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Zhou W, Fang DL, He Y. Screening potential prognostic biomarkers for portal vein emboli in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 2021; 12:1927-1938. [PMID: 34532139 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-21-433] [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: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The formation of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is closely related to the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanisms by which PVTTs form and the biomarkers involved are still little understood. Methods The Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were used to obtain transcriptome data from normal tissue, HCC tissue, primary tumors (PTs) of HCC, and paired PVTT tissue. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PTs and PVTTs were analyzed. The differentially expressed immune genes were further investigated in terms of their prognostic significance, immune infiltration, function. Finally, we explored the relationship between risk scores and drug sensitivity based on the R package. Results In the two datasets, there were 458 DEGs identified in the PT and PVTT tissues, of which, 58 were immune-related genes. The differentially expressed immune genes may promote the progression of PVTT by participating in the regulation of non-cellular components such as the extracellular matrix, inflammatory factors, and chemokines. Furthermore, the immune genes KDR, AKT3, FCGR2B, KIAA1429, and TPT1 were correlated with the prognosis of HCC in patients with PVTT. Using this data, a model was constructed to predict the prognosis of patients, thus allowing for the identification of high- and low-risk patients. Conclusions This study demonstrated that immune-related genes may be involved in the regulation of the extracellular matrix and acellular components, and subsequently, in the formation of PVTT. These five genes KDR, AKT3, FCGR2B, KIAA1429, and TPT1 may be potential prognostic biomarkers and treatment targets for HCC patients with PVTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Zhou
- Clinical Laboratory, Baise People's Hospital, Baise, China
| | - Da Lang Fang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Yongfei He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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Targeting Akt in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041794. [PMID: 33670268 PMCID: PMC7917860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its incidence is rising. HCC develops almost exclusively on the background of chronic liver inflammation, which can be caused by chronic alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, or an unhealthy diet. The key role of chronic inflammation in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis, including in the deregulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, has been demonstrated. The inhibition of Akt (also known as Protein Kinase B) directly affects cancer cells, but this therapeutic strategy also exhibits indirect anti-tumor activity mediated by the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, as demonstrated by using Akt inhibitors AZD5363, MK-2206, or ARQ 092. Moreover, the isoforms of Akt converge and diverge in their designated roles, but the currently available Akt inhibitors fail to display an isoform specificity. Thus, selective Akt inhibition needs to be better explored in the context of HCC and its possible combination with immunotherapy. This review presents a compact overview of the current knowledge concerning the role of Akt in HCC and the effect of Akt inhibition on the HCC and liver tumor microenvironment.
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Identification of the possible therapeutic targets in the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor pathway in a cohort of Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma complicating chronic hepatitis C type 4. Drug Target Insights 2020; 14:1-11. [PMID: 33132693 PMCID: PMC7597224 DOI: 10.33393/dti.2020.1548] [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: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Molecular targeted drugs are the first line of treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its chemo- and radioresistant nature. HCC has several well-documented etiologic factors that drive hepatocarcinogenesis through different molecular pathways. Currently, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of HCC. Therefore, we included a unified cohort of HCV genotype 4-related HCCs to study the expression levels of genes involved in the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) pathway, which is known to be involved in all aspects of cancer growth and progression. Aim: Determine the gene expression patterns of IGF1R pathway genes in a cohort of Egyptian HCV-related HCCs. Correlate them with different patient/tumor characteristics. Determine the activity status of involved pathways. Methods: Total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from 32 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of human HCV-related HCCs and 6 healthy liver donors as controls. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using RT2 Profiler PCR Array for Human Insulin Signaling Pathway was done to determine significantly up- and downregulated genes with identification of most frequently coregulated genes, followed by correlation of gene expression with different patient/tumor characteristics. Finally, canonical pathway analysis was performed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. Results: Six genes – AEBP1, AKT2, C-FOS, PIK3R1, PRKCI, SHC1 – were significantly overexpressed. Thirteen genes – ADRB3, CEBPA, DUSP14, ERCC1, FRS3, IGF2, INS, IRS1, JUN, MTOR, PIK3R2, PPP1CA, RPS6KA1 – were significantly underexpressed. Several differentially expressed genes were related to different tumor/patient characteristics. Nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species production pathway was significantly activated in the present cohort, while the growth hormone signaling pathway was inactive. Conclusions: The gene expression patterns identified in this study may serve as possible therapeutic targets in HCV-related HCCs. The most frequently coregulated genes may serve to guide combined molecular targeted therapies. The IGF1R pathway showed evidence of inactivity in the present cohort of HCV-related HCCs, so targeting this pathway in therapy may not be effective.
