hypoxia, reflecting activated hypoxic behavior in patients with poor survival. In conclusion, our analyses showed that the heterogeneous HCC tumors can be stratified using a metabolic network-driven approach, which may also be applied to other cancer types, and this stratification may have clinical implications to drive the development of precision medicine.
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175
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Jeong WK, Jamshidi N, Felker ER, Raman SS, Lu DS. Radiomics and radiogenomics of primary liver cancers. Clin Mol Hepatol 2018; 25:21-29. [PMID: 30441889 PMCID: PMC6435966 DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2018.1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Concurrent advancements in imaging and genomic biomarkers have created opportunities to identify non-invasive imaging surrogates of molecular phenotypes. In order to develop such imaging surrogates radiomics and radiogenomics/imaging genomics will be necessary; there has been consistent progress in these fields for primary liver cancers. In this article we evaluate the current status of the field specifically with regards to hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, highlighting some of the up and coming results that were presented at the annual Radiological Society of North America Conference in 2017. There are an increasing number of studies in this area with a bias towards quantitative feature measurement, which is expected to benefit reproducibility of the findings and portends well for the future development of biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response assessment. We review some of the advancements and look forward to some of the exciting future applications that are anticipated as the field develops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo Kyoung Jeong
- Department of Radiological Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Center for Imaging Sciences, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Neema Jamshidi
- Department of Radiological Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ely Richard Felker
- Department of Radiological Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven Satish Raman
- Department of Radiological Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Shinkuo Lu
- Department of Radiological Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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176
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Lee G, Jeong YS, Kim DW, Kwak MJ, Koh J, Joo EW, Lee JS, Kah S, Sim YE, Yim SY. Clinical significance of APOB inactivation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Mol Med 2018; 50:1-12. [PMID: 30429453 PMCID: PMC6235894 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-018-0174-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings from The Cancer Genome Atlas project have provided a comprehensive map of genomic alterations that occur in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including unexpected mutations in apolipoprotein B (APOB). We aimed to determine the clinical significance of this non-oncogenetic mutation in HCC. An Apob gene signature was derived from genes that differed between control mice and mice treated with siRNA specific for Apob (1.5-fold difference; P < 0.005). Human gene expression data were collected from four independent HCC cohorts (n = 941). A prediction model was constructed using Bayesian compound covariate prediction, and the robustness of the APOB gene signature was validated in HCC cohorts. The correlation of the APOB signature with previously validated gene signatures was performed, and network analysis was conducted using ingenuity pathway analysis. APOB inactivation was associated with poor prognosis when the APOB gene signature was applied in all human HCC cohorts. Poor prognosis with APOB inactivation was consistently observed through cross-validation with previously reported gene signatures (NCIP A, HS, high-recurrence SNUR, and high RS subtypes). Knowledge-based gene network analysis using genes that differed between low-APOB and high-APOB groups in all four cohorts revealed that low-APOB activity was associated with upregulation of oncogenic and metastatic regulators, such as HGF, MTIF, ERBB2, FOXM1, and CD44, and inhibition of tumor suppressors, such as TP53 and PTEN. In conclusion, APOB inactivation is associated with poor outcome in patients with HCC, and APOB may play a role in regulating multiple genes involved in HCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gena Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yun Seong Jeong
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Do Won Kim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Min Jun Kwak
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jiwon Koh
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Wook Joo
- Department of Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Susie Kah
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeong-Eun Sim
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Young Yim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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Choi SH, Lee SS, Park SH, Kim KM, Yu E, Park Y, Shin YM, Lee MG. LI-RADS Classification and Prognosis of Primary Liver Cancers at Gadoxetic Acid-enhanced MRI. Radiology 2018; 290:388-397. [PMID: 30422088 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2018181290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To (a) evaluate the postsurgical prognostic implication of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) categories of primary liver cancers and (b) determine the performance of LI-RADS version 2017 in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) at gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, 194 patients with cirrhosis and surgically proven single primary liver cancer (53 with cHCC-CC, 44 with IHCC, and 97 with HCC) were evaluated with gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI between 2009 and 2014. The mean patient age was 57 years (age range, 30-83 years). There were 155 men with a mean age of 56 years (range, 30-81 years) and 39 women with a mean age of 58 years (range, 38-83 years). Two independent readers assigned an LI-RADS category for each nodule. Overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and their associated factors were evaluated by using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard model. Results In the multivariable analysis, the LI-RADS category was an independent factor for OS (hazard ratio, 4.2; P < .001) and RFS (hazard ratio, 2.6; P = .01). The LR-M category showed more correlation with poorer OS and RFS than did the LR-4 or LR-5 category for all primary liver cancers (P < .001 for both), HCCs (P = .01 and P < .001, respectively), and cHCC-CCs (P = .01 and P = .03, respectively). The LR-5 category had a sensitivity of 69% (67 of 97) and a specificity of 87% (84 of 97) in the diagnosis of HCC; most false-positive diagnoses (85%, 11 of 13) were the result of misclassification of cHCC-CCs. Conclusion The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category was associated with postsurgical prognosis of primary liver cancers, independent of pathologic diagnosis. The LI-RADS enabled the correct classification of most hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, whereas differentiation of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma from HCC was unreliable. © RSNA, 2018 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Bashir and Chernyak in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hyun Choi
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Seung Soo Lee
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - So Hyun Park
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Kang Mo Kim
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Eunsil Yu
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Yangsoon Park
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Yong Moon Shin
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
| | - Moon-Gyu Lee
- From the Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology (S.H.C., S.S.L., Y.M.S., M.G.L.), Department of Gastroenterology (K.M.K.), and Department of Pathology (E.Y., Y.P.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea; and Department of Radiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea (S.H.P.)
