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Au V, Tsang FH, Man K, Fan ST, Poon RTP, Lee NP. Expression of ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing 4 (ASB4) confers migration and invasion properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Biosci Trends 2014; 8:101-10. [PMID: 24815387 DOI: 10.5582/bst.8.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing 4 (ASB4) involves in physiological process of ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. Our previous study demonstrated high expression of ASB4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. This study further reveals its clinical implications and tumorigenic properties in HCC. Analysis of 217 HCC gene expression profiles followed by validation in a separate cohort of 50 cases illustrated high ASB4 in HCC. Among the 50 cases, 54% of tumors exhibited more than 2-fold up-regulation of ASB4. Elevated ASB4 associated with low serum level of a HCC serological marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), postulating of its use to differentiate AFP-negative HCC. Suppression of ASB4 in PLC and MHCC97-L HCC cells hindered the cell migration and invasion. Reciprocally, enhanced migration rate was measured when ASB4 was ectopically expressed in Hep3B HCC cells. Cross comparison of results derived from in silico predictions of seed-matched sequences and by analyzing human HCC databases with matched microRNA and gene expression profiles, microRNA-200 (miR-200) family members including miR-200a and miR-200b were predicted to regulate ASB4 expression in HCC. MiR-200a showed inversed expression level with ASB4 in several of studied HCC cell lines. Dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed the presence of miR-200a binding site on the 3' untranslated region of ASB4. Reduced ASB4 level was noticed under the influence of miR-200a mimic treatment, for which this mimic-induced effect was neutralized with miR-200a inhibitor. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time on the involvement of ASB4 in HCC and that its level is regulated by miR-200a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Au
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong
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Prognostic marker microRNA-125b inhibits tumorigenic properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via suppressing tumorigenic molecule eIF5A2. Dig Dis Sci 2014; 59:2477-87. [PMID: 24811246 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-014-3184-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a group of small non-coding RNA with differential expression in tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AIM This study investigates the involvement of miR-125b in HCC. METHODS Clinical analysis of miR-125b was performed using data derived from miRNA profiling and qPCR. Phenotypic changes of liver cell lines were examined after ectopic miR-125b expression. Lastly, bioinformatics analysis coupled with luciferase reporter assay was used to reveal the cellular target of miR-125b. RESULTS A down-regulation of miR-125b was found in HCC tumors and cultured cells. Patients having tumors with ≥twofold reduction in miR-125b compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues contributed to 23 out of 49 HCC cases (46.9 %), while this down-regulation was usually found in patients with tumor venous infiltration and recurrence. miR-125b expression was also negatively correlated with increased serum AFP level and poor overall survival of patients. Ectopic expression of miR-125b led to alleviated tumor phenotypes of HCC cells. Among the 110 bioinformatically predicated candidates, 31 of them negatively correlated with miR-125b in HCC tumors for which one of them named eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A2 (eIF5A2), known also as a liver oncofetal molecule, was validated to be a direct target of miR-125b in HCC. CONCLUSIONS This study has evidenced for the negative correlation of tumor miR-125b expression with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Expression of miR-125b can reverse the tumorigenic properties of cultured HCC cells via suppressing the tumorigenic molecule eIF5A2, thus postulating restoration of miR-125b level as a way to counteract liver tumorigenesis.
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Wang Y, Shek FH, Wong KF, Liu LX, Zhang XQ, Yuan Y, Khin E, Hu MY, Wang JH, Poon RTP, Hong W, Lee NP, Luk JM. Anti-cadherin-17 antibody modulates beta-catenin signaling and tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72386. [PMID: 24039755 PMCID: PMC3770615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cadherin-17 (CDH17) is an oncofetal molecule associated with poor prognostic outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), for which the treatment options are very limited. The present study investigates the therapeutic potential of a monoclonal antibody (Lic5) that targets the CDH17 antigen in HCC. In vitro experiments showed Lic5 could markedly reduce CDH17 expression in a dose-dependent manner, suppress β-catenin signaling, and induce cleavages of apoptotic enzymes caspase-8 and -9 in HCC cells. Treatment of animals in subcutaneous HCC xenograft model similarly demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition (TGI) using Lic5 antibody alone (5 mg/kg, i.p., t.i.w.; ca.60–65% TGI vs. vehicle at day 28), or in combination with conventional chemotherapy regimen (cisplatin 1 mg/kg; ca. 85–90% TGI). Strikingly, lung metastasis was markedly suppressed by Lic5 treatments. Immunohistochemical and western blot analyses of xenograft explants revealed inactivation of the Wnt pathway and suppression of Wnt signaling components in HCC tissues. Collectively, anti-CDH17 antibody promises as an effective biologic agent for treating malignant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Wang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Felix H. Shek
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Kwong F. Wong
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ling Xiao Liu
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Qian Zhang
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yi Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ester Khin
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mei-yu Hu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Hua Wang
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ronnie T. P. Poon
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Wanjin Hong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nikki P. Lee
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- * E-mail: (NPL); (JML)
