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Chan YT, Zhang C, Wu J, Lu P, Xu L, Yuan H, Feng Y, Chen ZS, Wang N. Biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:189. [PMID: 39242496 PMCID: PMC11378508 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02101-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a global health challenge, causing a significant social-economic burden. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant type of primary liver cancer, which is highly heterogeneous in terms of molecular and cellular signatures. Early-stage or small tumors are typically treated with surgery or ablation. Currently, chemotherapies and immunotherapies are the best treatments for unresectable tumors or advanced HCC. However, drug response and acquired resistance are not predictable with the existing systematic guidelines regarding mutation patterns and molecular biomarkers, resulting in sub-optimal treatment outcomes for many patients with atypical molecular profiles. With advanced technological platforms, valuable information such as tumor genetic alterations, epigenetic data, and tumor microenvironments can be obtained from liquid biopsy. The inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of HCC are illustrated, and these collective data provide solid evidence in the decision-making process of treatment regimens. This article reviews the current understanding of HCC detection methods and aims to update the development of HCC surveillance using liquid biopsy. Recent critical findings on the molecular basis, epigenetic profiles, circulating tumor cells, circulating DNAs, and omics studies are elaborated for HCC diagnosis. Besides, biomarkers related to the choice of therapeutic options are discussed. Some notable recent clinical trials working on targeted therapies are also highlighted. Insights are provided to translate the knowledge into potential biomarkers for detection and diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and drug resistance indicators in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Junyu Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Pengde Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lin Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hongchao Yuan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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Chen J, Zhang CH, Tao T, Zhang X, Lin Y, Wang FB, Liu HF, Liu J. A-to-I RNA co-editing predicts clinical outcomes and is associated with immune cells infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma. Commun Biol 2024; 7:838. [PMID: 38982182 PMCID: PMC11233613 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06520-y] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Aberrant RNA editing has emerged as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the impact of RNA co-editing within HCC remains underexplored. We used a multi-step algorithm to construct an RNA co-editing network in HCC, and found that HCC-related RNA editings are predominantly centralized within the network. Furthermore, five pairs of risk RNA co-editing events were significantly correlated with the overall survival in HCC. Based on presence of risk RNA co-editings resulted in the categorization of HCC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Disparities in immune cell infiltrations were observed between the two groups, with the high-risk group exhibiting a greater abundance of exhausted T cells. Additionally, seven genes associated with risk RNA co-editing pairs were identified, whose expression effectively differentiates HCC tumor samples from normal ones. Our research offers an innovative perspective on the etiology and potential therapeutics for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Chen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Cheng-Hui Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Tao Tao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Yan Lin
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Fang-Bin Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Hui-Fang Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430014, Hubei, China.
| | - Jian Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
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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.
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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
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Dai L, Qin Z. Role of lymphatic endothelium specific hyaluronan receptor 1 in virus infection and associated diseases. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29457. [PMID: 38318772 PMCID: PMC10868962 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29457] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) serves as a prominent marker for lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and is pivotal in the process of lymphangiogenesis, a critical factor in cancer development and metastasis. Overexpression of LYVE-1 has been observed in various cancers, where it is recognized as an adverse prognostic indicator. Targeting LYVE-1 has demonstrated inhibitory effects on tumor cell proliferation, migration, and the formation of lymph node metastases both in vitro and in vivo. While extensive research has focused on the role of LYVE-1 in cancer cells, its involvement in virus infection and associated diseases remains largely unexplored. This review consolidates recent findings regarding the expression of LYVE-1 and its functions in lymphangiogenesis during various viral infections and the development of related diseases, with a particular emphasis on Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus. Despite the limited available data, it is evident that further studies are essential to comprehensively understand the contribution of LYVE-1 to viral pathogenesis and oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Dai
- Department of Pathology, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Zhiqiang Qin
- Department of Pathology, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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Han Z, Dai H, Chen X, Gao L, Chen X, Yan C, Ye R, Li Y. Delta-radiomics models based on multi-phase contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can preoperatively predict glypican-3-positive hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1138239. [PMID: 37601639 PMCID: PMC10435992 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1138239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the value of multi-phase contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) based on the delta radiomics model for identifying glypican-3 (GPC3)-positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: One hundred and twenty-six patients with pathologically confirmed HCC (training cohort: n = 88 and validation cohort: n = 38) were retrospectively recruited. Basic information was obtained from medical records. Preoperative multi-phase CE-MRI images were reviewed, and the 3D volumes of interest (VOIs) of the whole tumor were delineated on non-contrast T1-weighted imaging (T1), arterial phase (AP), portal venous phase (PVP), delayed phase (DP), and hepatobiliary phase (HBP). One hundred and seven original radiomics features were extracted from each phase, and delta-radiomics features were calculated. After a two-step feature selection strategy, radiomics models were built using two classification algorithms. A nomogram was constructed by combining the best radiomics model and clinical risk factors. Results: Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (p = 0.013) was significantly related to GPC3-positive HCC. The optimal radiomics model is composed of eight delta-radiomics features with the AUC of 0.805 and 0.857 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The nomogram integrated the radiomics score, and AFP performed excellently (training cohort: AUC = 0.844 and validation cohort: AUC = 0.862). The calibration curve showed good agreement between the nomogram-predicted probabilities and GPC3 actual expression in both training and validation cohorts. Decision curve analysis further demonstrates the clinical practicality of the nomogram. Conclusion: Multi-phase CE-MRI based on the delta-radiomics model can non-invasively predict GPC3-positive HCC and can be a useful method for individualized diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zewen Han
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- School of Medical Imaging, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hanting Dai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- School of Medical Imaging, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Lanmei Gao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaojie Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chuan Yan
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Rongping Ye
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yueming Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Biology (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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Li N, Dong T, Wang P, Li Q, Nie F. Predicting glypican-3 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: A comprehensive analysis using combined contrast-enhanced ultrasound and clinical factors. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2023; 85:407-420. [PMID: 37638421 DOI: 10.3233/ch-231912] [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: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glypican-3 (GPC3) has emerged as a significant marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has garnered considerable attention as an immunotherapeutic target. In this study, we propose a combination of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features and clinical factors to predict the positive expression of GPC3 in HCC patients. METHODS We retrospectively included 30 cases of GPC3-negative HCC and 115 cases of GPC3-positive HCC patients who underwent conventional ultrasound and CEUS evaluation. We assessed and compared the clinical characteristics, conventional ultrasound features, and CEUS features between the two groups of HCC patients. Based on the clinical and ultrasound features between the two groups, we developed a binary logistic regression model for predicting GPC3-positive HCC. RESULTS A total of 145 HCC patients were included in this study. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that AFP > 20 ng/mL (OR = 4.047; 95% CI: 1.467-11.16; p = 0.007), arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) (OR = 12.557; 95% CI: 3.608-43.706; p < 0.001), and asynchronous perfusion (OR = 4.209; 95% CI: 1.206-14.691; p = 0.024) were predictive factors for GPC3-positive HCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to predict GPC3-positive expression. The model combining the three independent predictive factors showed good predictive performance (AUC 0.817, 95% CI: 0.731-0.902, sensitivity: 91.3%, specificity: 60.0%). This combined model demonstrated excellent discriminatory ability to predict GPC3-positive HCC. CONCLUSION Preoperative integration of CEUS features and clinical factors can non-invasively and effectively identify GPC3-positive HCC patients, providing valuable assistance in making personalized treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Li
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Tiantian Dong
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Peihua Wang
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Qi Li
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Fang Nie
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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Nault JC, Paradis V, Ronot M, Zucman-Rossi J. Benign liver tumours: understanding molecular physiology to adapt clinical management. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:703-716. [PMID: 35835851 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00643-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Improvements in understanding the pathophysiology of the different benign liver nodules have refined their nosological classification. New criteria have been identified using imaging, histology and molecular analyses for a precise diagnosis of these tumours. Improvement in the classification of liver tumours provides a more accurate prediction of disease progression and has modified patient management. Haemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia, the most common benign liver tumours that develop in the absence of chronic liver disease, are usually easy to diagnose on imaging and do not require specific treatment. However, hepatocellular adenomas and cirrhotic macronodules can be difficult to discriminate from hepatocellular carcinoma. The molecular subtyping of hepatocellular adenomas in five major subgroups defined by HNF1A inactivation, β-catenin mutation in exon 3 or exon 7/8, and activation of inflammatory or Hedgehog pathways helps to identify the tumours at risk of malignant transformation or bleeding. New clinical, biological and molecular tools have gradually been included in diagnostic and treatment algorithms to classify benign liver tumours and improve patient management. This Review aims to explain the main pathogenic mechanisms of benign liver tumours and how this knowledge could influence clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Charles Nault
- Service d'hépatologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Bobigny, France. .,Unité de Formation et de Recherche Santé Médecine et Biologie Humaine, Université Paris Nord, Communauté d'Universités et Etablissements Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. .,Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris Cité, team «Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors», Paris, France. .,Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Labex OncoImmunology, Paris, France.
| | - Valérie Paradis
- Service de Pathologie, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP Nord, Clichy, France.,Université de Paris, INSERM U1149 "Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation", CRI, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Ronot
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1149 "Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation", CRI, Paris, France.,Department of Radiology, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP Nord, Clichy, France
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris Cité, team «Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors», Paris, France. .,Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Labex OncoImmunology, Paris, France. .,Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, APHP, Paris, France.