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Yang X, Liu L, Zou H, Zheng YW, Wang KP. circZFR promotes cell proliferation and migration by regulating miR-511/AKT1 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Dig Liver Dis 2019; 51:1446-1455. [PMID: 31147216 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging data suggest the crucial regulatory roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the pathophysiology role of circZFR in HCC remains largely unknown. AIMS This study aims to disclose the functions of circZFR in HCC progression and its potential molecular mechanism. METHODS circZFR and miR-511 were identified by qRT-PCR. Colony formation assay, wound-healing assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry assay were performed to determine the cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilized to evaluate the expression level of AKT1, GSK3β, β-catenin and cascades of proliferation-related proteins both in vitro and in vivo. Dual luciferase reporter assay was conducted to evaluate the interactions among circZFR, miR-511 and AKT1. RESULTS The expression of circZFR was enhanced and the expression of miR-511 was down-regulated in HCC tissues and cells. Functionally, circZFR silencing or miR-511 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis of HCC cells. Mechanistically, circZFR acted as a miR-511 sponge to up-regulate its target gene AKT1, which activated cascades of proliferation-related proteins (c-Myc, cyclin D1, Survivin and Bcl-2). Furthermore, depletion of circZFR inhibited tumorigenesis and decreased the expression level of AKT1 in xenograft models. CONCLUSION circZFR promotes HCC progression by directly down-regulating miR-511 to activate AKT1 signaling, suggesting that circZFR is a potential target in HCC treatment. Targeting circZFR may provide therapeutic benefits for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China.
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Heng Zou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Yan-Wen Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Kun-Peng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
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Xiang SY, Zhao J, Lu Y, Chen RM, Wang Y, Chen Y, Long B, Zhu LP, Yao PF, Xu YF, Chen JH. Network pharmacology-based identification for therapeutic mechanism of Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction in the metabolic syndrome induced by antipsychotic drugs. Comput Biol Med 2019; 110:1-7. [PMID: 31085379 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common side effect of second-generation antipsychotic drugs (SGAs), leading to poor prognosis in patients with mental illness. The traditional Chinese herbal formula Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction (LGZGD) is a clinically validated remedy for SGAs-induced MetS, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. METHODS A network pharmacology-based analysis was performed to explore predicted plasma-absorbed components, putative therapeutic targets, and main pathways involved in LGZGD bioactivity. We constructed a target interaction network between the predicted targets of LGZGD and the known targets of MetS, after which we extracted major hubs using topological analysis. Thereafter, the maximum value of "edge betweenness" of all interactions was defined as a bottleneck, which suggested its importance in connecting all targets in the network. Finally, a pathway enrichment analysis of major hubs was used to reveal the biological functions of LGZGD. RESULTS This approach identified 120 compounds and 361 candidate targets of LGZGD. According to the data generated in this study, the interaction between JUN and APOA1 plays a vital role in the treatment of SGAs-induced MetS using LGZGD. Interestingly, JUN was a putative target of LGZGD and APOA1 is one of the known targets of both MetS and SGAs (olanzapine and clozapine). LGZGD was significantly associated with several pathways including PI3K-Akt signaling, insulin resistance, and MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS LGZGD might inhibit JUN and thereby increases the expression of APOA1 to maintain metabolic homeostasis via some vital pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Ying Xiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Ying Lu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Ru-Meng Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Yan Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Bin Long
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Li-Ping Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Pei-Fen Yao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China
| | - Yi-Feng Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China.
| | - Jian-Hua Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, PR China.