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178
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Liu H, Gao L, Yu X, Zhong L, Shi J, Jia B, Li N, Liu Z, Wang F. Small-animal SPECT/CT imaging of cancer xenografts and pulmonary fibrosis using a 99mTc-labeled integrin αvβ6-targeting cyclic peptide with improved in vivo stability. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2018; 4:254-264. [PMID: 30533490 PMCID: PMC6245143 DOI: 10.1007/s41048-018-0071-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Integrin αvβ6 is expressed at an undetectable level in normal tissues, but is remarkably upregulated during many pathological processes, especially in cancer and fibrosis. Noninvasive imaging of integrin αvβ6 expression using a radiotracer with favorable in vivo pharmacokinetics would facilitate disease diagnosis and therapy monitoring. Through disulfide-cyclized method, we synthesized in this study, a new integrin αvβ6-targeted cyclic peptide (denoted as cHK), and radiolabeled it with 99mTc. The ability of the resulting radiotracer 99mTc–HYNIC–cHK to detect integrin αvβ6 expression in pancreatic cancer xenografts and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was evaluated using small-animal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT). 99mTc–HYNIC–cHK showed significantly improved in vivo metabolic stability compared to the linear peptide-based radiotracer 99mTc–HYNIC–HK. 99mTc–HYNIC–cHK exhibited similar biodistribution properties to 99mTc–HYNIC–HK, but the tumor-to-muscle ratio was significantly increased (2.99 ± 0.87 vs. 1.82 ± 0.27, P < 0.05). High-contrast images of integrin αvβ6-positive tumors and bleomycin-induced fibrotic lungs were obtained by SPECT/CT imaging using 99mTc–HYNIC–cHK. Overall, our studies demonstrate that 99mTc–HYNIC–cHK is a promising SPECT radiotracer for the noninvasive imaging of integrin αvβ6 in living subjects. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Liu
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Liquan Gao
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Xinhe Yu
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Lijun Zhong
- Medical and Healthy Analytical Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Jiyun Shi
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Bing Jia
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
- Medical and Healthy Analytical Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Nan Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142 China
| | - Zhaofei Liu
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Fan Wang
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191 China
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
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179
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Désert R, Nieto N, Musso O. Dimensions of hepatocellular carcinoma phenotypic diversity. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24:4536-4547. [PMID: 30386103 PMCID: PMC6209578 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i40.4536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. More than 80% of HCCs arise within chronic liver disease resulting from viral hepatitis, alcohol, hemochromatosis, obesity and metabolic syndrome or genotoxins. Projections based on Western lifestyle and its metabolic consequences anticipate a further increase in incidence, despite recent breakthroughs in the management of viral hepatitis. HCCs display high heterogeneity of molecular phenotypes, which challenges clinical management. However, emerging molecular classifications of HCCs have not yet formed a unified corpus translatable to the clinical practice. Thus, patient management is currently based upon tumor number, size, vascular invasion, performance status and functional liver reserve. Nonetheless, an impressive body of molecular evidence emerged within the last 20 years and is becoming increasingly available to medical practitioners and researchers in the form of repositories. Therefore, the aim this work is to review molecular data underlying HCC classifications and to organize this corpus into the major dimensions explaining HCC phenotypic diversity. Major efforts have been recently made worldwide toward a unifying “clinically-friendly” molecular landscape. As a result, a consensus emerges on three major dimensions explaining the HCC heterogeneity. In the first dimension, tumor cell proliferation and differentiation enabled allocation of HCCs to two major classes presenting profoundly different clinical aggressiveness. In the second dimension, HCC microenvironment and tumor immunity underlie recent therapeutic breakthroughs prolonging patients’ survival. In the third dimension, metabolic reprogramming, with the recent emergence of subclass-specific metabolic profiles, may lead to adaptive and combined therapeutic approaches. Therefore, here we review recent molecular evidence, their impact on tumor histopathological features and clinical behavior and highlight the remaining challenges to translate our cognitive corpus into patient diagnosis and allocation to therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Désert
- Institut NuMeCan, Université de Rennes 1, Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Rennes F-35000, France
- Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology), University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, United States
| | - Natalia Nieto
- Department of Pathology, Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology), University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, United States
| | - Orlando Musso
- Institut NuMeCan, Université de Rennes 1, Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Rennes F-35000, France
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180
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Molecular profiling of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma using SB transposon mutagenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E10417-E10426. [PMID: 30327349 PMCID: PMC6217425 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1808968115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fastest rising cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Western countries; however, the molecular mechanisms driving NAFLD-HCC remain elusive. Using Sleeping Beauty transposon mutagenesis in two mouse models of NAFLD-HCC, we identified hundreds of NAFLD-HCC candidate cancer genes that were enriched in pathways often associated with NAFLD and HCC. We also showed that Sav1, which functions in the Hippo signaling pathway and was the most frequently mutated gene identified by SB in both screens, prevents progression of steatohepatitis and subsequent HCC development in coordination with PI3K signaling via suppression of Yap, a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway. Our forward genetic screens have thus identified pathways and genes driving the development of NAFLD-HCC. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fastest rising cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Western countries; however, the molecular mechanisms that cause NAFLD-HCC remain elusive. To identify molecular drivers of NAFLD-HCC, we performed Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon mutagenesis screens in liver-specific Pten knockout and in high-fat diet-fed mice, which are murine models of NAFLD-HCC. SB mutagenesis accelerated liver tumor formation in both models and identified 588 and 376 candidate cancer genes (CCGs), respectively; 257 CCGs were common to both screens and were enriched in signaling pathways known to be important for human HCC. Comparison of these CCGs with those identified in a previous SB screen of hepatitis B virus-induced HCC identified a core set of 141 CCGs that were mutated in all screens. Forty-one CCGs appeared specific for NAFLD-HCC, including Sav1, a component of the Hippo signaling pathway and the most frequently mutated gene identified in both NAFLD-HCC screens. Liver-specific deletion of Sav1 was found to promote hepatic lipid accumulation, apoptosis, and fibrogenesis, leading to the acceleration of hepatocarcinogenesis in liver-specific Pten mutant mice. Sav1/Pten double-mutant livers also showed a striking up-regulation of markers of liver progenitor cells (LPCs), along with synergistic activation of Yap, which is a major downstream effector of Hippo signaling. Lastly, Yap activation, in combination with Pten inactivation, was found to accelerate cell growth and sphere formation of LPCs in vitro and induce their malignant transformation in allografts. Our forward genetic screens in mice have thus identified pathways and genes driving the development of NAFLD-HCC.
