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Wu L, Li Z, Gao N, Deng H, Zhao Q, Hu Z, Chen J, Lei Z, Zhao J, Lin B, Gao Z. Interferon-α could induce liver steatosis to promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32730. [PMID: 38975233 PMCID: PMC11226829 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32730] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss remains to be further elucidated, particularly in patients receiving pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN) treatment. Methods 758 patients with low HBsAg quantification who had received nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy for at least one year and subsequently switched to or add on PEG-IFN therapy over an unfixed course were enrolled. 412 patients were obtained with baseline data matched. A total of 206 patients achieved HBsAg loss (cured group) within 48 weeks. Demographic and biochemical data associated with MetS were gathered for analysis. HepG2.2.15 cell line was used in vitro experiments to validate the efficacy of interferon-α (IFN-α). Results The proportion of patients with diabetes or hypertension in the uncured group was significantly higher than in the cured group. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated albumin remained elevated in the uncured group over the 48 weeks. In contrast, the levels of blood lipids and uric acid remained higher in the cured group within 48 weeks. Triglycerides levels and liver steatosis of all patients increased after PEG-IFN therapy. Baseline elevated uric acid levels and hepatic steatosis may be beneficial for HBsAg loss. IFN-α could induce hepatic steatosis and indirectly promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level through upregulation of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1(ACSL1). Conclusions IFN-α could induce liver steatosis to promote HBsAg loss by increasing triglyceride level through upregulation of ACSL1. Comorbid diabetes may be detrimental to obtaining HBsAg loss with PEG-IFN therapy in CHB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Deng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiyi Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoxia Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junfeng Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziying Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhua Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingliang Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiliang Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
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Koelsch N, Mirshahi F, Aqbi HF, Saneshaw M, Idowu MO, Olex AL, Sanyal AJ, Manjili MH. Effective anti-tumor immune response against HCC is orchestrated by immune cell partnership network that functions through hepatic homeostatic pathways, not direct cytotoxicity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598563. [PMID: 38903113 PMCID: PMC11188117 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The liver harbors a diverse array of immune cells during both health and disease. The specific roles of these cells in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Using a systems immunology approach, we demonstrate that reciprocal cell-cell communications function through dominant-subdominant pattern of ligand-receptor homeostatic pathways. In the healthy control, hepatocyte-dominated homeostatic pathways induce local immune responses to maintain liver homeostasis. Chronic intake of a Western diet (WD) alters hepatocytes and induces hepatic stellate cell (HSC), cancer cell and NKT cell-dominated interactions during NAFLD. During HCC, monocytes, hepatocytes, and myofibroblasts join the dominant cellular interactions network to restore liver homeostasis. Dietary correction during NAFLD results in nonlinear outcomes with various cellular rearrangements. When cancer cells and stromal cells dominate hepatic interactions network without inducing homeostatic immune responses, HCC progression occurs. Conversely, myofibroblast and fibroblast-dominated network orchestrates monocyte-dominated HCC-preventive immune responses. Tumor immune surveillance by 75% of immune cells successfully promoting liver homeostasis can create a tumor-inhibitory microenvironment, while only 5% of immune cells manifest apoptosis-inducing functions, primarily for facilitating homeostatic liver cell turnover rather than direct tumor killing. These data suggest that an effective immunotherapy should promote liver homeostasis rather than direct tumor killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Koelsch
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Faridoddin Mirshahi
- Department of Internal Medicine, VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, Richmond, VA 23298
| | - Hussein F. Aqbi
- College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, P.O. Box 14022, Iraq
| | - Mulugeta Saneshaw
- Department of Internal Medicine, VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, Richmond, VA 23298
| | - Michael O. Idowu
- Department of Pathology, VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Amy L. Olex
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
| | - Arun J. Sanyal
- Department of Internal Medicine, VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, Richmond, VA 23298
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Masoud H. Manjili
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Richmond VA 23298
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3
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Li A, Wang R, Zhao Y, Zhao P, Yang J. Crosstalk between Epigenetics and Metabolic Reprogramming in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A New Sight. Metabolites 2024; 14:325. [PMID: 38921460 PMCID: PMC11205353 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14060325] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming alterations are two important features of tumors, and their reversible, spatial, and temporal regulation is a distinctive hallmark of carcinogenesis. Epigenetics, which focuses on gene regulatory mechanisms beyond the DNA sequence, is a new entry point for tumor therapy. Moreover, metabolic reprogramming drives hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation and progression, highlighting the significance of metabolism in this disease. Exploring the inter-regulatory relationship between tumor metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modification has become one of the hot directions in current tumor metabolism research. As viral etiologies have given way to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-induced HCC, it is urgent that complex molecular pathways linking them and hepatocarcinogenesis be explored. However, how aberrant crosstalk between epigenetic modifications and metabolic reprogramming affects MASLD-induced HCC lacks comprehensive understanding. A better understanding of their linkages is necessary and urgent to improve HCC treatment strategies. For this reason, this review examines the interwoven landscape of molecular carcinogenesis in the context of MASLD-induced HCC, focusing on mechanisms regulating aberrant epigenetic alterations and metabolic reprogramming in the development of MASLD-induced HCC and interactions between them while also updating the current advances in metabolism and epigenetic modification-based therapeutic drugs in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Li
- College of Basic Medical Science, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; (A.L.); (Y.Z.); (P.Z.)
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China;
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yuqiang Zhao
- College of Basic Medical Science, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; (A.L.); (Y.Z.); (P.Z.)
| | - Peiran Zhao
- College of Basic Medical Science, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; (A.L.); (Y.Z.); (P.Z.)
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Basic Medical Science, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; (A.L.); (Y.Z.); (P.Z.)
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Shi W, Yan H, Liu X, Yu L, Xie Y, Wu Y, Liang Y, Yang Z. Development and Validation of a Novel Prognostic Nomogram Based on Platelet and CD8 +T Cell Counts in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2024; 11:1049-1063. [PMID: 38863997 PMCID: PMC11166160 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s452688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is one of the hallmarks of advanced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Platelet (PLT) function parameters and CD8+T cells (CD8+Ts) play an important role in HCC progression and metastasis. This study is committed to establishing an efficient prognosis prediction model and exploring the combined effect of PLT and CD8+Ts on PVTT prognosis. Patients and Methods This retrospective study collected 932 HCC patients with PVTT from 2007 to 2017 and randomly divided them into a training cohort (n = 656) and a validation cohort (n = 276). We performed multivariable Cox and Elastic-net regression analysis, constructed a nomogram and used Kaplan-Meier survival curves to compare overall survival and progression-free survival rates in different substrata. Relationships between indicators involved were also analyzed. Results We found tumor number, size, treatment, PLT, γ-glutamyl transferase, alpha-fetoprotein, mean platelet volume, and CD8+Ts were related to the 5-year OS of patients with PVTT, and established a nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) for predicting the 1-year OS rates were 0.767 and 0.794 in training and validation cohorts. The calibration curve and decision curve indicated its predictive consistency and strong clinical utility. We also found those with low PLT (<100*10^9/L) and high CD8+Ts (>320 cells/μL) had a better prognosis. Conclusion We established a well-performing prognostic model for PVTT based on platelet functional parameters and CD8+Ts, and found that PT-8 formed by PLT and CD8+Ts was an excellent predictor of the prognosis of PVTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanxin Shi
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- First Clinical Medical College, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huiwen Yan
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Xie
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Wu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuling Liang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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5
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Ni JS, Fu SY, Wang ZY, Ding WB, Huang J, Guo XG, Gu FM. Interleukin-17A educated hepatic stellate cells promote hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence through fibroblast activation protein expression. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3693. [PMID: 38860366 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3693] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver cancer is typified by a complex inflammatory tumor microenvironment, where an array of cytokines and stromal cells orchestrate a milieu that significantly influences tumorigenesis. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), a pivotal pro-inflammatory cytokine predominantly secreted by Th17 cells, is known to play a substantial role in the etiology and progression of liver cancer. However, the precise mechanism by which IL-17A engages with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to facilitate the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be fully elucidated. This investigation seeks to unravel the interplay between IL-17A and HSCs in the context of HCC. METHODS An HCC model was established in male Sprague-Dawley rats using diethylnitrosamine to explore the roles of IL-17A and HSCs in HCC pathogenesis. In vivo overexpression of Il17a was achieved using adeno-associated virus. A suite of molecular techniques, including RT-qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, Western blotting, cell counting kit-8 assays and colony formation assays, was employed for in vitro analyses. RESULTS The study findings indicate that IL-17A is a key mediator in HCC promotion, primarily through the activation of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs). This pro-tumorigenic influence appears to be mediated by HSCs, rather than through a direct effect on HPCs. Notably, IL-17A-induced expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in HSCs emerged as a critical factor in HCC progression. Silencing Fap in IL-17A-stimulated HSCs was observed to reverse the HCC-promoting effects of HSCs. CONCLUSIONS The collective evidence from this study implicates the IL-17A/FAP signaling axis within HSCs as a contributor to HCC development by enhancing HPC activation. These findings bolster the potential of IL-17A as a diagnostic and preventative target for HCC, offering new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Sheng Ni
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Si-Yuan Fu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zong-Yan Wang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bin Ding
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Huang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing-Gang Guo
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang-Ming Gu
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Yu X, Feng M, Guo J, Wang H, Yu J, Zhang A, Wu J, Han Y, Sun Z, Liao Y, Zhao Q. MLKL promotes hepatocarcinogenesis through inhibition of AMPK-mediated autophagy. Cell Death Differ 2024:10.1038/s41418-024-01314-5. [PMID: 38783090 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01314-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The pseudokinase mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) is an essential component of the activation of the necroptotic pathway. Emerging evidence suggests that MLKL plays a key role in liver disease. However, how MLKL contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Herein, we report that MLKL is upregulated in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced murine HCC model and is associated with human hepatocellular carcinomas. Hepatocyte-specific MLKL knockout suppresses the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis. Conversely, MLKL overexpression aggravates the initiation and progression of DEN-induced HCC. Mechanistic study reveals that deletion of MLKL significantly increases the activation of autophagy, thereby protecting against hepatocarcinogenesis. MLKL directly interacts with AMPKα1 and inhibits its activity independent of its necroptotic function. Mechanistically, MLKL serves as a bridging molecule between AMPKα1 and protein phosphatase 1B (PPM1B), thus enhancing the dephosphorylation of AMPKα1. Consistently, MLKL expression correlates negatively with AMPKα1 phosphorylation in HCC patients. Taken together, our findings highlight MLKL as a novel AMPK gatekeeper that plays key roles in inhibiting autophagy and driving hepatocarcinogenesis, suggesting that the MLKL-AMPKα1 axis is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianjun Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Mengyuan Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Jian Guo
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
| | - Anjie Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Jingyi Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Yamei Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Zequn Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Yingying Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Qun Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
- Inflammation-Cancer Transformation and Wudang Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei Talent Introduction and Innovation Demonstration Base, Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
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7
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Nakatsuka T, Tateishi R, Sato M, Hashizume N, Kamada A, Nakano H, Kabeya Y, Yonezawa S, Irie R, Tsujikawa H, Sumida Y, Yoneda M, Akuta N, Kawaguchi T, Takahashi H, Eguchi Y, Seko Y, Itoh Y, Murakami E, Chayama K, Taniai M, Tokushige K, Okanoue T, Sakamoto M, Fujishiro M, Koike K. Deep learning and digital pathology powers prediction of HCC development in steatotic liver disease. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00884. [PMID: 38768142 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Identifying patients with steatotic liver disease who are at a high risk of developing HCC remains challenging. We present a deep learning (DL) model to predict HCC development using hematoxylin and eosin-stained whole-slide images of biopsy-proven steatotic liver disease. APPROACH AND RESULTS We included 639 patients who did not develop HCC for ≥7 years after biopsy (non-HCC class) and 46 patients who developed HCC <7 years after biopsy (HCC class). Paired cases of the HCC and non-HCC classes matched by biopsy date and institution were used for training, and the remaining nonpaired cases were used for validation. The DL model was trained using deep convolutional neural networks with 28,000 image tiles cropped from whole-slide images of the paired cases, with an accuracy of 81.0% and an AUC of 0.80 for predicting HCC development. Validation using the nonpaired cases also demonstrated a good accuracy of 82.3% and an AUC of 0.84. These results were comparable to the predictive ability of logistic regression model using fibrosis stage. Notably, the DL model also detected the cases of HCC development in patients with mild fibrosis. The saliency maps generated by the DL model highlighted various pathological features associated with HCC development, including nuclear atypia, hepatocytes with a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, immune cell infiltration, fibrosis, and a lack of large fat droplets. CONCLUSIONS The ability of the DL model to capture subtle pathological features beyond fibrosis suggests its potential for identifying early signs of hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with steatotic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nakatsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaya Sato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Natsuka Hashizume
