Traditional Chinese medicine for prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A focus on epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Novel dual-targeting inhibitors of NSD2 and HDAC2 for the treatment of liver cancer: structure-based virtual screening, molecular dynamics simulation, and in vitro and in vivo biological activity evaluations

Liver cancer exhibits a high degree of heterogeneity and involves intricate mechanisms. Recent research has revealed the significant role of histone lysine methylation and acetylation in the epigenetic regulation of liver cancer development. In this study, five inhibitors capable of targeting both histone lysine methyltransferase nuclear receptor-binding SET domain 2 (NSD2) and histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) were identified using a structure-based virtual screening approach. Notably, DT-NH-1 displayed a potent inhibition of NSD2 (IC50 = 0.08 ± 0.03 μM) and HDAC2 (IC50 = 5.24 ± 0.87 nM). DT-NH-1 also demonstrated a strong anti-proliferative activity against various liver cancer cell lines, particularly HepG2 cells, and exhibited a high level of biological safety. In an experimental xenograft model involving HepG2 cells, DT-NH-1 showed a significant reduction in tumour growth. Consequently, these findings indicate that DT-NH-1 will be a promising lead compound for the treatment of liver cancer with epigenetic dual-target inhibitors.

Multi-omics analysis reveals mechanism of Schisandra chinensis lignans and acteoside on EMT in hepatoma cells via ERK1/2 pathway

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a globally common cancer, often presents late and shows high resistance to chemotherapy, resulting in suboptimal treatment efficacy. Components from traditional Chinese medicines have been recognized for their anti-cancer properties.

OBJECTIVE

Exploring the mechanism of Schisandra chinensis lignans and acteoside in suppressing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in hepatoma cells through the Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinases (ERK)1/2 pathway and identifying biomarkers, molecular subtypes, and targets via multi-omics for precision oncology.

METHODS

Proliferation was assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, with scratch and transwell assays for evaluating invasion and migration. Flow cytometry quantified apoptosis rates. Expression levels of CCL20, p-ERK1/2, c-Myc, Vimentin, and E-cadherin/N-cadherin were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot. Tumor volume was calculated with a specific formula, and growth.

RESULTS

The Schisandra chinensis lignans and acteoside combination decreased CCL20 expression, inhibited hepatoma proliferation and migration, and enhanced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Molecular analysis revealed increased E-cadherin and decreased N-cadherin, p-ERK1/2, c-Myc, and Vimentin expression, indicating ERK1/2 pathway modulation. In vivo, treated nude mice showed significantly reduced tumor growth and volume.

CONCLUSION

Schisandra chinensis lignans and acteoside potentially counteract CCL20-induced EMT, invasion, and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the ERK1/2 pathway, enhancing apoptosis. Multi-omics analysis further aids in pinpointing novel biomarkers for precision cancer therapy.

Autophagy plays a pro-apoptotic role in arsenic trioxide-induced cell death of liver cancer

OBJECTIVE

The effects of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on hepatocellular carcinoma have been documented widely. Autophagy plays dual roles in the survival and death of cancer cells. Therefore, we investigated the exact role of autophagy in As2O3-induced apoptosis in liver cancer cells.

METHODS

The viability of hepatoma cells was determined using the MTT assay with or without fetal bovine serum. The rate of apoptosis in liver cancer cells treated with As2O3 was evaluated using flow cytometry, Hoechst 33258 staining, and TUNEL assays. The rate of autophagy among liver cancer cells treated with As2O3 was detected using immunofluorescence, Western blot assay and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Upon treatment with As2O3, the viability of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells was decreased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The apoptosis rates of both liver cancer cell lines increased with the concentration of As2O3, as shown by flow cytometry. Apoptosis in liver cancer cells treated with As2O3 was also shown by the activation of the caspase cascade and the regulation of Bcl-2/Bax expression. Furthermore, As2O3 treatment induced autophagy in liver cancer cells; this finding was supported by Western blot, immunofluorescence of LC3-II and beclin 1, and transmission electron microscopy. In liver cancer cells, As2O3 inhibited the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) signal pathway that plays a vital role in both apoptosis and autophagy. The PI3K activator SC-79 partially reversed As2O3-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibiting autophagy with 3-methyladenine partially reversed the negative effects of As2O3 on cell viability. Serum starvation increased autophagy and amplified the effect of As2O3 on cell death.

CONCLUSION

As2O3 induces apoptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells. Autophagy induced by As2O3 may have a proapoptotic effect that helps to reduce the viability of liver cancer cells. This study provides novel insights into the effects of As2O3 against liver cancer. Please cite this article as: Deng ZT, Liang SF, Huang GK, Wang YQ, Tu XY, Zhang YN, Li S, Liu T, Cheng BB. Autophagy plays a pro-apoptotic role in arsenic trioxide-induced cell death of liver cancer. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(3): 295-302.

