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Liu Y, Wang F, Yan G, Tong Y, Guo W, Li S, Qian Y, Li Q, Shu Y, Zhang L, Zhang Y, Xia Q. CPT1A loss disrupts BCAA metabolism to confer therapeutic vulnerability in TP53-mutated liver cancer. Cancer Lett 2024; 595:217006. [PMID: 38823763 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Driver genomic mutations in tumors define specific molecular subtypes that display distinct malignancy competence, therapeutic resistance and clinical outcome. Although TP53 mutation has been identified as the most common mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), current understanding on the biological traits and therapeutic strategies of this subtype has been largely unknown. Here, we reveal that fatty acid β oxidation (FAO) is remarkable repressed in TP53 mutant HCC and which links to poor prognosis in HCC patients. We further demonstrate that carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, is universally downregulated in liver tumor tissues, and which correlates with poor prognosis in HCC and promotes HCC progression in the de novo liver tumor and xenograft tumor models. Mechanically, hepatic Cpt1a loss disrupts lipid metabolism and acetyl-CoA production. Such reduction in acetyl-CoA reduced histone acetylation and epigenetically reprograms branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) catabolism, and leads to the accumulation of cellular BCAAs and hyperactivation of mTOR signaling. Importantly, we reveal that genetic ablation of CPT1A renders TP53 mutant liver cancer mTOR-addicted and sensitivity to mTOR inhibitor AZD-8055 treatment. Consistently, Cpt1a loss in HCC directs tumor cell therapeutic response to AZD-8055. CONCLUSION: Our results show genetic evidence for CPT1A as a metabolic tumor suppressor in HCC and provide a therapeutic approach for TP53 mutant HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Liu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji-Med-X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoquan Yan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji-Med-X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenyun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji-Med-X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Songling Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifei Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji-Med-X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianyu Li
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji-Med-X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yonglong Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Kotulkar M, Paine-Cabrera D, Apte U. Role of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha in Liver Cancer. Semin Liver Dis 2024. [PMID: 38901435 DOI: 10.1055/a-2349-7236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer and the incidence of HCC is on the rise. Liver cancers in general and HCC in particular do not respond to chemotherapy. Radiological ablation, surgical resection, and liver transplantation are the only medical therapies currently available. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (HNF4α) is an orphan nuclear receptor expressed only in hepatocytes in the liver. HNF4α is considered the master regulator of hepatic differentiation because it regulates a significant number of genes involved in various liver-specific functions. In addition to maintaining hepatic differentiation, HNF4α also acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting hepatocyte proliferation by suppressing the expression of promitogenic genes and inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition in hepatocytes. Loss of HNF4α expression and function is associated with rapid progression of chronic liver diseases that ultimately lead to liver cirrhosis and HCC, including metabolism-associated steatohepatitis, alcohol-associated liver disease, and hepatitis virus infection. This review summarizes the role of HNF4α in liver cancer pathogenesis and highlights its potential as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasi Kotulkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Diego Paine-Cabrera
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
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3
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Seko Y, Yamaguchi K, Shima T, Iwaki M, Takahashi H, Kawanaka M, Tanaka S, Mitsumoto Y, Yoneda M, Nakajima A, Okanoue T, Itoh Y. Differential Effects of Genetic Polymorphism on Comorbid Disease in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 22:1436-1443.e4. [PMID: 38604296 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS PNPLA3 rs738409, TM6SF2 rs58542926, and HSD17B13 rs72613567 have been associated with an increased risk of liver-related events (LREs) in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In this study, we investigated the combined effects of these variants on LREs. METHODS The longitudinal multicenter cohort study enrolled 1178 patients with biopsy-proven MASLD. We calculated the genetic risk of hepatic fibrosis and LRE according to the impact of these variants. RESULTS Patients with genetic fibrosis scores of 2, 3, and 4 or 5 were at greater risk than patients with scores of 0 or 1, with odds ratios of 2.45 (95% CI, 1.27-4.74), 2.14 (95% CI, 1.17-3.94), and 2.54 (95% CI, 1.35-4.77), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that PNPLA3 and TM6SF2, but not HSD17B13, were associated significantly with LRE development. The hazard ratio of the genetic high-risk group for LRE was 1.91 (95% CI, 1.20-3.04). The higher risk of LRE development in the genetic high-risk group also was seen in patients with F ≥ 3 or Fibrosis-4 index > 2.67. The hazard ratios of the genetic high-risk group for LRE were greater in patients without obesity, without diabetes, and of younger age compared with patients with obesity, with diabetes, or of older age, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This combination of MASLD-related genetic variants is useful for predicting LREs in Japanese patients with MASLD. The genetic risk according to these variants is useful for LRE risk assessment, especially in patients without metabolic risk factors or in younger patients in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Seko
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyou-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kanji Yamaguchi
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyou-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshihide Shima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Michihiro Iwaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Miwa Kawanaka
- General Internal Medicine 2, General Medical Center, Kawasaki Medical School, Kita-ku, Okayama, Japan
| | - Saiyu Tanaka
- Center for Digestive and Liver Diseases, Nara City Hospital, Nara, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Mitsumoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Masato Yoneda
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakajima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Okanoue
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan.
| | - Yoshito Itoh
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyou-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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Cao J, Shon A, Yoon L, Kamaya A, Tse JR. Diagnostic performance of CT/MRI LI-RADS v2018 in non-cirrhotic steatotic liver disease. Eur Radiol 2024:10.1007/s00330-024-10846-w. [PMID: 38951191 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-024-10846-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the performance of computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) among patients with non-cirrhotic steatotic liver disease (SLD). MATERIALS AND METHODS This IRB-approved, retrospective study included 119 observations from 77 adult patients (36 women, 41 men; median 64 years) who underwent liver CT or MRI from 2010 to 2023. All patients had histopathologic evidence of SLD without cirrhosis. Three board-certified abdominal radiologists blinded to tissue diagnosis and imaging follow-up assessed observations with LI-RADS. The positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and inter-reader agreement were calculated. RESULTS Seventy-five observations (63%) were benign and 44 (37%) were malignant. PPV for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was 0-0% for LR-1, 0-0% for LR-2, 0-7% for LR-3, 11-20% for LR-4, 75-88% for LR-5, 0-8% for LR-M, and 50-75% for LR-TIV. For LR-5 in identifying HCC, sensitivity was 79-83%, specificity was 91-97%, and accuracy was 89-92%. For composite categories of LR-5, LR-M, or LR-TIV in identifying malignancy, sensitivity was 86-89%, specificity was 85-96%, and accuracy was 86-93%. The most common false positives for LR-5 were hepatocellular adenomas. Only 59-65% of HCCs showed non-peripheral washout at CT versus 67-83% at MRI, though nearly all had an enhancing capsule. PPV and accuracy of LR-5 for HCC did not differ by modality. Inter-reader agreement for major features ranged from 0.667 to 0.830 and was 0.766 for the final category. CONCLUSION Despite challenges such as the lower prevalence of non-peripheral washout at CT and overlapping imaging features between HCC and hepatocellular adenomas, LI-RADS may serve as an effective tool in assessing focal liver lesions in SLD. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT LI-RADS in non-cirrhotic steatotic liver disease can effectively diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma and malignancy at computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, thereby guiding clinical management decisions and expediting patient care pathways. KEY POINTS Performance of LI-RADS is unknown in non-cirrhotic patients with steatotic liver disease. LI-RADS 5 category showed a high pooled specificity of 91-97% for hepatocellular carcinoma. LI-RADS can non-invasively risk stratify focal liver observations in non-cirrhotic patients with steatotic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie Cao
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Andy Shon
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Luke Yoon
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Aya Kamaya
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Justin R Tse
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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5
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Xin S, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Li Z, Sun X, Liu X, Jin L, Li W, Tang C, Mei W, Cao Q, Wang H, Wei Z, Zhou Z, Li R, Wen X, Yang G, Chen W, Zheng J, Ye L. ScRNA-seq revealed the tumor microenvironment heterogeneity related to the occurrence and metastasis in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00779-3. [PMID: 38877164 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00779-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is the greatest clinical challenge for UTUCs, which may have distinct molecular and cellular characteristics from earlier cancers. Herein, we provide single-cell transcriptome profiles of UTUC para cancer normal tissue, primary tumor lesions, and lymphatic metastases to explore possible mechanisms associated with UTUC occurrence and metastasis. From 28,315 cells obtained from normal and tumor tissues of 3 high-grade UTUC patients, we revealed the origin of UTUC tumor cells and the homology between metastatic and primary tumor cells. Unlike the immunomicroenvironment suppression of other tumors, we found no immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment of UTUC. Moreover, it is imperative to note that stromal cells are pivotal in the advancement of UTUC. This comprehensive single-cell exploration enhances our comprehension of the molecular and cellular dynamics of metastatic UTUCs and discloses promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets in cancer-microenvironment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyong Xin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
| | - Yanwei Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ziyao Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xianchao Sun
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Liang Jin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Weiyi Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Chaozhi Tang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Wangli Mei
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Qiong Cao
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Haojie Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Central Hospital, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Zhihao Wei
- Department of Pathology, Yiluo Hospital of Luoyang, The Teaching Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Rongbing Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xiaofei Wen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Guosheng Yang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Junhua Zheng
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Lin Ye
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
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6
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Todorović N, Amedei A. Metadherin-driven promotion of cancer stem cell phenotypes and its effect on immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:2624-2628. [PMID: 38855151 PMCID: PMC11154677 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i20.2624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In this editorial we provide commentary on the article published by Wang et al, featured in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology in 2024. We focus on the metadherin (MTDH), also known as astrocyte elevated gene-1 or lysine rich CEACAM1, and its effects on cancer stem cells (CSCs) and immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is the most common primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Most HCC cases develop in the context of liver cirrhosis. Among the pivotal mechanisms of carcinogenesis are gene mutations, dysregulation of diverse signaling pathways, epigenetic alterations, hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, chronic inflammation, impact of tumor microenvironment, oxidative stress. Over the years, extensive research has been conducted on the MTDH role in various tumor pathologies, such as lung, breast, ovarian, gastric, hepatocellular, colorectal, renal carcinoma, neuroblastoma, melanoma, and leukemias. Specifically, its involvement in tumor development processes including transformation, apoptosis evasion, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis via multiple signaling pathways. It has been demonstrated that knockdown or knockout of MTDH disrupt tumor development and metastasis. In addition, numerous reports have been carried out regarding the MTDH influence on HCC, demonstrating its role as a predictor of poor prognosis, aggressive tumor phenotypes prone to metastasis and recurrence, and exhibiting significant potential for therapy resistance. Finally, more studies finely investigated the influence of MTDH on CSCs. The CSCs are a small subpopulation of tumor cells that sharing traits with normal stem cells like self-renewal and differentiation abilities, alongside a high plasticity that alters their phenotype. Beyond their presumed role in tumor initiation, they can drive also disease relapse, metastasis, and resistance to chemo and radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevena Todorović
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
- Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Amedeo Amedei
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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7
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Peruhova M, Banova-Chakarova S, Miteva DG, Velikova T. Genetic screening of liver cancer: State of the art. World J Hepatol 2024; 16:716-730. [PMID: 38818292 PMCID: PMC11135278 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i5.716] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer, primarily hepatocellular carcinoma, remains a global health challenge with rising incidence and limited therapeutic options. Genetic factors play a pivotal role in the development and progression of liver cancer. This state-of-the-art paper provides a comprehensive review of the current landscape of genetic screening strategies for liver cancer. We discuss the genetic underpinnings of liver cancer, emphasizing the critical role of risk-associated genetic variants, somatic mutations, and epigenetic alterations. We also explore the intricate interplay between environmental factors and genetics, highlighting how genetic screening can aid in risk stratification and early detection via using liquid biopsy, and advancements in high-throughput sequencing technologies. By synthesizing the latest research findings, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art genetic screening methods for liver cancer, shedding light on their potential to revolutionize early detection, risk assessment, and targeted therapies in the fight against this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Peruhova
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital "Heart and Brain", Burgas 8000, Bulgaria
| | - Sonya Banova-Chakarova
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital "Heart and Brain", Burgas 8000, Bulgaria.
