1
|
Sun F, Xia W, Ouyang Y. Research progress on detection methods for hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA. J Viral Hepat 2023; 30:366-373. [PMID: 36751941 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a serious global public health problem, and HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the nucleus of infected cells cannot be eliminated by current treatments and is a major factor in the persistence and recurrence of hepatitis B. Efficient and scientific detection methods are important for clinical monitoring of cccDNA and targeted drug development. Western blotting is the gold standard for the quantitative detection of cccDNA, but it is time-consuming and complex. In recent years, new detection technologies have been continuously updated. There are new developments and breakthroughs in both next-generation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and non-PCR methods such as in situ hybridization. Some HBV-related markers (such as hepatitis B core-related antigen) have also been shown to be closely related to cccDNA, and they can be used as surrogate markers to indirectly reflect cccDNA content. In this paper, the main detection methods of cccDNA and their improvements are reviewed, the advantages and limitations of these methods are analysed and summarized, and future development directions are proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fenglan Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Yaoling Ouyang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bianca C, Sidhartha E, Tiribelli C, El-Khobar KE, Sukowati CHC. Role of hepatitis B virus in development of hepatocellular carcinoma: Focus on covalently closed circular DNA. World J Hepatol 2022; 14:866-884. [PMID: 35721287 PMCID: PMC9157711 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i5.866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major global health problem, especially in developing countries. It may lead to prolonged liver damage, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Persistent chronic HBV infection is related to host immune response and the stability of the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in human hepatocytes. In addition to being essential for viral transcription and replication, cccDNA is also suspected to play a role in persistent HBV infections or hepatitis relapses since cccDNA is very stable in non-dividing human hepatocytes. Understanding the pathogenicity and oncogenicity of HBV components would be essential in the development of new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies. This review summarizes the role and molecular mechanisms of HBV cccDNA in hepatocyte transformation and hepatocarcinogenesis and current efforts to its detection and targeting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claryssa Bianca
- Department of Biomedicine, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Elizabeth Sidhartha
- Department of Biomedicine, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Centro Studi Fegato, Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Korri Elvanita El-Khobar
- Eijkman Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta 10340, Indonesia
| | - Caecilia H C Sukowati
- Centro Studi Fegato, Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, Trieste 34149, Italy
- Eijkman Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta 10340, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang H, Tu T. Approaches to quantifying Hepatitis B Virus covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA. Clin Mol Hepatol 2021; 28:135-149. [PMID: 34674513 PMCID: PMC9013611 DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2021.0283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B is a major cause of liver disease worldwide and is currently incurable. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA is a key form of the virus responsible for its persistence and is the transcriptional template for all viral transcripts. The field is focussed on methods to clear HBV cccDNA but this been limited by technical difficulties in its quantification due to: identical sequence to other forms of HBV DNA; low copy number per cell; and high resistance to denaturation by heat, leading to difficulty using polymerase chain reaction or hybridization methods for detection. A number of assays have been developed in order to overcome these hurdles either directly or detecting cccDNA levels indirectly via its transcriptional products. In this review, we summarize the approaches to cccDNA quantification that are currently used, and outline key open questions in the cccDNA biology field which remain to be answered due to the limitations of current methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Zhang
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Clinical School and Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Thomas Tu
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Clinical School and Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhang Z, Wang Z, Huang Y. Comprehensive Analyses of the Infiltrating Immune Cell Landscape and Its Clinical Significance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:4695-4704. [PMID: 34447264 PMCID: PMC8384430 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s326535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immunotherapy has gradually played a significant role in treating cancer over the past 10 years. Meanwhile, significant connections have been found between infiltrating immune cells and prognosis, as well as the development of immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, analyses of the immune cell landscape are urgently needed for the future development of immunotherapy in HCC. Methods Expression data of HCC and normal liver tissue were searched and downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The fraction of various immune cells was estimated by CIBERSORT, which is a computational analysis tool. Comparisons of the fractions of 22 types of immune cells were performed between HCC and normal tissues, as well as survival analyses and clinical significance. xCell was used to validate the results. Results The fractions of 12 types of immune cells, including follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, monocytes, M0, and M2 macrophages, were significantly different between tissues. In survival analyses, higher fractions of Tfh cells (P=0.037), M0 (P=0.001), and M2 macrophages (P=0.045) were associated with a poorer prognosis, and monocytes with a better prognosis (P=0.040). Furthermore, a higher fraction of M0 macrophages (P=0.001), lower fraction of monocytes (P=0.031), and M2 macrophages (P=0.018) were found as risk factors of a poorer histological grade of HCC. Only M0 macrophages showed a significant association with the clinical stage of HCC. Meanwhile, xCell showed monocytes and M2 macrophages significantly reduced in tumor tissues, which validated the results. Conclusion Tfh cells, monocytes, M0 and M2 macrophages may play an indicator role in carcinogenesis, progression, and clinical outcomes of HCC. Our research can serve as a reference contributing to future immunotherapy strategies of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhou PC, Sun LQ, Shao L, Yi LZ, Li N, Fan XG. Establishment of a pattern recognition metabolomics model for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:4607-4623. [PMID: 32884220 PMCID: PMC7445864 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i31.4607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma may help to ensure that patients have a chance for long-term survival; however, currently available biomarkers lack sensitivity and specificity.