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Liu C, Liu H, Dasgupta M, Hellman LM, Zhang X, Qu K, Xue H, Wang Y, Fan F, Chang Q, Yu D, Ge L, Zhang Y, Cui Z, Zhang P, Heller B, Zhang H, Shi B, Baker BM, Liu C. Validation and promise of a TCR mimic antibody for cancer immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12068. [PMID: 35840635 PMCID: PMC9287321 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15946-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies are at the vanguard of the most promising cancer treatments. Whereas traditional therapeutic antibodies have been limited to extracellular antigens, T cell receptor mimic (TCRm) antibodies can target intracellular antigens presented by cell surface major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. TCRm antibodies can therefore target a repertoire of otherwise undruggable cancer antigens. However, the consequences of off-target peptide/MHC recognition with engineered T cell therapies are severe, and thus there are significant safety concerns with TCRm antibodies. Here we explored the specificity and safety profile of a new TCRm-based T cell therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a solid tumor for which no effective treatment exists. We targeted an alpha-fetoprotein peptide presented by HLA-A*02 with a highly specific TCRm, which crystallographic structural analysis showed binds directly over the HLA protein and interfaces with the full length of the peptide. We fused the TCRm to the γ and δ subunits of a TCR, producing a signaling AbTCR construct. This was combined with an scFv/CD28 co-stimulatory molecule targeting glypican-3 for increased efficacy towards tumor cells. This AbTCR + co-stimulatory T cell therapy showed potent activity against AFP-positive cancer cell lines in vitro and an in an in vivo model and undetectable activity against AFP-negative cells. In an in-human safety assessment, no significant adverse events or cytokine release syndrome were observed and evidence of efficacy was seen. Remarkably, one patient with metastatic HCC achieved a complete remission after nine months and ultimately qualified for a liver transplant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Moumita Dasgupta
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, 251 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Lance M Hellman
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, 251 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Xiaogang Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Kai Qu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Hui Xue
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yun Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Fenling Fan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Qi Chang
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Duo Yu
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Linhu Ge
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Ziyou Cui
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Pengbo Zhang
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Bradley Heller
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Hongbing Zhang
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Bingyin Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, 251 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Cheng Liu
- Eureka Therapeutics Inc., 5858 Horton Street, Suite 170, Emeryville, CA, USA.
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Wu X, Meng X, Chang TS, Feng S, Lee M, Jaiswal S, Choi EYK, Tran L, Jiang H, Wang TD. Multi-modal imaging for uptake of peptide ligand specific for CD44 by hepatocellular carcinoma. PHOTOACOUSTICS 2022; 26:100355. [PMID: 35479192 PMCID: PMC9035732 DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2022.100355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising steadily in incidence, and more effective methods are needed for early cancer detection and image-guided surgery. METHODS We used a structural model to optimize the peptide sequence. Specific binding was validated in vitro with knockdown, competition, and co-localization assays. Multi-modal imaging was performed to validate specific binding in vivo in orthotopically-implanted human xenograft tumors. RESULTS Binding properties of WKGWSYLWTQQA were characterized by an apparent dissociation constant of kd = 43 nM, and an apparent association time constant of k = 0.26 min-1. The target-to-background ratio was significantly higher for the target versus control for both modalities. Ex-vivo evaluation using human HCC specimens supported the ability of the peptide to distinguish HCC from other liver pathologies. CONCLUSIONS We have identified a peptide specific for CD44 with properties that are promising for clinical translation to image HCC in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Meng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Tse-Shao Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shuo Feng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Miki Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sangeeta Jaiswal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eun-Young K. Choi
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lam Tran
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Thomas D. Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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10
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Kopasz AG, Pusztai DZ, Karkas R, Hudoba L, Abdullah KSA, Imre G, Pankotai-Bodó G, Migh E, Nagy A, Kriston A, Germán P, Drubi AB, Molnár A, Fekete I, Dani VÉ, Ocsovszki I, Puskás LG, Horváth P, Sükösd F, Mátés L. A versatile transposon-based technology to generate loss- and gain-of-function phenotypes in the mouse liver. BMC Biol 2022; 20:74. [PMID: 35361222 PMCID: PMC8974095 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01262-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the contribution of gene function in distinct organ systems to the pathogenesis of human diseases in biomedical research requires modifying gene expression through the generation of gain- and loss-of-function phenotypes in model organisms, for instance, the mouse. However, methods to modify both germline and somatic genomes have important limitations that prevent easy, strong, and stable expression of transgenes. For instance, while the liver is remarkably easy to target, nucleic acids introduced to modify the genome of hepatocytes are rapidly lost, or the transgene expression they mediate becomes inhibited due to the action of effector pathways for the elimination of exogenous DNA. Novel methods are required to overcome these challenges, and here we develop a somatic gene delivery technology enabling long-lasting high-level transgene expression in the entire hepatocyte population of mice. RESULTS We exploit the fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (Fah) gene correction-induced regeneration in Fah-deficient livers, to demonstrate that such approach stabilizes luciferase expression more than 5000-fold above the level detected in WT animals, following plasmid DNA introduction complemented by transposon-mediated chromosomal gene transfer. Building on this advancement, we created a versatile technology platform for performing gene function analysis in vivo in the mouse liver. Our technology allows the tag-free expression of proteins of interest and silencing of any arbitrary gene in the mouse genome. This was achieved by applying the HADHA/B endogenous bidirectional promoter capable of driving well-balanced bidirectional expression and by optimizing in vivo intronic artificial microRNA-based gene silencing. We demonstrated the particular usefulness of the technology in cancer research by creating a p53-silenced and hRas G12V-overexpressing tumor model. CONCLUSIONS We developed a versatile technology platform for in vivo somatic genome editing in the mouse liver, which meets multiple requirements for long-lasting high-level transgene expression. We believe that this technology will contribute to the development of a more accurate new generation of tools for gene function analysis in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dávid Zsolt Pusztai
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Réka Karkas
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Liza Hudoba
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Khaldoon Sadiq Ahmed Abdullah
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gergely Imre
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Ede Migh
- grid.481814.00000 0004 0479 9817Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Andrea Nagy
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - András Kriston
- grid.481814.00000 0004 0479 9817Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter Germán
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Andrea Bakné Drubi
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Anna Molnár
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Fekete
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Virág Éva Dani
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Imre Ocsovszki
- grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Department of Biochemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Géza Puskás
- grid.481815.1Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter Horváth
- grid.481814.00000 0004 0479 9817Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary ,grid.452494.a0000 0004 0409 5350Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Farkas Sükösd
- grid.9008.10000 0001 1016 9625Institute of Pathology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Lajos Mátés
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.
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11
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Exploring the Multicomponent Synergy Mechanism of Yinzhihuang Granule in Inhibiting Inflammation-Cancer Transformation of Hepar Based on Integrated Bioinformatics and Network Pharmacology. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:6213865. [PMID: 35342754 PMCID: PMC8956385 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6213865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background The Chinese patent drug Yinzhihuang granule (YZHG) is used to treat hepatitis B. This research is aimed at exploring the multicomponent synergistic mechanism of YZHG in the treatment of inflammation-cancer transformation of hepar and at providing new evidence and insights for its clinical application. Methods To retrieve the components and targets of Yinzhihuang granules. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of hepar inflammation-cancer transformation were obtained from TTD, PharmGKB, and GEO databases. Construct the compound-prediction target network and the key module network using Cytoscape 3.7.1. Results The results show that hepatitis B and hepatitis C shared a common target, MMP2. CDK1 and TOP2A may play an important role in the treatment with YZHG in hepatitis B inflammatory cancer transformation. KEGG pathway enrichment showed that key genes of modules 1, 2, and 4 were mainly enriched in the progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation signaling pathway and oocyte meiosis signaling pathway. Conclusion The multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel pharmacological benefits of YZHG in the therapy of inflammation-cancer transition of hepar are directly demonstrated by network pharmacology, providing a scientific basis for its mechanism.
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12
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Feng S, Meng X, Li Z, Chang TS, Wu X, Zhou J, Joshi B, Choi EY, Zhao L, Zhu J, Wang TD. Multi-Modal Imaging Probe for Glypican-3 Overexpressed in Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15639-15650. [PMID: 34590489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising steadily in incidence, and more effective methods are needed for early detection and image-guided surgery. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a cell surface biomarker that is overexpressed in early-stage cancer but not in cirrhosis. An IRDye800-labeled 12-mer amino acid sequence was identified, and specific binding to GPC3 was validated in vitro and in orthotopically implanted HCC tumors in vivo. Over 4-fold greater binding affinity and 2-fold faster kinetics were measured by comparison with previous GPC3 peptides. Photoacoustic images showed peak tumor uptake at 1.5 h post-injection and clearance within ∼24 h. Laparoscopic and whole-body fluorescence images showed strong intensity from tumor versus adjacent liver with about a 2-fold increase. Immunofluorescence staining of human liver specimens demonstrated specific binding to HCC versus cirrhosis with 79% sensitivity and 79% specificity, and normal liver with 81% sensitivity and 84% specificity. The near-infrared peptide is promising for early HCC detection in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Feng
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Xiaoqing Meng
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Zhao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Tse-Shao Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Xiaoli Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Juan Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Bishnu Joshi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Eun-Young Choi
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Lili Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Jiye Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Thomas D Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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13
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Gazelakis K, Majeed A, Kemp W, Di Muzio B, Gerstenmaier J, Cheung W, Roberts SK. Liver disease severity predicts carcinogenesis of dysplastic liver nodules in cirrhosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20954. [PMID: 34697374 PMCID: PMC8545953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00474-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While dysplastic liver nodules in cirrhosis are pre-malignant, little is known about the predictors of hepatocarcinogenesis of these lesions. This was a retrospective observational study of subjects with cirrhosis who had at least one hypervascular, non-malignant intrahepatic nodule on imaging while undergoing outpatient management by a tertiary hepatology referral centre between Jan 2009 and Jan 2019. Clinical and biochemical parameters were collected. The primary endpoint was transformation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as determined by Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System. During the study period, 163 non-malignant hypervascular nodules were identified in 77 patients; 147 had at least 6 months of follow up imaging and 16 received upfront radiofrequency ablation upon detection. During a median follow up of 38.5 months (IQR 16.5-74.5), 25 (17%) of the 147 hypervascular nodules being monitored transformed to HCC. On multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh grade was found to be the only independent predictor of nodule transformation into HCC (p = 0.02). Those with Child-Pugh B and C liver disease had a 10.1 (95% CI 1.22-83.8; p = 0.03) and 32.6-fold (95% CI 2.3-467; p = 0.01) increased risk respectively for HCC transformation compared to Child-Pugh A subjects. This large, single centre study demonstrates that around 20% of dysplastic nodules in cirrhotic patients undergo hepatocarcinogenesis during follow up, and that Child Pugh grade is the only independent predictor of transformation to HCC. Additional prospective studies are warranted to better understand the risk profile of these nodules, and how best they should be managed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Gazelakis
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Ammar Majeed
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - William Kemp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bruno Di Muzio
- Department of Radiology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Wa Cheung
- Department of Radiology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stuart K Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia.
