1
|
Thu Nguyen T, Van Tran K, Cam Ho T, Xuan Nguyen H, Trong Nguyen T. A systematic analysis with the hierarchical cluster analysis strategy on the complex interaction of TERT and CTNNB1 somatic mutations in Vietnamese hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Gene 2024; 927:148646. [PMID: 38851365 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and β-catenin (CTNNB1) mutations may occur following the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathway signal. We conducted a Hierarchical cluster analysis study on 408 patients diagnosed with HCC by pathological surgery, identifying TERT promoter and CTNNB1 exon 3 mutations by sequencing. The overall preclinical characteristics, cumulative cut-point values, and the factors associated with these somatic mutations were analyzed in uni/multidimensional scaling model. HBV(+) HCV(-) HCC male patients who were older than 62.74 years old and have TERT promoter mutation as well as AFP > 489.78 ng/ml got a higher risk of HCC grade more than two from 27 % to 200 % with p < 0.05 (RR are from 1.27 [1.09-1.47] to 3.06 [2.04-4.61]). This mutation was a good indicator of grade 2 risk (HR = 0.37 [2.72-0.16], β = -1.00, p = 0.019). TERT promoter and CTNNB1 exon 3 mutations independently influenced tumor size and tumor site status in grade 3 and HBV(-) HCV (-) male HCC patients, where the hazard rates, respectively, were 0.28 [0.09-0.89], 0.023 [0.0023-0.23] and 0.06 [0.012-0.32] (β < 0 and p < 0.01). These two mutations inversely impacted each other the tumor sites status, especially in male HCC patients with grade 2 without B, C hepatitis virus (RRCTNNB1 exon 3 mutate - TERT promoter wildtype = 1.12 [1.04-1.20], p < 0.05). Consequently, the mutations in TERT promoter and CTNNB1 exon 3 may synchronize with other factors or independently impact the hepatocarcinogenesis and are important indicators for HCC prognostic in male patients with very high AFP levels or with moderately as well as poorly differentiated in tumor. Our results serve as the basis for further studies to understand the impact of different factors on the outcome of HCC, especially in monitoring and assessing the cancer risk of patients infect HBV and carry mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thuy Thu Nguyen
- Center for Gene and Protein Research, Hanoi Medical University, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Khanh Van Tran
- Center for Gene and Protein Research, Hanoi Medical University, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Tu Cam Ho
- Center for Gene and Protein Research, Hanoi Medical University, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam; Institute of Virology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Hau Xuan Nguyen
- Department of Oncology, Hanoi Medical University, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Tue Trong Nguyen
- Medical Laboratory Department, Hanoi Medical University, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam; Clinical Laboratory Department, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, 116177 Hanoi, Viet Nam.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Song P, Gao Z, Bao Y, Chen L, Huang Y, Liu Y, Dong Q, Wei X. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in carcinogenesis and cancer therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:46. [PMID: 38886806 PMCID: PMC11184729 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01563-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, encompassing development, tissue homeostasis, and cell proliferation. Under normal physiological conditions, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is meticulously regulated. However, aberrant activation of this pathway and downstream target genes can occur due to mutations in key components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, epigenetic modifications, and crosstalk with other signaling pathways. Consequently, these dysregulations contribute significantly to tumor initiation and progression. Therapies targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling transduction have exhibited promising prospects and potential for tumor treatment. An increasing number of medications targeting this pathway are continuously being developed and validated. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the latest advances in our understanding of the role played by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in carcinogenesis and targeted therapy, providing valuable insights into acknowledging current opportunities and challenges associated with targeting this signaling pathway in cancer research and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pan Song
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Zirui Gao
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yige Bao
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Li Chen
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuhe Huang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Dong
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China.
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Matsumoto S, Kikuchi A. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in liver biology and tumorigenesis. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024; 60:466-481. [PMID: 38379098 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-024-00858-7] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that controls fundamental physiological and pathological processes by regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway enables liver homeostasis by inducing differentiation and contributes to liver-specific features such as metabolic zonation and regeneration. In contrast, abnormalities in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway promote the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Similarly, hepatoblastoma, the most common childhood liver cancer, is frequently associated with β-catenin mutations, which activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. HCCs with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway have unique gene expression patterns and pathological and clinical features. Accordingly, they are highly differentiated with retaining hepatocyte-like characteristics and tumorigenic. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HCC also alters the state of immune cells, causing "immune evasion" with inducing resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have recently become widely used to treat HCC. Activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling exhibits these phenomena in liver tumorigenesis through the expression of downstream target genes, and the molecular basis is still poorly understood. In this review, we describe the physiological roles of Wnt/b-catenin signaling and then discuss their characteristic changes by the abnormal activation of Wnt/b-catenin signaling. Clarification of the mechanism would contribute to the development of therapeutic agents in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Matsumoto
- Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Akira Kikuchi
- Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center of Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
He T, Zou J, Sun K, Yang J. Global research status and frontiers on autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive bibliometric and visualized analysis. Int J Surg 2024; 110:2788-2802. [PMID: 38376850 PMCID: PMC11093451 DOI: 10.1097/js9.0000000000001202] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An extensive body of research has explored the role of autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), revealing its critical involvement in the disease's pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic targeting. However, there is a discernible deficit in quantitative, analytical studies concerning autophagy in the context of HCC. Accordingly, this investigation endeavored to meticulously assess the evolution of autophagy research, employing bibliometric citation analysis to offer a comprehensive evaluation of the findings in this field. METHODS The authors conducted a literature search on 2 August 2023, to extract relevant publications spanning from 2013 to 2022, indexed in the Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCIE) of the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). Subsequently, the authors performed a bibliometric assessment of the compiled documents using visualization tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer. RESULTS The search yielded 734 publications penned by 4699 authors, encompassing contributions from 41 countries and 909 institutions, disseminated across 272 journals, and comprising 26 295 co-cited references from 2667 journals. Notably, China led in publication volume with 264 articles (amounting to 35.9%) and exhibited the most robust collaboration with the United States. The mechanisms underlying autophagy's influence on the emergence and advancement of HCC, as well as the implicated proteins and genes, have garnered significant attention. In recent years, investigations of targeting autophagy and the resistance to sorafenib have surfaced as pivotal themes and emerging frontiers in this domain. CONCLUSIONS This study rigorously collated and distilled the prevailing research narratives and novel insights on autophagy in HCC. The resultant synthesis provides a substantive foundation for medical professionals and researchers, as well as pivotal implications for future investigative endeavors in this arena.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery
| | - Jieyu Zou
- Department of Oncology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ke Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wen KW, Kakar S. Hepatic Precancerous Lesions and Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 2024; 53:109-132. [PMID: 38280744 DOI: 10.1016/j.gtc.2023.11.005] [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] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
This review discusses the diagnostic challenges of diagnosing and treating precursor lesions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic livers. The distinction of high-grade dysplastic nodule (the primary precursor lesion in cirrhotic liver) from early HCC is emphasized based on morphologic, immunohistochemical, and genomic features. The risk factors associated with HCC in hepatocellular adenomas (precursor lesion in non-cirrhotic liver) are delineated, and the risk in different subtypes is discussed with emphasis on terminology, diagnosis, and genomic features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kwun Wah Wen
- 505 Parnassus Avenue, M545, Box #0102, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Sanjay Kakar
- 505 Parnassus Avenue, M545, Box #0102, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lu G, Lin J, Song G, Chen M. Prognostic significance of CTNNB1 mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:9759-9778. [PMID: 37733676 PMCID: PMC10564414 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205047] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant cancers in humans and has a high fatality rate. In recent years, researchers have verified that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway affects the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with HCC. Although many studies have investigated the relationship between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and HCC, the prognostic value of β-catenin in HCC remains inconclusive. CTNNB1 (Catenin Beta-1) is an important factor in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. However, no consensus has been reached on the clinical and prognostic significance of CTNNB1 mutations in HCCs. METHODS Eligible studies and relevant data were obtained from PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier, Cochrane Library, Ovid, and Embase databases. The correlation between CTNNB1 mutations and clinical/prognosis of patients were evaluated. A fixed- or random-effects model was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Seventeen studies matched the selection criteria, and 1828 patients were included. This meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with HCC with CTNNB1 mutations had favorable clinicopathological features and survival. The combined ORs of 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival were0.52 (n = 6 studies, 95% CI: 0.34-0.81, Z = 2.89, P =0.004, 0.28 (n =6 studies, 95% CI: 0.18-0.42, Z = 6.03, P<0.00001), -0.22 (n = 6 studies, 95% CI: 0.37-0.06, Z = 2.78, P = 0.005), respectively. Additionally, CTNNB1 mutation might be significantly associated with differentiation (OR = 0.54, 95% CI:0.36-0.81, Z = 2.98, P = 0.003), TMN stages (Tumor, Node, Metastasis staging classification) (OR = -0.25, 95% CI:-0.33--0.18, Z = 6.60, P<0.00001), liver cirrhosis (OR = 0.21, 95% CI:0.11-0.39, Z = 4.94, P< = 0.00001), and HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) infection (OR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.31-0.64, Z = 4.37, P<0.0001), but not with tumor size, metastasis, vascular invasion, and HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS CTNNB1 mutation can serve as an indicator of favorable prognosis as well as a novel target for treatment in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Genlin Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Longyou People’s Hospital Affiliated with Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Quzhou 324400, China
