Dysregulation of Non-coding RNAs mediates Cisplatin Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and therapeutic strategies

Multifunctional and stimuli-responsive liposomes in hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent type of liver cancer, mainly occurring in Asian countries with an increased incidence rate globally. Currently, several kinds of therapies have been deployed for HCC therapy including surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. However, this tumor is still incurable, requiring novel strategies for its treatment. The nanomedicine has provided the new insights regarding the treatment of cancer that liposomes as lipid-based nanoparticles, have been widely applied in cancer therapy due to their biocompaitiblity, high drug loading and ease of synthesis and modification. The current review evaluates the application of liposomes for the HCC therapy. The drugs and genes lack targeting ability into tumor tissues and cells. Therefore, loading drugs or genes on liposomes can increase their accumulation in tumor site for HCC suppression. Moreover, the stimuli-responsive liposomes including pH-, redox- and light-sensitive liposomes are able to deliver drug into tumor microenvironment to improve therapeutic index. Since a number of receptors upregulate on HCC cells, the functionalization of liposomes with lactoferrin and peptides can promote the targeting ability towards HCC cells. Moreover, phototherapy can be induced by liposomes through loading phtoosensitizers to stimulate photothermal- and photodynamic-driven ablation of HCC cells. Overall, the findings are in line with the fact that liposomes are promising nanocarriers for the treatment of HCC.

Ropivacaine combined with sorafenib attenuates hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and metastasis by inhibiting the miR-224/HOXD10 axis

OBJECTIVE

The development of drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells limits the effectiveness of sorafenib (Sor). However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the effects of the combination Sor and ropivacaine (Rop) on HCC cells remain unclear.

METHODS

miR-224 and HOXD10 mRNA expression in HCC cells was analyzed using qRT-PCR. CCK-8, Transwell assays and tumor formation experiments in nude mice were used to assess HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Migration of HCC cells was also analyzed using a cell scratch assay. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect tumor area.

RESULTS

miR-224 expression profoundly increased in HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Treatment with Rop and/or Sor blocked miR-244 expression, especially the combination treatment. Transfection of miR-224 mimic increased HCC cell proliferation and tumor size in nude mice, and migration and invasion in vitro in the presence of Rop and Sor compared to the negative control mimic. Dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that HOXD10 was targeted by miR-224. HOXD10 protein expression and was markedly reduced in HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Rop and/or Sor treatment increased HOXD10 protein expression, particularly the combination treatment. miR-224 negatively regulated HOXD10 expression in HCC cells treated with Rop and Sor. Transfection-mediated silencing of HOXD10 increased HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in the presence of Rop and Sor compared with negative control transfection.

CONCLUSION

The combination of Rop and Sor attenuates HCC cell proliferation and metastasis via the miR-224/HOXD10 axis.

Canagliflozin reduces chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma through PKM2-c-Myc complex-mediated glutamine starvation

Cisplatin (CPT) is one of the standard treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its use is limits as a monotherapy due to drug resistance, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To solve this problem, we tried using canagliflozin (CANA), a clinical drug for diabetes, to reduce chemoresistance to CPT, and the result showed that CANA could vigorously inhibit cell proliferation and migration independent of the original target SGLT2. Mechanistically, CANA reduced aerobic glycolysis in HCC by targeting PKM2. The downregulated PKM2 directly bound to the transcription factor c-Myc in the cytoplasm to form a complex, which upregulated the level of phosphorylated c-Myc Thr58 and promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc. Decreased c-Myc reduced the expression of GLS1, a key enzyme in glutamine metabolism, leading to impaired glutamine utilization. Finally, intracellular glutamine starvation induced ferroptosis and sensitized HCC to CPT. In conclusion, our study showed that CANA re-sensitized HCC to CPT by inducing ferroptosis through dual effects on glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. This is a novel mechanism to increase chemosensitivity, which may provide compatible chemotherapy drugs for HCC.

