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Yang Y, Ma Y, Yuan M, Peng Y, Fang Z, Wang J. Identifying the biomarkers and pathways associated with hepatocellular carcinoma based on an integrated analysis approach. Liver Int 2021; 41:2485-2498. [PMID: 34033190 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The molecular mechanism underlying HCC is still unclear. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to explore the genes, pathways and their interactions involved in HCC. METHODS We analysed the gene expression datasets corresponding to 488 samples from 10 studies on HCC and identified the genes differentially expressed in HCC samples. Then, the genes were compared against Phenolyzer and GeneCards to screen those potentially associated with HCC. The features of the selected genes were explored by mapping them onto the human protein-protein interaction network, and a subnetwork related to HCC was constructed. Hub genes in this HCC specific subnetwork were identified, and their relevance with HCC was investigated by survival analysis. RESULTS We identified 444 differentially expressed genes (177 upregulated and 267 downregulated) related to HCC. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that pathways like p53 signalling and chemical carcinogenesis were eriched in HCC genes. In the subnetwork related to HCC, five disease modules were detected. Further analysis identified six hub genes from the HCC specific subnetwork. Survival analysis showed that the expression levels of these genes were negatively correlated with survival rate of HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS Based on a systems biology framework, we identified the genes, pathways, as well as the disease specific network related to HCC. We also found novel biomarkers whose expression patterns were correlated with progression of HCC, and they could be candidates for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Yang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuequn Ma
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Meng Yuan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yonglin Peng
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhonghai Fang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ju Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Lv X, Chen Z, Li S, Xie H. Knockdown of cyclooxygenase-2 leads to growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:4341-4349. [PMID: 31213849 PMCID: PMC6549726 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s196822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & aims: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is proved to play important roles in the development and progression of various human tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the antitumor effect of RNA interference (RNAi) technology targeting COX-2 in HCC has not yet been verified. Methods: We silenced COX-2 expression using a lentivirus-mediated RNAi and further investigated the effects of COX-2 knockdown on cell growth and cell cycle in Huh7 and SMMC-7721 cells. COX-2 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR while COX-2 protein was detected by Western blotting. The cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. The cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry. The tumorigenicity of HCC cells was evaluated using soft-agar clonogenic assay in vitro and nude mouse xenograft model in vivo. Results: The down-regulation of COX-2 expression significantly inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, and led to cell cycle arrest in vitro, and reduced the potential of tumorigenicity in vivo in both Huh7 and SMMC-7721 cells. Furthermore, PGE2 production was also decreased after COX-2 expression was suppressed. Finally, knockdown of COX-2 also induced the down-regulation of cell cycle-related protein, cyclinD1. Conclusions: The abrogation of COX-2 expression can lead to potent antitumor activity and knockdown of COX-2 may be served as a prospective therapeutic strategy against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhe Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Military Medical University/Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Military Medical University/Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaohua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Military Medical University/Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Huahong Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Military Medical University/Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
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Ye Y, Xu Y, Lai Y, He W, Li Y, Wang R, Luo X, Chen R, Chen T. Long non-coding RNA cox-2 prevents immune evasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by altering M1/M2 macrophage polarization. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:2951-2963. [PMID: 29131381 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages have been shown to demonstrate a high level of plasticity, with the ability to undergo dynamic transition between M1 and M2 polarized phenotypes. We investigate long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cox-2 in macrophage polarization and the regulatory mechanism functions in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce RAW264.7 macrophages into M1 type, and IL-4 was to induce RAW264.7 macrophages into M2 type. We selected mouse hepatic cell line Hepal-6 and hepatoma cell line HepG2 for co-incubation with M1 or M2 macrophages. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expressions of lncRNA cox-2 and mRNAs. ELISA was conducted for testing IL-12 and IL-10 expressions; Western blotting for epithelial mesenchymal transition related factors (E-cadherin and Vimentin). An MTT, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and stretch test were conducted to test cell abilities. The M1 macrophages had higher lncRNA cox-2 expression than that in the non-polarized macrophages and M2 macrophages. The lncRNA cox-2 siRNA decreased the expression levels of IL-12, iNOS, and TNF-α in M1 macrophages, increased the expression levels of IL-10, Arg-1, and Fizz-1 in M2 macrophages (all P < 0.05). The lncRNA cox-2 siRNA reduces the ability of M1 macrophages to inhibit HCC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, EMT, angiogenesis and facilitate apoptosis while strengthening the ability of M2 macrophages to promote proliferation HCC cell growth and inhibit apoptosis. These findings indicate that lncRNA cox-2 inhibits HCC immune evasion and tumor growth by inhibiting the polarization of M2 macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibiao Ye
- Department of Hepatobilliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospitall, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunxiuxiu Xu
- Department of Hepatobilliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospitall, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Lai
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenguang He
- Department of General Surgery, Zengcheng District People's Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanshan Li
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruomei Wang
- Department of Hepatobilliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospitall, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinxi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rufu Chen
- Department of Hepatobilliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospitall, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Biliary Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Han H, Hu J, Lau MY, Feng M, Petrovic LM, Ji C. Altered methylation and expression of ER-associated degradation factors in long-term alcohol and constitutive ER stress-induced murine hepatic tumors. Front Genet 2013; 4:224. [PMID: 24198826 PMCID: PMC3813967 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2013.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality from liver cancer in humans is increasingly attributable to heavy or long-term alcohol consumption. The mechanisms by which alcohol exerts its carcinogenic effect are not well understood. In this study, the role of alcohol-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in liver cancer development was investigated using an animal model with a liver knockout (KO) of the chaperone BiP and under constitutive hepatic ER stress. Long-term alcohol and high fat diet feeding resulted in higher levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, impaired ER stress response, and higher incidence of liver tumor in older (aged 16 months) KO females than in either middle-aged (6 months) KOs or older (aged 16 months) wild type females. In the older KO females, stronger effects of the alcohol on methylation of CpG islands at promoter regions of genes involved in the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) were also detected. Altered expression of ERAD factors including derlin 3, Creld2 (cysteine-rich with epidermal growth factor-like domains 2), Herpud1 (homocysteine-inducible, endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducible, ubiquitin-like domain member), Wfs1 (Wolfram syndrome gene), and Yod1 (deubiquitinating enzyme 1) was co-present with decreased proteasome activities, increased estrogen receptor α variant (ERα36), and enhanced phosphorylations of ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2) and STAT3 (the signal transducers and activators of transcription) in the older KO female fed alcohol. Our results suggest that long-term alcohol consumption and aging may promote liver tumorigenesis in females through interfering with DNA methylation and expression of genes involved in the ERAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Han
- GI/Liver Division, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
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