| | - Jian Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Longyou People’s Hospital Affiliated with Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Quzhou 324400, China
| | - Guoqiang Song
- Department of Pulmonary, Department of Cancer Center, Changxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huzhou 313100, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Longyou People’s Hospital Affiliated with Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Quzhou 324400, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yang Y, Li G, Zhong Y, Xu Q, Lin YT, Roman-Vicharra C, Chapkin RS, Cai JJ. scTenifoldXct: A semi-supervised method for predicting cell-cell interactions and mapping cellular communication graphs. Cell Syst 2023; 14:302-311.e4. [PMID: 36787742 PMCID: PMC10121998 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
We present scTenifoldXct, a semi-supervised computational tool for detecting ligand-receptor (LR)-mediated cell-cell interactions and mapping cellular communication graphs. Our method is based on manifold alignment, using LR pairs as inter-data correspondences to embed ligand and receptor genes expressed in interacting cells into a unified latent space. Neural networks are employed to minimize the distance between corresponding genes while preserving the structure of gene regression networks. We apply scTenifoldXct to real datasets for testing and demonstrate that our method detects interactions with high consistency compared with other methods. More importantly, scTenifoldXct uncovers weak but biologically relevant interactions overlooked by other methods. We also demonstrate how scTenifoldXct can be used to compare different samples, such as healthy vs. diseased and wild type vs. knockout, to identify differential interactions, thereby revealing functional implications associated with changes in cellular communication status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongjian Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Guanxun Li
- Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yan Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Theory and Application in Statistics and Data Science-MOE, School of Statistics, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Qian Xu
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yu-Te Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cristhian Roman-Vicharra
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Robert S Chapkin
- Department of Nutrition and the Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - James J Cai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Interdisciplinary Program of Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kusnik A, Li S, Graziano E, Katerji R, Ramaraju G. A Case of a Beta-Catenin-Activated Hepatic Adenoma in a Male Patient With Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. ACG Case Rep J 2023; 10:e01012. [PMID: 36936132 PMCID: PMC10019209 DOI: 10.14309/crj.0000000000001012] [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: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular adenoma is a benign liver tumor often diagnosed incidentally in women of reproductive age who are taking oral contraceptives. In this study, we present a unique case of an 18-year-old man with known familial adenomatous polyposis who presented with sepsis in the setting of a recent total proctocolectomy and was incidentally found to have multiple large hepatic lesions. A biopsy of a liver lesion confirmed the diagnosis of a beta-catenin-activated hepatic adenoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known case of beta-catenin-activated hepatic adenoma in a patient with a known familial adenomatous polyposis mutation. Beta-catenin is one of the many subtypes of hepatocellular adenomas, which carries a high risk of malignant transformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Shifan Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Elliot Graziano
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Roula Katerji
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Gopal Ramaraju
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Maloberti T, De Leo A, Sanza V, Gruppioni E, Altimari A, Riefolo M, Visani M, Malvi D, D’Errico A, Tallini G, Vasuri F, de Biase D. Correlation of molecular alterations with pathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma: Literature review and experience of an Italian center. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:2854-2866. [PMID: 35978866 PMCID: PMC9280731 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i25.2854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the primary carcinoma of the liver and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The World Health Organization estimates an increase in cases in the coming years. The risk factors of HCC are multiple, and the incidence in different countries is closely related to the different risk factors to which the population is exposed. The molecular mechanisms that drive HCC tumorigenesis are extremely complex, but understanding this multistep process is essential for the identification of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers. The development of multigenic next-generation sequencing panels through the parallel analysis of multiple markers can provide a landscape of the genomic status of the tumor. Considering the literature and our preliminary data based on 36 HCCs, the most frequently altered genes in HCCs are TERT, CTNNB1, and TP53. Over the years, many groups have attempted to classify HCCs on a molecular basis, but a univocal classification has never been achieved. Nevertheless, statistically significant correlations have been found in HCCs between the molecular signature and morphologic features, and this leads us to think that it would be desirable to integrate the approach between anatomic pathology and molecular laboratories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thais Maloberti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonio De Leo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Viviana Sanza
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Elisa Gruppioni
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Annalisa Altimari
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Michela Visani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Deborah Malvi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonia D’Errico
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tallini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Francesco Vasuri
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Dario de Biase
- Department of Pharmacy and biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xu C, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Evert M, Calvisi DF, Chen X. β-Catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:154515. [PMID: 35166233 PMCID: PMC8843739 DOI: 10.1172/jci154515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling is one of the main genetic alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comprehensive genomic analyses have revealed that gain-of-function mutation of CTNNB1, which encodes β-catenin, and loss-of-function mutation of AXIN1 occur in approximately 35% of human HCC samples. Human HCCs with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway demonstrate unique gene expression patterns and pathological features. Activated Wnt/β-catenin synergizes with multiple signaling cascades to drive HCC formation, and it functions through its downstream effectors. Therefore, strategies targeting Wnt/β-catenin have been pursued as possible therapeutics against HCC. Here, we review the genetic alterations and oncogenic roles of aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, we discuss the implication of this pathway in HCC diagnosis, classification, and personalized treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuanrui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Matthias Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Panday R, Monckton CP, Khetani SR. The Role of Liver Zonation in Physiology, Regeneration, and Disease. Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:1-16. [PMID: 35120381 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1742279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
As blood flows from the portal triad to the central vein, cell-mediated depletion establishes gradients of soluble factors such as oxygen, nutrients, and hormones, which act through molecular pathways (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog) to spatially regulate hepatocyte functions along the sinusoid. Such "zonation" can lead to the compartmentalized initiation of several liver diseases, including alcoholic/non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, chemical/drug-induced toxicity, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and can also modulate liver regeneration. Transgenic rodent models provide valuable information on the key molecular regulators of zonation, while in vitro models allow for subjecting cells to precisely controlled factor gradients and elucidating species-specific differences in zonation. Here, we discuss the latest advances in both in vivo and in vitro models of liver zonation and pending questions to be addressed moving forward. Ultimately, obtaining a deeper understanding of zonation can lead to the development of more effective therapeutics for liver diseases, microphysiological systems, and scalable cell-based therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Regeant Panday
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Chase P Monckton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Salman R Khetani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rahadiani N, Andhini Retnowulan I, Stephanie M, Rini Handjari D, Krisnuhoni E. β-Catenin Expression and Its Association with Prognostic Factors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Study on Alpha-fetoprotein, Histologic Grade, and Microvascular Invasion. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.6123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer. In addition to its high incidence, the disease burden is high due to its poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. Some of the currently known clinicopathologic prognostic factors include alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, histologic grade, and microvascular invasion. At the molecular level, β-catenin is one of the most common driver mutation found in HCC. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates cellular processes related to initiation, growth, survival, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis. Although the underlying pathogenesis of hepatocarcinogenesis is known, clinical application warrants a greater understanding of the molecular characteristics and tumor phenotype, especially for determining the prognosis. This study aims to analyze the expression of β-catenin and its association with AFP, histologic grade, and microvascular invasion. Materials and methods. Thirty-five samples of surgically resected HCCs at Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital were examined. Diagnoses were made based on histopathological and immunohistochemical findings followed by β-catenin staining. β-catenin expression was analyzed to determine difference between variables. Results and conclusions. Here we show that β-catenin expression is significantly associated with low serum alpha-fetoprotein and well to moderate differentiation Implications. Strong nuclear β-catenin expression implies better prognosis in HCC.
Collapse
|
13
|
Ye W, Siwko S, Tsai RYL. Sex and Race-Related DNA Methylation Changes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083820. [PMID: 33917049 PMCID: PMC8067720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The number of HCC cases continues to rise despite advances in screening and therapeutic inventions. More importantly, HCC poses two major health disparity issues. First, HCC occurs more commonly in men than women. Second, with the global increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), it has also become evident that HCC is more prevalent in some races and/or ethnic groups compared to others, depending on its predisposing etiology. Most studies on HCC in the past have been focused on genetic factors as the driving force for HCC development, and the results revealed that genetic mutations associated with HCC are often heterogeneous and involve multiple pathogenic pathways. An emerging new research field is epigenetics, in which gene expression is modified without altering DNA sequences. In this article, we focus on reviewing current knowledge on HCC-related DNA methylation changes that show disparities among different sexes or different racial/ethnic groups, in an effort to establish a point of departure for resolving the broader issue of health disparities in gastrointestinal malignancies using cutting-edge epigenetic approaches.