- RWD Analytics, Healthcare & Life Science, IBM Japan Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ami Kamada
- RWD Analytics, Healthcare & Life Science, IBM Japan Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Nakano
- RWD Analytics, Healthcare & Life Science, IBM Japan Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Kabeya
- RWD Analytics, Healthcare & Life Science, IBM Japan Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Yonezawa
- RWD Analytics, Healthcare & Life Science, IBM Japan Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rie Irie
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hanako Tsujikawa
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshio Sumida
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masashi Yoneda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Norio Akuta
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Kawaguchi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | - Yuichiro Eguchi
- Liver Center, Saga University Hospital, Saga, Japan
- Loco Medical General Institute, Saga, Japan
| | - Yuya Seko
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshito Itoh
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eisuke Murakami
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Chayama
- Collaborative Research Laboratory of Medical Innovation, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Hiroshima Institute of Life Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Makiko Taniai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Tokushige
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Okanoue
- Department of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Fujishiro
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koike
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Medicine, Kanto Central Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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8
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Zhao X, Zhu X, Xiao C, Hu Z. LncRNA SH3BP5-AS1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by sponging miR-6838-5p and activation of PTPN4. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:8511-8523. [PMID: 38761175 PMCID: PMC11164516 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205811] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been demonstrated to have significant roles in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this work, we sought to determine LncRNA SH3BP5-AS1's function and mechanism in the emergence of HCC. RESULTS First, we discovered that the advanced tumor stage was strongly correlated with high levels of LncRNA SH3BP5-AS1 expression in HCC. MiR-6838-5p expression was down-regulated and inversely correlated with SH3BP5-AS1 expression. Additionally, overexpression of SH3BP5-AS1 boosted cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. The oncogenic effects of the inhibitor of miR-6838-5p were eliminated when PTPN4 was suppressed, following the identification of PTPN4 as a direct target of miR-6838-5p. In addition, SH3BP5-AS1 promoted cellular glycolysis via miR-6838-5p sponging and PTPN4 activation. Lastly, by directly interacting to the promoter of SH3BP5-AS1, HIF-1α could control the transcription of the gene. CONCLUSIONS Our research suggests that SH3BP5-AS1 controls miR-6838-5p/PTPN4 in order to act as a new carcinogenic LncRNA during the growth of HCC cells. METHODS The expression levels of SH3BP5-AS1, miR-6838-5p and PTPN4 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effects of LncRNA SH3BP5-AS1/miR-6838-5p/PTPN4 on the proliferation, metastasis and glycolysis of HCC cells were clarified by experimental cellular functionality assays, cell derived xenograft and Glycolysis assay.
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MESH Headings
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 4/genetics
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 4/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Cell Proliferation/genetics
- Disease Progression
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Movement/genetics
- Animals
- Male
- Glycolysis/genetics
- Mice
- Female
- Middle Aged
- Mice, Nude
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China
| | - Xinfeng Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China
| | - Chaowen Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China
| | - Zouxiao Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China
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9
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Wen J, Zhang X, Wong CC, Zhang Y, Pan Y, Zhou Y, Cheung AHK, Liu Y, Ji F, Kang X, Liu D, Yu J. Targeting squalene epoxidase restores anti-PD-1 efficacy in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Gut 2024:gutjnl-2023-331117. [PMID: 38744443 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331117] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) promotes metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (MASH-HCC), but its role in modulating the tumour immune microenvironment in MASH-HCC remains unclear. DESIGN We established hepatocyte-specific Sqle transgenic (tg) and knockout mice, which were subjected to a choline-deficient high-fat diet plus diethylnitrosamine to induce MASH-HCC. SQLE function was also determined in orthotopic and humanised mice. Immune landscape alterations of MASH-HCC mediated by SQLE were profiled by single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. RESULTS Hepatocyte-specific Sqle tg mice exhibited a marked increase in MASH-HCC burden compared with wild-type littermates, together with decreased tumour-infiltrating functional IFN-γ+ and Granzyme B+ CD8+ T cells while enriching Arg-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Conversely, hepatocyte-specific Sqle knockout suppressed tumour growth with increased cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and reduced Arg-1+ MDSCs, inferring that SQLE promotes immunosuppression in MASH-HCC. Mechanistically, SQLE-driven cholesterol accumulation in tumour microenvironment underlies its effect on CD8+ T cells and MDSCs. SQLE and its metabolite, cholesterol, impaired CD8+ T cell activity by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Cholesterol depletion in vitro abolished the effect of SQLE-overexpressing MASH-HCC cell supernatant on CD8+ T cell suppression and MDSC activation, whereas cholesterol supplementation had contrasting functions on CD8+ T cells and MDSCs treated with SQLE-knockout supernatant. Targeting SQLE with genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibitor, terbinafine, rescued the efficacy of anti-PD-1 treatment in MASH-HCC models. CONCLUSION SQLE induces an impaired antitumour response in MASH-HCC via attenuating CD8+ T cell function and augmenting immunosuppressive MDSCs. SQLE is a promising target in boosting anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for MASH-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wen
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi Chun Wong
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yating Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yasi Pan
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yunfei Zhou
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alvin Ho-Kwan Cheung
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yali Liu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fenfen Ji
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xing Kang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Dabin Liu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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10
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Matsumoto T, Shiraki T, Tanaka G, Yamaguchi T, Park KH, Mori S, Iso Y, Ishizuka M, Kubota K, Aoki T. Comparative analysis of perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease versus viral hepatitis. World J Surg 2024; 48:1219-1230. [PMID: 38468392 DOI: 10.1002/wjs.12120] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the accumulating evidence regarding the oncological differences between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and viral infection-related HCC, the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical resection of NAFLD-related HCC remain unclear. While some reports indicate improved postoperative survival in NAFLD-related HCC, other studies suggest higher postoperative complications in these patients. METHODS Patients with NAFLD and those with hepatitis viral infection who underwent hepatectomy for HCC at our department were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical, surgical, pathological, and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Among the 1047 consecutive patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC, 57 had NAFLD-related HCC (NAFLD group), and 727 had virus-related HCC (VH group). The body mass index and serum glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the NAFLD group than in the VH group. There were no significant differences in operative time and bleeding amount. Moreover, the morbidity and the length of postoperative hospital stays were similar across both groups. The pathological results showed that the tumor size was significantly larger in the NAFLD group than in the VH group. No significant differences between the groups in overall or recurrence-free survival were found. In a subgroup analysis with matched tumor diameters, patients in the NAFLD group had a better prognosis after hepatectomy than those in the VH group. CONCLUSION Surgical outcomes after hepatectomy were comparable between the groups. Subgroup analysis reveals early detection and surgical intervention in NAFLD-HCC may improve prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takatsugu Matsumoto
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Takayuki Shiraki
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Genki Tanaka
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Takamune Yamaguchi
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kyung-Hwa Park
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shozo Mori
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Iso
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Ishizuka
- Center of Colorectal Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Keiichi Kubota
- Department of Surgery, Tohto Bunkyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taku Aoki
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
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11
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Xiao Y, Wang J, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Qi X, Hou L, Ma Z, Xu F. Hepatic polypeptide nutrient solution improves high-cholesterol diet-induced rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by activating AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Food Sci Nutr 2024; 12:3225-3236. [PMID: 38726419 PMCID: PMC11077238 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3990] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic polypeptide nutrient solution (HP) is a mixture of hepatoprotective peptides derived from fresh porcine liver with various effects. However, the role and mechanisms of HP in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are still not well understood. We investigated the effects of HP NAFLD rats induced by high-cholesterol diet (HCD) and its underlying mechanisms. Rats were provided with HCD for 4 weeks and then received HP or metformin after 2 weeks of HCD feeding. The study found that HP reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats with NAFLD (all p < .05). Histopathological examination also showed that HP improved the liver lesions induced by the HCD diet. Furthermore, the oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of NAFLD rats treated with HP were also improved. In addition, it was discovered that HP triggered the activation of AMPK and decreased the expression of SREBP-1c and FAS while enhancing the expression of PPAR α and CPT-1 in liver. These findings indicated that HP might have therapeutic potential for NAFLD, possibly via activating AMPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Xiao
- School of Basic MedicineHebei University of Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
| | - Jianan Wang
- Graduate SchoolHebei University of Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Basic MedicineHebei University of Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
| | - Ting Zhang
- Experimental CenterHebei University of Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
| | - Xingzhong Qi
- Hebei Zhitong Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.BaodingHebeiChina
| | - Lei Hou
- Hebei Zhitong Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.BaodingHebeiChina
| | - Zhihong Ma
- School of Basic MedicineHebei University of Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
- Hebei International Cooperation Center for Ion Channel Function and Innovative Traditional Chinese MedicineShijiazhuangHebeiChina
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Liver‐Kidney PatternsShijiazhuangHebeiChina
| | - Feng Xu
- Hebei Zhitong Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.BaodingHebeiChina
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12
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Guo H, Li X, Mao D, Wang H, Wei L, Qu D, Qin X, Li X, Liu Y, Chen Y. Homologous-magnetic dual-targeted metal-organic framework to improve the Anti-hepatocellular carcinoma efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:206. [PMID: 38658950 PMCID: PMC11044376 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02469-6] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The insufficient abundance and weak activity of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are two important reasons for the poor efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. The combined administration of tanshinone IIA (TSA) and astragaloside IV (As) can up-regulate the abundance and activity of TILs by normalising tumour blood vessels and reducing the levels of immunosuppressive factors respectively. For enhancing the efficacy of PD-1 antibody, a magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF) with a homologous tumour cell membrane (Hm) coating (Hm@TSA/As-MOF) is established to co-deliver TSA&As into the HCC microenvironment. Hm@TSA/As-MOF is a spherical nanoparticle and has a high total drug-loading capacity of 16.13 wt%. The Hm coating and magnetic responsiveness of Hm@TSA/As-MOF provide a homologous-magnetic dual-targeting, which enable Hm@TSA/As-MOF to counteract the interference posed by ascites tumour cells and enhance the precision of targeting solid tumours. Hm coating also enable Hm@TSA/As-MOF to evade immune clearance by macrophages. The release of TSA&As from Hm@TSA/As-MOF can be accelerated by HCC microenvironment, thereby up-regulating the abundance and activity of TILs to synergistic PD-1 antibody against HCC. This study presents a nanoplatform to improve the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in HCC, providing a novel approach for anti-tumour immunotherapy in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Guo
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Xia Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Dengxuan Mao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Liangyin Wei
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Ding Qu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Xiaoying Qin
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Xiaoqi Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 100 Hongshan Rd, Qixia Qu, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
- Multi-component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Probince Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China
| | - Yuping Liu
- Jiangsu Clinical Innovation Center of Digestive Cancer of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China.
| | - Yan Chen
- Jiangsu Clinical Innovation Center of Digestive Cancer of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210028, China.