AIM To characterize the serum metabolome of hepatocellular carcinoma in order to develop a new metabolomics diagnostic model and identifying novel biomarkers for screening hepatocellular carcinoma based on the pattern recognition method.
METHODS Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to characterize the serum metabolome of hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 30) and cirrhosis (n = 29) patients, followed by sequential feature selection combined with linear discriminant analysis to process the multivariate data.
RESULTS The concentrations of most metabolites, including proline, were lower in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas the hydroxypurine levels were higher in these patients. As ordinary analysis models failed to discriminate hepatocellular carcinoma from cirrhosis, pattern recognition analysis was used to establish a pattern recognition model that included hydroxypurine and proline. The leave-one-out cross-validation accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were 95.00% and 0.90 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.81-0.99] for the training set, respectively, and 78.95% and 0.84 (95%CI: 0.67-1.00) for the validation set, respectively. In contrast, for α-fetoprotein, the accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 65.00% and 0.69 (95%CI: 0.52-0.86) for the training set, respectively, and 68.42% and 0.68 (95%CI: 0.41-0.94) for the validation set, respectively. The Z test revealed that the area under the curve of the linear discriminant analysis model was significantly higher than the area under the curve of α-fetoprotein (P < 0.05) in both the training and validation sets.
CONCLUSION Hydroxypurine and proline might be novel biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma, and this disease could be diagnosed by the metabolomics model based on pattern recognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Cheng Zhou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis and Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Center, The third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Lun-Quan Sun
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Li Shao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lun-Zhao Yi
- Yunnan Food Safety Research Institute, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Ning Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis and Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Xue-Gong Fan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis and Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang Z, Zhou Y, Hu K, Wang D, Wang Z, Huang Y. Perineural invasion as a prognostic factor for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative resection and a potential indication for postoperative chemotherapy: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:270. [PMID: 32228636 PMCID: PMC7106692 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06781-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the past four decades, the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma, especially intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), has raised rapidly worldwide. Completeness of resection, max size of tumor and etc. are widely recognized as prognostic factors. However, the prognosis significance of perineural invasion (PNI) on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in ICC patients is controversial. Methods ICC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy and diagnosed pathologically were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were grouped by existence of PNI and outcomes were compared between groups. The potential relationship between PNI and postoperative chemotherapy was also investigated. Results There was no significant difference in demographic, clinical staging or tumor index between two groups, except positive hepatitis B surface antigen and CA19–9. PNI negative group showed a better prognosis in RFS (P < 0.0001) and OS (P < 0.0001). COX regression analyses showed PNI as an independent risk factor in RFS and OS. ICC with postoperative chemotherapy showed better effects in the whole cohort on both RFS (P = 0.0023) and OS (P = 0.0011). In PNI negative group, postoperative chemotherapy also showed significant benefits on RFS and OS, however not in PNI positive group (P = 0.4920 in RFS and P = 0.8004 in OS). Conclusion PNI was an independent risk factor in R0-resected ICC, presenting worse recurrence and survival outcomes. Meanwhile, negative PNI may act as an indication of postoperative chemotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yufan Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kuan Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yun Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bubie A, Gonzalez-Kozlova E, Akers N, Villanueva A, Losic B. Tumor fitness, immune exhaustion and clinical outcomes: impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5062. [PMID: 32193450 PMCID: PMC7081289 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61992-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently proposed tumor fitness measures, based on profiling neoepitopes for reactive viral epitope similarity, have been proposed to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma and small-cell lung cancer. Here we applied these checkpoint based fitness measures to the matched checkpoint treatment naive Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) samples where cytolytic activity (CYT) imparts a known survival benefit. We observed no significant survival predictive power beyond that of overall patient tumor mutation burden, and furthermore, found no association between checkpoint based fitness and tumor T-cell infiltration, cytolytic activity, and abundance (tumor infiltrating lymphocyte, TIL, burden). In addition, we investigated the key assumption of viral epitope similarity driving immune response in the hepatitis B virally infected liver cancer TCGA cohort, and uncovered suggestive evidence that tumor neoepitopes actually dominate viral epitopes in putative immunogenicity and plausibly drive immune response and recruitment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Bubie
