1
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Ding M, Li Q, Tan X, Zhang L, Tan J, Zheng L. Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals the prognostic value and immunological role of SPIB. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:6338-6357. [PMID: 35969172 PMCID: PMC9417235 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
It is well-established that SPIB is essential for the survival of mature B cells, playing a key role in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer. However, no study has hitherto conducted a systematic pan-cancer analysis on SPIB. Herein, we analyzed the differential expression of SPIB in pan-cancer using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases and found that SPIB was significantly upregulated in most cancers. In addition, SPIB was positively or negatively associated with prognosis in different cancers. We found that SPIB was significantly associated with tumor immune infiltration and immune checkpoint genes in more than 35 tumors by TIMER database analysis. In addition, SPIB was negatively correlated with Tumor mutational burden (TMB) and Microsatellite instability (MSI) in most tumors. Finally, GO/KEGG enrichment analysis revealed the possible involvement of SPIB in NF-kappa B and B-cell receptor signaling pathways. In conclusion, our comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of SPIB reveals its important role in tumor immunity, suggesting it has huge prospects for clinical application in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Ding
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiufang Li
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Liangyua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Lan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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2
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Wang Z, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Deng Q, Liang H. Controversial roles of hepatocyte nuclear receptor 4 α on tumorigenesis. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:356. [PMID: 33747213 PMCID: PMC7968000 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear receptor 4 α (HNF4α) is known to be a master transcription regulator of gene expression in multiple biological processes, particularly in liver development and liver function. To date, the function of HNF4α in human cancers has been widely investigated; however, the critical roles of HNF4α in tumorigenesis remain unclear. Numerous controversies exist, even in studies from different research groups but on the same type of cancer. In the present review, the critical roles of HNF4α in tumorigenesis will be summarized and discussed. Furthermore, HNF4α expression profile and alterations will be examined by pan-cancer analysis through bioinformatics, in order to provide a better understanding of the functional roles of this gene in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhu Wang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, P.R. China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, P.R. China
| | - Jianwen Zhang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, P.R. China
| | - Qiong Deng
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, P.R. China
| | - Hui Liang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, P.R. China
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3
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Frohlich J, Vinciguerra M. Candidate rejuvenating factor GDF11 and tissue fibrosis: friend or foe? GeroScience 2020; 42:1475-1498. [PMID: 33025411 PMCID: PMC7732895 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00279-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11 or bone morphogenetic protein 11, BMP11) belongs to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily and is closely related to other family member-myostatin (also known as GDF8). GDF11 was firstly identified in 2004 due to its ability to rejuvenate the function of multiple organs in old mice. However, in the past few years, the heralded rejuvenating effects of GDF11 have been seriously questioned by many studies that do not support the idea that restoring levels of GDF11 in aging improves overall organ structure and function. Moreover, with increasing controversies, several other studies described the involvement of GDF11 in fibrotic processes in various organ setups. This review paper focuses on the GDF11 and its pro- or anti-fibrotic actions in major organs and tissues, with the goal to summarize our knowledge on its emerging role in regulating the progression of fibrosis in different pathological conditions, and to guide upcoming research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Frohlich
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Manlio Vinciguerra
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
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4
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Nakayama J, Gong Z. Transgenic zebrafish for modeling hepatocellular carcinoma. MedComm (Beijing) 2020; 1:140-156. [PMID: 34766114 PMCID: PMC8491243 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer‐related deaths throughout the world, and more than 0.6 million people die from liver cancer annually. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies to eliminate malignant cells from liver cancer patients are urgently needed. Recent advances in high‐throughput genomic technologies have identified de novo candidates for oncogenes and pharmacological targets. However, testing and understanding the mechanism of oncogenic transformation as well as probing the kinetics and therapeutic responses of spontaneous tumors in an intact microenvironment require in vivo examination using genetically modified animal models. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has attracted increasing attention as a new model for studying cancer biology since the organs in the model are strikingly similar to human organs and the model can be genetically modified in a short time and at a low cost. This review summarizes the current knowledge of epidemiological data and genetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), zebrafish models of HCC, and potential therapeutic strategies for targeting HCC based on knowledge from the models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji Nakayama
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore
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5
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Ng HHM, Lee RY, Goh S, Tay ISY, Lim X, Lee B, Chew V, Li H, Tan B, Lim S, Lim JCT, Au B, Loh JJH, Saraf S, Connolly JE, Loh T, Leow WQ, Lee JJX, Toh HC, Malavasi F, Lee SY, Chow P, Newell EW, Choo SP, Tai D, Yeong J, Lim TKH. Immunohistochemical scoring of CD38 in the tumor microenvironment predicts responsiveness to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-000987. [PMID: 32847986 PMCID: PMC7451957 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-000987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated mortality globally. Immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) is one of the systemic therapy options for HCC. However, response rates remain low, necessitating robust predictive biomarkers. In the present study, we examined the expression of CD38, a molecule involved in the immunosuppressive adenosinergic pathway, on immune cells present in the tumor microenvironment. We then investigated the association between CD38 and ICB treatment outcomes in advanced HCC. Methods Clinically annotated samples from 49 patients with advanced HCC treated with ICB were analyzed for CD38 expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC), multiplex immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence (mIHC/IF) and multiplex cytokine analysis. Results IHC and mIHC/IF analyses revealed that higher intratumoral CD38+ cell proportion was strongly associated with improved response to ICB. The overall response rates to ICB was significantly higher among patients with high proportion of total CD38+cells compared with patients with low proportion (43.5% vs 3.9%, p=0.019). Higher responses seen among patients with a high intratumoral CD38+cell proportion translated to a longer median progression-free survival (mPFS, 8.21 months vs 1.64 months, p=0.0065) and median overall survival (mOS, 19.06 months vs 9.59 months, p=0.0295). Patients with high CD38+CD68+macrophage density had a better mOS of 34.43 months compared with 9.66 months in patients with low CD38+CD68+ macrophage density. CD38hi macrophages produce more interferon γ (IFN-γ) and related cytokines, which may explain its predictive value when treated with ICB. Conclusions A high proportion of CD38+ cells, determined by IHC, predicts response to ICB and is associated with superior mPFS and OS in advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Ho Man Ng
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Ren Yuan Lee
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.,Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Siting Goh
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Xinru Lim
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Bernett Lee
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Valerie Chew
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,SingHealth Translational Immunology and Inflammation Centre (STIIC), Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd, Singapore
| | - Huihua Li
- Division of Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.,Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Benedict Tan
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Sherlly Lim
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Jeffrey Chun Tatt Lim
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Bijin Au
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | | | - Sahil Saraf
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - John Edward Connolly
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Tracy Loh
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Wei Qiang Leow
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Han Chong Toh
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fabio Malavasi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and CeRMS, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Ser Yee Lee
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Pierce Chow
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Evan W Newell
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Su Pin Choo
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - David Tai
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joe Yeong
- Division of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore .,Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.,Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
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6
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Elbadry MM, Tharwat M, Mohammad EF, Abdo EF. Diagnostic accuracy of serum endothelin-1 in patients with HCC on top of liver cirrhosis. EGYPTIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s43066-020-00030-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths. As the overall survival of patients with cirrhosis has improved and the global incidence of HCC has continued to increase, strategies for the early detection of HCC are urgently needed for better prognosis. In this study, we aimed to assess the accuracy of endothelin-1 in the diagnosis of HCC in cirrhotic patients in comparison with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and whether it could predict its vascular spread. This is a case–control study that included 70 cirrhotic patients with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients were subjected to complete medical history taking, clinical examination and laboratory investigations including serum endothelin-1, alpha-fetoprotein, abdominal ultrasound and Triphasic multi-slice computed tomography (CT; abdomen and pelvis). The outcome results obtained for endothelin-1 were used to assess its diagnostic accuracy in HCC diagnosis and the prediction of presence of vascular spread.
Results
There was a statistically significant increase in serum endothelin-1 in HCC in comparison to cirrhotic patients and normal persons (P value < 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values at cut-off point of 5.2 pg/ml for HCC were 90%, 100%, 100%, and 90.9% respectively. There was no statistically significant association between serum endothelin-1 level and portal vein thrombosis in HCC (P value = 0.547).
Conclusion
Endothelin-1 has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, it has little value for prediction of its vascular spread.
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7
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Utilizing Experimental Mouse Model to Identify Effectors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Induced by HBx Antigen. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020409. [PMID: 32050622 PMCID: PMC7072678 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020409] [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: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the ten most commonly diagnosed cancers and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are prone to developing chronic liver diseases (i.e., fibrosis and cirrhosis), and the HBV X antigen plays an important role in the development of HCC. The difficulty in detecting HCC at the early stages is one of the main reasons that the death rate approximates the incidence rate. The regulators controlling the downstream liver protein expression from HBV infection are unclear. Mass spectrometric techniques and customized programs were used to identify differentially expressed proteins which may be involved in the development of liver fibrosis and HCC progression in hepatitis B virus X protein transgenic mice (HBx mice). FSTL1, CTSB, and TGF-β enhanced the signaling pathway proteins during the pathogenesis of HBx. Missing proteins can be essential in cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, metastasis or angiogenesis. We found that LHX2, BMP-5 and GDF11 had complex interactions with other missing proteins and BMP-5 had both tumor suppressing and tumorigenic roles. BMP-5 may be involved in fibrosis and tumorigenic processes in the liver. These results provide us an understanding of the mechanism of HBx-induced disorders, and may serve as molecular targets for liver treatment.