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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14
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Fateen W, Johnson PJ, Wood HM, Zhang H, He S, El-Meteini M, Wyatt JI, Aithal GP, Quirke P. Characterisation of dysplastic liver nodules using low-pass DNA sequencing and detection of chromosome arm-level abnormalities in blood-derived cell-free DNA. J Pathol 2021; 255:30-40. [PMID: 34028025 DOI: 10.1002/path.5734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
High-grade dysplasia carries significant risk of transformation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite this, at the current standard of care, all non-malignant hepatic nodules including high-grade dysplastic nodules are managed similarly. This is partly related to difficulties in distinguishing high-risk pathology in the liver. We aimed to identify chromosome arm-level somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) that characterise the transition of liver nodules along the cirrhosis-dysplasia-carcinoma axis. We validated our findings on an independent cohort using blood-derived cell-free DNA. A repository of non-cancer DNA sequences obtained from patients with HCC (n = 389) was analysed to generate cut-off thresholds aiming to minimise false-positive SCNAs. Tissue samples representing stages from the multistep process of hepatocarcinogenesis (n = 184) were subjected to low-pass whole genome sequencing. Chromosome arm-level SCNAs were identified in liver cirrhosis, dysplastic nodules, and HCC to assess their discriminative capacity. Samples positive for 1q+ or 8q+ arm-level duplications were likely to be either HCC or high-grade dysplastic nodules as opposed to low-grade dysplastic nodules or cirrhotic tissue with an odds ratio (OR) of 35.5 (95% CI 11.5-110) and 16 (95% CI 6.4-40.2), respectively (p < 0.0001). In an independent cohort of patients recruited from Nottingham, UK, at least two out of four alterations (1q+, 4q-, 8p-, and 8q+) were detectable in blood-derived cell-free DNA of patients with HCC (n = 22) but none of the control patients with liver cirrhosis (n = 9). Arm-level SCNAs on 1q+ or 8q+ are associated with high-risk liver pathology. These can be detected using low-pass sequencing of cell-free DNA isolated from blood, which may be a future early cancer screening tool for patients with liver cirrhosis. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Fateen
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James's University Hospital, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Ain Shams Centre for Organ Transplant, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
- Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Philip J Johnson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Henry M Wood
- Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James's University Hospital, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Han Zhang
- School of Computer Science, Centre for Computational Biology, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Shan He
- School of Computer Science, Centre for Computational Biology, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mahmoud El-Meteini
- Ain Shams Centre for Organ Transplant, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Judy I Wyatt
- Histopathology Department, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Guruprasad P Aithal
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Philip Quirke
- Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James's University Hospital, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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15
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Dietary and Genetic Cholesterol Loading Rather Than Steatosis Promotes Liver Tumorigenesis and NASH-Driven HCC. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164091. [PMID: 34439245 PMCID: PMC8393403 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the present study, which is part of the Special Issue “Theranostic Advances in Hepatobiliary Tumors”, we address whether hepatic steatosis per se or cholesterol sensitizes to NASH-driven HCC. This is a very important health issue, as the incidence of HCC derived from NASH is expected to keep rising due to the association of NASH with the obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic. Using dietary and genetic models to generate hepatic steatosis with or without cholesterol accumulation, we provide evidence for the tumor promoter role of cholesterol in NASH-HCC associated with an increased expression of the genes involved in immune checkpoints, which suggests that cholesterol favors a milieu prone to T-cell exhaustion. Abstract The association of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with obesity and type 2 diabetes is a major determinant factor for the continued rise of NASH-driven HCC. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying the progression from NASH to HCC are not well-understood. Steatosis is characterized by the accumulation of different lipid species, and cholesterol has emerged as an important player in NASH development, which has been shown to promote NASH-driven HCC. However, recent findings indicated a tumor suppressor role of cholesterol in liver carcinogenesis and HCC development. Thus, we examined the contribution of hepatic steatosis with or without cholesterol accumulation induced by dietary or genetic approaches in liver tumorigenesis and whether the role of cholesterol in NASH-driven HCC is species-dependent. While diethylnitrosamine (DEN) treatment to rats or mice fed a choline-deficient diet decreased the hepatic steatosis, feeding an atherogenic diet enriched in cholesterol potentiated the liver tumor markers. Similar effects were observed in DEN-treated transgenic SREBP-2 mice but not wild-type (WT) mice fed a regular chow diet. Remarkably, long-term feeding of a high-fat high-cholesterol diet (HFHC) but not a high-fat diet (HFD) to WT mice caused severe NASH with spontaneous progression to HCC. A similar outcome was observed in MUP-uPA transgenic mice fed a HFHC diet, which resulted in increased liver tumors and expression of the genes involved in the immune checkpoints. Ezetimibe treatment ameliorated chronic liver disease and, more importantly, tumor multiplicity in HFHC-fed MUP-uPA mice or DEN-treated WT mice. Thus, these results revealed a differential role of steatosis and cholesterol in NASH-driven HCC and indicated that the tumor-promoter role of cholesterol is species-independent and associated with impaired immunosurveillance.
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16
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Huang SL, Wang YM, Wang QY, Feng GG, Wu FQ, Yang LM, Zhang XH, Xin HW. Mechanisms and Clinical Trials of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Immunotherapy. Front Genet 2021; 12:691391. [PMID: 34306031 PMCID: PMC8296838 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.691391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common and lethal tumors worldwide, is usually not diagnosed until the disease is advanced, which results in ineffective intervention and unfavorable prognosis. Small molecule targeted drugs of HCC, such as sorafenib, provided only about 2.8 months of survival benefit, partially due to cancer stem cell resistance. There is an urgent need for the development of new treatment strategies for HCC. Tumor immunotherapies, including immune check point inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) and bispecific antibodies (BsAb), have shown significant potential. It is known that the expression level of glypican-3 (GPC3) was significantly increased in HCC compared with normal liver tissues. A bispecific antibody (GPC3-S-Fabs) was reported to recruit NK cells to target GPC3 positive cancer cells. Besides, bispecific T-cell Engagers (BiTE), including GPC3/CD3, an aptamer TLS11a/CD3 and EpCAM/CD3, were recently reported to efficiently eliminate HCC cells. It is known that immune checkpoint proteins programmed death-1 (PD-1) binding by programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) activates immune checkpoints of T cells. Anti-PD-1 antibody was reported to suppress HCC progression. Furthermore, GPC3-based HCC immunotherapy has been shown to be a curative approach to prolong the survival time of patients with HCC in clinically trials. Besides, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor may inhibit the migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC. Here we review the cutting-edge progresses on mechanisms and clinical trials of HCC immunotherapy, which may have significant implication in our understanding of HCC and its immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Li Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Doctoral Scientific Research Center, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yu-Ming Wang
- Department of Spinal and Neural Functional Reconstruction, Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.,School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Guang-Gui Feng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Fu-Qing Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Liu-Ming Yang
- Doctoral Scientific Research Center, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xi-He Zhang
- Doctoral Scientific Research Center, Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Lianjiang People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Hong-Wu Xin
- Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
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17
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Pan Y, Meng Y, Zhai Z, Xiong S. Identification of a three-gene-based prognostic model in multiple myeloma using bioinformatics analysis. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11320. [PMID: 34249481 PMCID: PMC8247704 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most hematological malignancy, has high incidence and remains incurable till now. The pathogenesis of MM is poorly understood. This study aimed to identify novel prognostic model for MM on gene expression profiles. Methods Gene expression datas of MM (GSE6477, GSE136337) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE6477 between case samples and normal control samples were screened by the limma package. Meanwhile, enrichment analysis was conducted, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of these DEGs was established by STRING and cytoscape software. Co-expression modules of genes were built by Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA). Key genes were identified both from hub genes and the DEGs. Univariate and multivariate Cox congression were performed to screen independent prognostic genes to construct a predictive model. The predictive power of the model was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier curve and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Finally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyse were used to investigate whether the prognostic model could be independent of other clinical parameters. Results GSE6477, including 101 case and 15 normal control, were screened as the datasets. A total of 178 DEGs were identified, including 59 up-regulated and 119 down-regulated genes. In WGCNA analysis, module black and module purple were the most relevant modules with cancer traits, and 92 hub genes in these two modules were selected for further analysis. Next, 47 genes were chosen both from the DEGs and hub genes as key genes. Three genes (LYVE1, RNASE1, and RNASE2) were finally screened by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and used to construct a risk model. In addition, the three-gene prognostic model revealed independent and accurate prognostic capacity in relation to other clinical parameters for MM patients. Conclusion In summary, we identified and constructed a three-gene-based prognostic model that could be used to predict overall survival of MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Pan
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ye Meng
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhimin Zhai
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shudao Xiong
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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18
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Singal AG, Hoshida Y, Pinato DJ, Marrero J, Nault JC, Paradis V, Tayob N, Sherman M, Lim YS, Feng Z, Lok AS, Rinaudo JA, Srivastava S, Llovet JM, Villanueva A. International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) White Paper on Biomarker Development for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gastroenterology 2021; 160:2572-2584. [PMID: 33705745 PMCID: PMC8169638 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.01.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amit G Singal
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, Texas.
