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Wu Y, Mohd Sani SB, Peng K, Lin T, Tan C, Huang X, Li Z. Research progress of the Otubains subfamily in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 179:117348. [PMID: 39208669 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117348] [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: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In cancer research, oncogenesis can be affected by modulating the deubiquitination pathway. Ubiquitination regulates proteins post-translationally in variety of physiological processes. The Otubain Subfamily includes OTUB1 (ovarian tumor-associated proteinase B1) and OTUB2(ovarian tumor-associated proteinase B2). They are deubiquitinating enzymes, which are research hotspots in tumor immunotherapy, with their implications extending across the spectrum of tumor development. Understanding their important role in tumorigenesis, includ-ing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is crucial. HCC has alarming global incidence rates and mortality statistics, ranking among the top five prevalent cancers in Malaysia1. Numerous studies have consistently indicated significant expression of OTUB1 and OTUB2 in HCC cells. In addition, OTUB1 has important biological functions in cancer, suggesting its important role in tumorigenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the action of OTUB1 and OTUB2 in liver cancer remains inadequately explored. Therefore, Otubain Subfamily, as potential molecular target, holds promise for advancing HCC treatments. However, further clinical studies are required to verify its efficacy and application prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanming Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, Kepala Batas, Penang 13200, Malaysia.
| | - Sa'udah Badriah Mohd Sani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, Kepala Batas, Penang 13200, Malaysia.
| | - Ke Peng
- Department of Neurology, School of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434000, China.
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Anyang People's Hospital, Anyang, Henan 450000, China.
| | - Chenghao Tan
- Department of Social Science, Universiti Sain Malaysia, Gelugor, Penang 11700, Malaysia.
| | | | - Zhengrui Li
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200240, China.
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Erdman V, Tuktarova I, Nasibullin T, Timasheva Y, Petintseva A, Korytina G. Polygenic markers of survival and longevity in the antioxidant genes PON1, PON2, MTHFR, MSRA, SOD1, NQO1, and CAT in a 20-year follow-up study in the population from the Volga-Ural region. Gene 2024; 919:148510. [PMID: 38679184 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148510] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic background of healthy or pathological styles of aging and human lifespan is determined by joint gene interactions. Lucky combinations of antioxidant gene polymorphisms can result in a highly adaptive phenotype, providing a successful way to interact with external triggers. Our purpose was to identify the polygenic markers of survival and longevity in the antioxidant genes among elderly people with physiological and pathological aging. METHODS In a 20-year follow-up study of 2350 individuals aged 18-114 years residing in the Volga-Ural region of Russia, sex-adjusted association analyses of MTHFR rs1801133, MSRA rs10098474, PON1 rs662, PON2 rs7493, SOD1 rs2070424, NQO1 rs1131341 and CAT rs1001179 polymorphic loci with longevity were carried out. Survival analysis was subsequently performed using the established single genes and gene-gene combinations as cofactors. RESULTS The PON1 rs662*G allele was defined as the main longevity marker in women (OR = 1.44, p = 3E-04 in the log-additive model; HR = 0.77, p = 1.9E-04 in the Cox-survival model). The polymorphisms in the MTHFR, MSRA, PON2, SOD1, and CAT genes had an additive effect on longevity. A strong protective effect of combined MTHFR rs1801133*C, MSRA rs10098474*T, PON1 rs662*G, and PON2 rs7493*C alleles against mortality was obtained in women (HR = 0.81, p = 5E-03). The PON1 rs662*A allele had a meaningful impact on mortality for both long-lived men with cerebrovascular accidents (HR = 1.76, p = 0.027 for the PON1 rs662*AG genotype) and women with cardiovascular diseases (HR = 1.43, p = 0.002 for PON1 rs662*AA genotype). The MTHFR rs1801133*TT (HR = 1.91, p = 0.036), CAT rs1001179*TT (HR = 2.83, p = 0.031) and SOD1 rs2070424*AG (HR = 1.58, p = 0.018) genotypes were associated with the cancer mortality. CONCLUSION In our longitudinal 20-year study, we found the combinations of functional polymorphisms in antioxidant genes involved in longevity and survival in certain clinical phenotypes in the advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Erdman
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia.
| | - Ilsia Tuktarova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia
| | - Timur Nasibullin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia
| | - Yanina Timasheva
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia; Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa 450008, Russia
| | - Anna Petintseva
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia
| | - Gulnaz Korytina
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa 450054, Russia; Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa 450008, Russia
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Chen H, Li H, He M, Lai Z, Huang L, Wen D, Shi M, Kan A. UBA2 SUMOylates NQO1 and promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating the MAPK pathway. Cancer Sci 2024. [PMID: 39013843 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In our previous study, we found that small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-activating enzyme ubiquitin-associated-2 domain (UBA2) was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who were insensitive to chemoembolization. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of UBA2 in HCC progression. Three cohorts were used to evaluate the efficacy of UBA2 as a prognostic factor for HCC. Our results indicated that UBA2 was associated with aggressive clinical behaviors and was a strong indicator of poor prognosis in HCC. In vitro experiments demonstrated that UBA2 accelerated cell growth, invasion, and migration. These results were further supported by in vivo experiments. RNA-sequencing analysis indicated NQO1 as a target of UBA2, with its levels altering following UBA2 manipulation. The results were verified by western blotting (WB) and quantitative PCR. The SUMOplot Analysis Program predicted lysine residue K240 as a modification target of UBA2, which was confirmed by immunoprecipitation (IP) assays. Subsequent mutation of NQO1 at K240 in HCC cell lines and functional assays revealed the significance of this modification. In addition, the oncogenic effect of UBA2 could be reversed by the SUMO inhibitor ML792 in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our study elucidated the regulatory mechanism of UBA2 in HCC and suggested that the SUMO inhibitor ML792 may be an effective combinatory treatment for patients with aberrant UBA2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huifang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minke He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Lai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lichang Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Wen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anna Kan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Guangzhou, China
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Jiang W, An W, Huang Z, Xu C, Shen Q, Pu C, Zhang S, Wu Q, Li L, Yu C. A near-infrared fluorescent probe with two-photon excitation for in situ imaging of NQO1 in human colorectum cancer tissue. Talanta 2024; 274:126018. [PMID: 38593645 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126018] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Colorectum cancer has become one of the most fatal cancer diseases, in which NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) plays a role in intracellular free radical reduction and detoxification and has been linked to colorectum cancer and chemotherapy resistance. Therefore, rational design of optical probe for NQO1 detection is urgent for the early diagnosis of colorectum cancer. Herein, we have developed a novel two-photon fluorescent probe, WHFD, which is capable of selectively detecting of intracellular NQO1 with two-photon (TP) absorption (800 nm) and near-infrared emission (620 nm). Combination with a substantial Stokes shift (175 nm) and biocompatibility, we have assessed its suitability for in vivo imaging of endogenous NQO1 activities from HepG2 tumor-bearing live animals with high tissue penetration up to 300 μm. Particularly, we for the first time used the probe to image NQO1 activities from human colorectum cancer samples by using TP microscopy, and proving our probe possesses reliable diagnostic performance to directly in situ imaging of cancer biomarker and can clearly distinguish the boundary between human colorectum cancer tissue and their surrounding normal tissue, which shows great potential for the intraoperative navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Weizhen An
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Zhongxi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Chenfeng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Qian Shen
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Chibin Pu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shiji Zhang
- The Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE, Future Technologies), Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Lin Li
- The Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE, Future Technologies), Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Changmin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, China.