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13
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Zhang Q, Liu L. Novel insights into small open reading frame-encoded micropeptides in hepatocellular carcinoma: A potential breakthrough. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216691. [PMID: 38360139 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216691] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Traditionally, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are regarded as a class of RNA transcripts that lack encoding capability; however, advancements in technology have revealed that some ncRNAs contain small open reading frames (sORFs) that are capable of encoding micropeptides of approximately 150 amino acids in length. sORF-encoded micropeptides (SEPs) have emerged as intriguing entities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) research, shedding light on this previously unexplored realm. Recent studies have highlighted the regulatory functions of SEPs in the occurrence and progression of HCC. Some SEPs exhibit inhibitory effects on HCC, but others facilitate its development. This discovery has revolutionized the landscape of HCC research and clinical management. Here, we introduce the concept and characteristics of SEPs, summarize their associations with HCC, and elucidate their carcinogenic mechanisms in HCC metabolism, signaling pathways, cell proliferation, and metastasis. In addition, we propose a step-by-step workflow for the investigation of HCC-associated SEPs. Lastly, we discuss the challenges and prospects of applying SEPs in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. This review aims to facilitate the discovery, optimization, and clinical application of HCC-related SEPs, inspiring the development of early diagnostic, individualized, and precision therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangnu Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), 518020, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), 518020, Shenzhen, China.
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14
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Liu Z, Zhao P. Integrative analysis unveils ECM signatures and pathways driving hepatocellular carcinoma progression: A multi-omics approach and prognostic model development. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18230. [PMID: 38568083 PMCID: PMC10989547 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18230] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is a highly lethal form of cancer that is among the deadliest cancer types globally. In terms of cancer-related mortality rates, liver cancer ranks among the top three, underscoring the severity of this disease. Insufficient analysis has been conducted to fully understand the potential value of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in immune infiltration and the prognostic stratification of LIHC, despite its recognised importance in the development of this disease. The scRNA-seq data of GSE149614 was used to conduct single-cell analysis on 10 LIHC samples. CellChat scores were calculated for seven cell populations in the descending cohort to investigate cellular communication, while PROGENy scores were calculated to determine tumour-associated pathway scores in different cell populations. The pathway analysis using GO and KEGG revealed the enrichment of ECM-associated genes in the pathway, highlighting the potential role of the ECM in LIHC development. By utilizing the TCGA-LIHC cohort, an ECM-based prognostic model for LIHC was developed using Lasso regression. Immune infiltration scores were calculated using two methods, and the performance of the ECM-related risk score was evaluated using an independent cohort from the CheckMate study. To determine the precise expression of ECM-associated risk genes in LIHC, we evaluated hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines using a range of assays, including Western blotting, invasion assays and Transwell assays. Using single-cell transcriptome analysis, we annotated the spatially-specific distribution of major immune cell types in single-cell samples of LIHC. The main cell types identified and annotated included hepatocytes, T cells, myeloid cells, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and B cells. The utilisation of cellchat and PROGENy analyses enabled the investigation and unveiling of signalling interactions, protein functionalities and the prominent influential pathways facilitated by the primary immune cell types within the LIHC. Numerous tumour pathways, including PI2K, EGFR and TGFb, demonstrated a close correlation with the involvement of ECM in LIHC. Moreover, an evaluation was conducted to assess the primary ECM-related functional changes and biological pathway enrichment in LIHC. Differential genes associated with ECM were identified and utilised to create prognostic models. The prognostic stratification value of these models for LIHC patients was confirmed through validation in multiple databases. Furthermore, through immune infiltration analysis, it was discovered that ECM might be linked to the irregular expression and regulation of numerous immune cells. Additionally, histone acetylation was mapped against gene mutation frequencies and differential expression profiles. The prognostic stratification efficacy of the ECM prediction model constructed in the context of PD-1 inhibitor therapy was also examined, and it exhibited strong stratification performance. Cellular experiments, including Western blotting, invasion and Transwell assays, revealed that ECM-associated risk genes have a promoting effect on the development of LIHC. The creation of biomarkers for LIHC using ECM-related genes unveiled substantial correlations with immune microenvironmental infiltration and functional mutations in various tumour pathways. This enlightens us to the possibility that the influence of ECM on tumours may extend beyond simply promoting the fibrotic process and the stromal composition of tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
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15
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Jiang Y, Yu Y, Pan Z, Glandorff C, Sun M. Ferroptosis: a new hunter of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:136. [PMID: 38480712 PMCID: PMC10937674 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01863-1] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is an iron ion-dependent, regulatory cell death modality driven by intracellular lipid peroxidation that plays a key role in the development of HCC. Studies have shown that various clinical agents (e.g., sorafenib) have ferroptosis inducer-like effects and can exert therapeutic effects by modulating different key factors in the ferroptosis pathway. This implies that targeting tumor cell ferroptosis may be a very promising strategy for tumor therapy. In this paper, we summarize the prerequisites and defense systems for the occurrence of ferroptosis and the regulatory targets of drug-mediated ferroptosis action in HCC, the differences and connections between ferroptosis and other programmed cell deaths. We aim to summarize the theoretical basis, classical inducers of ferroptosis and research progress of ferroptosis in HCC cells, clued to the treatment of HCC by regulating ferroptosis network. Further investigation of the specific mechanisms of ferroptosis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and interventions at different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma will help us to deepen our understanding of hepatocellular carcinoma, with a view to providing new and more precise preventive as well as therapeutic measures for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulang Jiang
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yongxin Yu
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ziyang Pan
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Christian Glandorff
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University Clinic of Hamburg at the HanseMerkur Center of TCM, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mingyu Sun
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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16
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Xue C, Gu X, Shi Q, Ma X, Jia J, Su Y, Bao Z, Lu J, Li L. The interaction between intratumoral bacteria and metabolic distortion in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Transl Med 2024; 22:237. [PMID: 38439045 PMCID: PMC10910819 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05036-7] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intratumoral bacteria might play essential roles in tumorigenesis in different cancer types. However, its features and potential roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are largely unknown. METHODS In this study, we assessed bacterial RNA by 16S rRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization and detected bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) via immunohistochemistry. Hepa1-6 cells were used to establish orthotopic HCC models in mice. 2bRAD sequencing for microbiome was performed to determine the intratumoral bacterial characteristics, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was conducted to explore the metabolic profile. The potential association between different intratumoral microbiota and metabolites were evaluated. RESULTS We detected bacterial 16S rRNA and LPS in HCC tissues from the patients with HCC. In HCC mouse model, we found that the intratumor bacteria in HCC tissues were significantly different to adjacent nontumor tissues. Furthermore, we observed different metabolites in HCC tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues, such as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and a-lactose. Our results showed that several bacteria were significantly associated with metabolites, such as Pseudomonas koreensis, which was positively correlated with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and negatively correlated with citrulline. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the close association between different bacteria and metabolites, which might provide novel opportunities for developing new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinyu Gu
- Department of Oncology, College of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Qingmiao Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junjun Jia
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuanshuai Su
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengyi Bao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Juan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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17
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Wang W, Li K, Xiao W. The pharmacological role of Ginsenoside Rg3 in liver diseases: A review on molecular mechanisms. J Ginseng Res 2024; 48:129-139. [PMID: 38465219 PMCID: PMC10920009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2023.11.004] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases are a significant global health burden and are among the most common diseases. Ginssennoside Rg3 (Rg3), which is one of the most abundant ginsenosides, has been found to have significant preventive and therapeutic effects against various types of diseases with minimal side effects. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significant preventive and therapeutic effects of Rg3 on various liver diseases such as viral hepatitis, acute liver injury, nonalcoholic liver diseases (NAFLD), liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The underlying molecular mechanism behind these effects is attributed to apoptosis, autophagy, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, and the regulation of multiple signaling pathways. This review provides a comprehensive description of the potential molecular mechanisms of Rg3 in the development of liver diseases. The article focuses on the regulation of apoptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and other related factors. Additionally, the review discusses combination therapy and liver targeting strategy, which can accelerate the translation of Rg3 from bench to bedside. Overall, this article serves as a valuable reference for researchers and clinicians alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhong Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- The Key Lab of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- The Key Lab of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Weihua Xiao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- The Key Lab of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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18
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Zhang ZH, Du Y, Wei S, Pei W. Multilayered insights: a machine learning approach for personalized prognostic assessment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1327147. [PMID: 38486931 PMCID: PMC10937467 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1327147] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex malignancy, and precise prognosis assessment is vital for personalized treatment decisions. Objective This study aimed to develop a multi-level prognostic risk model for HCC, offering individualized prognosis assessment and treatment guidance. Methods By utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we performed differential gene expression analysis to identify genes associated with survival in HCC patients. The HCC Differential Gene Prognostic Model (HCC-DGPM) was developed through multivariate Cox regression. Clinical indicators were incorporated into the HCC-DGPM using Cox regression, leading to the creation of the HCC Multilevel Prognostic Model (HCC-MLPM). Immune function was evaluated using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), and immune cell infiltration was assessed. Patient responsiveness to immunotherapy was evaluated using the Immunophenoscore (IPS). Clinical drug responsiveness was investigated using drug-related information from the TCGA database. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and trend association tests were conducted. Results Seven differentially expressed genes from the TCGA database were used to construct the HCC-DGPM. Additionally, four clinical indicators associated with survival were identified from the SEER database for model adjustment. The adjusted HCC-MLPM showed significantly improved discriminative capacity (AUC=0.819 vs. 0.724). External validation involving 153 HCC patients from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database verified the performance of the HCC-MLPM (AUC=0.776). Significantly, the HCC-MLPM exhibited predictive capacity for patient response to immunotherapy and clinical drug efficacy (P < 0.05). Conclusion This study offers comprehensive insights into HCC prognosis and develops predictive models to enhance patient outcomes. The evaluation of immune function, immune cell infiltration, and clinical drug responsiveness enhances our comprehension and management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yunxiang Du