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181
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Llovet JM, Montal R, Sia D, Finn RS. Molecular therapies and precision medicine for hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2018; 15:599-616. [PMID: 30061739 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-018-0073-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1199] [Impact Index Per Article: 199.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing and might soon surpass an annual incidence of 1 million cases. Genomic studies have established the landscape of molecular alterations in HCC; however, the most common mutations are not actionable, and only ~25% of tumours harbour potentially targetable drivers. Despite the fact that surveillance programmes lead to early diagnosis in 40-50% of patients, at a point when potentially curative treatments are applicable, almost half of all patients with HCC ultimately receive systemic therapies. Sorafenib was the first systemic therapy approved for patients with advanced-stage HCC, after a landmark study revealed an improvement in median overall survival from 8 to 11 months. New drugs - lenvatinib in the frontline and regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab in the second line - have also been demonstrated to improve clinical outcomes, although the median overall survival remains ~1 year; thus, therapeutic breakthroughs are still needed. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors are now being incorporated into the HCC treatment armamentarium and combinations of molecularly targeted therapies with immunotherapies are emerging as tools to boost the immune response. Research on biomarkers of a response or primary resistance to immunotherapies is also advancing. Herein, we summarize the molecular targets and therapies for the management of HCC and discuss the advancements expected in the near future, including biomarker-driven treatments and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep M Llovet
- Mount Sinai Liver Cancer Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Liver Cancer Translational Lab, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Robert Montal
- Liver Cancer Translational Lab, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniela Sia
- Mount Sinai Liver Cancer Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard S Finn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Rastogi A. Changing role of histopathology in the diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24:4000-4013. [PMID: 30254404 PMCID: PMC6148422 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i35.4000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and fatal cancer in the world. HCC frequently presents with advanced disease, has a high recurrence rate and limited treatment options, which leads to very poor prognosis. This warrants urgent improvement in the diagnosis and treatment. Liver biopsy plays very important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, but with technical advancements and progression in the field of imaging, clinical guidelines have restricted the role of biopsy to very limited situations. Biopsy also has its own problems of needle tract seeding of tumor, small risk of complications, technical and sampling errors along with interpretative errors. Despite this, tissue analysis is often required because imaging is not always specific, limited expertise and lack of advanced imaging in many centers and limitations of imaging in the diagnosis of small, mixed and other variant forms of HCC. In addition, biopsy confirmation is often required for clinical trials of new drugs and targeted therapies. Tissue biomarkers along with certain morphological features, phenotypes and immune-phenotypes that serve as important prognostic and outcome predictors and as decisive factors for therapy decisions, add to the continuing role of histopathology. Advancements in cancer biology and development of molecular classification of HCC with clinic pathological correlation, lead to discovery of HCC phenotypic surrogates of prognostic and therapeutically significant molecular signatures. Thus tissue characteristics and morphology based correlates of molecular subtypes provide invaluable information for management and prognosis. This review thus focuses on the importance of histopathology and resurgence of role of biopsy in the diagnosis, management and prognostication of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Rastogi
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
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183
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Xu J, Tan Y, Shao X, Zhang C, He Y, Wang J, Xi Y. Evaluation of NCAM and c-Kit as hepatic progenitor cell markers for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas. Pathol Res Pract 2018; 214:2011-2017. [PMID: 30301635 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs) are primary liver malignancies and are the second most common type of malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma. ICCs are heterogeneous in clinical features, genotype, and biological behavior, suggesting that ICCs can initiate in different cell lineages. AIM We investigated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma RBE cell lines for the markers neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and c-Kit, which possess hepatic progenitor cells properties. METHODS NCAM + c-Kit + cells were tested for hepatic progenitor cell properties including proliferation ability, colony formation, spheroid formation, and invasiveness in NOD/SCID mice. The Agilent Whole Human Genome Microarray Kit was used to evaluate differences in gene expression related to stem cell signaling pathways between NCAM + c-Kit + and NCAM-c-Kit- subset cells. Microarray results were further confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS NCAM + c-Kit + cells showed hepatic progenitor cell-like traits including the abilities to self-renew and differentiate and tumorigenicity in NOD/SCID mice. Differences were observed in the expression of 421 genes related to stem cell signaling pathways (fc ≥ 2 or fc ≤ 0.5), among which 231 genes were upregulated and 190 genes were downregulated. CONCLUSION NCAM + c-Kit + subset cells in RBE may have properties of hepatic progenitor cells. NCAM combined with c-Kit may be a valuable marker for isolating and purifying ICC stem/progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Yanhong Tan
- Institute of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiaoxia Shao
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Cuiming Zhang
- Department of ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yanling He
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yanfeng Xi
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
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184
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Fabregat I, Caballero-Díaz D. Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Cell Plasticity in Liver Fibrosis and Hepatocarcinogenesis. Front Oncol 2018; 8:357. [PMID: 30250825 PMCID: PMC6139328 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) family plays relevant roles in the regulation of different cellular processes that are essential for tissue and organ homeostasis. In the case of the liver, TGF-β signaling participates in different stages of disease progression, from initial liver injury toward fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer. When a chronic injury takes place, mobilization of lymphocytes and other inflammatory cells occur, thus setting the stage for persistence of an inflammatory response. Macrophages produce profibrotic mediators, among them, TGF-β, which is responsible for activation -transdifferentiation- of quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSC) to a myofibroblast (MFB) phenotype. MFBs are the principal source of extracellular matrix protein (ECM) accumulation and prominent mediators of fibrogenesis. TGF-β also mediates an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in hepatocytes that may contribute, directly or indirectly, to increase the MFB population. In hepatocarcinogenesis, TGF-β plays a dual role, behaving as a suppressor factor at early stages, but contributing to later tumor progression, once cells escape from its cytostatic effects. As part of its potential pro-tumorigenic actions, TGF-β induces EMT in liver tumor cells, which increases its pro-migratory and invasive potential. In parallel, TGF-β also induces changes in tumor cell plasticity, conferring properties of a migratory tumor initiating cell (TIC). The main aim of this review is to shed light about the pleiotropic actions of TGF-β that explain its effects on the different liver cell populations. The cross-talk with other signaling pathways that contribute to TGF-β effects, in particular the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), will be presented. Finally, we will discuss the rationale for targeting the TGF-β pathway in liver pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Fabregat
- TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Oncology Program, CIBEREHD, National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Caballero-Díaz
- TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Oncology Program, CIBEREHD, National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
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185
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Jiang K, Centeno BA. Primary Liver Cancers, Part 2: Progression Pathways and Carcinogenesis. Cancer Control 2018; 25:1073274817744658. [PMID: 29353494 PMCID: PMC5933573 DOI: 10.1177/1073274817744658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have been increasing in incidence worldwide and are leading causes of cancer death. Studies of the molecular alterations leading to these carcinomas provide insights into the key mechanisms involved. A literature review was conducted to identify articles with information relevant to current understanding of the etiologies and molecular pathogenesis of HCC and ICC. Chronic inflammatory diseases are the key etiological risk factors for both HCC and ICC, although other diseases play a role, and for many ICCs, an underlying risk factor is not identified. Mutations in catenin beta 1 ( CTNBB1) and tumor protein 53 (P53) are the main genetic alterations in HCC. Isocitrate dehydrogenases 1 and 2 (IDH1/2), KRAS protooncogene GTPase (KRAS), a RAS Viral Oncogene Homolog in neoroblastoma (NRAS) and P53 are primary genetic alterations in ICC. In both diseases, the mutational landscape is dependent on the underlying etiology. The most significant etiologies and genetic processes involved in the carcinogenesis of HCC and ICC are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Jiang
- 1 Department of Anatomic Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.,2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine at University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Barbara A Centeno
- 1 Department of Anatomic Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.,2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine at University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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186
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Jiang K, Al-Diffhala S, Centeno BA. Primary Liver Cancers-Part 1: Histopathology, Differential Diagnoses, and Risk Stratification. Cancer Control 2018; 25:1073274817744625. [PMID: 29350068 PMCID: PMC5933592 DOI: 10.1177/1073274817744625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC) are the 2 most common primary malignant liver tumors, with hepatocellular and bile ductular differentiation, respectively. This article reviews the key histopathological findings of these 2 primary liver cancers and includes a review of the role of ancillary testing for differential diagnosis, risk stratification according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging recommendation, and a review of precancerous lesions. A literature review was conducted to identify articles with information relevant to precancerous precursors, current histopathological classification, ancillary testing, and risk stratification of primary malignant liver tumors. The histomorphology of normal liver, preinvasive precursors, primary malignancies, and morphological variants, and the utilization of ancillary tests for the pathological diagnosis are described. Dysplastic nodules are the preinvasive precursors of HCC, and intraductal papillary neoplasms of bile ducts and biliary intraepithelial neoplasia are the preinvasive precursors of CC. Benign liver nodules including focal nodular hyperplasia and adenomas are included in this review, since some forms of adenomas progress to HCC and often they have to be differentiated from well-differentiated HCC. A number of morphological variants of HCC have been described in the literature, and it is necessary to be aware of them in order to render the correct diagnosis. Risk stratification is still dependent on the AJCC staging system. The diagnosis of primary liver carcinomas is usually straightforward. Application of the appropriate ancillary studies aids in the differential diagnosis of difficult cases. The understanding of the carcinogenesis of these malignancies has improved with the standardization of the pathological classification of preinvasive precursors and studies of the molecular pathogenesis. Risk stratification still depends on pathological staging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Jiang
- 1 Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine at University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sameer Al-Diffhala
- 3 Division of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Barbara A Centeno
- 1 Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine at University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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187
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Lee DJ, Eun YG, Rho YS, Kim EH, Yim SY, Kang SH, Sohn BH, Kwon GH, Lee JS. Three distinct genomic subtypes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma associated with clinical outcomes. Oral Oncol 2018; 85:44-51. [PMID: 30220319 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Heterogeneity of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) results in unpredictable outcomes for patients with similar stages of cancer. Beyond the role of human papilloma virus (HPV), no validated molecular marker of HNSCCs has been established. Thus, clinically relevant molecular subtypes are needed to optimize HNSCC therapy. The purpose of this study was to identify subtypes of HNSCC that have distinct biological characteristics associated with clinical outcomes and to characterize genomic alterations that best reflect the biological and clinical characteristics of each subtype. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed gene expression profiling data from pan-SCC tissues including cervical SCC, esophageal SCC, lung SCC, and HNSCC (n = 1346) to assess the similarities and differences among SCCs and to identify molecular subtypes of HNSCC associated with prognosis. Subtype-specific gene expression signatures were identified and used to construct predictive models. The association of the subtypes with prognosis was validated in two independent cohorts of patients. RESULTS Pan-SCC analysis identified three novel subtypes of HNSCC. Subtype 1 had the best prognosis and was similar to cervical SCC, whereas subtype 3 had the worst prognosis and was similar to lung SCC. Subtype 2 had a moderate prognosis. The 600-gene signature associated with the three subtypes significantly predicted prognosis in two independent validation cohorts. These three subtypes also were associated with potential benefit of immunotherapy. CONCLUSION We identified three clinically relevant HNSCC molecular subtypes. Independent prospective studies to assess the clinical utility of the subtypes and associated gene signature are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Jin Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Gyu Eun
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Soo Rho
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui Hyun Kim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, Severance Hospital, Brain Tumor Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Young Yim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Kang
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States; Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Hwa Sohn
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Gee Hwan Kwon
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States.