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Li R, Yan X, Zhong W, Zheng J, Li X, Liang J, Hu Z, Liu H, Chen G, Yang Y, Zhang J, Qu E, Liu W. Stratifin promotes the malignant progression of HCC via binding and hyperactivating AKT signaling. Cancer Lett 2024; 592:216761. [PMID: 38490326 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216761] [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: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. In this study, we reveal the pivotal role of Stratifin (SFN), also recognized as 14-3-3σ, in driving HCC progression. Our investigation underscores a substantial upregulation of SFN within HCC tissues, manifesting a significant association with worse prognostic outcomes among HCC patients. In vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that SFN overexpression significantly amplifies proliferation, mitigates sorafenib-induced effects on HCC cells, and enhances tumorigenesis. While SFN silencing exerts converse effects on HCC progression. Additionally, we unveil a critical interaction between SFN and AKT, where SFN boosts AKT kinase activity by disrupting the binding of PHLPP2 and AKT, thereby intensifying the malignant progression of HCC cells. In conclusion, this study identifies the oncogenic role of SFN and elucidates the regulatory mechanism of the SFN/AKT axis in HCC, which may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of HCC progression and potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xijing Yan
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Wenhui Zhong
- Department of Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xuejiao Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jinliang Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zhongying Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Huanyi Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Guihua Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Enze Qu
- Department of Ultrasound, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Wei Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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Xu L, Liu Q, Liu H, Fan F, Li P, Yue S, Mo J, Liu Z, Dong R, Zhang X, Dong H, Liang H, Chen X, Zhang B, Chen L, Chen J. Disrupting CCDC137-mediated LZTS2 and β-TrCP interaction in the nucleus inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma development via β-catenin and AKT. Cell Death Differ 2024:10.1038/s41418-024-01328-z. [PMID: 38918619 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01328-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous solid tumor, with its biological characteristics intricately linked to the activation of oncogenes. This research specifically explored CCDC137, a molecule within the CCDC family exhibiting the closest association with HCC. Our investigation aimed to unravel the role, underlying mechanisms, and potential therapeutic implications of CCDC137 in the context of HCC. We observed a close correlation between elevated CCDC137 expression and poor prognosis in HCC patients, along with a promotive effect on HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified LZTS2, a negative regulator of β-catenin, as the binding protein of CCDC137. CCDC137 facilitated K48-linked poly-ubiquitination of LZTS2 at lysine 467 via recruiting E3 ubiquitin ligase β-TrCP in the nucleus, triggering AKT phosphorylation and activation of β-catenin pathway. Moreover, the 1-75 domain of CCDC137 was responsible for the formation of the CCDC137-LZTS2-β-TrCP complex. Subsequently, designed peptides targeting the 1-75 domain of CCDC137 to disrupt CCDC137-LZTS2 interaction demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting HCC progression. This promising outcome was further supported by HCC organoids and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, underscoring the potential clinical utility of the peptides. This study elucidated the mechanism of the CCDC137-LZTS2-β-TrCP protein complex in HCC and offered clinically significant therapeutic strategies targeting this complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiumeng Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hailing Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Feimu Fan
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shiwei Yue
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jie Mo
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhicheng Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Renshun Dong
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xuewu Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hanhua Dong
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huifang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Lin Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Xu X, Zhu Z, Chen S, Fu Y, Zhang J, Guo Y, Xu Z, Xi Y, Wang X, Ye F, Chen H, Yang X. Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel benzothiazole derivatives as potential anticancer and antiinflammatory agents. Front Chem 2024; 12:1384301. [PMID: 38562527 PMCID: PMC10982501 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1384301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer, a significant global health concern, necessitates innovative treatments. The pivotal role of chronic inflammation in cancer development underscores the urgency for novel therapeutic strategies. Benzothiazole derivatives exhibit promise due to their distinctive structures and broad spectrum of biological effects. This study aims to explore new anti-tumor small molecule drugs that simultaneously anti-inflammatory and anticancer based on the advantages of benzothiazole frameworks. Methods: The compounds were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for structure as well as purity and other related physicochemical properties. The effects of the compounds on the proliferation of human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431) and human non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549, H1299) were evaluated by MTT method. The effect of compounds on the expression levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in mouse monocyte macrophages (RAW264.7) was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effect of compounds on apoptosis and cell cycle of A431 and A549 cells was evaluated by flow cytometry. The effect of compounds on A431 and A549 cell migration was evaluated by scratch wound healing assay. The effect of compounds on protein expression levels in A431 and A549 cells was assessed by Western Blot assay. The physicochemical parameters, pharmacokinetic properties, toxicity and drug similarity of the active compound were predicted using Swiss ADME and admetSAR web servers. Results: Twenty-five novel benzothiazole compounds were designed and synthesized, with their structures confirmed through spectrogram verification. The active compound 6-chloro-N-(4-nitrobenzyl) benzo[d] thiazol-2-amine (compound B7) was screened through a series of bioactivity assessments, which significantly inhibited the proliferation of A431, A549 and H1299 cancer cells, decreased the activity of IL-6 and TNF-α, and hindered cell migration. In addition, at concentrations of 1, 2, and 4 μM, B7 exhibited apoptosis-promoting and cell cycle-arresting effects similar to those of the lead compound 7-chloro-N-(2, 6-dichlorophenyl) benzo[d] thiazole-2-amine (compound 4i). Western blot analysis confirmed that B7 inhibited both AKT and ERK signaling pathways in A431 and A549 cells. The prediction results of ADMET indicated that B7 had good drug properties. Discussion: This study has innovatively developed a series of benzothiazole derivatives, with a focus on compound B7 due to its notable dual anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. B7 stands out for its ability to significantly reduce cancer cell proliferation in A431, A549, and H1299 cell lines and lower the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. These results position B7B7 as a promising candidate for dual-action cancer therapy. The study's mechanistic exploration, highlighting B7's simultaneous inhibition of the AKT and ERK pathways, offers a novel strategy for addressing both the survival mechanisms of tumor cells and the inflammatory milieu facilitating cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemei Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhaojingtao Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yanneng Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinxia Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yangyang Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhouyang Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yingying Xi
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xuebao Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Faqing Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huijun Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First People’s Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou, China
| | - Xiaojiao Yang
- Scientific Research Center, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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8
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Xue W, Wang T, Tian WJ, Pang SQ, Zhang HF, Jia WD. NQO1 Mediates Lenvatinib Resistance by Regulating ROS-induced Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Med Sci 2024; 44:168-179. [PMID: 38217831 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-023-2804-8] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. As a first-line drug for advanced HCC treatment, lenvatinib faces a significant hurdle due to the development of both intrinsic and acquired resistance among patients, and the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The present study aims to identify the pivotal gene responsible for lenvatinib resistance in HCC, explore the potential molecular mechanism, and propose combinatorial therapeutic targets for HCC management. METHODS Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of cells to lenvatinib and dicoumarol. RNA-Seq was used to determine the differences in transcriptome between parental cells and lenvatinib-resistant (LR) cells. The upregulated genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG analyses. Then, qPCR and Western blotting were employed to determine the relative gene expression levels. Afterwards, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS PLC-LR and Hep3B-LR were established. There was a total of 116 significantly upregulated genes common to both LR cell lines. The GO and KEGG analyses indicated that these genes were involved in oxidoreductase and dehydrogenase activities, and reactive oxygen species pathways. Notably, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) was highly expressed in LR cells, and was involved in the lenvatinib resistance. The high expression of NQO1 decreased the production of ROS induced by lenvatinib, and subsequently suppressed the apoptosis. The combination of lenvatinib and NQO1 inhibitor, dicoumarol, reversed the resistance of LR cells. CONCLUSION The high NQO1 expression in HCC cells impedes the lenvatinib-induced apoptosis by regulating the ROS levels, thereby promoting lenvatinib resistance in HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xue
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230601, China
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Wen-Jing Tian
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Si-Qi Pang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230601, China
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Hua-Feng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230601, China.
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Wei-Dong Jia
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
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9
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Xi C, Pang J, Barrett A, Horuzsko A, Ande S, Mivechi NF, Zhu X. Nrf2 Drives Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression through Acetyl-CoA-Mediated Metabolic and Epigenetic Regulatory Networks. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:1079-1092. [PMID: 37364049 PMCID: PMC10592407 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Correlations between the oxidative stress response and metabolic reprogramming have been observed during malignant tumor formation; however, the detailed mechanism remains elusive. The transcription factor Nrf2, a master regulator of the oxidative stress response, mediates metabolic reprogramming in multiple cancers. In a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), through metabolic profiling, genome-wide gene expression, and chromatin structure analyses, we present new evidence showing that in addition to altering antioxidative stress response signaling, Nrf2 ablation impairs multiple metabolic pathways to reduce the generation of acetyl-CoA and suppress histone acetylation in tumors, but not in tumor-adjacent normal tissue. Nrf2 ablation and dysregulated histone acetylation impair transcription complex assembly on downstream target antioxidant and metabolic regulatory genes for expression regulation. Mechanistic studies indicate that the regulatory function of Nrf2 is low glucose dependent, the effect of which is demolished under energy refeeding. Together, our results implicate an unexpected effect of Nrf2 on acetyl-CoA generation, in addition to its classic antioxidative stress response regulatory activity, integrates metabolic and epigenetic programs to drive HCC progression. IMPLICATIONS This study highlights that Nrf2 integrates metabolic and epigenetic regulatory networks to dictate tumor progression and that Nrf2 targeting is therapeutically exploitable in HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Xi
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Molecular Chaperone Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Junfeng Pang
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Molecular Chaperone Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Amanda Barrett
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | | | | | - Nahid F. Mivechi
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Molecular Chaperone Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Xingguo Zhu
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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10
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He Z, Shen X, Wang B, Xu L, Ling Q. CT radiomics for noninvasively predicting NQO1 expression levels in hepatocellular carcinoma. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290900. [PMID: 37695786 PMCID: PMC10495018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Using noninvasive radiomics to predict pathological biomarkers is an innovative work worthy of exploration. This retrospective cohort study aimed to analyze the correlation between NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) expression levels and the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to construct radiomic models to predict the expression levels of NQO1 prior to surgery. Data of patients with HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the corresponding arterial phase-enhanced CT images from The Cancer Imaging Archive were obtained for prognosis analysis, radiomic feature extraction, and model development. In total, 286 patients with HCC from TCGA were included. According to the cut-off value calculated using R, patients were divided into high-expression (n = 143) and low-expression groups (n = 143). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that higher NQO1 expression levels were significantly associated with worse prognosis in patients with HCC (p = 0.017). Further multivariate analysis confirmed that high NQO1 expression was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (HR = 1.761, 95% CI: 1.136-2.73, p = 0.011). Based on the arterial phase-enhanced CT images, six radiomic features were extracted, and a new bi-regional radiomics model was established, which could noninvasively predict higher NQO1 expression with good performance. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.9079 (95% CI 0.8127-1.0000). The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.86, 0.88, and 0.84, respectively, with a threshold value of 0.404. The data verification of our center showed that this model has good predictive efficiency, with an AUC of 0.8791 (95% CI 0.6979-1.0000). In conclusion, there existed a significant correlation between the CT image features and the expression level of NQO1, which could indirectly reflect the prognosis of patients with HCC. The predictive model based on arterial phase CT imaging features has good stability and diagnostic efficiency and is a potential means of identifying the expression level of NQO1 in HCC tissues before surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenglei He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xiaoyong Shen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Qi Ling