- Department of Oncology, Huai’an 82 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
| | - Shuzhen Wei
- Department of Oncology, Huai’an 82 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
| | - Weidong Pei
- Department of Discipline Development, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
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19
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Wang F, Kang X, Li Y, Lu J, Liu X, Yan H. Elucidating hepatocellular carcinoma progression: a novel prognostic miRNA-mRNA network and signature analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5042. [PMID: 38424172 PMCID: PMC10904818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55806-y] [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: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that miRNAs play an important role in the prognosis of HCC. There is currently a lack of acknowledged models that accurately predict patient prognosis. The aim of this study is to create a miRNA-based model to precisely forecast a patient's prognosis and a miRNA-mRNA network to investigate the function of a targeted mRNA. TCGA miRNA dataset and survival data of HCC patients were downloaded for differential analysis. The outcomes of variance analysis were subjected to univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and LASSO analysis. We constructed and visualized prognosis-related models and subsequently used violin plots to probe the function of miRNAs in tumor cells. We predicted the target mRNAs added those to the String database, built PPI protein interaction networks, and screened those mRNA using Cytoscape. The hub mRNA was subjected to GO and KEGG analysis to determine its biological role. Six of them were associated with prognosis: hsa-miR-139-3p, hsa-miR-139-5p, hsa-miR-101-3p, hsa-miR-30d-5p, hsa-miR-5003-3p, and hsa-miR-6844. The prognostic model was highly predictive and consistently performs, with the C index exceeding 0.7 after 1, 3, and 5 years. The model estimated significant differences in the Kaplan-Meier plotter and the model could predict patient prognosis independently of clinical indicators. A relatively stable miRNA prognostic model for HCC patients was constructed, and the model was highly accurate in predicting patients with good stability over 5 years. The miRNA-mRNA network was constructed to explore the function of mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xichun Kang
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yaoqi Li
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jianhua Lu
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiling Liu
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Huimin Yan
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
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20
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Cai Q, Li G, Zhu M, Zhuo T, Xiao J. Development of a novel lncRNA-derived immune gene score using machine learning-based ensembles for predicting the survival of HCC. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:86. [PMID: 38334792 PMCID: PMC10858126 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05608-6] [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: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the tumor immunology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS HCC mRNA and lncRNA expression profiles were used to extract immune-related genes with the ImmPort database, and immune-related lncRNAs with the ImmLnc algorithm. The MOVICS package was used to cluster immune-related mRNA, immune-related lncRNA, gene mutation and methylation data on HCC from the TCGA. GEO and ICGC datasets were used to validate the model. Data from single-cell sequencing was used to determine the expression of genes from the model in various immune cell types. RESULTS With this model, the area under the curve (AUC) for 1-, 3- and 5-year survival of HCC patients was 0.862, 0.869 and 0.912, respectively. Single-cell sequencing showed EREG was significantly expressed in a variety of immune cell types. Knockdown of the EREG target gene resulted in significant anti-apoptosis, pro-proliferation and pro-migration effects in HepG2 and HUH7 cells. Moreover, serum and liver tissue EREG levels in HCC patients were significantly higher than those of healthy control patients. CONCLUSION We built a prognostic model with good accuracy for predicting HCC patient survival. EREG is a potential immunotherapeutic target and a promising prognostic biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Cai
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Rd., Ningbo, 315100, China.
| | - Guoqi Li
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150036, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Mingyan Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Rd., Ningbo, 315100, China
| | - Tingting Zhuo
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Rd., Ningbo, 315100, China
| | - Jiaying Xiao
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150036, Heilongjiang, China
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21
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Lau HCH, Zhang X, Ji F, Lin Y, Liang W, Li Q, Chen D, Fong W, Kang X, Liu W, Chu ESH, Ng QWY, Yu J. Lactobacillus acidophilus suppresses non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma through producing valeric acid. EBioMedicine 2024; 100:104952. [PMID: 38176203 PMCID: PMC10801313 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104952] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gut probiotic depletion is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (NAFLD-HCC). Here, we investigated the prophylactic potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus against NAFLD-HCC. METHODS NAFLD-HCC conventional and germ-free mice were established by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) injection with feeding of high-fat high-cholesterol (HFHC) or choline-deficient high-fat (CDHF) diet. Orthotopic NAFLD-HCC allografts were established by intrahepatic injection of murine HCC cells with HFHC feeding. Metabolomic profiling was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Biological functions of L. acidophilus conditional medium (L.a CM) and metabolites were determined in NAFLD-HCC human cells and mouse organoids. FINDINGS L. acidophilus supplementation suppressed NAFLD-HCC formation in HFHC-fed DEN-treated mice. This was confirmed in orthotopic allografts and germ-free tumourigenesis mice. L.a CM inhibited the growth of NAFLD-HCC human cells and mouse organoids. The protective function of L. acidophilus was attributed to its non-protein small molecules. By metabolomic profiling, valeric acid was the top enriched metabolite in L.a CM and its upregulation was verified in liver and portal vein of L. acidophilus-treated mice. The protective function of valeric acid was demonstrated in NAFLD-HCC human cells and mouse organoids. Valeric acid significantly suppressed NAFLD-HCC formation in HFHC-fed DEN-treated mice, accompanied by improved intestinal barrier integrity. This was confirmed in another NAFLD-HCC mouse model induced by CDHF diet and DEN. Mechanistically, valeric acid bound to hepatocytic surface receptor GPR41/43 to inhibit Rho-GTPase pathway, thereby ablating NAFLD-HCC. INTERPRETATION L. acidophilus exhibits anti-tumourigenic effect in mice by secreting valeric acid. Probiotic supplementation is a potential prophylactic of NAFLD-HCC. FUNDING Shown in Acknowledgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Cheuk-Hay Lau
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fenfen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yufeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Danyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Winnie Fong
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xing Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Weixin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Eagle Siu-Hong Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Queena Wing-Yin Ng
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Jones-Pauley M, Victor DW, Kodali S. Pushing the limits of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2024; 29:3-9. [PMID: 38032256 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000001123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review existing and newer strategies for treatment and surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) both pre and postliver transplantation. SUMMARY HCC is rising in incidence and patients are often diagnosed at later stages. Consequently, there is a need for treatment strategies which include collaboration of multiple specialties. Combinations of locoregional, systemic, and surgical therapies are yielding better postliver transplantation (post-LT) outcomes for patients with HCC than previously seen. Tumor biology (tumor size, number, location, serum markers, response to therapy) can help identify patients who are at high risk for HCC recurrence posttransplantation and may expand transplant eligibility for some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David W Victor
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine
- Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sudha Kodali
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine
- Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
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23
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Michalczuk MT, Longo L, Keingeski MB, Basso BDS, Guerreiro GTS, Ferrari JT, Vargas JE, Oliveira CP, Uribe-Cruz C, Cerski CTS, Filippi-Chiela E, Álvares-da-Silva MR. Rifaximin on epigenetics and autophagy in animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma secondary to metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease. World J Hepatol 2024; 16:75-90. [PMID: 38313241 PMCID: PMC10835481 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i1.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing, especially in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). AIM To investigate rifaximin (RIF) effects on epigenetic/autophagy markers in animals. METHODS Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned (n = 8, each) and treated from 5-16 wk: Control [standard diet, water plus gavage with vehicle (Veh)], HCC [high-fat choline deficient diet (HFCD), diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in drinking water and Veh gavage], and RIF [HFCD, DEN and RIF (50 mg/kg/d) gavage]. Gene expression of epigenetic/autophagy markers and circulating miRNAs were obtained. RESULTS All HCC and RIF animals developed metabolic-dysfunction associated steatohepatitis fibrosis, and cirrhosis, but three RIF-group did not develop HCC. Comparing animals who developed HCC with those who did not, miR-122, miR-34a, tubulin alpha-1c (Tuba-1c), metalloproteinases-2 (Mmp2), and metalloproteinases-9 (Mmp9) were significantly higher in the HCC-group. The opposite occurred with Becn1, coactivator associated arginine methyltransferase-1 (Carm1), enhancer of zeste homolog-2 (Ezh2), autophagy-related factor LC3A/B (Map1 Lc3b), and p62/sequestosome-1 (p62/SQSTM1)-protein. Comparing with controls, Map1 Lc3b, Becn1 and Ezh2 were lower in HCC and RIF-groups (P < 0.05). Carm1 was lower in HCC compared to RIF (P < 0.05). Hepatic expression of Mmp9 was higher in HCC in relation to the control; the opposite was observed for p62/Sqstm1 (P < 0.05). Expression of p62/SQSTM1 protein was lower in the RIF-group compared to the control (P = 0.024). There was no difference among groups for Tuba-1c, Aldolase-B, alpha-fetoprotein, and Mmp2 (P > 0.05). miR-122 was higher in HCC, and miR-34a in RIF compared to controls (P < 0.05). miR-26b was lower in HCC compared to RIF, and the inverse was observed for miR-224 (P < 0.05). There was no difference among groups regarding miR-33a, miR-143, miR-155, miR-375 and miR-21 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION RIF might have a possible beneficial effect on preventing/delaying liver carcinogenesis through epigenetic modulation in a rat model of MASLD-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Truccolo Michalczuk
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Larisse Longo
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Melina Belén Keingeski
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruno de Souza Basso
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Tayguara Silveira Guerreiro
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jessica T Ferrari
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - José Eduardo Vargas
- Laboratory of Inflammatory and Neoplastic Cells, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Paraná 81530900, Brazil
| | - Cláudia P Oliveira
- Department of Gastroenterology (LIM07), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246903, Brazil
| | - Carolina Uribe-Cruz
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de las Misiones, Posadas, Misiones 3300, Argentina
| | - Carlos Thadeu Schmidt Cerski
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Unit of Surgical Pathology, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Filippi-Chiela
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90.050-170, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Mário Reis Álvares-da-Silva
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Experimental Laboratory of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Researcher, Brasília 71.605-001, Brazil.