A Novel Four-Gene Signature Based on Nonsense-Mediated RNA Decay for Predicting Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Bioinformatics Analysis and Functional Validation

Purpose

Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD), a surveillance pathway for selective degradation of aberrant mRNAs, is associated with cancer progression. Its potential as a predictor for aggressive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. Here, we present an innovative NMD risk model for predicting HCC prognosis.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of 374 liver HCC (LIHC) and 50 normal liver samples were extracted. A risk model based on NMD-related genes was developed through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox (LASSO-Cox) regression of the LIHC-TCGA data. Prognostic validation was done using GSE54236, GSE116174, and GSE76427 data. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic value of the model. We also constructed nomograms for survival prediction. Tumor immune infiltration was evaluated using the CIBERSORT algorithm, and the tumor cell phenotype was assessed. Finally, mouse experiments verified UPF3B knockdown effects on HCC tumor characteristics.

Results

We developed a risk model based on four NMD-related genes (PABPC1, RPL8, SMG5, and UPF3B) and validated it using GSE54236, GSE116174, and GSE76427 data. The model effectively distinguished high- and low-risk groups corresponding to unfavorable and favorable HCC outcomes. Its prognostic prediction accuracy was confirmed through time-dependent ROC analysis, and clinical-use nomograms with calibration curves were developed. Single-cell RNA sequencing results indicated significantly higher expression of SMG5 and UPF3B in tumor cells. Knockdown of SMG5 and UPF3B inhibited HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, while affecting cell-cycle progression and apoptosis. In vivo, UPF3B knockdown delayed tumor growth and increased immune cell infiltration.

Conclusion

Our NMD-related gene-based risk model can help identify therapeutic targets and biomarkers for HCC. Additionally, it assists clinicians in predicting the prognosis of HCC patients.

Plumbagin Regulates Snail to Inhibit Hepatocellular Carcinoma Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in vivo and in vitro

Background/Aims

Plumbagin (PL) has been shown to effe ctively inhibit autophagy, suppressing invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PL on tumor growth factor (TGF)-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC.

Methods

Huh-7 cells were cultured, and in vivo models of EMT and HCC-associated lung metastasis were developed through tail vein and in situ injections of tumor cells. In vivo imaging and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate HCC modeling and lung metastasis. After PL intervention, the expression levels of Snail, vimentin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in the liver were evaluated through immunohistochemistry and Western blot. An in vitro TGF-β-induced cell EMT model was used to detect Snail, vimentin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin mRNA levels through a polymerase chain reaction. Their protein levels were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.

Results

In vivo experiments demonstrated that PL significantly reduced the expression of Snail, vimentin, and N-cadherin, while increasing the expression of E-cadherin at the protein levels, effectively inhibiting HCC and lung metastasis. In vitro experiments confirmed that PL up-regulated epithelial cell markers, down-regulated mesenchymal cell markers, and inhibited EMT levels in HCC cells.

Conclusion

PL inhibits Snail expression, up-regulates E-cadherin expression, and down-regulates N-cadherin and vimentin expression, preventing EMT in HCC cells and reducing lung metastasis.

Scutellaria baicalensis Induces Cell Apoptosis and Elicits Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition to Alleviate Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Modulating HSP90β

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world and shows strong metastatic potential. Current medicine for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy is invalid, while Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi exhibits the pharmaceutical potential to treat liver diseases and liver cancer. Herein, we verified the inhibitory properties and the pivotal molecules regimented by Scutellaria baicalensis on advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. At first, the viability of SK-Hep-1 cells was significantly reduced under treatment of Scutellaria baicalensis extract in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the growth of normal hepatocyte. Scutellaria baicalensis extract application could remarkably cause apoptosis of SK-Hep-1 cells through p53/cytochrome C/poly-ADP ribose polymerase cascades and arrest the cell cycle at the G1/S phase by downregulating cyclin-dependent kinases. Meanwhile, administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extract remarkably attenuated the migration capability as well as suppressed matrix metalloproteinase activity of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The proteome profiles and network analysis particularly implied that exposure to Scutellaria baicalensis extract downregulated the expression of HSP90β, and the clinical stage of hepatocellular carcinoma is also positively correlated with the HSP90β level. Combined treatment of Scutellaria baicalensis extract and HSP90β siRNAs could markedly enhance the ubiquitination activity and the degradation of vimentin to subsequently inhibit the metastatic property of SK-Hep-1 cells. Moreover, application of Scutellaria baicalensis extract and HSP90β siRNAs depleted phosphorylation of AKT, which stimulated the expression of p53 and consecutively triggered cell apoptosis. These findings suggest that HSP90β may be a prospective target for the effective therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma via accelerating apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and eliciting mesenchymal-epithelial transition with the administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extract.

