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Recalde M, Gárate-Rascón M, Herranz JM, Elizalde M, Azkona M, Unfried JP, Boix L, Reig M, Sangro B, Fernández-Barrena MG, Fortes P, Ávila MA, Berasain C, Arechederra M. DNA Methylation Regulates a Set of Long Non-Coding RNAs Compromising Hepatic Identity during Hepatocarcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092048. [PMID: 35565178 PMCID: PMC9102946 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocarcinogenesis is a long process which implies the loss of hepatic functions. Our effort is to understand the mechanisms implicated in this pathological process in order to contribute to the development of new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. In this study we have identified a set of lncRNAs significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in correlation with the grade of tumor dedifferentiation and patients’ worse prognosis. Mechanistically, our results show that they are related with hepatic differentiation and at least a subset of those lncRNAs are essential to ensure the expression of other hepato-specific genes required for liver function. Moreover, we demonstrate that the expression of these lncRNAs in HCC is silenced by DNA methylation. All in all, we uncover connected epigenetic alterations involved in the progression of liver cancer and identify potential new biomarkers. Abstract Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key players in cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we identify the mechanism implicated in the HCC inhibition of a set of lncRNAs, and their contribution to the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods and Results: The top-ranked 35 lncRNAs downregulated in HCC (Top35 LNDH) were validated in several human HCC cohorts. We demonstrate that their inhibition is associated with promoter hypermethylation in HCC compared to control tissue, and in HCC human cell lines compared to primary hepatocytes. Moreover, demethylating treatment of HCC human cell lines induced the expression of these lncRNAs. The Top35 LNDH were preferentially expressed in the adult healthy liver compared to other tissues and fetal liver and were induced in well-differentiated HepaRG cells. Remarkably, their knockdown compromised the expression of other hepato-specific genes. Finally, the expression of the Top35 LNDH positively correlates with the grade of tumor differentiation and, more importantly, with a better patient prognosis. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the selected Top35 LNDH are not only part of the genes that compose the hepatic differentiated signature but participate in its establishment. Moreover, their downregulation through DNA methylation occurs during the process of hepatocarcinogenesis compromising hepatocellular differentiation and HCC patients’ prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Recalde
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
| | - María Gárate-Rascón
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
| | - José María Herranz
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
| | - María Elizalde
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
| | - María Azkona
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
| | - Juan P. Unfried
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
| | - Loreto Boix
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Reig
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bruno Sangro
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- Hepatology Unit, Navarra University Clinic, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite G. Fernández-Barrena
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Puri Fortes
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- Department of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matías A. Ávila
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (M.A.); Tel.: +34-948194700 (C.B. & M.A.)
| | - María Arechederra
- Program of Hepatology, Centre of Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.R.); (M.G.-R.); (J.M.H.); (M.E.); (M.A.); (M.G.F.-B.); (M.A.Á.)
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (L.B.); (M.R.); (B.S.); (P.F.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (M.A.); Tel.: +34-948194700 (C.B. & M.A.)
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2
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Gailhouste L, Sudoh M, Qin XY, Watashi K, Wakita T, Ochiya T, Matsuura T, Kojima S, Furutani Y. Epigenetic reprogramming promotes the antiviral action of IFNα in HBV-infected cells. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:130. [PMID: 34078875 PMCID: PMC8170866 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00515-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections remain a health burden affecting ~250 million people worldwide. Thus far, available interferon-alpha (IFNα)-based therapies have shown unsatisfactory cure rates, and alternative therapeutic molecules are still required. However, their development has been hampered because accessible cell models supporting relevant HBV replication and appropriate antiviral activity are lacking. Strategies that reverse epigenetic alterations offer a unique opportunity for cell reprogramming, which is valuable for restoring altered cellular functions in human cell lines. This work aimed to investigate the feasibility of converting HepG2 cells that stably overexpress the HBV entry receptor (sodium/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide, NTCP) toward IFNα-responsive cells using epigenetic reprogramming. Herein, we showed that an epigenetic regimen with non-cytotoxic doses of the demethylating compound 5-azacytidine restored the anti-HBV action of IFNα in epigenetically reprogrammed HepG2-NTCP-C4 cells, named REP-HepG2-NTCP cells. Thus, a significant inhibition in HBV DNA levels was measured in REP-HepG2-NTCP cells after IFNα treatment. This inhibitory effect was associated with the enhancement of IFNα-mediated induction of critical interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), which was limited in non-reprogrammed cells. In particular, our data indicated that re-expression of 2’-5’-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) and interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9) was the result of an epigenetically driven unmasking of these genes in reprogrammed cells. At last, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of the IFN analog CDM-3008 in REP-HepG2-NTCP cells and demonstrated the efficiency of this chemical compound in triggering ISG induction and HBV inhibition. In summary, this study shows that epigenetic reprogramming promotes the IFNα response in HBV-infected cells and is potentially attractive for cell-based experimental screening of IFN-like compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Gailhouste
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Sudoh
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan.,Department of Translational Research, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Xian-Yang Qin
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan
| | - Koichi Watashi
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Takaji Wakita
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Matsuura
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichi Kojima
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan
| | - Yutaka Furutani
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan.