Collapse
|
14
|
Peretinoin, an Acyclic Retinoid, for the Secondary Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26020295. [PMID: 33435572 PMCID: PMC7827668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The high rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after initially successful curative therapy emphasize ongoing unmet needs to prevent or reduce HCC recurrence. Retinoid acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A and its related analogues (termed retinoids) has been suggested as a promising chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment. The synthetic oral retinoid peretinoin is the only agent for the secondary chemoprevention of HCC after curative therapy that is currently well applied into clinical development. Here we present an updated summary of the molecular pathogenesis of HCC and of preclinical and clinical findings with peretinoin, including its clinical characteristics, safety and tolerability profile and future perspectives for clinical use.
Collapse
|
15
|
Hu H, Zhang W, Zhi T, Li J, Wen Y, Li F, Mei Y, Huang D. Genotypic Characteristics of Hepatoblastoma as Detected by Next Generation Sequencing and Their Correlation With Clinical Efficacy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:628531. [PMID: 34426785 PMCID: PMC8379014 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.628531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common malignant embryonic liver tumor type in children under 3 years of age. In the present study, the next generation sequencing (NGS) method was used to detect the genotype characteristics of HB and summarize the correlation between the common mutation genotypes noted in this disease and the clinical treatment and prognosis. The results may aid clinical prognosis and the successful application of targeted drugs. METHODS Initially, DNA was extracted from tumor tissue specimens and peripheral blood derived from 19 pediatric patients with HB. Subsequently, DNA panel and NGS methods were used to detect tumor diagnosis and the expression levels of treatment-associated genes, followed by the summary of genotype characteristics. In addition, in order to further assess the application of immunotherapy in HB, immunohistochemical detection of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PDL1) was performed in combination with tumor mutation burden (TMB) and DNA mismatch repair status analysis. Furthermore, the clinical treatment effect and prognosis of the pediatric patients were statistically analyzed according to the characteristics of the genotype. Overall prognosis and prognostic analyses in different groups were performed by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests, respectively. Finally, expression validation and diagnostic analysis of commonly reported genes were performed in the GSE75271 dataset, which was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. RESULTS In the present study, certain mutated genes, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2), catenin β1 (CTNNB1), MYCN, tumor protein p53, axis inhibition protein 1 (AXIN1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) were associated with the pathogenesis of HB. During TMB and DNA mismatch repair status analyses, pediatric patients had a low TMB. All of them did not present with microsatellite instability. The immunohistochemical results indicated lower expression levels of PDL1 in HB. The complete remission (CR) rate of pediatric patients in the gene abnormality group was lower than that of the non-reported disease-associated gene abnormality group. The 2-year overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate of 19 pediatric patients with HB were 72.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that CTNNB1, NFE2L2, AXIN1, APC, MYCN and insulin growth factor 2 (IGF2) may be potential biomarkers that could be used for the diagnosis of HB. CONCLUSION The genotype changes in HB were more common and the CR rate of the pediatric patients with an altered genotype was lower than that of pediatric patients without an altered genotype. In addition, pediatric patients with HB exhibited lower TMB compared with adult patients. Moreover, the data indicated that CTNNB1, NFE2L2, AXIN1, APC, MYCN and IGF2 may be potential biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis of HB.
Collapse
|
16
|
Tabibzadeh A, Tameshkel FS, Moradi Y, Soltani S, Moradi-Lakeh M, Ashrafi GH, Motamed N, Zamani F, Motevalian SA, Panahi M, Esghaei M, Ajdarkosh H, Mousavi-Jarrahi A, Niya MHK. Signal transduction pathway mutations in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18713. [PMID: 33127962 PMCID: PMC7599243 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73770-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of the signaling pathways mutation rate in the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancers in a systematic review and meta-analysis study. The study was performed based on the PRISMA criteria. Random models by confidence interval (CI: 95%) were used to calculate the pooled estimate of prevalence via Metaprop command. The pooled prevalence indices of signal transduction pathway mutations in gastric cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer were 5% (95% CI: 3-8%), 12% (95% CI: 8-18%), 17% (95% CI: 14-20%), and 20% (95% CI: 5-41%), respectively. Also, the mutation rates for Wnt pathway and MAPK pathway were calculated to be 23% (95% CI, 14-33%) and 20% (95% CI, 17-24%), respectively. Moreover, the most popular genes were APC (in Wnt pathway), KRAS (in MAPK pathway) and PIK3CA (in PI3K pathway) in the colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and gastric cancer while they were beta-catenin and CTNNB1 in liver cancer. The most altered pathway was Wnt pathway followed by the MAPK pathway. In addition, pancreatic cancer was found to be higher under the pressure of mutation compared with others based on pooled prevalence analysis. Finally, APC mutations in colorectal cancer, KRAS in gastric cancer, and pancreatic cancer were mostly associated gene alterations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Tabibzadeh
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Safarnezhad Tameshkel
- Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yousef Moradi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Saber Soltani
- Department of Virology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maziar Moradi-Lakeh
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - G Hossein Ashrafi
- Cancer Theme SEC Faculty, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, London, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Nima Motamed
- Department of Social Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Farhad Zamani
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Abbas Motevalian
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahshid Panahi
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Esghaei
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Ajdarkosh
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Nakayama J, Gong Z. Transgenic zebrafish for modeling hepatocellular carcinoma. MedComm (Beijing) 2020; 1:140-156. [PMID: 34766114 PMCID: PMC8491243 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer‐related deaths throughout the world, and more than 0.6 million people die from liver cancer annually. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies to eliminate malignant cells from liver cancer patients are urgently needed. Recent advances in high‐throughput genomic technologies have identified de novo candidates for oncogenes and pharmacological targets. However, testing and understanding the mechanism of oncogenic transformation as well as probing the kinetics and therapeutic responses of spontaneous tumors in an intact microenvironment require in vivo examination using genetically modified animal models. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has attracted increasing attention as a new model for studying cancer biology since the organs in the model are strikingly similar to human organs and the model can be genetically modified in a short time and at a low cost. This review summarizes the current knowledge of epidemiological data and genetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), zebrafish models of HCC, and potential therapeutic strategies for targeting HCC based on knowledge from the models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joji Nakayama
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Investigation of CTNNB1 gene mutations and expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in association with hepatitis B virus infection. Infect Agent Cancer 2020; 15:37. [PMID: 32514293 PMCID: PMC7268324 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-020-00297-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), along with Hepatitis C virus chronic infection, represents a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, molecular mechanisms involved in the development of HCC are not yet completely understood. Recent studies have indicated that mutations in CTNNB1 gene encoding for β-catenin protein lead to aberrant activation of the Wnt/ β-catenin pathway. The mutations in turn activate several downstream genes, including c-Myc, promoting the neoplastic process. The present study evaluated the mutational profile of the CTNNB1 gene and expression levels of CTNNB1 and c-Myc genes in HBV-related HCC, as well as in cirrhotic and control tissues. Mutational analysis of the β-catenin gene and HBV genotyping were conducted by direct sequencing. Expression of β-catenin and c-Myc genes was assessed using real-time PCR. Among the HCC cases, 18.1% showed missense point mutation in exon 3 of CTNNB1, more frequently in codons 32, 33, 38 and 45. The frequency of mutation in the hotspots of exon 3 was significantly higher in non-viral HCCs (29.4%) rather than HBV-related cases (12.7%, P = 0.021). The expression of β-catenin and c-Myc genes was found upregulated in cirrhotic tissues in association with HBV infection. Mutations at both phosphorylation and neighboring sites were associated with increased activity of the Wnt pathway. The results demonstrated that mutated β-catenin caused activation of the Wnt pathway, but the rate of CTNNB1 gene mutations was not related to HBV infection. HBV factors may deregulate the Wnt pathway by causing epigenetic alterations in the HBV-related HCC.