| | - John M. Luk
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail: (NPL); (JML)
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Ma Y, Zhang P, Wang F, Zhang H, Yang Y, Shi C, Xia Y, Peng J, Liu W, Yang Z, Qin H. Elevated oncofoetal miR-17-5p expression regulates colorectal cancer progression by repressing its target gene P130. Nat Commun 2013; 3:1291. [PMID: 23250421 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 11/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for regulating normal embryonic development and carcinogenesis. Here we report that miR-17-5p, an oncofoetal miRNA, is a key regulator of colorectal cancer progression. We show that miR-17-5p is an oncogenic miRNA that regulates tumorigenesis and progression by targeting the gene encoding P130 and subsequently activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Using specimens from two large cohorts of colorectal cancer patients, we found that patients whose tumours had high miR-17-5p expression had shorter overall survival rates but showed a better response to adjuvant chemotherapy than did patients whose tumours had low miRNA expression. We also observed a strong inverse correlation between miR-17-5p and P130 expression. The current findings suggest that miR-17-5p is a crucial determinant of colorectal cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University, 301 Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072, China
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Alterations in the redox state and liver damage: hints from the EASL Basic School of Hepatology. J Hepatol 2013; 58:365-74. [PMID: 23023012 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The importance of a correct balance between oxidative and reductive events has been shown to have a paramount effect on cell function for quite a long time. However, in spite of this body of rapidly growing evidence, the implication of the alteration of the redox state in human disease has been so far much less appreciated. Liver diseases make no exception. Although not fully comprehensive, this article reports what discussed during an EASL Basic School held in 2012 in Trieste, Italy, where the effect of the alteration of the redox state was addressed in different experimental and human models. This translational approach resulted in further stressing the concept that this topic should be expanded in the future not only to better understand how oxidative stress may be linked to a liver damage but also, perhaps more important, how this may be the target for better, more focused treatments. In parallel, understanding how alteration of the redox balance may be associated with liver damage may help define sensitive and ideally early biomarkers of the disorder.
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Cytoplasmic Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma significantly correlates with pathological disease stage. World J Surg 2012; 36:90-7. [PMID: 21976009 PMCID: PMC3243851 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-011-1302-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Esophageal cancer is a deadly cancer with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as the major type. Until now there has been a lack of reliable prognostic markers for this malignancy. This study aims to investigate the clinical correlation between Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) and patients’ parameters in ESCC. Methods Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the expression and localization of FoxM1 in 64 ESCC tissues and 10 nontumor esophageal tissues randomly selected from 64 patients before these data were used for clinical correlations. Results Cytoplasmic and nuclear expressions of FoxM1 were found in 63 and 16 of the 64 ESCC tissues, respectively. Low cytoplasmic expression of FoxM1 was correlated with early pathological stage in ESCC (P = 0.018), while patients with nuclear FoxM1 were younger in age than those without nuclear expression (P < 0.001). Upregulation of FoxM1 mRNA was found in five ESCC cell lines (HKESC-1, HKESC-2, HKESC-3, HKESC-4, and SLMT-1) when compared to non-neoplastic esophageal squamous cell line NE-1 using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Except for HKESC-3, all studied ESCC cell lines demonstrated a high expression of FoxM1 protein using immunoblot. A high mRNA level of FoxM1 was observed in all of the ESCC tissues examined when compared to their adjacent nontumor tissues using qPCR. Conclusion Cytoplasmic FoxM1 was correlated with pathological stage and might be a biomarker for advanced ESCC.
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An integrated proteomics and metabolomics approach for defining oncofetal biomarkers in the colorectal cancer. Ann Surg 2012; 255:720-30. [PMID: 22395091 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0b013e31824a9a8b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study was designed to search for potential diagnostic biomarkers in the serum of colorectal cancer (CRC). BACKGROUND CRC is the third most common cancer worldwide, and its prognosis is poor at early stages. A panel of novel biomarkers is urgently needed for early diagnosis of CRC. METHODS An integrated proteomics and metabolomics approach was performed to define oncofetal biomarkers in CRC by protein and metabolite profiling of serum samples from CRC patients, healthy control adults, and fetus. The differentially expressed proteins were identified by a 2-D DIGE (2-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis) coupled with a Finnigan LTQ-based proteomics approach. Meanwhile, the serum metabolome was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry integrated with a commercial mass spectral library for peak identification. RESULTS Of the 28 identified proteins and the 34 analyzed metabolites, only 5 protein spots and 6 metabolites were significantly increased or decreased in both CRC and fetal serum groups compared with the healthy adult group. Data from supervised predictive models allowed a separation of 93.5% of CRC patients from the healthy controls using the 6 metabolites. Finally, correlation analysis was applied to establish quantitative linkages between the 5 individual metabolite 3-hydroxybutyric acid, L-valine, L-threonine, 1-deoxyglucose, and glycine and the 5 individual proteins MACF1, APOH, A2M, IGL@, and VDB. Furthermore, 10 potential oncofetal biomarkers were characterized and their potential for CRC diagnosis was validated. CONCLUSION The integrated approach we developed will promote the translation of biomarkers with clinical value into routine clinical practice.