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24
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Wang Y, Fleishman JS, Li T, Li Y, Ren Z, Chen J, Ding M. Pharmacological therapy of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease-driven hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1336216. [PMID: 38313077 PMCID: PMC10834746 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1336216] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In light of a global rise in the number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), has become the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the annual occurrence of MASLD-driven HCC expected to increase by 45%-130% by 2030. Although MASLD has become a serious major public health threat globally, the exact molecular mechanisms mediating MASLD-driven HCC remain an open problem, necessitating future investigation. Meanwhile, emerging studies are focusing on the utility of bioactive compounds to halt the progression of MASLD to MASLD-driven HCC. In this review, we first briefly review the recent progress of the possible mechanisms of pathogenesis and progression for MASLD-driven HCC. We then discuss the application of bioactive compounds to mitigate MASLD-driven HCC through different modulatory mechanisms encompassing anti-inflammatory, lipid metabolic, and gut microbial pathways, providing valuable information for future treatment and prevention of MASLD-driven HCC. Nonetheless, clinical research exploring the effectiveness of herbal medicines in the treatment of MASLD-driven HCC is still warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Joshua S Fleishman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Tongda Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Geriatric Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jichao Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Mingchao Ding
- Department of Peripheral Vascular Intervention, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
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Zhang L, Xu J, Zhou S, Yao F, Zhang R, You W, Dai J, Yu K, Zhang Y, Baheti T, Pu L, Xu J, Qian X, Zhang C, Xia Y, Dai X, Li Q, Wang X. Endothelial DGKG promotes tumor angiogenesis and immune evasion in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2024; 80:82-98. [PMID: 37838036 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.10.006] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most prevalent and lethal cancers worldwide. The tumor microenvironment (TME) contributes to the poor response of patients with HCC to current therapies, while tumor vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are fundamental TME components that significantly contribute to tumor progression. However, the specific functions and mechanisms of tumor vascular ECs in HCC remain unclear. METHODS We screened and validated diacylglycerol kinase gamma (DGKG) hyper-expression specifically in HCC tumor vascular ECs. Single-cell RNA-sequencing, cytometry by time-of-flight, and in vitro and in vivo studies were performed to investigate the functions of endothelial DGKG. Multiplexed immunohistochemistry staining and flow cytometry were used to evaluate changes in the TME. RESULTS Functionally, endothelial DGKG promotes tumor angiogenesis and immunosuppressive regulatory T-cell differentiation in HCC. Of significance, we found that HIF-1α activates DGKG transcription by directly binding to its promoter region under hypoxia. Upregulated DGKG promotes HCC progression by recruiting ubiquitin specific peptidase 16 to facilitate ZEB2 deubiquitination, which increases TGF-β1 secretion, thus inducing tumor angiogenesis and regulatory T-cell differentiation. Importantly, targeting endothelial DGKG potentiated the efficiency of dual blockade of PD-1 and VEGFR-2. CONCLUSION Hypoxia-induced EC-specific DGKG hyper-expression promotes tumor angiogenesis and immune evasion via the ZEB2/TGF-β1 axis, suggesting EC-specific DGKG as a potential therapeutic target for HCC. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Here, we reported that hypoxia-induced endothelial cell-specific DGKG hyper-expression promotes angiogenesis and immune evasion in HCC by recruiting USP16 for K48-linked deubiquitination and inducing the subsequent stabilization of ZEB2, leading to increased TGF-β1 secretion. Most importantly, endothelial DGKG inhibition greatly improved the efficacy of the dual combination of anti-VEGFR2 and anti-PD-1 treatment in a mouse HCC model, significantly inhibiting the malignant progression of HCC and improving survival. This preclinical study supports the targeting of endothelial DGKG as a potential strategy for precision HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liren Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiali Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jinling Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Suiqing Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Feifan Yao
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ruizhi Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wenhua You
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jingjing Dai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Yu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Ili & Jiangsu Joint Institute of Health, Ili, China
| | - Tasiken Baheti
- Department of General Surgery, The Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Ili & Jiangsu Joint Institute of Health, Ili, China
| | - Liyong Pu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaofeng Qian
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chuanyong Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Yongxiang Xia
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Xinzheng Dai
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Qing Li
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Laboratory, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
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26
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Kadi D, Loomba R, Bashir MR. Diagnosis and Monitoring of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Current State and Future Directions. Radiology 2024; 310:e222695. [PMID: 38226882 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.222695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease, with a worldwide prevalence of 25%. NAFLD is a spectrum that includes nonalcoholic fatty liver defined histologically by isolated hepatocytes steatosis without inflammation and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the inflammatory subtype of NAFLD and is associated with disease progression, development of cirrhosis, and increased rates of liver-specific and overall mortality. The differentiation between NAFLD and NASH as well as staging NASH are important yet challenging clinical problems. Liver biopsy is currently the standard for disease diagnosis and fibrosis staging. However, this procedure is invasive, costly, and cannot be used for longitudinal monitoring. Therefore, several noninvasive quantitative imaging biomarkers have been proposed that can estimate the severity of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. Despite this, noninvasive diagnosis of NASH and accurate risk stratification remain unmet needs. In this work, the most relevant available imaging biomarkers are reviewed and their application in patients with NAFLD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Kadi
- From the Department of Radiology (D.K., M.R.B.), Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Development (M.R.B.), Department of Pathology (M.R.B.), and Division of Hepatology (M.R.B.), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705; and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, Calif (R.L.)
| | - Rohit Loomba
- From the Department of Radiology (D.K., M.R.B.), Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Development (M.R.B.), Department of Pathology (M.R.B.), and Division of Hepatology (M.R.B.), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705; and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, Calif (R.L.)
| | - Mustafa R Bashir
- From the Department of Radiology (D.K., M.R.B.), Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Development (M.R.B.), Department of Pathology (M.R.B.), and Division of Hepatology (M.R.B.), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705; and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, Calif (R.L.)
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27
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Bu Q, Deng Y, Wang Q, Deng R, Hu S, Pei Z, Zhang Y. STC2 is a potential biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma with its expression being upregulated in Nrf1α-deficient cells, but downregulated in Nrf2-deficient cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127575. [PMID: 37866563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127575] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Nrf1 (encoded by Nfe2l1) and Nrf2 (encoded by Nfe2l2), as two key members of the CNC-bZIP transcription factor, exhibit significant functional differences in their pathophysiology. Our previous findings demonstrated that loss of Nrf1α (i.e., a full-length isoform of Nrf1) promotes HepG2-derived tumor growth in xenograft mice, but malgrowth of the xenograft tumor is significantly suppressed by knockout of Nrf2. To gain insights into the mechanism underlying such marked distinctions in their pathologic phenotypes, we mined transcriptome data from liver cancer in the TCGA database to establish a prognostic model and calculate predicted risk scores for each cell line. The results revealed that knockout of Nrf1α markedly increased the risk score in HepG2 cells, whereas the risk score was reduced by knockout of Nrf2. Notably, stanniocalcin 2 (STC2), a biomarker associated with liver cancer, that is upexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues with a reduction in the overall survival ratio of those patients. We observed increased expression levels of STC2 in Nrf1α-/- cells but decreased expression in Nrf2-/- cells. These findings suggested that STC2 may play a role in mediating the distinction between Nrf1α-/- and Nrf2-/-. Such potential function of STC2 was further corroborated through a series of experiments combined with transcriptomic sequencing. The results revealed that STC2 functions as a dominant tumor-promoter, because the STC2-leading increases in clonogenicity of hepatoma cells and malgrowth of relevant xenograft tumor were almost completely abolished in STC2-/- cells. Together, these demonstrate that STC2 could be paved as a potential therapeutic target, albeit as a diagnostic marker, for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Bu
- Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Yangxu Deng
- Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Qing Wang
- Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Rongzhen Deng
- Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Shaofan Hu
- Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Zhigang Pei
- Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China
| | - Yiguo Zhang
- Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China.
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28
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Yang D, Peng D, Zhou Y, Qiang Z, Wan L, Fan X, Meng Y, Xu G, Meng Y. Alpha-Momorcharin, a type I ribosome inactivating protein, induced apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Nat Prod Res 2023:1-11. [PMID: 38126176 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2295915] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-Momorcharin (α-MMC), as one of the most important type I RIPs, has been reported to exert inhibitory effects against various tumour cells through its N-glycosidase activity. The present study was designed to propose an efficient purification strategy and explored its mechanism of apoptosis signalling pathway against human liver cancer cells SK-Hep-1. α-MMC can be successfully obtained by our purification strategy combining ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The functional studies revealed that α-MMC obviously increased the level of ROS and apoptosis rate, induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, and depolarised MMP of SK-Hep-1 cells. To further confirm whether α-MMC could induce mitochondria involved apoptosis, we found that PARP-1, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and BCL-2 were downregulated upon α-MMC. Taken together, these results suggested that this natural purified α-MMC can induce apoptosis involved mitochondria and may serve as a potential novel therapeutic drug in the treatment of human liver cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Di Peng
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiping Zhou
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Jinniu Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zihao Qiang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Wan
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiang Fan
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment Ministry of Education/Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanfa Meng
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment Ministry of Education/Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ge Xu
- The 3rd Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Pidu District People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yao Meng
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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29
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Liu L, Tang H, Wang K, Liu J, Luo N, Jin G. A three-gene signature reveals changes in the tumor immune microenvironment in the progression from NAFLD to HCC. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22295. [PMID: 38102321 PMCID: PMC10724126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49358-w] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most dangerous malignant tumors. The incidence rates of obesity related NAFLD and NASH are increasing year by year, and they are the main risk factors for HCC at present. Finding the mechanism of malignant transformation of NAFLD and NASH is helpful for early prevention and diagnosis. In this study, we performed differential analysis using NAFLD data, NASH data, and HCC data to identify crossover differential genes. Then, using the clinical data of TCGA, a prognostic risk prediction model of three genes (TEAD4, SOCS2, CIT) was constructed, and survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn. The prognostic model was validated using ICGC, GSE116174 and GSE54236 datasets. In addition, we assessed immune status and function in high- and low-risk populations using a prognostic model. Moreover, we assessed the expression of CIT in clinical samples and HCC cell lines and validated its role in HCC development. Our study elucidates the important role of the tumor immune microenvironment in the development of NAFLD/NASH to HCC, deepens the understanding of the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH development to HCC, and is helpful for clinical management and decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Liu
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Haonan Tang
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Kui Wang
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jiaying Liu
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Ningbin Luo
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
| | - Guanqiao Jin
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nan Ning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
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30
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Guo H, Liu Y, Li X, Wang H, Mao D, Wei L, Ye X, Qu D, Huo J, Chen Y. Magnetic Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanoplatform with Platelet Membrane Coating as a Synergistic Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Inhibitor against Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ACS NANO 2023; 17:23829-23849. [PMID: 37991391 PMCID: PMC10722610 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors are the most common immune-checkpoint inhibitors and considered promising drugs for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, in clinical settings, they have a low objective response rate (15%-20%) for patients with HCC; this is because of the insufficient level and activity of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs). The combined administration of oxymatrine (Om) and astragaloside IV (As) can increase the levels of TILs by inhibiting the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and improve the activity of TILs by enhancing their mitochondrial function. In the present study, we constructed a magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF)-based nanoplatform with platelet membrane (Pm) coating (PmMN@Om&As) to simultaneously deliver Om and As into the HCC microenvironment. We observed that PmMN@Om&As exhibited a high total drug-loading capacity (33.77 wt %) and good immune escape. Furthermore, it can target HCC tissues in a magnetic field and exert long-lasting effects. The HCC microenvironment accelerated the disintegration of PmMN@Om&As and the release of Om&As, thereby increasing the level and activity of TILs by regulating CAFs and the mitochondrial function of TILs. In addition, the carrier could synergize with Om&As by enhancing the oxygen consumption rate and proton efflux rate of TILs, thereby upregulating the mitochondrial function of TILs. Combination therapy with PmMN@Om&As and α-PD-1 resulted in a tumor suppression rate of 84.15% and prolonged the survival time of mice. Our study provides a promising approach to improving the antitumor effect of immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Guo