| | - Dimitrina Georgieva Miteva
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University" St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1164, Bulgaria
| | - Tsvetelina Velikova
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
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8
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Peng T, Sun F, Yang JC, Cai MH, Huai MX, Pan JX, Zhang FY, Xu LM. Novel lactylation-related signature to predict prognosis for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:2575-2602. [PMID: 38817665 PMCID: PMC11135411 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i19.2575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lactate, previously considered a metabolic byproduct, is pivotal in cancer progression and maintaining the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Further investigations confirmed that lactate is a primary regulator, introducing recently described post-translational modifications of histone and non-histone proteins, termed lysine lactylation. Pancreatic adenocarcinomas are characterized by increased glycolysis and lactate accumulation. However, our understanding of lactylation-related genes in pancreatic adenocarcinomas remains limited. AIM To construct a novel lactylation-related gene signature to predict the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS RNA-seq and clinical data of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were obtained from the GTEx (Genotype-Tissue Expression) and TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) databases via Xena Explorer, and GSE62452 datasets from GEO. Data on lactylation-related genes were obtained from publicly available sources. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were acquired by using R package "DESeq2" in R. Univariate COX regression analysis, LASSO Cox and multivariate Cox regressions were produced to construct the lactylation-related prognostic model. Further analyses, including functional enrichment, ESTIMATE, and CIBERSORT, were performed to analyze immune status and treatment responses in patients with pancreatic cancer. PDAC and normal human cell lines were subjected to western blot analysis under lactic acid intervention; two PDAC cell lines with the most pronounced lactylation were selected. Subsequently, RT-PCR was employed to assess the expression of LRGs genes; SLC16A1, which showed the highest expression, was selected for further investigation. SLC16A1-mediated lactylation was analyzed by immunofluorescence, lactate production analysis, colony formation, transwell, and wound healing assays to investigate its role in promoting the proliferation and migration of PDAC cells. In vivo validation was performed using an established tumor model. RESULTS In this study, we successfully identified 10 differentially expressed lactylation-related genes (LRGs) with prognostic value. Subsequently, a lactylation-related signature was developed based on five OS-related lactylation-related genes (SLC16A1, HLA-DRB1, KCNN4, KIF23, and HPDL) using Lasso Cox hazard regression analysis. Subsequently, we evaluated the clinical significance of the lactylation-related genes in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. A comprehensive examination of infiltrating immune cells and tumor mutation burden was conducted across different subgroups. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SLC16A1 modulates lactylation in pancreatic cancer cells through lactate transport. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that decreasing SLC16A1 Level and its lactylation significantly inhibited tumor progression, indicating the potential of targeting the SLC16A1/Lactylation-associated signaling pathway as a therapeutic strategy against pancreatic adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION We constructed a novel lactylation-related prognostic signature to predict OS, immune status, and treatment response of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, providing new strategic directions and antitumor immunotherapies.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/mortality
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/immunology
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism
- Prognosis
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters/genetics
- Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters/metabolism
- Protein Processing, Post-Translational
- Adenocarcinoma/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma/pathology
- Adenocarcinoma/mortality
- Adenocarcinoma/immunology
- Adenocarcinoma/metabolism
- Lactic Acid/metabolism
- Symporters/genetics
- Symporters/metabolism
- Cell Proliferation/genetics
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Male
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/genetics
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/mortality
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/immunology
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/therapy
- Female
- Animals
- Transcriptome
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Fang Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jia-Chun Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mei-Hong Cai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Man-Xiu Huai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jia-Xing Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Fei-Yu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lei-Ming Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
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9
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Tang Q, Hu G, Sang Y, Chen Y, Wei G, Zhu M, Chen M, Li S, Liu R, Peng Z. Therapeutic targeting of PLK1 in TERT promoter-mutant hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1703. [PMID: 38769666 PMCID: PMC11106514 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hotspot mutations in the promoter of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene are the most common genetic variants in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated with poor prognosis of the disease. However, no drug was currently approved for treating TERT promoter mutation positive HCC patients. Here, we aim to explore the potential therapeutic strategy for targeting TERT promoter mutation in HCC. METHODS The Liver Cancer Model Repository database was used for screening potential drugs to selectively suppress the growth of TERT promoter mutant HCC cells. RNA-seq, CRISPR-Cas9 technology and siRNA transfection were performed for mechanistic studies. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay and the xenograft tumour models were used for cell growth detection in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were analysed by Annexin V-FITC staining and/or propidium iodide staining. RESULTS PLK1 inhibitors were remarkably more sensitive to HCC cells harbouring TERT promoter mutation than wild-type cells in vitro and in vivo, which were diminished after TERT promoter mutation was edited to the wild-type nucleotide. Comparing the HCC cells with wild-type promoter of TERT, PLK1 inhibitors specifically downregulated Smad3 to regulate TERT for inducing apoptosis and G2/M arrest in TERT mutant HCC cells. Moreover, knockout of Smad3 counteracted the effects of PLK1 inhibitors in TERT mutant HCC cells. Finally, a cooperative effect of PLK1 and Smad3 inhibition was observed in TERT mutant cells. CONCLUSIONS PLK1 inhibition selectively suppressed the growth of TERT mutant HCC cells through Smad3, thus contributed to discover a novel therapeutic strategy to treat HCC patients harbouring TERT promoter mutations. KEY POINTS TERT promoter mutation confers sensitivity to PLK1 inhibitors in HCC. The selective growth inhibition of TERT mutant HCC cells induced by PLK1 inhibitor was mediated by Smad3. Combined inhibition of PLK1 and Smad3 showed a cooperative anti-tumor effect in TERT mutant HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Tang
- Department of Radiation OncologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guanghui Hu
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ye Sang
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yulu Chen
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guangyan Wei
- Department of Radiation OncologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Meiyan Zhu
- Department of Radiation OncologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Mengke Chen
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shiyong Li
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Rengyun Liu
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhenwei Peng
- Department of Radiation OncologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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10
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Zheng L, Wang Y, Liu Z, Wang Z, Tao C, Wu A, Li H, Xiao T, Li Z, Rong W. Identification of molecular characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion based on deep targeted sequencing. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7043. [PMID: 38572921 PMCID: PMC10993708 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As an indicator of tumor invasiveness, microvascular invasion (MVI) is a crucial risk factor for postoperative relapse, metastasis, and unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the genetic mechanisms underlying MVI, particularly for Chinese patients, remain mostly uncharted. METHODS We applied deep targeted sequencing on 66 Chinese HCC samples. Focusing on the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter (TERTp) and TP53 co-mutation (TERTp+/TP53+) group, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of the TERTp+/TP53+ group on tumor progression and metastasis. Additionally, we evaluated the tumor immune microenvironment of the TERTp+/TP53+ group in HCC using multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) staining. RESULTS Among the 66 HCC samples, the mutated genes that mostly appeared were TERT, TP53, and CTNNB1. Of note, we found 10 cases with TERTp+/TP53+, of which nine were MVI-positive and one was MVI-negative, and there was a co-occurrence of TERTp and TP53 (p < 0.05). Survival analysis demonstrated that patients with the TERTp+/TP53+ group had lower the disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.028). GSEA results indicated that telomere organization, telomere maintenance, DNA replication, positive regulation of cell cycle, and negative regulation of immune response were significantly enriched in the TERTp+/TP53+ group (all adjusted p-values (p.adj) < 0.05). mIF revealed that the TERTp+/TP53+ group decreased CD8+ T cells infiltration (p = 0.25) and enhanced PDL1 expression (p = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS TERTp+/TP53+ was significantly enriched in MVI-positive patients, leading to poor prognosis for HCC patients by promoting proliferation of HCC cell and inhibiting infiltration of immune cell surrounding HCC. TERTp+/TP53+ can be utilized as a potential indicator for predicting MVI-positive patients and poor prognosis, laying a preliminary foundation for further exploration of co-mutation in HCC with MVI and clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yaru Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zhenrong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zhihao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Hernia SurgeryLiaocheng Dongcangfu People's HospitalLiaochengChina
| | - Changcheng Tao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Anke Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Haiyang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Ting Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Weiqi Rong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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11
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Konkwo C, Chowdhury S, Vilarinho S. Genetics of liver disease in adults. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0408. [PMID: 38551385 PMCID: PMC10984672 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver disease stands as a significant global health problem with an estimated 2 million annual deaths across the globe. Combining the use of next-generation sequencing technologies with evolving knowledge in the interpretation of genetic variation across the human genome is propelling our understanding, diagnosis, and management of both rare and common liver diseases. Here, we review the contribution of risk and protective alleles to common forms of liver disease, the rising number of monogenic diseases affecting the liver, and the role of somatic genetic variants in the onset and progression of oncological and non-oncological liver diseases. The incorporation of genomic information in the diagnosis and management of patients with liver disease is driving the beginning of a new era of genomics-informed clinical hepatology practice, facilitating personalized medicine, and improving patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigoziri Konkwo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Shanin Chowdhury
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Silvia Vilarinho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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12
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Wang X, Zhang L, Dong B. Molecular mechanisms in MASLD/MASH-related HCC. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00739. [PMID: 38349726 PMCID: PMC11323288 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths and ranks as the sixth most prevalent cancer type globally. NAFLD or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and its more severe manifestation, NASH or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), pose a significant global health concern, affecting approximately 20%-25% of the population. The increased prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and MASH is parallel to the increasing rates of obesity-associated metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver diseases. MASH can progress to MASH-related HCC (MASH-HCC) in about 2% of cases each year, influenced by various factors such as genetic mutations, carcinogen exposure, immune microenvironment, and microbiome. MASH-HCC exhibits distinct molecular and immune characteristics compared to other causes of HCC and affects both men and women equally. The management of early to intermediate-stage MASH-HCC typically involves surgery and locoregional therapies, while advanced HCC is treated with systemic therapies, including anti-angiogenic therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this comprehensive review, we consolidate previous research findings while also providing the most current insights into the intricate molecular processes underlying MASH-HCC development. We delve into MASH-HCC-associated genetic variations and somatic mutations, disease progression and research models, multiomics analysis, immunological and microenvironmental impacts, and discuss targeted/combined therapies to overcome immune evasion and the biomarkers to recognize treatment responders. By furthering our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying MASH-HCC, our goal is to catalyze the advancement of more potent treatment strategies, ultimately leading to enhanced patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bingning Dong
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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13
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Beaufrère A, Paisley S, Ba I, Laouirem S, Priori V, Cazier H, Favre L, Cauchy F, Lesurtel M, Calderaro J, Kannengiesser C, Paradis V. Differential diagnosis of small hepatocellular nodules in cirrhosis: surrogate histological criteria of TERT promoter mutations. Histopathology 2024; 84:473-481. [PMID: 37903649 DOI: 10.1111/his.15086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The differential diagnosis of small hepatocellular nodules in cirrhosis between dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging on biopsy. As TERT promoter (pTERT) mutations may indicate the nodules already engaged in the malignant process, the aim of this study was to identify histological criteria associated with pTERT mutations by detecting these mutations by ddPCR in small formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) hepatocellular nodules arising in cirrhosis. METHODS AND RESULTS We built a bicentric cohort data set of 339 hepatocellular nodules < 2 cm from cirrhotic samples, divided into a test cohort of 299 resected samples and a validation cohort of 40 biopsies. Pathological review, based on the evaluation of 14 histological criteria, classified all nodules. pTERT mutations were identified by ddPCR in FFPE samples. Among the 339 nodules, ddPCR revealed pTERT mutations in 105 cases (31%), including 90 and 15 cases in the test and validation cohorts, respectively. On multivariate analysis, three histological criteria were associated with pTERT mutations in the test cohort: increased cell density (P = 0.003), stromal invasion (P = 0.036) and plate-thickening anomalies (P < 0.001). With the combination of at least two of these major criteria, the AUC for predicting pTERT mutations was 0.84 in the test cohort (sensitivity: 86%, specificity: 83%) and 0.81 in the validation cohort (sensitivity: 87%, specificity: 76%). CONCLUSIONS We identified three histological criteria as surrogate markers of pTERT mutations that may be used in routine biopsy to more clearly classify small hepatocellular nodules arising in cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Beaufrère
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Paisley
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Ibrahima Ba
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Molecular Genetics, Bichat Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Samira Laouirem
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Victoria Priori
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Hélène Cazier
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Loëtitia Favre
- AP-HP, Department of Pathology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France
| | - François Cauchy
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Mickael Lesurtel
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of HPB Surgery an d Liver Transplantation, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
| | - Julien Calderaro
- AP-HP, Department of Pathology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France
| | | | - Valérie Paradis
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
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14
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Zhou Z, Wu B, Chen J, Shen Y, Wang J, Chen X, Fei F, Zhu M. A Lactic Acid Metabolism-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Clinical Outcome and Tumor Microenvironmental Status in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Nutr Cancer 2024; 76:279-295. [PMID: 38226887 DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2024.2302202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to build a prognostic model based on lactic acid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) to predict survival outcomes and tumor microenvironment status of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The model was used to calculate riskscores of clinical samples. Survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were conducted to verify the independence and reliability of the riskscore to determine its clinical significance in prognosis evaluation of HCC. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of tumor mutation burden (TMB), immune cell infiltration, and gene set molecular function in the high- and low-risk groups. We obtained 134 LMRGs mainly involved in cellular calcium homeostasis and calcium signaling pathways. The LMRGs in the risk assessment model included PFKFB4, SLC16A3, ADRA2B, SLC22A1, QRFPR, and PROK1. This study discovered much shorter overall survival and median survival time of patients with higher riskscores when compared to those with lower riskscores. It was indicated that for independent prediction of patients' prognosis, the riskscore had a significant clinical value. A remarkable difference was also found regarding TMB between the two groups. Finally, cell experiments demonstrated that the knockout of PFKFB4 and SLC16A3 genes suppressed lactate. Our research demonstrated that the riskscore, established based on LMRGs, is a promising biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongcheng Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yiyu Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xujian Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Faming Fei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mingyuan Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China
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15
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Maekawa S, Takano S, Enomoto N. Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma after viral clearance achieved by DAA treatment. J Formos Med Assoc 2024:S0929-6646(24)00048-2. [PMID: 38245398 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2024.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has revolutionized hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, enabling most HCV-infected patients to achieve a sustained viral response (SVR) easily and safely in a short period. On the other hand, it is gradually being recognized that a significant proportion of patients are still at risk of developing de novo and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even after HCV elimination, and therefore, elucidation of the risk of de novo and recurrent HCC, investigation of its molecular basis, and construction of accurate prediction models are emerging as new important clinical topics. In this review, we present recent advances regarding these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Maekawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.
