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Wu X, Shen Y, Meng Y, Chen J, Zhang Y, Zeng S, Xu H. Suv39h1 contributes to activation of hepatic stellate cells in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by enabling anaerobic glycolysis. Life Sci 2024; 341:122498. [PMID: 38340980 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a global epidemic. Excessive fibrogenesis, characterized by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is a hallmark event in late stages of NAFLD. HSC activation is metabolically programmed by anaerobic glycolysis. In the present study we investigated the involvement of suppressor of variegation 3-9 homolog 1 (Suv39h1), a lysine methyltransferase, in NAFLD-associated liver fibrosis. METHODS AND MATERIALS Liver fibrosis was induced by feeding the mice with a methionine-and-choline deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks. RESULTS We report that germline deletion of Suv39h1 attenuated liver fibrosis in mice fed an MCD diet. In addition, HSC conditional deletion of Suv39h1 similarly ameliorated liver fibrosis in the NAFLD mice. Interestingly, co-culturing with hepatocytes exposed to palmitate promoted glycolysis in wild type HSCs but not in Suv39h1 deficient HSCs. Mechanistically, Suv39h1 facilitated the recruitment of hypoxia induced factor (HIF-1α) to stimulate the transcription of hexokinase 2 (HK2) in HSCs thereby enhancing glycolysis. Importantly, a positive correlation between Suv39h1, HK2, and myofibroblast markers was identified in liver specimens from NAFLD patients. SIGNIFICANCE In conclusion, our data identify a novel pathway that contributes to the liver fibrosis and points to the possibility of targeting Suv39h1 for the intervention of liver fibrosis in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wu
- School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuzhou Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Third People's Hospital, Kunshan, China
| | - Yufei Meng
- School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinsi Chen
- School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongchen Zhang
- School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Zeng
- Stem Cell Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Huihui Xu
- Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Translational Medicine, Department of Pathophysiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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2
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Zhao X, Wang Y, Xia H, Liu S, Huang Z, He R, Yu L, Meng N, Wang H, You J, Li J, Yam JWP, Xu Y, Cui Y. Roles and Molecular Mechanisms of Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Microvascular Invasion: A Review. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2023; 11:1170-1183. [PMID: 37577231 PMCID: PMC10412705 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2022.00013s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being a leading cause of cancer-related death, has high associated mortality and recurrence rates. It has been of great necessity and urgency to find effective HCC diagnosis and treatment measures. Studies have shown that microvascular invasion (MVI) is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis after hepatectomy. The abnormal expression of biomacromolecules such as circ-RNAs, lncRNAs, STIP1, and PD-L1 in HCC patients is strongly correlated with MVI. Deregulation of several markers mentioned in this review affects the proliferation, invasion, metastasis, EMT, and anti-apoptotic processes of HCC cells through multiple complex mechanisms. Therefore, these biomarkers may have an important clinical role and serve as promising interventional targets for HCC. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the functions and regulatory mechanisms of MVI-related biomarkers in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Zhao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yudan Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haoming Xia
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shuqiang Liu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ziyue Huang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Risheng He
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Liang Yu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nanfeng Meng
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hang Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Junqi You
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinglin Li
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Judy Wai Ping Yam
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Functional and Clinical Translational Medicine, Fujian Province University, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Tumor Targeted Nano Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Pharmacy and Individualized Therapy of Huzhou, Department of Pharmacy, Changxing People’s Hospital, Changxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yunfu Cui
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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3
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Uppala SN, Tryphena KP, Naren P, Srivastava S, Singh SB, Khatri DK. Involvement of miRNA on Epigenetics landscape of Parkinson's disease: From pathogenesis to therapeutics. Mech Ageing Dev 2023:111826. [PMID: 37268278 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The development of novel therapeutics for the effective management of Parkinson's disease (PD) is undertaken seriously by the scientific community as the burden of PD continues to increase. Several molecular pathways are being explored to identify novel therapeutic targets. Epigenetics is strongly implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) including PD. Several epigenetic mechanisms were found to dysregulated in various studies. These mechanisms are regulated by several miRNAs which are associated with a variety of pathogenic mechanisms in PD. This concept is extensively investigated in several cancers but not well documented in PD. Identifying the miRNAs with dual role i.e., regulation of epigenetic mechanisms as well as modulation of proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of PD could pave way for the development of novel therapeutics to target them. These miRNAs could also serve as potential biomarkers and can be useful in the early diagnosis or assessment of disease severity. In this article we would like to discuss about various epigenetic changes operating in PD and how miRNAs are involved in the regulation of these mechanisms and their potential to be novel therapeutic targets in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Nikhil Uppala
- Molecular and cellular neuroscience lab, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037
| | - Kamatham Pushpa Tryphena
- Molecular and cellular neuroscience lab, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037
| | - Padmashri Naren
- Molecular and cellular neuroscience lab, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037
| | - Saurabh Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037
| | - Shashi Bala Singh
- Molecular and cellular neuroscience lab, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037.
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Khatri
- Molecular and cellular neuroscience lab, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)- Hyderabad, Telangana-500037.
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4
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Ji L, Zhang Q, Cao Y, Liu L. A prognostic risk model, tumor immune environment modulation, and drug prediction of ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hum Cell 2023; 36:1173-1189. [PMID: 36892792 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00885-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is challenging due to its heterogeneity. Ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism have been shown to be closely related to HCC. We obtained HCC-related expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. We then crossed differentially expressed genes (DEGs), amino acid metabolism genes, and ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to obtain amino acid metabolism-ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (AAM-FR DEGs). Moreover, we developed a prognostic model using Cox analysis, followed by a correlation analysis of risk scores with clinical characteristics. We also performed an immune microenvironment analysis and drug sensitivity analysis. Finally, the expression levels of model genes were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical assays. We found that the 18 AAM-FR DEGs were mainly enriched to the alpha-amino acid metabolic process and amino acid biosynthesis pathways. Cox analysis identified CBS, GPT2, SUV39H1, and TXNRD1 as prognostic biomarkers for the risk model construction. Our results showed that the risk scores differed between pathology stage, pathology T stage, and HBV, and the number of HCC patients in the two groups. In addition, the expression of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 was high in the high-risk group, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of sorafenib also differed between the two groups. Finally, the experimental validation demonstrated that the expression of biomarkers was consistent with the study analysis. Therefore, in this study, we constructed and validated a prognostic model (CBS, GPT2, SUV39H1, and TXNRD1) related to ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism and examined their prognostic value for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Digestive Oncology, Cancer Center, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- Experimental Center of Science and Research, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yumeng Cao
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Lixin Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China.
- Experimental Center of Science and Research, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
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5
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Dong Y, Hu H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Sun X, Wang H, Kan W, Tan MJ, Shi H, Zang Y, Li J. Phosphorylation of PHF2 by AMPK releases the repressive H3K9me2 and inhibits cancer metastasis. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:95. [PMID: 36872368 PMCID: PMC9986243 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in cancer metastasis, accompanied with vast epigenetic changes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, plays regulatory roles in multiple biological processes. Although a few studies have shed light on AMPK regulating cancer metastasis, the inside epigenetic mechanisms remain unknown. Herein we show that AMPK activation by metformin relieves the repressive H3K9me2-mediated silencing of epithelial genes (e.g., CDH1) during EMT processes and inhibits lung cancer metastasis. PHF2, a H3K9me2 demethylase, was identified to interact with AMPKα2. Genetic deletion of PHF2 aggravates lung cancer metastasis and abolishes the H3K9me2 downregulation and anti-metastasis effect of metformin. Mechanistically, AMPK phosphorylates PHF2 at S655 site, enhancing PHF2 demethylation activity and triggering the transcription of CDH1. Furthermore, the PHF2-S655E mutant that mimics AMPK-mediated phosphorylation status further reduces H3K9me2 and suppresses lung cancer metastasis, while PHF2-S655A mutant presents opposite phenotype and reverses the anti-metastasis effect of metformin. PHF2-S655 phosphorylation strikingly reduces in lung cancer patients and the higher phosphorylation level predicts better survival. Altogether, we reveal the mechanism of AMPK inhibiting lung cancer metastasis via PHF2 mediated H3K9me2 demethylation, thereby promoting the clinical application of metformin and highlighting PHF2 as the potential epigenetic target in cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunkai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Hanlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Weijuan Kan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Min-Jia Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hong Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Yi Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,Lingang laboratory, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China. .,Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, 264117, China. .,Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), 1 Wenhai Road, Aoshanwei, Jimo, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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6
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Papadimitriou MA, Panoutsopoulou K, Pilala KM, Scorilas A, Avgeris M. Epi-miRNAs: Modern mediators of methylation status in human cancers. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1735. [PMID: 35580998 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Methylation of the fundamental macromolecules, DNA/RNA, and proteins, is remarkably abundant, evolutionarily conserved, and functionally significant in cellular homeostasis and normal tissue/organism development. Disrupted methylation imprinting is strongly linked to loss of the physiological equilibrium and numerous human pathologies, and most importantly to carcinogenesis, tumor heterogeneity, and cancer progression. Mounting recent evidence has documented the active implication of miRNAs in the orchestration of the multicomponent cellular methylation machineries and the deregulation of methylation profile in the epigenetic, epitranscriptomic, and epiproteomic levels during cancer onset and progression. The elucidation of such regulatory networks between the miRNome and the cellular methylation machineries has led to the emergence of a novel subclass of miRNAs, namely "epi-miRNAs" or "epi-miRs." Herein, we have summarized the existing knowledge on the functional role of epi-miRs in the methylation dynamic landscape of human cancers and their clinical utility in modern cancer diagnostics and tailored therapeutics. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Alexandra Papadimitriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Panoutsopoulou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina-Marina Pilala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry - Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "P. & A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
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7
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Tanaka M, Harada H, Kimura H. The role of H3K9me3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 640:56-63. [PMID: 36502632 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.11.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Carcinogenesis is often associated with alteration of epigenetic marks, including histone modifications. The global level and local distribution of specific histone modifications have been revealed to be prognostic factors in many cancers. However, the functional roles of histone modifications in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unclear. This study investigates the levels of various histone modifications in 6 types of OSCC cell lines. We found that the level of H3K9me3 was significantly high in metastatic cell lines. In addition, the loss of H3K9me3 by SUV39H1 and SUV39H2 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation and cell migration. Our results indicate that a high level of H3K9me3 could be a marker of metastasis and possibly a therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misako Tanaka
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Oncology, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan; School of Life Science and Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan; Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Harada
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Oncology, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- School of Life Science and Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan; Cell Biology Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan.