The role of non-coding RNAs in diabetes-induced osteoporosis

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and osteoporosis are two major health care problems worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that DM poses a risk for osteoporosis and can contribute to the development of diabetes-induced osteoporosis (DOP). Interestingly, some epidemiological studies suggest that DOP may be at least partially distinct from those skeletal abnormalities associated with old age or postmenopausal osteoporosis. The increasing number of DM patients who also have DOP calls for a discussion of the pathogenesis of DOP and the investigation of drugs to treat DOP. Recently, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have received more attention due to their significant role in cellular functions and bone formation. It is worth noting that ncRNAs have also been demonstrated to participate in the progression of DOP. Meanwhile, nano-delivery systems are considered a promising strategy to treat DOP because of their cellular targeting, sustained release, and controlled release characteristics. Additionally, the utilization of novel technologies such as the CRISPR system has expanded the scope of available options for treating DOP. Hence, this paper explores the functions and regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs in DOP and highlights the advantages of employing nanoparticle-based drug delivery techniques to treat DOP. Finally, this paper also explores the potential of ncRNAs as diagnostic DOP biomarkers.

ICD-related risk model predicts the prognosis and immunotherapy response of patients with liver cancer

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a novel cell death mechanism that activates and regulates the immune system against cancer. However, its prognostic value in liver cancer remains unclear. Here, several algorithms such as correlation analysis, Cox regression analysis, and Lasso regression analysis were carried out to evaluate the prognostic value of ICD-related genes in patients with liver cancer. Three ICD-related prognostic genes, the prion protein gene (PRNP), dynamin 1-like gene (DNM1L), and caspase-8 (CASP8), were identified and used to construct a risk signature. Patients with liver cancer were categorized into high- and low-risk groups using the ICD-related signature. Subsequently, a multivariate regression analysis revealed that the signature was an independent risk factor in liver cancer [hazard ratio (HR) = 6.839; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.625-78.785]. Patient survival was also predicted using the risk model, with area under the curve values of 0.75, 0.70, and 0.69 for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival, respectively. Finally, a prognostic nomogram containing the clinical characteristics and risk scores of patients was constructed. The constructed ICD-related signature could serve as a prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker in liver cancer.

Aucubin enhances the antitumor activity of cisplatin through the inhibition of PD-L1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in the world. However, the anticancer effects of aucubin against HCC have yet to be reported. Cisplatin often decreased CD8⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment through increasing programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, which seriously affected the prognostic effect of cisplatin in the treatment of patients with HCC. Therefore, it is necessary to identify a novel therapeutic avenue to increase the sensitivity of cisplatin against HCC.

PURPOSE

This study aims to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of aucubin on HCC, and also to reveal the synergistic effects and mechanism of aucubin and cisplatin against HCC.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

An H22 xenograft mouse model was established for the in vivo experiments. Cancer cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. RT-qPCR was performed to analyze CD274 mRNA expression in vitro. Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of the PD-L1, p-Akt, Akt, p-β-catenin, and β-catenin in vitro. Immunofluorescence was carried out to examine β-catenin nuclear accumulation in HCC cells. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tumoral PD-L1 and CD8α expression in xenograft mouse model.

RESULTS

Aucubin inhibits tumor growth in a xenograft HCC mouse model, but did not affect HCC cell viability in vitro. Aucubin treatment significantly inhibited PD-L1 expression through inactivating Akt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCC cells. Overexpression of PD-L1 dramatically reversed aucubin-mediated tumoral CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and alleviated the antitumor activity of aucubin in xenograft mouse model. Moreover, Cisplatin could induce the expression of PD-L1 through the activation of the Akt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCC cells, which can be blocked by aucubin in vitro. In xenograft mouse model, cisplatin treatment induced PD-L1 expression and alleviated the infiltration of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment. Aucubin not only abrogated cisplatin-induced PD-L1 expression but also enhanced the antitumor efficacy of cisplatin in a mouse xenograft model of HCC.

CONCLUSION

Aucubin exerts antitumor activity against HCC and also enhances the antitumor activity of cisplatin by suppressing the Akt/β-catenin/PD-L1 axis.