| | - Shinichi Takano
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Enomoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
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16
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Li Y, Liu J, Xu S, Wang J. 3D Bioprinting: An Important Tool for Tumor Microenvironment Research. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:8039-8057. [PMID: 38164264 PMCID: PMC10758183 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s435845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in cancer development and treatment. Traditional 2D cell cultures fail to fully replicate the complete tumor microenvironment, while mouse tumor models suffer from time-consuming procedures and complex operations. However, in recent years, 3D bioprinting technology has emerged as a vital tool in studying the tumor microenvironment. 3D bioprinting is a revolutionary biomanufacturing technique that involves layer-by-layer stacking of biological materials, such as cells and biomaterial scaffolds, to create highly precise 3D biostructures. This technology enables the construction of intricate tissue and organ models in the laboratory, which are utilized for biomedical research, drug development, and personalized medicine. The application of 3D bioprinting has brought unprecedented opportunities to fields such as cancer research, tissue engineering, and organ transplantation. It has opened new possibilities for addressing real-world biological challenges and improving medical treatment outcomes. This review summarizes the applications of 3D bioprinting technology in the context of the tumor microenvironment, aiming to explore its potential impact on cancer research and treatment. The use of this cutting-edge technology promises significant advancements in understanding cancer biology and enhancing medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaxing Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shun Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
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17
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Panneerselvam S, Wilson C, Kumar P, Abirami D, Pamarthi J, Reddy MS, Varghese J. Overview of hepatocellular carcinoma: from molecular aspects to future therapeutic options. Cell Adh Migr 2023; 17:1-21. [PMID: 37726886 PMCID: PMC10512929 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2023.2258539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the seventh most highly prevalent malignant tumor globally and the second most common cause of mortality. HCC develops with complex pathways that occur through multistage biological processes. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the causative etiologies of HCC. HCC develops as a result of epigenetic changes, protein-coding gene mutations, and altered signaling pathways. Biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for HCC open up new possibilities for treating the disease. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are included in the treatment options in combination with molecular targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sugan Panneerselvam
- Department of Hepatology and Transplant Hepatology, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Cornelia Wilson
- Natural and Applied Sciences, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Discovery Park, Sandwich, UK
| | - Prem Kumar
- Department of Hepatology and Transplant Hepatology, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dinu Abirami
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jayakrishna Pamarthi
- Multi-Disciplinary Research Unit, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mettu Srinivas Reddy
- The Director and Head, Liver Transplant and HPB surgery, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Joy Varghese
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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18
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Tzouanas CN, Sherman MS, Shay JE, Rubin AJ, Mead BE, Dao TT, Butzlaff T, Mana MD, Kolb KE, Walesky C, Pepe-Mooney BJ, Smith CJ, Prakadan SM, Ramseier ML, Tong EY, Joung J, Chi F, McMahon-Skates T, Winston CL, Jeong WJ, Aney KJ, Chen E, Nissim S, Zhang F, Deshpande V, Lauer GM, Yilmaz ÖH, Goessling W, Shalek AK. Chronic metabolic stress drives developmental programs and loss of tissue functions in non-transformed liver that mirror tumor states and stratify survival. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.30.569407. [PMID: 38077056 PMCID: PMC10705501 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.30.569407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Under chronic stress, cells must balance competing demands between cellular survival and tissue function. In metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly NAFLD/NASH), hepatocytes cooperate with structural and immune cells to perform crucial metabolic, synthetic, and detoxification functions despite nutrient imbalances. While prior work has emphasized stress-induced drivers of cell death, the dynamic adaptations of surviving cells and their functional repercussions remain unclear. Namely, we do not know which pathways and programs define cellular responses, what regulatory factors mediate (mal)adaptations, and how this aberrant activity connects to tissue-scale dysfunction and long-term disease outcomes. Here, by applying longitudinal single-cell multi -omics to a mouse model of chronic metabolic stress and extending to human cohorts, we show that stress drives survival-linked tradeoffs and metabolic rewiring, manifesting as shifts towards development-associated states in non-transformed hepatocytes with accompanying decreases in their professional functionality. Diet-induced adaptations occur significantly prior to tumorigenesis but parallel tumorigenesis-induced phenotypes and predict worsened human cancer survival. Through the development of a multi -omic computational gene regulatory inference framework and human in vitro and mouse in vivo genetic perturbations, we validate transcriptional (RELB, SOX4) and metabolic (HMGCS2) mediators that co-regulate and couple the balance between developmental state and hepatocyte functional identity programming. Our work defines cellular features of liver adaptation to chronic stress as well as their links to long-term disease outcomes and cancer hallmarks, unifying diverse axes of cellular dysfunction around core causal mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantine N. Tzouanas
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Marc S. Sherman
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Jessica E.S. Shay
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Alcohol Liver Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Adam J. Rubin
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin E. Mead
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tyler T. Dao
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Titus Butzlaff
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Miyeko D. Mana
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Kellie E. Kolb
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chad Walesky
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian J. Pepe-Mooney
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Colton J. Smith
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjay M. Prakadan
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michelle L. Ramseier
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Evelyn Y. Tong
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julia Joung
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, MA, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fangtao Chi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas McMahon-Skates
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carolyn L. Winston
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Woo-Jeong Jeong
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine J. Aney
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ethan Chen
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sahar Nissim
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Gastroenterology Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, MA, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Georg M. Lauer
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ömer H. Yilmaz
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- These senior authors contributed equally
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Developmental and Regenerative Biology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- These senior authors contributed equally
| | - Alex K. Shalek
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- These senior authors contributed equally
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19
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Qi D, Lu M, Xu P, Yao X, Chen Y, Gan L, Li Y, Cui Y, Tong X, Liu S, Zhao J, Liu N, Ye X. Transcription factor ETV4 promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by driving hepatic TNF-α signaling. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2023; 43:1354-1372. [PMID: 37670477 PMCID: PMC10693303 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic inflammation is the major risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism by which hepatic inflammation progresses to HCC is poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate the role of ETS translocation variant 4 (ETV4) in linking hepatic inflammation to HCC. METHODS Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting were used to detect the expression of ETV4 in HCC tissues and cell lines. RNA sequencing and luciferase reporter assays were performed to identify the target genes of ETV4. Hepatocyte-specific ETV4-knockout (ETV4fl/fl, alb-cre ) and transgenic (ETV4Hep-TG ) mice and diethylnitrosamine-carbon tetrachloride (DEN-CCL4 ) treatment experiments were applied to investigate the function of ETV4 in vivo. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database mining and pathological analysis were carried out to determine the correlation of ETV4 with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MAPK11). RESULTS We revealed that ETV4 was highly expressed in HCC. High levels of ETV4 predicted a poor survival rate of HCC patients. Then we identified ETV4 as a transcription activator of TNF-α and MAPK11. ETV4 was positively correlated with TNF-α and MAPK11 in HCC patients. As expected, an increase in hepatic TNF-α secretion and macrophage accumulation were observed in the livers of ETV4Hep-TG mice. The protein levels of TNF-α, MAPK11, and CD68 were significantly higher in the livers of ETV4Hep-TG mice compared with wild type mice but lower in ETV4fl/fl, alb-cre mice compared with ETV4fl/fl mice as treated with DEN-CCL4 , indicating that ETV4 functioned as a driver of TNF-α/MAPK11 expression and macrophage accumulation during hepatic inflammation. Hepatocyte-specific knockout of ETV4 significantly prevented development of DEN-CCL4 -induced HCC, while transgenic expression of ETV4 promoted growth of HCC. CONCLUSIONS ETV4 promoted hepatic inflammation and HCC by activating transcription of TNF-α and MAPK11. Both the ETV4/TNF-α and ETV4/MAPK11 axes represented two potential therapeutic targets for highly associated hepatic inflammation and HCC. ETV4+TNF-α were potential prognostic markers for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Min Lu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xinli Yao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yongchen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Lipeng Gan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yong Li
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yahua Cui
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Xiaomei Tong
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Shuhong Liu
- The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Jingmin Zhao
- The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Ningning Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xin Ye
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Savaid Medical SchoolUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingP. R. China
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20
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Tornesello ML, Cerasuolo A, Starita N, Amiranda S, Bonelli P, Tuccillo FM, Buonaguro FM, Buonaguro L, Tornesello AL. Reactivation of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression in cancer: the role of TERT promoter mutations. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1286683. [PMID: 38033865 PMCID: PMC10684755 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1286683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase activity and telomere elongation are essential conditions for the unlimited proliferation of neoplastic cells. Point mutations in the core promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene have been found to occur at high frequencies in several tumour types and considered a primary cause of telomerase reactivation in cancer cells. These mutations promote TERT gene expression by multiple mechanisms, including the generation of novel binding sites for nuclear transcription factors, displacement of negative regulators from DNA G-quadruplexes, recruitment of epigenetic activators and disruption of long-range interactions between TERT locus and telomeres. Furthermore, TERT promoter mutations cooperate with TPP1 promoter nucleotide changes to lengthen telomeres and with mutated BRAF and FGFR3 oncoproteins to enhance oncogenic signalling in cancer cells. TERT promoter mutations have been recognized as an early marker of tumour development or a major indicator of poor outcome and reduced patients survival in several cancer types. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the role of TERT promoter mutations, telomerase expression and telomeres elongation in cancer development, their clinical significance and therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lina Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Cerasuolo
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Noemy Starita
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Sara Amiranda
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Patrizia Bonelli
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Franca Maria Tuccillo
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Franco M. Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Buonaguro
- Innovative Immunological Models Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Anna Lucia Tornesello
- Innovative Immunological Models Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
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21
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Seko Y, Yamaguchi K, Shima T, Iwaki M, Takahashi H, Kawanaka M, Tanaka S, Mitsumoto Y, Yoneda M, Nakajima A, Fjellström O, Blau JE, Carlsson B, Okanoue T, Itoh Y. The greater impact of PNPLA3 polymorphism on liver-related events in Japanese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients: A multicentre cohort study. Liver Int 2023; 43:2210-2219. [PMID: 37470077 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS PNPLA3 rs738409 has been associated with an increased risk of liver-related events in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we investigated the epidemiology of NAFLD and the impact of PNPLA3 on prognosis in Japan. METHODS A longitudinal multicentre cohort study, the JAGUAR study, includes 1550 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD in Japan. We performed genetic testing and evaluated outcomes from this cohort. Liver-related events were defined as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and decompensated liver cirrhosis events. RESULTS During follow-up (median [range], 7.1 [1.0-24.0] years), 80 patients developed HCC, 104 developed liver-related events, and 59 died of any cause. The 5-year rate of liver-related events for each single-nucleotide polymorphism was 0.5% for CC, 3.8% for CG, and 5.8% for GG. Liver-related deaths were the most common (n = 28); only three deaths were due to cardiovascular disease. Multivariate analysis identified carriage of PNPLA3 CG/GG (hazard ratio [HR] 16.04, p = .006) and FIB-4 index >2.67 (HR 10.70, p < .01) as predictors of liver-related event development. No HCC or liver-related death was found among patients with PNPLA3 CC. There was a significantly increased risk of HCC, liver-related events, and mortality for CG/GG versus CC, but no difference between the CG and GG genotypes. CONCLUSIONS In Japanese individuals, the main cause of death from NAFLD is liver-related death. The greater risk of liver-related events incurred by PNPLA3 G allele was shown in Japan. Risk stratification for NAFLD in Japan is best accomplished by integrating PNPLA3 with the FIB-4 index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Seko
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kanji Yamaguchi
