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Phoolchund AGS, Khakoo SI. MASLD and the Development of HCC: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Challenges. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:259. [PMID: 38254750 PMCID: PMC10814413 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)) represents a rapidly increasing cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mirroring increasing rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome in the Western world. MASLD-HCC can develop at an earlier stage of fibrosis compared to other causes of chronic liver disease, presenting challenges in how to risk-stratify patients to set up effective screening programmes. Therapeutic decision making for MASLD-HCC is also complicated by medical comorbidities and disease presentation at a later stage. The response to treatment, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, may vary by the aetiology of the disease, and, in the future, patient stratification will be key to optimizing the therapeutic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju G. S. Phoolchund
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Salim I. Khakoo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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Talamantes S, Lisjak M, Gilglioni EH, Llamoza-Torres CJ, Ramos-Molina B, Gurzov EN. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes mellitus as growing aetiologies of hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100811. [PMID: 37575883 PMCID: PMC10413159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity-related complications such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well-established risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This review provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the role of steatosis, hyperinsulinemia and hepatic inflammation in HCC development and progression. We focus on recent findings linking intracellular pathways and transcription factors that can trigger the reprogramming of hepatic cells. In addition, we highlight the role of enzymes in dysregulated metabolic activity and consequent dysfunctional signalling. Finally, we discuss the potential uses and challenges of novel therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat NAFLD/T2D-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Talamantes
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Michela Lisjak
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Eduardo H. Gilglioni
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Camilo J. Llamoza-Torres
- Department of Hepatology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, 30120, Spain
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Bruno Ramos-Molina
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Esteban N. Gurzov
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Avenue Pasteur 6, Wavre, 1300, Belgium
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Plaz Torres MC, Jaffe A, Perry R, Marabotto E, Strazzabosco M, Giannini EG. Diabetes medications and risk of HCC. Hepatology 2022; 76:1880-1897. [PMID: 35239194 PMCID: PMC9790535 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a recognized risk factor for HCC in patients with liver disease, independent from the etiology of their liver disease. Hence, prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its underlying cause, insulin resistance, should be considered a treatment target for patients with liver disease. The drug armamentarium for diabetes is wide and consists of agents with insulin-sensitizing activity, agents that stimulate insulin secretion, insulin itself, and agents that reduce gastrointestinal and urinary glucose absorption. From an endocrinology perspective, the main goal of treatment is the achievement of euglycemia; however, in patients at risk of, or with known underlying liver disease, the choice of diabetic medication as it relates to potential hepatic carcinogenesis remains complex and should be carefully considered. In the last decade, increasing evidence has suggested that metformin may reduce the risk of HCC, whereas evidence for other classes of diabetic medications, particularly some of the newer agents including the sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, is fewer and often inconsistent. In this review, we aim to summarize the current evidence on the potential effects of the most widely used diabetic agents on liver cancer tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Corina Plaz Torres
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal MedicineIRCCS—Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Ariel Jaffe
- Liver CenterDepartment of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Rachel Perry
- Liver CenterDepartment of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Section of EndocrinologyDepartment of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular PhysiologyYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Elisa Marabotto
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal MedicineIRCCS—Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Mario Strazzabosco
- Liver CenterDepartment of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Edoardo G. Giannini
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal MedicineIRCCS—Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of GenoaGenoaItaly
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van Dalem J, Driessen JHM, Burden AM, Stehouwer CDA, Klungel OH, de Vries F, Brouwers MCGJ. Thiazolidinediones and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and the Risk of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cohort Study. Hepatology 2021; 74:2467-2477. [PMID: 34129693 PMCID: PMC8596626 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are potential pharmacological treatment options for patients at risk of NAFLD. Therefore, we examined the association between the risk of NAFLD and the use of TZDs and GLP-1 receptor agonists compared with the use of sulfonylureas (SUs) and insulins. Additionally, we calculated the incidence of HCC in users of TZDs and GLP-1 receptor agonists. APPROACH AND RESULTS We conducted a population-based cohort study using primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink database (2007-2018). All patients aged ≥18 with a prescription of an oral glucose-lowering agent or GLP-1 receptor agonist were included. The first prescription defined the start of follow-up. The primary outcome was a new diagnosis of NAFLD. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs of the primary outcome. Incidence rates of HCC were determined per 1,000 person-years for all exposures. The study identified 207,367 adults with a prescription for a glucose-lowering agent. The risk of NAFLD was lower in patients prescribed a TZD than in those prescribed an SU (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.32; 95% CI, 0.20-0.51). No difference in risk of NAFLD was observed comparing GLP-1 receptor agonist use with insulin use (aHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.91-1.63). CONCLUSIONS Results of our study endorse the use of TZDs for selected patients at risk of NAFLD but do not support previous findings regarding the beneficial effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists. The low number of events in several subgroups may affect the generalizability of the current findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith van Dalem
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & ToxicologyMaastricht University Medical Centre+Maastrichtthe Netherlands,CARIM School for Cardiovascular DiseaseMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands
| | - Johanna H. M. Driessen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & ToxicologyMaastricht University Medical Centre+Maastrichtthe Netherlands,CARIM School for Cardiovascular DiseaseMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands,Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical PharmacologyUtrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrechtthe Netherlands,NUTRIM School for Nutrition and Translational Research in MetabolismMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands
| | - Andrea M. Burden
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesInstitute of Pharmaceutical SciencesETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Coen D. A. Stehouwer
- CARIM School for Cardiovascular DiseaseMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands,Department of Internal MedicineMaastricht University Medical Centre+Maastrichtthe Netherlands
| | - Olaf H. Klungel
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical PharmacologyUtrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Frank de Vries
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & ToxicologyMaastricht University Medical Centre+Maastrichtthe Netherlands,CARIM School for Cardiovascular DiseaseMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands,Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical PharmacologyUtrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Martijn C. G. J. Brouwers
- CARIM School for Cardiovascular DiseaseMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtthe Netherlands,Department of Internal MedicineDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolic DiseaseMaastricht University Medical Centre+Maastrichtthe Netherlands
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Orabi D, Berger NA, Brown JM. Abnormal Metabolism in the Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease to Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Mechanistic Insights to Chemoprevention. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3473. [PMID: 34298687 PMCID: PMC8307710 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise and becoming a major contributor to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Reasons for this include the rise in obesity and metabolic syndrome in contrast to the marked advances in prevention and treatment strategies of viral HCC. These shifts are expected to rapidly propel this trend even further in the coming decades, with NAFLD on course to become the leading etiology of end-stage liver disease and HCC. No Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications are currently available for the treatment of NAFLD, and advances are desperately needed. Numerous medications with varying mechanisms of action targeting liver steatosis and fibrosis are being investigated including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists. Additionally, drugs targeting components of metabolic syndrome, such as antihyperglycemics, have been found to affect NAFLD progression and are now being considered in the treatment of these patients. As NAFLD drug discovery continues, special attention should be given to their relationship to HCC. Several mechanisms in the pathogenesis of NAFLD have been implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis, and therapies aimed at NAFLD may additionally harbor independent antitumorigenic potential. This approach may provide novel prevention and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Orabi
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Center for Microbiome and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Department of General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Nathan A. Berger
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - J. Mark Brown
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Center for Microbiome and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
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