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8
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Yang WY, Rao PS, Luo YC, Lin HK, Huang SH, Yang JM, Yuh CH. Omics-based Investigation of Diet-induced Obesity Synergized with HBx, Src, and p53 Mutation Accelerating Hepatocarcinogenesis in Zebrafish Model. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11121899. [PMID: 31795276 PMCID: PMC6966430 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11121899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, diabetes, and obesity. Previous studies have identified some genetic risk factors, such as hepatitis B virus X antigens, overexpression of SRC oncogene, and mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene; however, the synergism between diet and genetic risk factors is still unclear. To investigate the synergism between diet and genetic risk factors in hepatocarcinogenesis, we used zebrafish with four genetic backgrounds and overfeeding or high-fat-diet-induced obesity with an omics-based expression of genes and histopathological changes. The results show that overfeeding and high-fat diet can induce obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in wild-type fish. In HBx, Src (p53-) triple transgenic zebrafish, diet-induced obesity accelerated HCC formation at five months of age and increased the cancer incidence threefold. We developed a global omics data analysis method to investigate genes, pathways, and biological systems based on microarray and next-generation sequencing (NGS, RNA-seq) omics data of zebrafish with four diet and genetic risk factors. The results show that two Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) systems, metabolism and genetic information processing, as well as the pathways of fatty acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and ribosome biogenesis, are activated during hepatocarcinogenesis. This study provides a systematic view of the synergism between genetic and diet factors in the dynamic liver cancer formation process, and indicate that overfeeding or a high-fat diet and the risk genes have a synergistic effect in causing liver cancer by affecting fatty acid metabolism and ribosome biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Miaoli, Taiwan; (W.-Y.Y.); (P.-S.R.); (H.-K.L.)
| | - Pei-Shu Rao
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Miaoli, Taiwan; (W.-Y.Y.); (P.-S.R.); (H.-K.L.)
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 30070, Taiwan
| | - Yong-Chun Luo
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan; (Y.-C.L.); (S.-H.H.)
| | - Hua-Kuo Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Miaoli, Taiwan; (W.-Y.Y.); (P.-S.R.); (H.-K.L.)
| | - Sing-Han Huang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan; (Y.-C.L.); (S.-H.H.)
| | - Jinn-Moon Yang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan; (Y.-C.L.); (S.-H.H.)
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (J.-M.Y.); (C.-H.Y.); Tel.: +011-886-03-5712121*56942 (J.-M.Y.); +011-886-37-206166*35338 (C.-H.Y.)
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Miaoli, Taiwan; (W.-Y.Y.); (P.-S.R.); (H.-K.L.)
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 30070, Taiwan
- Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (J.-M.Y.); (C.-H.Y.); Tel.: +011-886-03-5712121*56942 (J.-M.Y.); +011-886-37-206166*35338 (C.-H.Y.)
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9
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Duan J, Wu Y, Liu J, Zhang J, Fu Z, Feng T, Liu M, Han J, Li Z, Chen S. Genetic Biomarkers For Hepatocellular Carcinoma In The Era Of Precision Medicine. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2019; 6:151-166. [PMID: 31696097 PMCID: PMC6805787 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s224849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Being one of the most lethal cancers that exhibit high levels of heterogeneity, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with diverse oncogenic pathways underpinned by varied driver genes. HCC can be induced by different etiological factors including virus infection, toxin exposure or metabolic disorders. Consequently, patients may display varied genetic profiles, and may respond differently to the treatments involving inhibition of target pathways. These DNA/RNA mutations, copy number variations, chromatin structural changes, aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs and epigenetic modifications were considered as biomarkers in the application of precision medication. To explore how genetic testing could contribute to early diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and postoperative monitoring of HCC, we conducted a systematic review of genetic markers associated with different pathologies. Moreover, we summarized on-going clinical trials for HCC treatment, including the trials for multiple kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). The efficacy of ICB treatment in HCC is not as good as what was observed in lung cancer and melanoma, which might be due to the heterogeneity of the microenvironment of the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxian Duan
- Department of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuling Wu
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jikui Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen518036, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhichao Fu
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tieshan Feng
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Han
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhicheng Li
- Department of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shifu Chen
- Department of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, HaploX Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen518000, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Tseng P, Sie Z, Liu M, Lin H, Yang W, Lin T, Hsieh H, Hung S, Cheng C, Wang H, Chang H, Yuh C. Identification of Two Novel Small Compounds that Inhibit Liver Cancer Formation in Zebrafish and Analysis of Their Conjugation to Nanodiamonds to Further Reduce Toxicity. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.201900105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Po‐Han Tseng
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
| | - Zong‐Lin Sie
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
| | - Meng‐Chieh Liu
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
| | - Han‐Syuan Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
| | - Wan‐Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
| | - Ting‐Yu Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
| | - Hsing‐Pang Hsieh
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
| | - Shih‐Che Hung
- Institute of Medical Sciences Tzu‐Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Tzu‐Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
| | - Chia‐Liang Cheng
- Department of Physics National Dong Hwa University Hualien 97447 Taiwan
| | - Horng‐Dar Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
| | - Hsin‐Hou Chang
- Institute of Medical Sciences Tzu‐Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Tzu‐Chi University Hualien 97004 Taiwan
| | - Chiou‐Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli 35053 Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology National Chiao Tung University Hsinchu 30010 Taiwan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology National Tsing‐Hua University Hsinchu 30071 Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine Kaohsiung Medical University Kaohsiung 80708 Taiwan
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11
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Su ZL, Su CW, Huang YL, Yang WY, Sampurna BP, Ouchi T, Lee KL, Wu CS, Wang HD, Yuh CH. A Novel AURKA Mutant-Induced Early-Onset Severe Hepatocarcinogenesis Greater than Wild-Type via Activating Different Pathways in Zebrafish. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11070927. [PMID: 31269749 PMCID: PMC6678475 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11070927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aurora A kinase (AURKA) is an important regulator in mitotic progression and is overexpressed frequently in human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Many AURKA mutations were identified in cancer patients. Overexpressing wild-type Aurka developed a low incidence of hepatic tumors after long latency in mice. However, none of the AURKA mutant animal models have ever been described. The mechanism of mutant AURKA-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis is still unclear. A novel AURKA mutation with a.a.352 Valine to Isoleucine (V352I) was identified from clinical specimens. By using liver-specific transgenic fish overexpressing both the mutant and wild-type AURKA, the AURKA(V352I)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis was earlier and much more severe than wild-type AURKA. Although an increase of the expression of lipogenic enzyme and lipogenic factor was observed in both AURKA(V352I) and AURKA(WT) transgenic fish, AURKA(V352I) has a greater probability to promote fibrosis at 3 months compared to AURKA(WT). Furthermore, the expression levels of cell cycle/proliferation markers were higher in the AURKA(V352I) mutant than AURKA(WT) in transgenic fish, implying that the AURKA(V352I) mutant may accelerate HCC progression. Moreover, we found that the AURKA(V352I) mutant activates AKT signaling and increases nuclear β-catenin, but AURKA(WT) only activates membrane form β-catenin, which may account for the differences. In this study, we provide a new insight, that the AURKA(V352I) mutation contributes to early onset hepatocarcinogenesis, possibly through activation of different pathways than AURKA(WT). This transgenic fish may serve as a drug-screening platform for potential precision medicine therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Liang Su
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Wei Su
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Luen Huang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Bonifasius Putera Sampurna
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Toru Ouchi
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Kuan-Lin Lee
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Sheng Wu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Dar Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
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12
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Li Y, Fu Y, Hu X, Sun L, Tang D, Li N, Peng F, Fan XG. The HBx-CTTN interaction promotes cell proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma via CREB1. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:405. [PMID: 31138777 PMCID: PMC6538608 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1650-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus-encoded X protein (HBx) acts as a tumor promoter during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, probably by regulating the expression of host proteins through protein–protein interaction. A proteomics approach was used to identify HBx-interacting proteins involved in HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. We validated the proteomics findings by co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy. We performed cell proliferation, migration assays and cell cycle analyses in HCC cells. Finally, we confirmed the clinical significance of our findings in samples from patients. We found that cortactin (CTTN) is a novel HBx-interacting protein, and HBx regulates the expression of CTTN in the HCC cell lines MHCC-LM3 and HepG2. Mechanistically, by upregulating the expression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB1) and its downstream targets, such as cyclin D1 and MMP-9, the effects of the HBx-CTTN interaction on the enhancement of cellular proliferation and migration were maintained by inhibiting cell cycle arrest. In addition, we demonstrated that the levels of CTTN and CREB1 were closely correlated in clinical samples from HBV-infected patients with HCC. Overall, our data suggests that HBx contributes to cell migration and proliferation of HCC cells by interacting with CTTN and regulating the expression of CTTN and CREB1. Therefore, the HBx/CTTN/CREB1 axis is a potential novel therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongming Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xingwang Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lunquan Sun
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fang Peng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, XiangYa Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xue-Gong Fan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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13
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Lin HS, Huang YL, Wang YRS, Hsiao E, Hsu TA, Shiao HY, Jiaang WT, Sampurna BP, Lin KH, Wu MS, Lai GM, Yuh CH. Identification of Novel Anti-Liver Cancer Small Molecules with Better Therapeutic Index than Sorafenib via Zebrafish Drug Screening Platform. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11060739. [PMID: 31141996 PMCID: PMC6628114 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11060739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Sorafenib was the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug for treating advanced HCC until recently, so development of new target therapy is urgently needed. In this study, we established a zebrafish drug screening platform and compared the therapeutic effects of two multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors, 419S1 and 420S1, with Sorafenib. All three compounds exhibited anti-angiogenesis abilities in immersed fli1:EGFP transgenic embryos and the half inhibition concentration (IC50) was determined. 419S1 exhibited lower hepatoxicity and embryonic toxicity than 420S1 and Sorafenib, and the half lethal concentration (LC50) was determined. The therapeutic index (LC50/IC50) for 419S1 was much higher than for Sorafenib and 420S1. The compounds were either injected retro-orbitally or by oral gavage to adult transgenic zebrafish with HCC. The compounds not only rescued the pathological feature, but also reversed the expression levels of cell-cycle-related genes and protein levels of a proliferation marker. Using a patient-derived-xenograft assay, we found that the effectiveness of 419S1 and 420S1 in preventing liver cancer proliferation is better than that of Sorafenib. With integrated efforts and the advantage of the zebrafish platform, we can find more effective and safe drugs for HCC treatment and screen for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Syuan Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Luen Huang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Rui Stefanie Wang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Eugene Hsiao
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Tsu-An Hsu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Yi Shiao
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Weir-Torn Jiaang
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Bonifasius Putera Sampurna
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Kuan-Hao Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Shun Wu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
| | - Gi-Ming Lai
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan.