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshihide Shima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Michihiro Iwaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Miwa Kawanaka
- General Internal Medicine 2, General Medical Center, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Saiyu Tanaka
- Center for Digestive and Liver Diseases, Nara City Hospital, Nara, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Mitsumoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Masato Yoneda
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakajima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ola Fjellström
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jenny E Blau
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Björn Carlsson
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Takeshi Okanoue
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Yoshito Itoh
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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22
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Feng T, Li S, Zhao G, Li Q, Yuan H, Zhang J, Gu R, Ou D, Guo Y, Kou Q, Wang Q, Li K, Lin P. DDX39B facilitates the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via activation of SREBP1-mediated de novo lipid synthesis. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:1235-1252. [PMID: 37052853 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00807-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The detailed molecular mechanisms of aberrant lipid metabolism in HCC remain unclear. Herein, we focused on the potential role of DDX39B in aberrant lipogenesis and malignant development in HCC. METHODS DDX39B expression in HCC and para-cancer tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry. CCK-8, colony formation and Transwell assays were utilized to detect HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Oil red O and Nile red staining and triglyceride and cholesterol detection were used to measure lipogenesis. Coimmunoprecipitation was used to detect interactions between DDX39B and SREBP1. Immunofluorescence assays were performed to investigate the impact of DDX39B on SREBP1 nuclear translocation. A luciferase assay was used to explore the transcriptional activity of SREBP1. The subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft models in nude mice were generated to verify the contribution of the DDX39B/SREBP1 axis to tumor growth, lung metastasis and lipid synthesis in vivo. RESULTS DDX39B is upregulated in HCC tissues and predicts a worse prognosis. Upregulated DDX39B contributes to the proliferation, metastasis and lipogenesis of HCC cells. Mechanistically, DDX39B directly interacts with SREBP1, and silencing DDX39B impairs the stabilization of the SREBP1 protein through FBXW7-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of SREBP1. Furthermore, DDX39B deficiency decreases the nuclear translocation and activation of SREBP1 and transcription of SREBP1 downstream genes, resulting in reduced lipid accumulation. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which DDX39B facilitates the malignant progression of HCC via activation of SREBP1-mediated de novo lipogenesis, implicating DDX39B as both a potential predictor of recurrence and prognosis and a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Feng
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Siqi Li
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Gang Zhao
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qin Li
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hang Yuan
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Rui Gu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Deqiong Ou
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yafei Guo
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qiming Kou
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qijing Wang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Kai Li
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
- Hi-Tech Development, 1# Keyuan 4 Road, Gaopeng Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ping Lin
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
- Hi-Tech Development, 1# Keyuan 4 Road, Gaopeng Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Chavda V, Zajac KK, Gunn JL, Balar P, Khadela A, Vaghela D, Soni S, Ashby CR, Tiwari AK. Ethnic differences in hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence and therapeutic outcomes. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2023; 6 Suppl 1:e1821. [PMID: 37344125 PMCID: PMC10440848 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The incidence of HCC is affected by genetic and non-genetic factors. Genetically, mutations in the genes, tumor protein P53 (TP53), catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1), AT-rich interaction domain 1A (ARIC1A), cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), mannose 6-phosphate (M6P), smooth muscle action against decapentaplegic (SMAD2), retinoblastoma gene (RB1), cyclin D, antigen presenting cells (APC), AXIN1, and E-cadherin, have been shown to contribute to the occurrence of HCC. Non-genetic factors, including alcohol consumption, exposure to aflatoxin, age, gender, presence of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), increase the risk of HCC. RECENT FINDINGS The severity of the disease and its occurrence vary based on geographical location. Furthermore, men and minorities have been shown to be disproportionately affected by HCC, compared with women and non-minorities. Ethnicity has been reported to significantly affect tumorigenesis and clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with HCC. Generally, differences in gene expression and/or the presence of comorbid medical diseases affect or influence the progression of HCC. Non-Caucasian HCC patients are significantly more likely to have poorer survival outcomes, compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Finally, there are a number of factors that contribute to the success rate of treatments for HCC. CONCLUSION Assessment and treatment of HCC must be consistent using evidence-based guidelines and standardized outcomes, as well as international clinical practice guidelines for global consensus. Standardizing the assessment approach and method will enable comparison and improvement of liver cancer research through collaboration between researchers, healthcare providers, and advocacy groups. In this review, we will focus on discussing epidemiological factors that result in deviations and changes in treatment approaches for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Chavda
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical TechnologyL M College of PharmacyAhmedabadIndia
| | - Kelsee K. Zajac
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of ToledoOhioUSA
| | - Jenna Lynn Gunn
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of ToledoOhioUSA
| | - Pankti Balar
- Pharmacy SectionL M College of PharmacyAhmedabadIndia
| | - Avinash Khadela
- Department of PharmacologyL M College of PharmacyAhmedabadIndia
| | - Dixa Vaghela
- Pharmacy SectionL M College of PharmacyAhmedabadIndia
| | - Shruti Soni
- PharmD SectionL M College of PharmacyAhmedabadIndia
| | - Charles R. Ashby
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of PharmacySt. John's UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Amit K. Tiwari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of ToledoOhioUSA
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life SciencesUniversity of ToledoToledoOhioUSA
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24
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Peñuelas‐Haro I, Espinosa‐Sotelo R, Crosas‐Molist E, Herranz‐Itúrbide M, Caballero‐Díaz D, Alay A, Solé X, Ramos E, Serrano T, Martínez‐Chantar ML, Knaus UG, Cuezva JM, Zorzano A, Bertran E, Fabregat I. The NADPH oxidase NOX4 regulates redox and metabolic homeostasis preventing HCC progression. Hepatology 2023; 78:416-433. [PMID: 35920301 PMCID: PMC10344438 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The NADPH oxidase NOX4 plays a tumor-suppressor function in HCC. Silencing NOX4 confers higher proliferative and migratory capacity to HCC cells and increases their in vivo tumorigenic potential in xenografts in mice. NOX4 gene deletions are frequent in HCC, correlating with higher tumor grade and worse recurrence-free and overall survival rates. However, despite the accumulating evidence of a protective regulatory role in HCC, the cellular processes governed by NOX4 are not yet understood. Accordingly, the aim of this work was to better understand the molecular mechanisms regulated by NOX4 in HCC in order to explain its tumor-suppressor action. APPROACH AND RESULTS Experimental models: cell-based loss or gain of NOX4 function experiments, in vivo hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine in Nox4 -deficient mice, and analyses in human HCC samples. Methods include cellular and molecular biology analyses, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, as well as histological and immunohistochemical analyses in tissues. Results identified MYC as being negatively regulated by NOX4. MYC mediated mitochondrial dynamics and a transcriptional program leading to increased oxidative metabolism, enhanced use of both glucose and fatty acids, and an overall higher energetic capacity and ATP level. NOX4 deletion induced a redox imbalance that augmented nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activity and was responsible for MYC up-regulation. CONCLUSIONS Loss of NOX4 in HCC tumor cells induces metabolic reprogramming in a Nrf2/MYC-dependent manner to promote HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Peñuelas‐Haro
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rut Espinosa‐Sotelo
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Crosas‐Molist
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Macarena Herranz‐Itúrbide
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Caballero‐Díaz
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ania Alay
- Unit of Bioinformatics for Precision Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Preclinical and Experimental Research in Thoracic Tumors, Oncobell Program, IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Solé
- Unit of Bioinformatics for Precision Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Preclinical and Experimental Research in Thoracic Tumors, Oncobell Program, IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Molecular Biology CORE, Center for Biomedical Diagnostics, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emilio Ramos
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Liver Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Serrano
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Pathological Anatomy Service, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María L. Martínez‐Chantar
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Liver Disease Lab, Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, Bizkaia Technology Park, Spain
| | - Ulla G. Knaus
- Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - José M. Cuezva
- Center for Molecular Biology “Severo Ochoa,” Autonoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- CIBERER, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Zorzano
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERDEM, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Bertran
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Fabregat
- TGF‐β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBEREHD, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Zhang X, Liang C, Zhou B, Pang L. Construction of a prognostic model based on genes associated with mitochondrial energy metabolic pathway in colon adenocarcinoma and its clinical significance. J Mol Recognit 2023; 36:e3044. [PMID: 37322568 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.3044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria are the main sites of oxidative metabolism and energy release of sugars, fats and amino acids in the body. According to studies, malignant tumor occurrence and development have been linked to abnormal mitochondrial energy metabolism (MEM). However, the feasible role of abnormal MEM in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is poorly understood. In this work, we obtained COAD patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as the training set, and GSE103479 from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) as the validation set. Combined with the mitochondrial energy metabolic pathway (MEMP)-related genes in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, a risk prognostic model was constructed by utilizing Cox regression analysis to identify 6 feature genes (CYP4A11, PGM2, PKLR, PPARGC1A, CPT2 and ACAT2) that were significantly associated with MEMP in COAD. By stratifying the samples based on riskscore, two distinct groups, namely the high- and low-risk groups, were identified. The model demonstrated accurate assessment of the prognosis risk in COAD patients and exhibited independent prognostic capability, as evidenced by the survival curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. A nomogram was plotted based on clinical information and riskscore. We proved it could predict the survival time of COAD patients effectively combined with the calibration curve of risk prediction. Subsequently, based on the immune evaluation and mutation frequency analysis performed on COAD patients, patients in high-risk group had observably higher immune scores, immune activity and PDCD1 expression level than low-risk group. In general, the prognostic model developed using MEMP-related genes served as a valuable biomarker for forecasting the prognosis of COAD patients, which offered a reference for the prognosis evaluation and clinical cure of COAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangcheng Zhang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City, China
| | - Ce Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City, China
| | - Bingchuan Zhou
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City, China
| | - Liming Pang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City, China
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Gao F, Yao Q, Zhu J, Chen W, Feng X, Feng B, Wu J, Pacak K, Rosenblum J, Yu J, Zhuang Z, Cao H, Li L. A novel HIF2A mutation causes dyslipidemia and promotes hepatic lipid accumulation. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106851. [PMID: 37453673 PMCID: PMC10735172 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) is a transcription factor responsible for regulating genes related to angiogenesis and metabolism. This study aims to explore the effect of a previously unreported mutation c.C2473T (p.R825S) in the C-terminal transactivation domain (CTAD) of HIF-2α that we detected in tissue of patients with liver disease. We sequenced available liver and matched blood samples obtained during partial liver resection or liver transplantation performed for clinical indications including hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. In tandem, we constructed cell lines and a transgenic mouse model bearing the corresponding identified mutation in HIF-2α from which we extracted primary hepatocytes. Lipid accumulation was evaluated in these cells and liver tissue from the mouse model using Oil Red O staining and biochemical measurements. We identified a mutation in the CTAD of HIF-2α (c.C2473T; p.R825S) in 5 of 356 liver samples obtained from patients with hepatopathy and dyslipidemia. We found that introduction of this mutation into the mouse model led to an elevated triglyceride level, lipid droplet accumulation in liver of the mutant mice and in their extracted primary hepatocytes, and increased transcription of genes related to hepatic fatty acid transport and synthesis in the mutant compared to the control groups. In mutant mice and cells, the protein levels of nuclear HIF-2α and its target perilipin-2 (PLIN2), a lipid droplet-related gene, were also elevated. Decreased lipophagy was observed in mutant groups. Our study defines a subpopulation of dyslipidemia that is caused by this HIF-2α mutation. This may have implications for personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiqiong Gao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Qigu Yao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Wenyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Xudong Feng
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Bing Feng
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China
| | - Karel Pacak
- Section on Medical Neuroendocrinology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 1-3140, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jared Rosenblum
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37 Room 100, 37 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jiong Yu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China.