| | - Yujin Hoshida
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, Texas
| | - David J Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jorge Marrero
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, Texas
| | - Jean-Charles Nault
- Service d'hépatologie, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Bondy, France; Unité de Formation et de Recherche Santé Médecine et Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris, INSERM UMR 118 Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors Laboratory, F-75006, Paris, France
| | - Valerie Paradis
- Pathology Department, Beaujon hospital, Clichy, University Paris, France
| | - Nabihah Tayob
- Department of Data Science, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Young Suk Lim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liver Center, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ziding Feng
- Biostatistics Program, Public Health Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Anna S Lok
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jo Ann Rinaudo
- Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Sudhir Srivastava
- Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Josep M Llovet
- Division of Liver Diseases and Hematology/Medical Oncology, Liver Cancer Program, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Translational Research in Hepatic Oncology, Liver Unit, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institució Catalana d'Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Augusto Villanueva
- Division of Liver Diseases and Hematology/Medical Oncology, Liver Cancer Program, Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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19
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Reungoat E, Grigorov B, Zoulim F, Pécheur EI. Molecular Crosstalk between the Hepatitis C Virus and the Extracellular Matrix in Liver Fibrogenesis and Early Carcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092270. [PMID: 34065048 PMCID: PMC8125929 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the era of direct-acting antivirals against the hepatitis C virus (HCV), curing chronic hepatitis C has become a reality. However, while replicating chronically, HCV creates a peculiar state of inflammation and oxidative stress in the infected liver, which fuels DNA damage at the onset of HCV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This cancer, the second leading cause of death by cancer, remains of bad prognosis when diagnosed. This review aims to decipher how HCV durably alters elements of the extracellular matrix that compose the liver microenvironment, directly through its viral proteins or indirectly through the induction of cytokine secretion, thereby leading to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and, ultimately, HCC. Abstract Chronic infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver diseases, predisposing to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver fibrosis is characterized by an overly abundant accumulation of components of the hepatic extracellular matrix, such as collagen and elastin, with consequences on the properties of this microenvironment and cancer initiation and growth. This review will provide an update on mechanistic concepts of HCV-related liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and early stages of carcinogenesis, with a dissection of the molecular details of the crosstalk during disease progression between hepatocytes, the extracellular matrix, and hepatic stellate cells.
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20
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Reig M, Forner A, Ávila MA, Ayuso C, Mínguez B, Varela M, Bilbao I, Bilbao JI, Burrel M, Bustamante J, Ferrer J, Gómez MÁ, Llovet JM, De la Mata M, Matilla A, Pardo F, Pastrana MA, Rodríguez-Perálvarez M, Tabernero J, Urbano J, Vera R, Sangro B, Bruix J. Diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Update of the consensus document of the AEEH, AEC, SEOM, SERAM, SERVEI, and SETH. Med Clin (Barc) 2021; 156:463.e1-463.e30. [PMID: 33461840 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2020.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver neoplasm and one of the most common causes of death in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. In parallel, with recognition of the clinical relevance of this cancer, major new developments have recently appeared in its diagnosis, prognostic assessment and in particular, in its treatment. Therefore, the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH) has driven the need to update the clinical practice guidelines, once again inviting all the societies involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease to participate in the drafting and approval of the document: Spanish Society for Liver Transplantation (SETH), Spanish Society of Diagnostic Radiology (SERAM), Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI), Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) and Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). The clinical practice guidelines published in 2016 and accepted as National Health System Clinical Practice Guidelines were taken as the reference documents, incorporating the most important recent advances. The scientific evidence and the strength of the recommendation is based on the GRADE system.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Reig
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España
| | - Alejandro Forner
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España
| | - Matías A Ávila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Programa de Hepatología, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, Universidad de Navarra-IDISNA, Pamplona, España
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Beatriz Mínguez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Universitario Vall d́Hebron, Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Hepáticas (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Barcelona, España
| | - María Varela
- Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo, España
| | - Itxarone Bilbao
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplantes Digestivos, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Barcelona, España
| | - José Ignacio Bilbao
- Unidad de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista, Departamento de Radiodiagnóstico, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España
| | - Marta Burrel
- Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Javier Bustamante
- Servicio de Gastroenterología y Hepatología, Sección de Hepatología y Trasplante, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Baracaldo, España
| | - Joana Ferrer
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Miguel Ángel Gómez
- Unidad de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplantes, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España
| | - Josep María Llovet
- Grupo de Investigación Traslacional en Oncología Hepática, Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Manuel De la Mata
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad Clínica de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España
| | - Ana Matilla
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España
| | - Fernando Pardo
- Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplante, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España
| | - Miguel A Pastrana
- Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España
| | - Manuel Rodríguez-Perálvarez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad Clínica de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España
| | - Josep Tabernero
- Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - José Urbano
- Unidad de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista, Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, España
| | - Ruth Vera
- Servicio de Oncología Médica, Complejo hospitalario de Navarra, Navarrabiomed-IDISNA, Pamplona, España
| | - Bruno Sangro
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad de Hepatología y Área de Oncología HBP, Clínica Universidad de Navarra-IDISNA, Pamplona, España.
| | - Jordi Bruix
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España.
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21
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Wegermann K, Hyun J, Diehl AM. Molecular Mechanisms Linking Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis to Cancer. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2021; 17:6-10. [PMID: 33552478 PMCID: PMC7849296 DOI: 10.1002/cld.1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Watch a video presentation of this article Watch an interview with the author Answer questions and earn CME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Wegermann
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicineDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNC
| | - Jeongeun Hyun
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN) and College of Science and TechnologyDankook UniversityCheonanRepublic of Korea
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicineDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNC
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22
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Garcia-Lezana T, Lopez-Canovas JL, Villanueva A. Signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma. Adv Cancer Res 2020; 149:63-101. [PMID: 33579428 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent introduction of new effective systemic agents, the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at advanced stages remains dismal. This underscores the need for new therapies, which has spurred extensive research on the identification of the main drivers of pathway de-regulation as a source of novel therapeutic targets. Frequently altered pathways in HCC involve growth factor receptors (e.g., VEGFR, FGFR, TGFA, EGFR, IGFR) and/or its cytoplasmic intermediates (e.g., PI3K-AKT-mTOR, RAF/ERK/MAPK) as well as key pathways in cell differentiation (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin, JAK/STAT, Hippo, Hedgehog, Notch). Somatic mutations, chromosomal aberrations and epigenetic changes are common mechanisms for pathway deregulation in HCC. Aberrant pathway activation has also been explored as a biomarker to predict response to specific therapies, but currently, these strategies are not implemented when deciding systemic therapies in HCC patients. Beyond the well-established molecular cascades, there are numerous emerging signaling pathways also deregulated in HCC (e.g., tumor microenvironment, non-coding RNA, intestinal microbiota), which have opened new avenues for therapeutic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Garcia-Lezana
- Division of Liver Diseases, Liver Cancer Program, Department of Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Juan Luis Lopez-Canovas
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Augusto Villanueva
- Division of Liver Diseases, Liver Cancer Program, Department of Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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23
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Rashdan HRM, Abdelmonsef AH, Shehadi IA, Gomha SM, Soliman AMM, Mahmoud HK. Synthesis, Molecular Docking Screening and Anti-Proliferative Potency Evaluation of Some New Imidazo[2,1- b]Thiazole Linked Thiadiazole Conjugates. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25214997. [PMID: 33126630 PMCID: PMC7663531 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole scaffolds were reported to possess various pharmaceutical activities. RESULTS The novel compound named methyl-2-(1-(3-methyl-6-(p-tolyl)imidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-2-yl)ethylidene)hydrazine-1-carbodithioate 3 acted as a predecessor molecule for the synthesis of new thiadiazole derivatives incorporating imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole moiety. The reaction of 3 with the appropriate hydrazonoyl halide derivatives 4a-j and 7-9 had produced the respective 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives 6a-j and 10-12. The chemical composition of all the newly synthesized derivatives were confirmed by their microanalytical and spectral data (FT-IR, mass spectrometry, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR). All the produced novel compounds were screened for their anti-proliferative efficacy on hepatic cancer cell lines (HepG2). In addition, a computational molecular docking study was carried out to determine the ability of the synthesized thiadiazole molecules to interact with active site of the target Glypican-3 protein (GPC-3). Moreover, the physiochemical properties of the synthesized compounds were derived to determine the viability of the compounds as drug candidates for hepatic cancer. CONCLUSION All the tested compounds had exhibited good anti-proliferative efficacy against hepatic cancer cell lines. In addition, the molecular docking results showed strong binding interactions of the synthesized compounds with the target GPC-3 protein with lower energy scores. Thus, such novel compounds may act as promising candidates as drugs against hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda R. M. Rashdan
- Chemistry of Natural and Microbial Products Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Ihsan A. Shehadi
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE;
| | - Sobhi M. Gomha
- Chemistry department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.M.G.); (H.K.M.)
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Islamic University in Almadinah Almonawara, Almadinah Almonawara 42351, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Huda K. Mahmoud
- Chemistry department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.M.G.); (H.K.M.)