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Edgar Gonzalez-Kozlova
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Nicholas Akers
- Adaptive biotechnologies, 1551 Eastlake Avenue E, Suite 200, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - Augusto Villanueva
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Liver Cancer Program, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Bojan Losic
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Cancer Immunology, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute, Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang Z, Wang Z, Huang Y. Identification of potential prognostic long non-coding RNA for predicting survival in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e19606. [PMID: 32221083 PMCID: PMC7220432 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000019606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is an aggressive biliary epithelial tumor with poor prognosis. There are increasing evidences that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in multifarious tumors, revealing potential significant role of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis.We used the ICC dataset retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus database to obtain the lncRNAs expression profiles and identify potential prognostic lncRNAs for predicting the prognosis in ICC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to construct a prognostic index (PI). Furthermore, coexpression analysis and functional assessment were performed to initially investigate the function of these prognostic lncRNAs.A total of 255 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were identified among two RNA sequencing dataset of a total 63 ICC patients with 98 samples using R platform. Thirteen of 255 DElncRNAs were identified as prognostic lncRNAs and used for a PI. Patients with high PI were associated with poor prognostic (P = .0064), and the Cox regression showed consistent result (P = .042). The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis showed the PI performed well in ICC survival prediction with an area under curve of 0.921, 0.801, and 0.717 for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival, respectively.In conclusion, we included 13 identified prognostic DElncRNAs and constructed a prognostic signature/PI. ICC patient with higher PI was associated with poorer prognosis. However, the clinical role as well as biological functions of constructed PI and these prognostic DElncRNAs need to be verified in future study.
Collapse
|
9
|
Jin XL, Hong SK, Kim H, Lee SK, Yi NJ, Lee KW, Suh KS. Antiviral therapy may decrease HBx, affecting cccDNA and MSL2 in hepatocarcinogenesis. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:4984-4991. [PMID: 31612010 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is an intermediate in the life cycle of HBV. HBV-encoded X protein (HBx), a key viral oncoprotein, can be specifically ubiquitylated by male specific lethal 2 (MSL2), which causes upregulation of HBx activity and promotes transcription, cell proliferation and tumor growth. The present study compared the levels of cccDNA, MSL2 mRNA and HBx mRNA in tumor and peri-tumor tissues, and clarified the effect of antiviral therapy on these indicators. Levels of intrahepatic cccDNA, MSL2 mRNA and HBx mRNA were determined using quantitative PCR in patients with HBV-associated HCC who had undergone liver surgery. A total of 50 patients were included in the present study. Prior to surgery, 31 patients had undergone antiviral treatment. Intrahepatic cccDNA levels were significantly higher in the tumor tissues compared with the peri-tumor tissues (P=0.001), particularly in the hepatitis B e antigen-positive (P=0.008), tumor recurrence (P=0.002) and <3 cm tumor size (P=0.003) groups. Furthermore, in patients with preoperative cirrhosis, levels of cccDNA and MSL2 mRNA were significantly higher in tumor tissues compared with that in peri-tumor tissues (P<0.001 and P=0.023, respectively). The expression levels of HBx mRNA in antiviral-treated tumors and peri-tumor tissues were significantly lower compared with those in untreated tissues (P=0.026 and P=0.035). The levels of cccDNA and MSL2 mRNA in the HBx-positive group were significantly higher in tumor tissues compared with those in peri-tumor tissues (P=0.026 and P=0.013). In conclusion, cccDNA participated in the tumorigenesis of HBV-associated HCC, and antiviral therapy was found to modulate hepatocarcinogenesis by decreasing the levels of HBx to inhibit the tumorigenic effect of MSL2 and cccDNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Li Jin
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Kyun Hong
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwajung Kim
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Joon Yi
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Woong Lee
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Suk Suh