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
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11
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Su WY, Tian LY, Guo LP, Huang LQ, Gao WY. PI3K signaling-regulated metabolic reprogramming: From mechanism to application. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188952. [PMID: 37499988 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188952] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic signaling involved in tumor metabolic reprogramming. Tumorigenesis was not only determined by the mutations or deletion of oncogenes but also accompanied by the reprogramming of cellular metabolism. Metabolic alterations play a crucial regulatory role in the development and progression of tumors. Oncogenic PI3K/AKT signaling mediates the metabolic switch in cancer cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. PI3K/AKT and its downstream effector branch off and connect to multiple steps of metabolism, such as glucose, lipids, and amino acids. Thus, PI3K inhibitor could effectively regulate metabolic pathway and impede the oncogenic process and some key metabolic proteins or critical enzymes also constitute biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and treatment. In the current review, we summarize the significant effect of PI3K/AKT signaling toward tumor metabolism, it enables us to obtain the better understanding for this interaction and develop more effective therapeutic strategies targeting cancer cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Ya Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Yao Tian
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lan Pin Guo
- National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Qi Huang
- National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Yuan Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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12
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Fei H, Li W, Lu N, Liu Q, Zhang Y. Molecular dynamic simulation reveals the molecular interactions of epidermal growth factor receptor with musk xylene are involved in the carcinogenicity. RSC Adv 2023; 13:16311-16320. [PMID: 37266509 PMCID: PMC10230269 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra07552k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Musk xylene (MX), a kind of personal care product, has become a new type of environmental contaminant in recent years. Long-term exposure to MX is associated with a variety of cancers, but the mechanism is still unclear. Meanwhile, our previous research showed that MX exposure could lead to malignant transformation of human liver cells L02 and up-regulation of multi genes which are involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These findings indicated that the MAPK signaling pathway might be involved in the malignant transformation caused by MX, but the mechanism is also unclear. In this study, the underlying interaction mechanisms between EGFR and MX were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Results revealed that MX bound to the ECD of EGFR in four binding sites, which was mainly driven by van der Waals and nonpolar interactions, and the affinity of MX toward ECD was sIII > sI > sII > sIV. Further analysis through MD simulation found that s III, the site with the strongest binding, was coincidentally located at the binding area of EGF, which is the natural ligand of EGFR. Therefore, we speculated that MX may activate the MAPK signaling pathway by binding to EGFR in a similar way to EGF, and finally lead to tumorigenesis. In addition, the MM/PBSA method could also be utilized to calculate the hot residues in each binding site. The prediction of hot residues would provide some theoretical guidance for further study of the carcinogenesis mechanisms of MX both in MD simulation and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxing Fei
- Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center for EDA, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Wave Science and Detection Technology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Multiphysics Electronic Information, Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
| | - Wen Li
- Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center for EDA, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Wave Science and Detection Technology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Multiphysics Electronic Information, Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
| | - Nan Lu
- Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center for EDA, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Wave Science and Detection Technology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Multiphysics Electronic Information, Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
| | - Qinghuo Liu
- Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
- EIT Eastern Institute for Advanced Study Ningbo China
| | - Youyu Zhang
- Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center for EDA, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Wave Science and Detection Technology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Multiphysics Electronic Information, Institute of Electromagnetics and Acoustics, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China
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13
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Yang X, Wang H, Zhang L, Yao S, Dai J, Wen G, An J, Jin H, Du Q, Hu Y, Zheng L, Chen X, Yi Z, Tuo B. Novel roles of karyopherin subunit alpha 2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114792. [PMID: 37121148 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114792] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer and associated with a high fatality rate. This disease poses a major threat to human health worldwide. A considerable number of genetic and epigenetic factors are involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear. Karyopherin subunit alpha 2 (KPNA2), also termed importin α1, is a member of the nuclear transporter family. In recent years, KPNA2 has been gradually linked to the nuclear transport pathway for a variety of tumor-associated proteins. Furthermore, it promotes tumor development by participating in various pathophysiological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, immune response, and viral infection. In hepatocellular carcinoma, it has been found that KPNA2 expression is significantly higher in liver cancer tissues versus paracancerous tissues. Moreover, it has been identified as a marker of poor prognosis and early recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Nevertheless, the role of KPNA2 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be determined. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the pathogenesis and role of KPNA2 in hepatocellular carcinoma, and provides new directions and strategies for the diagnosis, treatment, and prediction of prognosis of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyue Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Hu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Shun Yao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Jing Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Guorong Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Jiaxing An
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Hai Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Yanxia Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Liming Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Xingyue Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Zhiqiang Yi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Biguang Tuo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China; The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regenerative Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
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14
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Lin C, Lei B, Dong C, Chen J, Chen S, Jiang K, Zeng Y, Su H, Jin H, Qiu X, Li Z, Hu Z, Yu S, Zhang C, Lu S, Atkinson C, Tomlinson S, Zhong F, Yuan G, He S. Complement inhibition alleviates donor brain death-induced liver injury and posttransplant cascade injury by regulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling. Am J Transplant 2023; 23:484-497. [PMID: 36746335 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Brain death (BD) donors are the primary source of donor organs for liver transplantation. However, the effects of BD on donor livers and outcomes after liver transplantation remain unclear. Here, we explored the role of complement and the therapeutic effect of complement inhibition in BD-induced liver injury and posttransplantation injury in a mouse BD and liver transplantation model. For complement inhibition, we used complement receptor 2 (CR2)-Crry, a murine inhibitor of C3 activation that specifically targets sites of complement activation. In the mouse model, BD resulted in complement activation and liver injury in donor livers and a cascade liver injury posttransplantation, mediated in part through the C3a-C3aR (C3a receptor) signaling pathway, which was ameliorated by treatment with CR2-Crry. Treatment of BD donors with CR2-Crry improved graft survival, which was further improved when recipients received an additional dose of CR2-Crry posttransplantation. Mechanistically, we determined that complement inhibition alleviated BD-induced donor liver injury and posttransplant cascade injury by regulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways. Together, BD induced donor liver injury and cascade injury post-transplantation, which was mediated by complement activation products acting on PI3K signaling pathways. Our study provides an experimental basis for developing strategies to improve the survival of BD donor grafts in liver transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjie Lin
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Biao Lei
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chunqiang Dong
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Junze Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shilian Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Keqing Jiang
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yonglian Zeng
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Huizhao Su
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Hu Jin
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zeyuan Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhigao Hu
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shuiping Yu
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shiliu Lu
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Carl Atkinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Stephen Tomlinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Fudi Zhong
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Guandou Yuan
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Songqing He
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
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15
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Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1 Mice under Continuous Nitisinone Treatment Display Remnants of an Uncorrected Liver Disease Phenotype. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030693. [PMID: 36980965 PMCID: PMC10047938 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT1) is a genetic disorder of the tyrosine degradation pathway (TIMD) with unmet therapeutic needs. HT1 patients are unable to fully break down the amino acid tyrosine due to a deficient fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) enzyme and, therefore, accumulate toxic tyrosine intermediates. If left untreated, they experience hepatic failure with comorbidities involving the renal and neurological system and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nitisinone (NTBC), a potent inhibitor of the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD) enzyme, rescues HT1 patients from severe illness and death. However, despite its demonstrated benefits, HT1 patients under continuous NTBC therapy are at risk to develop HCC and adverse reactions in the eye, blood and lymphatic system, the mechanism of which is poorly understood. Moreover, NTBC does not restore the enzymatic defects inflicted by the disease nor does it cure HT1. Here, the changes in molecular pathways associated to the development and progression of HT1-driven liver disease that remains uncorrected under NTBC therapy were investigated using whole transcriptome analyses on the livers of Fah- and Hgd-deficient mice under continuous NTBC therapy and after seven days of NTBC therapy discontinuation. Alkaptonuria (AKU) was used as a tyrosine-inherited metabolic disorder reference disease with non-hepatic manifestations. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in toxicological gene classes related to liver disease, liver damage, liver regeneration and liver cancer, in particular HCC. Most importantly, a set of 25 genes related to liver disease and HCC development was identified that was differentially regulated in HT1 vs. AKU mouse livers under NTBC therapy. Some of those were further modulated upon NTBC therapy discontinuation in HT1 but not in AKU livers. Altogether, our data indicate that NTBC therapy does not completely resolves HT1-driven liver disease and supports the sustained risk to develop HCC over time as different HCC markers, including Moxd1, Saa, Mt, Dbp and Cxcl1, were significantly increased under NTBC.
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Yang WX, Gao HW, Cui JB, Zhang AA, Wang FF, Xie JQ, Lu MH, You CG. Development and validation of a coagulation-related genes prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:89. [PMID: 36894886 PMCID: PMC9996845 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05220-4] [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: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high incidence and mortality worldwide, which seriously threatens people's physical and mental health. Coagulation is closely related to the occurrence and development of HCC. Whether coagulation-related genes (CRGs) can be used as prognostic markers for HCC remains to be investigated. METHODS Firstly, we identified differentially expressed coagulation-related genes of HCC and control samples in the datasets GSE54236, GSE102079, TCGA-LIHC, and Genecards database. Then, univariate Cox regression analysis, LASSO regression analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to determine the key CRGs and establish the coagulation-related risk score (CRRS) prognostic model in the TCGA-LIHC dataset. The predictive capability of the CRRS model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and ROC analysis. External validation was performed in the ICGC-LIRI-JP dataset. Besides, combining risk score and age, gender, grade, and stage, a nomogram was constructed to quantify the survival probability. We further analyzed the correlation between risk score and functional enrichment, pathway, and tumor immune microenvironment. RESULTS We identified 5 key CRGs (FLVCR1, CENPE, LCAT, CYP2C9, and NQO1) and constructed the CRRS prognostic model. The overall survival (OS) of the high-risk group was shorter than that of the low-risk group. The AUC values for 1 -, 3 -, and 5-year OS in the TCGA dataset were 0.769, 0.691, and 0.674, respectively. The Cox analysis showed that CRRS was an independent prognostic factor for HCC. A nomogram established with risk score, age, gender, grade, and stage, has a better prognostic value for HCC patients. In the high-risk group, CD4+T cells memory resting, NK cells activated, and B cells naive were significantly lower. The expression levels of immune checkpoint genes in the high-risk group were generally higher than that in the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS The CRRS model has reliable predictive value for the prognosis of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Xia Yang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hong-Wei Gao
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jia-Bo Cui
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - An-An Zhang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fang-Fang Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jian-Qin Xie
- Anesthesiology Department, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ming-Hua Lu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chong-Ge You
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.
