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Li T, Guan L, Tang G, He B, Huang L, Wang J, Li M, Bai Y, Li X, Zhang H. Downregulation of TMEM220 promotes tumor progression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Gene Ther 2022; 29:835-844. [PMID: 34321624 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-021-00370-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
During the process of long-term carcinogenesis, cells accumulate many mutations. Deregulated genes expression causes profound changes in cell proliferation, which is one of the hallmarks of HCC. A comprehensive understanding of these changes will contribute to the molecular mechanism of HCC progression. Through clinical sample analysis, we found that TMEM220 is downregulated in tumor and lower levels of TMEM220 is associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Through overexpressing TMEM220 in HCC cell lines, we found that the proliferation of cancer cells was significantly slowed down and metastasis was significantly reduced. For further study of its molecular mechanism, we performed a reverse-phase protein array (RPPA). The results suggest that phenotypic changes caused by TMEM220 in HCC cells might be associated with FOXO and PI3K-Akt pathways. Mechanism studies showed that overexpression of TMEM220 could regulate β-catenin and FOXO3 transcriptional activity by altering their subcellular localization, affecting the expression of downstream gene p21 and SNAIL, and ultimately reducing the progression of HCC. Altogether, our study proposes a working model in which upregulation of TMEM220 expression alters the genes expression involved in cell proliferation, thereby inhibiting HCC progression, which suggests that TMEM220 might serve as a clinical biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Lei Guan
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Guangbo Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Bing He
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lili Huang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Mingyue Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yanxia Bai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head-Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Xinyuan Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Huqin Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China.
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Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Obesity: Finding a Needle in the Haystack? ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1061:63-77. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-8684-7_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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3
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Mao J, Wang D, Wang Z, Tian W, Li X, Duan J, Wang Y, Yang H, You L, Cheng Y, Bian J, Chen Z, Yang Y. Combretastatin A-1 phosphate, a microtubule inhibitor, acts on both hepatocellular carcinoma cells and tumor-associated macrophages by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Cancer Lett 2016; 380:134-43. [PMID: 27349166 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Combretastatin A-1 phosphate (CA1P) is a microtubule polymerization inhibitor that binds to the colchicine-binding site of tubulin. We demonstrated that CA1P has outstanding anti-cancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo. As determined by fluorescence staining and western blots (WBs), CA1P induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and apoptosis in HepG2 cells with a down-regulation of Mcl-1. Additional studies indicated that CA1P induced microtubule depolymerization-mediated AKT inactivation, which resulted in GSK-3β activation, Wnt/β-Catenin pathway inhibition, and Mcl-1 down-regulation. The induction of HepG2 cell apoptosis by CA1P was prevented by a GSK-3β-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry studies on hepatocellular carcinoma mouse models showed that CA1P had activity against tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). CA1P induced TAM apoptosis in vitro through the same mechanism observed with HepG2 cells, and it eliminated TAMs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in vivo. In TME, the expression of TGF-β and TNF-α was also altered. The adoptive transfer of macrophages partly rescued the growth of tumor inhibited by CA1P. These findings indicate that CA1P has great potential to impact both cancer cells and the microenvironment, and our results should accelerate the application of CA1P for HCC therapy in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Duowei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China; School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wei Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xianjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jingjing Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Hongbao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Linjun You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jinsong Bian
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Zhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
| | - Yong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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Berasain C, Avila MA. Regulation of hepatocyte identity and quiescence. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:3831-51. [PMID: 26089250 PMCID: PMC11114060 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-1970-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The liver is a highly differentiated organ with a central role in metabolism, detoxification and systemic homeostasis. To perform its multiple tasks, liver parenchymal cells, the hepatocytes, express a large complement of enabling genes defining their complex phenotype. This phenotype is progressively acquired during fetal development and needs to be maintained in adulthood to guarantee the individual's survival. Upon injury or loss of functional mass, the liver displays an extraordinary regenerative response, mainly based on the proliferation of hepatocytes which otherwise are long-lived quiescent cells. Increasing observations suggest that loss of hepatocellular differentiation and quiescence underlie liver malfunction in chronic liver disease and pave the way for hepatocellular carcinoma development. Here, we briefly review the essential mechanisms leading to the acquisition of liver maturity. We also identify the key molecular factors involved in the preservation of hepatocellular homeostasis and finally discuss potential strategies to preserve liver identity and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Berasain
- Division of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, CIBEREHD, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Avda. Pio XII, n55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Matías A Avila
- Division of Hepatology, CIMA, University of Navarra, CIBEREHD, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Avda. Pio XII, n55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