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8
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Tao S, Liang S, Zeng T, Yin D. Epigenetic modification-related mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma resistance to immune checkpoint inhibition. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1043667. [PMID: 36685594 PMCID: PMC9845774 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1043667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes most primary liver cancers and is one of the most lethal and life-threatening malignancies globally. Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of HCC patients are identified at an advanced stage that is unavailable for curative surgery. Thus, palliative therapies represented by multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) sorafenib remained the front-line treatment over the past decades. Recently, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially targeting the PD-1/PD-L1/CTLA-4 axis, has achieved an inspiring clinical breakthrough for treating unresectable solid tumors. However, many HCC patients with poor responses lead to limited benefits in clinical applications, which has quickly drawn researchers' attention to the regulatory mechanisms of immune checkpoints in HCC immune evasion. Evasion of immune surveillance by cancer is attributed to intricate reprogramming modulation in the tumor microenvironment. Currently, more and more studies have found that epigenetic modifications, such as chromatin structure remodeling, DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and non-coding RNA levels, may contribute significantly to remodeling the tumor microenvironment to avoid immune clearance, affecting the efficacy of immunotherapy for HCC. This review summarizes the rapidly emerging progress of epigenetic-related changes during HCC resistance to ICIs and discusses the mechanisms of underlying epigenetic therapies available for surmounting immune resistance. Finally, we summarize the clinical advances in combining epigenetic therapies with immunotherapy, aiming to promote the formation of immune combination therapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwei Tao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shuhang Liang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Taofei Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dalong Yin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
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9
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Ince V, Sahin TT, Akbulut S, Yilmaz S. Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: Historical evolution of transplantation criteria. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:10413-10427. [PMID: 36312504 PMCID: PMC9602233 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i29.10413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma is still a hot topic, and the main factor that is associated with the success of treatment is to determine the patients who will benefit from LT. Milan criteria have been defined 25 years ago and still is being used for patient selection for LT. However, in living donor LT, the Milan criteria is being extended. Current criteria for patient selection do not only consider morphologic characteristics such as tumor size and number of tumor nodules but also biologic markers that show tumor aggressiveness is also being considered. In the present review article, we have summarized all the criteria and scoring systems regarding LT for hepatocellular carcinoma. All criteria have 5-year overall survival rates that were comparable to the Milan Criteria and ranged between 60%-85%. On the other hand, it was seen that the recurrence rates had increased as the Milan criteria were exceeded; the 5-year recurrence rates ranged between 4.9% to 39.9%. Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma needs a multidisciplinary approach. Ideal selection criteria are yet to be discovered. The same is true for treatment modalities. The goal will be achieved by a harmonic interplay between basic science researchers and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volkan Ince
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Tevfik Tolga Sahin
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Sami Akbulut
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Sezai Yilmaz
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
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10
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Mettl3-mediated mRNA m 6A modification controls postnatal liver development by modulating the transcription factor Hnf4a. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4555. [PMID: 35931692 PMCID: PMC9355946 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32169-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic specification and functional maturation are tightly controlled throughout development. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant RNA modification of eukaryotic mRNAs and is involved in various physiological and pathological processes. However, the function of m6A in liver development remains elusive. Here we dissect the role of Mettl3-mediated m6A modification in postnatal liver development and homeostasis. Knocking out Mettl3 perinatally with Alb-Cre (Mettl3 cKO) induces apoptosis and steatosis of hepatocytes, results in severe liver injury, and finally leads to postnatal lethality within 7 weeks. m6A-RIP sequencing and RNA-sequencing reveal that mRNAs of a series of crucial liver-enriched transcription factors are modified by m6A, including Hnf4a, a master regulator for hepatic parenchymal formation. Deleting Mettl3 reduces m6A modification on Hnf4a, decreases its transcript stability in an Igf2bp1-dependent manner, and down-regulates Hnf4a expression, while overexpressing Hnf4a with AAV8 alleviates the liver injury and prolongs the lifespan of Mettl3 cKO mice. However, knocking out Mettl3 in adults using Alb-CreERT2 does not affect liver homeostasis. Our study identifies a dynamic role of Mettl3-mediated RNA m6A modification in liver development. m6A is the most abundant RNA modification of eukaryotic mRNAs and is involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Here the authors show a role for Mettl3-mediated RNA m6A modification in postnatal liver development by regulating the Hnf4a-centered transcriptional network
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11
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Braghini MR, Lo Re O, Romito I, Fernandez-Barrena MG, Barbaro B, Pomella S, Rota R, Vinciguerra M, Avila MA, Alisi A. Epigenetic remodelling in human hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:107. [PMID: 35331312 PMCID: PMC8943959 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02297-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver cancer, being the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. As other heterogeneous solid tumours, HCC results from a unique synergistic combination of genetic alterations mixed with epigenetic modifications.In HCC the patterns and frequencies of somatic variations change depending on the nearby chromatin. On the other hand, epigenetic alterations often induce genomic instability prone to mutations. Epigenetics refers to heritable states of gene expression without alteration to the DNA sequence itself and, unlike genetic changes, the epigenetic modifications are reversible and affect gene expression more extensively than genetic changes. Thus, studies of epigenetic regulation and the involved molecular machinery are greatly contributing to the understanding of the mechanisms that underline HCC onset and heterogeneity. Moreover, this knowledge may help to identify biomarkers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, as well as future new targets for more efficacious therapeutic approaches.In this comprehensive review we will discuss the state-of-the-art knowledge about the epigenetic landscape in hepatocarcinogenesis, including evidence on the diagnostic and prognostic role of non-coding RNAs, modifications occurring at the chromatin level, and their role in the era of precision medicine.Apart from other better-known risk factors that predispose to the development of HCC, characterization of the epigenetic remodelling that occurs during hepatocarcinogenesis could open the way to the identification of personalized biomarkers. It may also enable a more accurate diagnosis and stratification of patients, and the discovery of new targets for more efficient therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rita Braghini
- Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Viale S. Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Oriana Lo Re
- Department of Translational Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute of the Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Ilaria Romito
- Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Viale S. Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Maite G Fernandez-Barrena
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Barbara Barbaro
- Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Viale S. Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Pomella
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Manlio Vinciguerra
- Department of Translational Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute of the Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Matias A Avila
- Hepatology Program, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Alisi
- Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Viale S. Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy.
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12
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Tsuge M. The association between hepatocarcinogenesis and intracellular alterations due to hepatitis B virus infection. Liver Int 2021; 41:2836-2848. [PMID: 34559952 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide health problem leading to severe liver dysfunction, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although current antiviral therapies for chronic HBV infection have been improved and can lead to a strong suppression of viral replication, it is difficult to completely eliminate the virus with these therapies once chronic HBV infection is established in the host. Furthermore, chronic HBV infection alters intracellular metabolism and signalling pathways, resulting in the activation of carcinogenesis in the liver. HBV produces four viral proteins: hepatitis B surface-, hepatitis B core-, hepatitis B x protein, and polymerase; each plays an important role in HBV replication and the intracellular signalling pathways associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. In vitro and in vivo experimental models for analyzing HBV infection and replication have been established, and gene expression analyses using microarrays or next-generation sequencing have also been developed. Thus, it is possible to clarify the molecular mechanisms for intracellular alterations, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, and epigenetic modifications. In this review, the impact of HBV viral proteins and intracellular alterations in HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Tsuge
- Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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13
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Tsuge M. Are Humanized Mouse Models Useful for Basic Research of Hepatocarcinogenesis through Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection? Viruses 2021; 13:v13101920. [PMID: 34696350 PMCID: PMC8541657 DOI: 10.3390/v13101920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health problem that can lead to liver dysfunction, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Current antiviral therapies can control viral replication in patients with chronic HBV infection; however, there is a risk of HCC development. HBV-related proteins may be produced in hepatocytes regardless of antiviral therapies and influence intracellular metabolism and signaling pathways, resulting in liver carcinogenesis. To understand the mechanisms of liver carcinogenesis, the effect of HBV infection in human hepatocytes should be analyzed. HBV infects human hepatocytes through transfer to the sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP). Although the NTCP is expressed on the hepatocyte surface in several animals, including mice, HBV infection is limited to human primates. Due to this species-specific liver tropism, suitable animal models for analyzing HBV replication and developing antivirals have been lacking since the discovery of the virus. Recently, a humanized mouse model carrying human hepatocytes in the liver was developed based on several immunodeficient mice; this is useful for analyzing the HBV life cycle, antiviral effects of existing/novel antivirals, and intracellular signaling pathways under HBV infection. Herein, the usefulness of human hepatocyte chimeric mouse models in the analysis of HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Tsuge
- Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Department of Biomedical Science, Research and Development Division, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan; ; Tel.: +81-82-257-1510
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
- Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
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14
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The role of miRNA125b in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2021; 45:101712. [PMID: 33930594 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2021.101712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumours worldwide, and identifying markers related to HCC is an important area of research. As a microRNA (miRNA), miRNA125b (miR-125b) plays an important role in the prediction and prognosis of HCC. In the past 10 years, with increasing research on miR-125b and HCC, the molecular mechanism of its relationship with the development of HCC has been elucidated. MiR-125b inhibits the development of HCC and is highly accurate in predicting HCC and is therefore a valuable predictive marker of HCC. This article summarizes the clinical application of miR-125b in HCC and the potential mechanism of its involvement in the progression of HCC.