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24
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Chang Y, Lee YB, Cho EJ, Lee JH, Yu SJ, Kim YJ, Yoon JH. CKD-5, a novel pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor, synergistically enhances the efficacy of sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:1001. [PMID: 33059615 PMCID: PMC7559883 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07471-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) have distinctive epigenetic targets involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and chemoresistance. A recent phase I/II study reported the possibility of HDACI as a chemosensitizer in sorafenib-resistant patients. In this study, we evaluated whether CKD-5, a novel pan-HDACI, can potentiate the efficacy of sorafenib. METHODS The anticancer effect of CKD-5 with and without sorafenib was evaluated in vitro using an MTS assay with human HCC cells (SNU-3058 and SNU-761) under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Microarray analysis was performed to investigate the mechanism of cell death, which was also evaluated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection and subsequent immunoblot assays. In vivo experiments were conducted using two different murine HCC models. C3H mice implanted with MH134 cells and C57BL/6 mice implanted with RIL-175 cells were treated with weekly CKD-5 with and without sorafenib for 2 weeks. RESULTS CKD-5 treatment significantly suppressed human HCC cell growth in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Microarray analysis and real-time PCR showed that CKD-5 treatment significantly increased peripherin expression in HCC cells and that downregulation of peripherin by siRNA decreased CKD-5-induced apoptosis. The combination of CKD-5 and sorafenib decreased cell viability more effectively than sorafenib or CKD-5 monotherapy in human and murine HCC cells. The effectiveness of the combination therapy was consistently demonstrated in the animal models. Histological and biochemical analyses demonstrated good tolerance of CKD-5 plus sorafenib in vivo. CONCLUSION CKD-5 may enhance sorafenib efficacy through epigenetic regulation. The combination of CKD-5 and sorafenib might be a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.,Institute for Digestive Research, Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yun Bin Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Ju Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Jong Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Jun Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Li R, Shui L, Jia J, Wu C. Construction and Validation of Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic DNA Methylation Signatures for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2020; 11:906. [PMID: 32922438 PMCID: PMC7456968 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00906] [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: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent life-threatening human cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with increased global incidence within the last decade. Identification of effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers would enable reliable risk stratification and efficient screening of high-risk patients, thereby facilitating clinical decision-making. Herein, we performed a comprehensive, robust DNA methylation analysis based on genome-wide DNA methylation profiling. We constructed a diagnostic signature with five DNA methylation markers, which precisely distinguished HCC patients from normal controls. Cox regression and LASSO analysis were applied to construct a prognostic signature with four DNA methylation markers. A one-to-one correlation analysis was carried out between genes of the whole genome and our prognostic signature. Exploration of the biological function and the role of the underlying significantly correlated genes was conducted. A mixed dataset of 463 HCC patients and 253 normal controls, derived from six independent datasets, was used to valid the diagnostic signature. Results showed a specificity of 96.84% and sensitivity of 96.77%. Class scores for the diagnostic signature were significantly different between normal controls, individuals with liver diseases, and HCC patients. The present signature has the potential to serve as a biomarker to monitor health in normal controls. Additionally, HCC patients were successfully separated into low-risk and high-risk groups by the prognostic signature, with a better prognosis for patients in the low-risk group. Kaplan-Meier and ROC analysis confirmed that the prognostic signature performed well. We found eight of the top ten genes to positively correlate with risk scores of the prognostic signature, and to be involved in cell cycle regulation. This eight-gene panel also served as a prognostic signature. The robust evidence presented in this study therefore demonstrates the effectiveness of the prognostic signature. In summary, we constructed diagnostic and prognostic signatures, which have potential for use in diagnosis, surveillance, and prognostic prediction for HCC patients. Eight genes that were significantly and positively correlated with the prognostic signature were strongly associated with cell cycle processes. Therefore, the prognostic signature can be used as a guide by which to measure responsiveness to cell-cycle-targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Li
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liyan Shui
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junling Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Innovation Center for Precision Medicine, Zhongtong-Lanbo Diagnostic Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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26
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Gan X, Luo Y, Dai G, Lin J, Liu X, Zhang X, Li A. Identification of Gene Signatures for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinomas Patients at Early Stage. Front Genet 2020; 11:857. [PMID: 32849835 PMCID: PMC7406719 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of liver cancer is insidious. Currently, there is no effective method for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Transcriptomic profiles of 826 tissue samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype tissue expression (GTEx), and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases were utilized to establish models for early detection and surveillance of HCC. The overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by elastic net and robust rank aggregation (RRA) analyses to construct the diagnostic prediction model for early HCC (DP.eHCC). Prognostic prediction genes were screened by univariate cox regression and lasso cox regression analyses to construct the survival risk prediction model for early HCC (SP.eHCC). The relationship between the variation of transcriptome profile and the oncogenic risk-score of early HCC was analyzed by combining Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA), Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and genome networks (GeNets). The results showed that the AUC of DP.eHCC model for the diagnosis of early HCC was 0.956 (95% CI: 0.941–0.972; p < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 90.91%, a specificity of 92.97%. The SP.eHCC model performed well for predicting the overall survival risk of HCC patients (HR = 10.79; 95% CI: 6.16–18.89; p < 0.001). The oncogenesis of early HCC was revealed mainly involving in pathways associated with cell proliferation and tumor microenvironment. And the transcription factors including EZH2, EGR1, and SOX17 were screened in the genome networks as the promising targets used for precise treatment in patients with HCC. Our findings provide robust models for the early diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, and are crucial for the development of novel targets applied in the precision therapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoning Gan
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Yue Luo
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Guanqi Dai
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junhao Lin
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinhui Liu
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Xiangqun Zhang
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aimin Li
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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27
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Abstract
Glypicans are a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are attached to the cell membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Glypicans interact with multiple ligands, including morphogens, growth factors, chemokines, ligands, receptors, and components of the extracellular matrix through their heparan sulfate chains and core protein. Therefore, glypicans can function as coreceptors to regulate cell proliferation, cell motility, and morphogenesis. In addition, some glypicans are abnormally expressed in cancers, possibly involved in tumorigenesis, and have the potential to be cancer-specific biomarkers. Here, we provide a brief review focusing on the expression of glypicans in various cancers and their potential to be targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Madeline R Spetz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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28
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Hectors SJ, Lewis S, Besa C, King MJ, Said D, Putra J, Ward S, Higashi T, Thung S, Yao S, Laface I, Schwartz M, Gnjatic S, Merad M, Hoshida Y, Taouli B. MRI radiomics features predict immuno-oncological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur Radiol 2020; 30:3759-3769. [PMID: 32086577 PMCID: PMC7869026 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-06675-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the value of qualitative and quantitative MRI radiomics features for noninvasive prediction of immuno-oncologic characteristics and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS This retrospective, IRB-approved study included 48 patients with HCC (M/F 35/13, mean age 60y) who underwent hepatic resection or transplant within 4 months of abdominal MRI. Qualitative imaging traits, quantitative nontexture related and texture features were assessed in index lesions on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted images. The association of imaging features with immunoprofiling and genomics features was assessed using binary logistic regression and correlation analyses. Binary logistic regression analysis was also employed to analyse the association of radiomics, histopathologic and genomics features with radiological early recurrence of HCC at 12 months. RESULTS Qualitative (r = - 0.41-0.40, p < 0.042) and quantitative (r = - 0.52-0.45, p < 0.049) radiomics features correlated with immunohistochemical cell type markers for T-cells (CD3), macrophages (CD68) and endothelial cells (CD31). Radiomics features also correlated with expression of immunotherapy targets PD-L1 at protein level (r = 0.41-0.47, p < 0.029) as well as PD1 and CTLA4 at mRNA expression level (r = - 0.48-0.47, p < 0.037). Finally, radiomics features, including tumour size, showed significant diagnostic performance for assessment of early HCC recurrence (AUC 0.76-0.80, p < 0.043), while immunoprofiling and genomic features did not (p = 0.098-0929). CONCLUSIONS MRI radiomics features may serve as noninvasive predictors of HCC immuno-oncological characteristics and tumour recurrence and may aid in treatment stratification of HCC patients. These results need prospective validation. KEY POINTS • MRI radiomics features showed significant associations with immunophenotyping and genomics characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma. • Radiomics features, including tumour size, showed significant associations with early hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie J Hectors
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 515 E 71st Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Sara Lewis
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Cecilia Besa
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Michael J King
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Daniela Said
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Radiology, Universidad de los Andes, Avenida Plaza 2501, 7620157, Las Condes, Chile
| | - Juan Putra
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Stephen Ward
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Takaaki Higashi
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Swan Thung
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Shen Yao
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ilaria Laface
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Myron Schwartz
- Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sacha Gnjatic
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Miriam Merad
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Yujin Hoshida
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Bachir Taouli
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Lei Y, Hu Q, Gu J. Expressions of Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein and Glucose Transporters in Liver Cancer and Clinical Significance. Pathol Oncol Res 2020; 26:1331-1340. [PMID: 31407220 PMCID: PMC7242283 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-019-00708-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) is a glucose-sensing transcription factor that mediates the induction of glycolytic and lipogenic genes in response to glucose. We investigated the expression patterns of ChREBP and glucose transporters (GLUTs) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their association with HCC progression. ChREBP, GLUT2 and GLUT1 immunohistochemistry were performed on liver tissue array containing normal liver tissue, HCC adjacent tissue and cancer tissue of different HCC stages. The effect of HCC malignancy on protein expression was analyzed with one-way ANOVA. The correlations between protein expressions were analyzed with Pearson Correlation test. We found that ChREBP protein expression tended to be positively correlated to liver malignancy. GLUT2 protein expression was significantly reduced in human HCC as compared to normal liver tissue and its expression in HCC was inversely associated to malignancy (p < 0.001). In contrast, GLUT1 was significantly increased in cancer cells and its expression was positively correlated to malignancy (p < 0.001). Furthermore, GLUT1 expression was positively associated to ChREBP expression (r = 0.481, p < 0.0001, n = 70) but negatively correlated to GLUT2 expression (r = -0.320, p = 0.007, n = 70). Notably, ChREBP-expressing hepatocytes did not express GLUT2 but GLUT1. This is the first report unveiling expressions of ChREBP and GLUT2/GLUT1 and their relations in HCC. The expression patterns are related to malignancy and this information would facilitate evaluation of clinical behavior and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Lei
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology, Collaborative and Creative Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713, GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Jinxin Research Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, 66 Jingxiu Road, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Qiaoling Hu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology, Collaborative and Creative Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiang Gu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology, Collaborative and Creative Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China.
- Jinxin Research Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, 66 Jingxiu Road, Chengdu, 610066, China.