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Systems Pharmacology-Based Approach to Comparatively Study the Independent and Synergistic Mechanisms of Danhong Injection and Naoxintong Capsule in Ischemic Stroke Treatment. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:1056708. [PMID: 30863452 PMCID: PMC6378776 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1056708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
To provide evidence for the better clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine preparations (TCMPs), comparison of the pharmacological mechanisms between TCMPs with similar therapeutic effect is necessary. However, methodology for dealing with this issue is still scarce. Danhong injection (DHI) and Naoxintong capsule (NXT) are representative TCMPs for ischemic stroke (IS) treatment, which are also frequently used in combination. Here they were employed as research objects to demonstrate the feasibility of systems pharmacology approach in elucidation of the independent and combined effect of TCMPs. By incorporating chemical screening, target prediction, and network construction, a feasible systems pharmacology model has been established to systematically uncover the underlying action mechanisms of DHI, NXT, or their pair in IS treatment. Systematic analysis of the created TCMP-Compound-Target-Disease network revealed that DHI and NXT shared common targets such as PTGS2, F2, ADRB1, IL6, ALDH2, and CCL2, which were involved in the vasomotor system regulation, blood-brain barrier disruption, redox imbalance, neurotrophin activity, and brain inflammation. In comparative mechanism study, the merged DHI/NXT-IS PPI network and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that DHI and NXT exerted the therapeutic effects mainly through immune system and VEGF signaling pathways. Meanwhile, they had their own unique pathways, e.g., calcium signaling pathway for DHI and gap junction for NXT. While for their synergistic mechanism, DHI and NXT participated in chemokine signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, gap junction, and so on. Our study provided an optimized strategy for dissecting the different and combined effect of TCMPs with similar actions.
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Liu W, Kang L, Han J, Wang Y, Shen C, Yan Z, Tai Y, Zhao C. miR-342-3p suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation through inhibition of IGF-1R-mediated Warburg effect. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:1643-1653. [PMID: 29615839 PMCID: PMC5870664 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s161586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a well-studied oncogenic factor that promotes cell proliferation and energy metabolism and is overexpressed in numerous cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer, and drugs targeting its regulators, including IGF-1R, are being developed. However, the mechanisms of IGF-1R inhibition and the physiological significance of the IGF-1R inhibitors in cancer cells are unclear. Materials and methods Cell proliferation was evaluated by cell counting Kit-8 and colony formation assay. Western blot and real-time PCR were accordingly used to detect the relevant proteins, miRNA and gene expression. Luciferase reporter assays were used to illustrate the interaction between miR-342-3p and IGF-1R. The effect of miR-342-3p on glycolysis was determined by glucose uptake, ATP concentration, lactate generation, extracellular acidification rate and oxygen consumption rate assays. In vivo, subcutaneous tumor formation assay and PET were performed in nude mice. Results In this study, we demonstrate that by directly targeting the 3′-UTR (3′-untranslated regions) of IGF-1R, microRNA-342-3p (miR-342-3p) suppresses IGF-1R-mediated PI3K/AKT/GLUT1 signaling pathway both in vitro and in vivo. Through suppression of IGF-1R, miR-342-3p dampens glycolysis by decreasing glucose uptake, lactate generation, ATP production, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), and increasing oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in hepatoma cells. Importantly, glycolysis regulated by miR-342-3p is critical for its regulating HCC growth both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion Our findings provide clues regarding the role of miR-342-3p as a tumor suppressor in liver cancer mainly through the inhibition of IGF-1R. Targeting IGF-1R by miR-342-3p could be a potential therapeutic strategy in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenpeng Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lei Kang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Juqiang Han
- Institute of Liver Disease, Beijing Military General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yadong Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chuan Shen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhifeng Yan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanhong Tai
- Department of Pathology, Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Caiyan Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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8
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Li CW, Chang PY, Chen BS. Investigating the mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma progression by constructing genetic and epigenetic networks using NGS data identification and big database mining method. Oncotarget 2018; 7:79453-79473. [PMID: 27821810 PMCID: PMC5346727 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms leading to the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are complicated and regulated genetically and epigenetically. The recent advancement in high-throughput sequencing has facilitated investigations into the role of genetic and epigenetic regulations in hepatocarcinogenesis. Therefore, we used systems biology and big database mining to construct genetic and epigenetic networks (GENs) using the information about mRNA, miRNA, and methylation profiles of HCC patients. Our approach involves analyzing gene regulatory networks (GRNs), protein-protein networks (PPINs), and epigenetic networks at different stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. The core GENs, influencing each stage of HCC, were extracted via principal network projection (PNP). The pathways during different stages of HCC were compared. We observed that extracellular signals were further transduced to transcription factors (TFs), resulting in the aberrant regulation of their target genes, in turn inducing mechanisms that are responsible for HCC progression, including cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, aberrant cell cycle, cell survival, and metastasis. We also selected potential multiple drugs specific to prominent epigenetic network markers of each stage of HCC: lestaurtinib, dinaciclib, and perifosine against the NTRK2, MYC, and AKT1 markers influencing HCC progression from stage I to stage II; celecoxib, axitinib, and vinblastine against the DDIT3, PDGFB, and JUN markers influencing HCC progression from stage II to stage III; and atiprimod, celastrol, and bortezomib against STAT3, IL1B, and NFKB1 markers influencing HCC progression from stage III to stage IV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Wei Li