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Xu H, Li L, Qu L, Tu J, Sun X, Liu X, Xu K. Atractylenolide-1 affects glycolysis/gluconeogenesis by downregulating the expression of TPI1 and GPI to inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human triple-negative breast cancer cells. Phytother Res 2023; 37:820-833. [PMID: 36420870 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7661] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Atractylenolide-1 (AT-1) is a major octanol alkaloid isolated from Atractylodes Rhizoma and is widely used to treat various diseases. However, few reports have addressed the anticancer potential of AT-1, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of its anticancer effects are unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of AT-1 on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell proliferation and migration and explore its potential molecular mechanisms. Cell invasion assays confirmed that the number of migrating cells decreased after AT-1 treatment. Colony formation assays showed that AT-1 treatment impaired the ability of MDA-MB-231 cells to form colonies. AT-1 inhibited the expression of p-p38, p-ERK, and p-AKT in MDA-MB-231 cells, significantly downregulated the proliferation of anti-apoptosis-related proteins CDK1, CCND1, and Bcl2, and up-regulated pro-apoptotic proteins Bak, caspase 3, and caspase 9. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy results showed that AT-1 downregulated the metabolism-related genes TPI1 and GPI through the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. AT-1 affected glycolysis/gluconeogenesis by downregulating the expression of TPI1 and GPI, inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cells and suppressing tumor growth in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiying Xu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Lanqing Li
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Linghang Qu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiyuan Tu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiongjie Sun
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianqiong Liu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Kang Xu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
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Integrated analysis of ferroptosis-related gene signature for overall survival prediction in Asian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol 2023; 25:721-730. [PMID: 36319928 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02977-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent types of cancers in Asia. Accumulating evidence suggests that ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death, and has played an important role in cancer biology. METHODS Based on the manually curated ferroptosis-related gene set and TCGA-LIHC dataset of Asian patients, we used DESeq2, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and univariate Cox regression to identify differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes with significantly prognostic capacity. A risk signature was constructed based on the selected genes for predicting the survival of HCC patients in Asia. The survival prediction accuracy was confirmed by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to explore the functional associations of the signature. Ferroptosis potential index (FPI) and xCell algorithm was applied to quantify ferroptosis and immune cell infiltration, respectively. Two independent datasets from the GEO and the ICGC database were used for external validation. RESULTS The ferroptosis-related signature could accurately predict the survival outcomes of HCC patients in Asian (p value < 0.0001). We showed that the signature was an independent factor and was beneficial in elevating risk stratification of current clinicopathologic features, such as the amount of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and residual tumor classification. Functional characterization showed that critical processes in tumorigenesis belonged to the high-risk groups, for example inflammatory response, which may be the main driver of HCC. The high-risk group had higher FPIs and infiltrations of macrophages and T-helper cells than the low-risk group. Furthermore, two independent cohorts confirmed the prognostic value of our signature. CONCLUSION Overall, our results demonstrated potential application of ferroptosis-related genes as independent biomarkers in Asian HCC patients. Targeting ferroptosis may be clinically useful beyond known clinicopathological factors and provide benefit in immunotherapy.
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The Role of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032652. [PMID: 36768977 PMCID: PMC9916527 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Metabolic reprogramming is considered a new hallmark of cancer, but it remains unclearly described in HCC. The dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is common in HCC and is, therefore, a topic of further research and the concern of developing a novel target for liver cancer therapy. In this review, we illustrate mechanisms by which this signaling network is accountable for regulating HCC cellular metabolism, including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and oxidative metabolism, and summarize the ongoing clinical trials based on the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in HCC.
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20
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Zheng SS, Wu YF, Zhang BH, Huang C, Xue TC. A novel myeloid cell marker genes related signature can indicate immune infiltration and predict prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Integrated analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1118377. [PMID: 36959981 PMCID: PMC10027926 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1118377] [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: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells are physiologically related to innate immunity and inflammation. Tumor-associated myeloid cells gained increasing interest because of their critical roles in tumor progression and anticancer immune responses in human malignancies. However, the associations between tumor-associated myeloid cell-related genes and hepatocellular carcinoma have yet to be revealed. Here, through the integrating analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing of public HCC samples, we developed a gene signature to investigate the role of HCC-specific myeloid signature genes in HCC patients. We firstly defined 317 myeloid cell marker genes through analyzing scRNA data of HCC from the GEO dataset. After selecting the differentially expressed genes, eleven genes were also proved prognostic. Then we built a gene signature from the TCGA cohort and verified further with the ICGC dataset by applying the LASSO Cox method. An eight genes signature (FABP5, C15orf48, PABPC1, TUBA1B, AKR1C3, NQO1, AKR1B10, SPP1) was achieved finally. Patients in the high risk group correlated with higher tumor stages and poor survival than those in the low-risk group. The risk score was proved to be an independent risk factor for prognosis. The high risk group had higher infiltrations of dendritic cells, macrophages and Tregs. And the APC co-inhibition, T cell co-inhibition pathways were also activated. Besides, the risk score positively correlated with multidrug resistance proteins. In conclusion, our myeloid cell marker genes related signature can predict patients' survival and may also indicate the levels of immune infiltration and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Su Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Oncology, Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (Xiamen Branch), Xiamen, China
| | - Yan-Fang Wu
- Department of Hepatic Oncology, Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (Xiamen Branch), Xiamen, China
| | - Bo-Heng Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Oncology, Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (Xiamen Branch), Xiamen, China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Center for Evidence-based Medicine, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Huang, ; Tong-Chun Xue,
| | - Tong-Chun Xue
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Huang, ; Tong-Chun Xue,
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21
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Disorders of cancer metabolism: The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 157:113993. [PMID: 36379120 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal energy metabolism, as one of the important hallmarks of cancer, was induced by multiple carcinogenic factors and tumor-specific microenvironments. It comprises aerobic glycolysis, de novo lipid biosynthesis, and glutamine-dependent anaplerosis. Considering that metabolic reprogramming provides various nutrients for tumor survival and development, it has been considered a potential target for cancer therapy. Cannabinoids have been shown to exhibit a variety of anticancer activities by unclear mechanisms. This paper first reviews the recent progress of related signaling pathways (reactive oxygen species (ROS), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α), and p53) mediating the reprogramming of cancer metabolism (including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism). Then we comprehensively explore the latest discoveries and possible mechanisms of the anticancer effects of cannabinoids through the regulation of the above-mentioned related signaling pathways, to provide new targets and insights for cancer prevention and treatment.
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22
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Ginsenosides in cancer: A focus on the regulation of cell metabolism. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113756. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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23
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Research progress on the role of cholesterol in hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 938:175410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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The NQO1/p53/SREBP1 axis promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis by regulating Snail stability. Oncogene 2022; 41:5107-5120. [PMID: 36253445 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02477-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and its abnormal metabolism affects the survival and prognosis of patients. Recent studies have found that NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) played an important role in tumor metabolism and malignant progression. However, the molecular mechanisms by which NQO1 regulates lipid metabolism during HCC progression remain unclear. In this study, bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical results showed that NQO1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and its high expression was closely related to the poor prognosis of HCC patients. Overexpression of NQO1 promoted the cell proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and angiogenesis of HCC cells. Luciferase reporter assay further revealed that NQO1/p53 could induce the transcriptional activity of SREBP1, consequently regulating HCC progression through lipid anabolism. In addition, Snail protein was stabilized by NQO1/p53/SREBP1 axis and triggered the EMT process, and participated in the regulatory role of NQO1/p53/SREBP1 axis in HCC. Together, these data indicated that NQO1/SREBP1 axis promoted the progression and metastasis of HCC, and might be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Golikov MV, Valuev-Elliston VT, Smirnova OA, Ivanov AV. Physiological Media in Studies of Cell Metabolism. Mol Biol 2022; 56:629-637. [PMID: 36217338 PMCID: PMC9534458 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322050077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Changes in cell metabolism accompany the development of a wide spectrum of pathologies including cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, usage of inhibitors of metabolic enzymes are considered a promising strategy for the development of therapeutic agents. However, the investigation of cellular metabolism is hampered by the significant impact of culture media, which interfere with many cellular processes, thus making cellular models irrelevant. There are numerous reports that show that the results from in vitro systems are not reproduced in in vivo models and patients. Over the last decade a novel approach has emerged, which consists of adaptation of the culture medium composition to that closer to the composition of blood plasma. In 2017‒2019, two plasma-like media were proposed, Plasmax and HPLM. In the review, we have summarized the drawbacks of common media and have analyzed changes in the metabolism of cells cultivated in common and plasma-like media in normal and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M V Golikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - V T Valuev-Elliston
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - O A Smirnova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - A V Ivanov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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Cong T, Luo Y, Liu Y, Yang C, Yang H, Li Y, Li J, Li X. Cuproptosis-related immune checkpoint gene signature: Prediction of prognosis and immune response for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:1000997. [PMID: 36276933 PMCID: PMC9579294 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1000997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint genes (ICGs), the foundation of immunotherapy, are involved in the incidence and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cuproptosis is characterized by copper-induced cell death, and this novel cell death pathway has piqued the interest of researchers in recent years. It is worth noting that there is little information available in the literature to determine the relationship between cuproptosis and anti-tumor immunity. We identified 39 cuproptosis-related ICGs using ICGs co-expressed with cuproptosis-related genes. A prognostic risk signature was constructed using the Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis methods. The signature was built using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma database. The TCGA and International Cancer Genome Consortium cohorts were classified into two groups; the low- and high-risk groups were determined using a prognostic signature comprised of five genes. The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the signature could independently predict overall survival. Furthermore, the level of immune infiltration analysis revealed the robustness of the prognostic signature-immune cell infiltration relationship observed for Tregs, macrophages, helper T cells, and naive B cells. Both groups showed significant differences in immune checkpoint expression levels. The gene enrichment analysis was used for characterization, and the results revealed that enriching various pathways such as PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling, glycolysis, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, and unfolded protein response could potentially influence the prognosis of patients with HCC and the level of immune infiltration. The sensitivity of the two groups of patients to various drug-targeted therapy methods and immunotherapy was analyzed. In conclusion, the findings presented here lay the foundation for developing individualized treatment methods for HCC patients. The findings also revealed that studying the cuproptosis-based pathway can aid in the prognosis of HCC patients. It is also possible that cuproptosis contributes to developing anti-tumor immunity in patients.