| | - Zhengping Zhuang
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37 Room 100, 37 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Hongcui Cao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Aging and Physic-chemical Injury Diseases of Zhejiang Province, 79 Qingchun Rd, Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou City 310003, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou City 310003, China; Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan City 250117, China
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Chang YS, Hsu MH, Chung CC, Chen HD, Tu SJ, Lee YT, Yen JC, Liu TC, Chang JG. Comprehensive Analysis and Drug Modulation of Human Endogenous Retrovirus in Hepatocellular Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3664. [PMID: 37509325 PMCID: PMC10377948 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) play an important role in the development of cancer and many diseases. Here, we comprehensively explored the impact of HERVs on hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). METHODS We employed Telescope to identify HERVs and quantify their expression in the total RNA sequencing data obtained from 254 HCC samples, comprising 254 tumor tissues and 34 matched normal tissues. RESULTS In total, 3357 locus-specific activations of HERVs were differentially expressed, and 180 were correlated with patient survival. Using these 180 HERVs for classification, we found four subgroups with survival correlation. Higher expression levels of the 180 HERVs were correlated with poorer survival, while age, AFP, some mutations, and copy and structural variants differed among subgroups. The differential expression of host genes in high expression of these 180 HERVs primarily involved the activation of pathways related to immunity and infection, lipid and atherosclerosis, MAPK and NF-kB signaling, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. Conversely, there was a suppression of pathways associated with RNA processing, including nucleocytoplasmic transport, surveillance and ribosome biogenesis, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer pathways. Almost all genes involved in HERV activation restriction, KRAB zinc finger proteins, RNA nucleocytoplasmic transport, stemness, HLA and antigen processing and presentation, and immune checkpoints were overexpressed in cancerous tissues, and many over-expressed HERV-related nearby genes were correlated with high HERV activation and poor survival. Twenty-three immune and stromal cells showed higher expression in non-cancerous than cancerous tissues, and seven were correlated with HERV activation. Small-molecule modulation of alternative splicing (AS) altered the expression of survival-related HERVs and their activation-related genes, as well as nearby genes. CONCLUSION Comprehensive and integrated approaches for evaluating HERV expression and their correlation with specific pathways have the potential to provide new companion diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Sian Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Hon Hsu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chun Chung
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Da Chen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Siang-Jyun Tu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Lee
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Chen Yen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Chih Liu
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 50544, Taiwan
| | - Jan-Gowth Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
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28
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Chang YS, Tu SJ, Chen HD, Chung CC, Hsu MH, Chou YP, Lee YT, Yen JC, Jeng LB, Chang JG. Whole genome and RNA sequencing analyses for 254 Taiwanese hepatocellular carcinomas. Biomark Res 2023; 11:68. [PMID: 37403120 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00492-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive and integrative analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important. In this study, we explored Taiwanese HCCs using multi-omics analyses. METHODS We analyzed 254 HCCs by whole genome sequencing and total RNA sequencing, and then used bioinformatic tools to analyze genomic and transcriptomic alterations in coding and non-coding sequences to explore the clinical importance of each sequence. RESULTS The frequencies of the five most commonly mutated cancer-related genes were TERT, TP53, CTNNB1, RB1, and ARID1A. Genetic alteration frequencies influenced the etiology of HCC; some alterations were also correlated with clinicopathological conditions. Many cancer-related genes had copy number alterations (CNAs) and structure variants (SVs) that changed according to etiology and exhibited potential associations with survival. We also identified several alterations in histone-related genes, HCC-related long non-coding RNAs, and non-coding driver genes that may contribute to the onset and progression of HCC. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 229 differentially expressed and 148 novel alternative splicing (AS) genes, as well as the presence of fusion genes, were associated with patient survival. Moreover, somatic mutations, CNAs, and SVs were associated with immune checkpoint gene expression and tumor microenvironment. Finally, we identified relationships among AS, immune checkpoint gene expression and tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that genomic alterations are associated with survival, including DNA-based and RNA-based data. Moreover, genomic alterations and their associations with immune checkpoint genes and the tumor microenvironment may provide novel insights for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Sian Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Siang-Jyun Tu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Da Chen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chun Chung
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Hon Hsu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Pao Chou
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Lee
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Chen Yen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan
| | - Long-Bin Jeng
- Organ Transplantation Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
| | - Jan-Gowth Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
- Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Song F, Wang CG, Mao JZ, Wang TL, Liang XL, Hu CW, Zhang Y, Han L, Chen Z. PANoptosis-based molecular subtyping and HPAN-index predicts therapeutic response and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1197152. [PMID: 37398672 PMCID: PMC10311484 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1197152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent and fatal cancer. The role of PANoptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, in HCC is yet to be fully understood. This study focuses on identifying and analyzing PANoptosis-associated differentially expressed genes in HCC (HPAN_DEGs), aiming to enhance our understanding of HCC pathogenesis and potential treatment strategies. Methods We analyzed HCC differentially expressed genes from TCGA and IGCG databases and mapped them to the PANoptosis gene set, identifying 69 HPAN_DEGs. These genes underwent enrichment analyses, and consensus clustering analysis was used to determine three distinct HCC subgroups based on their expression profiles. The immune characteristics and mutation landscape of these subgroups were evaluated, and drug sensitivity was predicted using the HPAN-index and relevant databases. Results The HPAN_DEGs were mainly enriched in pathways associated with the cell cycle, DNA damage, Drug metabolism, Cytokines, and Immune receptors. We identified three HCC subtypes (Cluster_1, SFN+PDK4-; Cluster_2, SFN-PDK4+; Cluster_3, SFN/PDK4 intermediate expression) based on the expression profiles of the 69 HPAN_DEGs. These subtypes exhibited distinct clinical outcomes, immune characteristics, and mutation landscapes. The HPAN-index, generated by machine learning using the expression levels of 69 HPAN_DEGs, was identified as an independent prognostic factor for HCC. Moreover, the high HPAN-index group exhibited a high response to immunotherapy, while the low HPAN-index group showed sensitivity to small molecule targeted drugs. Notably, we observed that the YWHAB gene plays a significant role in Sorafenib resistance. Conclusion This study identified 69 HPAN_DEGs crucial to tumor growth, immune infiltration, and drug resistance in HCC. Additionally, we discovered three distinct HCC subtypes and constructed an HPAN-index to predict immunotherapeutic response and drug sensitivity. Our findings underscore the role of YWHAB in Sorafenib resistance, presenting valuable insights for personalized therapeutic strategy development in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Cheng-Gui Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jia-Zhen Mao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Tian-Lun Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiao-Liang Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chen-Wei Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Lu Han
- Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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Chen F, Sheng L, Zhou T, Yan L, Loveless R, Li H, Teng Y, Cai Y. Loss of Ufl1/Ufbp1 in hepatocytes promotes liver pathological damage and carcinogenesis through activating mTOR signaling. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:110. [PMID: 37131258 PMCID: PMC10155312 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02681-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ufm1-specific ligase 1 (Ufl1) and Ufm1-binding protein 1 (Ufbp1), as putative targets of ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (Ufm1), have been implicated in several pathogenesis-related signaling pathways. However, little is known about their functional roles in liver disease. METHODS Hepatocyte-specific Ufl1Δ/Δhep and Ufbp1Δ/Δhep mice were used to study their role in liver injury. Fatty liver disease and liver cancer were induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and diethylnitrosamine (DEN) administration, respectively. iTRAQ analysis was employed to screen for downstream targets affected by Ufbp1 deletion. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to determine the interactions between the Ufl1/Ufbp1 complex and the mTOR/GβL complex. RESULTS Ufl1Δ/Δhep or Ufbp1Δ/Δhep mice exhibited hepatocyte apoptosis and mild steatosis at 2 months of age and hepatocellular ballooning, extensive fibrosis, and steatohepatitis at 6-8 months of age. More than 50% of Ufl1Δ/Δhep and Ufbp1Δ/Δhep mice developed spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by 14 months of age. Moreover, Ufl1Δ/Δhep and Ufbp1Δ/Δhep mice were more susceptible to HFD-induced fatty liver and DEN-induced HCC. Mechanistically, the Ufl1/Ufbp1 complex directly interacts with the mTOR/GβL complex and attenuates mTORC1 activity. Ablation of Ufl1 or Ufbp1 in hepatocytes dissociates them from the mTOR/GβL complex and activates oncogenic mTOR signaling to drive HCC development. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal the potential role of Ufl1 and Ufbp1 as gatekeepers to prevent liver fibrosis and subsequent steatohepatitis and HCC development by inhibiting the mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanghui Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Le Sheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Tianci Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Linyi People Hospital, Linyi, 276000, China
| | - Reid Loveless
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Honglin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yong Teng
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Yafei Cai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Liu Y, Wu Q, Zhang F, Qin X. Antioxidants-related nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 gene variants associated with HBV-related liver disease. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:72. [PMID: 37062839 PMCID: PMC10105925 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02918-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence demonstrated that nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) expression plays a crucial role in the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, research on the effect of NRF2 genetic polymorphism on the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and HCC is still missing. METHODS A total of 673 individuals were included in the study and classified into four groups: 110 CHB cases, 86 LC cases, 260 HCC cases, and 217 healthy controls. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing method were used to detect rs6721961 and rs6726395 polymorphisms. RESULTS Patients carrying the T allele in rs6721961 were at a higher risk of HCC than individuals with the G allele compared to CHB patients (OR = 1.561, 95%CI: 1.003-2.430, P = 0.048). The statistically significant differences were also found in the rs6721961 GT genotype (OR = 2.298, 95% CI: 1.282-4.119, P = 0.005) and dominant model (OR = 2.039, 95% CI: 1.184-0.510, P = 0.010). Subgroup analysis also detected a significant association between the rs6721961 T allele and the development of HCC in older subjects (≥ 50 years) (OR = 2.148, 95% CI: 1.208-3.818, P = 0.009). Statistical analysis results indicated that subjects carrying haplotype G-A had a lower risk of HCC (OR = 0.700, 95% CI: 0.508-0.965, P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS For the first time, our findings provide evidence that the NRF2 gene rs6721961 variation is a potential genetic marker of susceptibility to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Medicine of Guangxi Department of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiulian Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Fuyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Medicine of Guangxi Department of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xue Qin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Medicine of Guangxi Department of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
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Rybicka M, Verrier ER, Baumert TF, Bielawski KP. Polymorphisms within DIO2 and GADD45A genes increase the risk of liver disease progression in chronic hepatitis b carriers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6124. [PMID: 37059745 PMCID: PMC10104815 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32753-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The study enrolled 284 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Participants included people with mild fibrotic lesions (32.5%), moderate to severe fibrotic lesions (27.5%), cirrhotic lesions (22%), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 5%, and people with no fibrotic lesions in 13%. Eleven SNPs within DIO2, PPARG, ATF3, AKT, GADD45A, and TBX21 were genotyped by mass spectrometry. The rs225014 TT (DIO2) and rs10865710 CC (PPARG) genotypes were independently associated with susceptibility to advanced liver fibrosis. However, cirrhosis was more prevalent in individuals with the GADD45A rs532446 TT and ATF3 rs11119982 TT genotypes. In addition, the rs225014 CC variant of DIO2 was more frequently found in patients with a diagnosis of HCC. These findings suggest that the above SNPs may play a role in HBV-induced liver damage in a Caucasian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Rybicka
- Department of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Eloi R Verrier
- Inserm, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques UMR_S1110, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas F Baumert
- Inserm, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques UMR_S1110, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- Pôle Hépato-Digestif, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67-000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Krzysztof Piotr Bielawski
- Department of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland
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Integrated Analysis of N1-Methyladenosine Methylation Regulators-Related lncRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061800. [PMID: 36980686 PMCID: PMC10046959 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
N1-methyladenosine (m1A) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, their association with HCC is still unclear. In this study, lncRNAs related to m1A were extracted from the mRNA expression matrix in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Five m1A-related lncRNAs (AL031985.3, NRAV, WAC-AS1, AC026412.3, and AC099850.4) were identified based on lasso Cox regression and they generated a prognostic signature of HCC. The prognostic signature was identified as an independent prognosis factor in HCC patients. Moreover, the prognostic signature achieved better performance than TP53 mutation status or tumor mutational burden (TMB) scores in the stratification of patient survival. The immune landscape indicated that most immune checkpoint genes and immune cells were distributed differently between both risk groups. A higher IC50 of chemotherapeutics (sorafenib, nilotinib, sunitinib, and gefitinib) was observed in the high-risk group, and a lower IC50 of gemcitabine in the low-risk group, suggesting the potential of the prognostic signature in chemosensitivity. In addition, fifty-five potential small molecular drugs were found based on drug sensitivity and NRAV expression. Together, five m1A-related lncRNAs generated a prognostic signature that could be a promising prognostic prediction approach and therapeutic response assessment tool for HCC patients.