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
- Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
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14
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Wrighton PJ, Oderberg IM, Goessling W. There Is Something Fishy About Liver Cancer: Zebrafish Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 8:347-363. [PMID: 31108233 PMCID: PMC6713889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the mortality resulting from HCC are both increasing. Most patients with HCC are diagnosed at advanced stages when curative treatments are impossible. Current drug therapy extends mean overall survival by only a short period of time. Genetic mutations associated with HCC vary widely. Therefore, transgenic and mutant animal models are needed to investigate the molecular effects of specific mutations, classify them as drivers or passengers, and develop targeted treatments. Cirrhosis, however, is the premalignant state common to 90% of HCC patients. Currently, no specific therapies are available to halt or reverse the progression of cirrhosis to HCC. Understanding the genetic drivers of HCC as well as the biochemical, mechanical, hormonal, and metabolic changes associated with cirrhosis could lead to novel treatments and cancer prevention strategies. Although additional therapies recently received Food and Drug Administration approval, significant clinical breakthroughs have not emerged since the introduction of the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib, necessitating alternate research strategies. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are effective for disease modeling because of their high degree of gene and organ architecture conservation with human beings, ease of transgenesis and mutagenesis, high fecundity, and low housing cost. Here, we review zebrafish models of HCC and identify areas on which to focus future research efforts to maximize the advantages of the zebrafish model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Wrighton
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Isaac M Oderberg
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Broad Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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15
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ABDUL Y, WARD R, DONG G, ERGUL A. Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Necroptosis of Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Can Be Prevented by Inhibition of Endothelin Receptors. Physiol Res 2018; 67:S227-S236. [DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Over activation of the endothelin-1 (ET-1) system in disease states contributes to endothelial dysfunction. On the other hand, ET-1 promotes proliferation and survival of endothelial cells. Regulation of programmed cell death (PCD) pathways is critical for cell survival. Recently discovered necroptosis (regulated necrosis) is a pathological PCD mechanism mediated by the activation of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4), which also happens to stimulate ET-1 production in dendritic cells. To establish the effect of ET-1 on PCD and survival of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) under control and inflammatory conditions, BMVECs were treated with ET-1 (10 nM, 100 nM and 1 µM) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 ng/ml). ET receptors were blocked with bosentan (10 µM). Under normal growth conditions, exogenous ET-1 reduced BMVEC viability and migration at a relatively high concentration (1 µM). This was accompanied with activation of necroptosis and apoptosis marker genes. LPS decreased endogenous ET-1 secretion, increased ETB receptor expression and activated necroptosis. Even though ET-1 levels were low (less than 10 nM levels used under normal growth conditions), blocking of ET receptors with bosentan inhibited the necroptosis pathway and improved the cell migration ability of BMVECs, suggesting that under inflammatory conditions, ET-1 activates PCD pathways in BMVECs even at physiological levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - A. ERGUL
- Department of Physiology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
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16
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Zhang L, Ye Y, Long X, Xiao P, Ren X, Yu J. BMP signaling and its paradoxical effects in tumorigenesis and dissemination. Oncotarget 2018; 7:78206-78218. [PMID: 27661009 PMCID: PMC5363655 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play important roles in embryonic and postnatal development by regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, motility, and survival, thus maintaining homeostasis during organ and tissue development. BMPs can lead to tumorigenesis and regulate cancer progression in different stages. Therefore, we summarized studies on BMP expression, the clinical significance of BMP dysfunction in various cancer types, and the molecular regulation of various BMP-related signaling pathways. We emphasized on the paradoxical effects of BMPs on various aspects of carcinogenesis, including epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs), and angiogenesis. We also reviewed the molecular mechanisms by which BMPs regulate tumor generation and progression as well as potential therapeutic targets against BMPs that might be valuable in preventing tumor growth and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Yingnan Ye
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostic Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Xinxin Long
- Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Pei Xiao
- Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Xiubao Ren
- Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Jinpu Yu
- Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, P. R. China.,Cancer Molecular Diagnostic Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Caner, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P. R. China
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17
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Brand V, Lehmann C, Umkehrer C, Bissinger S, Thier M, de Wouters M, Raemsch R, Jucknischke U, Haas A, Breuer S, Birzele F, Racek T, Reis M, Lorenzon E, Herting F, Stürzl M, Lorenz S, Kienast Y. Impact of selective anti-BMP9 treatment on tumor cells and tumor angiogenesis. Mol Oncol 2018; 10:1603-1620. [PMID: 28949445 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of bone morphogenic protein 9 (BMP9) signaling in angiogenesis has been controversial, with a number of studies showing that it acts either as a pro-angiogenic or, conversely, as an anti-angiogenic factor in a context-dependent manner. Notably, BMP9 was also reported to function in both pro- or anti-tumorigenic roles during tumor progression. It has therefore remained unclear, whether selective BMP9 inhibition is a useful target for antibody therapy of cancer. To shed light on these questions, we characterized BMP9 expression in plasma of patients with different cancer indications and found elevated levels of pro-domains and precursor BMP9 with a strong response in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). These studies prompted us to evaluate the potential of selective anti-BMP9 cancer therapy in RCC. We generated a novel monoclonal therapeutic antibody candidate, mAb BMP9-0093, that selectively targets all different BMP9 variants but does not bind to the closest homolog BMP10. In vitro, mAb BMP9-0093 treatment inhibited signaling, endothelin-1 (ET-1) production and spreading of endothelial cells and restored BMP9-induced decrease in pericyte migration and attachment. Furthermore, BMP9-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition of renal cell carcinoma cells was reversed by mAb BMP9-0093 treatment in vitro. In vivo, mAb BMP9-0093 showed significant anti-tumor activity that was associated with an increase in apoptosis as well as a decrease in tumor cell proliferation and ET-1 release. Furthermore, mAb BMP9-0093 induced mural cell coverage of endothelial cells, which was corroborated by a reduction in vascular permeability, demonstrated by a diminished penetration of omalizumab-Alexa 647 into tumor tissue. Our findings provide new evidence for a better understanding of BMP9 contribution in tumor progression and angiogenesis that may result in the development of effective targeted therapeutic interventions.