- Laboratory of Control and Systems Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Yao Chang
- Laboratory of Control and Systems Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Bor-Sen Chen
- Laboratory of Control and Systems Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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Phosphorylated AKT expression in tumor-adjacent normal tissue is associated with poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:7461-7466. [PMID: 29344189 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The AKT pathway serves important roles in tumor cell growth. Its overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in a number of types of cancer; however, the role of AKT in the role of the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to explore the clinical relevance of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) in HCC. The level of p-AKT in tumor (TU) and paired adjacent normal liver (AN) tissue from 202 HCC patients was evaluated with immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that p-AKT was more highly expressed in TU than in AN tissue. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression revealed that patients with a high expression of p-AKT (AN) exhibited reduced overall and relapse-free survival times; this was not observed at a statistically significant level in p-AKT (TU). Additionally, the high expression of p-AKT (AN) was positively correlated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in HCC patients. These results support the hypothesis that AKT activation is a mechanism of HCV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, suggesting that AKT can be a therapeutic target for the treatment of recurrent HCC subsequent to surgical resection.
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Zhang Y, Lin Y, Zhao H, Guo Q, Yan C, Lin N. Revealing the Effects of the Herbal Pair of Euphorbia kansui and Glycyrrhiza on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ascites with Integrating Network Target Analysis and Experimental Validation. Int J Biol Sci 2016; 12:594-606. [PMID: 27143956 PMCID: PMC4852206 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.14151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the herbal pair of Euphorbia kansui (GS) and Glycyrrhiza (GC) is one of the so-called "eighteen antagonistic medicaments" in Chinese medicinal literature, it is prescribed in a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula Gansui-Banxia-Tang for cancerous ascites, suggesting that GS and GC may exhibit synergistic or antagonistic effects in different combination designs. Here, we modeled the effects of GS/GC combination with a target interaction network and clarified the associations between the network topologies involving the drug targets and the drug combination effects. Moreover, the "edge-betweenness" values, which is defined as the frequency with which edges are placed on the shortest paths between all pairs of modules in network, were calculated, and the ADRB1-PIK3CG interaction exhibited the greatest edge-betweenness value, suggesting its crucial role in connecting the other edges in the network. Because ADRB1 and PIK3CG were putative targets of GS and GC, respectively, and both had functional interactions with AVPR2 approved as known therapeutic target for ascites, we proposed that the ADRB1-PIK3CG-AVPR2 signal axis might be involved in the effects of the GS-GC combination on ascites. This proposal was further experimentally validated in a H22 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ascites model. Collectively, this systems-level investigation integrated drug target prediction and network analysis to reveal the combination principles of the herbal pair of GS and GC. Experimental validation in an in vivo system provided convincing evidence that different combination designs of GS and GC might result in synergistic or antagonistic effects on HCC ascites that might be partially related to their regulation of the ADRB1-PIK3CG-AVPR2 signal axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiong Zhang
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Ya Lin
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.; 2. College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Haiyu Zhao
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Qiuyan Guo
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Chen Yan
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Na Lin
- 1. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
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Co-activation of AKT and c-Met triggers rapid hepatocellular carcinoma development via the mTORC1/FASN pathway in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20484. [PMID: 26857837 PMCID: PMC4746674 DOI: 10.1038/srep20484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of the AKT/mTOR cascade and overexpression of c-Met have been implicated in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To elucidate the functional crosstalk between the two pathways, we generated a model characterized by the combined expression of activated AKT and c-Met in the mouse liver. Co-expression of AKT and c-Met triggered rapid liver tumor development and mice required to be euthanized within 8 weeks after hydrodynamic injection. At the molecular level, liver tumors induced by AKT/c-Met display activation of AKT/mTOR and Ras/MAPK cascades as well as increased lipogenesis and glycolysis. Since a remarkable lipogenic phenotype characterizes liver lesions from AKT/c-Met mice, we determined the requirement of lipogenesis in AKT/c-Met driven hepatocarcinogenesis using conditional Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) knockout mice. Of note, hepatocarcinogenesis induced by AKT/c-Met was fully inhibited by FASN ablation. In human HCC samples, coordinated expression of FASN, activated AKT, and c-Met proteins was detected in a subgroup of biologically aggressive tumors. Altogether, our study demonstrates that co-activation of AKT and c-Met induces HCC development that depends on the mTORC1/FASN pathway. Suppression of mTORC1 and/or FASN might be highly detrimental for the growth of human HCC subsets characterized by concomitant induction of the AKT and c-Met cascades.