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Yuping Liu
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Jiangsu
Clinical Innovation Center of Digestive Cancer of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Xia Li
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Dengxuan Mao
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Liangyin Wei
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Xietao Ye
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Ding Qu
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Multi-component
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Microecology Researh Center, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Jiege Huo
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Jiangsu
Clinical Innovation Center of Digestive Cancer of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Affiliated
Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Jiangsu
Clinical Innovation Center of Digestive Cancer of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
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31
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Song Q, Zhang X, Liu W, Wei H, Liang W, Zhou Y, Ding Y, Ji F, Ho-Kwan Cheung A, Wong N, Yu J. Bifidobacterium pseudolongum-generated acetate suppresses non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2023; 79:1352-1365. [PMID: 37459922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Recent studies have highlighted the role of the gut microbiota and their metabolites in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (NAFLD-HCC). We aimed to identify specific beneficial bacterial species that could be used prophylactically to prevent NAFLD-HCC. METHODS The role of Bifidobacterium pseudolongum was assessed in two mouse models of NAFLD-HCC: diethylnitrosamine + a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet or + a choline-deficient/high-fat diet. Germ-free mice were used for the metabolic study of B. pseudolongum. Stool, portal vein and liver tissues were collected from mice for non-targeted and targeted metabolomic profiles. Two human NAFLD-HCC cell lines (HKCI2 and HKCI10) were co-cultured with B. pseudolongum-conditioned media (B.p CM) or candidate metabolites. RESULTS B. pseudolongum was the top depleted bacterium in mice with NAFLD-HCC. Oral gavage of B. pseudolongum significantly suppressed NAFLD-HCC formation in two mouse models (p < 0.01). Incubation of NAFLD-HCC cells with B.p CM significantly suppressed cell proliferation, inhibited the G1/S phase transition and induced apoptosis. Acetate was identified as the critical metabolite generated from B. pseudolongum in B.p CM, an observation that was confirmed in germ-free mice. Acetate inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in NAFLD-HCC cell lines and suppressed NAFLD-HCC tumor formation in vivo. B. pseudolongum restored heathy gut microbiome composition and improved gut barrier function. Mechanistically, B. pseudolongum-generated acetate reached the liver via the portal vein and bound to GPR43 (G coupled-protein receptor 43) on hepatocytes. GPR43 activation suppressed the IL-6/JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby preventing NAFLD-HCC progression. CONCLUSIONS B. pseudolongum protected against NAFLD-HCC by secreting the anti-tumor metabolite acetate, which reached the liver via the portal vein. B. pseudolongum holds potential as a probiotic for the prevention of NAFLD-HCC. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (NAFLD-HCC) is an increasing healthcare burden worldwide. There is an urgent need to develop effective agents to prevent NAFLD-HCC progression. Herein, we show that the probiotic Bifidobacterium pseudolongum significantly suppressed NAFLD-HCC progression by secreting acetate, which bound to hepatic GPR43 (G coupled-protein receptor 43) via the gut-liver axis and suppressed the oncogenic IL-6/JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. Bifidobacterium pseudolongum holds potential as a novel probiotic for NAFLD-HCC prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Song
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Weixin Liu
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Precision Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunfei Zhou
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yanqiang Ding
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fenfen Ji
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alvin Ho-Kwan Cheung
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nathalie Wong
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK-Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Zhang X, Pan J, Ye X, Chen Y, Wang L, Meng X, Chen W, Wang F. Activation of CYP3A by Accelerated Blood Clearance Phenomenon Potentiates the Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Targeting Therapeutic Effects of PEGylated Anticancer Prodrug Liposomes. Drug Metab Dispos 2023; 51:1651-1662. [PMID: 37775330 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.123.001496] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced enzyme activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and poor targeting limit the application of enzyme-activating prodrugs, which is also detrimental to the effective treatment of HCC. Here, we investigated whether accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon occurs in HCC models following repeated injections of PEGylated liposomes (PEG-L), thus inducing prodrug accumulation and activation in the liver and exerting highly effective and low-toxicity therapeutic effects on HCC. First, PEGylated liposomal cyclophosphamide was prepared by solvent injection and characterized. Importantly, preinjection of PEG-L induced the ABC phenomenon and activation of CYP3A in both HCC rats and HCC mice by studying the effects of repeated injections of PEG-L on pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution. Next, the efficacy and toxicity of repeated injections of PEG-L in HCC mice were examined, and our data indicate that repeated injections are administered in a manner that significantly enhances the antitumor effect compared with controls, with little or no toxicity to other organs. To further reveal the pharmacokinetic mechanism of PEG-L repeated administration for the treatment of HCC, the protein expression of hepatic CYP3A and the concentration of cyclophosphamide in the liver and spleen of HCC mice by inhibiting CYP3A were analyzed. These results revealed that inducing CYP3A to accelerate the rapid conversion of prodrugs that accumulate significantly in the liver is a key mechanism for the treatment of HCC with repeated injections of PEG-L. Collectively, this work taps into the application potential of the ABC phenomenon and provides new insights into the clinical application of PEGylated nanoformulations. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study revealed that repeated injections of PEGylated liposomes could induce the accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon characterized by hepatic accumulation and CYP3A activation based on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rats and HCC mice. Furthermore, it was verified that induction of the ABC phenomenon dependent on hepatic accumulation and CYP3A activation could enhance the antihepatocellular carcinoma effects of PEGylated anticancer prodrugs in HCC mice. This elucidated the relevant pharmacokinetic mechanisms and unearthed new clues for solving the clinical application of PEGylated nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Jianquan Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Xi Ye
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Yunna Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Xiangyun Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.)
| | - Weidong Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.).
| | - Fengling Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (X.Z., J.P., L.W., W.C., F.W.); Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University (The Second People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China (X.Y., X.M., F.W.); School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (F.W.); The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Hefei, China (F.W.); and Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China (Y.C.).
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Wang K, Chen XY, Zhang B, Yue Y, Wen XL, Yang Y, Yang YS, Zhu HL, Liu HJ, Zhang AG. Near-infrared imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma and its medicinal treatment with a γ-glutamyl transpeptidase-monitoring fluorescence probe. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 241:115721. [PMID: 37788579 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115721] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Herein, the Near-infrared imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its medicinal treatment was achieved with a γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)-monitoring fluorescence probe KYZ-GGT which consisted of the typical recognition group γ-glutamyl and the structurally modified signal reporting group hemicyanine-thioxanthene. Compared with the recently reported probes, KYZ-GGT suggested practical and steady capability for monitoring the GGT level in the cellular, xenograft, induced as well as medicinal treatment HCC models. It realized the mitochondrial targeting intracellular imaging to reflect the GGT dynamics in the induction or medicinal treatment of HCC. In the xenograft and induced model mice with multiple factors, KYZ-GGT showed stable performance for visualizing the HCC status. In the medicinal treatment of the long-period-induced HCC model mice verified by the serum indexes and histopathological analysis, KYZ-GGT successfully imaged the medicinal treatment process of HCC with two marketed drugs (Sorafenib and Lenvatinib) respectively, with an applicative penetration depth. The information here was meaningful for investigating effective medicinal strategies for overcoming HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214023, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xu-Yang Chen
- Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214023, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China
| | - Ying Yue
- Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214023, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Wen
- Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214023, China
| | - Yang Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Yu-Shun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Hai-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Hong-Ji Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China.
| | - Ai-Guo Zhang
- Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214023, China.
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Singal AG, Llovet JM, Yarchoan M, Mehta N, Heimbach JK, Dawson LA, Jou JH, Kulik LM, Agopian VG, Marrero JA, Mendiratta-Lala M, Brown DB, Rilling WS, Goyal L, Wei AC, Taddei TH. AASLD Practice Guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 2023; 78:1922-1965. [PMID: 37199193 PMCID: PMC10663390 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 222.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amit G. Singal
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Josep M. Llovet
- Liver Cancer Program, Division of Liver Diseases, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Translational Research in Hepatic Oncology, Liver Unit, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mark Yarchoan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Neil Mehta
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Laura A. Dawson
- Radiation Medicine Program/University Health Network, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janice H. Jou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Laura M. Kulik
- Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Vatche G. Agopian
- The Dumont–University of California, Los Angeles, Transplant Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jorge A. Marrero
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mishal Mendiratta-Lala
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel B. Brown
- Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - William S. Rilling
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lipika Goyal
- Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Alice C. Wei
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Tamar H. Taddei
- Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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35
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Wu D, Li Y. Application of adoptive cell therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunology 2023; 170:453-469. [PMID: 37435926 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13677] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health challenge. Novel treatment modalities are urgently needed to extend the overall survival of patients. The liver plays an immunomodulatory function due to its unique physiological structural characteristics. Therefore, following surgical resection and radiotherapy, immunotherapy regimens have shown great potential in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adoptive cell immunotherapy is rapidly developing in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we summarize the latest research on adoptive immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. The focus is on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells. Then tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and macrophages are briefly discussed. The main overview of the application and challenges of adoptive immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. It aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the current status of HCC adoptive immunotherapy and offers some strategies. We hope to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengqiang Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ningbo No. 6 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Clinical Laboratory of Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Zhejiang, Ningbo, China
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Guo J, Huang M, Deng S, Wang H, Wang Z, Yan B. Highly expressed RPLP2 inhibits ferroptosis to promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression and predicts poor prognosis. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:278. [PMID: 37980521 PMCID: PMC10656893 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03140-0] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RPLP2, an integral part of ribosomal stalk, plays an important role in the tumorigenesis of various cancers. However, its specific effect on HCC remains elusive. METHODS TCGA, GTEx, HCCDB, HPA, UALCAN, MethSurv, TISIDB, K-M plotter, FerrDb, RNAactDrug, STRING, Cytoscape and R studio were conducted for bioinformatics analysis. RPLP2 expression level in HCC was verified by IHC and western blot. IHC was used to demonstrate the immune cell infiltration. Functional experiments including CCK8, transwell and colony formation assays, and nude mice xenograft model were performed for in vitro and in vivo validation. Western blot, IHC, CCK8 assay and detection of GSH and lipid ROS were adopted to determine the effect of RPLP2 on the ferroptosis of HCC cells. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate that elevated level of RPLP2 is strongly associated with advanced clinicopathologic features, and predicts poor prognosis of HCC patients. Additionally, DNA methylation level of RPLP2 decreases in HCC, and significantly correlates with patients outcome. Moreover, high RPLP2 expression level is linked closely to the unfavorable immune infiltration. Most importantly, RPLP2 positively associates with ferroptosis suppressor GPX4, and inhibition of RPLP2 could lead to the acceleration of ferroptosis to suppress tumor progression of HCC. Last, drug sensitivity analysis predicts many drugs that potentially target RPLP2. CONCLUSION Together, our study reveals previous unrecognized role of RPLP2 in HCC, and provides new regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis, indicating RPLP2 may be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Guo
- Department of Hematology, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Meiyuan Huang
- Department of Pathology, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Shuang Deng
- Department of Pathology, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Academy of Biomedical Engineering, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Zuli Wang
- Center for Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Bokang Yan
- Department of Pathology, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China.