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18
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Herrera B, Addante A, Sánchez A. BMP Signalling at the Crossroad of Liver Fibrosis and Regeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 19:ijms19010039. [PMID: 29295498 PMCID: PMC5795989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) belong to the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) family. Initially identified due to their ability to induce bone formation, they are now known to have multiple functions in a variety of tissues, being critical not only during development for tissue morphogenesis and organogenesis but also during adult tissue homeostasis. This review focus on the liver as a target tissue for BMPs actions, devoting most efforts to summarize our knowledge on their recently recognized and/or emerging roles on regulation of the liver regenerative response to various insults, either acute or chronic and their effects on development and progression of liver fibrosis in different pathological conditions. In an attempt to provide the basis for guiding research efforts in this field both the more solid and more controversial areas of research were highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Herrera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Annalisa Addante
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Aránzazu Sánchez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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19
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Tang Q, Wang Q, Zhang Q, Lin SY, Zhu Y, Yang X, Guo AY. Gene expression, regulation of DEN and HBx induced HCC mice models and comparisons of tumor, para-tumor and normal tissues. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:862. [PMID: 29254483 PMCID: PMC5735680 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Chemical and virus induction are two major risk factors, however, the potential molecular mechanisms of their differences remain elusive. In this study, to identify the similarities and differences between chemical and virus induced HCC models, we compared the gene expression profiles between DEN and HBx mice models, as well as the differences among tumor, para-tumor and normal tissues. METHODS We sequenced both gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression for HCC tumor tissues, para-tumor and normal liver tissues from DEN model mice (30-week-old) and downloaded the corresponding microarray expression data of HBx model from GEO database. Then differentially expressed genes (DEGs), miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) were detected by R packages and performed functional enrichment analysis. To explore the gene regulatory network in HCC models, miRNA and TF regulatory networks were constructed by target prediction. RESULTS For model comparison, although DEGs between tumor and normal tissues in DEN and HBx models only had a small part of overlapping, they shared common pathways including lipid metabolism, oxidation-reduction process and immune process. For tissue comparisons in each model, genes in oxidation-reduction process were down-regulated in tumor tissues and genes in inflammatory response showed the highest expression level in para-tumor tissues. Genes highly expressed in both tumor and para-tumor tissues in two models mainly participated in immune and inflammatory response. Genes expressed in HBx model were also involved in cell proliferation and cell migration etc. Network analysis revealed that several miRNAs such as miR-381-3p, miR-142a-3p, miR-214-3p and TFs such as Egr1, Atf3 and Klf4 were the core regulators in HCC. CONCLUSIONS Through the comparative analyses, we found that para-tumor tissue is a highly inflammatory tissue while the tumor tissue is specific with both inflammatory and cancer signaling pathways. The DEN and HBx mice models have different gene expression pattern but shared pathways. This work will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying different HCC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Tang
- Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Qi Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Sheng-Yan Lin
- Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Yanhong Zhu
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Xiangliang Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - An-Yuan Guo
- Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China.
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20
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Ma J, Zeng S, Zhang Y, Deng G, Qu Y, Guo C, Yin L, Han Y, Cai C, Li Y, Wang G, Bonkovsky HL, Shen H. BMP4 promotes oxaliplatin resistance by an induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition via MEK1/ERK/ELK1 signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2017; 411:117-129. [PMID: 28987388 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) is a key regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is crucial for cancer cells to acquire chemoresistance. The effects of BMP4 on OXA sensitivity in HCC need to be elucidated. METHODS Functional analysis of BMP4 on EMT-regulated OXA sensitivity was performed in human HCC specimens, in the HCC cell lines HepG2 and HCCLM3, and in a subcutaneous tumor model receiving OXA treatment. The downstream signaling targets of BMP4 in HCC were profiled and confirmed. RESULTS BMP4 expression was significantly increased in HCC tissue, and was correlated with tumor de-differentiation and unfavorable prognosis. BMP4 promoted HCC EMT and was correlated with OXA resistance. Blocking of BMP4 reversed EMT and increased OXA chemosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. ELK1, a transcription factor involved in EMT, was an important mediator of BMP4-induced OXA resistance in HCC. Blocking of MEK/ERK/ELK1 attenuated BMP4-induced EMT and enhanced OXA sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS BMP4 induces EMT and OXA chemoresistance via MEK/ERK/ELK1 signaling pathway in HCC. BMP4 may be a valuable therapeutic target for HCC patients receiving OXA-based chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Ma
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Shan Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Ganlu Deng
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Yanling Qu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Cao Guo
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Ling Yin
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Changjing Cai
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Yiyi Li
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Guqi Wang
- School of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA; Whole Pharm Biotechnology Corp., Matthews, NC 28105, USA
| | - Herbert L Bonkovsky
- School of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA.
| | - Hong Shen
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
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21
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Du W, Xu X, Niu Q, Zhang X, Wei Y, Wang Z, Zhang W, Yan J, Ru Y, Fu Z, Li X, Jiang Y, Ma Z, Zhang Z, Yao Z, Liu Z. Spi-B-Mediated Silencing of Claudin-2 Promotes Early Dissemination of Lung Cancer Cells from Primary Tumors. Cancer Res 2017; 77:4809-4822. [PMID: 28754672 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Dissociation from epithelial sheets and invasion through the surrounding stroma are critical early events during epithelial cancer metastasis. Here we find that a lymphocyte lineage-restricted transcription factor, Spi-B, is frequently expressed in human lung cancer tissues. The Spi-B-expressing cancer cells coexpressed vimentin but repressed E-cadherin and exhibited invasive behavior. Increased Spi-B expression was associated with tumor grade, lymphatic metastasis, and short overall survival. Mechanistically, Spi-B disrupted intercellular junctions and enhanced invasiveness by reconfiguring the chromatin structure of the tight junction gene claudin-2 (CLDN2) and repressing its transcription. These data suggest that Spi-B participates in mesenchymal invasion, linking epithelial cancer metastasis with a lymphatic transcriptional program. Cancer Res; 77(18); 4809-22. ©2017 AACR.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma/metabolism
- Adenocarcinoma/secondary
- Animals
- Apoptosis
- Biomarkers, Tumor
- Carcinoma, Lewis Lung/genetics
- Carcinoma, Lewis Lung/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Lewis Lung/secondary
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/secondary
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/secondary
- Cell Proliferation
- Claudin-2/genetics
- Claudin-2/metabolism
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Humans
- Intercellular Junctions
- Lung Neoplasms/genetics
- Lung Neoplasms/metabolism
- Lung Neoplasms/pathology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Neoplasm Invasiveness
- Neoplasm Staging
- Prognosis
- Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/genetics
- Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/metabolism
- Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/secondary
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Du
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xing Xu
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Qing Niu
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuexi Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiliang Wei
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ziqiao Wang
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Yan
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongxin Ru
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Zheng Fu
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenyi Ma
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenfa Zhang
- Department of Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi Yao
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China.
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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22
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Antiangiogenic activity of vitexicarpine in experimentally induced hepatocellular carcinoma: Impact on vascular endothelial growth factor pathway. Tumour Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/1010428317707376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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23
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Zhu M, Li W, Lu Y, Dong X, Lin B, Chen Y, Zhang X, Guo J, Li M. HBx drives alpha fetoprotein expression to promote initiation of liver cancer stem cells through activating PI3K/AKT signal pathway. Int J Cancer 2017; 140:1346-1355. [PMID: 27925189 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-X protein (HBx) plays critical role in inducing the malignant transformation of liver cells. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) expression is closely related to hepatocarcinogenesis. We report that Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-myc expression positively associated with AFP(+)/HBV(+) hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissues, and the expression of the stemness markers CD44, CD133 and EpCAM was significantly higher in AFP(+)/HBV(+) HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues or AFP (-)/HBV(-) HCC tissues. AFP expression turned on prior to expression of Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-myc, and the stemness markers CD44, CD133 and EpCAM in the normal human liver L-02 cell line or CHL cell lines upon transfection with MCV-HBx vectors. Stem-like cells generated more tumour colonies compared to primary cells, and xenografts induced tumourigenesis in nude mice. Expression of reprogramming-related proteins was significantly enhanced in HLE cells while transfected with pcDNA3.1-afp vectors. The specific PI3K inhibitor Ly294002 inhibited the effects of pcDNA3.1-afp vectors. AFP-siRNA vectors were able to inhibit tumour colony formation and reprogramming-related gene expression. Altogether, HBx stimulates AFP expression to induce natural reprogramming of liver cells, and AFP plays a critical role in promoting the initiation of HCC progenitor/stem cells. AFP may be a potential novel biotarget for combating HBV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Zhu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Li
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Lu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Dong
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Lin
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Chen
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueer Zhang
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Junli Guo
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengsen Li
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571199, People's Republic of China.,Hainan Medical College, Institution of Tumour, Haikou, 570102, Hainan Province, People's Republic of China
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24
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Ma J, Zeng S, Zhang Y, Deng G, Qu Y, Guo C, Yin L, Han Y, Shen H. BMP4 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation by promoting cell cycle progression via ID2/CDKN1B signaling. Mol Carcinog 2017; 56:2279-2289. [PMID: 28543546 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) plays a crucial role in carcinogenesis, but the effects and signaling mechanisms of BMP4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not clearly clarified. The present study aimed to identify the roles of BMP4 in the proliferation of human HCC. In this study, BMP4 expression and its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and the survival of HCC patients were analyzed in two independent cohorts consisting of 310 subjects. Functional analysis of BMP4 on HCC proliferation was performed in vitro and in vivo in human HCC specimens, HCC cells of Bel-7402 and HCCLM3, and subcutaneous tumor model. The downstream signaling targets of BMP4 in HCC were investigated by PCR Array and Western blot. The results indicated that BMP4 expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues and closely related with unfavorable prognosis of HCC. BMP4 treatment increased cell proliferation and promoted G1/S cell cycle progression. In vivo subcutaneous tumor of nude mice model supported that BMP4 overexpression promoted the growth of HCC cells and BMP4 knockdown hold the opposite trend. Id2 was directly upregulated by BMP4, resulting in the mediated expression of cell cycle regulatory protein of CDKN1B. Blocking of Id2 attenuated BMP4-induced proliferation, confirming the important roles of Id2 in BMP4-mediated proliferation in HCC. So BMP4 is overexpressed in HCC tissues and acts as a poor prognostic factor of HCC patients. BMP4-induced ID2/CDKN1B signaling facilitates proliferation of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Ma