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Haiyu X, Yang S, Yanqiong Z, Qiang J, Defeng L, Yi Z, Feng L, Hongjun Y. Identification of key active constituents of Buchang Naoxintong capsules with therapeutic effects against ischemic stroke by using an integrative pharmacology-based approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 12:233-45. [DOI: 10.1039/c5mb00460h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Integrative pharmacology has been used to identify the key active constituents (KACs) of Buchang Naoxintong capsules (BNCs), a traditional Chinese medical preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Haiyu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
| | - Shi Yang
- Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine
- Xi'an, China
| | - Zhang Yanqiong
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
| | - Jia Qiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Ji'nan, China
| | - Li Defeng
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
| | - Zhang Yi
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
| | - Liu Feng
- Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine
- Xi'an, China
- Natural Medicines and Engineering Center of Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine
- Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Hongjun
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
- Beijing, China
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Wang L, Yao J, Sun H, Sun R, Chang S, Yang Y, Song T, Huang C. miR-302b suppresses cell invasion and metastasis by directly targeting AKT2 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Tumour Biol 2015; 37:847-55. [PMID: 26254095 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-3330-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play essential roles in regulating the activity of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, thereby contributing to the suppression of invasion and metastasis. In this study, using gain and loss of function assays, we demonstrated that miR-302b was frequently down-regulated in clinical HCC specimens, as compared with 15 corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Overexpression of miR-302b suppressed HCC cell invasion and metastasis. Regulation of NF-κB and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 expression by miR-302b was mediated via AKT2 in SMMC-7721 cells. Silencing AKT2 produced effects similar to those of miR-302b overexpression, which included inhibiting SMMC-7721 cell invasion and metastasis and dereasing NF-κB and MMP-2 expression. Furthermore, overexpression of AKT2 attenuated the effects of miR-302b overexpression. Taken together, our findings indicate that miR-302b inhibits SMMC-7721 cell invasion and metastasis by targeting AKT2, suggesting that miR-302b might represent a potential therapeutic target for HCC intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Wang
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiayi Yao
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongfei Sun
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Reifang Sun
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Su'e Chang
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Tusheng Song
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Chen Huang
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Guo Q, Zhong M, Xu H, Mao X, Zhang Y, Lin N. A Systems Biology Perspective on the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Therapeutic Effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on Ischemic Stroke. Rejuvenation Res 2015; 18:313-25. [PMID: 25687091 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2014.1635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of adult disability worldwide. The outcome is worse in older patients, especially in terms of disability. Buyang Huanwu decoction (BHD), a famous traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used extensively in the treatment of ischemic stroke for centuries. However, its pharmacological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this study, 82 putative targets for 411 composite compounds contained in BHD were predicted on the basis of our previously developed target prediction system. On the basis of large-scale molecular docking, more than 80% compound-putative target pairs had medium to strong binding efficiency. The pharmacological networks of BHD were built according to relationships among herbs, putative targets, and known therapeutic targets for ischemic stroke, and 121 major nodes were identified by calculating three topological features-degree, node betweenness, and closeness. Importantly, the pathway enrichment analysis identified several signaling pathways involved with major putative targets of BHD, such as the calcium signaling pathway, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway, which have not hitherto been reported. These data are expected to help find new therapeutic effects of BHD and optimize clinical use of this formula. Collectively, our study developed a comprehensive systems approach integrating drug target prediction and network and functional analyses to reveal the relationships of the herbs in BHD with their putative targets, and for the first time with ischemic stroke-related pathway systems. This is a pilot study based on bioinformatics analysis; thus, further experimental studies are required to validate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Guo
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Micun Zhong
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyu Xu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Mao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanqiong Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Na Lin