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15
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Cheng CLH, Tsang FHC, Wei L, Chen M, Chin DWC, Shen J, Law CT, Lee D, Wong CCL, Ng IOL, Wong CM. Bromodomain-containing protein BRPF1 is a therapeutic target for liver cancer. Commun Biol 2021; 4:888. [PMID: 34285329 PMCID: PMC8292510 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02405-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic deregulation plays an essential role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Bromodomains are epigenetic "readers" of histone acetylation. Recently, bromodomain inhibitors have exhibited promising therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. Using transcriptome sequencing, we identified BRPF1 (bromodomain and PHD finger containing 1) as the most significantly upregulated gene among the 43 bromodomain-containing genes in human HCC. BRPF1 upregulation was significantly associated with poor patient survival. Gene ablation or pharmacological inactivation of BRPF1 significantly attenuated HCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. BRPF1 was involved in cell cycle progression, senescence and cancer stemness. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that BRPF1 is a master regulator controlling the expression of multiple key oncogenes, including E2F2 and EZH2. We demonstrated that BRPF1 activated E2F2 and EZH2 expression by facilitating promoter H3K14 acetylation through MOZ/MORF complex. In conclusion, BRPF1 is frequently upregulated in human HCCs. Targeting BRPF1 may be an approach for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Lai-Hung Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Felice Hoi-Ching Tsang
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Mengnuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Don Wai-Ching Chin
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Jialing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheuk-Ting Law
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Derek Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. .,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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16
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Zhou D, Luan J, Huang C, Li J. Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Friend or Foe? Gut Liver 2021; 15:500-516. [PMID: 33087588 PMCID: PMC8283292 DOI: 10.5009/gnl20223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and it has diverse etiologies with multiple mechanisms. The diagnosis of HCC typically occurs at advanced stages when there are limited therapeutic options. Hepatocarcinogenesis is considered a multistep process, and hepatic macrophages play a critical role in the inflammatory process leading to HCC. Emerging evidence has shown that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial components defining the HCC immune microenvironment and represent an appealing option for disrupting the formation and development of HCC. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the polarization and function of TAMs in the pathogenesis of HCC, as well as the mechanisms underlying TAM-related anti-HCC therapies. Eventually, novel insights into these important aspects of TAMs and their roles in the HCC microenvironment might lead to promising TAM-focused therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexi Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Yijishan Hospital, Wuhu, China.,Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wuhu, China.,School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Jiajie Luan
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Yijishan Hospital, Wuhu, China.,Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Transformation Research of Anhui Higher Education Institution, Wuhu, China.,School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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17
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Zhao P, Malik S, Xing S. Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in HCV-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Front Oncol 2021; 11:677926. [PMID: 34336665 PMCID: PMC8320331 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.677926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, which is largely caused by virus infection. About 80% of the virus-infected people develop a chronic infection that eventually leads to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With approximately 71 million HCV chronic infected patients worldwide, they still have a high risk of HCC in the near future. However, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in chronic HCV infection have not been still fully understood, which involve a complex epigenetic regulation and cellular signaling pathways. Here, we summarize 18 specific gene targets and different signaling pathways involved in recent findings. With these epigenetic alterations requiring histone modifications and DNA hyper or hypo-methylation of these specific genes, the dysregulation of gene expression is also associated with different signaling pathways for the HCV life cycle and HCC. These findings provide a novel insight into a correlation between HCV infection and HCC tumorigenesis, as well as potentially preventable approaches. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection largely causes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide with 3 to 4 million newly infected cases diagnosed each year. It is urgent to explore its underlying molecular mechanisms for therapeutic treatment and biomarker discovery. However, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in chronic HCV infection have not been still fully understood, which involve a complex epigenetic regulation and cellular signaling pathways. Here, we summarize 18 specific gene targets and different signaling pathways involved in recent findings. With these epigenetic alterations requiring histone modifications and DNA hyper or hypo-methylation of these specific genes, the dysregulation of gene expression is also associated with different signaling pathways for the HCV life cycle and HCC. These findings provide a novel insight into a correlation between HCV infection and HCC tumorigenesis, as well as potentially preventable approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Zhao
- Guandong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Samiullah Malik
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaojun Xing
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
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18
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Role of Nitric Oxide in Gene Expression Regulation during Cancer: Epigenetic Modifications and Non-Coding RNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126264. [PMID: 34200849 PMCID: PMC8230456 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) has been identified and described as a dual mediator in cancer according to dose-, time- and compartment-dependent NO generation. The present review addresses the different epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modifications and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), miRNA and lncRNA, which regulate directly or indirectly nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and NO production, impacting all hallmarks of the oncogenic process. Among lncRNA, HEIH and UCA1 develop their oncogenic functions by inhibiting their target miRNAs and consequently reversing the inhibition of NOS and promoting tumor proliferation. The connection between miRNAs and NO is also involved in two important features in cancer, such as the tumor microenvironment that includes key cellular components such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs).
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19
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Sartorius K, An P, Winkler C, Chuturgoon A, Li X, Makarova J, Kramvis A. The Epigenetic Modulation of Cancer and Immune Pathways in Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Influence of HBx and miRNA Dysregulation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:661204. [PMID: 33995383 PMCID: PMC8117219 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.661204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) pathogenesis is fueled by persistent HBV infection that stealthily maintains a delicate balance between viral replication and evasion of the host immune system. HBV is remarkably adept at using a combination of both its own, as well as host machinery to ensure its own replication and survival. A key tool in its arsenal, is the HBx protein which can manipulate the epigenetic landscape to decrease its own viral load and enhance persistence, as well as manage host genome epigenetic responses to the presence of viral infection. The HBx protein can initiate epigenetic modifications to dysregulate miRNA expression which, in turn, can regulate downstream epigenetic changes in HBV-HCC pathogenesis. We attempt to link the HBx and miRNA induced epigenetic modulations that influence both the HBV and host genome expression in HBV-HCC pathogenesis. In particular, the review investigates the interplay between CHB infection, the silencing role of miRNA, epigenetic change, immune system expression and HBV-HCC pathogenesis. The review demonstrates exactly how HBx-dysregulated miRNA in HBV-HCC pathogenesis influence and are influenced by epigenetic changes to modulate both viral and host genome expression. In particular, the review identifies a specific subset of HBx induced epigenetic miRNA pathways in HBV-HCC pathogenesis demonstrating the complex interplay between HBV infection, epigenetic change, disease and immune response. The wide-ranging influence of epigenetic change and miRNA modulation offers considerable potential as a therapeutic option in HBV-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt Sartorius
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, School of Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.,Department of Surgery, University of KwaZulu-Natal Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Centre, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ping An
- Basic Research Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Cheryl Winkler
- Basic Research Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Anil Chuturgoon
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.,Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Julia Makarova
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia.,Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Kramvis
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, School of Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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20
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Zeisel MB, Guerrieri F, Levrero M. Host Epigenetic Alterations and Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10081715. [PMID: 33923385 PMCID: PMC8071488 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignancy of the liver and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although much progress has been made in HCC drug development in recent years, treatment options remain limited. The major cause of HCC is chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Despite the existence of a vaccine, more than 250 million individuals are chronically infected by HBV. Current antiviral therapies can repress viral replication but to date there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B. Of note, inhibition of viral replication reduces but does not eliminate the risk of HCC development. HBV contributes to liver carcinogenesis by direct and indirect effects. This review summarizes the current knowledge of HBV-induced host epigenetic alterations and their association with HCC, with an emphasis on the interactions between HBV proteins and the host cell epigenetic machinery leading to modulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam B. Zeisel
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
- Correspondence: (M.B.Z.); (M.L.)
| | - Francesca Guerrieri
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
| | - Massimo Levrero
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Service d’Hépato-Gastroentérologie, 69004 Lyon, France
- Correspondence: (M.B.Z.); (M.L.)
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21
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Takeuchi Y, Tsuge M, Tsushima K, Suehiro Y, Fujino H, Ono A, Yamauchi M, Makokha GN, Nakahara T, Murakami E, Abe-Chayama H, Kawaoka T, Miki D, Imamura M, Aikata H, Hayes CN, Tateno C, Chayama K. Signal Activation of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocarcinogenesis by Up-regulation of SUV39h1. J Infect Dis 2021; 222:2061-2070. [PMID: 32514521 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X (HBx) protein is associated with hepatocellular carcinogenesis via the induction of malignant transformation and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the association between HBx and histone methyltransferase in carcinogenesis has not been fully clarified. In the current study, we analyzed the association between HBx and the histone methyltransferase suppressor of variegation 3-9 homolog 1 (SUV39h1) using HBV replication models. METHODS We constructed several HBx and SUV39h1 expression plasmids and analyzed the association between HBx and SUV39h1 with respect to HBV replication and hepatocarcinogenesis. RESULTS SUV39h1 up-regulation was observed in HBV-infected humanized mouse livers and clinical HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, indicating that SUV39h1 expression might be regulated by HBV infection. Through in vitro analysis, we determined that the coactivator domain of HBx interacts with the PSET (PostSET) and SET (Su(var)3-9, Enhancer-of-zeste, Trithorax) domains of SUV39h1. The expression levels of 4 genes, activating transcription factor 6, α-fetoprotein, growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45a, and dual-specificity phosphatase 1, known to induce carcinogenesis via HBx expression, were up-regulated by HBx and further up-regulated in the presence of both HBx and SUV39h1. Furthermore, histone methyltransferase activity, the main function of SUV39h1, was enhanced in the presence of HBx. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that SUV39h1 and HBx enhance each other's activity, leading to HBx-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis. We propose that regulation of this interaction could help suppress development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasue Takeuchi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masataka Tsuge
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ken Tsushima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yosuke Suehiro
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hatsue Fujino
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ono
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masami Yamauchi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Grace Naswa Makokha
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakahara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Eisuke Murakami
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiromi Abe-Chayama
- Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Center for Medical Specialist Graduate Education and Research, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Kawaoka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Daiki Miki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Michio Imamura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Aikata
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - C Nelson Hayes
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Chise Tateno
- Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,PhoenixBio, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Chayama
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Laboratory for Digestive Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
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22
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Morishita A, Oura K, Tadokoro T, Fujita K, Tani J, Masaki T. MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030514. [PMID: 33572780 PMCID: PMC7866004 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers, and the prognosis for late-stage HCC remains poor. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC is expected to improve outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs that regulate the expression of various target genes, including those in cancer-associated genomic regions or fragile sites in various human cancers. We summarize the central roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of HCC and discuss their potential utility as valuable biomarkers and new therapeutic agents for HCC. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the seventh most frequent cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Despite substantial advances in therapeutic strategies, the prognosis of late-stage HCC remains dismal because of the high recurrence rate. A better understanding of the etiology of HCC is therefore necessary to improve outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs that modulate the expression of their target genes at the posttranscriptional and translational levels. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has frequently been detected in cancer-associated genomic regions or fragile sites in various human cancers and has been observed in both HCC cells and tissues. The precise patterns of aberrant miRNA expression differ depending on disease etiology, including various causes of hepatocarcinogenesis, such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms and the association of miRNAs with the pathogenesis of HCC of various etiologies. In the present review, we summarize the key mechanisms of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of HCC and emphasize their potential utility as valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as innovative therapeutic targets, in HCC diagnosis and treatment.