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Hui MKC, Lai KKY, Chan KW, Luk JM, Lee NP, Chung Y, Cheung LCM, Srivastava G, Tsao SW, Tang JC, Law S. Clinical correlation of nuclear survivin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Med Oncol 2012; 29:3009-16. [PMID: 22528514 PMCID: PMC3505527 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-012-0225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To examine the correlation of survivin (both total and nuclear survivin) with clinicopathological parameters of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. Tumors and non-tumor tissues near the proximal resection margins were resected from ESCC patients undergone esophagectomy. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to detect survivin mRNA expression level in the 10 paired tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues. To confirm with the clinical situation, survivin mRNA and protein expression were measured by qPCR and immunoblot, respectively, in 5 ESCC cell lines and a non-neoplastic esophageal epithelial cell line. Immunohistochemistry was employed to reveal the cellular localization of survivin in tumor tissues isolated from the 64 ESCC patients undergone surgery alone. Up-regulation of survivin mRNA and protein was found in 5 ESCC lines (HKESC-1, HKESC-2, HKESC-3, HKESC-4, and SLMT-1) when compared to a non-neoplastic esophageal epithelial cell line NE-1. In particular, HKESC-3, HKESC-4, and SLMT-1 cells demonstrated ~50-fold increase in survivin mRNA. High level of survivin mRNA in tumor tissues when compared to non-tumor tissues was found in 70 % (7 of 10) of clinical cases. The increase in expression ranged from ~twofold to ~16-fold. Immunohistochemistry results showed that survivin was found at the cell nuclei in all specimens examined. Nuclear expression of survivin was inversely associated with the likelihood of developing nodal metastasis (p = 0.021) and significantly associated with early-stage ESCC (p = 0.039). Nuclear survivin could serve as a marker for indicating disease status in ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco K. C. Hui
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kenneth K. Y. Lai
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kwok Wah Chan
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - John M. Luk
- Department of Oncology, Roche R&D Center, pRED China, Shanghai, China
| | - Nikki P. Lee
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yvonne Chung
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leo C. M. Cheung
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gopesh Srivastava
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sai Wah Tsao
- Department of Anatomy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Johnny C. Tang
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Simon Law
- Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
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Elsarraj HS, Stecklein SR, Valdez K, Behbod F. Emerging functions of microRNA-146a/b in development and breast cancer: microRNA-146a/b in development and breast cancer. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2012; 17:79-87. [PMID: 22350993 PMCID: PMC8276881 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-012-9240-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Accepted: 01/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through translational repression or mRNA degradation. These molecules play critical roles in regulating normal developmental processes, but when deregulated, are causally linked to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including cancer. MicroRNA-146a and -146b are encoded by two different genes, but differ by only two bases and appear to function redundantly in many systems. Initial studies branded miR-146a/b as important mediators of inflammatory signaling, documenting the ability of these miRNAs to influence differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and effector immune mechanisms within the hematopoietic system. Numerous contemporary studies now implicate miR-146a/b as pleiotropic regulators of tumorigenesis, as a polymorphism in miR-146a and altered expression of both miR-146a/b have been linked with cancer risk, tumor histogenesis and invasive and metastatic capacity in diverse cancers. Despite the numerous reports concerning miR-146a/b in human cancers, the mechanistic contributions of these miRNAs in both normal and neoplastic mammary gland development and biology remains poorly characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanan S Elsarraj
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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Zong J, Guo C, Liu S, Sun MZ, Tang J. Proteomic research progress in lymphatic metastases of cancers. Clin Transl Oncol 2012; 14:21-30. [DOI: 10.1007/s12094-012-0757-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Fatima S, Lee NP, Tsang FH, Kolligs FT, Ng IOL, Poon RTP, Fan ST, Luk JM. Dickkopf 4 (DKK4) acts on Wnt/β-catenin pathway by influencing β-catenin in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene 2012; 31:4233-44. [PMID: 22249261 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a hallmark of major gastrointestinal cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The oncogenic role of β-catenin is well defined but reasons for its accumulation in HCC remain unclear. Dickkopf 4 (DKK4) acts as a negative regulator of Wnt/β-catenin pathway but its functional role in liver carcinogenesis has not been studied. We investigated the role of DKK4 in β-catenin regulation in HCC. Reduced expression of DKK4 was found in 47% (38/81) of HCC, as measured by quantitative real time PCR. Ectopic expression of DKK4 in two HCC cell lines, PLC/PRF/5 (PLC) and MHCC97L (97L), attenuated β-catenin responsive luciferase activity, and decreased both β-catenin and cyclin D1 protein levels. To study the effect of DKK4 on cell growth and tumourigenicity, two stable HCC cell lines were established from PLC and 97L cells. Functional assays demonstrated that overexpression of DKK4 hampered cell proliferation, reduced colony formation and retarded cell migration. When DKK4-expressing 97L stable cells were used to induce tumour xenografts in nude mice (n=8), reduction in tumour sizes was observed (P=0.027). Furthermore, immunohistochemical studies showed that decreased expression of DKK4 was associated with β-catenin accumulation in HCC tissues. Additionally, inhibition of the proteasome using specific inhibitor in DKK4-expressing 97L stable cells masked the effect of β-catenin. Our findings suggest a potential tumour suppressive role of DKK4 as well as that of an important regulator of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fatima