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3
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Yamazaki T, Tokiwa T. Elevated levels of expression of cytochrome P450 3A4 in a human liver epithelial cell line in differentiation-inducing conditions. Hum Cell 2021; 34:750-758. [PMID: 33495943 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-021-00487-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, especially CYP3A4 play a major role in the metabolism of xenobiotics in human liver. CYP3A4-expressing human liver or hepatoma cell lines may be good cell substitutes of human hepatocytes for drug metabolism studies. However, there are only a few cell lines expressing high levels of CYP3A4. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CYP3A4 and its mechanism in an immortalized non-tumorigenic human liver epithelial cell line, THLE-5b in differentiation-inducing conditions. When THLE-5b cells were cultivated in culture medium supplemented with hepatocytic differentiation-inducing factors, they showed hepatocytic morphology. In addition, elevated levels of expression not only of α1-antitrypsin (AAT) and albumin (ALB) mRNAs, but also of CYP3A4 mRNA, which are functional hepatocyte markers, were observed compared with the control. Among hepatocytic differentiation-inducing factors, dexamethasone (DEX) and insulin-transferrin-sodium selenite (ITS) seemed to be involved in elevation of expression of CYP3A4 mRNA. The mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor U0126 or the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 reduced CYP3A4 mRNA levels of THLE-5b cells. Furthermore, the CpG site of the CYP3A4 promoter region in THLE-5b cells was found to be unmethylated, although in low CYP3A4-expressing HepG2 cells, the site was methylated. In conclusion, THLE-5b cells, which are unmethylated at the CpG site of the CYP3A4 promoter region, express CYP3A4 mRNA through the MEK/ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways and acquire hepatocytic functions in differentiation-inducing conditions. Thus, THLE-5b cells could be a useful cell system for the study of drug metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Yamazaki
- Department of Liver Cell Biology, Kohno Clinical Medicine Research Institute, 3-4-4 Kita-shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140-0001, Japan.
| | - Takayoshi Tokiwa
- Department of Liver Cell Biology, Kohno Clinical Medicine Research Institute, 3-4-4 Kita-shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140-0001, Japan
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4
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Ruoß M, Rebholz S, Weimer M, Grom-Baumgarten C, Athanasopulu K, Kemkemer R, Käß H, Ehnert S, Nussler AK. Development of Scaffolds with Adjusted Stiffness for Mimicking Disease-Related Alterations of Liver Rigidity. J Funct Biomater 2020; 11:E17. [PMID: 32183326 PMCID: PMC7151584 DOI: 10.3390/jfb11010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver toxicity is one of the most common reasons for the failure of drugs in clinical trials and frequent withdrawal from the market. Reasons for such failures include the low predictive power of in vivo studies, that is mainly caused by metabolic differences between humans and animals, and intraspecific variances. In addition to factors such as age and genetic background, changes in drug metabolism can also be caused by disease-related changes in the liver. Such metabolic changes have also been observed in clinical settings, for example, in association with a change in liver stiffness, a major characteristic of an altered fibrotic liver. For mimicking these changes in an in vitro model, this study aimed to develop scaffolds that represent the rigidity of healthy and fibrotic liver tissue. We observed that liver cells plated on scaffolds representing the stiffness of healthy livers showed a higher metabolic activity compared to cells plated on stiffer scaffolds. Additionally, we detected a positive effect of a scaffold pre-coated with fetal calf serum (FCS)-containing media. This pre-incubation resulted in increased cell adherence during cell seeding onto the scaffolds. In summary, we developed a scaffold-based 3D model that mimics liver stiffness-dependent changes in drug metabolism that may more easily predict drug interaction in diseased livers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Ruoß
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
| | - Silas Rebholz
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
| | - Marina Weimer
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry, Reutlingen University, 72762 Reutlingen, Germany; (K.A.); (R.K.)