Collapse
|
19
|
Patel SB, McCormack C, Hodge JC. Non-fusion mutations in endometrial stromal sarcomas: what is the potential impact on tumourigenesis through cell cycle dysregulation? J Clin Pathol 2020; 73:830-835. [PMID: 32385140 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2020-206432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Targeted next-generation sequencing using the 50-gene Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 identified two significant point mutations in endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS). Case 1 is a uterine mass from a quadragenarian woman with a karyotype lacking any known ESS rearrangements but demonstrated to have a CTNNB1-activating mutation (c.133T>C, p.[Ser45Pro]). Analysis of a uterine mass from case 2, a sexagenarian woman, revealed biallelic CDKN2A-inactivating mutations (c.172C>T, p.[Arg58Ter] and a deletion). Break-apart studies to identify YWHAE, JAZF1 and PHF1 rearrangements were negative in both tumours. We propose a model in which these point mutations may affect cell proliferation, converging at Wnt signalling and G1-S checkpoint control, that independently or in concert with a rare gene fusion result in ESS tumour development or progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Snehal B Patel
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Molecular Diagnostics Section, Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Strata Oncology, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Colin McCormack
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Temple, Temple, TX, United States
| | - Jennelle C Hodge
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA .,Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abdou AG, Holah NS, Elazab DS, El-Gendy WG, Badr MT, Al-Sharaky DR. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Score and Subclassification Into Aggressive Subtypes Using Immunohistochemical Expression of p53, β-Catenin, CD133, and Ki-67. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 2020; 29:20-33. [PMID: 32287076 DOI: 10.1097/pai.0000000000000840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic malignancy in adults. Several studies have classified HCC into molecular subtypes aiming at detecting aggressive subtypes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of p53, β-catenin, CD133, and Ki-67 in subclassification of HCC into different aggressive subtypes and the correlation between those markers and the clinicopathologic characteristics of HCC patients. This retrospective study was conducted on paraffin-embedded blocks of 114 HCC specimens. Tissue microarray was constructed and immunostaining for p53, β-catenin, CD133, and Ki-67 was performed and HCC score was formulated. P53 expression was associated with old age (P=0.028), large tumor size (P=0.019), poorly differentiated HCC (P=0.012), hepatitis B virus (HBV) positivity (P=0.032), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) negativity (P =0.046). β-catenin expression was associated with small sized tumors (P=0.005), HBV negativity (P=0.027), early-staged tumors (P=0.029), and prolonged recurrence-free survival (P=0.045). High percentage of CD133 expression was associated with old patients (P=0.035) and HBV positivity (P= 0.045). Ki-67 expression was associated with large tumor size (P= 0.049), vascular invasion (P= 0.05), old age (P=0.035), and previous treatment of HCV by direct acting antiviral agents (P=0.005). Cases with high HCC score showed significant association with old patients (P=0.002), previous treatment of HCV by direct acting antiviral agents (P<0.001), large tumor size (P<0.001), and poorly differentiated tumors (P= 0.009). The proposed HCC score can divide HCC patients into subtypes necessitating tailoring of treatment strategy according to this proposed score to target and optimally treat the aggressive subtypes. This score needs to be further validated on large number of patients with longer follow-up period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dina S Elazab
- National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt
| | - Walaa G El-Gendy
- National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt
| | - Mohammed T Badr
- National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Shizu R, Yoshinari K. Nuclear receptor CAR-mediated liver cancer and its species differences. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2020; 16:343-351. [PMID: 32202166 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2020.1746268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The nuclear receptor CAR plays an important role in the regulation of hepatic responses to xenobiotic exposure, including the induction of hepatocyte proliferation and chemical carcinogenesis. Phenobarbital, a well-known liver cancer promoter, has been found to promote hepatocyte proliferation via CAR activation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CAR induces liver carcinogenesis remain unknown. In addition, it is believed that CAR-mediated liver carcinogenesis shows a species difference; phenobarbital treatment induces hepatocyte proliferation and liver cancer in rodents but not in humans. However, the mechanisms are also unknown.Areas covered: Several reports indicate that the key oncogenic signaling pathways Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP are involved in CAR-mediated liver carcinogenesis. We introduce current data about the possible molecular mechanisms involved in CAR-mediated liver carcinogenesis and species differences by focusing on these two signaling pathways.Expert opinion: CAR may activate both the Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways. The synergistic activation of both signaling pathways seems to be important for CAR-mediated liver cancer development. Low homology between the ligand binding domains of human CAR and rodent CAR might cause species differences in the interactions with proteins that control the Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP pathways as well as liver cancer induction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Shizu
- Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kouichi Yoshinari
- Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Lombardo D, Saitta C, Giosa D, Di Tocco FC, Musolino C, Caminiti G, Chines V, Franzè MS, Alibrandi A, Navarra G, Raimondo G, Pollicino T. Frequency of somatic mutations in TERT promoter, TP53 and CTNNB1 genes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from Southern Italy. Oncol Lett 2020; 19:2368-2374. [PMID: 32194736 PMCID: PMC7039085 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatic mutations in the TERT promoter and in the TP53 and CTNNB1 genes are considered drivers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. They show variable frequencies in different geographic areas, possibly depending on liver disease etiology and environmental factors. TP53, CTNNB1 and TERT genetic mutations were investigated in tumor and non-tumor liver tissues from 67 patients with HCC and liver tissue specimens from 41 control obese subjects from Southern Italy. Furthermore, TERT expression was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Neither CTNNB1 mutations or TP53 R249S substitution were detected in any case. The TP53 R72P polymorphism was found in 10/67 (14.9%) tumors, but was not found in either non-tumor tissues (P=0.001) or controls (P=0.009). TERT gene promoter mutations were found in 29/67 (43.3%) tumor tissues but were not found in either non-tumor (P<0.0001) or control liver specimens (P<0.0001). The most frequent mutation in the tumors was the known hot spot at -124 bp from the TERT ATG start site (-124G>A, 28 cases, 41.8%; P<0.0001). A new previously never reported TERT promoter mutation (at -297 bp from the ATG, -297C>T) was found in 5/67 (7.5%) tumors, in 0/67 (0%) non-tumor (P<0.0001), and in 0/41 (0%) controls (P=0.07). This mutation creates an AP2 consensus sequence, and was found alone (1 case) or in combination (4 cases) with the -124 bp mutation. The mutation at -124 and -297 bp induced a 33-fold (P<0.0001) and 40-fold increase of TERT expression levels, respectively. When both mutations were present, TERT expression levels were increased >300-fold (P=0.001). A new TERT promoter mutation was identified, which generates a de novo binding motif for AP2 transcription factors, and which significantly increases TERT promoter transcriptional activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Lombardo
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Carlo Saitta
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Domenico Giosa
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesca Casuscelli Di Tocco
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Cristina Musolino
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Caminiti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Valeria Chines
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Stella Franzè
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Angela Alibrandi
- Department of Economics, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Navarra
- Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Raimondo
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Teresa Pollicino
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.,Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital 'G. Martino' of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ljungberg JK, Kling JC, Tran TT, Blumenthal A. Functions of the WNT Signaling Network in Shaping Host Responses to Infection. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2521. [PMID: 31781093 PMCID: PMC6857519 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-established that aberrant WNT expression and signaling is associated with developmental defects, malignant transformation and carcinogenesis. More recently, WNT ligands have emerged as integral components of host responses to infection but their functions in the context of immune responses are incompletely understood. Roles in the modulation of inflammatory cytokine production, host cell intrinsic innate defense mechanisms, as well as the bridging of innate and adaptive immunity have been described. To what degree WNT responses are defined by the nature of the invading pathogen or are specific for subsets of host cells is currently not well-understood. Here we provide an overview of WNT responses during infection with phylogenetically diverse pathogens and highlight functions of WNT ligands in the host defense against infection. Detailed understanding of how the WNT network orchestrates immune cell functions will not only improve our understanding of the fundamental principles underlying complex immune response, but also help identify therapeutic opportunities or potential risks associated with the pharmacological targeting of the WNT network, as currently pursued for novel therapeutics in cancer and bone disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna K Ljungberg
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jessica C Kling
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Thao Thanh Tran
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Antje Blumenthal
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zulfiqar M, Sirlin CB, Yoneda N, Ronot M, Hecht EM, Chernyak V, Matsui O, Bastati N, Ba‐Ssalamah A, Chatterjee D, Bashir M, Fowler KJ. Hepatocellular adenomas: Understanding the pathomolecular lexicon, MRI features, terminology, and pitfalls to inform a standardized approach. J Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 51:1630-1640. [DOI: 10.1002/jmri.26902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Zulfiqar
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine St Louis Missouri USA
| | - Claude B. Sirlin
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of California San Diego San Diego California USA
| | | | - Maxime Ronot
- Department of RadiologyHôpitaux Universitaires Paris Nord Val de Seine, Cinchy France
| | | | - Victoria Chernyak
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical CenterAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York New York USA
| | - Osamu Matsui
- Department of RadiologyKanazawa University Japan
| | - Nina Bastati
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image‐guided therapyMedical University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Ahmed Ba‐Ssalamah
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image‐guided therapyMedical University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Deyali Chatterjee
- Department of PathologyWashington University School of Medicine St Louis Missouri USA
| | - Mustafa Bashir
- Department of RadiologyDuke University Durham North Carolina USA
| | - Kathryn J. Fowler
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of California San Diego San Diego California USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Humanized Mouse Models for the Study of Hepatitis C and Host Interactions. Cells 2019; 8:cells8060604. [PMID: 31213010 PMCID: PMC6627916 DOI: 10.3390/cells8060604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is commonly attributed as a major cause of chronic hepatotropic diseases, such as, steatosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As HCV infects only humans and primates, its narrow host tropism hampers in vivo studies of HCV-mammalian host interactions and the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines. In this context, we will focus our discussion on humanized mice in HCV research. Here, these humanized mice are defined as animal models that encompass either only human hepatocytes or both human liver and immune cells. Aspects related to immunopathogenesis, anti-viral interventions, drug testing and perspectives of these models for future HCV research will be discussed.