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188
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Yim SY, Shim JJ, Shin JH, Jeong YS, Kang SH, Kim SB, Eun YG, Lee DJ, Conner EA, Factor VM, Moore DD, Johnson RL, Thorgeirsson SS, Lee JS. Integrated Genomic Comparison of Mouse Models Reveals Their Clinical Resemblance to Human Liver Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2018; 16:1713-1723. [PMID: 30082483 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-18-0313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous disease. Mouse models are commonly used as preclinical models to study hepatocarcinogenesis, but how well these models recapitulate molecular subtypes of human HCC is unclear. Here, integration of genomic signatures from molecularly and clinically defined human HCC (n = 11) and mouse models of HCC (n = 9) identified the mouse models that best resembled subtypes of human HCC and determined the clinical relevance of each model. Mst1/2 knockout (KO), Sav1 KO, and SV40 T antigen mouse models effectively recapitulated subtypes of human HCC with a poor prognosis, whereas the Myc transgenic model best resembled human HCCs with a more favorable prognosis. The Myc model was also associated with activation of β-catenin. E2f1, E2f1/Myc, E2f1/Tgfa, and diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced models were heterogeneous and were unequally split into poor and favorable prognoses. Mst1/2 KO and Sav1 KO models best resemble human HCC with hepatic stem cell characteristics. Applying a genomic predictor for immunotherapy, the six-gene IFNγ score, the Mst1/2 KO, Sav1 KO, SV40, and DEN models were predicted to be the least responsive to immunotherapy. Further analysis showed that elevated expression of immune-inhibitory genes (Cd276 and Nectin2/Pvrl2) in Mst1/2 KO, Sav1 KO, and SV40 models and decreased expression of immune stimulatory gene (Cd86) in the DEN model might be accountable for the lack of predictive response to immunotherapy.Implication: The current genomic approach identified the most relevant mouse models to human liver cancer and suggests immunotherapeutic potential for the treatment of specific subtypes. Mol Cancer Res; 16(11); 1713-23. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Young Yim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Jun Shim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji-Hyun Shin
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yun Seong Jeong
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sang-Hee Kang
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang-Bae Kim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Young Gyu Eun
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Jin Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Elizabeth A Conner
- Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Valentina M Factor
- Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - David D Moore
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Randy L Johnson
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Snorri S Thorgeirsson
- Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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189
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Zheng H, Pomyen Y, Hernandez MO, Li C, Livak F, Tang W, Dang H, Greten TF, Davis JL, Zhao Y, Mehta M, Levin Y, Shetty J, Tran B, Budhu A, Wang XW. Single-cell analysis reveals cancer stem cell heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 2018; 68:127-140. [PMID: 29315726 PMCID: PMC6033650 DOI: 10.1002/hep.29778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Intratumor molecular heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma is partly attributed to the presence of hepatic cancer stem cells (CSCs). Different CSC populations defined by various cell surface markers may contain different oncogenic drivers, posing a challenge in defining molecularly targeted therapeutics. We combined transcriptomic and functional analyses of hepatocellular carcinoma cells at the single-cell level to assess the degree of CSC heterogeneity. We provide evidence that hepatic CSCs at the single-cell level are phenotypically, functionally, and transcriptomically heterogeneous. We found that different CSC subpopulations contain distinct molecular signatures. Interestingly, distinct genes within different CSC subpopulations are independently associated with hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis, suggesting that a diverse hepatic CSC transcriptome affects intratumor heterogeneity and tumor progression. CONCLUSION Our work provides unique perspectives into the biodiversity of CSC subpopulations, whose molecular heterogeneity further highlights their role in tumor heterogeneity, prognosis, and hepatic CSC therapy. (Hepatology 2018;68:127-140).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Zheng
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Yotsawat Pomyen
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892,Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Maria Olga Hernandez
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Caiyi Li
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Ferenc Livak
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Wei Tang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Hien Dang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Tim F. Greten
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Jeremy L. Davis
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Yongmei Zhao
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21701
| | - Monika Mehta
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21701
| | - Yelena Levin
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21701
| | - Jyoti Shetty
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21701
| | - Bao Tran
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21701
| | - Anuradha Budhu
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Xin Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892,Correspondence: Xin Wei Wang, National Cancer Institute, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 3044A, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; ; Phone: 240-760-6858; Fax: 240-541-4496
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190
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The clinical implications of G1-G6 transcriptomic signature and 5-gene score in Korean patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:571. [PMID: 29776391 PMCID: PMC5960090 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4192-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts have been made to classify Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) at surgically curable stages because molecular classification, which is prognostically informative, can accurately identify patients in need of additional early therapeutic interventions. Recently, HCC classification based French studies on the expression of 16 genes and 5 genes were proposed. In 16-gene classification, transcriptomic signatures (G1-G6) were used to classify HCC patients into clinical, genomic and pathway-specific subgroups. In 5-gene score classification, the good or poor prognosis of HCC patients was predicted. The patient's cohort in these studies was mainly from Caucasian and African populations. Here, we aimed to validate G1-G6 and 5-gene score signatures in 205 Korean HCC patients since genomic profiles of Korean patients are distinct from other regions. METHODS Integrated analyses using whole-exome sequencing, copy number variation and clinical data was performed against these two signatures to find statistical correlations. Kaplan-Meier, univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis were performed for Disease-Specific Survival (DSS) and Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS). RESULTS The G2 and G3 subgroups of transcriptomic signature were significantly associated with TP53 mutations while G5 and G6 subgroups were significantly associated with CTNNB1 mutations which is in concordance with original French studies. Similarly, the poor prognosis group of 5-gene score showed shorter DSS (p = 0.045) and early RFS (p = 0.023) as well as a significant association with microvascular invasion, tumor size (> 5 cm), elevated AFP levels, and RB1 mutations. However, the 5-gene score was not an independent prognostic factor for survival. CONCLUSION The G1-G6 and 5-gene signatures showed significant concordance between genetic profiles of Korean HCC patients and patients in original French studies. Thus, G1-G6 and 5-gene score signatures can be targeted as potential therapeutic biomarkers against HCC patients worldwide.
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191
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Jondal DE, Thompson SM, Butters KA, Knudsen BE, Anderson JL, Carter RE, Roberts LR, Callstrom MR, Woodrum DA. Heat Stress and Hepatic Laser Thermal Ablation Induce Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth: Role of PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling. Radiology 2018; 288:730-738. [PMID: 29737948 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2018172944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To determine if heat stress and hepatic laser thermal ablation induce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth and to identify growth factors induced by heat stress. Materials and Methods Non-heat-stressed HCC cells were cocultured with HCC cells or hepatocytes that were heat stressed at 37°C (physiologic), 45°C (moderate), or 50°C (severe) for 10 minutes and proliferation monitored with bioluminescence imaging for up to 6 days after heat stress (three experiments). Rats bearing orthotopic N1S1 HCC were randomly assigned to undergo immediate sham or laser thermal (3 W for 60 or 90 seconds; hereafter, 3W×60s and 3W×90s, respectively) ablation of the median (local) or left (distant) hepatic lobe, and tumor growth was monitored with magnetic resonance imaging for up to 18 days after ablation (six or more rats per group). Experiments were repeated with rats randomly assigned to receive either the adjuvant phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor (NVP-BEZ235) or the vehicle control. Heat-stressed HCC cells and hepatocytes were analyzed by using microarray or quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis for growth factor expression (three or more experiments). Groups were compared by using one- or two-way analysis of variance, and post hoc pairwise comparison was performed with the Dunnett test. Results There were more non-heat-stressed HCC cells when cells were cocultured with cells subjected to moderate but not physiologic or severe heat stress (P < .001 for both). Local intrahepatic N1S1 tumors were larger at day 18 in the 3W×60s (mean, 3102 mm3 ± 463 [standard error]; P = .004) and 3W×90s (mean, 3538 mm3 ± 667; P < .001) groups than in the sham group (mean, 1363 mm3 ± 361) but not in distant intrahepatic tumors (P = .31). Adjuvant BEZ235 resulted in smaller N1S1 tumors in the BEZ235 and laser thermal ablation group than in the vehicle control and laser thermal ablation group (mean, 1731 mm3 ± 1457 vs 3844 mm3 ± 2400, P < .001). Moderate heat stress induced expression of growth factors in HCC cells and hepatocytes, including heparin-binding growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 21, and nerve growth factor (range, 2.9-66.9-fold; P < .05). Conclusion Moderate heat stress and laser thermal ablation induce hepatocellular carcinoma growth, which is prevented with adjuvant PI3K/mTOR/protein kinase B inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle E Jondal
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Scott M Thompson
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Kim A Butters
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Bruce E Knudsen
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Jill L Anderson
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Rickey E Carter
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Lewis R Roberts
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - Matthew R Callstrom
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
| | - David A Woodrum
- From the Department of Radiology (D.E.J., S.M.T., K.A.B., B.E.K., J.L.A., M.R.C., D.A.W.) and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (L.R.R.), Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905; and Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jacksonville, Fla (R.E.C.)