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li Y, Fu Y, Hu X, Sun L, Tang D, Li N, Peng F, Fan XG. The HBx-CTTN interaction promotes cell proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma via CREB1. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:405. [PMID: 31138777 PMCID: PMC6538608 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1650-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus-encoded X protein (HBx) acts as a tumor promoter during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, probably by regulating the expression of host proteins through protein–protein interaction. A proteomics approach was used to identify HBx-interacting proteins involved in HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. We validated the proteomics findings by co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy. We performed cell proliferation, migration assays and cell cycle analyses in HCC cells. Finally, we confirmed the clinical significance of our findings in samples from patients. We found that cortactin (CTTN) is a novel HBx-interacting protein, and HBx regulates the expression of CTTN in the HCC cell lines MHCC-LM3 and HepG2. Mechanistically, by upregulating the expression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB1) and its downstream targets, such as cyclin D1 and MMP-9, the effects of the HBx-CTTN interaction on the enhancement of cellular proliferation and migration were maintained by inhibiting cell cycle arrest. In addition, we demonstrated that the levels of CTTN and CREB1 were closely correlated in clinical samples from HBV-infected patients with HCC. Overall, our data suggests that HBx contributes to cell migration and proliferation of HCC cells by interacting with CTTN and regulating the expression of CTTN and CREB1. Therefore, the HBx/CTTN/CREB1 axis is a potential novel therapeutic target in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongming Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xingwang Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lunquan Sun
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fang Peng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, XiangYa Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xue-Gong Fan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tan AT, Yang N, Lee Krishnamoorthy T, Oei V, Chua A, Zhao X, Tan HS, Chia A, Le Bert N, Low D, Tan HK, Kumar R, Irani FG, Ho ZZ, Zhang Q, Guccione E, Wai LE, Koh S, Hwang W, Chow WC, Bertoletti A. Use of Expression Profiles of HBV-DNA Integrated Into Genomes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Select T Cells for Immunotherapy. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:1862-1876.e9. [PMID: 30711630 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.01.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Cells of most HBV-related HCCs contain HBV-DNA fragments that do not encode entire HBV antigens. We investigated whether these integrated HBV-DNA fragments encode epitopes that are recognized by T cells and whether their presence in HCCs can be used to select HBV-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) for immunotherapy. METHODS HCC cells negative for HBV antigens, based on immunohistochemistry, were analyzed for the presence of HBV messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by real-time polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and Nanostring approaches. We tested the ability of HBV mRNA-positive HCC cells to generate epitopes that are recognized by T cells using HBV-specific T cells and TCR-like antibodies. We then analyzed HBV gene expression profiles of primary HCCs and metastases from 2 patients with HCC recurrence after liver transplantation. Using the HBV-transcript profiles, we selected, from a library of TCRs previously characterized from patients with self-limited HBV infection, the TCR specific for the HBV epitope encoded by the detected HBV mRNA. Autologous T cells were engineered to express the selected TCRs, through electroporation of mRNA into cells, and these TCR T cells were adoptively transferred to the patients in increasing numbers (1 × 104-10 × 106 TCR+ T cells/kg) weekly for 112 days or 1 year. We monitored patients' liver function, serum levels of cytokines, and standard blood parameters. Antitumor efficacy was assessed based on serum levels of alpha fetoprotein and computed tomography of metastases. RESULTS HCC cells that did not express whole HBV antigens contained short HBV mRNAs, which encode epitopes that are recognized by and activate HBV-specific T cells. Autologous T cells engineered to express TCRs specific for epitopes expressed from HBV-DNA in patients' metastases were given to 2 patients without notable adverse events. The cells did not affect liver function over a 1-year period. In 1 patient, 5 of 6 pulmonary metastases decreased in volume during the 1-year period of T-cell administration. CONCLUSIONS HCC cells contain short segments of integrated HBV-DNA that encodes epitopes that are recognized by and activate T cells. HBV transcriptomes of these cells could be used to engineer T cells for personalized immunotherapy. This approach might be used to treat a wider population of patients with HBV-associated HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ninghan Yang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore
| | | | - Vincent Oei
- Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Adeline Chia
- Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Nina Le Bert
- Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Diana Low
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Hiang Keat Tan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Rajneesh Kumar
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Farah Gillan Irani
- Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guandong, China
| | - Ernesto Guccione
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Lu-En Wai
- Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Sarene Koh
- Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - William Hwang
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Wan Cheng Chow
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Antonio Bertoletti
- Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang XP, Chen ZH, Zhou TF, Li LQ, Chen MS, Wen TF, Shi J, Guo WX, Wu MC, Lau WY, Cheng SQ. A nomogram to predict early postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumour thrombus after R0 liver resection: A large-scale, multicenter study. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY 2019; 45:1644-1651. [PMID: 30982657 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2019.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) is a significant poor prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with PVTT limited to a first-order branch or above of the main portal vein (MPV) could benefit from R0 liver resection (LR). A nomogram is needed to predict early postoperative recurrence (ER) in HCC patients with PVTT and to guide selection of these patients for adjuvant therapy to reduce postoperative recurrence risks. METHODS HCC patients with PVTT limited to a first-order branch or above of the MPV after R0 LR as an initial therapy were included. A nomogram using data from a retrospective training cohort was developed with the Cox regression model. The model was tested in a prospective internal validation cohort and three external validation cohorts. RESULTS Of 979 patients, 657 developed postoperative ER (67.1%). ER occurred in 165 of 264 patients (62.5%) in the training cohort, 146 of 218 patients (70.0%) in the internal validation cohort, and 204 of 284 patients (71.8%), 77 of 113 patients (68.1%), and 65 of 100 patients (65%) in the three external validation cohorts, respectively. The nomogram included the following variables: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), PVTT, HBV DNA, satellite nodules, α-fetoprotein, and tumour diameter. The ROC were 0.836, 0.763, 0.802, 0.837, and 0.846 in predicting ER in the five respective cohorts. CONCLUSION A nomogram was developed and validated to predict postoperative ER in patients with HCC with PVTT after R0 LR. This nomogram could select appropriate patients with high ER risks for postoperative adjuvant therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Ping Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China
| | - Teng-Fei Zhou
- The No.313 Hospital of PLA, Huludao, Liaoning, China
| | - Le-Qun Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Min-Shan Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Fu Wen
- Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Jie Shi
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Xing Guo
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China
| | - Meng-Chao Wu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China; Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shu-Qun Cheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University Shanghai, China.
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Viral Biomarkers in Chronic HBeAg Negative HBV Infection. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9100469. [PMID: 30262738 PMCID: PMC6210948 DOI: 10.3390/genes9100469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral biomarkers are important tools for monitoring chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) hepatitis B early antigen (HBeAg) negative infection, both in its natural course as well as during and after treatment. The biomarkers consist of antibodies against viral epitopes, viral proteins, and molecular surrogate markers of the quantity and transcriptional activity of the stable episomal HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) which is located in the nuclei of the infected hepatocytes. HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or else viral load measurement in plasma or serum is a marker of HBV replication of major clinical importance. HBV DNA is used for staging and treatment monitoring as described in international scientific guidelines. Quantification of HBV antigens, mainly hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as well as Hepatitis B core related antigen (HBcrAg), play an important yet secondary role, especially in cases of low or undetectable HBV DNA and has been evaluated for the classification of the inactive carrier state, as a predictor of subsequent HBsAg clearance, treatment outcome, and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The measurement of the replicative intermediate HBV RNA in serum is currently evaluated and may also prove to be a significant biomarker particularly in patients treated with nucleot(s)ide analogs. This review focuses on the viral biomarkers mentioned above and their role in HBV, HBeAg negative, infection.
Collapse
|
14
|
Reduced HBV cccDNA and HBsAg in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. Med Oncol 2018; 35:127. [PMID: 30116916 PMCID: PMC6097024 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-018-1191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 50% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is attributable to chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is an important diagnostic marker of HBV infection, whereas intrahepatic HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is a surrogate marker of HBV persistence. This study aimed to investigate relationships between serum HBsAg, intrahepatic HBsAg, and intrahepatic cccDNA in HBV-associated HCC. Intrahepatic HBsAg was determined by immunohistochemistry in matched non-cancerous and HCC tissues from 88 patients; 56 patients (63.64%) were serum HBsAg positive. In serum HBsAg-positive group, intrahepatic HBsAg was positive staining in 73.2% of non-cancerous tissues, but only in 10.7% of HCC tissues. Significant correlation between serum HBsAg and intrahepatic HBsAg was observed in non-cancerous tissues (p < 0.001), but not in HCC tissues (p = 0.415). Absolute quantification of intrahepatic cccDNA was performed by droplet digital PCR in tissues from 30 patients; 18 patients (60%) were serum HBsAg positive. In serum HBsAg-positive group, intrahepatic cccDNA was detected in 66.66% of non-cancerous tissues, but only in 5.55% of HCC tissue; intrahepatic cccDNA levels in non-cancerous tissues were significantly higher than those in HCC tissues (p < 0.001), and correlated with serum HBsAg (p < 0.01). Significant correlations between intrahepatic HBsAg and intrahepatic cccDNA were found in both non-cancerous tissues (p < 0.01) and HCC tissues (p < 0.05). We concluded that HBV cccDNA and intrahepatic HBsAg in HBV-associated HCC tissues were significantly reduced, as compared with matched non-cancerous tissues. This warrants further investigation into the impacts and the cause(s) of cccDNA reduction in HBV-associated HCC tissues, which might yield novel immune-related therapy for HBV-associated HCC.