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23
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Nakatsuka T, Tateishi K, Kato H, Fujiwara H, Yamamoto K, Kudo Y, Nakagawa H, Tanaka Y, Ijichi H, Ikenoue T, Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Tachibana M, Shinkai Y, Koike K. Inhibition of histone methyltransferase G9a attenuates liver cancer initiation by sensitizing DNA-damaged hepatocytes to p53-induced apoptosis. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:99. [PMID: 33468997 PMCID: PMC7815717 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03381-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While the significance of acquired genetic abnormalities in the initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been established, the role of epigenetic modification remains unknown. Here we identified the pivotal role of histone methyltransferase G9a in the DNA damage-triggered initiation of HCC. Using liver-specific G9a-deficient (G9aΔHep) mice, we revealed that loss of G9a significantly attenuated liver tumor initiation caused by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). In addition, pharmacological inhibition of G9a attenuated the DEN-induced initiation of HCC. After treatment with DEN, while the induction of γH2AX and p53 were comparable in the G9aΔHep and wild-type livers, more apoptotic hepatocytes were detected in the G9aΔHep liver. Transcriptome analysis identified Bcl-G, a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member, to be markedly upregulated in the G9aΔHep liver. In human cultured hepatoma cells, a G9a inhibitor, UNC0638, upregulated BCL-G expression and enhanced the apoptotic response after treatment with hydrogen peroxide or irradiation, suggesting an essential role of the G9a-Bcl-G axis in DNA damage response in hepatocytes. The proposed mechanism was that DNA damage stimuli recruited G9a to the p53-responsive element of the Bcl-G gene, resulting in the impaired enrichment of p53 to the region and the attenuation of Bcl-G expression. G9a deletion allowed the recruitment of p53 and upregulated Bcl-G expression. These results demonstrate that G9a allows DNA-damaged hepatocytes to escape p53-induced apoptosis by silencing Bcl-G, which may contribute to the tumor initiation. Therefore, G9a inhibition can be a novel preventive strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nakatsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Kato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Fujiwara
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.,Division of Gastroenterology, The Institute for Adult Diseases, Asahi Life Foundation, 2-2-6 Bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0002, Japan
| | - Keisuke Yamamoto
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yotaro Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hayato Nakagawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yasuo Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hideaki Ijichi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Tsuneo Ikenoue
- Division of Clinical Genome Research, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Takeaki Ishizawa
- Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Hasegawa
- Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Makoto Tachibana
- Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoichi Shinkai
- Cellular Memory Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koike
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
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24
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Saha N, Muntean AG. Insight into the multi-faceted role of the SUV family of H3K9 methyltransferases in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1875:188498. [PMID: 33373647 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence implicates histone H3 lysine 9 methylation in tumorigenesis. The SUV family of H3K9 methyltransferases, which include G9a, GLP, SETDB1, SETDB2, SUV39H1 and SUV39H2 deposit H3K9me1/2/3 marks at euchromatic and heterochromatic regions, catalyzed by their conserved SET domain. In cancer, this family of enzymes can be deregulated by genomic alterations and transcriptional mis-expression leading to alteration of transcriptional programs. In solid and hematological malignancies, studies have uncovered pro-oncogenic roles for several H3K9 methyltransferases and accordingly, small molecule inhibitors are being tested as potential therapies. However, emerging evidence demonstrate onco-suppressive roles for these enzymes in cancer development as well. Here, we review the role H3K9 methyltransferases play in tumorigenesis focusing on gene targets and biological pathways affected due to misregulation of these enzymes. We also discuss molecular mechanisms regulating H3K9 methyltransferases and their influence on cancer. Finally, we describe the impact of H3K9 methylation on therapy induced resistance in carcinoma. Converging evidence point to multi-faceted roles for H3K9 methyltransferases in development and cancer that encourages a deeper understanding of these enzymes to inform novel therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmalya Saha
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States of America
| | - Andrew G Muntean
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States of America.
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25
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Fernández-Barrena MG, Arechederra M, Colyn L, Berasain C, Avila MA. Epigenetics in hepatocellular carcinoma development and therapy: The tip of the iceberg. JHEP Rep 2020; 2:100167. [PMID: 33134907 PMCID: PMC7585149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly tumour whose causative agents are generally well known, but whose pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Nevertheless, key genetic alterations are emerging from a heterogeneous molecular landscape, providing information on the tumorigenic process from initiation to progression. Among these molecular alterations, those that affect epigenetic processes are increasingly recognised as contributing to carcinogenesis from preneoplastic stages. The epigenetic machinery regulates gene expression through intertwined and partially characterised circuits involving chromatin remodelers, covalent DNA and histone modifications, and dedicated proteins reading these modifications. In this review, we summarise recent findings on HCC epigenetics, focusing mainly on changes in DNA and histone modifications and their carcinogenic implications. We also discuss the potential drugs that target epigenetic mechanisms for HCC treatment, either alone or in combination with current therapies, including immunotherapies.
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Key Words
- 5acC, 5-acetylcytosine
- 5fC, 5-formylcytosine
- 5hmC, 5-hydoxymethyl cytosine
- 5mC, 5-methylcytosine
- Acetyl-CoA, acetyl coenzyme A
- BER, base excision repair
- BRD, bromodomain
- CDA, cytidine deaminase
- CGI, CpG island
- CIMP, CGI methylator phenotype
- CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4
- DNMT, DNA methyltransferase
- DNMTi, DNMT inhibitor
- Epigenetics
- FAD, flavin adenine dinucleotide
- HAT, histone acetyltransferases
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HDAC, histone deacetylase
- HDACi, HDAC inhibitor
- HDM, histone demethylase
- HMT, histone methyltransferase
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- KMT, lysine methyltransferase
- LSD/KDM, lysine specific demethylases
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NK, natural killer
- NPC, nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand-1
- PD1, programmed cell death protein 1
- PHD, plant homeodomain
- PTM, post-translational modification
- SAM, S-adenosyl-L-methionine
- TDG, thymidine-DNA-glycosylase
- TERT, telomerase reverse transcriptase
- TET, ten-eleven translocation
- TME, tumour microenvironment
- TSG, tumour suppressor gene
- Therapy
- UHRF1, ubiquitin like with PHD and ring finger domains 1
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- ncRNAs, non-coding RNAs
- α-KG, α-ketoglutarate
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite G. Fernández-Barrena
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Arechederra
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Leticia Colyn
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matias A. Avila
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
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26
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Li J, Shao W, Zhao J. MiR-520a-3p inhibits malignant progression of epithelial ovarian cancer by targeting SUV39H1 expression. Hum Cell 2020; 34:570-578. [PMID: 33196969 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-020-00455-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Downregulation of microRNA-520a-3p (miR-520a-3p) has been demonstrated in several cancers, and miR-520a-3p has been shown to inhibit tumor progression, indicating its potential role as a tumor suppressor. In this study, we found that miR-520a-3p was also downregulated in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues and cell lines. Functional assays showed that ectopic expression of miR-520a-3p suppressed EOC cell proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and induced cell cycle arrest in vitro. Similarly, overexpression of miR-520a-3p inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, suppressor of variegation 39H1 (SUV39H1) was identified as a novel target of miR-520a-3p through biomedical databases and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Subsequently, SUV39H1 was observed to be negatively regulated by miR-520a-3p at the mRNA and protein levels, and inversely correlated with miR-520a-3p expression in EOC tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of SUV39H1 reversed the suppressive effects of miR-520a-3p in EOC cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the miR-520a-3p/SUV39H1 axis may contribute to EOC cell proliferation and metastasis, revealing miR-520a-3p as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Li
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Jinshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Longhang Road, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Wei Shao
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Jinshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Longhang Road, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Junhong Zhao
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Jinshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Longhang Road, Shanghai, 201508, China.