Network-based pharmacology-based research on the effect and mechanism of the Hedyotis diffusa-Scutellaria Barbata pair in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

The Hedyotis diffusa-Scutellaria officinalis pair (HD-SB) has therapeutic effects on a variety of cancers. Our study was to explore the mechanism of HD-SB in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 217 active ingredients of HD-SB and 1196 HCC-related targets were reserved from the TCMSP and the SwissTarget Prediction database, and we got 63 intersection targets from GeneCards. We used a Venn diagram, and Cytoscape found that the three core ingredients were quercetin, luteolin, and baicalein. The PPI analysis showed that the core targets were TP53, CDK2, XPO1, and APP. Molecular docking results showed that these core ingredients had good binding potential with the core targets. HD-SB acts simultaneously on various HCC-related signaling pathways, including proteoglycans in cancer and the P53 signaling pathway. In vitro experiments confirmed that HD-SB can inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation by increasing TP53 and APP levels and decreasing XPO1 and CDK2 levels. This study analyzed active ingredients, core targets, and central mechanisms of HD-SB in the treatment of HCC. It reveals the role of HD-SB in targeting the P53 signaling pathway in the treatment of HCC. We hope that our research could provide a new perspective to the therapy of HCC and find new anticancer drugs.

Hu-Qi-Zheng-Xiao Decoction Inhibits the Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Suppressing the HIF-1α Signaling Pathway to Inhibit EMT, LCSC, and Angiogenic Process

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common clinical malignant tumor of the digestive system. Hu-Qi-Zheng-Xiao (HQZX) decoction has been clinically found to prolong the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and improve the quality of patients' survival, but its antitumor biological mechanism is still unclear.

METHODS

A nude mouse hollow fiber hepatocellular carcinoma model was constructed to analyze the in vivo efficacy of HQZX decoction against 7 different hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The subcutaneous graft tumor model was again validated. In vitro, the effect of HQZX decoction on the growth and metastasis of the cell line with the highest growth inhibition was evaluated. The cell line with the best efficacy response screened was again used to construct a hollow fiber hepatocellular carcinoma model and hollow fiber conduit cells were extracted to detect the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, EMT-related molecules, LCSCs-related molecules, and to observe the density of the subcutaneous vascular network of hollow fiber conduits. The liver metastasis model of splenic injection was constructed to observe the effect of HQZX decoction on tumor metastasis.

RESULTS

The hollow fiber hepatocellular carcinoma model was evaluated for the efficacy of HQZX decoction, and it was found to have the highest growth inhibition of LM3-luc cells. In vitro, the CCK8 assay revealed that HQZX decoction could inhibit tumor migration and invasion and promote apoptosis. In addition, the mechanism study of extracting cells from hollow fiber tubes found that HQZX decoction could inhibit metastasis-associated HIF-1α, VEGF, EMT-related molecules, and LCSCs-related molecules expression. capillary network around subcutaneous fiber tubes was reduced in the HQZX decoction gavage group of mice. It inhibited tumor metastasis in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

HQZX decoction inhibited the growth of a variety of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. HQZX decoction suppressed the expression of metastasis-associated VEGF, EMT-related molecules, and LCSCs-related molecules and inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth and metastasis, which may be related to the inhibition of the HIF-1α signaling pathway. It reveals that HQZX decoction may be a promising herbal compound for anti-HCC therapy, and also reveals the accurate feasibility of the hollow fiber hepatocellular carcinoma model for in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluation and mechanism study.

The Prognostic Significance of the TEAD4 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Abnormal expression of genes causes tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, the aims of this study were to explore the transcription enhancer domain factor 4 (TEAD4) in patients with liver cancer and its relationship with prognosis.

Methods

HTSeq-FPKM data and corresponding clinical data of HCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Difference in TEAD4 expression between normal and tumor and the correlation with clinical characteristics were analyzed by the chi-squared test based on UALCAN. HepG2 cell lines were used to study the effect of TEAD4 on HCC cell lines. The expression and clinical significance of TEAD4 in HCC were detected in clinical cases.

Results

The transcription and post-transcription levels of TEAD4 were higher in HCC tumors than normal illustrated different expressed transcription of TEAD4 in gender, nodal metastasis status, tumor grades, and individual cancer stages. The high TEAD4 expression was significantly associated with tumor grades. The high expression of TEAD4 was significantly correlated to shorter 2-5 years overall survival. Inhibition of TEAD4 expression in HepG2 cells resulted in significantly decreased cell proliferation and invasion.

Conclusion

TEAD4 was identified as an independent prognostic factor, and inhibition of TEAD4 expression in HepG2 cells resulted in significantly decreased cell proliferation and invasion.

CircMMP11 as a prognostic biomarker mediates miR-361-3p/HMGB1 axis to accelerate malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

As a high metastatic tumor, patients having hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) show poor prognosis. The carcinogenic roles of circMMP11 are generally described in the development of other cancers. However, there is a lack of studies on its involvement in HCC. Therefore, we investigated the potential role and molecular mechanisms of CircMMP11 in the development of HCC in vitro, providing preliminary evidence for the clinical treatment of HCC. First, we examined the expression of CircMMP11 in HCC tissues and cell lines in both clinical and in vitro experiments. We then used a loss-of-function assay to determine CircMMP11's regulatory role on the malignant characteristics of HCC cells. The results showed that high expression of CircMMP11 in HCC was associated with patient overall survival. Serum CircMMP11 had good diagnostic efficacy in distinguishing HCC patients from the control group. In vitro, inhibiting CircMMP11 suppressed the malignant characteristics of human HCC cell lines by directly sequestering miR-361-3p, which further affected the downstream gene HMGB1 expression. In addition, we knocked down CircMMP11 and found that its deletion inhibited the malignant characteristics of HCC cells through the miR-361-3p/HMGB1 axis.