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Ji K, Li L, Liu H, Shen Y, Jiang J, Zhang M, Teng H, Yan X, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Zhou H. Unveiling the role of GAS41 in cancer progression. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:245. [PMID: 37853482 PMCID: PMC10583379 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03098-z] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
GAS41, a member of the human YEATS domain family, plays a pivotal role in human cancer development. It serves as a highly promising epigenetic reader, facilitating precise regulation of cell growth and development by recognizing essential histone modifications, including histone acetylation, benzoylation, succinylation, and crotonylation. Functional readouts of these histone modifications often coincide with cancer progression. In addition, GAS41 functions as a novel oncogene, participating in numerous signaling pathways. Here, we summarize the epigenetic functions of GAS41 and its role in the carcinoma progression. Moving forward, elucidating the downstream target oncogenes regulated by GAS41 and the developing small molecule inhibitors based on the distinctive YEATS recognition properties will be pivotal in advancing this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangkang Ji
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Yucheng Shen
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Jian Jiang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Minglei Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Hongwei Teng
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Xun Yan
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Yanhua Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Yong Cai
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Hai Zhou
- Department of Central Laboratory, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng, 224000, China.
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Papadakos SP, Arvanitakis K, Stergiou IE, Vallilas C, Sougioultzis S, Germanidis G, Theocharis S. Interplay of Extracellular Vesicles and TLR4 Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Pathophysiology and Therapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2460. [PMID: 37896221 PMCID: PMC10610499 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102460] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as a significant contributor to global cancer-related mortality. Chronic inflammation, often arising from diverse sources such as viral hepatitis, alcohol misuse, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), profoundly influences HCC development. Within this context, the interplay of extracellular vesicles (EVs) gains prominence. EVs, encompassing exosomes and microvesicles, mediate cell-to-cell communication and cargo transfer, impacting various biological processes, including inflammation and cancer progression. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a key sentinel of the innate immune system, recognizes both pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), thereby triggering diverse signaling cascades and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. The intricate involvement of the TLR4 signaling pathway in chronic liver disease and HCC pathogenesis is discussed in this study. Moreover, we delve into the therapeutic potential of modulating the TLR4 pathway using EVs as novel therapeutic agents for HCC. This review underscores the multifaceted role of EVs in the context of HCC and proposes innovative avenues for targeted interventions against this formidable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros P. Papadakos
- First Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece;
| | - Konstantinos Arvanitakis
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Basic and Translational Research Unit (BTRU), Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (BRESU), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioanna E. Stergiou
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece; (I.E.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Christos Vallilas
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece;
| | - Stavros Sougioultzis
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece; (I.E.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Georgios Germanidis
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Basic and Translational Research Unit (BTRU), Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education (BRESU), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece;
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Wang H, Hu S, Nie J, Qin X, Zhang X, Wang Q, Li JZ. Comprehensive Analysis of METTLs (METTL1/13/18/21A/23/25/2A/2B/5/6/9) and Associated mRNA Risk Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Anal Cell Pathol (Amst) 2023; 2023:6007431. [PMID: 38130905 PMCID: PMC10735724 DOI: 10.1155/2023/6007431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, 80%-90% of liver cancers are hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). HCC patients develop insidiously and have an inferior prognosis. The methyltransferase-like (METTL) family principal members are strongly associated with epigenetic and tumor progression. The present study mainly analyzed the value of METTLs (METTL1/13/18/21A/23/25/2A/2B/5/6/9) and associated mRNA risk signature for HCC. METTLs expression is upregulated in HCC and is a poor prognostic factor in HCC. METTLs were upregulated in patients older than 60 and associated with grade. Except for METTL25, the remaining 10 genes were associated with the HCC stage, invasion depth (T). In addition, METTLs showed an overall alteration rate of 50%. Except for METTL13/2A/25/9, the expression of the other seven genes was significantly associated with overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival. Multivariate studies have shown that METTL21A/6 can be an independent prognostic marker in HCC. A total of 664 mRNAs were selected based on Pearson correlation coefficient (R > 0.5), unsupervised consensus clustering, weighted coexpression network analysis, and univariate Cox analysis. These mRNAs were significantly associated with METTLs and were poor prognostic factors in HCC patients. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) was used to construct the best METTLs associated with mRNA risk signature. The mRNA risk signature was significantly associated with age, stage, and t grade. The mRNA high-risk group had higher TP53 and RB1 mutations. This study constructed a nomogram with the mRNA risk profile and clinicopathological features, which could better predict the OS of individuals with HCC. We also analyzed associations between METTLs and mRNA risk signatures in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune checkpoints, immune cell infiltration, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, cancer stem cells, tumor pathways, and drug sensitivity. In addition, this study constructed a protein interaction network network including METTLs and mRNA risk signature genes related to tumor microenvironment remodeling based on single-cell sequencing. In conclusion, this study provides a theoretical basis for the mechanism, biomarker screening, and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Rare Metabolic Disease, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Shangshang Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Junjie Nie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Xiaodan Qin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Rare Metabolic Disease, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Qian Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Rare Metabolic Disease, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - John Zhong Li
- The Key Laboratory of Rare Metabolic Disease, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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Liu R, Qian MP, Cui YY. Protein kinases: The key contributors in pathogenesis and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-derived hepatocellular carcinoma. Metabolism 2023; 147:155665. [PMID: 37517794 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155665] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinases (PKs), one of the largest protein families, can be further divided into different groups based on their substrate or structure and function. PKs are important signaling messengers in numerous life activities, including cell metabolism, proliferation, division, differentiation, senescence, death, and disease. Among PK-related diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as a major contributor to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver transplantation. Unfortunately, NAFLD-derived HCC (NAFLD-HCC) has poor prognosis because it is typically accompanied by older age, multiple metabolic syndromes, obstacles in early-stage diagnosis, and limited licensed drugs for treatment. Accumulating evidence suggests that PKs are implicated in the pathogenic process of NAFLD-HCC, via aberrant metabolism, hypoxia, autophagy, hypoxia, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and/or immune cell rearrangement. The present review aims to summarize the latest research advances and emphasize the feasibility and effectiveness of therapeutic strategies that regulate the expression and activities of PKs. This might yield clinically significant effects and lead to the design of novel PK-targeting therapies. Furthermore, we discuss emerging PK-based strategies for the treatment of other malignant diseases similar to NAFLD-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Ming-Ping Qian
- Department of General Surgery, Suzhou First People's Hospital, Anhui 234099, China; Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Ying-Yu Cui
- Department of Cell Biology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200331, China; Institute of Medical Genetics, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200331, China; Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China (Tongji University), Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200331, China.
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Zhao Z, Luan T, Wan J, Du H, Hu J, Liu H, Gong X, Kuang G, Wang B. Elucidating Cuproptosis-Associated Genes in the Progression from Nash to HCC Using Bulk and Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analyses and Experimental Validation. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1639. [PMID: 37763758 PMCID: PMC10536385 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59091639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Timely treatment during the NASH stage is essential to minimize the possibility of disease progression to HCC. Cuproptosis is a newly identified form of cellular death that could impact the progression of various diseases and cancers. Materials and Methods: Transcriptome and single-cell sequencing datasets were utilized to investigate the role of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in NASH progression to HCC. FDX1, LIPT1, and PDHP were identified as CRGs in NASH patients, and FDX1, DBT, GCSH, SLC31A1, and DLAT were identified as CRGs in patients with NASH progressing to HCC. FDX1 was found to play a significant role in both NASH patients and patients with NASH progressing to HCC. This study constructed cuproptosis-related clusters (CRCs) using the Nonnegative Matrix Factorization algorithm, and they were linked to fatty acid metabolism and the PPAR signaling pathway in both NASH CRCs and HCC CRCs. The Weighted Correlation Network Analysis algorithm identified CRP, CRC, TAT, CXCL10, and ACTA1 as highly relevant genes in NASH CRCs and HCC CRCs. The expression of FDX1 was validated in both mouse models and human NASH samples. Results: The investigation highlights FDX1 as a pivotal CRG in both NASH and NASH progression to HCC. The comprehensive characterization of CRGs sheds light on their potential biofunctional importance in the context of NASH and HCC. Our experimental results show that FDX1 expression was significantly increased in NASH patients. Conclusions: The present study identified key CRGs, revealing their potential impact on NASH and HCC. Meanwhile, targeting FDX1 may prevent the progression of NASH to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizuo Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China;
| | - Tiankuo Luan
- Department of Anatomy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (T.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Jingyuan Wan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (J.W.); (H.D.); (J.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Hui Du
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (J.W.); (H.D.); (J.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Jun Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (J.W.); (H.D.); (J.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (J.W.); (H.D.); (J.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Xia Gong
- Department of Anatomy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (T.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Ge Kuang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; (J.W.); (H.D.); (J.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China;
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Nakatsuka T, Tateishi R, Sato M, Fujishiro M, Koike K. Agile scores are a good predictor of liver-related events in patients with NAFLD. J Hepatol 2023; 79:e126-e127. [PMID: 36870612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nakatsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Masaya Sato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan; Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Fujishiro
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koike
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology, Kanto Central Hospital, 6-25-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 158-8531, Japan
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Wu Z, Lv G, Xing F, Xiang W, Ma Y, Feng Q, Yang W, Wang H. Copper in hepatocellular carcinoma: A double-edged sword with therapeutic potentials. Cancer Lett 2023; 571:216348. [PMID: 37567461 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216348] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Copper is a necessary cofactor vital for maintaining biological functions, as well as participating in the development of cancer. A plethora of studies have demonstrated that copper is a double-edged sword, presenting both benefits and detriments to tumors. The liver is a metabolically active organ, and an imbalance of copper homeostasis can result in deleterious consequences to the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited viable therapeutic options. As research advances, the focus has shifted towards the relationships between copper and HCC. Innovatively, cuproplasia and cuproptosis have been proposed to depict copper-related cellular growth and death, providing new insights for HCC treatment. By summarizing the constantly elucidated molecular connections, this review discusses the mechanisms of copper in the pathogenesis, progression, and potential therapeutics of HCC. Additionally, we aim to tentatively provide a theoretical foundation and gospel for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixin Wu
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Guishuai Lv
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Fuxue Xing
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Qiyu Feng
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China.
| | - Wen Yang
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China.
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Cancer Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China; International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute/Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China; National Center for Liver Cancer, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 201805, China.