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shan Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ganlu Deng
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanling Qu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Cao Guo
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ling Yin
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hong Shen
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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25
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Tu HC, Hsiao YC, Yang WY, Tsai SL, Lin HK, Liao CY, Lu JW, Chou YT, Wang HD, Yuh CH. Up-regulation of golgi α-mannosidase IA and down-regulation of golgi α-mannosidase IC activates unfolded protein response during hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatol Commun 2017; 1:230-247. [PMID: 29404456 PMCID: PMC5721452 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
α‐1,2 mannosidases, key enzymes in N‐glycosylation, are required for the formation of mature glycoproteins in eukaryotes. Aberrant regulation of α‐1,2 mannosidases can result in cancer, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we report the distinct roles of α‐1,2 mannosidase subtypes (MAN1A, MAN1B, ERMAN1, MAN1C) in the formation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Clinicopathological analyses revealed that the clinical stage, tumor size, α‐fetoprotein level, and invasion status were positively correlated with the expression levels of MAN1A1, MAN1B1, and MAN1A2. In contrast, the expression of MAN1C1 was decreased as early as stage I of HCC. Survival analyses showed that high MAN1A1, MAN1A2, and MAN1B1 expression levels combined with low MAN1C1 expression levels were significantly correlated with shorter overall survival rates. Functionally, the overexpression of MAN1A1 promoted proliferation, migration, and transformation as well as in vivo migration in zebrafish. Conversely, overexpression of MAN1C1 reduced the migration ability both in vitro and in vivo, decreased the colony formation ability, and shortened the S phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in cell cycle/proliferation and migration was increased in MAN1A1‐overexpressing cells but decreased in MAN1C1‐overexpressing cells. MAN1A1 activated the expression of key regulators of the unfolded protein response (UPR), while treatment with endoplasmic reticulum stress inhibitors blocked the expression of MAN1A1‐activated genes. Using the MAN1A1 liver‐specific overexpression zebrafish model, we observed steatosis and inflammation at earlier stages and HCC formation at a later stage accompanied by the increased expression of the UPR modulator binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP). These data suggest that the up‐regulation of MAN1A1 activates the UPR and might initiate metastasis. Conclusion: MAN1A1 represents a novel oncogene while MAN1C1 plays a role in tumor suppression in hepatocarcinogenesis. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:230‐247)
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chen Tu
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chun Hsiao
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Wan-Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan
| | - Shin-Lin Tsai
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan
| | - Hua-Kuo Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan
| | - Chong-Yi Liao
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Wei Lu
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Department of Life Sciences National Central University Jhongli City Taoyuan Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ting Chou
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Horng-Dar Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine National Health Research Institutes Zhunan Miaoli Taiwan.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan.,Department of Biological Science and Technology National Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan.,Kaohsiung Medical University Kaohsiung Taiwan
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26
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Shi L, Zhou SS, Chen WB, Xu L. Functions of endothelin-1 in apoptosis and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Ther Med 2017; 13:3116-3122. [PMID: 28587387 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.4314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in China and the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The mechanisms involved in the development and progression of HCC are not well understood. In the present study, the functions of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in HCC were studied and its underlying mechanisms were investigated. ET-1, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 related protein 4 (Bax), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression was measured by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured via Cell Counting kit-8 assay. Flow cytometry was performed for cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. Migration was measured via Transwell assay. The results demonstrated that ET-1 expression significantly increased in HCC tissues compared with the normal tissues of patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset (P<0.01). Furthermore, downregulation of ET-1 was able to significantly inhibit cell proliferation and growth in vitro (P<0.01) and in vivo (P<0.01), and induce cell cycle arrest (P<0.05) and apoptosis (P<0.01) in the HCC SMMC-7721 cell line. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the cell apoptosis signaling pathway was activated by ET-1. The ratio of B-cell lymphoma (Bcl-2) -related protein 4 (Bax)/Bcl-2 was significantly increased by downregulation of ET-1 (P<0.01). ET-1 downregulation also inhibited migration of SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.05) via decreasing levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2 (P<0.05) and MMP-9 (P>0.05). These results suggest that ET-1 may be able to affect the apoptosis and migration of HCC cells via modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9, which indicates that ET-1 maybe a potential novel target for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Shi
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources and Compounds, Wuhan, Hubei 430065, P.R. China
| | - Shan-Shan Zhou
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of TCM, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China
| | - Wan-Bo Chen
- School of Clinical Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, P.R. China
| | - Lei Xu
- Pharmacology Teaching and Research Section, The 95890 Forces, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
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27
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Emma MR, Iovanna JL, Bachvarov D, Puleio R, Loria GR, Augello G, Candido S, Libra M, Gulino A, Cancila V, McCubrey JA, Montalto G, Cervello M. NUPR1, a new target in liver cancer: implication in controlling cell growth, migration, invasion and sorafenib resistance. Cell Death Dis 2016; 7:e2269. [PMID: 27336713 PMCID: PMC5143401 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2016.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, is the only approved agent for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its benefits are modest, and as its mechanisms of action remain elusive, a better understanding of its anticancer effects is needed. Based on our previous study results, we investigated here the implication of the nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) in HCC and its role in sorafenib treatment. NUPR1 is a stress-inducible protein that is overexpressed in various malignancies, but its role in HCC is not yet fully understood. We found that NUPR1 expression was significantly higher in primary human HCC samples than in the normal liver. Knockdown of NUPR1 significantly increased cell sensitivity to sorafenib and inhibited the cell growth, migration and invasion of HCC cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, NUPR1 silencing influenced the expression of RELB and IER3 genes. Unsurprisingly, RELB and IER3 knockdown also inhibited HCC cell viability, growth and migration. Using gene expression profiling of HCC cells following stable NUPR1 knockdown, we found that genes functionally involved in cell death and survival, cellular response to therapies, lipid metabolism, cell growth and proliferation, molecular transport and cellular movement were mostly suppressed. Network analysis of dynamic gene expression identified NF-κB and ERK as downregulated gene nodes, and several HCC-related oncogenes were also suppressed. We identified Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) gene as a NUPR1-regulated gene and demonstrated that RUNX2 gene silencing inhibits HCC cell viability, growth, migration and increased cell sensitivity to sorafenib. We propose that the NUPR1/RELB/IER3/RUNX2 pathway has a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. The identification of the NUPR1/RELB/IER3/RUNX2 pathway as a potential therapeutic target may contribute to the development of new treatment strategies for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Emma
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - J L Iovanna
- INSERM UMR1068, Center of Research in Cancerology of Marseille (CRCM), Marseille, France
| | - D Bachvarov
- Cancer Research Centre, Hôpital L'Hotel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Quebec City (Quebec), Canada.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City (Quebec), Canada
| | - R Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Palermo, Italy
| | - G R Loria
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Palermo, Italy
| | - G Augello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - S Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - A Gulino
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - V Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - J A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - G Montalto
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - M Cervello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
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28
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Zhou D, Wang Y, Chen L, Jia L, Yuan J, Sun M, Zhang W, Wang P, Zuo J, Xu Z, Luan J. Evolving roles of circadian rhythms in liver homeostasis and pathology. Oncotarget 2016; 7:8625-39. [PMID: 26843619 PMCID: PMC4890992 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clock in mammals is determined by a core oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus and synchronized peripheral clocks in other tissues. The coherent timing systems could sustain robust output of circadian rhythms in response to the entrainment controlled environmentally. Disparate approaches have discovered that clock genes and clock-controlled genes (CCGs) exist in nearly all mammalian cell types and are essential for establishing the mechanisms and complexity of internal time-keeping systems. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the control of homeostasis and pathology in the liver involves intricate loops of transcriptional and post-translational regulation of clock genes expression. This review will focus on the recent advances with great importance concerning clock rhythms linking liver homeostasis and diseases. We particularly highlight what is currently known of the evolving insights into the mechanisms underlying circadian clock . Eventually , findings during recent years in the field might prompt new circadian-related chronotherapeutic strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases by coupling these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexi Zhou
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yaqin Wang
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Leijuan Jia
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Mei Sun
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Peipei Wang
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jian Zuo
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Zhenyu Xu
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jiajie Luan
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Pharmacy in Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
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Teng YC, Shen ZQ, Kao CH, Tsai TF. Hepatocellular carcinoma mouse models: Hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocarcinogenesis and haploinsufficient tumor suppressor genes. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:300-325. [PMID: 26755878 PMCID: PMC4698494 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i1.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The multifactorial and multistage pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has fascinated a wide spectrum of scientists for decades. While a number of major risk factors have been identified, their mechanistic roles in hepatocarcinogenesis still need to be elucidated. Many tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) have been identified as being involved in HCC. These TSGs can be classified into two groups depending on the situation with respect to allelic mutation/loss in the tumors: the recessive TSGs with two required mutated alleles and the haploinsufficient TSGs with one required mutated allele. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most important risk factors associated with HCC. Although mice cannot be infected with HBV due to the narrow host range of HBV and the lack of a proper receptor, one advantage of mouse models for HBV/HCC research is the numerous and powerful genetic tools that help investigate the phenotypic effects of viral proteins and allow the dissection of the dose-dependent action of TSGs. Here, we mainly focus on the application of mouse models in relation to HBV-associated HCC and on TSGs that act either in a recessive or in a haploinsufficient manner. Discoveries obtained using mouse models will have a great impact on HCC translational medicine.