Xiaotan Sanjie recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits gastric cancer metastasis by regulating GnT-V-mediated E-cadherin glycosylation

OBJECTIVE

Xiaotan Sanjie recipe (XTSJ), a Chinese herbal compound medicine, exerts a significant inhibitory effect on gastric cancer (GC) metastasis. This work investigated the mechanism underlying the XTSJ-mediated inhibition of GC metastasis.

METHODS

The effect of XTSJ on GC metastasis and the associated mechanism were investigated in vitro, using GC cell lines, and in vivo, using a GC mouse model, by focusing on the expression of Glc-N-Ac-transferase V (GnT-V; encoded by MGAT5).

RESULTS

The migration and invasion ability of GC cells decreased significantly after XTSJ administration, which confirmed the efficacy of XTSJ in treating GC in vitro. XTSJ increased the accumulation of E-cadherin at junctions between GC cells, which was reversed by MGAT5 overexpression. XTSJ administration and MGAT5 knockdown alleviated the structural abnormality of the cell-cell junctions, while MGAT5 overexpression had the opposite effect. MGAT5 knockdown and XTSJ treatment also significantly increased the accumulation of proteins associated with the E-cadherin-mediated adherens junction complex. Furthermore, the expression of MGAT5 was significantly lower in the lungs of BGC-823-MGAT5 + XTSJ mice than in those of BGC-823-MGAT5 + solvent mice, indicating that the ability of gastric tumors to metastasize to the lung was decreased in vivo following XTSJ treatment.

CONCLUSION

XTSJ prevented GC metastasis by inhibiting the GnT-V-mediated E-cadherin glycosylation and promoting the E-cadherin accumulation at cell-cell junctions. Please cite this article as: Huang N, He HW, He YY, Gu W, Xu MJ, Liu L. Xiaotan Sanjie recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits gastric cancer metastasis by regulating GnT-V-mediated E-cadherin glycosylation. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(6): 561-574.

Anti-tumor Effects of Cisplatin Synergist in Combined Treatment with Clostridium novyi-NT Spores Against Hypoxic Microenvironments in a Mouse Model of Cervical Cancer Caused by TC-1 Cell Line

Purpose

Despite the development of anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, cervical cancer is still a common disease in women, especially in developing countries. The presence of a hypoxic microenvironment causes traditional treatments to fail. In this study, we presented a combined treatment method based on the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin and Clostridium novyi-NT spores to treat normoxic and hypoxic areas of the tumor.

Methods

TC-1 Cell line capable of expressing HPV-16 E6/7 oncoproteins was subcutaneously transplanted into female 6-8 week old C57/BL6 mice. The tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into four groups and treated with different methods after selecting a control group. Group 1: Control without treatment (0.1 mL sterile PBS intratumorally), Group: C. novyi-NT (107 C. novyi-NT). Group 3: Receives cisplatin intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg). Fourth group: Intratumoral administration of C. novyi-NT spores + intraperitoneal cisplatin. Western blot analysis was used to examine the effects of anti-hypoxia treatment and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins.

Results

The results clearly showed that combined treatment based on C. novyi-NT and cisplatin significantly reduced the expression of HIF-1 alpha and VEGF proteins compared to cisplatin alone. At the same time, the amount of necrosis of tumor cells in the combined treatment increased significantly compared to the single treatment and the control. At the same time, the mitotic count decreased significantly.

Conclusion

Our research showed that developing a combined treatment method based on C. novyi-NT and cisplatin against HPV-positive cervical cancer could overcome the treatment limitations caused by the existence of hypoxic areas of the tumor.

Natural polysaccharides exert anti-tumor effects as dendritic cell immune enhancers

With the development of immunotherapy, the process of tumor treatment is also moving forward. Polysaccharides are biological response modifiers widely found in plants, animals, fungi, and algae and are mainly composed of monosaccharides covalently linked by glycosidic bonds. For a long time, polysaccharides have been widely used clinically to enhance the body's immunity. However, their mechanisms of action in tumor immunotherapy have not been thoroughly explored. Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous population of antigen presenting cells (APCs) that play a crucial role in the regulation and maintenance of the immune response. There is growing evidence that polysaccharides can enhance the essential functions of DCs to intervene the immune response. This paper describes the research progress on the anti-tumor immune effects of natural polysaccharides on DCs. These studies show that polysaccharides can act on pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on the surface of DCs and activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Dectin-1/Syk, and other signalling pathways, thereby promoting the main functions of DCs such as maturation, metabolism, antigen uptake and presentation, and activation of T cells, and then play an anti-tumor role. In addition, the application of polysaccharides as adjuvants for DC vaccines, in combination with adoptive immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), as well as their co-assembly with nanoparticles (NPs) into nano drug delivery systems is also introduced. These results reveal the biological effects of polysaccharides, provide a new perspective for the anti-tumor immunopharmacological research of natural polysaccharides, and provide helpful information for guiding polysaccharides as complementary medicines in cancer immunotherapy.