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Yang S, Peng LR, Yu AQ, Li J. CSNK2A2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through activation of NF-κB pathway. Ann Hepatol 2023; 28:101118. [PMID: 37268061 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2023.101118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Breast and non-small cell lung cancers harbor an upregulated CSNK2A2 oncogene that encodes the protein kinase CK2 alpha', a catalytic subunit of the highly conserved serine/threonine kinase CK2. However, its role and biological significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS Western-blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to measure the expression of CSNK2A2 in HCC tumor tissues and cell lines. CCK8, Hoechst staining, transwell, tube formation assay in vitro and nude mice experiments in vivo were used to measure the effects of CSNK2A2 on HCC proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis and tumor formation. RESULTS In the study, we showed that CSNK2A2 was highly expressed in HCC comparison with matched control tissues, and was linked with lower survival of patients. Additional experiments indicated that silencing of CSNK2A2 promoted HCC cell apoptosis, while inhibited HCC cells migrating, proliferating, angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. These effects were also accompanied by reduced expression of NF-κB target genes, including CCND1, MMP9 and VEGF. Moreover, treatment with PDTC counteracted the promotional effects of CSNK2A2 on HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results suggested that CSNK2A2 could promote HCC progression by activating the NF-κB pathway, and this could serve as a biomarker for future prognostic and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First-Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha 410005, PR China.
| | - Li Rong Peng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First-Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha 410005, PR China
| | - Ai Qing Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First-Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha 410005, PR China
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First-Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha 410005, PR China
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Guo E, Yang J, Li L, Chen J, Liu H. TACC3 is an independent prognostic marker, and knockdown of TACC3 enhances the efficacy of CDK1 inhibitor RO3306 in liver cancer cells. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2023; 37:e23402. [PMID: 37341435 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23402] [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: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The drug resistance of single-target therapy has gradually become an intractable clinical problem. Combination therapy may be an effective treatment to overcome or postpone drug resistance in cancer. Herein, we discussed the synergistic effect of transforming acidic coiled-coil containing protein 3 (TACC3) suppression and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Cancer Genome Atlas database and bioinformatics methods were implemented to analyze the expression of CDK1 and TACC3, and predict the biological function of TACC3-related genes in HCC. In addition, in vitro experiments, including cell counting kit 8, transwell and flow cytometry were utilized to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HCC cells. Our results demonstrated that TACC3 is an unfavorable and independent prognostic factor to predict poor overall survival (OS) in HCC patients. Genetic inhibition of TACC3 exhibited a remarkable antineoplastic activity of HCC cell lines. Bioinformatic prediction proposed that CDK1 may be the main regulator of TACC3-related genes in HCC. In vitro experimental measurements suggested that a combination of si-TACC3 and CDK1 inhibitor synergistically inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and induced G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HepG2 or MHCC97H cells. In conclusion, our results revealed a prospective dual-target, TACC3 and CDK1, therapeutic strategy to improve the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enshuang Guo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiankun Yang
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of osteology, Yellow River Central Hospital of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Rheumatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongqiang Liu
- Department of Emergency, Henan Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
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Chen HK, Luo J, Li XJ, Liao WZ, Hu YQ, Guo XG. Serum folate associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and advanced hepatic fibrosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12933. [PMID: 37558738 PMCID: PMC10412549 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The role played by serum folate in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of serum folate with NAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis (AHF). We conducted a cross-sectional study with 5417 participants using 2011-2018 NHANES data. Multiple logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching analysis were used to investigate the association of serum folate with NAFLD and AHF. In the completely adjusted model, participants in the high serum folate group had a 27% (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62, 0.87, p = 0.0003) and 53% (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35, 0.63, p < 0.0001) lower odds of suffering from NAFLD and AHF, respectively, compared to the low serum folate group. The similar results in propensity score matching further validated the above association. Stratified analysis showed that the negative correlation of serum folate with NAFLD and AHF demonstrated a broad consistency across populations. The results of this study indicate that higher serum folate level was associated with lower odds of NAFLD and AHF among US adults. Further prospective studies are necessary due to the limitations of cross-sectional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Kai Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiu-Juan Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wan-Zhe Liao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Nanshan College of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Qi Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu-Guang Guo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, King Med School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Fu C, Xiang ML, Chen S, Dong G, Liu Z, Chen CB, Liang J, Cao Y, Zhang M, Liu Q. Molecular Drug Simulation and Experimental Validation of the CD36 Receptor Competitively Binding to Long-Chain Fatty Acids by 7-Ketocholesteryl-9-carboxynonanoate. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:28277-28289. [PMID: 37576668 PMCID: PMC10413453 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) are one of the main energy-supplying substances in the body. LCFAs with different lengths and saturations may have contrasting biological effects that exacerbate or alleviate progress against a variety of systemic disorders of lipid metabolism in organisms. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by chronic inflammation and steatosis, mainly caused by the ectopic accumulation of lipids in the liver, especially LCFAs. CD36 is a scavenger receptor that recognizes and mediates the transmembrane absorption of LCFAs and is expressed in a variety of cells throughout the body. In previous studies, our group found that 7-ketocholesteryl-9-carboxynonanoate (oxLig-1) has the biological effect of targeting CD36 to inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein lipotoxicity-induced lipid metabolism disorder; it has an ω-carboxyl physiologically active center and is structurally similar to LCFAs. However, the biological mechanism of oxLig-1 binding to CD36 and competing for binding to different types of LCFAs is still not clear. In this study, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were utilized to simulate and analyze the binding activity between oxLig-1 and different types of LCFAs to CD36 and confirmed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) platform was applied to predict the drug-forming properties of oxLig-1, and HepG2 cells model of oleic acid and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model mice were validated to verify the biological protection of oxLig-1 on lipid lowering. The results showed that there was a co-binding site of LCFAs and oxLig-1 on CD36, and the binding driving forces were mainly hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The binding abilities of polyunsaturated LCFAs, oxLig-1, monounsaturated LCFAs, and saturated LCFAs to CD36 showed a decreasing trend in this order. There was a similar decreasing trend in the stability of the molecular dynamics simulation. ELISA results similarly confirmed that the binding activity of oxLig-1 to CD36 was significantly higher than that of typical monounsaturated and saturated LCFAs. ADMET prediction results indicated that oxLig-1 had a good drug-forming property. HepG2 cells model of oleic acid and NAFLD model mice study results demonstrated the favorable lipid-lowering biological effects of oxLig-1. Therefore, oxLig-1 may have a protective effect by targeting CD36 to inhibit the excessive influx and deposition of lipotoxicity monounsaturated LCFAs and saturated LCFAs in hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changzhen Fu
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Meng-Lin Xiang
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
- Shantou
University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515031, China
| | - Shaolang Chen
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Geng Dong
- Shantou
University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515031, China
| | - Zibo Liu
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Chong-Bo Chen
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Jiajian Liang
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Yingjie Cao
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Mingzhi Zhang
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Qingping Liu
- Joint
Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
- Key
Laboratory of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research of Liaoning
Province, Dalian, Liaoning Province 116024, China
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48
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Song L, Xu R, Cai W, Liang J, Cao N, Gao J, Tang X. IL-6 upregulates the expression of IL-6R through the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway to promote progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Scand J Immunol 2023; 98:e13271. [PMID: 38441314 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13271] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involves multifactor, multistep interactions. High expression of interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tumours, but the regulatory mechanism of IL-6R expression and its function in HCC have not been fully defined. Western blot was used to evaluate the phosphorylation of key kinases in the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and the protein expression levels of related proliferation molecules, migration molecules and apoptotic molecules. The antiapoptosis, migration and proliferation of cells of each group were analysed with JC-1 to judge the cell apoptosis rate, the EdU method to determine the proliferation vitality of the cells, clone formation experiments and Transwell experiments. High expression of IL-6R in cell lines, lower protein levels of the apoptotic molecules c-Caspase7 and c-Caspase3 and higher protein levels of the proliferative molecules p-P70S6K and migration molecules MMP9 and MMP2 were consistent with stronger antiapoptosis, proliferation and migration. Interestingly, IL-6 upregulated the expression of IL-6R by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. Also, the expression of IL-6R protein was downregulated after lentivirus knockdown of STAT3. In nude mice bearing subcutaneous tumours, upregulation of IL-6R expression after activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway by IL-6 significantly increased tumour growth. Moreover, the expression of IL-6R protein was downregulated, and the terminal tumour volume was significantly downregulated in the lentiviral STAT3 knockdown group. IL-6 regulated the transcription of IL-6R through the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Song
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
- Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Wuhu), Wuhu, China
| | - Ruyue Xu
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
- Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Wuhu), Wuhu, China
| | - Wenpeng Cai
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
- Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Wuhu), Wuhu, China
| | - Jiaojiao Liang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
- Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Wuhu), Wuhu, China
| | - Niandie Cao
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
| | - Jiafeng Gao
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
| | - Xiaolong Tang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China
- Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Wuhu), Wuhu, China
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49
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Papadakos SP, Stergiou IE, Gkolemi N, Arvanitakis K, Theocharis S. Unraveling the Significance of EPH/Ephrin Signaling in Liver Cancer: Insights into Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3434. [PMID: 37444544 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133434] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a complex and challenging disease with limited treatment options and dismal prognosis. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms driving liver cancer progression and metastasis is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies. The EPH/ephrin system, which comprises a family of cell surface receptors and their corresponding ligands, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC. This review paper aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of the role of the EPH/ephrin system in HCC. Specifically, we discuss the dysregulation of EPH/ephrin signaling in HCC and its impact on various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Overall, the EPH/ephrin signaling system emerges as a compelling and multifaceted player in liver cancer biology. Elucidating its precise mechanisms and understanding its implications in disease progression and therapeutic responses may pave the way for novel targeted therapies and personalized treatment approaches for liver cancer patients. Further research is warranted to unravel the full potential of the EPH/ephrin system in liver cancer and its clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros P Papadakos
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioanna E Stergiou
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolina Gkolemi
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Arvanitakis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Kiriakidi 1, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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50
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Ma B, Ju A, Zhang S, An Q, Xu S, Liu J, Yu L, Fu Y, Luo Y. Albumosomes formed by cytoplasmic pre-folding albumin maintain mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibit nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:229. [PMID: 37321990 PMCID: PMC10272166 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01437-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the factors that maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, especially in hepatocytes, are largely unknown. Hepatocytes synthesize various high-level plasma proteins, among which albumin is most abundant. In this study, we found that pre-folding albumin in the cytoplasm is completely different from folded albumin in the serum. Mechanistically, endogenous pre-folding albumin undergoes phase transition in the cytoplasm to form a shell-like spherical structure, which we call the "albumosome". Albumosomes interact with and trap pre-folding carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2) in the cytoplasm. Albumosomes control the excessive sorting of CPT2 to the mitochondria under high-fat-diet-induced stress conditions; in this way, albumosomes maintain mitochondrial homeostasis from exhaustion. Physiologically, albumosomes accumulate in hepatocytes during murine aging and protect the livers of aged mice from mitochondrial damage and fat deposition. Morphologically, mature albumosomes have a mean diameter of 4μm and are surrounded by heat shock protein Hsp90 and Hsp70 family proteins, forming a larger shell. The Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG promotes hepatic albumosomal accumulation in vitro and in vivo, through which suppressing the progression of NAFLD in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyuan Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Anji Ju
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Shaosen Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100021, Beijing, China
| | - Qi An
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Siran Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Shenzhen Blood Center, 518025, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Centre for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Fu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
| | - Yongzhang Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- The National Engineering Research Center for Protein Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Protein Therapeutics, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
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