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192
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Hernandez C, Huebener P, Pradere JP, Antoine DJ, Friedman RA, Schwabe RF. HMGB1 links chronic liver injury to progenitor responses and hepatocarcinogenesis. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:2436-2451. [PMID: 29558367 DOI: 10.1172/jci91786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell death is a key driver of disease progression and carcinogenesis in chronic liver disease (CLD), highlighted by the well-established clinical correlation between hepatocellular death and risk for the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, hepatocellular death is sufficient to trigger fibrosis and HCC in mice. However, the pathways through which cell death drives CLD progression remain elusive. Here, we tested the hypothesis that high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) with key roles in acute liver injury, may link cell death to injury responses and hepatocarcinogenesis in CLD. While liver-specific HMGB1 deficiency did not significantly affect chronic injury responses such as fibrosis, regeneration, and inflammation, it inhibited ductular/progenitor cell expansion and hepatocyte metaplasia. HMGB1 promoted ductular expansion independently of active secretion in a nonautonomous fashion, consistent with its role as a DAMP. Liver-specific HMGB1 deficiency reduced HCC development in 3 mouse models of chronic injury but not in a model lacking chronic liver injury. As with CLD, HMGB1 ablation reduced the expression of progenitor and oncofetal markers, a key determinant of HCC aggressiveness, in tumors. In summary, HMGB1 links hepatocyte death to ductular reaction, progenitor signature, and hepatocarcinogenesis in CLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Peter Huebener
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jean-Philippe Pradere
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1048, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, Toulouse, France
| | - Daniel J Antoine
- MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Friedman
- Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robert F Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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193
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Oh SC, Sohn BH, Cheong JH, Kim SB, Lee JE, Park KC, Lee SH, Park JL, Park YY, Lee HS, Jang HJ, Park ES, Kim SC, Heo J, Chu IS, Jang YJ, Mok YJ, Jung W, Kim BH, Kim A, Cho JY, Lim JY, Hayashi Y, Song S, Elimova E, Estralla JS, Lee JH, Bhutani MS, Lu Y, Liu W, Lee J, Kang WK, Kim S, Noh SH, Mills GB, Kim SY, Ajani JA, Lee JS. Clinical and genomic landscape of gastric cancer with a mesenchymal phenotype. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1777. [PMID: 29725014 PMCID: PMC5934392 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04179-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous cancer, making treatment responses difficult to predict. Here we show that we identify two distinct molecular subtypes, mesenchymal phenotype (MP) and epithelial phenotype (EP), by analyzing genomic and proteomic data. Molecularly, MP subtype tumors show high genomic integrity characterized by low mutation rates and microsatellite stability, whereas EP subtype tumors show low genomic integrity. Clinically, the MP subtype is associated with markedly poor survival and resistance to standard chemotherapy, whereas the EP subtype is associated with better survival rates and sensitivity to chemotherapy. Integrative analysis shows that signaling pathways driving epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)/IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) pathway are highly activated in MP subtype tumors. Importantly, MP subtype cancer cells are more sensitive to inhibition of IGF1/IGF1R pathway than EP subtype. Detailed characterization of these two subtypes could identify novel therapeutic targets and useful biomarkers for prognosis and therapy response. The prognosis and treatment of gastric cancer is complicated by heterogeneity. Here, the authors reveal two molecular subtypes, the mesenchymal subtype associated with poor survival and chemoresistance, and the epithelial phenotype associated with better survival and sensitivity to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Cheul Oh
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - Bo Hwa Sohn
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jae-Ho Cheong
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Sang-Bae Kim
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jae Eun Lee
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Ki Cheong Park
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Sang Ho Lee
- Department of Surgery, Kosin University, College of Medicine, Busan, 49267, Korea
| | - Jong-Lyul Park
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Yun-Yong Park
- Department of Medicine, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, 05505, Korea
| | - Hyun-Sung Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hee-Jin Jang
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Eun Sung Park
- Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Korea
| | - Sang-Cheol Kim
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Genome Science, National Institute of Health, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Jeonghoon Heo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Kosin University, College of Medicine, Busan, 49267, Korea
| | - In-Sun Chu
- Korean Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - You-Jin Jang
- Department of Surgery, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - Young-Jae Mok
- Department of Surgery, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - WonKyung Jung
- Department of Surgery, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - Baek-Hui Kim
- Department of Pathology, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - Aeree Kim
- Department of Pathology, Guro Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 08308, Korea
| | - Jae Yong Cho
- Medical Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Jae Yun Lim
- Medical Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Yuki Hayashi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shumei Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Elena Elimova
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jeannelyn S Estralla
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Lee
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Manoop S Bhutani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yiling Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Wenbin Liu
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jeeyun Lee
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06351, Korea
| | - Won Ki Kang
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06351, Korea
| | - Sung Kim
- Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06351, Korea
| | - Sung Hoon Noh
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Seon-Young Kim
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Jaffer A Ajani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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194
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Seino S, Tsuchiya A, Watanabe Y, Kawata Y, Kojima Y, Ikarashi S, Yanai H, Nakamura K, Kumaki D, Hirano M, Funakoshi K, Aono T, Sakai T, Sakata J, Takamura M, Kawai H, Yamagiwa S, Wakai T, Terai S. Clinical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma can be predicted by the expression of hepatic progenitor cell markers and serum tumour markers. Oncotarget 2018; 9:21844-21860. [PMID: 29774107 PMCID: PMC5955154 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The high heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) complicates stratification of HCC patients for treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive panel of HCC biomarkers related to tumour behaviour and cancer prognosis. Resected HCCs from 251 patients were stained for hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1), and cytokeratin 19 (CK19). Staining patterns were analysed for their prognostic association with relapse-free survival and overall survival. α-Fetoprotein (AFP), lectin-reactive α-fetoprotein (AFP-L3), and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) were assessed as indicators of HPC protein expression. Expression pattern of HPC markers correlated with tumour malignancy indicated by high AFP/AFP-L3 serum levels, more frequent vascular invasion, and poorer tumour differentiation. EpCAM expression, DCP ≥300 mAU/ml, age ≥60, and Child-Pugh score grade B or C were independent prognostic factors of poor outcome and were used in a new scoring system for HCC prognosis after operation. Expression of two or more HPC markers was a significant predictor of poor HCC outcome and serum levels of AFP/AFP-L3 correlated with the expression of HPC proteins. Our study paved the way for further elucidation of the association among HPC markers, serum tumour markers, and HCC clinical outcome for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Seino