| | - Carl Grom-Baumgarten
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
| | - Kiriaki Athanasopulu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry, Reutlingen University, 72762 Reutlingen, Germany; (K.A.); (R.K.)
| | - Ralf Kemkemer
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry, Reutlingen University, 72762 Reutlingen, Germany; (K.A.); (R.K.)
| | - Hanno Käß
- Faculty of Basic Science, University of Applied Sciences Esslingen, 73728 Esslingen am Neckar, Germany;
| | - Sabrina Ehnert
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
| | - Andreas K. Nussler
- Department of Traumatology, Siegfried Weller Institute, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.R.); (M.W.); (C.G.-B.); (S.E.); (A.K.N.)
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5
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Yasukawa K, Liew LC, Hagiwara K, Hironaka-Mitsuhashi A, Qin XY, Furutani Y, Tanaka Y, Nakagama H, Kojima S, Kato T, Ochiya T, Gailhouste L. MicroRNA-493-5p-mediated repression of the MYCN oncogene inhibits hepatic cancer cell growth and invasion. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:869-880. [PMID: 31883160 PMCID: PMC7060481 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary hepatic tumors mainly include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is one of the most frequent causes of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. Thus far, HCC prognosis has remained extremely poor given the lack of effective treatments. Numerous studies have described the roles played by microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer progression and the potential of these small noncoding RNAs for diagnostic or therapeutic applications. The current consensus supports the idea that direct repression of a wide range of oncogenes by a single key miRNA could critically affect the malignant properties of cancer cells in a synergistic manner. In this study, we aimed to investigate the oncogenes controlled by miR‐493‐5p, a major tumor suppressor miRNA that inactivates miR‐483‐3p oncomir in hepatic cancer cells. Using global gene expression analysis, we highlighted a set of candidate genes potentially regulated by miR‐493‐5p. In particular, the canonical MYCN protooncogene (MYCN) appeared to be an attractive target of miR‐493‐5p given its significant inhibition through 3′‐UTR targeting in miR‐493‐5p‐rescued HCC cells. We showed that MYCN was overexpressed in liver cancer cell lines and clinical samples from HCC patients. Notably, MYCN expression levels were inversely correlated with miR‐493‐5p in tumor tissues. We confirmed that MYCN knockdown mimicked the anticancer effect of miR‐493‐5p by inhibiting HCC cell growth and invasion, whereas MYCN rescue hindered miR‐493‐5p activity. In summary, miR‐493‐5p is a pivotal miRNA that modulates various oncogenes after its reexpression in liver cancer cells, suggesting that tumor suppressor miRNAs with a large spectrum of action could provide valuable tools for miRNA replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Yasukawa
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lee Chuen Liew
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Disease Modeling and Therapeutics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore City, Singapore
| | - Keitaro Hagiwara
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ai Hironaka-Mitsuhashi
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xian-Yang Qin
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan
| | - Yutaka Furutani
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Nakagama
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichi Kojima
- Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Japan
| | - Takashi Kato
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Luc Gailhouste
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
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6
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Katsuda T, Kawamata M, Inoue A, Yamaguchi T, Abe M, Ochiya T. Long‐term maintenance of functional primary human hepatocytes using small molecules. FEBS Lett 2019; 594:114-125. [DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Katsuda
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
| | - Masaki Kawamata
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration Medical Institute of Bioregulation Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Ayako Inoue
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
| | - Tomoko Yamaguchi
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science Tokyo Medical University Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Japan
| | - Maki Abe
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science Tokyo Medical University Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine National Cancer Center Research Institute Tokyo Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science Tokyo Medical University Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Japan
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7
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Gailhouste L, Liew LC, Yasukawa K, Hatada I, Tanaka Y, Kato T, Nakagama H, Ochiya T. MEG3-derived miR-493-5p overcomes the oncogenic feature of IGF2-miR-483 loss of imprinting in hepatic cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:553. [PMID: 31320614 PMCID: PMC6639415 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1788-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have described the critical role played by microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer progression and the potential of these small non-coding RNAs for diagnostic or therapeutic applications. However, the mechanisms responsible for the altered expression of miRNAs in malignant cells remain poorly understood. Herein, via epigenetic unmasking, we identified a group of miRNAs located in the imprinted delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (DLK1)-maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) locus that were repressed in hepatic tumor cells. Notably, miR-493-5p epigenetic silencing was correlated with hypermethylation of the MEG3 differentially regulated region (DMR) in liver cancer cell lines and tumor tissues from patients. Experimental rescue of miR-493-5p promoted an anti-cancer response by hindering hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth in vitro and tumor progression in vivo. We found that miR-493-5p mediated part of its tumor-suppressor activity by abrogating overexpression of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and the IGF2-derived intronic oncomir miR-483-3p in HCC cells characterized by IGF2 loss of imprinting (LOI). In summary, this study describes an unknown miRNA-dependent regulatory mechanism between two distinct imprinted loci and a possible therapeutic window for liver cancer patients exhibiting IGF2-miR-483 LOI and amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Gailhouste
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan. .,Liver Cancer Prevention Research Unit, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Lee Chuen Liew
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Yasukawa
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Izuho Hatada
- Laboratory of Genome Science, Biosignal Genome Resource Center, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takashi Kato
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Nakagama
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan.