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Innes H. Genetic data not yet a "game-changer" for predicting individualised hepatocellular carcinoma risk. J Hepatol 2023; 78:460-462. [PMID: 36592645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hamish Innes
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow UK; Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK; Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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35
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Thrift AP, Kanwal F, Liu Y, Khaderi S, Singal AG, Marrero JA, Loo N, Asrani SK, Luster M, Al-Sarraj A, Ning J, Tsavachidis S, Gu X, Amos CI, El-Serag HB. Risk stratification for hepatocellular cancer among patients with cirrhosis using a hepatic fat polygenic risk score. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282309. [PMID: 36854015 PMCID: PMC9974109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polygenic risk scores (PRS) hold the promise to refine prognostication in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). The few available HCC PRS include germline risk variants identified among individuals of mostly European ancestry, but data are lacking on the transportability of these PRS in multiethnic U.S patients with cirrhosis from multiple etiologies. METHODS We used data from 1644 patients with cirrhosis enrolled in two prospective cohort studies in the U.S. Patients were followed until HCC diagnosis, death, liver transplantation, or last study visit through June 30, 2021. The high-risk variants in PNPLA3-MBOAT7-TM6SF2-GCKR were combined in a PRS and we evaluated its association with HCC. Discriminatory accuracy was assessed using the C-statistic. RESULTS During 4,759 person-years of follow-up, 93 patients developed HCC. Mean age was 59.8 years, 68.6% were male, 27.2% Hispanic, 25.1% non-Hispanic Black, 25.7% had NAFLD, 42.1% had heavy alcohol use, and 19.5% had active HCV. HCC risk increased by 134% per unit increase in PRS (HR = 2.30; 95% CI, 1.35-3.92). Compared to cirrhosis patients in the lowest tertile of the PRS, those in the highest tertile had 2-fold higher risk of HCC (HR = 2.05; 95% CI, 1.22-3.44). The PRS alone had modest discriminatory ability (C-statistic = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.52-0.63); however, adding PRS to a predictive model with traditional HCC risk factors had a C-statistic of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.64-0.76), increasing from 0.68 without the PRS (p = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that PRS may enhance risk prediction for HCC in contemporary U.S. cirrhosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P. Thrift
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Fasiha Kanwal
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt), Michael E DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Yanhong Liu
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Saira Khaderi
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Amit G. Singal
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jorge A. Marrero
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nicole Loo
- Texas Liver Institute, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sumeet K. Asrani
- Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michelle Luster
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Abeer Al-Sarraj
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt), Michael E DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jing Ning
- Department of Biostatistics, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Spiridon Tsavachidis
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Xiangjun Gu
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Christopher I. Amos
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Hashem B. El-Serag
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt), Michael E DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
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Ren Z, Zhang J, Zheng D, Luo Y, Song Z, Chen F, Li A, Liu X. Identification of Prognosis-Related Oxidative Stress Model with Immunosuppression in HCC. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030695. [PMID: 36979675 PMCID: PMC10045103 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, we attempted to establish a new oxidative stress (OS)-related prognostic model for predicting prognosis, exploring immune microenvironment, and predicting the immunotherapy response. Significantly differently expressed oxidative stress-related genes (DEOSGs) between normal and HCC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were screened, and then based on weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), HCC-related hub genes were discovered. Based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and cox regression analysis, a prognostic model was developed. We validated the prognostic model’s predictive power using an external validation cohort: the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC).Then a nomogram was determined. Furthermore, we also examined the relationship of the risk model and clinical characteristics as well as immune microenvironment. 434 DEOSGs, comprising 62 downregulated and 372 upregulated genes (p < 0.05 and |log2FC| ≥ 1), and 257 HCC-related hub genes were recognized in HCC. Afterward, we built a five-DEOSG (LOX, CYP2C9, EIF2B4, EZH2, and SRXN1) prognostic risk model. Using the nomogram, the risk model was shown to have good prognostic value. Compared to the low risk group, HCC patients with high risk had poorer outcomes, worse pathological grades, and advanced tumor stages (p < 0.05). There were significant increases in LOX, EIF2B4, EZH2, and SRXN1 expression in HCC samples, while CYP2C9 expression was decreased. Finally, Real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) confirmed the mRNA expressions of five genes (CYP2C9, EIF2B4, EZH2, SRXN1, LOX) in HCC cell lines. Our study constructed a prognostic OS-related model with strong predictive power and potential as an immunosuppressive biomarker for HCC leading to improving prediction and providing new insights for HCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixuan Ren
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Jiakang Zhang
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Dayong Zheng
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Yue Luo
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Zhenghui Song
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Fengsheng Chen
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Aimin Li
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Xinhui Liu
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (X.L.)
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Shahini E, Pasculli G, Solimando AG, Tiribelli C, Cozzolongo R, Giannelli G. Updating the Clinical Application of Blood Biomarkers and Their Algorithms in the Diagnosis and Surveillance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Critical Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054286. [PMID: 36901717 PMCID: PMC10001986 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its mortality rate is increasing globally. The overall 5-year survival of patients with liver cancer is currently 10-20%. Moreover, because early diagnosis can significantly improve prognosis, which is highly correlated with tumor stage, early detection of HCC is critical. International guidelines advise using α-FP biomarker with/without ultrasonography for HCC surveillance in patients with advanced liver disease. However, traditional biomarkers are sub-optimal for risk stratification of HCC development in high-risk populations, early diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment response prediction. Since about 20% of HCCs do not produce α-FP due to its biological diversity, combining α-FP with novel biomarkers can enhance HCC detection sensitivity. There is a chance to offer promising cancer management methods in high-risk populations by utilizing HCC screening strategies derived from new tumor biomarkers and prognostic scores created by combining biomarkers with distinct clinical parameters. Despite numerous efforts to identify molecules as potential biomarkers, there is no single ideal marker in HCC. When combined with other clinical parameters, the detection of some biomarkers has higher sensitivity and specificity in comparison with a single biomarker. Therefore, newer biomarkers and models, such as the Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of Alpha-fetoprotein (α-FP), α-FP-L3, Des-γ-carboxy-prothrombin (DCP or PIVKA-II), and the GALAD score, are being used more frequently in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC. Notably, the GALAD algorithm was effective in HCC prevention, particularly for cirrhotic patients, regardless of the cause of their liver disease. Although the role of these biomarkers in surveillance is still being researched, they may provide a more practical alternative to traditional imaging-based surveillance. Finally, looking for new diagnostic/surveillance tools may help improve patients' survival. This review discusses the current roles of the most used biomarkers and prognostic scores that may aid in the clinical management of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endrit Shahini
- Gastroenterology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0804994249
| | - Giuseppe Pasculli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Giovanni Solimando
- Guido Baccelli Unit of Internal Medicine, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area-(DiMePRe-J), University of Bari “A. Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy
| | | | - Raffaele Cozzolongo
- Gastroenterology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- Scientific Director, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
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Buch S, Innes H, Lutz PL, Nischalke HD, Marquardt JU, Fischer J, Weiss KH, Rosendahl J, Marot A, Krawczyk M, Casper M, Lammert F, Eyer F, Vogel A, Marhenke S, von Felden J, Sharma R, Atkinson SR, McQuillin A, Nattermann J, Schafmayer C, Franke A, Strassburg C, Rietschel M, Altmann H, Sulk S, Thangapandi VR, Brosch M, Lackner C, Stauber RE, Canbay A, Link A, Reiberger T, Mandorfer M, Semmler G, Scheiner B, Datz C, Romeo S, Ginanni Corradini S, Irving WL, Morling JR, Guha IN, Barnes E, Ansari MA, Quistrebert J, Valenti L, Müller SA, Morgan MY, Dufour JF, Trebicka J, Berg T, Deltenre P, Mueller S, Hampe J, Stickel F. Genetic variation in TERT modifies the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in alcohol-related cirrhosis: results from a genome-wide case-control study. Gut 2023; 72:381-391. [PMID: 35788059 PMCID: PMC9872243 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-327196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often develops in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis at an annual risk of up to 2.5%. Some host genetic risk factors have been identified but do not account for the majority of the variance in occurrence. This study aimed to identify novel susceptibility loci for the development of HCC in people with alcohol related cirrhosis. DESIGN Patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis and HCC (cases: n=1214) and controls without HCC (n=1866), recruited from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and the UK, were included in a two-stage genome-wide association study using a case-control design. A validation cohort of 1520 people misusing alcohol but with no evidence of liver disease was included to control for possible association effects with alcohol misuse. Genotyping was performed using the InfiniumGlobal Screening Array (V.24v2, Illumina) and the OmniExpress Array (V.24v1-0a, Illumina). RESULTS Associations with variants rs738409 in PNPLA3 and rs58542926 in TM6SF2 previously associated with an increased risk of HCC in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis were confirmed at genome-wide significance. A novel locus rs2242652(A) in TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) was also associated with a decreased risk of HCC, in the combined meta-analysis, at genome-wide significance (p=6.41×10-9, OR=0.61 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.70). This protective association remained significant after correction for sex, age, body mass index and type 2 diabetes (p=7.94×10-5, OR=0.63 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.79). Carriage of rs2242652(A) in TERT was associated with an increased leucocyte telomere length (p=2.12×10-44). CONCLUSION This study identifies rs2242652 in TERT as a novel protective factor for HCC in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Buch
- Department of Medicine I, Dresden University Hospital, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Dresden, Germany
| | - Hamish Innes
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | | | | | - Jens U Marquardt
- Department of Medicine I, University of Luebeck Human Medicine, Lubeck, Germany
| | - Janett Fischer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Section Hepatology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karl Heinz Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Salem, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Rosendahl
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Astrid Marot
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU UCL Namur, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marcin Krawczyk
- Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany
- Laboratory of Metabolic Liver Diseases, Department of General, Transplant and Liver Surgery, Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Markus Casper
- Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany
| | - Frank Lammert
- Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany
| | - Florian Eyer
- Department of Clinical Toxicology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Silke Marhenke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Johann von Felden
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College, London, UK
| | | | - Andrew McQuillin
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jacob Nattermann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Clemens Schafmayer
- Department of General Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heidi Altmann
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Sulk
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veera Raghavan Thangapandi
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mario Brosch
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Rudolf E Stauber
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ali Canbay
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Alexander Link
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto von Guericke Universitat Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Reiberger
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Mattias Mandorfer
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Georg Semmler
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Bernhard Scheiner
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Christian Datz
- Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Oberndorf, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Stefano Romeo
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Wallenberg Laboratory, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Nutrition Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Stefano Ginanni Corradini
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Joanne R Morling
- Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Indra Neil Guha
- Nottingham Digestive Diseases NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Azim Ansari
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jocelyn Quistrebert
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luca Valenti
- Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Sascha A Müller