Collapse
|
26
|
Heterogeneity and coexistence of oncogenic mechanisms involved in HCV-associated B-cell lymphomas. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2019; 138:156-171. [PMID: 31092372 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The association of HCV-infection with B-lymphomas is supported by the regression of most indolent/low-grade lymphomas following anti-viral therapy. Studies on direct and indirect oncogenic mechanisms have elucidated the pathogenesis of HCV-associated B-lymphoma subtypes. These include B-lymphocyte proliferation and sustained clonal expansion by HCV-envelope protein stimulation of B-cell receptors, and prolonged HCV-infected B-cell growth by overexpression of an anti-apoptotic BCL-2 oncogene caused by the increased frequency of t(14;18) chromosomal translocations in follicular lymphomas. HCV has been implicated in lymphomagenesis by a "hit-and-run" mechanism, inducing enhanced mutation rate in immunoglobulins and anti-oncogenes favoring immune escape, due to permanent genetic damage by double-strand DNA-breaks. More direct oncogenic mechanisms have been identified in cytokines and chemokines in relation to NS3 and Core expression, particularly in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. By reviewing genetic alterations and disrupted signaling pathways, we intend to highlight how mutually non-contrasting mechanisms cooperate with environmental factors toward progression of HCV-lymphoma.
Collapse
|
27
|
AKIP1 promotes early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma through activating the Wnt/β-catenin/CBP signaling pathway. Oncogene 2019; 38:5516-5529. [PMID: 30936461 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0807-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main obstacle for long-term survival of patients. Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been involved in the development and progression of HCC. However, the molecular changes that link Wnt/β-catenin activation and HCC early recurrence remain poorly understood. Here we identified AKIP1 as a binding partner of β-catenin. AKIP1 interacted with and sustained β-catenin in the nuclear by blocking its interaction with adenomatous polyposis coli protein (APC). Moreover, AKIP1 enhanced the protein kinase A catalytic subunit (PKAc)-mediated phosphorylation of β-catenin, leading to recruitment of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CBP) and activation of β-catenin downstream transcription. Increased AKIP1 expression was observed in HCC clinical samples and correlated with early recurrence and poor prognosis of HCC. AKIP1 promoted invasion and colony outgrowth in vitro and increased intrahepatic and lung metastasis in vivo. Treatment with a CBP inhibitor ICG-001 effectively inhibited the metastatic progression of HCC tumors that had elevated AKIP1 in both cell line and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Our findings not only establish AKIP1 as a novel regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling as well as HCC early recurrence but also highlight targeting the AKIP1/β-catenin/CBP axis as attractive therapies for combating HCC metastatic relapse.
Collapse
|
28
|
Wang Z, Liu CH, Huang S, Chen J. Wnt Signaling in vascular eye diseases. Prog Retin Eye Res 2018; 70:110-133. [PMID: 30513356 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in vascular morphogenesis in various organs including the eye. Wnt ligands and receptors are key regulators of ocular angiogenesis both during the eye development and in vascular eye diseases. Wnt signaling participates in regulating multiple vascular beds in the eye including regression of the hyaloid vessels, and development of structured layers of vasculature in the retina. Loss-of-function mutations in Wnt signaling components cause rare genetic eye diseases in humans such as Norrie disease, and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) with defective ocular vasculature. On the other hand, experimental studies in more prevalent vascular eye diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and corneal neovascularization, suggest that aberrantly increased Wnt signaling is one of the causations for pathological ocular neovascularization, indicating the potential of modulating Wnt signaling to ameliorate pathological angiogenesis in eye diseases. This review recapitulates the key roles of the Wnt signaling pathway during ocular vascular development and in vascular eye diseases, and pharmaceutical approaches targeting the Wnt signaling as potential treatment options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongxiao Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Chi-Hsiu Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Shuo Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Mattu S, Saliba C, Sulas P, Zavattari P, Perra A, Kowalik MA, Monga SP, Columbano A. High Frequency of β-Catenin Mutations in Mouse Hepatocellular Carcinomas Induced by a Nongenotoxic Constitutive Androstane Receptor Agonist. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:2497-2507. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
30
|
Virzì A, Roca Suarez AA, Baumert TF, Lupberger J. Oncogenic Signaling Induced by HCV Infection. Viruses 2018; 10:v10100538. [PMID: 30279347 PMCID: PMC6212953 DOI: 10.3390/v10100538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is frequently exposed to toxins, metabolites, and oxidative stress, which can challenge organ function and genomic stability. Liver regeneration is therefore a highly regulated process involving several sequential signaling events. It is thus not surprising that individual oncogenic mutations in hepatocytes do not necessarily lead to cancer and that the genetic profiles of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are highly heterogeneous. Long-term infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) creates an oncogenic environment by a combination of viral protein expression, persistent liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and chronically deregulated signaling events that cumulate as a tipping point for genetic stability. Although novel direct-acting antivirals (DAA)-based treatments efficiently eradicate HCV, the associated HCC risk cannot be fully eliminated by viral cure in patients with advanced liver disease. This suggests that HCV may persistently deregulate signaling pathways beyond viral cure and thereby continue to perturb cancer-relevant gene function. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about oncogenic signaling pathways derailed by chronic HCV infection. This will not only help to understand the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis but will also highlight potential chemopreventive strategies to help patients with a high-risk profile of developing HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Virzì
- Inserm, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Armando Andres Roca Suarez
- Inserm, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Thomas F Baumert
- Inserm, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
- Pôle Hépato-digestif, Institut Hospitalo-universitaire, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Joachim Lupberger
- Inserm, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Khanizadeh S, Hasanvand B, Esmaeil Lashgarian H, Almasian M, Goudarzi G. Interaction of viral oncogenic proteins with the Wnt signaling pathway. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2018; 21:651-659. [PMID: 30140402 PMCID: PMC6098952 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2018.28903.6982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
It is estimated that up to 20% of all types of human cancers worldwide are attributed to viruses. The genome of oncogenic viruses carries genes that have protein products that act as oncoproteins in cell proliferation and transformation. The modulation of cell cycle control mechanisms, cellular regulatory and signaling pathways by oncogenic viruses, plays an important role in viral carcinogenesis. Different signaling pathways play a part in the carcinogenesis that occurs in a cell. Among these pathways, the Wnt signaling pathway plays a predominant role in carcinogenesis and is known as a central cellular pathway in the development of tumors. There are three Wnt signaling pathways that are well identified, including the canonical or Wnt/β-catenin dependent pathway, the noncanonical or β-catenin-independent planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, and the noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ pathway. Most of the oncogenic viruses modulate the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. This review discusses the interaction between proteins of several human oncogenic viruses with the Wnt signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sayyad Khanizadeh
- Hepatitis Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Banafsheh Hasanvand
- Hepatitis Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Almasian
- Department of English Language, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Khalaf AM, Fuentes D, Morshid AI, Burke MR, Kaseb AO, Hassan M, Hazle JD, Elsayes KM. Role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma, pathogenesis, and clinical significance. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2018; 5:61-73. [PMID: 29984212 PMCID: PMC6027703 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s156701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary hepatic malignancies and one of the fastest-growing causes of cancer-related mortality in the United States. The molecular basis of HCC carcinogenesis has not been clearly identified. Among the molecular signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the most frequently activated. A great effort is under way to clearly understand the role of this pathway in the pathogenesis of HCC and its role in the transition from chronic liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, to hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) and HCCs and its targetability in novel therapies. In this article, we review the role of the β-catenin pathway in hepatocarcinogenesis and progression from chronic inflammation to HCC, the novel potential treatments targeting the pathway and its prognostic role in HCC patients, as well as the imaging features of HCC and their association with aberrant activation of the pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Khalaf
- Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David Fuentes
- Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ali I Morshid
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA,
| | - Mata R Burke
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Ahmed O Kaseb
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Manal Hassan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John D Hazle
- Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Khaled M Elsayes
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA,
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Lee SE, Chang SH, Kim WY, Lim SD, Kim WS, Hwang TS, Han HS. Frequent somatic TERT promoter mutations and CTNNB1 mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:69267-69275. [PMID: 27661004 PMCID: PMC5342476 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic alterations of TERT and CTNNB1 have been documented in hepatocellular carcinoma. TERT promoter mutations are the earliest genetic events in the multistep process of hepatocarcinogenesis related to cirrhosis. However, analyses of TERT promoter and CTNNB1 mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma tumor samples have not been performed in the Korean population, where hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma is prevalent. In order to identify the role of TERT promoter and CTNNB1 mutations in the hepatocarcinogenesis and pathogenesis of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, we performed the sequence analyses in 140 hepatocellular nodules (including 107 hepatocellular carcinomas), and 8 pairs of matched primary and relapsed hepatocellular carcinomas. TERT promoter and CTNNB1 mutations were only observed in hepatocellular carcinomas but not in precursor lesions. Of 109 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 41 (39.0%) and 15 (14.6%) harbored TERT and CTNNB1 mutations, respectively. TERT promotermutations were significantly more frequent in hepatocellular carcinomas related to hepatitis C virus infection (5/6; 83.3%) compared to tumors of other etiologies (P = 0.001). In two cases, discordance in TERT promoter mutation status was observed between the primary and the corresponding recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. The two patients with discordant cases had early relapses. In conclusion, we identified TERT promoter and CTNNB1 mutations as the most frequent somatic genetic alterations observed in hepatocellular carcinoma, indicating its pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, we suggest the possibility of intratumoral genetic heterogeneity of TERT promoter mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma as indicated by the discordance in TERT promoter mutations between primary and corresponding recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seung Eun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seong-Hwan Chang
- Department of Surgery, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wook Youn Kim
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - So Dug Lim
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wan Seop Kim
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Tea Sook Hwang
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye Seung Han
- Department of Pathology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Pezzuto F, Izzo F, Buonaguro L, Annunziata C, Tatangelo F, Botti G, Buonaguro FM, Tornesello ML. Tumor specific mutations in TERT promoter and CTNNB1 gene in hepatitis B and hepatitis C related hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:54253-54262. [PMID: 27276713 PMCID: PMC5342339 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrent somatic mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene and in the exon 3 of CTNNB1 gene have been recognized as common events in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with variable frequencies depending on etiology and geographical region. We have analyzed TERT promoter and CTNNB1 gene mutations in 122 cases of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) related HCCs, in 7 cases of cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and hepatocholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) as well as in autologous cirrhotic tissues. Overall, 50.4% and 26% of HCC as well as 14.3% and none of CC and HCC-CC were mutated in TERT promoter and in CTNNB1 exon 3, respectively. TERT and CTNNB1 mutations were found more frequently in HCV related (53.6% and 26.4%, respectively) than HBV related (41.7% and 16.7%, respectively) HCCs and coexisted in 57.6% of CTNNB1 mutated tumors. Mutations in TERT and CTNNB1 were not associated with the functional promoter polymorphism rs2853669. No mutations were detected in the 129 non-HCC cirrhotic tissues. In conclusion, mutations in TERT promoter and in CTNNB1 gene represent specific cancer signatures in the pathogenesis of viral related HCC and could be promising early biomarkers as well as targets for tailored therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pezzuto
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Francesco Izzo
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Clorinda Annunziata
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Fabiana Tatangelo
- Department of Pathology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS Napoli, Italy
| | - Gerardo Botti
- Department of Pathology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS Napoli, Italy
| | - Franco M Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Maria Lina Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Moudi B, Heidari Z, Mahmoudzadeh-Sagheb H, Alavian SM, Lankarani KB, Farrokh P, Randel Nyengaard J. Concomitant use of heat-shock protein 70, glutamine synthetase and glypican-3 is useful in diagnosis of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma with higher specificity and sensitivity. Eur J Histochem 2018; 62:2859. [PMID: 29569872 PMCID: PMC5806503 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2018.2859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and late diagnosis is the main cause of death in HCC patients. In this study expression patterns of HSP70, GPC3 and GS and their relationships with pathogenesis of HCC in Iranian patients were investigated. The expression of HSP70, GPC3 and GS were determined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR) methods, using 121 cases from patients with HBV alone, HCC without HBV, HBV+HCC and 30 normal tissues as control group. HSP70, GPC3 and GS were expressed in higher levels in HBV-related HCC samples compared to HBV alone group. The results showed that the labeling index of HSP70, GPC3 and GS are correlated with immunohistochemical and molecular expressions of HSP70, GPC3 and GS. The sensitivity and specificity for HCC diagnosis were 43.4% and 89.7% for HSP70, 64.3% and 90.4% for GPC3, and 60.7% and 94.3% for GS, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the panels with 3, 2 and 1 positive markers, regardless of which one, were 21.6% and 100%, 51.3% and 100% and 93.4% and 80.5% respectively. The current study demonstrated an association between HSP70, GPC3 and GS expressions and HBV-related HCC in our population. It was concluded that HSP70, GPC3 and GS expressions could be useful biomarkers for increasing the specificity and sensitivity of HCC diagnosis to acceptable level. Also, proper combinations of these 3 markers could improve diagnostic accuracy.
Collapse
|
36
|
Tornesello ML, Buonaguro L, Izzo F, Buonaguro FM. Molecular alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. Oncotarget 2018; 7:25087-102. [PMID: 26943571 PMCID: PMC5041890 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic infections with hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C viruses (HCV) are the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Both viruses encode multifunctional regulatory proteins activating several oncogenic pathways, which induce accumulation of multiple genetic alterations in the infected hepatocytes. Gene mutations in HBV- and HCV-induced HCCs frequently impair the TP53, Wnt/b-catenin, RAS/RAF/MAPK kinase and AKT/mTOR pathways, which represent important anti-cancer targets. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of primary liver cancer, with particular emphasis on the host genetic variations identified by high-throughput technologies. In addition, we discuss the importance of genetic alterations, such as mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter, for the diagnosis, prognosis, and tumor stratification for development of more effective treatment approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lina Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Department of Research, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Department of Research, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Francesco Izzo
- Hepato-Biliary Surgery Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - Franco M Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Department of Research, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Zhang B, Deng C, Wang L, Zhou F, Zhang S, Kang W, Zhan P, Chen J, Shen S, Guo H, Zhang M, Wang Y, Zhang F, Zhang W, Xiao J, Kong B, Friess H, Zhuge Y, Yan H, Zou X. Upregulation of UBE2Q1 via gene copy number gain in hepatocellular carcinoma promotes cancer progression through β-catenin-EGFR-PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway. Mol Carcinog 2017; 57:201-215. [PMID: 29027712 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer and represents a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Therapeutic modalities for HCC are limited and generally ineffective. UBE2Q1 is a putative E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, and has been shown to be overexpressed in various types of cancers including HCC. How UBE2Q1 contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis remains unknown. Here, we show that UBE2Q1 is up-regulated in HCC cell lines and in a subset of human HCC tissues. Up-regulation of UBE2Q1 in primary HCC tumors was significantly correlated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival. Mechanistically, we showed that the frequent up-regulation of UBE2Q1 in HCCs was attributed to the recurrent UBE2Q1 gene copy gain at chromosome 1q21. Functionally, we showed that knockdown of UBE2Q1 reduced HCC cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis via induction of GADD45α, and suppressed orthotopic tumorigenicity both in vitro and in vivo. Inactivation of UBE2Q1 also impeded HCC cell migration and invasion in vitro through regulating EMT process, and suppressed HCC metastasis in vivo. Interestingly, our data revealed a role of UBE2Q1 in the regulation of β-catenin-EGFR-PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway. Our findings indicate that UBE2Q1 is a candidate oncogene involved in HCC development and progression and therefore a potential therapeutic target in applicable HCC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Kang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Institute of Digestive Disease, Partner State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ping Zhan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shanshan Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huimin Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiangqiang Xiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Surgery, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Friess