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica , China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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15
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Zhang Y, Guo X, Xiong L, Yu L, Li Z, Guo Q, Li Z, Li B, Lin N. Comprehensive analysis of microRNA-regulated protein interaction network reveals the tumor suppressive role of microRNA-149 in human hepatocellular carcinoma via targeting AKT-mTOR pathway. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:253. [PMID: 25424347 PMCID: PMC4255446 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous study identified AKT1, AKT2 and AKT3 as unfavorable prognostic factors for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, limited data are available on their exact mechanisms in HCC. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in various human cancers including HCC, we aimed to screen miRNAs targeting AKTs and investigate their underlying mechanisms in HCC by integrating bioinformatics prediction, network analysis, functional assay and clinical validation. METHODS Five online programs of miRNA target prediction and RNAhybrid which calculate the minimum free energy (MFE) of the duplex miRNA:mRNA were used to screen optimized miRNA-AKT interactions. Then, miRNA-regulated protein interaction network was constructed and 5 topological features ('Degree', 'Node-betweenness', 'Edge-betweenness', 'Closeness' and 'Modularity') were analyzed to link candidate miRNA-AKT interactions to oncogenesis and cancer hallmarks. Further systematic experiments were performed to validate the prediction results. RESULTS Six optimized miRNA-AKT interactions (miR-149-AKT1, miR-302d-AKT1, miR-184-AKT2, miR-708-AKT2, miR-122-AKT3 and miR-124-AKT3) were obtained by combining the miRNA target prediction and MFE calculation. Then, 103 validated targets for the 6 candidate miRNAs were collected from miRTarBase. According to the enrichment analysis on GO items and KEGG pathways, these validated targets were significantly enriched in many known oncogenic pathways for HCC. In addition, miRNA-regulated protein interaction network were divided into 5 functional modules. Importantly, AKT1 and its interaction with mTOR respectively had the highest node-betweenness and edge-betweenness, implying their bottleneck roles in the network. Further experiments confirmed that miRNA-149 directly targeted AKT1 in HCC by a miRNA luciferase reporter approach. Then, re-expression of miR-149 significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation and tumorigenicity by regulating AKT1/mTOR pathway. Notably, miR-149 down-regulation in clinical HCC tissues was correlated with tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis of patients. CONCLUSION This comprehensive analysis identified a list of miRNAs targeting AKTs and revealed their critical roles in HCC malignant progression. Especially, miR-149 may function as a tumor suppressive miRNA and play an important role in inhibiting the HCC tumorigenesis by modulating the AKT/mTOR pathway. Our clinical evidence also highlight the prognostic potential of miR-149 in HCC. The newly identified miR-149/AKT/mTOR axis might be a promising therapeutic target in the prevention and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Boan Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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16
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Yu L, Zhang J, Guo X, Li Z, Zhang P. MicroRNA-224 upregulation and AKT activation synergistically predict poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Epidemiol 2014; 38:408-13. [PMID: 24923856 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Previous evidence has shown that microRNA (miR)-224 may function as an onco-miRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by activating AKT signaling. However, little is known about the clinical significance of the combined expression of miR-224 and phosphorylated-AKT (pAKT) on human HCC. The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistical influence of miR-224 and pAKT on clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with HCC. METHODS One-hundred and thirty HCC patients who had undergone curative liver resection were selected. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were respectively performed to detect the expression of miR-224 and pAKT in the respective tumors. RESULTS Compared with the adjacent nonneoplastic liver tissues, the expression levels of miR-224 and pAKT protein in HCC tissues were both significantly increased (both P<0.001). In addition, the combined upregulation of miR-224 and pAKT protein was significantly associated with serum AFP (P=0.01), tumor stage (P=0.002) and tumor grade (P=0.008). Moreover, HCC patients highly expressing both miR-224 and pAKT protein had worse 5-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival (both P<0.001). Furthermore, the Cox proportional hazards model showed that the combined upregulation of miR-224 and pAKT protein (miR-224-high/pAKT-high) may be independent poor prognostic factors for both 5-year disease-free survival (P=0.008) and 5-year overall survival (P=0.01) in HCC. CONCLUSION These results indicate for the first time that miR-224 upregulation and AKT activation may synergistically associate with tumor progression of HCC. The combined high expression of miR-224 and pAKT may be a potential indicator for predicting unfavorable prognosis in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhiwei Li
- 302 Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100039, China.
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