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27
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HP1s modulate the S-Adenosyl Methionine synthesis pathway in liver cancer cells. Biochem J 2020; 477:1033-1047. [PMID: 32091571 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver cancer in adults. Among the altered pathways leading to HCC, an increasing role is attributed to abnormal epigenetic regulation. Members of the Heterochromatin Protein (HP1) 1 family are key players in chromatin organisation, acting as docking sites for chromatin modifiers. Here, we inactivated HP1α in HepG2 human liver carcinoma cells and showed that HP1α participated in cell proliferation. HP1α-depleted cells have a global decrease in DNA methylation and consequently a perturbed chromatin organisation, as exemplified by the reactivation of transcription at centromeric and pericentromeric regions, eventhough the protein levels of chromatin writers depositing methylation marks, such as EZH2, SETDB1, SUV39H1, G9A and DNMT3A remained unaltered. This decrease was attributed mainly to a low S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM) level, a cofactor involved in methylation processes. Furthermore, we showed that this decrease was due to a modification in the Methionine adenosyl transferase 2A RNA (MAT2A) level, which modifies the ratio of MAT1A/MAT2A, two enzymes that generate SAM. Importantly, HP1α reintroduction into HP1α-depleted cells restored the MAT2A protein to its initial level. Finally, we demonstrated that this transcriptional deregulation of MAT2A in HP1α-depleted cells relied on a lack of recruitment of HP1β and HP1γ to MAT2A promoter where an improper non-CpG methylation site was promoted in the vicinity of the transcription start site where HP1β and HP1γ bound. Altogether, these results highlight an unanticipated link between HP1 and the SAM synthesis pathway, and emphasise emerging functions of HP1s as sensors of some aspects of liver cell metabolism.
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28
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Regulatory Mechanisms of Epigenetic miRNA Relationships in Human Cancer and Potential as Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102922. [PMID: 33050637 PMCID: PMC7600069 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary By the virtue of targeting multiple genes, a microRNA (miRNA) can infer variable consequences on tumorigenesis by appearing as both a tumour suppressor and oncogene. miRNAs can regulate gene expression by modulating genome-wide epigenetic status of genes that are involved in various cancers. These miRNAs perform direct inhibition of key mediators of the epigenetic machinery, such as DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) genes. Along with miRNAs gene expression, similar to other protein-coding genes, miRNAs are also controlled by epigenetic mechanisms. Overall, this reciprocal interaction between the miRNAs and the epigenetic architecture is significantly implicated in the aberrant expression of miRNAs detected in various human cancers. Comprehensive knowledge of the miRNA-epigenetic dynamics in cancer is essential for the discovery of novel anticancer therapeutics. Abstract Initiation and progression of cancer are under both genetic and epigenetic regulation. Epigenetic modifications including alterations in DNA methylation, RNA and histone modifications can lead to microRNA (miRNA) gene dysregulation and malignant cellular transformation and are hereditary and reversible. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs which regulate the expression of specific target genes through degradation or inhibition of translation of the target mRNA. miRNAs can target epigenetic modifier enzymes involved in epigenetic modulation, establishing a trilateral regulatory “epi–miR–epi” feedback circuit. The intricate association between miRNAs and the epigenetic architecture is an important feature through which to monitor gene expression profiles in cancer. This review summarises the involvement of epigenetically regulated miRNAs and miRNA-mediated epigenetic modulations in various cancers. In addition, the application of bioinformatics tools to study these networks and the use of therapeutic miRNAs for the treatment of cancer are also reviewed. A comprehensive interpretation of these mechanisms and the interwoven bond between miRNAs and epigenetics is crucial for understanding how the human epigenome is maintained, how aberrant miRNA expression can contribute to tumorigenesis and how knowledge of these factors can be translated into diagnostic and therapeutic tool development.
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29
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SETD3 is regulated by a couple of microRNAs and plays opposing roles in proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Sci (Lond) 2020; 133:2085-2105. [PMID: 31654063 DOI: 10.1042/cs20190666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A previous study reported that histone methyltransferase SETD3 is up-regulated in tumor tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with the growth of HCC. However, the clinical significance and the effect of SETD3 on HCC metastasis remain unclear. In the present study, both the protein and mRNA expression levels of SETD3 were measured in a larger cohort of HCC patients. The results showed that the protein level of SETD3 in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in non-tumorous tissues, which was inconsistent with the mRNA expression level of SETD3. The high protein level of SETD3 in HCC tissues was significantly associated with male gender, poor pathological differentiation, liver cirrhosis and unfavorable prognosis of HCC patients. Subsequently, we demonstrated that SETD3 could be regulated at post-transcriptional step by a couple of miRNAs (miR-16, miR-195 and miR-497). Additionally, in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that SETD3 played opposing roles in proliferation and metastasis of HCC: promoting proliferation but inhibiting metastasis. Mechanistic experiments revealed that doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) was a downstream target of SETD3. SETD3 could increase the DNA methylation level of DCLK1 promoter to inhibit the transcription of DCLK1. Further study revealed that DCLK1/PI3K/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 (MMP-2) was an important pathway that mediated the effect of SETD3 on HCC metastasis. In conclusion, the present study revealed that SETD3 is associated with tumorigenesis and is a promising biomarker for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients after surgical resection. In addition, SETD3 plays inhibitory role in HCC metastasis partly through DCLK1/PI3K/MMP-2 pathway.
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30
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Qian Y, Li Y, Zheng C, Lu T, Sun R, Mao Y, Yu S, Fan H, Zhang Z. High methylation levels of histone H3 lysine 9 associated with activation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) predict patients' worse prognosis in human hepatocellular carcinomas. Cancer Genet 2020; 245:17-26. [PMID: 32534446 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2020.04.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Although it is becoming increasingly apparent that histone methyltransferases and histone demethylases play crucial roles in the cellular response to hypoxia, the impact of hypoxic environments on global patterns of histone methylation is not well demonstrated. In this study, we try to detect the global levels of histone lysine methylation in HCC cases and analyze the correlation between these modifications and the activation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the global levels of histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2), histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3), histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and the nuclear expression of HIF-1α in tissue arrays from 111 paraffin-embedded HCC samples. Our analyses revealed that the global levels of H3K9me2, H3K9me3 and the nuclear expression of HIF-1α were distinctly higher in HCC tissues than in peritumoral tissues. Both H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 were positively correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation and the patients' prognosis. Analysis based on the Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated a positive correlation between H3K9me2 and the nuclear expression of HIF-1α, and meanwhile, a significant correlation between the expression of H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 was also found. In addition, the combination of H3K9me2, H3K9me3 and HIF-1α, rather than one single histone modification or molecular maker, is a better prognostic maker for HCC patients. These findings provide new insights on the complex networks underlying cellular and genomic regulation in response to hypoxia and may provide novel targets for future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Qian
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yiping Li
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chuqian Zheng
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Tianyu Lu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rui Sun
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuhang Mao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shenling Yu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Zhihong Zhang
- Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, P. R. China.
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Chen M, Wong CM. The emerging roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) deregulation in liver carcinogenesis. Mol Cancer 2020; 19:44. [PMID: 32111216 PMCID: PMC7047367 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a common cancer worldwide. Although the etiological factors of liver carcinogenesis are well defined, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Epigenetic deregulations, such as aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, play a critical role in liver carcinogenesis. Analogous to DNA and core histone proteins, reversible chemical modifications on mRNA have recently been recognized as important regulatory mechanisms to control gene expression. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal mRNA modification in mammalian cells. m6A modification is important for controlling many cellular and biological processes. Deregulation of m6A modification has been recently implicated in human carcinogenesis, including liver cancer. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on m6A regulation and its biological impacts in normal and cancer cells. We will focus on the deregulation of m6A modification and m6A regulators in liver diseases and liver cancers. We will highlight the clinical relevance of m6A deregulation in liver cancer. We will also discuss the potential of exploiting m6A modification for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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The mouse HP1 proteins are essential for preventing liver tumorigenesis. Oncogene 2020; 39:2676-2691. [PMID: 32020053 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1177-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin organization is essential for appropriate interpretation of the genetic information. Here, we demonstrated that the chromatin-associated proteins HP1 are dispensable for hepatocytes survival but are essential within hepatocytes to prevent liver tumor development in mice with HP1β being pivotal in these functions. Yet, we found that the loss of HP1 per se is not sufficient to induce cell transformation but renders cells more resistant to specific stress such as the expression of oncogenes and thus in fine, more prone to cell transformation. Molecular characterization of HP1-Triple KO premalignant livers and BMEL cells revealed that HP1 are essential for the maintenance of heterochromatin organization and for the regulation of specific genes with most of them having well characterized functions in liver functions and homeostasis. We further showed that some specific retrotransposons get reactivated upon loss of HP1, correlating with overexpression of genes in their neighborhood. Interestingly, we found that, although HP1-dependent genes are characterized by enrichment H3K9me3, this mark does not require HP1 for its maintenance and is not sufficient to maintain gene repression in absence of HP1. Finally, we demonstrated that the loss of TRIM28 association with HP1 recapitulated several phenotypes induced by the loss of HP1 including the reactivation of some retrotransposons and the increased incidence of liver cancer development. Altogether, our findings indicate that HP1 proteins act as guardians of liver homeostasis to prevent tumor development by modulating multiple chromatin-associated events within both the heterochromatic and euchromatic compartments, partly through regulation of the corepressor TRIM28 activity.