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Ma YL, Zhang P, Wang F, Moyer MP, Yang JJ, Liu ZH, Peng JY, Chen HQ, Zhou YK, Liu WJ, Qin HL. Human embryonic stem cells and metastatic colorectal cancer cells shared the common endogenous human microRNA-26b. J Cell Mol Med 2012; 15:1941-54. [PMID: 20831567 PMCID: PMC3918049 DOI: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2010.01170.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in proliferation and the lack of differentiation of cancer cells resemble what occur in the embryonic stem cells during physiological process of embryogenesis. There are also striking similarities in the behaviour between the invasive placental cells and invasive cancer cells. In the present study, microarrays were used to analyse the global expression of microRNAs in a human embryonic stem cell line (i.e. HUES-17) and four colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines (i.e. LoVo, SW480, HT29 and Caco-2) with different metastatic potentialities. Only the expression of miR-26b was significant decreased in HUES-17s and LoVo cells, compared with other three cell lines (P < 0.01). The quantitative real-time PCR analysis confirmed the results of the microarray analysis. Overexpression of miR-26b expression by miR-26 mimics transfection and led to the significant suppression of the cell growth and the induction of apoptosis in LoVo cells in vitro, and the inhibition of tumour growth in vivo. Moreover, the potential targets of miR-26b was predicted by using bioinformatics, and then the predicted target genes were further validated by comparing gene expression profiles between LoVo and NCM460 cell lines. Four genes (TAF12, PTP4A1, CHFR and ALS2CR2) with intersection were found to be the targets of miR-26b. MetaCore network analysis further showed that the regulatory pathways of miR-26b were significantly associated with the invasiveness and metastasis of CRC cells. These data suggest that miR-26b might serve as a novel prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Lei Ma
- Department of Surgery, The Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Wong KF, Luk JM. Discovery of lamin B1 and vimentin as circulating biomarkers for early hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Mol Biol 2012; 909:295-310. [PMID: 22903723 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-959-4_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The recent advancements in proteomic technologies have reconstituted our research strategies over different type of liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Combined analyses on HCC proteome and clinicopathological data of patients have allowed identification of many promising biomarkers that can be further developed into noninvasive diagnostic assays for cancer surveillance. Capitalizing our established proteomic platform primarily based on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DE) and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, our groups have identified lamin B1 (LMNB1) and vimentin (VIM) as promising biomarkers for detection of early HCC. Protein levels of both biomarkers were significantly elevated in cancerous tissues when compared to the controls in disease-free and cirrhotic liver subjects. Further investigation of the circulating LMNB1 mRNA level in patients' blood samples by standard PCR showed 76% sensitivity and 82% specificity for detection of early HCC. In parallel, an ELISA assay for measuring circulating vimentin level in patients' serum samples could detect small HCC at 40.91% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity. The candidate biomarkers were evaluated with the diagnostic performance of α-fetoprotein (AFP) for HCC. In this article, we address the current protocols for HCC biomarker discovery, ranging from clinical sample preparation, 2DE proteomic profiling and informatics analysis, and assay development and clinical validation study. Focus is emphasized on the methods for sample preservation and low-abundance protein enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwong-Fai Wong
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Prognostic significance of phosphorylated RON in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Med Oncol 2011; 29:1699-706. [PMID: 22086736 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-011-0112-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 11/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common type of esophageal cancer. RON is a transmembrane receptor overexpressed in various cancers; however, the clinical significance of its phosphorylated form (pRON) is not fully deciphered. This report is the first to investigate the expression and clinical significance of pRON in human ESCC. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed an up-regulation of RON mRNA in 70% (7/10) of ESCC tissues when compared to the adjacent nontumor tissues. An overexpression of pRON protein was found in most of the ESCC cell lines studied (4/5) when compared to two non-neoplastic esophageal epithelial cells using immunoblot. In 64 ESCC tissues, pRON was localized at the cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus in 15 (23.4%), 63 (98.4%) and 61 (95.3%) cases using immunohistochemistry. Patients having high expression of cytoplasmic pRON significantly associated with shorter median survival when compared to those with low expression (25.41 months vs. 14.43 months), suggesting cytoplasmic pRON as a potential marker for poor prognosis in ESCC patients.