- Department of Surgery, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Yuzheng Zhuge
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongli Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Kasprzak A, Rogacki K, Adamek A, Sterzyńska K, Przybyszewska W, Seraszek-Jaros A, Helak-Łapaj C, Pyda P. Tissue expression of β-catenin and E- and N-cadherins in chronic hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Med Sci 2017; 13:1269-1280. [PMID: 29181057 PMCID: PMC5701691 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2017.65272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The role of Wnt/ β -catenin signaling pathway in HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinogenesis is still unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study aimed to perform quantitative analysis of immuno- and hybridocytochemical expression of β -catenin, E- and N-cadherins and HCV proteins (C, NS3, NS5A) in long-lasting (≥ 20 years) chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) (n = 54), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 61), and control liver samples (n = 8). RESULTS Typical membranous expression of β -catenin in the control liver was higher than in the CH-C and HCC (p = 0.06). The mean β -catenin tissue expression in CH-C was similar to controls, and significantly higher than that of HCC (p = 0.005). E-cadherin expression was lower in CH-C than in the control (p = 0.045) and HCC (p < 0.001). In HCC both β -catenin and E-cadherin expressions were significantly lower in comparison to controls (p = 0.02, p = 0.001, respectively). Positive correlations were found between β -catenin and E-cadherin (in CH-C and HCC), β -catenin and N-cadherin (HCC), E- and N-cadherins expressions (HCC) (p < 0.05 in all cases). In CH-C the positive correlation was demonstrated between NS5A protein and β -catenin, and between the all HCV proteins (C, NS3, NS5A) and E-cadherin expression (p < 0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS Alterations in cellular locations of β -catenin and E-cadherin in CH-C and HCC pointed to structural disturbances in intercellular junctions in the livers and presence of the transcriptionally inactive form of β -catenin. The reduced expression of E-cadherin in long-lasting CH-C may represent an early indicator of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The most important role in modulation of the Wnt/ β -catenin pathway in vivo is probably played by the NS5A viral protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aldona Kasprzak
- Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Karol Rogacki
- Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Adamek
- Chair and Department of Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Karolina Sterzyńska
- Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wiesława Przybyszewska
- Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Seraszek-Jaros
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Chair of Clinical Pathomorphology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Celina Helak-Łapaj
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Chair of Clinical Pathomorphology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Przemysław Pyda
- Chair and Department of General Surgery, Oncologic Gastroenterological Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Daud M, Rana MA, Husnain T, Ijaz B. Modulation of Wnt signaling pathway by hepatitis B virus. Arch Virol 2017; 162:2937-2947. [PMID: 28685286 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-017-3462-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has a global distribution and is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma. The precise mechanism of pathogenicity of HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not yet fully understood. Viral-related proteins are known to take control of several cellular pathways like Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β, Raf/MAPK and ROS for the virus's own replication. This affects cellular persistence, multiplication, migration, alteration and genomic instability. The Wnt/FZD/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a significant role in the pathology and physiology of the liver and has been identified as a main factor in HCC development. The role of β-catenin is linked mainly to the canonical pathway of the signaling system. Progression of liver diseases is known to be accompanied by disturbances in β-catenin expression (mainly overexpression), with its cytoplasmic or nuclear translocation. In recent years, studies have documented that the HBV X protein and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) can act as pathogenic factors that are involved in the modulation and induction of canonical Wnt signaling pathway. In the present review we explore the interaction of HBV genome products with components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that results in the enhancement of the pathway and leads to hepatocarcinogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Daud
- Applied and Functional Genomics Lab, Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, 53700, Pakistan
| | | | - Tayyab Husnain
- Applied and Functional Genomics Lab, Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, 53700, Pakistan
| | - Bushra Ijaz
- Applied and Functional Genomics Lab, Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, 53700, Pakistan.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Wu HC, Lay IS, Shibu MA, Ho TJ, Cheng SM, Lin CH, Dung TD, Jeng LB, Viswanadha VP, Huang CY. Zanthoxylum avicennae extract enhances GSK-3β to attenuate β-catenin via phosphatase 2A to block metastatic effects of HA22T cells and hepatocellular carcinoma xenografted nude mice. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2017; 32:2133-2143. [PMID: 28548306 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis is often associated with the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Zanthoxylum avicennae (Ying Bu Bo, YBB), a traditional herb with hepatoprotective effect, has been proven to inhibit human HCC in in vivo models however, the in vitro and in vivo effect of YBB on tumor metastasis is not clear yet. To determine whether YBB could inhibit HA22T human HCC cell by acting on β-catenin metastatic signaling in vitro and in vivo, HA22T cells were treated with different concentrations of YBB extracts (YBBE) and analyzed by Immunofluorescence staining assay, western blot analysis, siRNA mediated gene knock-down assays and co-immunoprecipitation assay. Additionally, the HA22T-implanted xenograft nude mice were used to confirm the assessed cellular effects. Mice treated with YBBEs showed a strong increasing trend in PP2Acα, GSK-3β, APC, and β-TrCP/HOS levels, however the expression of β-catenin, p-GSK-3β, TBX 3, and IL8 proteins showed a decreasing trend. YBBE significantly downregulated the nuclear and cytosolic β-catenin levels by facilitating the proteosomal degradation of β-catenin. Moreover, as observed by co-immunoprecipitation assay, YBBE directly promoted the protein interactions between GSK-3β, β-TrCP, APC, PP2A, and β-catenin. In conclusion, both in vitro and in vivo models clearly demonstrated that YBBE inhibits β-catenin involved metastatic signaling in highly metastatic HA22T cells through PP2A activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsi-Chin Wu
- Department of Urology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Ing-Shiow Lay
- School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Chinese Medicine Department, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin County, 65152, Taiwan
| | - Marthandam Asokan Shibu
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Jung Ho
- School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Chinese Medicine Department, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin County, 65152, Taiwan
| | - Shiu-Min Cheng
- Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hao Lin
- Department of Information Science and Applications, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tran Duc Dung
- School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Long-Bin Jeng
- Department of Surgery and Organ Transplantation Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40447, Taiwan
| | | | - Chih-Yang Huang
- School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
The Recent Advances on Liver Cancer Stem Cells: Biomarkers, Separation, and Therapy. Anal Cell Pathol (Amst) 2017; 2017:5108653. [PMID: 28819584 PMCID: PMC5551471 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5108653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As the third major reason of mortality related to cancer in the world, liver cancer is also the fifth most frequent cancer. Unluckily, a majority of patients succumb and relapse though many progresses have been made in detection and therapy of liver cancer. It has been put forward that in liver cancer, cancer stem cells (CSCs) hold main responsibility for the formation, invasion, metastasis, and recurrence of tumor. Strategies that are intended to target liver CSCs are playing a more and more significant role in supervising the development of liver cancer treatment and assessing new therapeutic methods. Herein, a brief review about molecule markers, signal pathways, separation, and treatment on liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) is provided in this paper.