A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model Implicates Sirt2 as a Promoter of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths globally. Incidence rates are steadily increasing, creating an unmet need for new therapeutic options. Recently, the inhibition of sirtuin-2 (Sirt2) was proposed as a potential treatment for HCC, despite contradictory findings of its role as both a tumor promoter and suppressor in vitro. Sirt2 functions as a lysine deacetylase enzyme. However, little is known about its biological influence, despite its implication in several age-related diseases. This study evaluated Sirt2's role in HCC in vivo using an inducible c-MYC transgene in Sirt2+/+ and Sirt2-/- mice. Sirt2-/- HCC mice had smaller, less proliferative, and more differentiated liver tumors, suggesting that Sirt2 functions as a tumor promoter in this context. Furthermore, Sirt2-/- HCCs had significantly less c-MYC oncoprotein and reduction in c-MYC nuclear localization. The RNA-seq showed that only three genes were significantly dysregulated due to loss of Sirt2, suggesting the underlying mechanism is due to Sirt2-mediated changes in the acetylome, and that the therapeutic inhibition of Sirt2 would not perturb the oncogenic transcriptome. The findings of this study suggest that Sirt2 inhibition could be a promising molecular target for slowing HCC growth.

Anhydroicaritin suppresses tumor progression via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant tumors. The in vitro experiments on the application of Anhydroicaritin (AHI), the active ingredient of Bushen Huayu Decoction, in HCC treatment remain limited, particularly regarding its molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The TCMSP platform was used for drug ingredient screening. The GeneCards database and DisGeNET database are used to collect liver cancer targets. PPI network construction of active component-target intersection target was completed with string database. The GO and KEGG pathway analyses were performed via bioinformatics analysis. The molecular docking was used to confirm AHI's target proteins. The in vitro experiments were performed to validate the effect of AHI on HCC cell and explore the molecular mechanism by western blotting analysis.

RESULTS

Through the intersection, 155 intersection targets are finally obtained. The top 15 active ingredients were quercetin, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, luteolin, beta-carotene, Stigmasterol, naringenin, formononetin, baicalein, Anhydroicaritin, isorhamnetin, licochalcone, 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, aloe-emodin and 8-O-Methylreyusi. The molecular mocking analysis showed that the four active components (quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and AHI) and targets had a good binding activity (affinity ≤ 5 kcal/mol). In vitro experiments reveled that AHI could suppress tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis of HCC cells. Further analysis showed that AHI inhibited tumor growth by PI3K/AKT signal pathway in HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

The Bushen Huayu Decoction and its active ingredient AHI could fight HCC. The potential mechanism may be associated with inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT signal pathway, which may serve as a potential treatment for HCC therapy.

Effects of Clinical and Tumor Characteristics on Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Bone Metastasis

Background

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally has a dismal prognosis. Bone metastases from HCC are infrequent, with a poorer prognosis. However, the survival influencing factors are not yet well understood.

Aim

The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical features and tumor characteristics of HCC patients with bone metastasis.

Methods

A cohort of 170,576 adult patients with HCC was studied using the National Cancer Database (NCDB) spanning from 2010 to 2019, and within this group, 5285 patients (3.1%) were diagnosed with bone metastasis. We performed the Kaplan-Meier method to calculate the median overall survival (OS). We included demographics (age at diagnosis, gender, race, insurance status), comorbidity score, and treatment characteristics.

Results

Of a total of 5285 HCC patients with bone metastasis, 86.2% were male and 61.2% were non-Hispanic white. Most patients (55.1%) were below 65, and 89% had a total Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score of under 3. Among patients with known tumor grade, 24.8% had well-differentiated tumors, and 36.1% had poorly differentiated tumors. Chemotherapy was administrated to 39.5% of patients. In univariate analysis, patients with well-differentiated tumors had better OS compared to poorly differentiated tumors (5.4 months vs 3.0 months, p = 0.001). Patients who received single or multiagent chemotherapy were significantly associated with improved OS compared to patients who did not receive chemotherapy (7.0 and 8.5 months vs 1.94 months, respectively). We also found mortality difference between age, comorbidity scores, facility types and race groups.

Conclusion

In this cohort analysis of NCDB data, we found better OS in treatment receipt, lower tumor grade, younger age, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic race, treatment at academic facility and lower comorbidity score in HCC patients with bone metastasis. The study results may have a consequential impact on the treatment decisions for HCC patients with bone metastasis.

Targeting tumor-derived exosome-mediated premetastatic niche formation: The metastasis-preventive value of traditional Chinese medicine

Tumor-derived exosome (TDE)-mediated premetastatic niche (PMN) formation is a potential mechanism underlying the organotropic metastasis of primary tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown considerable success in preventing and treating tumor metastasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we discussed PMN formation from the perspectives of TDE biogenesis, cargo sorting, and TDE recipient cell alterations, which are critical for metastatic outgrowth. We also reviewed the metastasis-preventive effects of TCM, which act by targeting the physicochemical materials and functional mediators of TDE biogenesis, regulating the cargo sorting machinery and secretory molecules in TDEs, and targeting the TDE-recipient cells involved in PMN formation.