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Nakamura Y, Mizuguchi T, Kawamoto M, Meguro M, Harada K, Ota S, Hirata K. Cluster analysis of indicators of liver functional and preoperative low branched-chain amino acid tyrosine ration indicate a high risk of early recurrence in analysis of 165 hepatocellular carcinoma patients after initial hepatectomy. Surgery 2011; 150:250-62. [PMID: 21801962 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2011.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2010] [Accepted: 06/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cluster analysis is used for dividing many prognostic indicators, including liver function, tumor progression, and operative variables, into specific clusters. The albumin (ALB), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and branched chain amino-acid to tyrosine ratio (BTR) may represent the severity of liver disease and function of the hepatic reserve. We developed the ALB-BTR and HGF-BTR classifications depending on each level to find specific unique subgroups. Our aim was to identify specific subgroups destined for favorable and poor prognoses after initial hepatectomy. METHODS Between 2002 and 2008, 165 patients were analyzed retrospectively. Liver function indicators, including BTR, tumor-related factors, and operative variables, were evaluated by cluster analysis with Ward's criterion. The ALB-BTR classification was divided into 4 groups depending on ALB (cutoff value, 4.0 g/dL) and BTR (cutoff value, 6.0). The HGF-BTR classification was also divided into 4 groups depending on HGF (cutoff value, 0.35 ng/mL) and BTR (cutoff value, 6.0). The prognoses of the subgroups were compared by the log-rank test. RESULTS Cluster analysis divided multiple indicators into 5 different clusters. In each cluster, we further analyzed subgroups using the ALB-BTR and HGF-BTR classification. Mean recurrence-free survival times in ALB-GI (19.1 ± 2.4 months) and HGF-GIII (29.4 ± 3.8 months) were less than their mean overall survival times. CONCLUSION Cluster analysis is useful to find similar and different indicators. Even though liver function was well preserved, low BTR could identify early recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Nakamura
- Department of Surgery I, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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Zhu R, Wong KF, Lee NPY, Lee KF, Luk JMC. HNF1α and CDX2 transcriptional factors bind to cadherin-17 (CDH17) gene promoter and modulate its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cell Biochem 2011; 111:618-26. [PMID: 20568120 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.22742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cadherin-17 (CDH17) belongs to the cell adhesion cadherin family with a prominent role in tumorigenesis. It is highly expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is proposed to be a biomarker and therapeutic molecule for liver malignancy. The present study aims to identify the transcription factors which interact and regulate CDH17 promoter activity that might contribute to the up-regulation of CDH17 gene in human HCC. A 1-kb upstream sequence of CDH17 gene was cloned and the promoter activity was studied by luciferase reporter assay. By bioinformatics analysis, deletion and mutation assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies, we identified hepatic nuclear factor 1α (HNF1α) and caudal-related homeobox 2 (CDX2) binding sites at the proximal promoter region which modulate the CDH17 promoter activities in two HCC cell lines (Hep3B and MHCC97L). A consistent down-regulation of CDH17 and the two transcriptional activators (HNF1α and CDX2) expression was found in the liver of mouse during development, as well as in human liver cancer cells with less metastatic potential. Suppression of HNF1α and CDX2 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly down-regulated expressions of CDH17 and its downstream target cyclin D1 and the viability of HCC cells in vitro. In summary, we identified the minimal promoter region of CDH17 that is regulated by HNF1α and CDX2 transcriptional factors. The present findings enhance our understanding on the regulatory mechanisms of CDH17 oncogene in HCC, and may shed new insights into targeting CDH17 expression as potential therapeutic intervention for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhu
- Department of Surgery and Center for Cancer Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
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Bonavita AG, Quaresma K, Cotta-de-Almeida V, Pinto MA, Saraiva RM, Alves LA. Hepatocyte xenotransplantation for treating liver disease. Xenotransplantation 2010; 17:181-7. [PMID: 20636538 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3089.2010.00588.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of acute and chronic liver failure is still a challenge despite modern therapeutic innovations. While liver transplantation can restore liver function and improve patient survival, donor shortages limit this treatment to a small number of patients. Cellular xenotransplantation has emerged as an alternative for treating liver failure. Xenohepatocytes could be readily available in sufficient quantities to treat patients in critical condition and thereby reduce the donor shortage. The use of isolated encapsulated or non-encapsulated cells can reduce the immunorejection response. Several studies using animal models of acute or chronic liver failure have demonstrated improved survival and recovery of liver function after xenotransplantation of adult hepatocytes. Porcine liver cells are a potential source of xenohepatocytes due to similarities with human physiology and the great number of hepatocytes that can be obtained. The recent development of less immunogenic transgenic pigs, new immunosuppressive drugs, and cellular encapsulation systems represents important advances in the field of cellular xenotransplantation. In this study, we review the work carried out in animal models that deals with the advantages and limitations of hepatocyte xenotransplantation, and we propose new studies needed in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Gustavo Bonavita
- Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lee NP, Tsang FH, Shek FH, Mao M, Dai H, Zhang C, Dong S, Guan XY, Poon RTP, Luk JM. Prognostic significance and therapeutic potential of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2010; 127:968-76. [PMID: 19998337 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Using comparative proteomic and genomic approaches, the authors identified eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) as an oncofetal molecule highly abundant in mouse embryonic livers and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. To evaluate the oncogenic role and prognostic significance of eIF5A in HCC, we investigate the expression patterns of the two isoforms (eIF5A1 and eIF5A2) in a cohort of 258 HCC cases by cDNA microarray. Both eIF5A isoforms were expressed in the tumors, and clinically correlated eIF5A1 with more numbers of tumor nodules and eIF5A2 with tumor venous infiltration in HCC. In a separate cohort of 50 HCCs, high level of eIF5A2, but not eIF5A1, was associated with elevated levels of deoxyhypusine synthase and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase that catalyze post-translational hypusination of eIF5A protein. Interestingly, N1-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane (GC7), which is an inhibitor for the first step of eIF5A hypusination, was shown to significantly impair the cell proliferation and invasion of primary HCC cells (HepG2 and Hep3B). To further demonstrate the tumorigenic role associated with eIF5A, a drastic reduction of cell proliferation was associated with suppression of eIF5A2 by transfecting Hep3B, H2-P and H2-M HCC cells expressing high level of this isoform using small interfering RNA (siRNA) against eIF5A2. For these assays, a milder response was usually observed in normal hepatocyte cell line. Therefore, these findings suggest that eIF5A plays an important role in HCC tumorigenesis and metastasis, and targeting eIF5A hypusination by GC7 inhibitor or eIF5A2 by RNA interference (RNAi) may offer new therapeutic alternatives to HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki P Lee
- Department of Surgery and Center for Cancer Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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Alves LA, Bonavita A, Quaresma K, Torres E, Pacheco PAF, Cotta-de-Almeida V, Saraiva RM. New Strategies for Acute Liver Failure: Focus on Xenotransplantation Therapy. CELL MEDICINE 2010; 1:47-54. [PMID: 26998396 PMCID: PMC4789322 DOI: 10.3727/215517910x516646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Acute liver failure (ALF) has a poor prognosis and, despite intensive care support, reported average survival is only 10-40%. The most common causes responsible for ALF are viral hepatitis (mainly hepatitis A and B) and acetaminophen poisoning. Hepatic transplantation is the only appropriate treatment for patients with unlikely survival with supportive care alone. Survival rates after transplantation can be as high as 80-90% at the end of the first year. However, there is a shortage of donors and is not uncommon that no appropriate donor matches with the patient in time to avoid death. Therefore, new technologies are in constant development, including blood purification therapies as plasmapheresis, hemodiafiltration, and bioartificial liver support. However, they are still of limited efficacy or at an experimental level, and new strategies are welcome. Accordingly, cell transplantation has been developed to serve as a possible bridge to spontaneous recovery or liver transplantation. Xenotransplant of adult hepatocytes offers an interesting alternative. Moreover, the development of transgenic pigs with less immunogenic cells associated with new immunosuppressor strategies has allowed the development of this area. This article reviews some of the newly developed techniques, with focus on xenotransplant of adult hepatocytes, which might have clinical benefits as future treatment for ALF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Anastácio Alves
- *Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Bonavita
- *Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kátia Quaresma
- *Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elenilde Torres
- *Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Vinícius Cotta-de-Almeida
- †Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roberto Magalhães Saraiva
- ‡Instituto de Pesquisa Evandro Chagas (IPEC), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lee NP, Poon RTP, Shek FH, Ng IOL, Luk JM. Role of cadherin-17 in oncogenesis and potential therapeutic implications in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2010; 1806:138-45. [PMID: 20580775 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2010.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2010] [Revised: 05/03/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cadherin is an important cell adhesion molecule that plays paramount roles in organ development and the maintenance of tissue integrity. Dysregulation of cadherin expression is often associated with disease pathology including tissue dysplasia, tumor formation, and metastasis. Cadherin-17 (CDH17), belonging to a subclass of 7D-cadherin superfamily, is present in fetal liver and gastrointestinal tract during embryogenesis, but the gene becomes silenced in healthy adult liver and stomach tissues. It functions as a peptide transporter and a cell adhesion molecule to maintain tissue integrity in epithelia. However, recent findings from our group and others have reported aberrant expression of CDH17 in major gastrointestinal malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), stomach and colorectal cancers, and its clinical association with tumor metastasis and advanced tumor stages. Furthermore, alternative splice isoforms and genetic polymorphisms of CDH17 gene have been identified in HCC and linked to an increased risk of HCC. CDH17 is an attractive target for HCC therapy. Targeting CDH17 in HCC can inhibit tumor growth and inactivate Wnt signaling pathway in concomitance with activation of tumor suppressor genes. Further investigation on CDH17-mediated oncogenic signaling and cognate molecular mechanisms would shed light on new targeting therapy on HCC and potentially other gastrointestinal malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki P Lee
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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22