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Ho YJ, Lin YM, Huang YC, Yeh KT, Lin LI, Lu JW. Tissue microarray-based study of hepatocellular carcinoma validating SPIB as potential clinical prognostic marker. Acta Histochem 2016; 118:38-45. [PMID: 26610895 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the prognostic significance of SPIB protein overexpression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of SPIB expression in human HCC in order to determine possible correlations between SPIB expression and clinicopathological findings. The expression of SPIB proteins was detected using immunohistochemical staining in commercial multiple-tissue microarrays as a means of examining expression profiles in patients. Using online biomarker validation tool SurvExpress, we focused on the correlation between SPIB overexpression and survival as well as relapse-free survival (RFS). Results show that SPIB protein expression levels were significantly higher in colon, liver, and stomach tumors than in non-tumor tissues (p<0.05). SPIB overexpression in patients with HCC was also significantly higher than that of the normal samples (p<0.001). Among patients with liver disease, SPIB protein expression levels differ significantly according to the stage of liver disease, specifically between stages I, II, and III of HCC (p<0.05). SPIB expression was also shown to be significantly correlated with age (p=0.046) and histological grade (p=0.027). Furthermore, the SurvExpress analysis suggested that high SPIB and KI-67 mRNA expression were significantly associated with the poor survival of patients with HCC (p<0.05). Our results indicate that cross-talk in the expression of SPIB and KI-67 may be associated with poor prognosis and may potentially serve as a clinical prognostic indicator of HCC. This is the first time that such an association has been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jung Ho
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yueh-Min Lin
- Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan.
| | - Yen-Chi Huang
- Department of Styling & Cosmetology, Hsin Sheng Junior College of Medical Care and Management, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Kun-Tu Yeh
- Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Liang-In Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Jeng-Wei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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31
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Lu JW, Ho YJ, Yang YJ, Liao HA, Ciou SC, Lin LI, Ou DL. Zebrafish as a disease model for studying human hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2015; 21:12042-12058. [PMID: 26576090 PMCID: PMC4641123 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i42.12042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the world’s most common cancers and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary hepatic cancer, accounts for 90%-95% of liver cancer cases. The pathogenesis of HCC consists of a stepwise process of liver damage that extends over decades, due to hepatitis, fatty liver, fibrosis, and cirrhosis before developing fully into HCC. Multiple risk factors are highly correlated with HCC, including infection with the hepatitis B or C viruses, alcohol abuse, aflatoxin exposure, and metabolic diseases. Over the last decade, genetic alterations, which include the regulation of multiple oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes and the activation of tumorigenesis-related pathways, have also been identified as important factors in HCC. Recently, zebrafish have become an important living vertebrate model organism, especially for translational medical research. In studies focusing on the biology of cancer, carcinogen induced tumors in zebrafish were found to have many similarities to human tumors. Several zebrafish models have therefore been developed to provide insight into the pathogenesis of liver cancer and the related drug discovery and toxicology, and to enable the evaluation of novel small-molecule inhibitors. This review will focus on illustrative examples involving the application of zebrafish models to the study of human liver disease and HCC, through transgenesis, genome editing technology, xenografts, drug discovery, and drug-induced toxic liver injury.
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Li CF, Tsai HH, Ko CY, Pan YC, Yen CJ, Lai HY, Yuh CH, Wu WC, Wang JM. HMDB and 5-AzadC Combination Reverses Tumor Suppressor CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein Delta to Strengthen the Death of Liver Cancer Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2015; 14:2623-33. [PMID: 26358750 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can arise from chronic inflammation due to viral infection, organ damage, drug toxicity, or alcohol abuse. Moreover, gene desensitization via aberrant CpG island methylation is a frequent epigenetic defect in HCC. However, the details of how inflammation is linked with epigenetic-mediated desensitization of tumor suppressor genes remains less investigated. In this study, we found that loss of CEBPD enhances the growth of liver cancer cells and is associated with the occurrence of liver cancers, as determined by the assessment of clinical specimens and in vivo animal models. Moreover, E2F1-regulated epigenetic axis attenuated CEBPD expression in liver cancer cells. CEBPD is responsive to the hydroxymethyldibenzoylmethane (HMDB)-induced p38/CREB pathway and plays an important role in the HMDB-induced apoptosis of cancer cells. Regarding depression of epigenetic effects to enhance HMDB-induced CEBPD expression, the combination of HMDB and 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AzadC) could enhance the death of liver cancer cells and reduce the tumor formation of Huh7 xenograft mice. In conclusion, these results suggest that CEBPD could be a useful diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in HCC. The results also reveal the therapeutic potential for low-dose 5-AzadC to enhance the HMDB-induced death of HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Feng Li
- Department of Pathology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hwa Tsai
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Yuan Ko
- Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chun Pan
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jui Yen
- Institute of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Yue Lai
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chen Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Ming Wang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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García-Álvaro M, Addante A, Roncero C, Fernández M, Fabregat I, Sánchez A, Herrera B. BMP9-Induced Survival Effect in Liver Tumor Cells Requires p38MAPK Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:20431-48. [PMID: 26343646 PMCID: PMC4613212 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160920431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) role in tumorigenic processes, and specifically in the liver, has gathered importance in the last few years. Previous studies have shown that BMP9 is overexpressed in about 40% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. In vitro data have also shown evidence that BMP9 has a pro-tumorigenic action, not only by inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration, but also by promoting proliferation and survival in liver cancer cells. However, the precise mechanisms driving these effects have not yet been established. In the present work, we deepened our studies into the intracellular mechanisms implicated in the BMP9 proliferative and pro-survival effect on liver tumor cells. In HepG2 cells, BMP9 induces both Smad and non-Smad signaling cascades, specifically PI3K/AKT and p38MAPK. However, only the p38MAPK pathway contributes to the BMP9 growth-promoting effect on these cells. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that p38MAPK activation, although dispensable for the BMP9 proliferative activity, is required for the BMP9 protective effect on serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the signaling pathways involved in the BMP9 pro-tumorigenic role in liver tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- María García-Álvaro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
| | - Annalisa Addante
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
| | - Cesáreo Roncero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
| | - Margarita Fernández
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
| | - Isabel Fabregat
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and University of Barcelona (UB), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08908, Spain.
| | - Aránzazu Sánchez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
| | - Blanca Herrera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid. San Carlos Clinical Hospital Health Research Institute (IdISSC), Plaza Ramón y Cajal S/N, Madrid 28040, Spain.