Promising Modulatory Effects of Cenicriviroc on the Progression of Mouse Colorectal Cancer through Inhibition of CCR2_CCL2 Signaling Pathway

The study was designed to assay the efficacy of cenicriviroc (CVC) on the progression of mouse colorectal cancer by downregulation of CCR2_CCL2. In this study, CVC was used to inhibit the CCR2 receptor. Next, an MTT assay was performed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of CVC on the CT26 cell line. CT26 cells were implanted subcutaneously in BALB/c mice. After tumor implantation, one group of animals received 20 mg/kg of CVC several times. The mRNA levels of CCR2, CCL2, VEGF, NF-κB, c-Myc, vimentin, and IL33 were determined in the CT26 cell line and then tumor tissues (after 21 days), by qRT-PCR. Protein levels of the above-mentioned targets were determined by western blot and ELISA. Flow cytometry was performed to assess the changes in apoptosis. Tumor growth inhibition was measured on the 1st, 7th, and 21st days after the first treatment. In both cell line and tumor cells treated with CVC, expression levels of the markers of our interest in mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced compared to controls. A significantly higher apoptotic index was observed in CVC-treated groups. The rates of tumor growth were significantly decreased on the 7th and 21st days after the first injection. To our knowledge, this was the first time that we demonstrated the promising effect of CVC on the development of CRC through inhibition of the CCR2_CCL2 signaling and its downstream biomarkers.

Survival benefit of adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after anatomical hepatectomy

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Although anatomical hepatectomy (AH) is widely used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the prognosis is still unsatisfactory. The present study aimed to evaluate the survival benefit of adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with HCC after AH.

METHODS

A total of 832 patients were stratified into with adjuvant TACE (443, 53.2%) and without adjuvant TACE group (389, 46.8%) AH. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, and multivariable Cox regression was performed to determine the independent risk factors.

RESULTS

After PSM, the results showed that the adjuvant TACE group had better overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Among the patients with tumor recurrence, adjuvant TACE was associated with a high rate of early-stage tumor at recurrence, a lower recurrence rate around the frontal margin and extrahepatic metastases, and a higher rate of receiving curative treatment. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that adjuvant TACE was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR 0.673, P = 0.001) and RFS (HR 0.650, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with HCC after AH can benefit from postoperative adjuvant TACE. Therefore, adjuvant TACE should be considered for patients with a high risk of recurrence.

Roles of conventional and complementary therapies in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common type of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. HCC has a reported recurrence rate of 70%-80% after 5 years of follow-up. Controlling tumor recurrence is the most critical factor associated with HCC mortality. Conventional salvage therapies for recurrent HCC include re-hepatectomy or liver transplantation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, Y-90, target therapy, and immunotherapy; however, these conventional treatment modalities have yet to achieve consistently favorable outcomes. Meanwhile, previous studies have demonstrated that conventional therapies in combination with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture, moxibustion or dietary supplements could notably benefit patients with HCC recurrence by strengthening and augmenting the overall management strategy. However, systemic reviews related to the interactions between complementary therapies and conventional therapy in recurrent HCC are limited. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of complementary therapies for recurrent HCC, which include augmenting the local control to improve the congestion status of primary tumors and reducing multicentric tumor occurrence via inducing autophagy, apoptosis or cell cycle arrest. TCM and its derivatives may play important roles in helping to control HCC recurrence by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and metastasis, inhibiting cancer stem cells, and ameliorating drug resistance.

Systematic analysis of the role and significance of target genes of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine injections in the progression and immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine in China is an important adjuvant therapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and traditional Chinese medicines injections have a wide range of clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to identify the active ingredients and related genes of traditional Chinese medicine injections that can treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Effective small molecule components were extracted from 14 types of traditional Chinese medicines from 8 injections and the main gene targets were identified. The 968 patients with HCC were classified based on the target gene set, and the characteristics of patients with different subtypes were analyzed. Patients with two subtypes of HCC were compared with normal tissues and cirrhosis to identify important gene targets related to traditional Chinese medicines in HCC progression. Results: In this study, 138 important genes associated with traditional Chinese medicines were identified and two HCC subtypes were identified. By analyzing the differences between the two subtypes, 25 related genes were associated with HCC subtypes. Through clinical and pharmacological analysis, this study identified quercetin as an important traditional Chinese medicines small molecule and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) as an important oncogene in HCC. Conclusion: Traditional Chinese medicines injection is an important adjuvant treatment modality for HCC. SPP1 is an important oncogene in HCC.