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Chen L, Ho DWY, Lee NPY, Sun S, Lam B, Wong KF, Yi X, Lau GK, Ng EWY, Poon TCW, Lai PBS, Cai Z, Peng J, Leng X, Poon RTP, Luk JM. Enhanced detection of early hepatocellular carcinoma by serum SELDI-TOF proteomic signature combined with alpha-fetoprotein marker. Ann Surg Oncol 2010; 17:2518-25. [PMID: 20354800 PMCID: PMC2924503 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-010-1038-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2009] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Biomarkers for accurate diagnosis of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited in number and clinical validation. We applied SELDI-TOF-MS ProteinChip technology to identify serum profile for distinguishing HCC and liver cirrhosis (LC) and to compare the accuracy of SELDI-TOF-MS profile and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in HCC diagnosis. Patients and Methods Serum samples were obtained from 120 HCC and 120 LC patients for biomarker discovery and validation studies. ProteinChip technology was employed for generating SELDI-TOF proteomic features and analyzing serum proteins/peptides. Results A diagnostic model was established by CART algorithm, which is based on 5 proteomic peaks with m/z values at 3324, 3994, 4665, 4795, and 5152. In the training set, the CART algorithm could differentiate HCC from LC subjects with a sensitivity and specificity of 98% and 95%, respectively. The results were assessed in blind validation using separate cohorts of 60 HCC and 60 LC patients, with an accuracy of 83% for HCC and 92% for LC patients. The diagnostic odd ratio (DOR) indicated that SELDI-TOF proteomic signature could achieve better diagnostic performance than serum AFP level at a cutoff of 20 ng/mL (AFP20) (92.72 vs 9.11), particularly superior for early-stage HCC (87% vs 54%). Importantly, a combined use of both tests could enhance the detection of HCC (sensitivity, 95%; specificity, 98%; DOR, 931). Conclusion Serum SELDI-TOF proteomic signature, alone or in combination with AFP marker, promises to be a good tool for early diagnosis and/screening of HCC in at-risk population with liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
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Sun S, Xu MZ, Poon RT, Day PJ, Luk JM. Circulating Lamin B1 (LMNB1) biomarker detects early stages of liver cancer in patients. J Proteome Res 2010; 9:70-8. [PMID: 19522540 DOI: 10.1021/pr9002118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major liver malignancy possessing a high mortality rate and is particularly prevalent in China and Asia. While surgery is the most effective treatment for liver tumor, about 80% of HCC patients are inoperable at presentation and die early due to late diagnosis. For early cancer detection, we employed a proteomic expression profiling approach to identify biomarkers for early stages of HCC and subsequently assessed the clinical feasibility of a novel marker in plasma. Frozen liver tissues from a retrospective cohort of 75 liver patients (39 HCCs, 20 cirrhosis, and 16 nondiseased subjects) were subjected to proteome-wide expression profiling by 2-DE. MALDI-TOF/TOF was used to identify differentially expressed proteins, which were further confirmed by immunoblotting, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry. Conventional RT-PCR was employed to further analyze the abundance of selected biomarker at mRNA level in a separate cohort of 63 plasma samples (35 HCCs, 16 liver cirrhosis, 12 healthy individuals). We successfully identified lamin B1 (LMNB1) that was significantly upregulated in HCC tumors and present in patients' plasma. LMNB1 functions in nuclear envelope lamina and possesses a transcriptional coregulatory activity having an important role in DNA replication, cellular aging, and stress responses. Clinically, the expression level of lamin B1 correlated positively with tumor stages, tumor sizes, and number of nodules. Our findings further showed elevation of circulating LMNB1 marker in plasma could detect early stages of HCC patients, with 76% sensitivity and 82% specificity. In conclusion, lamin B1 is a clinically useful biomarker for early stages of HCC in tumor tissues and plasma, and warrants further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Sun
- Department of Surgery, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Liu LX, Lee NP, Chan VW, Xue W, Zender L, Zhang C, Mao M, Dai H, Wang XL, Xu MZ, Lee TK, Ng IO, Chen Y, Kung HF, Lowe SW, Poon RTP, Wang JH, Luk JM. Targeting cadherin-17 inactivates Wnt signaling and inhibits tumor growth in liver carcinoma. Hepatology 2009; 50:1453-63. [PMID: 19676131 PMCID: PMC3328302 DOI: 10.1002/hep.23143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy for which there are no effective therapies. To develop rational therapeutic approaches for treating this disease, we are performing proof-of-principle studies targeting molecules crucial for the development of HCC. Here, we show that cadherin-17 (CDH17) adhesion molecule is up-regulated in human liver cancers and can transform premalignant liver progenitor cells to produce liver carcinomas in mice. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of CDH17 inhibited proliferation of both primary and highly metastatic HCC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. The antitumor mechanisms underlying CDH17 inhibition involve inactivation of Wnt signaling, because growth inhibition and cell death were accompanied by relocalization of beta-catenin to the cytoplasm and a concomitant reduction in cyclin D1 and an increase in retinoblastoma. CONCLUSION Our results identify CDH17 as a novel oncogene in HCC and suggest that CDH17 is a biomarker and attractive therapeutic target for this aggressive malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xiao Liu