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Liu ZM, Tseng HY, Tsai HW, Su FC, Huang HS. Transforming growth factor β-interacting factor-induced malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma cells depends on superoxide production from Nox4. Free Radic Biol Med 2015; 84:54-64. [PMID: 25841779 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most deadly malignancies worldwide because of its high recurrence rate, high metastatic potential, and resistance to drugs. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying malignancy in HCC is needed to improve diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. Previously, we showed that transforming growth factor β-interacting factor (TGIF) antagonizes arsenic trioxide-induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells and is associated with poor prognosis and progression of urothelial carcinoma in patients after radical nephroureterectomy. To determine whether TGIF plays a role in HCC tumorigenesis, we compared the expression of TGIF, its downstream targets, and reactive oxygen species levels between HCC HepG2 cells and the more invasive SK-Hep1 cells. Superoxide production, phosphorylation of c-Src(Y416) and AKT(S473), and expression of TGIF and NADPH oxidase (Nox) were higher in invasive SK-Hep1 cells than in HepG2 cells. TGIF-overexpressing HepG2 xenograft tumors markedly promoted tumor growth and metastasis to the lungs. Overexpression of TGIF in HepG2 cells increased superoxide production from Nox4, matrix metalloproteinase expression, invadopodia formation, and cellular migration/invasion ability. Conversely, knockdown of TGIF in SK-Hep1 cells attenuated these processes. Using gene knockdown and pharmacological inhibitors, we demonstrate that c-Src/AKT is the upstream signaling that regulates TGIF-induced Nox4 activation and subsequent superoxide production. Taken together, our results implicate TGIF as a potential biomarker for prognosis and target for clinical therapy in patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Miao Liu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Yu Tseng
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Wen Tsai
- Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Cheng Su
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Huei-Sheng Huang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
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Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is an orphan nuclear receptor commonly known as the master regulator of hepatic differentiation, owing to the large number of hepatocyte-specific genes it regulates. Whereas the role of HNF4α in hepatocyte differentiation is well recognized and extensively studied, its role in regulation of cell proliferation is relatively less known. Recent studies have revealed that HNF4α inhibits proliferation not only of hepatocytes but also cells in colon and kidney. Further, a growing number of studies have demonstrated that inhibition or loss of HNF4α promotes tumorigenesis in the liver and colon, and reexpression of HNF4α results in decreased cancer growth. Studies using tissue-specific conditional knockout mice, knock-in studies, and combinatorial bioinformatics of RNA/ChIP-sequencing data indicate that the mechanisms of HNF4α-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation are multifold, involving epigenetic repression of promitogenic genes, significant cross talk with other cell cycle regulators including c-Myc and cyclin D1, and regulation of miRNAs. Furthermore, studies indicate that posttranslational modifications of HNF4α may change its activity and may be at the core of its dual role as a differentiation factor and repressor of proliferation. This review summarizes recent findings on the role of HNF4α in cell proliferation and highlights the newly understood function of this old receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Walesky
- *Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- †Department of Medicine – Genetics Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Udayan Apte
- *Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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Ciou SC, Chou YT, Liu YL, Nieh YC, Lu JW, Huang SF, Chou YT, Cheng LH, Lo JF, Chen MJ, Yang MC, Yuh CH, Wang HD. Ribose-5-phosphate isomerase A regulates hepatocarcinogenesis via PP2A and ERK signaling. Int J Cancer 2014; 137:104-15. [PMID: 25429733 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The deregulated nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is known to promote oncogenesis, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we report that human ribose-5-phosphate isomerase A (RPIA) plays a role in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A significant increase in RPIA expression was detected both in tumor biopsies of HCC patients and in a liver cancer tissue array. Importantly, the clinicopathological analysis indicated that RPIA mRNA levels were highly correlated with clinical stage, grade, tumor size, types, invasion and alpha-fetoprotein levels in the HCC patients. In addition, we demonstrated that the ability of RPIA to regulate cell proliferation and colony formation in different liver cancer cell lines required ERK signaling as well as the negative modulation of PP2A activity and that the effects of RPIA could be modulated by the addition of either a PP2A inhibitor or activator. Furthermore, the xenograft studies in nude mice revealed that the modulation of RPIA in liver cancer cells regulated tumor growth and that NIH3T3 cells overexpressing RPIA exhibited increased proliferation, enhanced colony formation, elevated levels of p-ERK1/2 and accelerated tumor growth. This study provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms by which RPIA overexpression can induce oncogenesis in HCC. Furthermore, it suggests that RPIA can be a good prognosis biomarker and a potential target for HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Ci Ciou
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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Lu JW, Liao CY, Yang WY, Lin YM, Jin SLC, Wang HD, Yuh CH. Overexpression of endothelin 1 triggers hepatocarcinogenesis in zebrafish and promotes cell proliferation and migration through the AKT pathway. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85318. [PMID: 24416389 PMCID: PMC3885696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocarcinogenesis commonly involves the gradual progression from hepatitis to fibrosis and cirrhosis, and ultimately to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Endothelin 1 (Edn1) has been identified as a gene that is significantly up-regulated in HBx-induced HCC in mice. In this study, we further investigated the role of edn1 in hepatocarcinogenesis using a transgenic zebrafish model and a cell culture system. Liver-specific edn1 expression caused steatosis, fibrosis, glycogen accumulation, bile duct dilation, hyperplasia, and HCC in zebrafish. Overexpression of EDN1 in 293T cells enhanced cell proliferation and cell migration in in vitro and xenotransplantation assays and was accompanied with up-regulation of several cell cycle/proliferation- and migration-specific genes. Furthermore, expression of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway-related mediators, such as spliced XBP1, ATF6, IRE1, and PERK, was also up-regulated at both the RNA and protein levels. In the presence of an EDN1 inhibitor or an AKT inhibitor, these increases were diminished and the EDN1-induced migration ability also was disappeared, suggesting that the EDN1 effects act through activation of the AKT pathway to enhance the UPR and subsequently activate the expression of downstream genes. Additionally, p-AKT is enhanced in the edn1 transgenic fish compared to the GFP-mCherry control. The micro RNA miR-1 was found to inhibit the expression of EDN1. We also observed an inverse correlation between EDN1 and miR-1 expression in HCC patients. In conclusion, our data suggest that EDN1 plays an important role in HCC progression by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway and is regulated by miR-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeng-Wei Lu
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yi Liao
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Min Lin
- Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua City, Changhua County, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | | | - Horng-Dar Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Lu JW, Yang WY, Tsai SM, Lin YM, Chang PH, Chen JR, Wang HD, Wu JL, Jin SLC, Yuh CH. Liver-specific expressions of HBx and src in the p53 mutant trigger hepatocarcinogenesis in zebrafish. PLoS One 2013; 8:e76951. [PMID: 24130815 PMCID: PMC3793937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocarcinogenesis is a multistep process that starts from fatty liver and transitions to fibrosis and, finally, into cancer. Many etiological factors, including hepatitis B virus X antigen (HBx) and p53 mutations, have been implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis. However, potential synergistic effects between these two factors and the underlying mechanisms by which they promote hepatocarcinogenesis are still unclear. In this report, we show that the synergistic action of HBx and p53 mutation triggers progressive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) formation via src activation in zebrafish. Liver-specific expression of HBx in wild-type zebrafish caused steatosis, fibrosis and glycogen accumulation. However, the induction of tumorigenesis by HBx was only observed in p53 mutant fish and occurred in association with the up-regulation and activation of the src tyrosine kinase pathway. Furthermore, the overexpression of src in p53 mutant zebrafish also caused hyperplasia, HCC, and sarcomatoid HCC, which were accompanied by increased levels of the signaling proteins p-erk, p-akt, myc, jnk1 and vegf. Increased expression levels of lipogenic factors and the genes involved in lipid metabolism and glycogen storage were detected during the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis in the HBx and src transgenic zebrafish. The up-regulation of genes involved in cell cycle regulation, tumor progression and other molecular hallmarks of human liver cancer were found at later stages in both HBx and src transgenic, p53 mutant zebrafish. Together, our study demonstrates that HBx and src overexpression induced hepatocarcinogenesis in p53 mutant zebrafish. This phenomenon mimics human HCC formation and provides potential in vivo platforms for drug screening for therapies for human liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeng-Wei Lu
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Su-Mei Tsai
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Min Lin
- Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua City, Changhua County, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Hou-Loung Town, Miaoli County, Taiwan
| | - Pen-Heng Chang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jim-Ray Chen
- Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Dar Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Leih Wu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Nangang District, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Chiou-Hwa Yuh
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Lu JW, Yang WY, Lin YM, Jin SLC, Yuh CH. Hepatitis B virus X antigen and aflatoxin B1 synergistically cause hepatitis, steatosis and liver hyperplasia in transgenic zebrafish. Acta Histochem 2013; 115:728-39. [PMID: 23499292 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2013.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Revised: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and the hepatitis B virus X antigen (HBx) are linked to the formation of liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effects between HBx and AFB1 in causing liver disorders using a transgenic zebrafish animal model. Histopathology, Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, Sirius red staining, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR) were used to examine the livers of the HBx transgenic fish injected with AFB1. We found that HBx and AFB1 synergistically promoted steatosis as indicated by histopathological examinations and the increased expression of lipogenic factors, enzymes, and genes related to lipid metabolism. Moreover, treatment of AFB1 in HBx transgenic fish accelerated the development of liver hyperplasia and enhanced the expression of cell cycle related genes. PCNA was co-localized with active caspase 3 protein expression in HBx zebrafish liver samples and human HBV positive HCC samples by double fluorescence immunostaining. Finally, we found that in human patients with liver disease, significant glycogen accumulated in the inflammation, cirrhosis stage, and all cases of hepatocellular and cholangiocellular carcinoma showed a moderate cytoplasmic accumulation of glycogen. Our data demonstrated a synergistic effect of AFB1 and HBx on the regulation of lipid metabolism related genes and cell cycle/division-related genes which might contribute to enhanced steatosis and hyperplasia at 5.75months.
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Ayub A, Ashfaq UA, Haque A. HBV induced HCC: major risk factors from genetic to molecular level. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:810461. [PMID: 23991421 PMCID: PMC3749539 DOI: 10.1155/2013/810461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly and emerging disease leading to death in Asian countries. High hepatitis B virus (HBV) load and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection increase the risk of developing HCC. HBV is a DNA virus that can integrate DNA into host genome thereby increase the yield of transactivator protein HBxAg that may deregulate many pathways involving in metabolism of cells. Several monogenic and polygenic risk factors are also involved in HCC development. This review summarizes the mechanism involved in HCC development and discusses some promising therapies to make HCC curative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambreen Ayub
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Asma Haque
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
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41
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Herrera B, García-Álvaro M, Cruz S, Walsh P, Fernández M, Roncero C, Fabregat I, Sánchez A, Inman GJ. BMP9 is a proliferative and survival factor for human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69535. [PMID: 23936038 PMCID: PMC3720667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
TGF-β family members play a relevant role in tumorigenic processes, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but a specific implication of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) subfamily is still unknown. Although originally isolated from fetal liver, little is known about BMP9, a BMP family member, and its role in liver physiology and pathology. Our results show that BMP9 promotes growth in HCC cells, but not in immortalized human hepatocytes. In the liver cancer cell line HepG2, BMP9 triggers Smad1,5,8 phosphorylation and inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (Id1) expression up- regulation. Importantly, by using chemical inhibitors, ligand trap and gene silencing approaches we demonstrate that HepG2 cells autocrinely produce BMP9 that supports their proliferation and anchorage independent growth. Additionally, our data reveal that in HepG2 cells BMP9 triggers cell cycle progression, and strikingly, completely abolishes the increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells induced by long-term incubation in low serum. Collectively, our data unveil a dual role for BMP9, both promoting a proliferative response and exerting a remarkable anti-apoptotic function in HepG2 cells, which result in a robust BMP9 effect on liver cancer cell growth. Finally, we show that BMP9 expression is increased in 40% of human HCC tissues compared with normal human liver as revealed by immunohistochemistry analysis, suggesting that BMP9 signaling may be relevant during hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo. Our findings provide new clues for a better understanding of BMPs contribution, and in particular BMP9, in HCC pathogenesis that may result in the development of effective and targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Herrera
- Dep. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.