Prospective Challenges for Patenting and Clinical Trials of Anticancer Compounds from Natural Products: Coherent Review

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Each year, millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, and more than half of them die. Various conventional therapies for cancer, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, have extreme side effects. Therefore, to minimize the global burden of lethal diseases like cancer, an effective and novel drug must be discovered. Its patent should be acquired to secure the novel medicament. The pharmacological potential of different natural products has made them popular in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Various anticancer compounds are obtained from natural sources such as plants, microbes, and marine and terrestrial animals, including alkaloids, terpenoids, biophenols, enzymes, glycosides, etc. The term "natural products" is defined as the product of secondary or non-essential metabolic processes produced by living organisms (such as plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms). Although more precise definitions of NPs exist, they do not always meet consensus. Others define NPs as small molecules (excluding biomolecules) that emerge from the metabolic reaction. A handful of effective compounds are used currently from natural or analog moieties, and many more are in clinical studies. There is an excellent need for patenting molecules from natural products as the hit lead molecules are derived, isolated, and synthesized from natural products. However, these naturally occurring products may not be patentable under the law because they come from nature. This review highlights why natural products and compounds are hard to patent, under what patent law criteria we can patent these natural products and compounds, patent procedural guideline sources and why researchers prefer publication rather than a patent. Here, various patent scenarios of natural products and compounds for cancer have been given.

Exploring the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of the Radix Bupleuri-Rhizoma Cyperi herb pair on hepatocellular carcinoma using multilevel data integration and molecular docking

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a promising and effective treatment for cancer with minimal side effects through a multi-active ingredient multitarget network. Radix Bupleuri and Rhizoma Cyperi are listed as herbs dispersing stagnated liver Qi in China. They have been used clinically to treat liver diseases for many years and recent pharmacological studies have shown that they inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the pharmacological mechanisms, potential targets, and clinical value of the Radix Bupleuri-Rhizoma Cyperi herb pair (CXP) for suppressing HCC growth have not been fully elucidated. We identified 44 CXP targets involved in the treatment of HCC using the GEO dataset and HERB database. An analysis of the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) showed that CXP exerts synergistic effects through 4 active ingredients, including quercetin, stigmasterol, isorhamnetin, and kaempferol. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that CXP mainly regulates HCC progression through metabolic pathways, the p53 signaling pathway, and the cell cycle. Additionally, we applied The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) database to perform the expression patterns, clinical features, and prognosis of 6 genes (CCNB1, CDK1, CDK4, MYC, CDKN2A, and CHEK1) in cell cycle pathways to reveal that CXP suppresses HCC clinical therapeutic value. Moreover, based on molecular docking, we further verified that CXP exerts its anti-HCC activity through the interaction of multiple active components with cell cycle-related genes. We systematically revealed the potential pharmacological mechanisms and targets of CXP in HCC using multilevel data integration and molecular docking strategies.

Proteoglycan-4 predicts good prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and inhibits cancer cell migration in vitro

PURPOSE

To search for adaptive response molecules that affect the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), analyze their clinical correlation with and prognostic value for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and explore their impact on cell biological behavior and their mechanisms of action.

METHODS

HCC tissue gene sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes. The expression of proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) in the serum of 117 patients with HCC who received TACE was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum-free medium mimicked TACE-induced nutrient deprivation. Cells with stable knockdown of PRG4 (shPRG4) were constructed to verify the effect and mechanism of PRG4 on the biological behavior of HCC cells in vitro.

RESULTS

The expression of PRG4 was significantly elevated under TACE-induced starvation conditions. Low PRG4 expression was associated with worse response to TACE treatment, shorter survival time, and stronger HCC migration ability. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed that knockdown of PRG4 promoted HCC cell migration by enhancing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) while did not affect proliferation. When PRG4 expression was low, starvation treatment impaired the migratory ability of HCC cells and reduced the chemosensitivity of HCC cells to epirubicin.

CONCLUSIONS

PRG4 expression predicts survival and TACE treatment response in patients with HCC. Furthermore, knockdown of PRG4 enhanced EMT, leading to HCC cell migration. PRG4 may serve as a biomarker for HCC patients receiving TACE.

Therapeutic Effect of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy on Patients with Cholecystolithiasis Complicated with Chronic Cholecystitis and Postoperative Quality of Life

Objective

To assess the treatment outcome and postoperative quality of life of patients with gallbladder stones and chronic cholecystitis after open cholecystectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods

Between 2018 and 2020, 108 patients with gallbladder stones and chronic cholecystitis treated in our hospital were assessed for eligibility and randomly recruited. They were concurrently assigned (1 : 1) to receive either open cholecystectomy (control group) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (study group). Outcome measures include surgical indices, inflammatory response, postoperative complications, and quality of life of patients.

Results

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was associated with a shorter duration of surgery, intraoperative bleeding, time to first postoperative bowel movement, and postoperative hospital stay versus open cholecystectomy (P < 0.05). The levels of inflammatory factors of all eligible patients were comparable before cholecystectomy (P > 0.05). The patients given laparoscopic cholecystectomy showed lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 versus those given open cholecystectomy (P < 0.05). Laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulted in a significantly lower incidence of complication (3.56%) versus open cholecystectomy (24.07%) (P < 0.05). The patients had significantly higher physical, psychological, and social function scores after laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus open cholecystectomy (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy provides better surgical results, mitigates the inflammatory response, lowers the incidence of complications, and improves the quality of life of patients versus open cholecystectomy, so it is worthy of application in clinical treatment.