- Department of Surgery and Center for Cancer Research, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Sun S, Yi X, Poon RT, Yeung C, Day PJR, Luk JM. A protein-based set of reference markers for liver tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2009; 9:309. [PMID: 19725976 PMCID: PMC2742551 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-9-309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2009] [Accepted: 09/02/2009] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During the last decade, investigations have focused on revealing genes or proteins that are involved in HCC carcinogenesis using either genetic or proteomic techniques. However, these studies are overshadowed by a lack of good internal reference standards. The need to identify "housekeeping" markers, whose expression is stable in various experimental and clinical conditions, is therefore of the utmost clinical relevance in quantitative studies. This is the first study employed 2-DE analysis to screen for potential reference markers and aims to correlate the abundance of these proteins with their level of transcript expression. Methods A Chinese cohort of 224 liver tissues samples (105 cancerous, 103 non-tumourous cirrhotic, and 16 normal) was profiled using 2-DE analysis. Expression of the potential reference markers was confirmed by western blot, immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative PCR. geNorm algorithm was employed for gene stability measure of the identified reference markers. Results The expression levels of three protein markers beta-actin (ACTB), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), and protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) were found to be stable using p-values (p > 0.99) as a ranking tool in all 224 human liver tissues examined by 2-DE analysis. Of high importance, ACTB and HSP 60 were successfully validated at both protein and mRNA levels in human hepatic tissues by western blot, immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative PCR. In addition, no significant correlation of these markers with any clinicopathological features of HCC and cirrhosis was found. Gene stability measure of these two markers with other conventionally applied housekeeping genes was assessed by the geNorm algorithm, which ranked ACTB and HSP60 as the most stable genes among this cohort of clinical samples. Conclusion Our findings identified 2 reference markers that exhibited stable expression across human liver tissues with different conditions thus should be regarded as reliable reference moieties for normalisation of gene and protein expression in clinical research employing human hepatic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Sun
- Department of Surgery, LKS Faculty of Medicine, Jockey Club Clinical Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
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Lee NP, Chen L, Lin MC, Tsang FH, Yeung C, Poon RT, Peng J, Leng X, Beretta L, Sun S, Day PJ, Luk JM. Proteomic expression signature distinguishes cancerous and nonmalignant tissues in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Proteome Res 2009; 8:1293-303. [PMID: 19161326 DOI: 10.1021/pr800637z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive liver cancer but clinically validated biomarkers that can predict natural history of malignant progression are lacking. The present study explored the proteome-wide patterns of HCC to identify biomarker signature that could distinguish cancerous and nonmalignant liver tissues. A retrospective cohort of 80 HBV-associated HCC was included and both the tumor and adjacent nontumor tissues were subjected to proteome-wide expression profiling by 2-DE method. The subjects were randomly divided into the training (n = 55) and validation (n = 25) subsets, and the data analyzed by classification-and-regression tree algorithm. Protein markers were characterized by MALDI-ToF/MS and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and qPCR assays. Proteomic expression signature composed of six biomarkers (haptoglobin, cytochrome b5, progesterone receptor membrane component 1, heat shock 27 kDa protein 1, lysosomal proteinase cathepsin B, keratin I) was developed as a classifier model for predicting HCC. We further evaluated the model using both leave-one-out procedure and independent validation, and the overall sensitivity and specificity for HCC both are 92.5%, respectively. Clinical correlation analysis revealed that these biomarkers were significantly associated with serum AFP, total protein levels and the Ishak's score. The described model using biomarker signatures could accurately distinguish HCC from nonmalignant tissues, which may also provide hints on how normal hepatocytes are transformed to malignant state during tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki P Lee
- Department of Surgery, Center for Cancer Research, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Ma Y, Peng J, Liu W, Zhang P, Huang L, Gao B, Shen T, Zhou Y, Chen H, Chu Z, Zhang M, Qin H. Proteomics identification of desmin as a potential oncofetal diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer. Mol Cell Proteomics 2009; 8:1878-90. [PMID: 19460759 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m800541-mcp200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and has poor prognosis. To identify the oncofetal proteins involved in CRC carcinogenesis, differentially expressed proteins among fetal colorectal tissues, CRC, and the paired tumor-adjacent normal colorectal tissues were investigated by a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF-based proteomics approach. 42 protein spots were differentially expressed among these tissues, and 22 proteins were identified by MS analysis. Desmin and zinc finger protein 829 were found to be elevated in CRC tissue and fetal colorectal tissue compared with normal colorectal tissue. The elevated expression of desmin in CRC tissue and different developmental stages of fetus colon was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the elevated expression of desmin was correlated with the severity and differentiation of CRC and decreased survival rate of CRC patients. Finally by developing a highly sensitive immunoassay, desmin could be detected in human serum and was significantly elevated in CRC patients compared with healthy volunteers. We propose that desmin be considered a potential oncofetal serum tumor marker for CRC that may have significance in the detection of patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Ma
- Department of Surgery, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
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Scaloni A, Codarin E, Di Maso V, Arena S, Renzone G, Tiribelli C, Quadrifoglio F, Tell G. Modern strategies to identify new molecular targets for the treatment of liver diseases: The promising role of Proteomics and Redox Proteomics investigations. Proteomics Clin Appl 2009; 3:242-62. [DOI: 10.1002/prca.200800169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2008] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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