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Zhao J, Guo J, Wang Y, Ma Q, Shi Y, Cheng F, Lu Q, Fu W, Ouyang G, Zhang J, Xu Q, Hu X. Research Progress of DUB Enzyme in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:920287. [PMID: 35875077 PMCID: PMC9303014 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.920287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
According to GLOBOCAN 2021 cancer incidence and mortality statistics compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy in the human liver and one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Although there have been great advances in the treatment of HCC, such as regofenib, sorafenib, and lomvatinib, which have been developed and approved for the clinical treatment of advanced or metastatic HCC. However, they only prolong survival by a few months, and patients with advanced liver cancer are susceptible to tumor invasion metastasis and drug resistance. Ubiquitination modification is a type of post-translational modification of proteins. It can affect the physiological activity of cells by regulating the localization, stability and activity of proteins, such as: gene transcription, DNA damage signaling and other pathways. The reversible process of ubiquitination is called de-ubiquitination: it is the process of re-releasing ubiquitinated substrates with the participation of de-ubiquitinases (DUBs) and other active substances. There is growing evidence that many dysregulations of DUBs are associated with tumorigenesis. Although dysregulation of deuquitinase function is often found in HCC and other cancers, The mechanisms of action of many DUBs in HCC have not been elucidated. In this review, we focused on several deubiquitinases (DUBs) associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, including their structure, function, and relationship to hepatocellular carcinoma. hepatocellular carcinoma was highlighted, as well as the latest research reports. Among them, we focus on the USP family and OTU family which are more studied in the HCC. In addition, we discussed the prospects and significance of targeting DUBs as a new strategy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. It also briefly summarizes the research progress of some DUB-related small molecule inhibitors and their clinical application significance as a treatment for HCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhao
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Guo
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiancheng Ma
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Shi
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Cheng
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiliang Lu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wen Fu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | | | - Ji Zhang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiuran Xu
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoge Hu, ; Qiuran Xu,
| | - Xiaoge Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, China
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoge Hu, ; Qiuran Xu,
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Ma W, Zhu M, Wang B, Gong Z, Du X, Yang T, Shi X, Dai B, Zhan Y, Zhang D, Ji Y, Wang Y, Li S, Zhang Y. Vandetanib drives growth arrest and promotes sensitivity to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia by targeting ephrin type-B receptor 4. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2747-2765. [PMID: 35689424 PMCID: PMC9297786 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The oncogenic role of ephrin type‐B receptor 4 (EPHB4) has been reported in many types of tumors, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Here, we found that CML patients have a higher EPHB4 expression level than healthy subjects. EPHB4 knockdown inhibited growth of K562 cells (a human immortalized myelogenous leukemia cell line). In addition, transient transfection of EPHB4 siRNA led to sensitization to imatinib. These growth defects could be fully rescued by EPHB4 transfection. To identify an EPHB4‐specific inhibitor with the potential of rapid translation into the clinic, a pool of clinical compounds was screened and vandetanib was found to be most sensitive to K562 cells, which express a high level of EPHB4. Vandetanib mainly acts on the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain and interacts stably with a hydrophobic pocket. Furthermore, vandetanib downregulated EPHB4 protein via the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway and inhibited PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways in K562 cells. Vandetanib alone significantly inhibited tumor growth in a K562 xenograft model. Furthermore, the combination of vandetanib and imatinib exhibited enhanced and synergistic growth inhibition against imatinib‐resistant K562 cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that vandetanib drives growth arrest and overcomes the resistance to imatinib in CML via targeting EPHB4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Man Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhengyan Gong
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Xia Du
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shaanxi Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianfeng Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Xianpeng Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Bingling Dai
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Yingzhuan Zhan
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongdong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanhong Ji
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
| | - Song Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Center for Pharmacogenetics, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.,State Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Natural Medicines Research and Engineering, Xi'an, China
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Shiau JP, Chuang YT, Cheng YB, Tang JY, Hou MF, Yen CY, Chang HW. Impacts of Oxidative Stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR on Metabolism and the Future Direction of Investigating Fucoidan-Modulated Metabolism. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:911. [PMID: 35624775 PMCID: PMC9137824 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11050911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The critical factors for regulating cancer metabolism are oxidative stress and phosphoinositide-3-kinase/AKT serine-threonine kinase/mechanistic target of the rapamycin kinase (PI3K/AKT/mTOR). However, the metabolic impacts of oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR on individual mechanisms such as glycolysis (Warburg effect), pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), fatty acid synthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle, glutaminolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are complicated. Therefore, this review summarizes the individual and interacting functions of oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR on metabolism. Moreover, natural products providing oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR modulating effects have anticancer potential. Using the example of brown algae-derived fucoidan, the roles of oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR were summarized, although their potential functions within diverse metabolisms were rarely investigated. We propose a potential application that fucoidan may regulate oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling to modulate their associated metabolic regulations. This review sheds light on understanding the impacts of oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR on metabolism and the future direction of metabolism-based cancer therapy of fucoidan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ping Shiau
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung 81267, Taiwan;
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Ya-Ting Chuang
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Yuan-Bin Cheng
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
| | - Jen-Yang Tang
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaoshiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Feng Hou
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Ching-Yu Yen
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan 71004, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Wei Chang
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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30
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Lu H, Yin H, Qu L, Ma X, Fu R, Fan D. Ginsenoside Rk1 regulates glutamine metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of the ERK/c-Myc pathway. Food Funct 2022; 13:3793-3811. [PMID: 35316310 DOI: 10.1039/d1fo03728e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers in the world. Recently, suppression of glutamine metabolism has become one of the hottest therapy targets for cancer treatment. There is a growing amount of research that indicates that ginsenosides possess good anti-tumor activity. However, the effect of ginsenoside Rk1 on glutamine metabolism in HCC is unclear. In this study, Rk1 was demonstrated to be effective at inhibiting the proliferation of HCC through the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Especially, Rk1 was shown for the first time to inhibit glutamine metabolism in HCC. Rk1 downregulates GLS1 expression, and consequently decreases the GSH production, stimulating ROS accumulation to induce apoptosis. In addition, transcriptomic results showed that the ERK/c-Myc signaling pathway was enriched in HepG2. Rk1 exerts an inhibitory effect on glutamine metabolism in HCC by regulating the ERK/c-Myc signaling pathway, and inducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo with less toxicity. Therefore, ginsenoside Rk1 could be a promising candidate for the clinical treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoping Lu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Huayu Yin
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Linlin Qu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Ma
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Rongzhan Fu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Daidi Fan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China. .,Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,Biotech. & Biomed. Research Institute, Northwest University, Taibai North Road 229, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
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Sanaei MJ, Razi S, Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi A, Bashash D. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in lung cancer; oncogenic alterations, therapeutic opportunities, challenges, and a glance at the application of nanoparticles. Transl Oncol 2022; 18:101364. [PMID: 35168143 PMCID: PMC8850794 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the most common and deadliest human malignancies. The alterations of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are related to lung cancer progression. PI3K axis regulates proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and EMT of lung cancer. Agents inhibiting components of PI3K axis diminish lung tumor growth and invasion. Low efficacy and off-target toxicity could be improved by nanoparticle application.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway has recently been considered as one of the most altered molecular pathways in this malignancy, few articles reviewed the task. In this review, we aim to summarize the original data obtained from international research laboratories on the oncogenic alterations in each component of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in lung cancer. This review also responds to questions on how aberrant activation in this axis contributes to uncontrolled growth, drug resistance, sustained angiogenesis, as well as tissue invasion and metastatic spread. Besides, we provide a special focus on pharmacologic inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis, either as monotherapy or in a combined-modal strategy, in the context of lung cancer. Despite promising outcomes achieved by using these agents, however, the presence of drug resistance as well as treatment-related adverse events is the other side of the coin. The last section allocates a general overview of the challenges associated with the inhibitors of the PI3K pathway in lung cancer patients. Finally, we comment on the future research aspects, especially in which nano-based drug delivery strategies might increase the efficacy of the therapy in this malignancy.
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Abdelmoaty AAA, Zhang P, Lin W, Fan YJ, Ye SN, Xu JH. C0818, a novel curcumin derivative, induces ROS-dependent cytotoxicity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro via disruption of Hsp90 function. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:446-456. [PMID: 33824458 PMCID: PMC8792041 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-021-00642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is the most common molecular chaperone that controls the maturation of many oncoproteins critical in tumor development. Hsp90 has been considered as a promising target for cancer treatment, but the clinical significance of Hsp90 and the mechanisms of Hsp90 regulating the tumor-promoting effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain obscure. Previous studies have shown that curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the plant turmeric (Curcuma longa), inhibits tumor growth, which may provide an effective alternative therapy for HCC. Compared to curcumin, a novel derivative of curcumin, 3,5-(E)-Bis(3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzal)-4-piperidinone hydrochloride (C0818) that is more potent in Hsp90 inhibition and antitumor activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of C0818 on HCC cells in vitro and its relation to Hsp90 inhibition. We showed that C0818 concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation, the colony formation and induced apoptosis in HepG2 and Sk-Hep-1 cells. C0818 concentration-dependently inhibited DNA synthesis and induced G2/M phase arrest in HepG2 and Sk-Hep-1 cells. We further demonstrated that C0818 induced ROS- and caspase-dependent apoptosis in HCC cells through the mitochondrial-mediated pathway. C0818 induced the degradation of Hsp90 client proteins as RAS, C-Raf, P-C-Raf, Erk, P-ERK, MEK, P-MEK, Akt and P-Akt, which led to subsequent inhibition of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. We revealed that C0818 could inhibit the binding of Hsp90 with its clients without affecting their transcription, which subsequently induced the degradation of Hsp90 clients by the proteasome rather than the lysosome. These results are of potential importance for elucidating a novel Hsp90 inhibitor targeting HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Attia Ahmed Abdelmoaty
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Wen Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350004, China
| | - Ying-Juan Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350004, China.