- Department of Pathology, Beijing University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Incidence of Occult Intrahepatic Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated With Transplantation Corresponds to Early Recurrence Rates After Partial Hepatectomy. Ann Surg 2019; 267:922-928. [PMID: 28085695 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare the incidence of radiologically unrecognized (occult) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions in explant hepatectomy specimens from orthotopic liver transplants (OLTs) performed for HCC with rates of HCC intrahepatic recurrence after resection. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Resection of HCC is associated with high rates of intrahepatic HCC recurrence. However, it is unclear whether these recurrences represent incomplete resection of unrecognized metastatic lesions from the primary tumor or subsequent de novo tumor formation due to inherent biological proclivity for HCC formation. METHODS We collected patient, tumor, and pathology data on HCC patients treated surgically from 3696 OLTs in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation (OPTN) national database, 299 OLTs at a single transplant center, and 232 partial hepatectomies from a hepatobiliary cancer center. RESULTS In the OPTN and high-volume transplant center cohorts, 37% and 42% of patients had occult HCC lesions on explant pathology, respectively. Among cancer center patients, the 2-year recurrence rate was 46%, and 74% of patients who recurred presented with liver only recurrence. CONCLUSION Although the transplant and resection populations differ, occult multifocality is common in transplant explants and similar to the 46% early recurrence rate following partial hepatectomy. These data suggest that noncurative resection often results from occult intrahepatic multifocality present at the time of resection rather than a malignant predisposition of the remnant liver with de novo tumorigenesis.
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31
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High Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Fibrotic Liver: Role of the Hippo-YAP/TAZ Signaling Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030581. [PMID: 30700007 PMCID: PMC6387126 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally, accounting for approximately 800,000 deaths annually. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, making up about 80% of cases. Liver fibrosis and its end-stage disease, cirrhosis, are major risk factors for HCC. A fibrotic liver typically shows persistent hepatocyte death and compensatory regeneration, chronic inflammation, and an increase in reactive oxygen species, which collaboratively create a tumor-promoting microenvironment via inducing genetic alterations and chromosomal instability, and activating various oncogenic molecular signaling pathways. In this article, we review recent advances in fields of liver fibrosis and carcinogenesis, and consider several molecular signaling pathways that promote hepato-carcinogenesis under the microenvironment of liver fibrosis. In particular, we pay attention to emerging roles of the Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling pathway in stromal activation, hepatic fibrosis, and liver cancer.
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32
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Wu M, Yuan H, Li X, Liao Q, Liu Z. Identification of a Five-Gene Signature and Establishment of a Prognostic Nomogram to Predict Progression-Free Interval of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:790. [PMID: 31803141 PMCID: PMC6872544 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is high and increasing worldwide. Although prognosis is relatively good, it is important to select the minority of patients with poorer prognosis to avoid side effects associated with unnecessary over-treatment in low-risk patients; this requires accurate prognostic predictions. Materials and Methods: Six PTC expression datasets were obtained from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Level 3 mRNA expression and clinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas Thyroid Cancer (TCGA-THCA) database. Through integrated analysis of these datasets, highly reliable differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and normal tissue were identified and lasso Cox regression was applied to identify DEGs related to the progression-free interval (PFI) and to establish a prognostic gene signature. The performance of a five-gene signature was evaluated based on a Kaplan-Meier curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and Harrell's concordance index (C-index). Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with PTC prognosis. Finally, a prognostic nomogram was established based on the TCGA-THCA dataset. Results: A novel five-gene signature was established to predict the PTC PFI, which included PLP2, LYVE1, FABP4, TGFBR3, and FXYD6, and the ROC curve and C-index showed good performance in both training and validation datasets. This could classify patients into high- and low-risk groups with distinct PFIs and differentiate PTC tumors from normal tissue. Univariate Cox regression revealed that this signature was an independent prognostic factor for PTC. The established nomogram, incorporating the prognostic gene signature and clinical parameters, was able to predict the PFI with high efficiency. The gene signature-based nomogram was superior to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification to predict PTC PFI. Conclusions: Our study identified a five-gene signature and established a prognostic nomogram, which were reliable in predicting the PFI of PTC; this could be beneficial for individualized treatment and medical decision making.
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Lee YA, Noon LA, Akat KM, Ybanez MD, Lee TF, Berres ML, Fujiwara N, Goossens N, Chou HI, Parvin-Nejad FP, Khambu B, Kramer EGM, Gordon R, Pfleger C, Germain D, John GR, Campbell KN, Yue Z, Yin XM, Cuervo AM, Czaja MJ, Fiel MI, Hoshida Y, Friedman SL. Autophagy is a gatekeeper of hepatic differentiation and carcinogenesis by controlling the degradation of Yap. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4962. [PMID: 30470740 PMCID: PMC6251897 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07338-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the Hippo pathway effector Yap underlies many liver cancers, however no germline or somatic mutations have been identified. Autophagy maintains essential metabolic functions of the liver, and autophagy-deficient murine models develop benign adenomas and hepatomegaly, which have been attributed to activation of the p62/Sqstm1-Nrf2 axis. Here, we show that Yap is an autophagy substrate and mediator of tissue remodeling and hepatocarcinogenesis independent of the p62/Sqstm1-Nrf2 axis. Hepatocyte-specific deletion of Atg7 promotes liver size, fibrosis, progenitor cell expansion, and hepatocarcinogenesis, which is rescued by concurrent deletion of Yap. Our results shed new light on mechanisms of Yap degradation and the sequence of events that follow disruption of autophagy, which is impaired in chronic liver disease. Increased levels of the Yap oncoprotein stimulate liver growth and promote hepatocarcinogenesis. Here the authors show that hepatocyte-specific loss of Atg7 in mice leads to decreased autophagic degradation of Yap and liver overgrowth, and further establish this association in human liver cancer tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngmin A Lee
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA. .,Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Luke A Noon
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,CIBERDEM, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012, Valencia, Spain
| | - Kemal M Akat
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Maria D Ybanez
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ting-Fang Lee
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Marie-Luise Berres
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Naoto Fujiwara
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, Tx 75390, USA
| | - Nicolas Goossens
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geneva University Hospital, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hsin-I Chou
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Fatemeh P Parvin-Nejad
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Bilon Khambu
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Elisabeth G M Kramer
- Department of Neurology, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ronald Gordon
- Department for Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Cathie Pfleger
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Doris Germain
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Gareth R John
- Department of Neurology, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Kirk N Campbell
- Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, 10029, New York, USA
| | - Zhenyu Yue
- Department of Neurology, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Xiao-Ming Yin
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Ana Maria Cuervo
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Institute for Aging Studies, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Mark J Czaja
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, GA 30307, USA
| | - M Isabel Fiel
- Department for Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Yujin Hoshida
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, Tx 75390, USA
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
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Enhanced delivery of sorafenib with anti-GPC3 antibody-conjugated TPGS-b-PCL/Pluronic P123 polymeric nanoparticles for targeted therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2018; 91:395-403. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Brown ZJ, Heinrich B, Greten TF. Mouse models of hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview and highlights for immunotherapy research. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 15:536-554. [PMID: 29904153 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-018-0033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mouse models are the basis of preclinical and translational research in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Multiple methods exist to induce tumour formation in mice, including genetically engineered mouse models, chemotoxic agents, intrahepatic or intrasplenic injection of tumour cells and xenograft approaches. Additionally, as HCC generally develops in the context of diseased liver, methods exist to induce liver disease in mice to mimic viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, fibrosis, alcohol-induced liver disease and cholestasis. Similar to HCC in humans, response to therapy in mouse models is monitored with imaging modalities such as CT or MRI, as well as additional techniques involving bioluminescence. As immunotherapy is increasingly applied to HCC, mouse models for these approaches are required for preclinical data. In studying cancer immunotherapy, it is important to consider aspects of antitumour immune responses and to produce a model that mimics the complexity of the immune system. This Review provides an overview of the different mouse models of HCC, presenting techniques to prepare an HCC mouse model and discussing different approaches to help researchers choose an appropriate model for a specific hypothesis. Specific aspects of immunotherapy research in HCC and the applied mouse models in this field are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J Brown
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bernd Heinrich
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tim F Greten
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Tian Y, Liu Z, Zhang L, Zhang J, Han X, Wang Q, Cheng W. Apatinib-loaded lipid nanobubbles combined with ultrasound-targeted nanobubble destruction for synergistic treatment of HepG2 cells in vitro. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:4785-4795. [PMID: 30127626 PMCID: PMC6091478 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s170786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Apatinib, an oral small-molecule antiangiogenetic medicine, is used to treat patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. However, its systemic toxic side effects cannot be ignored. The ultrasound (US)-targeted nanobubble destruction technology can minimize systemic drug exposure and maximize therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this study was to develop novel GPC3-targeted and drug-loaded nanobubbles (NBs) and further assess the associated therapeutic effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. Materials and methods Apatinib-loaded NBs were prepared by a mechanical vibration method. GPC3, a liver tumor homing peptide, was coated onto the surface of apatinib-loaded NBs through biotin–avidin interactions to target liver cancer HepG2 cells. The effects of different treatment groups on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of HepG2 cells were tested. Results The NBs could achieve 68% of optimal drug encapsulation. In addition, ligand binding assays demonstrated that attachment of targeted NBs to human HepG2 liver cancer cells was highly efficient. Furthermore, cell proliferation assays indicated that the antiproliferative activities of GPC3-targeted and apatinib-loaded NBs in combination with US (1 MHz, 1 W/cm2, 30 s) were, respectively, 44.11%±2.84%, 57.09%±6.38%, and 67.51%±2.89% after 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment. Treatment with GPC3-targeted and apatinib-loaded NBs also resulted in a higher proportion of cells in the G1 phase compared with other treatment groups such as apatinib only and nontargeted apatinib-loaded NBs when US was utilized. Conclusion US-targeted and drug-loaded nanobubble destruction successfully achieved selective growth inhibition and apoptosis in HepG2 cells in vitro. Therefore, GPC3-targeted and apatinib-loaded NBs can be considered a novel chemotherapeutic approach for treating liver cancer in combination with US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Tian