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Hua S, Quan Y, Zhan M, Liao H, Li Y, Lu L. miR-125b-5p inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma via targeting TXNRD1. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:203. [PMID: 31384178 PMCID: PMC6668076 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0919-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) is an antioxidant enzyme reportedly overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the detailed function and mechanisms of TXNRD1 in HCC remain obscure. In this study, we investigated the miR-125b-5p-specific regulation of TXNRD1 levels and its effect on HCC cells. Methods We detected miR-125b-5p levels in human HCC tissue samples through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and in vitro experiments were employed to investigate the effect of miR-125b-5p on HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Additionally, we examined miR-125b-5p-mediated changes in TXNRD1 levels by qRT-PCR and western blotting, and a dual luciferase-reporter assay was conducted to confirm direct targeting of the 3' untranslated region of TXNRD1 mRNA by miR-125b-5p. Results miR-125b-5p expression was reduced in HCC tissues relative to that in matched para-carcinoma tissues; this finding was verified in HCC cohorts from the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas. Additionally, low miR-125b-5p expression was associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients, and gene-set enrichment analysis indicated that miR-125b-5p levels were associated with HCC proliferation and metastasis. As predicted, overexpressing miR-125b-5p restrained the proliferation, migration, and invasion of Huh7 and SK-Hep-1 cells and forced expression of the miR-125b-5p-downregulated TXNRD1 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells. Moreover, dual luciferase-reporter assays revealed that miR-125b-5p targets TXNRD1 to directly regulate its expression, whereas TXNRD1 overexpression abolishes the inhibitory effect of miR-125b-5p on HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusions These results demonstrated miR-125b-5p as a tumor suppressor in HCC through its inhibition of TXNRD1, thereby suggesting it as a potential target for the clinical treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengni Hua
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000 China
| | - Yingyao Quan
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000 China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000 China
| | - Huaxin Liao
- 2Biomedicine Institute, College of Life Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632 China
| | - Yong Li
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000 China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000 China
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Law CT, Wei L, Tsang FHC, Chan CYK, Xu IMJ, Lai RKH, Ho DWH, Lee JMF, Wong CCL, Ng IOL, Wong CM. HELLS Regulates Chromatin Remodeling and Epigenetic Silencing of Multiple Tumor Suppressor Genes in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology 2019; 69:2013-2030. [PMID: 30516846 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most lethal cancer worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that epigenetic alterations play an important role in human carcinogenesis. Deregulation of DNA methylation and histone modifications have recently been characterized in HCC, but the significance of chromatin remodeling in liver carcinogenesis remains to be explored. In this study, by systematically analyzing the expression of chromatin remodeling genes in human HCCs, we found that helicase, lymphoid-specific (HELLS), an SWI2/SNF2 chromatin remodeling enzyme, was remarkably overexpressed in HCC. Overexpression of HELLS correlated with more aggressive clinicopathological features and poorer patient prognosis compared to patients with lower HELLS expression. We further showed that up-regulation of HELLS in HCC was conferred by hyperactivation of transcription factor specificity protein 1 (SP1). To investigate the functions of HELLS in HCC, we generated both gain-of-function and loss-of-function models by the CRISPR activation system, lentiviral short hairpin RNA, and the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. We demonstrated that overexpression of HELLS augmented HCC cell proliferation and migration. In contrast, depletion of HELLS reduced HCC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, inactivation of HELLS led to metabolic reprogramming and reversed the Warburg effect in HCC cells. Mechanistically, by integrating analysis of RNA sequencing and micrococcal nuclease sequencing, we revealed that overexpression of HELLS increased nucleosome occupancy, which obstructed the accessibility of enhancers and hindered formation of the nucleosome-free region (NFR) at the transcription start site. Though this mechanism, up-regulation of HELLS mediated epigenetic silencing of multiple tumor suppressor genes including E-cadherin, FBP1, IGFBP3, XAF1 and CREB3L3 in HCC. Conclusion: Our data reveal that HELLS is a key epigenetic driver of HCC; by altering the nucleosome occupancy at the NFR and enhancer, HELLS epigenetically suppresses multiple tumor suppressor genes to promote HCC progression.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Cadherins/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/enzymology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/etiology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
- DNA Helicases/genetics
- DNA Helicases/metabolism
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Genes, Tumor Suppressor
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/enzymology
- Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/etiology
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Nude
- Neoplasm Metastasis
- Nucleosomes/metabolism
- Sp1 Transcription Factor/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk-Ting Law
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lai Wei
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
| | - Felice Ho-Ching Tsang
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cerise Yuen-Ki Chan
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Iris Ming-Jing Xu
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Robin Kit-Ho Lai
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Joyce Man-Fong Lee
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
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35
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Xie W, Huang P, Wu B, Chen S, Huang Z, Wang J, Sun H, Wu J, Xie L, Cheng Y, Xie W, Xu L, Chen LQ, Li E, Zou H. Clinical significance of LOXL4 expression and features of LOXL4-associated protein-protein interaction network in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Amino Acids 2019; 51:813-828. [PMID: 30900087 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-019-02723-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Lysyl oxidase-like 4 (LOXL4), a member of the LOX family proteins, catalyzes oxidative deamination of lysine residues in collagen and elastin, which are responsible for maintaining extracellular matrix homeostasis. In this study, the mRNA expression of LOXL4 in seven esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines and 15 ESCC pairs of clinical samples were examined. Furthermore, LOXL4 protein levels in the ESCC cell lines were determined using western blotting. With the use of immunofluorescence, LOXL4 was observed to be localized primarily in the cytoplasm, but was also present in the nucleus. In addition, the results indicated that the upregulated expression of LOXL4 was associated with poor survival in patients with ESCC even following curative resection (P = 0.010). Similar Kaplan-Meier estimator curves for proteins that interact with LOXL4, SUV39H1 (P = 0.014) and COL2A1 (P = 0.011), were plotted. The analyses based on the protein-protein interaction network depicted the expression of LOXL4 and its associated proteins as well as their functions, suggesting that LOXL4 and its associated proteins may serve a significant role in the development and progression of ESCC. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that LOXL4 is a potential biomarker for patients with ESCC, as well as SUV39H1 and COL2A1, and high expression levels of these genes are associated with poor prognosis in patients with ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Peiqi Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingli Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Sijie Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zijian Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhao Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianyi Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinwei Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenming Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Medical Bioinformatics Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyan Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Long-Qi Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Enmin Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Haiying Zou
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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36
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Han TS, Ban HS, Hur K, Cho HS. The Epigenetic Regulation of HCC Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123978. [PMID: 30544763 PMCID: PMC6321007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations, such as histone modification, DNA methylation, and miRNA-mediated processes, are critically associated with various mechanisms of proliferation and metastasis in several types of cancer. To overcome the side effects and limited effectiveness of drugs for cancer treatment, there is a continuous need for the identification of more effective drug targets and the execution of mechanism of action (MOA) studies. Recently, epigenetic modifiers have been recognized as important therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on their reported abilities to suppress HCC metastasis and proliferation in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Therefore, here, we introduce epigenetic modifiers and alterations related to HCC metastasis and proliferation, and their molecular mechanisms in HCC metastasis. The existing data suggest that the study of epigenetic modifiers is important for the development of specific inhibitors and diagnostic targets for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Su Han
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
| | - Hyun Seung Ban
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
| | - Keun Hur
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea.
| | - Hyun-Soo Cho
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
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37
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A regulatory circuitry comprising TP53, miR-29 family, and SETDB1 in non-small cell lung cancer. Biosci Rep 2018; 38:BSR20180678. [PMID: 30054425 PMCID: PMC6137244 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20180678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with high fatality rate and causes great harm to human economic life. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. With the rapid development of epigenetic study in the last decade, the understanding of the pathogenesis of lung cancer and the development of personalized treatment of lung cancer are picking up pace. Previous studies showed that miR-29 family members (miR-29s; miR-29a, -29b, and -29c) are down-regulated in most human cancers, including NSCLC, but their biological roles in tumorigenesis and their regulation mechanism are still not fully elucidated. Herein, we reported that the miR-29a, -29b and, -29c were coincidently down-regulated in NSCLC, and the histone H3K9 methyltransferase SET domain, bifurcated 1 (SETDB1) was directly targetted by miR-29s. Moreover, SETDB1 negatively regulated the expression of TP53 and overexpression of SETDB1 down-regulating the expression of miR-29s, while TP53 positively regulated the expression of miR-29s and overexpression of TP53 down-regulated the expression of SETDB1. On the other side, as a downstream target of TP53, the H3K9 methyltransferase Suv39h1 was also down-regulated by miR-29s via up-regulating TP53 expression. The further detection of H3K9 methylation status after changes in miR-29s expression revealed that they negatively regulated the levels of H3K9 di- and trimethylation in NSCLC. Collectively, our findings highlight a TP53/miR-29s/SETDB1 regulatory circuitry and assign a role of H3K9 methylation regulator to miR-29s, which may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of NSCLC.