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Atsunori Tsuchiya
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yusuke Watanabe
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yuzo Kawata
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yuichi Kojima
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Shunzo Ikarashi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Yanai
- Drug Discovery Laboratories, Chiome Bioscience Inc., 907 Nogawa, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa 216-0001, Japan
| | - Koji Nakamura
- Drug Discovery Laboratories, Chiome Bioscience Inc., 907 Nogawa, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa 216-0001, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kumaki
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Niigata Prefectural Central Hospital, Joetsu-Shi, Niigata 943-0147, Japan
| | - Masaaki Hirano
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Niigata Prefectural Central Hospital, Joetsu-Shi, Niigata 943-0147, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Funakoshi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Niigata Prefectural Central Hospital, Joetsu-Shi, Niigata 943-0147, Japan
| | - Takashi Aono
- Division of Surgery, Niigata Prefectural Central Hospital, Joetsu-Shi, Niigata 943-0147, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakai
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Niigata Prefectural Central Hospital, Joetsu-Shi, Niigata 943-0147, Japan
| | - Jun Sakata
- Division of Digestive and General Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Masaaki Takamura
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kawai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamagiwa
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Wakai
- Division of Digestive and General Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Shuji Terai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Chuo-Ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
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195
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Erstad DJ, Fuchs BC, Tanabe KK. Molecular signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma: A step toward rationally designed cancer therapy. Cancer 2018; 124:3084-3104. [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Derek J. Erstad
- Department of SurgeryMassachusetts General HospitalBoston Massachusetts
| | - Bryan C. Fuchs
- Division of Surgical OncologyMassachusetts General HospitalBoston Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth K. Tanabe
- Division of Surgical OncologyMassachusetts General HospitalBoston Massachusetts
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196
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Sequera C, Manzano S, Guerrero C, Porras A. How Rap and its GEFs control liver physiology and cancer development. C3G alterations in human hepatocarcinoma. Hepat Oncol 2018; 5:HEP05. [PMID: 30302196 PMCID: PMC6168044 DOI: 10.2217/hep-2017-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rap proteins regulate liver physiopathology. For example, Rap2B promotes hepatocarcinoma (HCC) growth, while Rap1 might play a dual role. The RapGEF, Epac1, activates Rap upon cAMP binding, regulating metabolism, survival, and liver regeneration. A liver specific Epac2 isoform lacking cAMP-binding domain also activates Rap1, promoting fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease. C3G (RapGEF1) is also present in the liver, but mainly as shorter isoforms. Its function in the liver remains unknown. Information from different public genetic databases revealed that C3G mRNA levels increase in HCC, although they decrease in metastatic stages. In addition, several mutations in RapGEF1 gene are present, associated with a reduced patient survival. Based on this, C3G might represent a new HCC diagnostic and prognostic marker, and a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Sequera
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Manzano
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Guerrero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, USAL-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, USAL-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Almudena Porras
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
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197
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Rhee H, Kim HY, Choi JH, Woo HG, Yoo JE, Nahm JH, Choi JS, Park YN. Keratin 19 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Regulated by Fibroblast-Derived HGF via a MET-ERK1/2-AP1 and SP1 Axis. Cancer Res 2018; 78:1619-1631. [PMID: 29363547 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Keratin (KRT) 19 is a poor prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, regulatory mechanisms underlying its expression remain unclear. We have previously reported the presence of fibrous tumor stroma in KRT19-positive HCC, suggesting that cross-talk between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) and tumor epithelial cells could regulate KRT19 expression. This was investigated in this study using an in vitro model of paracrine interaction between HCC cell lines (HepG2, SNU423) and hepatic stellate cells (HSC), a major source of hepatic myofibroblasts. HSCs upregulated transcription and translation of KRT19 in HCC cells via paracrine interactions. Mechanistically, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) from HSCs activated c-MET and the MEK-ERK1/2 pathway, which upregulated KRT19 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, AP1 (JUN/FOSL1) and SP1, downstream transcriptional activators of ERK1/2, activated KRT19 expression in HCC cells. In clinical specimens of human HCC (n = 339), HGF and KRT19 protein expression correlated with CAF levels. In addition, HGF or MET protein expression was associated with FOSL1 and KRT19 expression and was found to be a poor prognostic factor. Analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas also revealed KRT19 expression was closely associated with CAF and MET-mediated signaling activities. These results provide insights into the molecular background of KRT19-positive HCC that display an aggressive phenotype.Significance: These findings reveal KRT19 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma is regulated by cross-talk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and HCC cells, illuminating new therapeutic targets for this aggressive disease. Cancer Res; 78(7); 1619-31. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyungjin Rhee
- Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Integrated Genomic Research Center for Metabolic Regulation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye-Young Kim
- Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Integrated Genomic Research Center for Metabolic Regulation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji-Hye Choi
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hyun Goo Woo
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Jeong Eun Yoo
- Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Integrated Genomic Research Center for Metabolic Regulation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Hae Nahm
- Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Integrated Genomic Research Center for Metabolic Regulation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin-Sub Choi
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Nyun Park
- Department of Pathology, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Integrated Genomic Research Center for Metabolic Regulation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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198