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
| | - Zhao Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
| | - Jia Zhang
- Department of Microsystems and Microstructure Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Han
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
| | - Qiucheng Wang
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
| | - Wen Cheng
- Department of Ultrasound, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China,
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Li J, Wang T, Jin B, Li W, Wang Z, Zhang H, Song Y, Li N. Diagnosis accuracy of serum glypican-3 level in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Biol Markers 2018; 33:353-363. [PMID: 30071741 DOI: 10.1177/1724600818784409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have evaluated the diagnostic value of serum glypican-3 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the results remain inconsistent and even controversial. Thus, the aim of the present meta-analysis was to clarify the diagnostic accuracy of serum glypican-3 for hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS A meta-analysis including 22 studies was performed with 2325 cases and 2280 controls. Relevant studies were searched in the EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, covering relevant papers published until November 1, 2017. The quality of the studies was assessed by revised QUADAS tools. Sensitivity, specificity, and other measures were pooled and determined to evaluate the accuracy of serum glypican-3 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by random-effects models. Summary receiver operating characteristic curve (sROC) analysis was performed to summarize the overall test performance. RESULTS The results showed that the pooled overall diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and 95% confidence interval (CI) for serum glypican-3 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma were 68% (56-79%) and 92% (82-96.0%), respectively. Besides, the summary diagnostic odds ratio and 95% CI for glypican-3 were 23.53 (8.57-64.63). In addition, the area under sROC and 95% CI was 0.87 (0.84-0.90). The major design deficiencies of included studies were differential verification bias, and a lack of clear exclusion and inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS The results of this meta-analysis suggested that serum glypican-3 was acceptable as a moderate diagnostic marker in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with healthy individuals, which could elevate the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis. Furthermore, more well-designed studies with large sample sizes are needed to show the effectiveness of glypican-3 in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hospital Affiliated to Chengde Medical University,Chengde, China
| | - Tiezheng Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Boxun Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlei Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenshun Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunjun Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, YouAn Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Wang Y, Liu J, Pan H, Xing J, Wu X, Li Q, Wang Z. A GPC3-targeting Bispecific Antibody, GPC3-S-Fab, with Potent Cytotoxicity. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 30059039 DOI: 10.3791/57588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This protocol describes the construction and functional studies of a bispecific antibody (bsAb), GPC3-S-Fab. bsAbs can recognize two different epitopes through their two different arms. bsAbs have been actively studied for their ability to directly recruit immune cells to kill tumor cells. Currently, the majority of bsAbs are produced in the form of recombinant proteins, either as Fc-containing bsAbs or as smaller bsAb derivatives without the Fc region. In this study, GPC3-S-Fab, an antibody fragment (Fab) based bispecific antibody, was designed by linking the Fab of anti-GPC3 antibody GC33 with an anti-CD16 single domain antibody. The GPC3-S-Fab can be expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by two affinity chromatographies. The purified GPC3-S-Fab can specifically bind to and kill GPC3 positive liver cancer cells by recruiting natural killer cells, suggesting a potential application of GPC3-S-Fab in liver cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Jiayu Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Haitao Pan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Jieyu Xing
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Xiaoqiong Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Qing Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University;
| | - Zhong Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University; Center for Cellular & Structural Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University;
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Cartier V, Crouan A, Esvan M, Oberti F, Michalak S, Gallix B, Seror O, Paisant A, Vilgrain V, Aubé C, Anty R, Archambeaud I, Baudin G, Brun V, Chevallier P, Cuilleron M, Dumortie J, Duvoux C, Estivalet L, Frampas E, Gandon Y, Guillygomarc’h A, Guiu B, Lebigot J, Le Pennec V, Luciani A, Minello A, Ollivier-Hourmand I, Pilleul F, Patouillard B, Sylvain C, Tasu J. Suspicious liver nodule in chronic liver disease: Usefulness of a second biopsy. Diagn Interv Imaging 2018; 99:493-499. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diii.2017.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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40
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Singh AK, Kumar R, Pandey AK. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Causes, Mechanism of Progression and Biomarkers. Curr Chem Genom Transl Med 2018; 12:9-26. [PMID: 30069430 PMCID: PMC6047212 DOI: 10.2174/2213988501812010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumours in the world. It is a heterogeneous group of a tumour that vary in risk factor and genetic and epigenetic alteration event. Mortality due to HCC in last fifteen years has increased. Multiple factors including viruses, chemicals, and inborn and acquired metabolic diseases are responsible for its development. HCC is closely associated with hepatitis B virus, and at least in some regions of the world with hepatitis C virus. Liver injury caused by viral factor affects many cellular processes such as cell signalling, apoptosis, transcription, DNA repair which in turn induce important effects on cell survival, growth, transformation and maintenance. Molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinogenesis may vary depending on different factors and this is probably why a large set of mechanisms have been associated with these tumours. Various biomarkers including α-fetoprotein, des-γ-carboxyprothrombin, glypican-3, golgi protein-73, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, circulating miRNAs and altered DNA methylation pattern have shown diagnostic significance. This review article covers up key molecular pathway alterations, biomarkers for diagnosis of HCC, anti-HCC drugs and relevance of key molecule/pathway/receptor as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Abhay K. Pandey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India
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41
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Moek KL, Fehrmann RSN, van der Vegt B, de Vries EGE, de Groot DJA. Glypican 3 Overexpression across a Broad Spectrum of Tumor Types Discovered with Functional Genomic mRNA Profiling of a Large Cancer Database. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:1973-1981. [PMID: 29935166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glypican 3 (GPC3), a membrane-bound heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is overexpressed in approximately 70% to 80% of hepatocellular carcinomas, but is not expressed commonly in healthy tissues. This raised interest in GPC3 as a drug target and several GPC3-targeting drugs are in clinical development. We therefore predicted GPC3 protein overexpression across tumors and validated these predictions. Functional genomic mRNA profiling was applied to the expression profiles of 18,055 patient-derived tumor samples to predict GPC3 overexpression at the protein level in 60 tumor types and subtypes using healthy tissues as reference. For validation, predictions were compared with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of a breast cancer tissue microarray and literature data reporting IHC GPC3 overexpression in various solid, hematologic, and pediatric tumors. The percentage of samples with predicted GPC3 overexpression was 77% for hepatocellular carcinomas (n = 364), 45% for squamous cell lung cancers (n = 405), and 19% for head and neck squamous cell cancers (n = 344). Breast cancer tissue microarray analysis showed GPC3 expression ranged from 12% to 17% in subgroups based on estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status. In 28 of 34 tumor types for which functional genomic mRNA data could be compared with IHC there was a relative difference of ≤10%. This study provides a data-driven prioritization of tumor types and subtypes for future research with GPC3-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten L Moek
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bert van der Vegt
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Derk J A de Groot
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Uthamalingam P, Das A, Behra A, Kalra N, Chawla Y. Diagnostic Value of Glypican3, Heat Shock Protein 70 and Glutamine Synthetase in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Arising in Cirrhotic and Non-Cirrhotic Livers. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2018; 8:173-180. [PMID: 29892181 PMCID: PMC5992316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Histopathological distinction of various nodular lesions in liver with sufficient sensitivity and specificity is a challenge even in an expert set up. The panel of immunohistochemical markers composed of glutamine synthetase (GS), Glypican3 (GPC3) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was recommended by the International Consensus Group for Hepatocellular Neoplasia group for the differentiation of high grade dysplastic nodule and early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The panel has been extensively validated in the western population. This study aims to test this panel on Indian population on resected, explanted and autopsy cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic liver specimens of HCC. METHODOLOGY This study was conducted on 39 such liver specimens (12 cirrhotic, 12 pre-cirrhotic and 11 non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic livers), including 35 cases of HCC over a period of 12 years. Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies against GS, GPC3 and HSP70 on the sections containing both malignant and dysplastic nodules. RESULTS The diagnostic yield depended upon the nature of background liver pathology and was found to be high for only those HCCs arising in cirrhotic background, when positivity of any two markers was taken to be in favor of HCC (sensitivity-58.33%; specificity-100%). GS had a sensitivity and Negative predictive value of 100% for HCCs arising in cirrhotic livers. CONCLUSIONS Strong positivity for GS is a highly sensitive marker for HCC in a cirrhotic background regardless of the differentiation of the tumor in Indian population. This may be due to preferential activation of Wnt pathway in Indian patients with cirrhosis. The sensitivity of the panel was too low for detecting HCCs arising in non-cirrhotic livers, even in the pre-cirrhotic chronically inflamed livers, even though the specificity was high. GPC3 and HSP70 appear to be useful as individual markers for HCCs arising in non-cirrhotic livers.
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Key Words
- C, cirrhotic
- GPC3, Glypican3
- GS, glutamine synthetase
- Glypican3
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HGDN, high grade dysplastic nodule
- HSP70, heat shock protein 70
- ICGHN, International Consensus Group for Hepatocellular Neoplasia
- LGDN, low grade dysplastic nodules
- NCNF, non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic livers
- PC, pre-cirrhotic
- dysplastic nodules
- glutamine synthetase
- heat shock protein 70
- hepatocellular carcinoma
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashim Das
- Department of Histopathology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India,Address for correspondence: Ashim Das, Professor, Department of Histopathology, Research Block A, PGIMER, Chandigarh 160012, India.
| | | | - Naveen Kalra
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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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.