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8
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Gailhouste L, Liew LC, Hatada I, Nakagama H, Ochiya T. Epigenetic reprogramming using 5-azacytidine promotes an anti-cancer response in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:468. [PMID: 29700299 PMCID: PMC5920091 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0487-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Curative management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is limited because this malignancy remains resistant to most chemotherapeutic drugs. Strategies that reverse epigenetic alterations offer a unique opportunity for cancer cell reprogramming, which is valuable for development of new treatments. The aim of this work was to reprogram pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells toward a less aggressive and drug-responsive phenotype. The process applied is called "epigenetic reprogramming". To evaluate the efficiency of PDAC epigenetic reprogramming, we assessed tumor growth and drug response in PANC-1 cells after exposure to non-cytotoxic doses of the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-AZA). Here, we showed that an epigenetic regimen using 5-AZA promoted an anti-cancer response by inhibiting PDAC tumor growth in vivo after the engraftment of treated cells. Remarkably, the subsequent addition of gemcitabine (GEM) to the 5-AZA-mediated reprogramming resulted in a marked growth inhibition effect in GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. We observed that various characteristic peptides expressed in the pancreas, which included the antiproliferative hormone somatostatin (SST) and the SST receptor 2 (SSTR2), were significantly upregulated in the epigenetically reprogrammed PDAC cells. The inhibitory effect of octreotide (OCT), an SST analog, was tested on PDAC cells and found to be improved after cell reprogramming. Furthermore, we found that SST gene expression restoration following 5-AZA treatment or following knockdown of the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 enzyme was associated with the reversion of SST epigenetic silencing through regional CpG demethylation. Lastly, we confirmed the efficacy of 5-AZA-based epigenetic reprogramming in vivo using a PDAC tumor growth model. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that epigenetic reprogramming using the demethylating compound 5-AZA shows anti-cancer effects in PANC-1 cells and is potentially attractive for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Gailhouste
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Lee Chuen Liew
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Izuho Hatada
- Laboratory of Genome Science, Biosignal Genome Resource Center, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Nakagama
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
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Gailhouste L, Liew LC, Yasukawa K, Hatada I, Tanaka Y, Nakagama H, Ochiya T. Differentiation Therapy by Epigenetic Reconditioning Exerts Antitumor Effects on Liver Cancer Cells. Mol Ther 2018; 26:1840-1854. [PMID: 29759938 PMCID: PMC6035736 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver tumors are mainly represented by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most aggressive and resistant forms of cancer. Liver tumorigenesis is characterized by an accumulation of epigenetic abnormalities, leading to gene extinction and loss of hepatocyte differentiation. The aim of this work was to investigate the feasibility of converting liver cancer cells toward a less aggressive and differentiated phenotype using a process called epigenetic reconditioning. Here, we showed that an epigenetic regimen with non-cytotoxic doses of the demethylating compound 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) promoted an anti-cancer response by inhibiting HCC cell tumorigenicity. Furthermore, epigenetic reconditioning improved sorafenib response. Remarkably, epigenetic treatment was associated with a significant restoration of differentiation, as attested by the increased expression of characteristic hepatocyte markers in reconditioned cells. In particular, we showed that reexpression of these epigenetically silenced liver genes following 5-AZA treatment or after knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) was the result of regional CpG demethylation. Lastly, we confirmed the efficacy of HCC differentiation therapy by epigenetic reconditioning using an in vivo tumor growth model. In summary, this work demonstrates that epigenetic reconditioning using the demethylating compound 5-AZA shows therapeutic significance for liver cancer and is potentially attractive for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Gailhouste
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Lee Chuen Liew
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Yasukawa
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Izuho Hatada
- Laboratory of Genome Science, Biosignal Genome Resource Center, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Nakagama
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
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