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38
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Zhou P, Dong M, Wang J, Li F, Zhang J, Gu J. Baseline serum miR-125b levels predict virologic response to nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B. Exp Ther Med 2018; 16:3805-3812. [PMID: 30344656 PMCID: PMC6176193 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of baseline serum microRNA (miRNA)-125b for nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 66 patients with Be antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB received NAs therapy for 144 weeks. Serum miRNA-125b levels were measured at the baseline, while hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured throughout treatment. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of treatment response. The results indicated that baseline serum miR-125b (OR=4.377; P=0.006), HBsAg (OR=0.120; P=0.010), ALT >5× upper limit of normal (ULN; OR=11.726; P=0.018) and undetectable HBV DNA at week 24 (OR=7.828; P=0.021) were independent predictors of complete response (CR) at 144 weeks (CR is defined as HBV DNA <500 IU/ml and HBeAg seroconversion). The baseline serum miRNA-125b combined with baseline HBsAg level yielded an area under the receiver-operating curve of 0.852 in discriminating CR and non-CR at 144 week. The combination of baseline miRNA-125b ≥1.7 and ALT >5× ULN had a positive predictive value 80% for CR at 144 weeks. The combination of baseline miRNA-125b ≥1.7 and HbsAg ≤4.4 (log10 IU/ml) had a negative predictive value of CR at 144 weeks of 100%. Together, these results suggest that baseline miRNA-125b is a reliable predictor of HBeAg seroconversion following NAs treatment. The present study may be used as a basis for the use of baseline miRNA-125b to optimize treatment prior to NAs therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Zhou
- Huashan Worldwide Medical Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
| | - Minhui Dong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
| | - Jinyu Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
| | - Fahong Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
| | - Jiming Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
| | - Jingwen Gu
- Huashan Worldwide Medical Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China
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39
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Wang S, Chai P, Jia R, Jia R. Novel insights on m 6A RNA methylation in tumorigenesis: a double-edged sword. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:101. [PMID: 30031372 PMCID: PMC6054842 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0847-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent modification of mammalian RNA, has received increasing attention. Although m6A has been shown to be associated with biological activities, such as spermatogenesis modulation, cell spermatogenesis and pluripotency, Drosophila sex determination, and the control of T cell homeostasis and response to heat shock, little is known about its roles in cancer biology and cancer stem cells. Recent articles have noted that some genes have abnormal m6A expression after tumorigenesis, including genes ABS2, RARA, MYB, MYC, ADAM19 and FOX1. Abnormal changes in the m6A levels of these genes are closely related to tumour occurrence and development. In this review, we summarized the 'dual edge weapon' role of RNA methylation in the tumorigenesis. We discussed RNA methylation could lead to not only tumour progression but also tumour suppression. Moreover, we clarified that the abnormal changes in the m6A enrichment of specific loci contribute to tumour occurrence and development, thereby representing a novel anti-cancer strategy by restoration to balanced RNA methylation in tumour cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyun Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Peiwei Chai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruobing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
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Su Y, Lu S, Li J, Deng L. Shikonin-mediated up-regulation of miR-34a and miR-202 inhibits retinoblastoma proliferation. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2018; 7:907-912. [PMID: 30310667 DOI: 10.1039/c8tx00079d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoblastoma (RB) is an ocular tumor that occurs mainly in children. The pathogenesis of RB is not well understood, and its treatment strategies are very limited. Shikonin is widely reported as an anti-tumor agent. However, its effect on RB is still unknown. MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation ability of two RB cell lines, Y-79 and WERI-Rb-1, upon treatment with Shikonin. Colony formation assay was conducted to examine the clonogenic ability of Shikonin-treated cells. Real-time PCR and western blotting were performed for expression analysis of miRNAs and MYCN, respectively. Luciferase activity assay was conducted to test the inhibition mechanism of miR-34a and miR-202 on MYCN. Shikonin could effectively inhibit the proliferation of RB cells and upregulate the expressions of miR-34a and miR-202. MiR-34a and miR-202 could directly target the mRNA degradation of oncogene MYCN, and the inhibitory effect of Shikonin was largely weakened by restoring the MYCN protein expression. Shikonin-mediated up-regulation of miR-34a and miR-202 inhibits RB proliferation, partially mediated through MYCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Su
- Department of TCM Ophthalmology , Jinan Second People's Hospital , No. 148 Jingyi Road , Jinan 250001 , Shandong , China .
| | - Shiyou Lu
- Department of Acupuncture , Affiliated hospital of Shandong University of TCM , No. 42 Wenhua West Road , Jinan 250011 , Shandong , China
| | - Jincun Li
- Department of TCM , Shandong Provincial Western Hospital , No. 4 Duanxing West Road , Jinan 250022 , Shandong , China
| | - Liya Deng
- Department of TCM Ophthalmology , Jinan Second People's Hospital , No. 148 Jingyi Road , Jinan 250001 , Shandong , China .
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Chen M, Wei L, Law CT, Tsang FHC, Shen J, Cheng CLH, Tsang LH, Ho DWH, Chiu DKC, Lee JMF, Wong CCL, Ng IOL, Wong CM. RNA N6-methyladenosine methyltransferase-like 3 promotes liver cancer progression through YTHDF2-dependent posttranscriptional silencing of SOCS2. Hepatology 2018; 67:2254-2270. [PMID: 29171881 DOI: 10.1002/hep.29683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 890] [Impact Index Per Article: 148.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Epigenetic alterations have contributed greatly to human carcinogenesis. Conventional epigenetic studies have predominantly focused on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling. Recently, diverse and reversible chemical modifications of RNAs have emerged as a new layer of epigenetic regulation. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant chemical modification of eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA) and is important for the regulation of mRNA stability, splicing, and translation. Using transcriptome sequencing, we discovered that methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), a major RNA N6-adenosine methyltransferase, was significantly up-regulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and multiple solid tumors. Clinically, overexpression of METTL3 is associated with poor prognosis of patients with HCC. Functionally, we proved that knockdown of METTL3 drastically reduced HCC cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation in vitro. Knockout of METTL3 remarkably suppressed HCC tumorigenicity and lung metastasis in vivo. On the other hand, using the CRISPR/dCas9-VP64 activation system, we demonstrated that overexpression of METTL3 significantly promoted HCC growth both in vitro and in vivo. Through transcriptome sequencing, m6A sequencing, and m6A methylated RNA immuno-precipitation quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, we identified suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) as a target of METTL3-mediated m6A modification. Knockdown of METTL3 substantially abolished SOCS2 mRNA m6A modification and augmented SOCS2 mRNA expression. We also showed that m6A-mediated SOCS2 mRNA degradation relied on the m6A reader protein YTHDF2-dependent pathway. CONCLUSION METTL3 is frequently up-regulated in human HCC and contributes to HCC progression. METTL3 represses SOCS2 expression in HCC through an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent mechanism. Our findings suggest an important mechanism of epigenetic alteration in liver carcinogenesis. (Hepatology 2018;67:2254-2270).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Cheuk-Ting Law
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Felice Ho-Ching Tsang
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jialing Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Carol Lai-Hung Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Long-Hin Tsang
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - David Kung-Chun Chiu
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Joyce Man-Fong Lee
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- State Key Laboratory for Liver Research and Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Small but Heavy Role: MicroRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:6784607. [PMID: 29951542 PMCID: PMC5987324 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6784607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 85-90% of primary liver cancer, is the fifth most common malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, but the pathological mechanism of HCC is still not fully elucidated. miRNAs are evolutionarily endogenous small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression via posttranscriptional inhibition or target mRNA degradation in several diseases, especially human cancer. Therefore, discovering the roles of miRNAs is appealing to scientific researchers. Emerging evidence has shown that the aberrant expressions of numerous miRNAs are involved in many HCC biological processes. In hepatocarcinogenesis, miRNAs with dysregulated expression can exert their function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on their cellular target during the cell cycle, and in tumor development, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, and progression of the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize current findings on miRNAs and assess their functions to explore the molecular mechanisms of tumor progression in HCC.
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Daher S, Massarwa M, Benson AA, Khoury T. Current and Future Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Comprehensive Review. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2018; 6:69-78. [PMID: 29607307 PMCID: PMC5863001 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2017.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. The principal treatment is surgical resection or liver transplantation, depending on whether the patient is a suitable transplant candidate. However, in most patients with HCC the diagnosis is often late, thereby excluding the patients from definitive surgical resection. Medical treatment includes sorafenib, which is the most commonly used systemic therapy; although, it has been shown to only minimally impact patient survival by several months. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are generally ineffective. Due to the poor prognosis of patients with HCC, newer treatments are needed with several being in development, either in pre-clinical or clinical studies. In this review article, we provide an update on the current and future medical and surgical management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Daher
- Gastroenterology and Liver Units, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Muhammad Massarwa
- Gastroenterology and Liver Units, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel A. Benson
- Gastroenterology and Liver Units, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tawfik Khoury
- Gastroenterology and Liver Units, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
- *Correspondence to: Tawfik Khoury, Institute of Gastroenterology and Liver diseases, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, P.O.B. 12000, Jerusalem IL-91120, Israel. Tel: +972-509870611, E-mail:
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Non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: molecular functions and pathological implications. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 15:137-151. [PMID: 29317776 DOI: 10.1038/nrgastro.2017.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 320] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading lethal malignancy worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying liver carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. Over the past two decades, overwhelming evidence has demonstrated the regulatory roles of different classes of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in liver carcinogenesis related to a number of aetiologies, including HBV, HCV and NAFLD. Among the ncRNAs, microRNAs, which belong to a distinct class of small ncRNAs, have been proven to play a crucial role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Deregulation of microRNAs has been broadly implicated in the inactivation of tumour-suppressor genes and activation of oncogenes in HCC. Modern high-throughput sequencing analyses have unprecedentedly identified a very large number of non-coding transcripts. Divergent groups of long ncRNAs have been implicated in liver carcinogenesis through interactions with DNA, RNA or proteins. Overall, ncRNAs represent a burgeoning field of cancer research, and we are only beginning to understand the importance and complicity of the ncRNAs in liver carcinogenesis. In this Review, we summarize the common deregulation of small and long ncRNAs in human HCC. We also comprehensively review the pathological roles of ncRNAs in liver carcinogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and HCC metastasis and discuss the potential applications of ncRNAs as diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets in human HCC.