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Combining expression of GPC3 in tumors and CD16 on NK cells from peripheral blood to identify patients responding to codrituzumab. Oncotarget 2018. [PMID: 29535817 PMCID: PMC5828203 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Codrituzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting an oncofetal protein glypican-3 (GPC3) expressed on cell surface of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induces antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and inhibits tumor growth in preclinical studies. Based on this mechanism, tumor GPC3 expression and CD16 expression on NK cells, which are the effector cells of ADCC, were investigated to correlate with codrituzumab's clinical efficacy in patients with advanced HCC. Results Joint analyses of the two biomarkers revealed that both high levels of GPC3 and CD16 were required for patients to benefit from codrituzumab; lack of either one of them would lead to a loss of the therapeutic effect. Conclusions These results suggest the combination of tumor GPC3 expression and CD16 expression on NK cells from peripheral blood at baseline as a composite biomarker to select HCC patients for codrituzumab. Impact The conclusion warrants a future study in an HCC population with both high GPC3 expression and high levels of CD16 at baseline to establish codrituzumab's therapeutic benefit in HCC. Methods Data from a phase II clinical trial of codrituzumab were used for the analyses. GPC3 expression in baseline tumor biopsies was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis, and baseline CD16 expression on NK cells were quantified by peripheral blood lymphocyte immunophenotyping. According to high or low expression of GPC3 and CD16, different patient subgroups were formed; for each subgroup, overall survival of patients having high codrituzumab exposure was compared to that of patients receiving placebo.
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Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Obesity: Finding a Needle in the Haystack? ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1061:63-77. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-8684-7_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Govaere O, Petz M, Wouters J, Vandewynckel YP, Scott EJ, Topal B, Nevens F, Verslype C, Anstee QM, Van Vlierberghe H, Mikulits W, Roskams T. The PDGFRα-laminin B1-keratin 19 cascade drives tumor progression at the invasive front of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene 2017; 36:6605-6616. [PMID: 28783171 PMCID: PMC5702717 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) expressing the biliary/hepatic progenitor cell marker keratin 19 (K19) have been linked with a poor prognosis and exhibit an increase in platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) and laminin beta 1 (LAMB1) expression. PDGFRα has been reported to induce de novo synthesis of LAMB1 protein in a Sjogren syndrome antigen B (La/SSB)-dependent manner in a murine metastasis model. However, the role of this cascade in human HCC remains unclear. This study focused on the functional role of the PDGFRα-La/SSB-LAMB1 pathway and its molecular link to K19 expression in human HCC. In surgical HCC specimens from a cohort of 136 patients, PDGFRα expression correlated with K19 expression, microvascular invasion and metastatic spread. In addition, PDGFRα expression in pre-operative needle biopsy specimens predicted poor overall survival during a 5-year follow-up period. Consecutive histological staining demonstrated that the signaling components of the PDGFRα-La/SSB-LAMB1 pathway were strongly expressed at the invasive front. K19-positive HCC cells displayed high levels of α2β1 integrin (ITG) receptor, both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro activation of PDGFRα signaling triggered the translocation of nuclear La/SSB into the cytoplasm, enhanced the protein synthesis of LAMB1 by activating its internal ribosome entry site, which in turn led to increased secretion of laminin-111. This effect was abrogated by the PDGFRα-specific inhibitor crenolanib. Importantly LAMB1 stimulated ITG-dependent focal adhesion kinase/Src proto-oncogene non-receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. It also promoted the ITG-specific downstream target Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 2, induced K19 expression in an autocrine manner, invadopodia formation and cell invasion. Finally, we showed that the knockdown of LAMB1 or K19 in subcutaneous xenograft mouse models resulted in significant loss of cells invading the surrounding stromal tissue and reduced HepG2 colonization into lung and liver after tail vein injection. The PDGFRα-LAMB1 pathway supports tumor progression at the invasive front of human HCC through K19 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Govaere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Liver Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - M Petz
- Department of Medicine I, Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Wouters
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Y-P Vandewynckel
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - E J Scott
- Liver Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - B Topal
- Department of Abdominal Surgery, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - F Nevens
- Department of Hepatology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - C Verslype
- Department of Hepatology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Q M Anstee
- Liver Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - H Van Vlierberghe
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - W Mikulits
- Department of Medicine I, Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - T Roskams
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Khemlina G, Ikeda S, Kurzrock R. The biology of Hepatocellular carcinoma: implications for genomic and immune therapies. Mol Cancer 2017; 16:149. [PMID: 28854942 PMCID: PMC5577674 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-017-0712-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 284] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. It is highly refractory to most systemic therapies. Recently, significant progress has been made in uncovering genomic alterations in HCC, including potentially targetable aberrations. The most common molecular anomalies in this malignancy are mutations in the TERT promoter, TP53, CTNNB1, AXIN1, ARID1A, CDKN2A and CCND1 genes. PTEN loss at the protein level is also frequent. Genomic portfolios stratify by risk factors as follows: (i) CTNNB1 with alcoholic cirrhosis; and (ii) TP53 with hepatitis B virus-induced cirrhosis. Activating mutations in CTNNB1 and inactivating mutations in AXIN1 both activate WNT signaling. Alterations in this pathway, as well as in TP53 and the cell cycle machinery, and in the PI3K/Akt/mTor axis (the latter activated in the presence of PTEN loss), as well as aberrant angiogenesis and epigenetic anomalies, appear to be major events in HCC. Many of these abnormalities may be pharmacologically tractable. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors is also emerging as an important treatment option. Indeed, 82% of patients express PD-L1 (immunohistochemistry) and response rates to anti-PD-1 treatment are about 19%, and include about 5% complete remissions as well as durable benefit in some patients. Biomarker-matched trials are still limited in this disease, and many of the genomic alterations in HCC remain challenging to target. Future studies may require combination regimens that include both immunotherapies and molecularly matched targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Khemlina
- Department of Geriatrics, University of California, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #9111, La Jolla, CA, 92093-9111, USA. .,Kaiser Permanente Southern California, San Diego, USA.
| | - Sadakatsu Ikeda
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, USA.,Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, USA
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SLC2A2 (GLUT2) as a novel prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:68381-68392. [PMID: 28978124 PMCID: PMC5620264 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
High rates of glucose transport via solute carrier (SLC2A, GLUT) family members are required to satisfy the high metabolic demands of cancer cells, and because of this characteristic of cancer cells 2-18fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG)-PET has become a powerful diagnostic tool. However, its sensitivity for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is lower than for other malignancies, which suggests SLC2A family members are differentially expressed in HCC. In the present study, the expression patterns of SLC2A family members in tumor tissues and their associations with HCC progression were analyzed using data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). It was found that the expression of SLC2A2 (GLUT2) was higher in HCC than those of other members of the SLC2A family. The associations of the expression levels of SLC2A family members and previously known prognostic factors with clinical stages were examined using the T-test or the Mann-Whitney U test, and interestingly, SLC2A2 expression was found to be associated with an advanced clinical stage (p = 0.0015). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis using the log-rank or the Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test showed SLC2A2 expression was positively associated with overall survival (p < 0.001, Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test and p = 0.0145 by multivariate Cox regression). The prognostic significance of SLC2A2 was similar in both early and late stages. However, it was more significant in HCC patients without alcohol consumption history and hepatitis C infection. Taken together, SLC2A2 was associated with clinical stages and independently associated with overall survival in patients with HCC. We suggest that SLC2A2 be considered a new prognostic factor for HCC.
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Zhou F, Shang W, Yu X, Tian J. Glypican-3: A promising biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and treatment. Med Res Rev 2017. [PMID: 28621802 DOI: 10.1002/med.21455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type. Therefore, molecular targets are urgently required for the early detection of HCC and the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Glypican-3 (GPC3), an oncofetal proteoglycan anchored to the cell membrane, is normally detected in the fetal liver but not in the healthy adult liver. However, in HCC patients, GPC3 is overexpressed at both the gene and protein levels, and its expression predicts a poor prognosis. Mechanistic studies have revealed that GPC3 functions in HCC progression by binding to molecules such as Wnt signaling proteins and growth factors. Moreover, GPC3 has been used as a target for molecular imaging and therapeutic intervention in HCC. To date, GPC3-targeted magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and near-infrared imaging have been investigated for early HCC detection, and various immunotherapeutic protocols targeting GPC3 have been developed, including the use of humanized anti-GPC3 cytotoxic antibodies, treatment with peptide/DNA vaccines, immunotoxin therapies, and genetic therapies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the structure, function, and biology of GPC3 with a focus on its clinical potential as a diagnostic molecule and a therapeutic target in HCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fubo Zhou
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Wenting Shang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiaoling Yu
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Jie Tian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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Park HJ, Choi BI, Lee ES, Park SB, Lee JB. How to Differentiate Borderline Hepatic Nodules in Hepatocarcinogenesis: Emphasis on Imaging Diagnosis. Liver Cancer 2017; 6. [PMID: 28626731 PMCID: PMC5473078 DOI: 10.1159/000455949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid advances in liver imaging have improved the evaluation of hepatocarcinogenesis and early diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this situation, detection of early-stage HCC in its development is important for the improvement of patient survival and optimal treatment strategies. Because early HCCs are considered precursors of progressed HCC, precise differentiation between a dysplastic nodule (DN), especially a high-grade DN, and early HCC is important. In clinical practice, these nodules are frequently called "borderline hepatic nodules." SUMMARY This article discusses radiological and pathological characteristics of these borderline hepatic nodules and offers an understanding of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis by focusing on the descriptions of the imaging changes in the progression of DN and early HCC. Detection and accurate diagnosis of borderline hepatic nodules are still a challenge with contrast enhanced ultrasonography, CT, and MRI with extracellular contrast agents. However, gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI may be useful for improving the diagnosis of these borderline nodules. KEY MESSAGES Since there is a net effect of incomplete neoangiogenesis and decreased portal venous flow in the early stage of hepatocarcinogenesis, borderline hepatic nodules commonly show iso- or hypovascularity. Therefore, precise differentiation of these nodules remains a challenging issue. In MRI using hepatobiliary contrast agents, signal intensity of HCCs on hepatobiliary phase (HBP) is regarded as a potential imaging biomarker. Borderline hepatic nodules are seen as nonhypervascular and hypointense nodules on the HBP, which is important for predicting tumor behavior and determining appropriate therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Byung Ihn Choi
- *Byung Ihn Choi, MD, Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06973 (Republic of Korea), E-Mail
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