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Kakehashi A, Suzuki S, Wanibuchi H. Recent Insights into the Biomarkers, Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis-Driven Hepatocarcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4566. [PMID: 37760534 PMCID: PMC10527326 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH) are chronic hepatic conditions leading to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. According to the recent "multiple-parallel-hits hypothesis", NASH could be caused by abnormal metabolism, accumulation of lipids, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses and is found in obese and non-obese patients. Recent translational research studies have discovered new proteins and signaling pathways that are involved not only in the development of NAFLD but also in its progression to NASH, cirrhosis, and HCC. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of HCC developing from precancerous lesions have not yet been fully elucidated. Now, it is of particular importance to start research focusing on the discovery of novel molecular pathways that mediate alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, which leads to the development of liver steatosis. The role of mTOR signaling in NASH progression to HCC has recently attracted attention. The goals of this review are (1) to highlight recent research on novel genetic and protein contributions to NAFLD/NASH; (2) to investigate how recent scientific findings might outline the process that causes NASH-associated HCC; and (3) to explore the reliable biomarkers/targets of NAFLD/NASH-associated hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kakehashi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan; (S.S.); (H.W.)
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Gallage S, Avila JEB, Ramadori P, Focaccia E, Rahbari M, Ali A, Malek NP, Anstee QM, Heikenwalder M. A researcher's guide to preclinical mouse NASH models. Nat Metab 2022; 4:1632-1649. [PMID: 36539621 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00700-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its inflammatory form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), have quickly risen to become the most prevalent chronic liver disease in the Western world and are risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is not only one of the most common cancers but is also highly lethal. Nevertheless, there are currently no clinically approved drugs for NAFLD, and NASH-induced HCC poses a unique metabolic microenvironment that may influence responsiveness to certain treatments. Therefore, there is an urgent need to better understand the pathogenesis of this rampant disease to devise new therapies. In this line, preclinical mouse models are crucial tools to investigate mechanisms as well as novel treatment modalities during the pathogenesis of NASH and subsequent HCC in preparation for human clinical trials. Although, there are numerous genetically induced, diet-induced and toxin-induced models of NASH, not all of these models faithfully phenocopy and mirror the human pathology very well. In this Perspective, we shed some light onto the most widely used mouse models of NASH and highlight some of the key advantages and disadvantages of the various models with an emphasis on 'Western diets', which are increasingly recognized as some of the best models in recapitulating the human NASH pathology and comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchira Gallage
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- The M3 Research Institute, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Jose Efren Barragan Avila
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pierluigi Ramadori
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Enrico Focaccia
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohammad Rahbari
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adnan Ali
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nisar P Malek
- The M3 Research Institute, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department Internal Medicine I, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Quentin M Anstee
- Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- The M3 Research Institute, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
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