- Department of Surgery, Hirslanden Klinik Beau-Site, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marsha Yvonne Morgan
- Division of Medicine, Royal Free Campus, UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, London, UK
| | | | - Jonel Trebicka
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Clinical Infectiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Berg
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Pierre Deltenre
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU UCL Namur, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Salem Medical Center, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Hampe
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix Stickel
- Department of Gatroenterology and Hepatology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Hirslanden Klinik Beau-Site, Bern, Switzerland
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Chang YS, Tu SJ, Chen HD, Hsu MH, Chen YC, Chao DS, Chung CC, Chou YP, Chang CM, Lee YT, Yen JC, Jeng LB, Chang JG. Integrated genomic analyses of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatol Int 2023; 17:97-111. [PMID: 36472800 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-022-10455-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genomic alterations play important roles in the development of cancer. We explored the impact of protein-coding genes and transcriptomic changes on clinical and molecular alterations in Taiwanese hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS We analyzed 147 whole-exome sequencing and 100 RNA sequencing datasets of HCC and compared them with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma cohort and develop a panel of 81 apoptosis-related genes for molecular classification. RESULTS TERT (50%), TP53 (25%), CTNNB1 (14%), ARID1A (12%), and KMT2C (11%) were the most common genetic alterations of cancer-related genes. ALDH2 and KMT2C mutated at much higher frequencies in our cohort than in TCGA, whereas CTNNB1 was found only in 14% of our Taiwanese patients. A high germline mutation rate of ALDH2 in the APOBEC mutational signature and herb drug-related aristolochic acid-associated signature was also observed. Groups A and B of HCC were identified when we used apoptosis-related genes for molecular classification. The latter group, which had poorer survival outcomes, had significantly more aDC, CD4+ Tem, macrophages M2, NKT, plasma cells, and Th1 cells, and less CD4+ memory T cells, CD8+ Tcm, cDC, iDC, and Th2 cells, as well as more inter-chromosome fusion genes. Metatranscriptomic analysis revealed 54 cases of HBV infection. Moreover, we found that the main target gene of HBV integration is ALB. CONCLUSIONS Unique genomic alterations were observed in our Taiwanese HCC patients. Molecular classification using apoptosis-related genes could lead to new therapeutic approaches for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Sian Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Siang-Jyun Tu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Da Chen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Hon Hsu
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chia Chen
- Million-Person Precision Medicine Initiative, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Dy-San Chao
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chun Chung
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Pao Chou
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Min Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Lee
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Chen Yen
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Long-Bin Jeng
- Organ Transplantation Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jan-Gowth Chang
- Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan. .,Epigenome Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. .,School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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40
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Ju MH, Jang EJ, Kang SH, Roh YH, Jeong JS, Han SH. Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of Prostate 4: An Indicator of Prognosis and Tumor Immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:643-658. [PMID: 37101765 PMCID: PMC10124562 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s394973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4 (STEAP4) has been linked to tumor progression via its involvement in inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and metabolism. However, STEAP4 has rarely been studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We explored STEAP4 expression associated with tumor prognosis to understand its role in tumor biology in HCC. Patients and Methods STEAP4 mRNA and protein expressions were primarily analyzed using bioinformatics tools based on The Cancer Genome Atlas database to understand the expression pattern, molecular mechanism, prognostic impact, and association with immune cell infiltration. We further investigated the association between STEAP4 protein expression and clinicopathological parameters and their predictive value in HCC patients using immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays. Results The expression of STEAP4 mRNA and protein in HCC tissues was significantly lower than in normal liver tissues. Reduced expression of STEAP4 was linked to advanced HCC stages, poor recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival. Furthermore, reduced STEAP4 expression was a significant predictor of worse RFS in univariate and multivariate analyses in the immunohistochemical cohort. GO, KEGG, and GSEA analyses revealed that STEAP4 is related to numerous biological processes and pathways, including drug metabolism, DNA replication, RNA metabolism, and immune response. In terms of the immune system, the decreased level of STEAP4 was correlated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Conclusion Our data indicated that reduced STEAP4 expression was significantly associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis, possibly because of its link to various biological processes and induction of HCC immune evasion. Therefore, STEAP4 expression may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for cancer progression and immunity, as well as a therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Ha Ju
- Department of Pathology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jeong Jang
- Department of Surgery, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Hwa Kang
- Department of Surgery, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Roh
- Department of Surgery, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Sook Jeong
- Department of Pathology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Song-Hee Han
- Department of Pathology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: Song-Hee Han, Department of Pathology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, 26, Daesingongwon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 49201, Republic of Korea, Tel +82-51-240-2863, Fax +82-51-240-7396, Email
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Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Therapeutic Algorithm for Localized and Advanced Disease. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:3817724. [PMID: 36624801 PMCID: PMC9825221 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3817724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer in patients with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies. In recent years, there has been an advance in the knowledge of molecular mechanisms and a better staging definition of patients which has allowed the development of new therapies that have entered the therapeutic workup of these patients. Deep information on molecular drivers of HCC contributed to the development of targeted therapies with remarkable benefits. The novel strategies of targeting immune evasion using immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T and TCR-T therapeutics have also shown promising results. For advanced diseases, the therapeutic algorithm has been recently updated, thanks to the efficacy of combining immunotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy in the first-line setting, and new drugs, both as single-agents or combinations, are currently under investigation.
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Block T, Zezulinski D, Kaplan DE, Lu J, Zanine S, Zhan T, Doria C, Sayeed A. Circulating messenger RNA variants as a potential biomarker for surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:963641. [PMID: 36582804 PMCID: PMC9793749 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.963641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and rationale Liver derived messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) transcripts were reported to be elevated in the circulation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. We now report the detection of high-risk mRNA variants exclusively in the circulation of HCC patients. Numerous genomic alleles such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), nucleotide insertions and deletions (called Indels), splicing variants in many genes, have been associated with elevated risk of cancer. Our findings potentially offer a novel non-invasive platform for HCC surveillance and early detection. Approach RNAseq analysis was carried out in the plasma of 14 individuals with a diagnosis of HCC, 8 with LC and no HCC, and 6 with no liver disease diagnosis. RNA from 6 matching tumors and 5 circulating extracellular vesicle (EV) samples from 14 of those with HCC was also analyzed. Specimens from two cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients were also included in our study. HCC specific SNPs and Indels referred as "variants" were identified using GATK HaplotypeCaller and annotated by SnpEff to filter out high risk variants. Results The variant calling on all RNA samples enabled the detection of 5.2 million SNPs, 0.91 million insertions and 0.81 million deletions. RNAseq analyses in tumors, normal liver tissue, plasma, and plasma derived EVs led to the detection of 5480 high-risk tumor specific mRNA variants in the circulation of HCC patients. These variants are concurrently detected in tumors and plasma samples or tumors and EVs from HCC patients, but none of these were detected in normal liver, plasma of LC patients or normal healthy individuals. Our results demonstrate selective detection of concordant high-risk HCC-specific mRNA variants in free plasma, plasma derived EVs and tumors of HCC patients. The variants comprise of splicing, frameshift, fusion and single nucleotide alterations and correspond to cancer and tumor metabolism pathways. Detection of these high-risk variants in matching specimens from same subjects with an enrichment in circulating EVs is remarkable. Validation of these HCC selective ctmRNA variants in larger patient cohorts is likely to identify a predictive set of ctmRNA with high diagnostic performance and thus offer a novel non-invasive serology-based biomarker for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Block
- Department of Translational Medicine, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - Daniel Zezulinski
- Department of Translational Medicine, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - David E. Kaplan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and The Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jingqiao Lu
- Ray Biotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, GA, United States
| | - Samantha Zanine
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, United States
| | - Tingting Zhan
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia PA, United States
| | - Cataldo Doria
- CHS Liver and Pancreas Centers of Excellence, Capital Health Cancer Center, One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ, United States
| | - Aejaz Sayeed
- Department of Translational Medicine, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Aejaz Sayeed,
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Li Y, Mo H, Jia S, Wang J, Ma Y, Liu X, Tu K. Comprehensive analysis of the amino acid metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis, tumor immune microenvironment, and candidate drugs in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1066773. [PMID: 36582227 PMCID: PMC9792509 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1066773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Metabolic rewiring satisfies increased nutritional demands and modulates many oncogenic processes in tumors. Amino acid metabolism is abnormal in many malignancies. Metabolic reprogramming of amino acids not only plays a crucial role in sustaining tumor cell proliferation but also influences the tumor immune microenvironment. Herein, the aim of our study was to elucidate the metabolic signature of amino acids in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Transcriptome profiles of HCC were obtained from the TCGA and ICGC databases. Based on the expression of amino acid metabolism-related genes (AAMRGs), we clustered the HCC samples into two molecular subtypes using the non-negative matrix factorization algorithm. Then, we constructed the amino acid metabolism-related gene signature (AAMRGS) by Cox regression and LASSO regression. Afterward, the clinical significance of the AAMRGS was evaluated. Additionally, we comprehensively analyzed the differences in mutational profiles, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and drug sensitivity between different risk subgroups. Furthermore, we examined three key gene expressions in liver cancer cells by quantitative real-time PCR and conducted the CCK8 assay to evaluate the influence of two chemotherapy drugs on different liver cancer cells. Results A total of 81 differentially expressed AAMRGs were screened between the two molecular subtypes, and these AAMRGs were involved in regulating amino acid metabolism. The AAMRGS containing GLS, IYD, and NQO1 had a high value for prognosis prediction in HCC patients. Besides this, the two AAMRGS subgroups had different genetic mutation probabilities. More importantly, the immunosuppressive cells were more enriched in the AAMRGS-high group. The expression level of inhibitory immune checkpoints was also higher in patients with high AAMRGS scores. Additionally, the two AAMRGS subgroups showed different susceptibility to chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs. In vitro experiments showed that gemcitabine significantly reduced the proliferative capacity of SNU449 cells, and rapamycin remarkedly inhibited Huh7 proliferation. The five HCC cells displayed different mRNA expression levels of GLS, IYD, and NQO1. Conclusions Our study explored the features of amino acid metabolism in HCC and identified the novel AAMRGS to predict the prognosis, immune microenvironment, and drug sensitivity of HCC patients. These findings might help to guide personalized treatment and improve the clinical outcomes of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huanye Mo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Siying Jia
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ying Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xi’an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xin Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Xin Liu, ; Kangsheng Tu,
| | - Kangsheng Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China,*Correspondence: Xin Liu, ; Kangsheng Tu,