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Chen J, Liu J, Jin R, Shen J, Liang Y, Ma R, Lin H, Liang X, Yu H, Cai X. Cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression of β-catenin correlate with poor prognosis and unfavorable clinicopathological factors in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111885. [PMID: 25401330 PMCID: PMC4234306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The β-catenin is an important effector in WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, which exerts a crucial role in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Some researchers have suggested that the overexpression of β-catenin in cytoplasm and/or nucleus was closely correlated to metastasis, poor differentiation and malignant phenotype of HCC while some other researchers hold opposite point. So far, no consensus was obtained on the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of cytoplasmic/nuclear β-catenin overexpression for HCCs. METHODS Systematic strategies were applied to search eligible studies in all available databases. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses and multivariate analysis were performed. In this meta-analysis, we utilized either fixed- or random-effects model to calculate the pooled odds ratios (OR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS A total of 22 studies containing 2334 cases were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Pooled data suggested that accumulation of β-catenin in cytoplasm and/or nucleus significantly correlated with poor 1-, 3- and 5-year OS and RFS. Moreover, nuclear accumulation combined with cytoplasmic accumulation of β-catenin tended to be associated with dismal metastasis and vascular invasion while cytoplasmic or nuclear expression alone showed no significant effect. Besides, no significant association was observed between cytoplasmic and/or nuclear β-catenin expression and poor differentiation grade, advanced TNM stage, liver cirrhosis, tumor size, tumor encapsulation, AFP and etiologies. Additional subgroup analysis by origin suggested that the prognostic value and clinicopathological significance of cytoplasmic and/or nuclear β-catenin expression was more validated in Asian population. Multivariate analyses of factors showed that cytoplasmic and/or nuclear β-catenin expression, as well as TNM stage, metastasis and tumor size, was an independent risk factors for OS and RFS. CONCLUSIONS Cytoplasmic and/or nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, as an independent prognostic factor, significantly associated with poor prognosis and deeper invasion of HCC, and could serve as a valuable prognostic predictor for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinghua Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Renan Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiliang Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuelong Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rui Ma
- Department of Surgery, Zhejiang University Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Karagozian R, Derdák Z, Baffy G. Obesity-associated mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis. Metabolism 2014; 63:607-17. [PMID: 24629562 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Revised: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Obesity has been recognized as a key component of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular morbidity. In addition, obesity has been linked to higher frequency of cancers in a variety of tissues including the liver. Liver cancer most often occurs as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicating cirrhosis due to chronic viral infection or toxic injury and remains the third leading cause of cancer death in the world. However, HCC is increasingly diagnosed among individuals with obesity and related disorders. As these metabolic conditions have become globally prevalent, they coexist with well-established risk factors of HCC and create a unique challenge for the liver as a chronically diseased organ. Obesity-associated HCC has recently been attributed to molecular mechanisms such as chronic inflammation due to adipose tissue remodeling and pro-inflammatory adipokine secretion, ectopic lipid accumulation and lipotoxicity, altered gut microbiota, and disrupted senescence in stellate cells, as well as insulin resistance leading to increased levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors. These mechanisms synergize with those occurring in chronic liver disease resulting from other etiologies and accelerate the development of HCC before or after the onset of cirrhosis. Increasingly common interactions between oncogenic pathways linked to obesity and chronic liver disease may explain why HCC is one of the few malignancies with rising incidence in developed countries. Better understanding of this complex process will improve our strategies of cancer prevention, prediction, and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffi Karagozian
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Zoltán Derdák
- Liver Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - György Baffy
- Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
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Baffy G. Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Prevention. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2013; 1:131-7. [PMID: 26355775 PMCID: PMC4521282 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2013.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is the fifth most prevalent cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a spectrum of hepatic disorders associated with obesity and the metabolic syndrome, is a recognized risk factor for HCC. NAFLD that is advanced to cirrhosis carries the highest risk for HCC, but there is increasing concern that NAFLD-associated HCC may also occur in non-cirrhotic liver. As NAFLD is rapidly becoming the most common liver condition, it has been implicated in the worrisome trend of rising HCC incidence in a number of countries, which may offset successful measures in reducing the effect of virus-related liver cancer. Independently or in synergy with cirrhosis, NAFLD may provide a special oncogenic microenvironment through its pathogenic association with chronic nutrient excess and adipose tissue remodeling, characterized by pro-inflammatory adipokine profiles, lipotoxicity, altered hepatocellular bioenergetics, and insulin resistance. Better understanding of this complex process, and development of reliable biomarkers for HCC will be critical for early recognition and risk prediction. Moreover, correcting deranged lipid metabolism and restoring insulin sensitivity by lifestyle measures and targeted pharmacotherapy holds major promise for effective prevention of NAFLD-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- György Baffy
- VA Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Lee JM, Yang J, Newell P, Singh S, Parwani A, Friedman SL, Nejak-Bowen KN, Monga SP. β-Catenin signaling in hepatocellular cancer: Implications in inflammation, fibrosis, and proliferation. Cancer Lett 2013; 343:90-7. [PMID: 24071572 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