Frontier progress of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, accounting for 90% of primary liver cancer) was the sixth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer death in 2020. The number of new HCC patients in China accounted for nearly half of that in the world. HCC was of occult and complex onset, with poor prognosis. Clinically, at least 15% of patients with HCC had strong side effects of interventional therapy (IT) and have poor sensitivity to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a multi-target adjuvant therapy, had been shown to play an active anti-tumor role in many previous studies. This review systematically summarized the role of TCM combined with clinically commonly used drugs for the treatment of HCC (including mitomycin C, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, sorafenib, etc.) in the past basic research, and summarized the efficacy of TCM combined with surgery, IT and conventional therapy (CT) in clinical research. It was found that TCM, as an adjuvant treatment, played many roles in the treatment of HCC, including enhancing the tumor inhibition, reducing toxic and side effects, improving chemosensitivity and prolonging survival time of patients. This review summarized the advantages of integrated traditional Chinese and modern medicine in the treatment of HCC and provides a theoretical basis for clinical research.

Exploring potential targets of Actinidia chinensis Planch root against hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology and molecular docking and development and verification of immune-associated prognosis features for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its prognosis remains a challenge. Actinidia chinensis Planch (ACP) root has good efficacy against HCC. This study aimed to explore the link between ACP and potential targets of HCC, and to develop a novel immune-based gene signature to predict HCC patient survival.

Methods

Transcriptome data and clinical information on HCC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; HCC: 374, normal: 50) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database (HCC: 243, normal: 202). Combined with the 2,483 immune-related genes from the Immport database, we used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to construct a prognostic model. Patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups by the median of the risk scores of the TCGA cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to estimate the predictability of the model in HCC prognosis, and carried out external validation based on ICGC cohort. We analyzed the correlation of this model with immune cells and immune checkpoint genes. Finally, molecular docking of these genes and the corresponding ACP components.

Results

We constructed a prognostic model composed of 3 immune-related genes [epidermal growth factor (EGF), baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing protein 5 (BIRC5), and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1)]. And the high-risk group had a lower overall survival (OS) rate compared to the low-risk group (TCGA cohort: P=1.761e-05, ICGC cohort: P=8.716e-04). The outcomes of the AUC of ROC of prognostic risk model to predict for 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS: TCGA cohort: 0.749, 0.710, and 0.653 and ICGC cohort: 0.698, 0.736, and 0.753. Molecular docking results showed that quercetin had good binding activities with SPP1, BIRC5, and EGF, and ursolic acid (UA) and BIRC5 also had this feature.

Conclusions

Our study speculates that ACP root anti-HCC may be involved in the immune regulation of the body by targeting EGF, BIRC5 and SPP1, which possess great potential and value as early warning molecules for HCC. This model may provide a reference for individualized diagnosis and treatment for HCC patients.

Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Updates and Outlook

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged the culprit of cancer-related mortality worldwide with its dismal prognosis climbing. In recent years, ground-breaking progress has been made in systemic therapy for HCC. Targeted therapy based on specific signaling molecules, including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab, has been widely used for advanced HCC (aHCC). Immunotherapies such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab greatly improve the survival of aHCC patients. More recently, synergistic combination therapy has boosted first-line (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab) and second-line (ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab) therapeutic modalities for aHCC. This review aims to summarize recent updates of systemic therapy relying on the biological mechanisms of HCC, particularly highlighting the approved agents for aHCC. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy, as well as a combination with locoregional therapies (LRTs), are also discussed. Additionally, we describe the promising effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as systemic therapy on HCC. In this setting, the challenges and future directions of systemic therapy for HCC are also explored.

Biejiajian Pill Promotes the Infiltration of CD8+ T Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating the Expression of CCL5

Tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺T lymphocytes are mostly associated with a favorable prognosis in numerous cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Biejiajian Pill (BJJP) is a common type of traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used in the treatment of HCC in China. Previous studies showed that BJJP suppressed the growth of HCC cells both in vivo and in vitro, by exerting direct cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. The present study demonstrated that in addition to direct cytotoxicity, BJJP inhibits the growth of tumor cells by promoting the infiltration of CD8⁺T cells into the tumor in H₂₂-bearing mice. Mechanistically, chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) was identified as one of the most highly expressed chemokines by tumor cells in vivo after treatment with BJJP. Additionally, CCL5 was knocked down in H₂₂ cells and the results showed that knockdown of the gene significantly impaired the infiltration of CD8⁺T cells in vivo. Furthermore, the effects of BJJP on human HCC cell lines were assessed in vitro. Similarly, cells treated with BJJP had higher expression of CCL5 mRNA, which was consistent with increased levels of CCL5 protein in human tumor cells. These findings provide new insights into the anticancer effects of BJJP, which regulated the expression of CCL5 and the infiltration of CD8⁺T cells. The results, therefore, suggest that BJJP has great potential application in clinical practice.