| | - Jian-Hua Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
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33
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Li Y, Mo H, Wu S, Liu X, Tu K. A Novel Lactate Metabolism-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Clinical Outcome and Tumor Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:801959. [PMID: 35047511 PMCID: PMC8762248 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.801959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main subtype of primary liver cancer with high malignancy and poor prognosis. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer and has great importance on the tumor microenvironment (TME). As an abundant metabolite, lactate plays a crucial role in cancer progression and the immunosuppressive TME. Nonetheless, the potential roles of lactate in HCC remain unclear. In this study, we downloaded transcriptomic data of HCC patients with corresponding clinical information from the TCGA and ICGC portals. The TCGA-HCC dataset used as the training cohort, while the ICGC-LIRI-JP dataset was served as an external validation cohort. Cox regression analysis and the LASSO regression model were combined to construct the lactate metabolism-related gene signature (LMRGS). Then, we assessed the clinical significance of LMRGS in HCC. Besides, enriched molecular functions, tumor mutation burden (TMB), infiltrating immune cells, and immune checkpoint were comprehensively analyzed in different LMRGS subgroups. In total, 66 differentially expressed lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) were screened. The functions of LMRGs were mainly enriched in mitochondrial activity and metabolic processes. The LMRGS comprised of six key LMRGs (FKTN, PDSS1, PET117, PUS1, RARS1, and RNASEH1) had significant clinical value for independently predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. The overall survival and median survival of patients in the LMRGS-high group were significantly shorter than in the LMRGS-low group. In addition, there were differences in TMB between the two LMRGS subgroups. The probability of genetic mutations was higher in the LMRGS-high group. Most importantly, the LMRGS reflected the TME characteristics. In the LMRGS-high group, the immune microenvironment presented a suppressed state, accompanied by more inhibitory immune cell infiltration, including follicular helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Additionally, the expression of inhibitory checkpoint molecules was much higher in the LMRGS-high group. Our study suggested that the LMRGS was a robust biomarker to predict the clinical outcomes and evaluate the TME of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huanye Mo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shengli Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kangsheng Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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MicroRNA-517c Functions as a Tumor Suppressor in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Downregulation of KPNA2 and Inhibition of PI3K/AKT Pathway. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2022; 2022:7026174. [PMID: 35075389 PMCID: PMC8783737 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7026174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a kind of solid and highly aggressive malignant tumor with poor prognosis. MicroRNA (miRNA/miR) has been confirmed to be involved in HCC development. The current study focused on the functions and mechanisms of miR-517c in HCC. METHODS Expressions of miR-517c and Karyopherin α2 (KPNA2) mRNA in HCC cell lines and tissue samples were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blot was conducted for detections of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and PI3K/AKT markers. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Transwell assays were utilized to investigate the influence of miR-517c on HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. TargetScan and luciferase reporter assay were performed to search for the potential target gene of miR-517c. RESULTS We demonstrated that miR-517c expressions were decreased in HCC tissues and cells. Moreover, the clinical analysis showed that decreased miR-517c expressions in HCC tissues correlated with shorter overall survival and malignant clinicopathologic features of HCC patients. MTT assay showed that miR-517c upregulation prominently repressed HCC cell proliferation. In addition, miR-517c restoration could significantly suppress HCC cell invasion and migration as demonstrated by Transwell assays. We also found that miR-517c directly targeted KPNA2 and regulated the PI3K/AKT pathway and EMT, exerting prohibitory functions in HCC. CONCLUSION Taken together, this study stated that miR-517c inhibited HCC progression via regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and EMT and targeting KPNA2 in HCC, providing a novel insight into HCC treatment.
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35
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Navaeian M, Ahmadpour-Yazdi H, Asadian S, Gheibi N. The effect of ANGPTL8 protein on proliferation and apoptosis in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. GENE REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2021.101306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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36
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Zhou Y, Hu J, Liu L, Yan M, Zhang Q, Song X, Lin Y, Zhu D, Wei Y, Fu Z, Hu L, Chen Y, Li X. Gly-tRF enhances LCSC-like properties and promotes HCC cells migration by targeting NDFIP2. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:502. [PMID: 34537070 PMCID: PMC8449465 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02102-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence demonstrates that tRFs (tRNA-derived small RNA fragments) and tiRNAs (tRNA-derived stress-induced RNA), an emerging category of regulatory RNA molecules derived from transfer RNAs (tRNAs), are dysregulated in in various human cancer types and play crucial roles. However, their roles and mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are still unknown. Methods The expression of glycine tRNA-derived fragment (Gly-tRF) was measured by qRT-PCR. Flow cytometric analysis and sphere formation assays were used to determine the properties of LCSCs. Transwell assays and scratch wound assays were performed to detect HCC cell migration. Western blotting was conducted to evaluate the abundance change of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins. Dual luciferase reporter assays and signalling pathway analysis were performed to explore the underlying mechanism of Gly-tRF functions. Results Gly-tRF was highly expressed in HCC cell lines and tumour tissues. Gly-tRF mimic increased the LCSC subpopulation proportion and LCSC-like cell properties. Gly-tRF mimic promoted HCC cell migration and EMT. Loss of Gly-tRF inhibited HCC cell migration and EMT. Mechanistically, Gly-tRF decreased the level of NDFIP2 mRNA by binding to the NDFIP2 mRNA 3′ UTR. Importantly, overexpression of NDFIP2 weakened the promotive effects of Gly-tRF on LCSC-like cell sphere formation and HCC cell migration. Signalling pathway analysis showed that Gly-tRF increased the abundance of phosphorylated AKT. Conclusions Gly-tRF enhances LCSC-like cell properties and promotes EMT by targeting NDFIP2 and activating the AKT signalling pathway. Gly-tRF plays tumor-promoting role in HCC and may lead to a potential therapeutic target for HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02102-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhou
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jinjing Hu
- Gansu Province Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine, Lanzhou, 730000, China.,School of Life Science of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Lu Liu
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Mengchao Yan
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaojing Song
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yan Lin
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yongjian Wei
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zongli Fu
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Liming Hu
- School of Life Science of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yue Chen
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. .,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China. .,Gansu Province Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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Tan S, Zhang M, Shi X, Ding K, Zhao Q, Guo Q, Wang H, Wu Z, Kang Y, Zhu T, Sun J, Zhao X. CPSF6 links alternative polyadenylation to metabolism adaption in hepatocellular carcinoma progression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:85. [PMID: 33648552 PMCID: PMC7923339 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01884-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an important mechanism of gene expression regulation through generation of RNA isoforms with distinct 3' termini. Increasing evidence has revealed that APA is actively involved in development and disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, how APA functions in tumor formation and progression remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the role of cleavage factor I (CFIm) subunit CPSF6 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Expression levels of CPSF6 in clinical tissues and cell lines were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. Functional assays, including the cell number, MTT, colony formation and transwell, were used to determine the oncogenic role of CPSF6 in HCC. Animal experiments were used to determine the role of CPSF6 in HCC tumorigenicity in vivo. Deep sequencing-based 3 T-seq was used to profile the transcriptome-wide APA sites in both HCC cells and CPSF6 knockdown HCC cells. The function of CPSF6-affected target NQO1 with distinct 3'UTRs was characterized by metabolism assays. RESULTS We observed CPSF6 was upregulated in HCC and the high expression of CPSF6 was associated with poor prognosis in patients. Overexpression of CPSF6 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptome-wide APA profiling analysis indicated that high expression of CPSF6 promoted the favorable usage of the proximal poly(A) site in the 3'UTR of NQO1. We demonstrated CPSF6-induced tumorigenic activities were mediated by the NQO1 isoform with short 3'UTR. Furthermore, we found that CPSF6 induced metabolic alterations in liver cells through NQO1. CONCLUSION CPSF6 plays a critical role in HCC progression by upregulating NQO1 expression through APA. These findings provide evidence to demonstrate that APA of NQO1 contributes to HCC progression and may have implications for developing new therapeutic strategy against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Tan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xinglong Shi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Keshuo Ding
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Qianying Guo
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zhengsheng Wu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yani Kang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.