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Tümen D, Heumann P, Gülow K, Demirci CN, Cosma LS, Müller M, Kandulski A. Pathogenesis and Current Treatment Strategies of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2022; 10:3202. [PMID: 36551958 PMCID: PMC9775527 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent liver cancer with high lethality and low five-year survival rates leading to a substantial worldwide burden for healthcare systems. HCC initiation and progression are favored by different etiological risk factors including hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, non-/and alcoholic fatty liver disease (N/AFLD), and tobacco smoking. In molecular pathogenesis, endogenous alteration in genetics (TP53, TERT, CTNNB1, etc.), epigenetics (DNA-methylation, miRNA, lncRNA, etc.), and dysregulation of key signaling pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, JAK/STAT, etc.) strongly contribute to the development of HCC. The multitude and complexity of different pathomechanisms also reflect the difficulties in tailored medical therapy of HCC. Treatment options for HCC are strictly dependent on tumor staging and liver function, which are structured by the updated Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification system. Surgical resection, local ablative techniques, and liver transplantation are valid and curative therapeutic options for early tumor stages. For multifocal and metastatic diseases, systemic therapy is recommended. While Sorafenib had been the standalone HCC first-line therapy for decades, recent developments had led to the approval of new treatment options as first-line as well as second-line treatment. Anti-PD-L1 directed combination therapies either with anti-VEGF directed agents or with anti-CTLA-4 active substances have been implemented as the new treatment standard in the first-line setting. However, data from clinical trials indicate different responses on specific therapeutic regimens depending on the underlying pathogenesis of hepatocellular cancer. Therefore, histopathological examinations have been re-emphasized by current international clinical guidelines in addition to the standardized radiological diagnosis using contrast-enhanced cross-sectional imaging. In this review, we emphasize the current knowledge on molecular pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. On this occasion, the treatment sequences for early and advanced tumor stages according to the recently updated Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification system and the current algorithm of systemic therapy (first-, second-, and third-line treatment) are summarized. Furthermore, we discuss novel precautional and pre-therapeutic approaches including therapeutic vaccination, adoptive cell transfer, locoregional therapy enhancement, and non-coding RNA-based therapy as promising treatment options. These novel treatments may prolong overall survival rates in regard with quality of life and liver function as mainstay of HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Arne Kandulski
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases University Hospital Regensburg Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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Midkine mediates dysfunction of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells through integrin α4 and α6. Vascul Pharmacol 2022; 147:107113. [PMID: 36184060 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2022.107113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Midkine (MK)2 is an important regulatory molecule that promotes pathological angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although some studies have shown that its expression is increased in chronic liver disease, its effect on sinusoidal vasculopathy are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that MK was mainly secreted by liver sinus endothelial cells (LSECs) during the stage of precancerous lesions. Increased expression of its receptor integrin was an important mechanism by which MK participated in sinusoidal vasculopathy through autocrine and positive feedback effects. LSECs with high expression of integrin α6 (Itgα6+) and integrin α4 (Itgα4+) were used to study the mechanism of MK, and it was found that the effect of MK on LSECs was closely related to the integrin subtypes. The activation of MK /integrin α6/Src/Shc signaling pathway promoted the expression of ET-1, TXA2 and reduced the production of NO, and then induced the capillary vascularization of liver sinusoids, while the activation of MK/integrin α4/NF-κB pathway mainly induced angiogenesis by promoting the production of VEGF and Ang2. In the three-dimensional co-culture system of hepatocytes (BRL-3A) and LSECs, MK significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the co-culture system of highly expressed integrin LSECs and decreased the expression of tumor suppressor gene P53 in hepatocytes. These results suggested that MK /integrin signaling pathway, especially MK /integrin α6, was an important mechanism leaded to persistent sinusoidal hepatic vasculopathy in chronic liver disease and induced HCC,while MK/integrin α 4 activation was more involved in pathological angiogenesis.
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Yu J, Pajvani UB. Tumorigenesis from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis to hepatocellular carcinoma. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2022; 2:544-546. [PMID: 37724256 PMCID: PMC10471092 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2022-0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with metabolic syndrome is increasing to be a main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism of tumorigenesis in NASH induced HCC is still not clear. In this perspective, we will discuss the recent progress that has been made to understand the genetic change and the immune microenvironment of HCC, and the remaining questions. Based on the current study, NASH-HCC is likely to have novel mechanism, which needs more investigation in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Yu
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Utpal B. Pajvani
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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Duan JL, Deng MH, Xiang ZC, Hu JL, Qu CH, Zhu TC, Xu MX, Chen JW, Xie JJ, Xie D, Cai MY, Li M, Liang H. Impact of WTAP in small HCC and paired adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissue on recurrence: A cohort study with external extension analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:973548. [PMID: 36420139 PMCID: PMC9676468 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.973548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: To evaluate prognostic value of WTAP levels in tumor and paired adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissues (PANLT) for cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive Asian small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) patients who received curative partial hepatectomy. Method: The investigation with two external cohorts were included. Associations between hazard risk of recurrence and continuous WTAP levels were investigated with restricted cubic spline models. Cox and inverse probability weighting models were established for survival analysis. Based on interaction effects, further stratification analysis was performed. Landmark analysis was employed to analyze cases of late recurrence. Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed to assess unmeasured confounders. Findings: In an investigation cohort of 307 patients, restricted cubic spline models indicated that hazard risk of recurrence increases with elevated WTAP levels for sHCC and PANLT. However, using Cox and inverse probability weighting models, no significant differences were observed in recurrence-free survival (RFS) between groups with different WTAP levels in sHCC. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with high PANLT WTAP levels had significantly worse RFS (HR 1.567, 95% CI 1.065-2.307; p = 0.023). Based on the significant interaction effect between WTAP levels in sHCC and PANLT, stratification analysis revealed that recurrence risk is more pronounced in patients with high WTAP levels in both PANLT and sHCC. Landmark analysis showed that late recurrence was more likely to occur in patients with high PANLT WTAP levels (HR 2.058, 95% CI 1.113-3.805; p = 0.021). Moreover, the detrimental effects of elevated PANLT WTAP levels on RFS were validated with two external cohorts. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of results. Conclusion: Increased PANLT WTAP expression levels independently predict high recurrence risk in HBV-positive Asian sHCC patients. Both tumor tissues and PANLT need to be considered together in future clinical practice to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation for recurrence risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ling Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min-Hua Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Cheng Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Long Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chun-Hua Qu
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Chen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Xing Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie-Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan-Juan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mu-Yan Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Li
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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Zhang C, Dai D, Zhang W, Yang W, Guo Y, Wei Q. Role of m6A RNA methylation in the development of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 37:2039-2050. [PMID: 36066844 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.15999] [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: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver malignancy that can be developed from hepatitis B and cirrhosis. Many pathophysiological alterations, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration, oxidative stress, cytokine release, telomerase homeostasis, mitochondrial damage, epigenetic modification, and tumor microenvironment, are involved in the biological process from hepatitis B to cirrhosis and HCC. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), as an epitranscriptomic modification of RNAs, can regulate the stability, splicing, degradation, transcription, and translation of downstream target RNAs in HBV and liver cancer cells. m6A regulators (writers, erasers, and readers) play an important role in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated HCC by regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, autophagy, differentiation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the current progress of m6A methylation in the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, and potential clinical implications of HBV-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dongjun Dai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wangjian Zhang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenjun Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yinglu Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qichun Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Guo J, Wang S, Gao Q. Can next-generation humanized mice that reconstituted with both functional human immune system and hepatocytes model the progression of viral hepatitis to hepatocarcinogenesis? Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1002260. [PMID: 36213658 PMCID: PMC9537463 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1002260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infections cause liver immunopathological diseases such as hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinomas, which are difficult to treat and continue to be major health problems globally. Due to the species-specific hepato-tropism of HBV and HCV, conventional rodent models are limited in their utility for studying the infection and associated liver immunopathogenesis. Humanized mice reconstituted with both functional human immune system and hepatocytes (HIS-HuHEP mice) have been extremely instrumental for in vivo studies of HBV or HCV infection and human-specific aspects of the progression of liver immunopathogenesis. However, none of the current HIS-HuHEP mice can model the progression of viral hepatitis to hepatocarcinogenesis which may be a notorious result of HBV or HCV chronic infection in patients, suggesting that they were functionally compromised and that there is still significant space to improve and establish next-generation of HIS-HuHEP mice with more sophisticated functions. In this review, we first summarize the principal requirements to establish HIS-HuHEP mice. We then discuss the respective protocols for current HIS-HuHEP mice and their applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. We also raise perspectives for further improving and establishing next-generation HIS-HuHEP mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglong Guo
- Department of Cardiovascular Disease, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Siyue Wang
- Graduate Program in Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Qi Gao
- Department of Cardiovascular Disease, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Molecular Classification of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Wnt-Hippo Signaling Pathway-Related Genes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194580. [PMID: 36230503 PMCID: PMC9559216 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The characters of Taiwanese hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are different from other parts of the world. We characterized the molecular features of HCC using a newly developed classification system based on the expression of the Wnt–Hippo signaling pathway-related genes. We analyzed the data in terms of prognostic value, transcriptome features, immune infiltration, and clinical characteristics, and compared the resulting subclasses with previously published classifications. A new molecular classification method based on a 272 gene panel of Wnt–Hippo pathways that may provide a new target for the treatment. Abstract In Taiwan, a combination of hepatitis B and C infection, economic boom-related food and alcohol overconsumption, and Chinese medicine prescriptions has led to a high rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the causative factors and underlying tumor biology for this unique HCC environment have not been identified. Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways play an important regulatory role in HCC development, and their functions are generally considered as positive and negative regulators of cell proliferation, respectively. In this study, we characterized the molecular features of HCC using a newly developed classification system based on the expression of the Wnt–Hippo signaling pathway-related genes. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed on liver tumor tissues from 100 patients with liver cancer. RNA-Seq data for 272 previously characterized Wnt–Hippo signaling pathway-related genes were used for hierarchical clustering. We analyzed the data in terms of prognostic value, transcriptome features, immune infiltration, and clinical characteristics, and compared the resulting subclasses with previously published classifications. Four subclasses of HCC (HCCW1–4) were identified. Subclass HCCW1 displayed the highest PCDHB4 expression. Subclass HCCW2 displayed lower Edmondson–Steiner grades (I and II) and CTNNB1 mutation frequencies. Subclass HCCW3 was associated with a good prognosis, the highest PCDHGB7 expression, high CD8+ naïve T cells abundance, and relatively low TP53 mutation rates. Subclass HCCW4 was associated with a poor prognosis, the highest PCDHB2 and PCDHB6 expression, a relatively high abundance of Th1 cells, NKT and class-switched memory B cells, relatively low enrichment of cDC, iDC, and CD4+ memory T cells, and high Edmondson–Steiner grades (III and IV). We also identified Wnt–Hippo signaling pathway-related genes that may influence immune cell infiltration. We developed a panel of 272 Wnt–Hippo signaling pathway-related genes to classify HCC into four groups based on Taiwanese HCC and The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma datasets. This novel molecular classification system may aid the treatment of HCC.
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