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Xue Y, Mars WM, Bowen W, Singhi AD, Stoops J, Michalopoulos GK. Hepatitis C Virus Mimics Effects of Glypican-3 on CD81 and Promotes Development of Hepatocellular Carcinomas via Activation of Hippo Pathway in Hepatocytes. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:1469-1477. [PMID: 29577937 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glypican (GPC)-3 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). GPC3 binds to CD81. Forced expression of CD81 in a GPC3-expressing HCC cell line caused activation of Hippo, a decrease in ezrin phosphorylation, and a decrease in yes-associated protein (YAP). CD81 is also associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry into hepatocytes. Activation of CD81 by agonistic antibody causes activation of tyrosine-protein kinase SYK (SYK) and phosphorylation of ezrin, a regulator of the Hippo pathway. In cultures of normal hepatocytes, CD81 agonistic antibody led to enhanced phosphorylation of ezrin and an increase in nuclear YAP. HCV E2 protein mimicked GPC3 and led to enhanced Hippo activity and decreased YAP in cultured normal human hepatocytes. HCC tissue microarray revealed a lack of expression of CD81 in most HCCs, rendering them insusceptible to HCV infection. Activation of CD81 by agonistic antibody suppressed the Hippo pathway and increased nuclear YAP. HCV mimicked GPC3, causing Hippo activation and a decrease in YAP. HCV is thus likely to enhance hepatic neoplasia by acting as a promoter of growth of early CD81-negative neoplastic hepatocytes, which are resistant to HCV infection, and thus have a proliferative advantage to clonally expand as they participate in compensatory regeneration for the required maintenance of 100% of liver weight (hepatostat).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Xue
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Wendy M Mars
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - William Bowen
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Aatur D Singhi
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - John Stoops
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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199
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Ahn JH, Lee HS, Lee JS, Lee YS, Park JL, Kim SY, Hwang JA, Kunkeaw N, Jung SY, Kim TJ, Lee KS, Jeon SH, Lee I, Johnson BH, Choi JH, Lee YS. nc886 is induced by TGF-β and suppresses the microRNA pathway in ovarian cancer. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1166. [PMID: 29563500 PMCID: PMC5862949 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03556-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling and microRNAs (miRNAs) are important gene regulatory components in cancer. Usually in advanced malignant stages, TGF-β signaling is elevated but global miRNA expression is suppressed. Such a gene expression signature is well illustrated in a fibrosis (or mesenchymal) subtype of ovarian cancer (OC) that is of poor prognosis. However, the interplay between the two pathways in the OC subtype has not yet been elucidated. nc886 is a recently identified non-coding RNA implicated in several malignancies. The high expression of nc886 is associated with poor prognosis in 285 OC patients. Herein, we find that in OC nc886 expression is induced by TGF-β and that nc886 binds to Dicer to inhibit miRNA maturation. By preventing the miRNA pathway, nc886 emulates TGF-β in gene expression patterns and potentiates cell adhesion, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. Here we report nc886 to be a molecular link between the TGF-β and miRNA pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hye Ahn
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Hyun-Sung Lee
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yeon-Su Lee
- Rare Cancer Branch, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408, Korea
| | - Jong-Lyul Park
- Medical Genomics Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Seon-Young Kim
- Medical Genomics Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Jung-Ah Hwang
- Genomics Core Laboratory, Omics Core Laboratory, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408, Korea
| | - Nawapol Kunkeaw
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555-1072, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Sung Yun Jung
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Tae Jin Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, College of Medicine Dankook University, Seoul, 04619, Korea
| | - Kwang-Soo Lee
- Department of Life Science and Center for Aging and Health Care, Hallym University, Chuncheon, 24252, Korea
| | - Sung Ho Jeon
- Department of Life Science and Center for Aging and Health Care, Hallym University, Chuncheon, 24252, Korea
| | | | - Betty H Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555-1072, USA
| | - Jung-Hye Choi
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea.
| | - Yong Sun Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555-1072, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408, Korea.
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200
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Xie K, Xu L, Wu H, Liao H, Luo L, Liao M, Gong J, Deng Y, Yuan K, Wu H, Zeng Y. OX40 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with a distinct immune microenvironment, specific mutation signature, and poor prognosis. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1404214. [PMID: 29632718 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2017.1404214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 11/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy's effect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is hampered by immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. We assessed the clinicopathologic and biologic relevance of OX40, a costimulatory molecular expressed by regulatory T cells (Tregs), in HCC. We analyzed the immunohistochemistry data of 316 patients treated at West China Hospital (WCH) and the RNA sequencing data of 370 patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to determine the clinicopathologic significance of OX40 in HCC. We also assessed associations between OX40 and multiple immune-related markers. Using the TCGA data, we further characterized the transcriptome, immune cell functions, and mutation signature related to OX40. We found that OX40 expression was higher in HCC than in adjacent liver tissue. In the WCH set, 136 (43%) patients had high-OX40 expression, whereas in the TCGA set, 247 (67%) patients had high-OX40 expression as determined by the X-tile program. High-OX40 expression was associated with high serum alpha-fetoprotein level, vascular invasion, and shorter survival. The prognostic significance of OX40 was validated in additional cohorts. OX40 expression was also associated with CD8A, CD68, LAG3, TIM-3, and PD-1 expression. High-OX40 expression tumors were characterized by upregulated cytokines and exhaustion-specific markers. Analysis of the enrichment data of immune cell types indicated that OX40 expression was associated with the functions of macrophages, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and co-inhibitory T cells. Finally, high-and low-OX40 expressions were associated with mutations in AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling, respectively. These results indicate that high-OX40 expression represents the activation of multiple immunosuppressive pathways and provide a rationale for the therapeutic targeting OX40 in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunlin Xie
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical university, Chongqing, China
| | - Haotian Liao
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingheng Liao
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianping Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical university, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Deng
- Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kefei Yuan
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong Zeng
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Laboratory of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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