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Nishikawaji T, Akiyama Y, Shimada S, Kojima K, Kawano T, Eishi Y, Yuasa Y, Tanaka S. Oncogenic roles of the SETDB2 histone methyltransferase in gastric cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 7:67251-67265. [PMID: 27572307 PMCID: PMC5341872 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
SETDB2 is a histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) tri-methyltransferase that is involved in transcriptional gene silencing. Since it is still unknown whether SETDB2 is linked to carcinogenesis, we studied alterations and functions of SETDB2 in human gastric cancers (GCs). SETDB2 protein was highly expressed in 30 of 72 (41.7%) primary GC tissues compared with their normal counterparts by immunohistochemistry. SETDB2 overexpression was significantly associated with the late stage of GCs (P<0.05) and poor prognosis of GC patients (P<0.05). The GC cell lines with SETDB2 knockdown and overexpression significantly decreased and increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively (P<0.05). Knockdown of SETDB2 in MKN74 and MKN45 cells reduced global H3K9 tri-methylation (me3) levels. Microarray analysis indicated that expression of WWOX and CADM1, tumor suppressor genes, was significantly enhanced in MKN74 cells after SETDB2 knockdown. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that the H3K9me3 levels at the promoter regions of these two genes corresponded to the SETDB2 expression levels in GC cells. Moreover, ectopic SETDB2 protein was recruited to their promoter regions. Our data suggest that SETDB2 is associated with transcriptional repression of WWOX and CADM1, and hence overexpression of SETDB2 may contribute to GC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taketo Nishikawaji
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshimitsu Akiyama
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shu Shimada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Kojima
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuyuki Kawano
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Eishi
- Department of Human Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Yuasa
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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Dai CY, Tsai YS, Chou WW, Liu T, Huang CF, Wang SC, Tsai PC, Yeh ML, Hsieh MY, Huang CI, Vanson Liu SY, Huang JF, Chuang WL, Yu ML. The IL-6/STAT3 pathway upregulates microRNA-125b expression in hepatitis C virus infection. Oncotarget 2018; 9:11291-11302. [PMID: 29541414 PMCID: PMC5834265 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS MicroRNA-125b (miR-125b) has been found to regulate inflammation and acts as an oncogene in many cancers. The mechanisms of miR-125b expression during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remain to be clarified. The present study aims to identify the factors that might regulate miR-125b expression in HCV infection. RESULTS High expression of miR-125b was found to correlate with HCV infection in replicon cells and in sera from HCV-infected patients, whereas the miR-125b inhibitor reduced HCV gene expression. The interleukin 6 (IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway plays an inducible effect on miR-125b gene expression. STAT3 siRNA or inhibitor could reduce HCV replication. MATERIALS AND METHODS HCV replicon cells Con1 (type 1b) and Huh7/Ava5 (type 1b) were treated with 17-hydroxy-jolkinolide B (HJB) or STAT3 siRNA. Cell viability assay and Renilla Luciferase Assay were used. Fragments of the miR-125b-1 promoter were constructed for the luciferase reporter assay. PSMB8, PSMB9, miR-125b-1, and miR-125b-2 expression was determined using TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays. Western blot analysis was performed to assess protein abundance. CONCLUSIONS This study elucidates a novel pathway for miR-125b in the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection and suggests it as a possible target for treating HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yen Dai
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Health Management Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Shan Tsai
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Wen Chou
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tawei Liu
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Feng Huang
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Chi Wang
- Health Management Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chien Tsai
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Lun Yeh
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yen Hsieh
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-I Huang
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Yin Vanson Liu
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jee-Fu Huang
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Long Chuang
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Lung Yu
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Health Management Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Faculty of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Djeghloul D, Kuranda K, Kuzniak I, Barbieri D, Naguibneva I, Choisy C, Bories JC, Dosquet C, Pla M, Vanneaux V, Socié G, Porteu F, Garrick D, Goodhardt M. Age-Associated Decrease of the Histone Methyltransferase SUV39H1 in HSC Perturbs Heterochromatin and B Lymphoid Differentiation. Stem Cell Reports 2017; 6:970-984. [PMID: 27304919 PMCID: PMC4911502 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The capacity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) to generate B lymphocytes declines with age, contributing to impaired immune function in the elderly. Here we show that the histone methyltransferase SUV39H1 plays an important role in human B lymphoid differentiation and that expression of SUV39H1 decreases with age in both human and mouse HSC, leading to a global reduction in H3K9 trimethylation and perturbed heterochromatin function. Further, we demonstrate that SUV39H1 is a target of microRNA miR-125b, a known regulator of HSC function, and that expression of miR-125b increases with age in human HSC. Overexpression of miR-125b and inhibition of SUV39H1 in young HSC induced loss of B cell potential. Conversely, both inhibition of miR-125 and enforced expression of SUV39H1 improved the capacity of HSC from elderly individuals to generate B cells. Our findings highlight the importance of heterochromatin regulation in HSC aging and B lymphopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dounia Djeghloul
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Klaudia Kuranda
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Kuzniak
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Daniela Barbieri
- INSERM UMRS-1170, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris Sud - Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Irina Naguibneva
- INSERM UMRS-967, Institut de Radiobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Caroline Choisy
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Bories
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Christine Dosquet
- INSERM UMRS-1131, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Marika Pla
- INSERM UMRS-1131, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Vanneaux
- AP-HP Unité de Thérapie Cellulaire, Centre d'Investigation Clinique en Biothérapie Cellulaire and INSERM UMRS-1160, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Gérard Socié
- AP-HP Hematology Transplantation and INSERM UMRS-1160, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Porteu
- INSERM UMRS-1170, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris Sud - Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - David Garrick
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Michele Goodhardt
- INSERM UMRS-1126, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
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Zhan W, Liao X, Xie RJ, Tian T, Yu L, Liu X, Liu J, Li P, Han B, Yang T, Zhang B, Cai LJ, Li R, Yang Q. The effects of blueberry anthocyanins on histone acetylation in rat liver fibrosis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:96761-96773. [PMID: 29228569 PMCID: PMC5722521 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
To determine the effects ofanthocyanins from blueberries on hepatic stellate cell (HSCs-T6) and on histone acetylation during liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in rats. Fifty male SD rats weighing 180 ± 20g were randomly placed into a control group, a hepatic fibrosis group, a blueberry treatment group, a blueberry intervention group, and a natural recovery group. After the rats were sacrificed, the livers and the liver indexes were measured, and the pathological changes were observed by HE staining and Masson staining. The blood was analyzed for the four indexes of liver fibrosis and liver function; nucleoprotein from liver tissues and karyoplasm were isolated to determine the expression of acH3K9, acH3K14, and acH3K18 by Western blotting. Compared with the lethal rate of the control group, the median lethal rate of HSCs-T6 cells treated with a the 50μmol/L concentration was 66.94% (P < 0.05). The protein expression on α-SMA, type I collagen, TIMP1 significantly decreased (P < 0.05) following treatment with 50 ug/ml of anthocyanin for 36 h; moreover, the expression of acH3K9, acH3K14 and acH3K18 modification were up-regulated (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared with the liver in the model group, the liver in the intervention group showed the most obvious improvement (P < 0.01), and its karyoplasm had increased expression of acH3K9, acH3K14 and acH3K18 (P<0.01). Regulating histone acetylation could improve liver function and liver fibrosis indexes in rats with hepatic fibrosis. The mechanism might be related to certain genes that promote apoptosis, so as to inhibit the effect of anti hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhan
- General Surgery of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Imaging Department of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Ru-Jia Xie
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Lei Yu
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Imaging Department of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Po Li
- Department of Pathology of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Bing Han
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Ultrasonic Center of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Li-Jun Cai
- Department of Neurology of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Neurology of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Qin Yang
- Department of Physiology of The Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
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Histone methyltransferase G9a promotes liver cancer development by epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor gene RARRES3. J Hepatol 2017; 67:758-769. [PMID: 28532996 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2017.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Epigenetic deregulation is a common trait of human HCC. G9s is an important epigenetics regulator however, its role in liver carcinogenesis remains to be investigated. METHODS Gene expressions were determined by RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR. G9a knockdown and knockout cell lines were established by lentiviral-based shRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system. Tumor-promoting functions of G9a was studied in both HCC cell lines and nude mice model. The downstream targets of G9a were identified by RNA-Seq and confirmed by ChIP assay. The therapeutic value of G9a inhibitors was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We identified G9a as a frequently upregulated histone methyltransferase in human HCCs. Upregulation of G9a was significantly associated with HCC progression and aggressive clinicopathological features. Functionally, we demonstrated that inactivation of G9a by RNAi knockdown, CRISPR/Cas9 knockout, and pharmacological inhibition remarkably abolished H3K9 di-methylation and suppressed HCC cell proliferation and metastasis in both in vitro and in vivo models. Mechanistically, we showed that the frequent upregulation of G9a in human HCCs was attributed to gene copy number gain at chromosome 6p21. In addition, we identified miR-1 as a negative regulator of G9a. Loss of miR-1 relieved the post-transcriptional repression on G9a and contributed to its upregulation in human HCC. Utilizing RNA sequencing, we identified the tumor suppressor RARRES3 as a critical target of G9a. Epigenetic silencing of RARRES3 contributed to the tumor-promoting function of G9a. CONCLUSION This study shows a frequent deregulation of miR-1/G9a/RARRES3 axis in liver carcinogenesis, highlighting the pathological significance of G9a and its therapeutic potential in HCC treatment. Lay summary: In this study, we identified G9a histone methyltransferase was frequently upregulated in human HCC and contributes to epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor gene RARRES3 in liver cancer. Targeting G9a may be a novel approach for HCC treatment.
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Liu W, Hu J, Zhou K, Chen F, Wang Z, Liao B, Dai Z, Cao Y, Fan J, Zhou J. Serum exosomal miR-125b is a novel prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2017; 10:3843-3851. [PMID: 28814883 PMCID: PMC5546809 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s140062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide with high mortality. Circulating miRNA has been demonstrated as a novel noninvasive biomarker for many tumors. This study aimed to investigate the potential of circulating miR-125b as a prognostic marker of HCC. Exosomes were extracted from serum samples collected from two independent cohorts: cohort 1: HCC (n=30), chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n=30), liver cirrhosis (LC, n=30); cohort 2: HCC (n=128). We found that miR-125b levels were remarkably increased in exosomes compared to those in serum from patients with CHB, LC, and HCC (P<0.01, respectively). However, miR-125b levels in exosomes and the serum from HCC patients were inferior to that of CHB (P<0.01 and P=0.06) and LC patients (P<0.01 for all). Additionally, miR-125b levels in exosomes were associated with tumor number (P=0.02), encapsulation (P<0.01), and TNM stage (P<0.01). Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that HCC patients with lower exosomal miR-125b levels showed reduced time to recurrence (TTR) (P<0.01) and overall survival (OS) (P<0.01). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that miR-125b level in exosomes, but not in serum, was an independent predictive factor for TTR (P<0.001) and OS (P=0.011). Exosomal miR-125b levels predicted the recurrence and survival of HCC patients with an area under the ROC curve of 0.739 (83.0% sensitivity and 67.9% specificity) and 0.702 (82.5% sensitivity and 53.4% specificity). In conclusion, exosomal miR-125b could serve as a promising prognostic marker for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Liu
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiqian Zhou
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Feiyu Chen
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Boyi Liao
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi Dai
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya Cao
- Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Changsha, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, China
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