| | - Jielin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Xiaodong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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38
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Dong W, Yan K, Yu H, Huo L, Xian Z, Zhao Y, Li J, Zhang Y, Cao Z, Fu Y, Cong W, Dong H. Prognostic Nomogram for Sorafenib Benefit in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Partial Hepatectomy. Front Oncol 2021; 10:605057. [PMID: 33643907 PMCID: PMC7906076 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.605057] [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: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Predicting the long-term prognosis of individuals who experienced sorafenib treatment following partial hepatectomy due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult. This work aims to create an effective prognostic nomogram for HBV related HCC patients who are receiving sorafenib treatment as adjuvant therapy after surgery. Methods A total of 233 HBV-related HCC patients treated with or without sorafenib following partial hepatectomy at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from 2008 to 2013 were matched with propensity score matching analysis. The optimal cut-off point of the overall survival (OS) factor level was determined by x-tile. The selection of indicators was based on clinical findings. The Cox regression model with an interaction term was employed for evaluating the predictive value. Using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, a nomogram was subsequently formulated to analyze 111 patients treated with sorafenib. The nomogram's discriminative ability and predictive accuracy were determined using the concordance index (C-index), calibration, and ROC curve. Results The matched sorafenib cohort of 111 patients and control cohort of 118 patients were analyzed. Subgroup analysis revealed that low GPC3, pERK, pAKT, serum AFP levels, without MVI, under 50 years old, male, TNM stage I/II and BCLC stage 0/A were significantly associated with a better OS in patients subjected to sorafenib treatment compared to those without sorafenib treatment after surgery. Multivariate analysis of the sorafenib cohort revealed GPC3, pERK, pAKT, serum AST, and BCLC stage as independent factors for OS, and all were included in the nomogram. The survival probability based on the calibration curve showed that the prediction of the nomogram was in good agreement with the actual observation. The C-index of the nomogram for predicting survival was 0.73(95% CI, 0.67-0.78). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the nomogram to predict the survival for 1, 3, and 5-year was 0.726, 0.816, and 0.823, respectively. Conclusion This proposed nomogram shows the potential to make a precise prediction regarding the prognosis of HBV-related HCC patients and may help to stratify patients for personalized therapy following partial hepatectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Yan
- The Fifth Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Huo
- Department of Radiology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihong Xian
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqing Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jutang Li
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tong Ren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenying Cao
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Fu
- The Fifth Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenming Cong
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Constructing the Logical Regression Model to Predict the Target of Jianpi Jiedu Decoction in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2020:8859558. [PMID: 33424998 PMCID: PMC7781689 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8859558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify the molecular mechanism and prognosis-related genes of Jianpi Jiedu decoction in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods The gene expression data of hepatocellular carcinoma samples and normal tissue samples were downloaded from TCGA database, and the potential targets of drug composition of Jianpi Jiedu decoction were obtained from TCMSP database. The genes were screened out in order to obtain the expression of these target genes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The differential expression of target genes was analyzed by R software, and the genes related to prognosis were screened by univariate Cox regression analysis. Then, the LASSO model was constructed for risk assessment and survival analysis between different risk groups. At the same time, independent prognostic analysis, GSEA analysis, and prognostic analysis of single gene in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were performed. Results 174 compounds of traditional Chinese medicine were screened by TCMSP database, corresponding to 122 potential targets. 39 upregulated genes and 9 downregulated genes were screened out. A total of 20 candidate prognostic related genes were screened out by univariate Cox analysis, of which 12 prognostic genes were involved in the construction of the LASSO regression model. There was a significant difference in survival time between the high-risk group and low-risk group (p < 0.05). Among the genes related to prognosis, the expression levels of CCNB1, NQO1, NUF2, and CHEK1 were high in tumor tissues (p < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that the high expression levels of these four genes were significantly correlated with poor prognosis of HCC (p < 0.05). GSEA analysis showed that the main KEGG enrichment pathways were lysine degradation, folate carbon pool, citrate cycle, and transcription factors. Conclusions In the study, we found that therapy target genes of Jianpi Jiedu decoction were mainly involved in metabolism and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, and there was a close relationship between the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and the genes of CCNB1, NQO1, NUF2, and CHEK1.
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Zhang C, Wang X, Fang D, Xu P, Mo X, Hu C, Abdelatty A, Wang M, Xu H, Sun Q, Zhou G, She J, Xia J, Hui KM, Xia H. STK39 is a novel kinase contributing to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by the PLK1/ERK signaling pathway. Theranostics 2021; 11:2108-2122. [PMID: 33500714 PMCID: PMC7797677 DOI: 10.7150/thno.48112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Protein kinases are critical therapeutic targets for curing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As a serine/threonine kinase, the potential roles of serine/threonine kinase 39 (STK39) in HCC remain to be explored. Methods: The expression of STK39 was examined by RT-qPCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by CCK8 and TUNEL kit. Cell migration and invasion assays were performed using a transwell system with or without Matrigel. RNA-seq, mass spectrometry and luciferase reporter assays were used to identify STK39 binding proteins. Results: Here, we firstly report that STK39 was highly overexpressed in clinical HCC tissues compared with adjacent tissues, high expression of STK39 was induced by transcription factor SP1 and correlated with poor patient survival. Gain and loss of function assays revealed that overexpression of STK39 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In contrast, the depletion of STK39 attenuated the growth and metastasis of HCC cells. Moreover, knockdown of STK39 induced the HCC cell cycle arrested in the G2/M phase and promoted apoptosis. In mechanistic studies, RNA-seq revealed that STK39 positively regulated the ERK signaling pathway. Mass spectrometry identified that STK39 bound to PLK1 and STK39 promoted HCC progression and activated ERK signaling pathway dependent on PLK1. Conclusions: Thus, our study uncovers a novel role of STK39/PLK1/ERK signaling axis in the progress of HCC and suggests STK39 as an indicator for prognosis and a potential drug target of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengfei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241001, Anhui, China
| | - Dan Fang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ping Xu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao Mo
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Hu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Alaa Abdelatty
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mei Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haojun Xu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guoren Zhou
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Junjun She
- Department of High Talent & General Surgery & Med-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jinglin Xia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kam Man Hui
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Centre Singapore & Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Hongping Xia
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Sir Run Run Hospital & State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine & Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
- Department of High Talent & General Surgery & Med-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Centre Singapore & Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
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Yang Y, Zheng J, Wang M, Zhang J, Tian T, Wang Z, Yuan S, Liu L, Zhu P, Gu F, Fu S, Shan Y, Pan Z, Zhou W. NQO1 promotes an aggressive phenotype in hepatocellular carcinoma via amplifying ERK-NRF2 signaling. Cancer Sci 2020; 112:641-654. [PMID: 33222332 PMCID: PMC7894015 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are usually diagnosed at the later stages and have poor survival outcomes. New molecules are urgently needed for the prognostic predication and individual treatment. Our study showed that high levels of NQO1 expression frequently exist in HCC with an obvious cancer‐specific pattern. Patients with NQO1‐high tumors are significantly associated with poor survival outcomes and serve as independent predictors. Functional experiments showed that NQO1 promotes the growth and aggressiveness of HCC in both in vitro and in vivo models, and the underlying mechanism involved NQO1‐derived amplification of ERK/p38‐NRF2 signaling. Combined block of ERK and NRF2 signaling generated stronger growth inhibition compared with any single block, especially for HCC with high‐NQO1. Therefore, NQO1 is a potential biomarker for HCC early diagnosis and prognosis prediction, and also attractive for cancer‐specific targets for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Yang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Intervention, First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengchao Wang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China.,The Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of People's Liberation Army, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Tian
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiheng Wang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengxian Yuan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Liu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Zhu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangming Gu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyuan Fu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunfeng Shan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zeya Pan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiping Zhou
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), Shanghai, China
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Götting I, Jendrossek V, Matschke J. A New Twist in Protein Kinase B/Akt Signaling: Role of Altered Cancer Cell Metabolism in Akt-Mediated Therapy Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228563. [PMID: 33202866 PMCID: PMC7697684 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and molecular-targeted agents is a major obstacle to successful cancer therapy. Herein, aberrant activation of the phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway is one of the most frequently deregulated pathways in cancer cells and has been associated with multiple aspects of therapy resistance. These include, for example, survival under stress conditions, apoptosis resistance, activation of the cellular response to DNA damage and repair of radiation-induced or chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, particularly DNA double strand breaks (DSB). One further important, yet not much investigated aspect of Akt-dependent signaling is the regulation of cell metabolism. In fact, many Akt target proteins are part of or involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways. Furthermore, recent studies revealed the importance of certain metabolites for protection against therapy-induced cell stress and the repair of therapy-induced DNA damage. Thus far, the likely interaction between deregulated activation of Akt, altered cancer metabolism and therapy resistance is not yet well understood. The present review describes the documented interactions between Akt, its target proteins and cancer cell metabolism, focusing on antioxidant defense and DSB repair. Furthermore, the review highlights potential connections between deregulated Akt, cancer cell metabolism and therapy resistance of cancer cells through altered DSB repair and discusses potential resulting therapeutic implications.
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Identification of the Sixth Complement Component as Potential Key Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Bioinformatics Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:7042124. [PMID: 33083480 PMCID: PMC7556077 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7042124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The present study is designed to determine potential target genes involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and provide possible underlying mechanisms of action. Several studies (GSE112790, GSE87630, and GSE56140) from the GEO database looking at molecular characteristics in HCC were screened and analyzed by GEO2R, which led to the identification of a total of 93 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). From the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, we selected 13 key genes with high degree of variability in expression in HCC. Expression of three key genes (NQO1, CYP2C9, and C6) presented with poor overall survival (OS) in HCC patients by UALCAN. C6, which is a complement component, was found by ONCOMINE and TIMER to have low expression in many solid cancers including HCC. Besides, Kaplan-Meier plotter and UALCAN database analysis to access diseases prognosis suggested that low expression of C6 is significantly related to worse OS in LIHC patients, especially in advanced HCC patients. Finally, the TIMER analysis suggested that the C6 expression showed significant negative correlation with infiltrating levels of six immune cells. The somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) of C6 were associated with CD4+ T cell infiltration in HCC. Taken together, these results together identified C6 as a potential key gene in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.
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Pascale RM, Calvisi DF, Simile MM, Feo CF, Feo F. The Warburg Effect 97 Years after Its Discovery. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2819. [PMID: 33008042 PMCID: PMC7599761 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The deregulation of the oxidative metabolism in cancer, as shown by the increased aerobic glycolysis and impaired oxidative phosphorylation (Warburg effect), is coordinated by genetic changes leading to the activation of oncogenes and the loss of oncosuppressor genes. The understanding of the metabolic deregulation of cancer cells is necessary to prevent and cure cancer. In this review, we illustrate and comment the principal metabolic and molecular variations of cancer cells, involved in their anomalous behavior, that include modifications of oxidative metabolism, the activation of oncogenes that promote glycolysis and a decrease of oxygen consumption in cancer cells, the genetic susceptibility to cancer, the molecular correlations involved in the metabolic deregulation in cancer, the defective cancer mitochondria, the relationships between the Warburg effect and tumor therapy, and recent studies that reevaluate the Warburg effect. Taken together, these observations indicate that the Warburg effect is an epiphenomenon of the transformation process essential for the development of malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Maria Pascale
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Experimental Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (D.F.C.); (M.M.S.); (F.F.)
| | - Diego Francesco Calvisi
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Experimental Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (D.F.C.); (M.M.S.); (F.F.)
| | - Maria Maddalena Simile
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Experimental Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (D.F.C.); (M.M.S.); (F.F.)
| | - Claudio Francesco Feo
- Department of Clinical, Surgery and Experimental Sciences, Division of Surgery, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Francesco Feo
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Experimental Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (D.F.C.); (M.M.S.); (F.F.)