β-Catenin signaling is implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although its role in inflammation, fibrosis, and proliferation is unclear. Commercially available HCC tissue microarray (TMA) of 89 cases was assessed for β-catenin, one of its transcriptional targets glutamine synthetase (GS), proliferation (PCNA), inflammation (CD45), and fibrosis (Sirius Red). HCC cells transfected with wild-type (WT) or mutant-β-catenin were evaluated for β-catenin-T cell factor transactivation by TOPFlash reporter activity and expression of certain targets. Hepatocyte-specific-serine-45-mutated β-catenin transgenic mice (TG) and controls (Con) were used to study thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic fibrosis and tumorigenesis. Sustained β-catenin activation was only observed in mutant-, not WT-β-catenin transfected HCC cells. Aberrant intratumoral β-catenin stabilization was evident in 33% cases with 9% showing predominant nuclear with some cytoplasmic (N/C) localization and 24% displaying predominant cytoplasmic with occasional nuclear (C/N) localization. N/C β-catenin was associated with reduced fibrosis (p=0.017) and tumor-wide GS staining (p<0.001) while C/N correlated with increased intratumoral inflammation (p=0.064) and proliferation (p=0.029). A small subset of HCC patients (15.5%) lacked β-catenin staining and exhibited low inflammation and fibrosis (p<0.05). TG and Con mice exposed to TAA showed comparable development of fibrosis and progression to cirrhosis and HCC. Taken together the data suggests a complex relationship of β-catenin, inflammation, fibrosis and HCC. GS staining is highly sensitive in identifying HCC with nuclear β-catenin, which may in turn represent β-catenin mutations, and does so with high negative predictive value. Also, β-catenin mutations and cirrhosis do not appear to cooperate in HCC pathogenesis in mice and men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Min Lee
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Pippa Newell
- Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Program, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Sucha Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anil Parwani
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Satdarshan P Monga
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Latasa MU, Salis F, Urtasun R, Garcia-Irigoyen O, Elizalde M, Uriarte I, Santamaria M, Feo F, Pascale RM, Prieto J, Berasain C, Avila MA. Regulation of amphiregulin gene expression by β-catenin signaling in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells: a novel crosstalk between FGF19 and the EGFR system. PLoS One 2012; 7:e52711. [PMID: 23285165 PMCID: PMC3527604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent liver tumor and a deadly disease with limited therapeutic options. Dysregulation of cell signaling pathways is a common denominator in tumorigenesis, including hepatocarcinogenesis. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling system is commonly activated in HCC, and is currently being evaluated as a therapeutic target in combination therapies. We and others have identified a central role for the EGFR ligand amphiregulin (AR) in the proliferation, survival and drug resistance of HCC cells. AR expression is frequently up-regulated in HCC tissues and cells through mechanisms not completely known. Here we identify the β-catenin signaling pathway as a novel mechanism leading to transcriptional activation of the AR gene in human HCC cells. Activation of β-catenin signaling, or expression of the T41A β-catenin active mutant, led to the induction of AR expression involving three specific β-catenin-Tcf responsive elements in its proximal promoter. We demonstrate that HCC cells expressing the T41A β-catenin active mutant show enhanced proliferation that is dependent in part on AR expression and EGFR signaling. We also demonstrate here a novel cross-talk of the EGFR system with fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19). FGF19 is a recently identified driver gene in hepatocarcinogenesis and an activator of β-catenin signaling in HCC and colon cancer cells. We show that FGF19 induced AR gene expression through the β-catenin pathway in human HCC cells. Importantly, AR up-regulation and EGFR signaling participated in the induction of cyclin D1 and cell proliferation elicited by FGF19. Finally, we demonstrate a positive correlation between FGF19 and AR expression in human HCC tissues, therefore supporting in clinical samples our experimental observations. These findings identify the AR/EGFR system as a key mediator of FGF19 responses in HCC cells involving β-catenin signaling, and suggest that combined targeting of FGF19 and AR/EGFR may enhance therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria U. Latasa
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Fabiana Salis
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine & Oncology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Raquel Urtasun
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Oihane Garcia-Irigoyen
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maria Elizalde
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Iker Uriarte
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Monica Santamaria
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Francesco Feo
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine & Oncology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Rosa M. Pascale
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine & Oncology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Jesús Prieto
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- * E-mail: (CB); (MAA)
| | - Matías A. Avila
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- * E-mail: (CB); (MAA)
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Breuhahn K, Gores G, Schirmacher P. Strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy and diagnostics: lessons learned from high throughput and profiling approaches. Hepatology 2011; 53:2112-21. [PMID: 21433041 DOI: 10.1002/hep.24313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, numerous small and high-dimensional profiling analyses have been performed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which address different levels of regulation and modulation. Because comprehensive analyses are lacking, the following review summarizes some of the general results and compares them with insights from other tumor entities. Particular attention is given to the impact of these results on future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease that represents the fifth most common human cancer. Although remarkable progress has been achieved in HCC treatment in China, the overall incidence and mortality rates of HCC show no obvious changes. Pharmacological treatment can not improve the prognosis of patients with unresectable HCC. This emphasizes the need to identify new targets for early diagnosis, chemoprevention, and treatment of the disease. An effort to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumor initiation and progression has led to the identification of several potential molecular targets for HCC. The majority of these targets are involved in receptor tyrosine kinase-activated pathways, such as the Raf/MEK/ERK, PI-3K/Akt/mTOR, and Jak/Stat pathways. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that has attracted wide attention. This review describes the potential targets for HCC and recent progress in targeted therapy of the disease.
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