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42
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Nishikawa H, Osaki Y. Clinical significance of occult hepatitis B infection in progression of liver disease and carcinogenesis. J Cancer 2013; 4:473-80. [PMID: 23901347 PMCID: PMC3726709 DOI: 10.7150/jca.6609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined as long-lasting persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the liver of patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative status, with or without serological markers of previous exposure (antibodies to HBsAg and/or to hepatitis B core antigen). Over the past two decades, significant progress has been made in understanding OBI and its clinical implications. OBI as a cause of chronic liver disease in patients with HBsAg-negative status is becoming an important disease entity. In conditions of immunocompetence, OBI is inoffensive in itself and detection of HBV DNA in the liver does not always indicate active hepatitis. However, when other factors that cause liver damage, such as hepatitis C virus infection, obesity and alcohol abuse are present, the minimal lesions produced by the immunological response to OBI might worsen the clinical course of the underlying liver disease. Several lines of evidence suggest that OBI is associated with progression of liver fibrosis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic liver disease. The major interest in OBI is primarily associated with the growing, widely discussed evidence of its clinical impact. The aim of this review is to highlight recent data for OBI, with a major focus on disease progression or carcinogenesis in patients with chronic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Nishikawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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43
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Liu B, Wen X, Huang C, Wei Y. Unraveling the complexity of hepatitis B virus: from molecular understanding to therapeutic strategy in 50 years. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2013; 45:1987-96. [PMID: 23819994 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2013.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well-known hepadnavirus with a double-stranded circular DNA genome. Although HBV was first described approximately 50 years ago, the precise mechanisms of HBV infection and effective therapeutic strategies remain unclear. Here, we focus on summarizing the complicated mechanisms of HBV replication and infection, as well as genomic factors and epigenetic regulation. Additionally, we discuss in vivo models of HBV, as well as diagnosis, prevention and therapeutic drugs for HBV. Together, the data in this 50-year review may provide new clues to elucidate molecular mechanisms of HBV pathogenesis and shed new light on the future HBV therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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44
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Li Q, Gu X, Weng H, Ghafoory S, Liu Y, Feng T, Dzieran J, Li L, Ilkavets I, Kruithof-de Julio M, Munker S, Marx A, Piiper A, Augusto Alonso E, Gretz N, Gao C, Wölfl S, Dooley S, Breitkopf-Heinlein K. Bone morphogenetic protein-9 induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Cancer Sci 2013; 104:398-408. [PMID: 23281849 DOI: 10.1111/cas.12093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Revised: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism to initiate cancer invasion and metastasis. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-9 is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily. It has been suggested to play a role in cancer development in some non-hepatic tumors. In the present study, two hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lines, HLE and HepG2, were treated with BMP-9 in vitro, and phenotypic changes and cell motility were analyzed. In situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemical analyses were performed with human HCC tissue samples in order to assess expression levels of BMP-9. In vivo, BMP-9 protein and mRNA were expressed in all the tested patients to diverse degrees. At the protein level, mildly positive (1 + ) BMP-9 staining could be observed in 25/41 (61%), and moderately to strongly positive (2 + ) in 16/41 (39%) of the patients. In 27/41 (65%) patients, the BMP-9 protein expression level was consistent with the mRNA expression level as measured by ISH. In those patients with 2 + protein level, nuclear pSmad1 expression in cancer cells was also significantly increased. Expression of BMP-9 was positively related to nuclear Snail expression and reversely correlated to cell surface E-cadherin expression, although this did not reach statistical significance. Expression levels of BMP-9 were significantly associated with the T stages of the investigated tumors and high levels of BMP-9 were detected by immunofluorescence especially at the tumor borders in samples from an HCC mouse model. In vitro, BMP-9 treatment caused a reduction of E-cadherin and ZO-1 and an induction of Vimentin and Snail expression. Furthermore, cell migration was enhanced by BMP-9 in both HCC cell lines. These results imply that EMT induced by BMP-9 is related to invasiveness of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Li
- Department of Medicine II, Section Molecular Hepatology - Alcohol Associated Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim at Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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45
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Tong SW, Yang YX, Hu HD, An X, Ye F, Ren H, Li SL, Zhang DZ. HSPB1 is an intracellular antiviral factor against hepatitis B virus. J Cell Biochem 2012; 114:162-73. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.24313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2012] [Accepted: 07/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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46
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Nambotin SB, Tomimaru Y, Merle P, Wands JR, Kim M. Functional consequences of WNT3/Frizzled7-mediated signaling in non-transformed hepatic cells. Oncogenesis 2012; 1:e31. [PMID: 23552403 PMCID: PMC3503290 DOI: 10.1038/oncsis.2012.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that WNT3 and Frizzled7 (FZD7) expression levelswere upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and that they directly interact to activate the canonical Wnt/β–catenin pathway in HCC cell lines. In this study, we investigated the functional consequences of WNT3 and FZD7 expression levels in non-transformed hepatic cells to address the question of whether WNT3/FZD7-mediated signal transduction could be involved in cellular transformation. After stable transfection of WNT3 and FZD7, the activation of the Wnt/β–catenin pathway was confirmed by western blot, immunostaining and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase–PCR (qRT–PCR) analysis in two non-transformed hepatocyte-derived cell lines. In vitro characteristics of the malignant phenotype were measured, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. Stable expression of WNT3 and FZD7 in the two cell lines led to cellular accumulation of β-catenin and expression of downstream target genes activated by this pathway. In the stable WNT3/FZD7-expressing clones, hepatic cell proliferation, migration, invasion as well as soft agar colony formation were enhanced compared with the non-transformed control cells. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors, Twist, Snail and Vimentin, were increased in cells expressing WNT3 and FZD7. However, the WNT3/FZD7-expressing cells did not form tumors in vivo. We conclude that activation of the WNT3/FZD7 canonical pathway has a role in the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis by promoting the acquisition of a malignant phenotype with features of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- S B Nambotin
- Liver Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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47
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Han ZG. Functional genomic studies: insights into the pathogenesis of liver cancer. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2012; 13:171-205. [PMID: 22703171 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-090711-163752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the sixth-most-common cancer overall but the third-most-frequent cause of cancer death. Among primary liver cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the major histological subtype, is associated with multiple risk factors, including hepatitis B and C virus infection, alcohol consumption, obesity, and diet contamination. Although previous studies have revealed that certain genetic and epigenetic changes, such as TP53 and β-catenin mutations, occur in HCC cells, the pathogenesis of this cancer remains obscure. Functional genomic approaches-including genome-wide association studies, whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing, array-based comparative genomic hybridization, global DNA methylome mapping, and gene or noncoding RNA expression profiling-have recently been applied to HCC patients with different clinical features to uncover the genetic risk factors and underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this cancer's initiation and progression. The genome-wide analysis of germline and somatic genetic and epigenetic events facilitates understanding of the pathogenesis and molecular classification of liver cancer as well as the identification of novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Guang Han
- National Human Genome Center of Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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48
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Bonzo JA, Ferry CH, Matsubara T, Kim JH, Gonzalez FJ. Suppression of hepatocyte proliferation by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α in adult mice. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:7345-56. [PMID: 22241473 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.334599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) regulates genes involved in lipid and bile acid synthesis, gluconeogenesis, amino acid metabolism, and blood coagulation. In addition to its metabolic role, HNF4α is critical for hepatocyte differentiation, and loss of HNF4α is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. The hepatocyte-specific Hnf4a knock-out mouse develops severe hepatomegaly and steatosis resulting in premature death, thereby limiting studies of the role of this transcription factor in the adult animal. In addition, gene compensation may complicate analysis of the phenotype of these mice. To overcome these issues, an acute Hnf4a knock-out mouse model was generated through use of the tamoxifen-inducible ErT2cre coupled to the serum albumin gene promoter. Microarray expression analysis revealed up-regulation of genes associated with proliferation and cell cycle control only in the acute liver-specific Hnf4α-null mouse. BrdU and ki67 staining confirmed extensive hepatocyte proliferation in this model. Proliferation was associated with induction of the hepatomitogen Bmp7 as well as reduced basal apoptotic activity. The p53/p63 apoptosis effector gene Perp was further identified as a direct HNF4α target gene. These data suggest that HNF4α maintains hepatocyte differentiation in the adult healthy liver, and its loss may directly contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma development, thus indicating this factor as a possible liver tumor suppressor gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Bonzo
- Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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