Collapse
|
15
|
Yılmaz Susluer S, Kayabasi C, Ozmen Yelken B, Asik A, Celik D, Balci Okcanoglu T, Serin Senger S, Biray Avci C, Kose S, Gunduz C. Analysis of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression in hepatitis B patients. Bosn J Basic Med Sci 2018; 18:150-161. [PMID: 29669510 DOI: 10.17305/bjbms.2018.2800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in numerous biological processes, including epigenetic regulation, cell-cycle control, and transcriptional/translational regulation of gene expression. Differential expression of lncRNAs and disruption of the regulatory processes are recognized as critical steps in cancer development. The role of lncRNAs in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is not well understood. Here we analyzed the expression of 135 lncRNAs in plasma samples of 82 HBV patients (classified as chronic patients, inactive carriers, or resolved patients) at diagnosis and at 12 months of treatment in relation to control group (81 healthy volunteers). We also investigated the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of lincRNA-SFMBT2 on HBV-positive human liver cancer cell line. lncRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Chemically synthesized siRNAs were transfected into the cell lines using Lipofectamine 2000 Reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific). HBV DNA and HBsAg and HBeAg were detected in transfected cultures by real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively, using commercial kits. We observed changes in lncRNA expression in all three HBV groups, compared to control group. Most notably, the expression of anti-NOS2A, lincRNA-SFMBT2, and Zfhx2as was significantly increased and expression of Y5 lncRNA was decreased in chronic HBV patients. A decreased Y5 expression and increased lincRNA-SFMBT2 expression were observed in inactive HBsAg carriers. The expression of HOTTIP, MEG9, and PCAT-32 was increased in resolved HBV patients, and no significant change in the expression of Y5 was observed, compared to control group. siRNA-mediated inhibition of lincRNA-SFMBT2 decreased the level of HBV DNA in human liver cancer cells. Further research is needed to confirm the prognostic as well as therapeutic role of these lncRNAs in HBV patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunde Yılmaz Susluer
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang B, Chen M, Zhang Y, Chen W, Zhang L, Chen L. An ultrasonic nanobubble-mediated PNP/fludarabine suicide gene system: A new approach for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196686. [PMID: 29718963 PMCID: PMC5931662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to generate an ultrasonic nanobubble (NB)-mediated purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP)/fludarabine suicide gene system for the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS NBs were prepared from a mixture the phospholipids 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (DPPA), perfluoropropane gas and other materials using the high shear dispersion method. NBs treated with ultrasound irradiation functioned as a gene-transfer system, and a self-constructed suicide gene expression plasmid, pcDNA3.1(+)/PNP, treated with fludarabine functioned as a therapeutic gene. This system was used to determine the cytotoxic effects of PNP/fludarabine on HepG2 cells and SMMC7721 cells. RESULTS 1. NBs with a small diameter (208-416 nm) and at a high concentration and fine homogeneity were prepared under the optimal method. 2. The pcDNA3.1(+)/PNP plasmid was efficiently transfected into HCC cells using ultrasonic NBs. 3. At 0.75μg/ml fludarabine, PNP/fludarabine showed marked cytotoxic effects toward HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells. PNP/fludarabine achieved the same effect against both SMMC7721 and HepG2 cells but at a lower concentration of fludarabine for the latter. 4. Bystander effects: a 10-20% decrease in the cell survival rate was observed when only 5-10% of transfected cells were PNP positive. CONCLUSIONS NBs constitute a non-toxic, stable and effective gene-delivery platform. The PNP/fludarabine suicide gene system inhibited the growth of HCC cells, induced HCC cell apoptosis, and caused a notable bystander effect at a low fludarabine concentration. This study establishes an important new method for miniaturizing microbubbles and improving a new NB-mediated approach for gene therapy of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Ultrasonic Imaging, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Mingna Chen
- Department of Ultrasonic Imaging, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Youming Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Hepatobiliary and Enteric Surgery Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Hepatobiliary and Enteric Surgery Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lv Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|