Collapse
|
42
|
Chen J, Rajasekaran M, Hui KM. Atypical regulators of Wnt/β-catenin signaling as potential therapeutic targets in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2017; 242:1142-1149. [PMID: 28429652 DOI: 10.1177/1535370217705865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma development depends on the inhibition and activation of multiple vital pathways, including the Wnt signaling pathway. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway lies at the center of various signaling pathways that regulate embryonic development, tissue homeostasis and cancers. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been observed frequently in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, activating mutations in β-catenin, Axin and Adenomatous Polyposis Coli only contribute to a portion of the Wnt signaling hyper-activation observed in hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, besides mutations in the canonical Wnt components, there must be additional atypical regulation or regulators during Wnt signaling activation that promote liver carcinogenesis. In this mini-review, we have tried to summarize some of these well-established factors and to highlight some recently identified novel factors in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Impact statement Early recurrence of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent cause of poor survival after potentially curative liver resection. Among the deregulated signaling cascades in HCC, evidence indicates that alterations in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway play key roles in hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize the potential molecular mechanisms how the microtubule-associated Protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1), a direct Wnt signaling target previously identified in our laboratory to be up-regulated in HCC, in promoting cancer proliferation, stemness, metastasis and tumorigenesis through a complex regulatory circuitry of Wnt3a activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiang Chen
- 1 Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore.,2 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Muthukumar Rajasekaran
- 1 Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore
| | - Kam M Hui
- 1 Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore.,2 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore.,3 Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore169857, Singapore.,4 Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Wu Z, Galmiche A, Liu J, Stadler N, Wendum D, Segal-Bendirdjian E, Paradis V, Forgez P. Neurotensin regulation induces overexpression and activation of EGFR in HCC and restores response to erlotinib and sorafenib. Cancer Lett 2017; 388:73-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
44
|
Wang W, Pan Q, Fuhler GM, Smits R, Peppelenbosch MP. Action and function of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the progression from chronic hepatitis C to hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol 2017; 52:419-431. [PMID: 28035485 PMCID: PMC5357489 DOI: 10.1007/s00535-016-1299-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide but the mechanistic basis as to how chronic HCV infection furthers the HCC process remains only poorly understood. Accumulating evidence indicates that HCV core and nonstructural proteins provoke activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and the evidence supporting a role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the onset and progression of HCC is compelling. Convincing molecular explanations as to how expression of viral effectors translates into increased activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling machinery are still largely lacking, hampering the design of rational strategies aimed at preventing HCC. Furthermore, how such increased signaling is especially associated with HCC oncogenesis in the context of HCV infection remains obscure as well. Here we review the body of contemporary biomedical knowledge on the role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the progression from chronic hepatitis C to cirrhosis and HCC and explore potential hypotheses as to the mechanisms involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Qiuwei Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gwenny M. Fuhler
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ron Smits
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Maikel P. Peppelenbosch
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Bal M, Verma A, Ramadwar M, Deodhar K, Patil P, Goel M. Clinicopathologic characteristics of Wnt/β-catenin-deregulated hepatocellular carcinoma. Indian J Cancer 2017; 54:634-639. [DOI: 10.4103/ijc.ijc_655_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
|
46
|
Lin YT, Chao CCK. Identification of the β-catenin/JNK/prothymosin-alpha axis as a novel target of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Oncotarget 2016; 6:38999-9017. [PMID: 26517516 PMCID: PMC4770752 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor used as anticancer drug against various human tumors, including advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). β-Catenin and prothymosin alpha (PTMA) are overexpressed in HCC and other tumors. Previous studies have shown that PTMA expression modulates the response of HCC cells to sorafenib. However, the underlying mechanism of PTMA activity in this context remains unclear. We show here that sorafenib inhibits both β-catenin and PTMA in a dose-dependent manner. Silencing β-catenin reduces PTMA level and sensitizes HCC cells to sorafenib. In contrast, ectopic expression of β-catenin induces PTMA expression and cell resistance to the drug. Sorafenib inhibits PTMA expression at the transcriptional level by inhibiting the β-catenin pathway. Nucleotide deletion analysis of the PTMA gene promoter reveals that a DNA segment lying 1,500–1,600 bp upstream of the PTMA transcription start site represents an AP-1-binding site that is critical for β-catenin modulation of gene transcription in response to sorafenib. In addition, chemical inhibitors that target JNK abrogate β-catenin/AP-1 binding to the endogenous PTMA gene and reduces PTMA transcription and protein expression. Silencing of β-catenin or c-Fos induces similar effects on gene regulation and these are reversed by ectopic expression of β-catenin. Mutations in the PTMA promoter at the predicted β-catenin/AP-1 binding site partly abrogate sorafenib's effects on PTMA transcription. These results indicate that PTMA is induced by the oncoprotein β-catenin and protects HCC cells against sorafenib-induced cell death. The β-catenin/JNK/PTMA axis may thus represent a novel target for chemotherapy against HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Te Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chuck C-K Chao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Chai S, Ng KY, Tong M, Lau EY, Lee TK, Chan KW, Yuan YF, Cheung TT, Cheung ST, Wang XQ, Wong N, Lo CM, Man K, Guan XY, Ma S. Octamer 4/microRNA-1246 signaling axis drives Wnt/β-catenin activation in liver cancer stem cells. Hepatology 2016; 64:2062-2076. [PMID: 27639189 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Wnt/β-catenin signaling is activated in CD133 liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subset of cells known to be a root of tumor recurrence and therapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the regulatory mechanism of this pathway in CSCs remains unclear. Here, we show that human microRNA (miRNA), miR-1246, promotes cancer stemness, including self-renewal, drug resistance, tumorigencity, and metastasis, by activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through suppressing the expression of AXIN2 and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), two key members of the β-catenin destruction complex. Clinically, high endogenous and circulating miR-1246 was identified in HCC clinical samples and correlated with a worse prognosis. Further functional analysis identified octamer 4 (Oct4) to be the direct upstream regulator of miR-1246, which cooperatively drive β-catenin activation in liver CSCs. CONCLUSION These findings uncover the noncanonical regulation of Wnt/β-catenin in liver CSCs by the Oct4/miR-1246 signaling axis, and also provide a novel diagnostic marker as well as therapeutic intervention for HCC. (Hepatology 2016;64:2062-2076).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stella Chai
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kai-Yu Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Man Tong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Eunice Y Lau
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Terence K Lee
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok Wah Chan
- Departments of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yun-Fei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tan-To Cheung
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Siu-Tim Cheung
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiao-Qi Wang
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Nathalie Wong
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chung-Mau Lo
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kwan Man
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- Department of Clincial Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Correlation of exon 3 β-catenin mutations with glutamine synthetase staining patterns in hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Mod Pathol 2016; 29:1370-1380. [PMID: 27469330 PMCID: PMC5149418 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2016.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The current clinical practice is based on the assumption of strong correlation between diffuse glutamine synthetase expression and β-catenin activation in hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. This high correlation is based on limited data and may represent an oversimplification as glutamine synthetase staining patterns show wide variability in clinical practice. Standardized criteria for interpreting diverse glutamine synthetase patterns, and the association between each pattern and β-catenin mutations is not clearly established. This study examines the correlation between glutamine synthetase staining patterns and β-catenin mutations in 15 typical hepatocellular adenomas, 5 atypical hepatocellular neoplasms and 60 hepatocellular carcinomas. Glutamine synthetase staining was classified into one of the three patterns: (a) diffuse homogeneous: moderate-to-strong cytoplasmic staining in >90% of lesional cells, without a map-like pattern, (b) diffuse heterogeneous: moderate-to-strong staining in 50-90% of lesional cells, without a map-like pattern, and (c) patchy: moderate-to-strong staining in <50% of lesional cells (often perivascular), or weak staining irrespective of the extent, and all other staining patterns (including negative cases). Sanger sequencing of CTNNB1 exon 3 was performed in all cases. Of hepatocellular tumors with diffuse glutamine synthetase staining (homogeneous or heterogeneous), an exon 3 β-catenin mutation was detected in 33% (2/6) of typical hepatocellular adenoma, 75% (3/4) of atypical hepatocellular neoplasm and 17% (8/47) of hepatocellular carcinomas. An exon 3 mutation was also observed in 15% (2/13) of hepatocellular carcinomas with patchy glutamine synthetase staining. The results show a modest correlation between diffuse glutamine synthetase immunostaining and exon 3 β-catenin mutations in hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma with discrepancy rates >50% in both hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. The interpretation of β-catenin activation based on glutamine synthetase staining should be performed with caution, and the undetermined significance of various glutamine synthetase patterns should be highlighted in pathology reports.
Collapse
|
49
|
Liu LJ, Xie SX, Chen YT, Xue JL, Zhang CJ, Zhu F. Aberrant regulation of Wnt signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:7486-7499. [PMID: 27672271 PMCID: PMC5011664 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i33.7486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies in the world. Several signaling pathways, including the wingless/int-1 (Wnt) signaling pathway, have been shown to be commonly activated in HCC. The Wnt signaling pathway can be triggered via both catenin β1 (CTNNB1)-dependent (also known as “canonical”) and CTNNB1-independent (often referred to as “non-canonical”) pathways. Specifically, the canonical Wnt pathway is one of those most frequently reported in HCC. Aberrant regulation from three complexes (the cell-surface receptor complex, the cytoplasmic destruction complex and the nuclear CTNNB1/T-cell-specific transcription factor/lymphoid enhancer binding factor transcriptional complex) are all involved in HCC. Although the non-canonical Wnt pathway is rarely reported, two main non-canonical pathways, Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway and Wnt/Ca2+ pathway, participate in the regulation of hepatocarcinogenesis. Interestingly, the canonical Wnt pathway is antagonized by non-canonical Wnt signaling in HCC. Moreover, other signaling cascades have also been demonstrated to regulate the Wnt pathway through crosstalk in HCC pathogenesis. This review provides a perspective on the emerging evidence that the aberrant regulation of Wnt signaling is a critical mechanism for the development of HCC. Furthermore, crosstalk between different signaling pathways might be conducive to the development of novel molecular targets of HCC.
Collapse
|
50
|
Current status and clinical association of beta-catenin with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. J Laryngol Otol 2016; 130:907-913. [PMID: 27572281 DOI: 10.1017/s0022215116008690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A possible role of the APC/beta-catenin pathway in the pathogenesis of sporadic juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma has been suggested. This paper presents its current status and clinical association in our patients. METHOD A prospective observational study was conducted at King George Medical University and Central Drug Research Institute, in Lucknow, India. Western blot analysis was undertaken in 16 cases to examine beta-catenin expression. The clinical details were recorded along with follow up observations, to determine associations. RESULTS Up-regulation of beta-catenin expression was seen in 69 per cent of cases. The clinical variables did not reveal significant differences between patients with extremes of expression (extreme under- vs over-expression). However, absent expression was shown exclusively in young adults aged over 18 years, while enhanced expression was associated with an altered facial profile. CONCLUSION Although a beta-catenin association was seen in a subset of our sporadic juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma cases, its expression was not homogeneous. This is in contrast to the Western literature that suggests a universal (homogenous) enhanced expression in the majority. Hence, further research is required to better define its molecular cascade.
Collapse
|