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Tang Z, Chen W, Xu Y, Lin X, Liu X, Li Y, Liu Y, Luo Z, Liu Z, Fang W, Zhao M. miR-4721, Induced by EBV-miR-BART22, Targets GSK3β to Enhance the Tumorigenic Capacity of NPC through the WNT/β-catenin Pathway. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 22:557-571. [PMID: 33230457 PMCID: PMC7566007 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is prevalent in East and Southeast Asia. In a previous study, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-miR-BART22 induces tumor metastasis and stemness and is significantly involved in NPC progression. In the present study, we observed that miR-4721 is induced by EBV-miR-BART22 through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/c-JUN/Sp1 signaling to promote its transcription. In a subsequent study, we observed that miR-4721 serves as a potential oncogenic factor promoting NPC cell cycle progression and cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanism analysis indicated that miR-4721 directly targetes GSK3β and reduces its expression, which therefore elevates β-catenin intra-nuclear aggregation and activates its downstream cell cycle factors, including CCND1 and c-MYC. In clinical samples, miR-4721 and GSK3β are respectively observed to be upregulated and downregulated in NPC progression. Elevated expression of miR-4721 is positively associated with clinical progression and poor prognosis. Our study first demonstrated that miR-4721 as an oncogene is induced by EBV-miR-BART22 via modulating PI3K/AKT/c-JUN/Sp1 signaling to target GSK3β, which thus activates the WNT/β-catenin-stimulated cell cycle signal and enhances the tumorigenic capacity in NPC. miR-4721 may be a potential biomarker or therapeutic target in NPC treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZiBo Tang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - WeiFeng Chen
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - Xian Lin
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiong Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 510515 Guangzhou, China
| | - YongHao Li
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - YiYi Liu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - ZhiJian Luo
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 511436 Guangzhou, China
| | - WeiYi Fang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China
| | - MengYang Zhao
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510315 Guangzhou, China.,Department of Oncology, The People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450003 Zhengzhou, China
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Cantharidin treatment inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma development by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 and PI3K/Akt pathways in an EphB4-dependent manner. Pharmacol Res 2020; 158:104868. [PMID: 32407961 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. The tyrosine kinase receptor EphB4 promotes oncogenesis and tumor development and progression. Its inhibition is regarded as an effective strategy for the treatment of solid tumors. In the present study, we identified cantharidin as a novel EphB4 inhibitor for HCC treatment and evaluated the underlying molecular pharmacological mechanisms of action. We observed increased expression levels of EphB4 in HCC patients and a positive correlation between EphB4 and p-JAK2 levels in HCC patient samples. Knockdown of EphB4 using small interfering RNA decreased the expression levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in HCC cells, suggesting JAK2/STAT3 being a novel downstream signaling target of EphB4. Cell viability experiments revealed that the anti-cancer effect of cantharidin was positively correlated with EphB4 expression levels in HCC cell lines. We confirmed the potent antiproliferative activity of cantharidin on HepG2 cells with high expression of EphB4 and tumor xenograft. Molecular docking assay, immunoblotting assay and quantitative reverse transcription PCR assay indicated that cantharidin bound to EphB4, and thereby resulted in EphB4 suppression at mRNA and protein levels. Hep3B and SMMC-7721 cells were with low expression of EphB4. In EphB4-/HepG2, EphB4+/HepG2, and EphB4+/Hep3B cells, EphB4 knockdown alleviated the cantharidin-induced decrease in cell viability and colony formation ability and increase in apoptosis in HepG2 cells, while its overexpression exacerbated these effects in Hep3B cells and increased the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. In nude mouse models, cantharidin suppressed tumor growth more effectively in EphB4+/SMMC-7721 xenografts than in wild-type SMMC-7721 xenografts. Underlying mechanistic study showed that by targeting EphB4, cantharidin blocked a novel target, the downstream JAK2/STAT3 pathway, and the previously known target, the PI3K/Akt signaling, resulting in intrinsic apoptosis. These results indicated that cantharidin may be a potential candidate for HCC treatment by regulating the EphB4 signaling pathway.
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Nagaraju GP, Farran B, Farren M, Chalikonda G, Wu C, Lesinski GB, El-Rayes BF. Napabucasin (BBI 608), a potent chemoradiosensitizer in rectal cancer. Cancer 2020; 126:3360-3371. [PMID: 32383803 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) represents a viable strategy for enhancing the activity of radiotherapy. The authors hypothesized that napabucasin would increase ROS via its ability to inhibit NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and potentiate the response to chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer via distinct mechanisms. METHOD Proliferation studies, colony formation assays, and ROS levels were measured in HCT116 and HT29 cell lines treated with napabucasin, chemoradiation, or their combination. DNA damage (pγH2AX), activation of STAT, and downstream angiogenesis were evaluated in both untreated and treated cell lines. Finally, the effects of napabucasin, chemoradiotherapy, and their combination were assessed in vivo with subcutaneous mouse xenograft models. RESULTS Napabucasin significantly potentiated the growth inhibition of chemoradiation in both cell lines. Napabucasin increased ROS generation. Inhibition of ROS by N-acetylcysteine decreased the growth inhibitory effect of napabucasin alone and in combination with chemoradiotherapy. Napabucasin significantly increased pγH2AX in comparison with chemoradiotherapy alone. Napabucasin reduced the levels of pSTAT3 and VEGF and inhibited angiogenesis through an ROS-mediated effect. Napabucasin significantly potentiated the inhibition of growth and blood vessel formation by chemoradiotherapy in mouse xenografts. CONCLUSION Napabucasin is a radiosensitizer with a novel mechanism of action: increasing ROS production and inhibiting angiogenesis. Clinical trials testing the addition of napabucasin to chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Batoul Farran
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Matthew Farren
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gayathri Chalikonda
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christina Wu
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gregory B Lesinski
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Bassel F El-Rayes
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Xue M, Wu Y, Fan W, Guo J, Wei J, Wang H, Tan J, Wang Y, Yao W, Zhao Y, Li J. Prognostic Value of TP53 Mutation for Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Failure/Refractoriness in HBV-Related Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Res Treat 2020; 52:925-937. [PMID: 32229792 PMCID: PMC7373860 DOI: 10.4143/crt.2019.533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic features and mutational landscape of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)–related advanced hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Materials and Methods From January 2017 to December 2018, 38 patients newly diagnosed with HBV-related advanced HCC were enrolled in the final analysis. Their pathological tissues and corresponding blood samples before TACE treatment were collected for whole-exome sequencing. Response to TACE was evaluated at 1-3 months after two consecutive use of TACE. Predictive factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses in a bivariate Logistic regression model. Enrichment of related pathways of all driver genes were acquired using the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results Among 38 patients, 23 (60.5%) exhibited TACE failure/refractoriness. Patients with TACE failure/refractoriness showed higher frequency of TP53 mutation than their counterparts (p=0.020). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that only vascular invasion and TP53 mutation were significantly correlated with TACE failure/refractoriness in HBV-related advanced HCC. Of the 16 patients without vascular invasion, eight (50.0%) had TP53 mutations, and TP53 mutation was associated with TACE failure/refractoriness (p=0.041). Moreover, GSEA showed that mitogen-activated protein kinase and apoptosis pathways induced by TP53 mutation were possibly associated with TACE failure/refractoriness. Conclusion Our study suggested that TP53 mutation was independently related with TACE efficacy, which may work via mitogen-activated protein kinase and apoptosis pathways. These findings may provide evidence to help distinguish patients who will particularly benefit from TACE from those who require more personalized therapeutic regimens and rigorous surveillance in HBV-related advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Xue
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanqin Wu
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenzhe Fan
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Guo
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jialiang Wei
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyu Wang
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jizhou Tan
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wang Yao
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaping Li
- Department of Interventional Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Duan Y, Li J, Jing X, Ding X, Yu Y, Zhao Q. Fucoidan Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via the p38 MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt Signal Pathways. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:1713-1723. [PMID: 32210612 PMCID: PMC7069570 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s243495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Fucoidan is a natural bioactive product with broad therapeutic applications. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy of the liver associated with a relatively high mortality rate; thus, effective treatments are urgently needed. Here, the effects of fucoidan on HCC and the underlying mechanism were explored. Methods The proliferation and apoptosis of two HCC cell lines (BEL-7402 and LM3) treated with different concentrations of fucoidan or saline were assessed. The levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and CCK8 assay were used to determine proliferative capabilities of BEL-7402 and LM3 cells. Apoptosis of LM3 cells was assessed by Hoechst 33342 staining, Western blotting and flow cytometry. The capability of fucoidan to inhibit the growth of LM3 cells was investigated by monitoring of the p38 MAPK/ERK pathways and the upstream kinases, PI3K/Akt. LM3 xenograft tumors were used for in vivo verification. Results Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays consistently showed that fucoidan has an inhibitory effect on cell growth. Fucoidan significantly promoted apoptosis of LM3 cells through a mechanism involving activation of caspases 8, 9, and 3 accompanied by changes in B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), as well as changes in the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ERK. Fucoidan also altered the phosphorylation of its upstream kinase, Akt. Fucoidan treatment markedly reduced the growth of LM3 xenograft tumors, consistent with the in vitro results. Conclusion Fucoidan conveys antitumor effects and, thus, should be further explored as a potential treatment option for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Duan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Jing
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueli Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanan Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingxi Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
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Dimri M, Satyanarayana A. Molecular Signaling Pathways and Therapeutic Targets in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020491. [PMID: 32093152 PMCID: PMC7072513 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex biological process and is often diagnosed at advanced stages with no effective treatment options. With advances in tumor biology and molecular genetic profiling, several different signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms have been identified as responsible for initiating and promoting HCC. Targeting these critical pathways, which include the receptor tyrosine kinase pathways, the Ras mitogen-activated protein kinase (Ras/Raf/MAPK), the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the ubiquitin/proteasome degradation and the hedgehog signaling pathway has led to the identification of novel therapeutics for HCC treatment. In this review, we elaborated on our current understanding of the signaling pathways involved in the development and initiation of HCC and anticipate the potential targets for therapeutic drug development.
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