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Li S, Hao L, Li N, Hu X, Yan H, Dai E, Shi X. Targeting the Hippo/YAP1 signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma: From mechanisms to therapeutic drugs (Review). Int J Oncol 2024; 65:88. [PMID: 39092548 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The Hippo signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating cell growth and organ size. Its regulatory effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) encompass diverse aspects, including cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, tumor drug resistance, metabolic reprogramming, immunomodulatory effects and autophagy. Yes‑associated protein 1 (YAP1), a potent transcriptional coactivator and a major downstream target tightly controlled by the Hippo pathway, is influenced by various molecules and pathways. The expression of YAP1 in different cell types within the liver tumor microenvironment exerts varying effects on tumor outcomes, warranting careful consideration. Therefore, research on YAP1‑targeted therapies merits attention. This review discusses the composition and regulation mechanism of the Hippo/YAP1 signaling pathway and its relationship with HCC, offering insights for future research and cancer prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghao Li
- Clinical Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, P.R. China
| | - Liyuan Hao
- Clinical Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, P.R. China
| | - Na Li
- Clinical Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Huimin Yan
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, P.R. China
| | - Erhei Dai
- Clinical Research Center, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, P.R. China
| | - Xinli Shi
- Center of Experimental Management, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030619, P.R. China
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Wang X, Ye X, Chen Y, Lin J. Mechanism of M2 type macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles regulating PD-L1 expression via the MISP/IQGAP1 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma immunotherapy resistance. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:110848. [PMID: 37633233 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevailing cancer affecting human health. M2 macrophages are essential in mediating immune responses in tumors. This study investigated the action of M2 macrophages in immune escape of HCC. METHODS Mitotic spindle positioning (MISP), IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1) levels in primary HCC/tumor-adjacent tissues were determined by Western blot, followed by correlation analysis. M2 macrophage and CD3+CD8+T cell percentages were estimated by flow cytometry. Hep3B and HepG2 cells were treated with M2 macrophage conditioned medium (M2-CM) and M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (M2-EVs) and/or co-cultured with CD8+T cells, followed by assessment of cell viability and apoptosis. TNF-α and INF-γ levels were measured by ELISA. MISP and IQGAP1 overexpression plasmids were transfected into HCC cells to explore their role in immune escape. The interactions among MISP, IQGAP1, STAT3, and PD-L1 were analyzed by co-immunoprecipitation. The mechanism of M2-EVs in HCC immune escape was verified in nude mice. RESULTS MISP/IQGAP1/PD-L1 were upregulated in HCC tissues. MISP negatively-correlated with IQGAP1/PD-L1 and IQGAP1 positively-correlated with PD-L1. M2 macrophages were reduced but CD8+T cells were increased in HCC tissues with high MISP expression. M2-CM or M2-EVs inhibited the killing ability of CD8+T cells, increased HCC cell viability, impeded HCC cell apoptosis, induced CD8+T cell apoptosis, downregulated TNF-α and INF-γ, and upregulated PD-L1. M2-EVs facilitated HCC cell immune escape by potentiating IQGAP1 nuclear translocation and activating STAT3 phosphorylation through MISP downregulation. In vivo experiments further verified the action of M2-EVs through MISP. CONCLUSION M2-EVs promote HCC cell immune escape by upregulating PD-L1 through the MISP/IQGAP1/STAT3 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Xuxing Ye
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, 351 Mingyue Street, Wucheng District, Jinhua, 321001, China
| | - Yanping Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, 351 Mingyue Street, Wucheng District, Jinhua, 321001, China
| | - Junmei Lin
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, 351 Mingyue Street, Wucheng District, Jinhua, 321001, China.
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IQGAP1 Is a Phosphotyrosine-Regulated Scaffold for SH2-Containing Proteins. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030483. [PMID: 36766826 PMCID: PMC9913818 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The scaffold protein IQGAP1 associates with over 150 interactors to influence multiple biological processes. The molecular mechanisms that underly spatial and temporal regulation of these interactions, which are crucial for proper cell functions, remain poorly understood. The receptor tyrosine kinase MET phosphorylates IQGAP1 on Tyr1510. Separately, Src homology 2 (SH2) domains mediate protein-protein interactions by binding specific phosphotyrosine residues. Here, we investigate whether MET-catalyzed phosphorylation of Tyr1510 of IQGAP1 regulates the docking of SH2-containing proteins. Using a peptide array, we identified SH2 domains from several proteins, including the non-receptor tyrosine kinases Abl1 and Abl2, that bind to the Tyr1510 of IQGAP1 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Using pure proteins, we validated that full-length Abl1 and Abl2 bind directly to phosphorylated Tyr1510 of IQGAP1. In cells, MET inhibition decreases endogenous IQGAP1 phosphorylation and interaction with endogenous Abl1 and Abl2, indicating that binding is regulated by MET-catalyzed phosphorylation of IQGAP1. Functionally, IQGAP1 modulates basal and HGF-stimulated Abl signaling. Moreover, IQGAP1 binds directly to MET, inhibiting its activation and signaling. Collectively, our study demonstrates that IQGAP1 is a phosphotyrosine-regulated scaffold for SH2-containing proteins, thereby uncovering a previously unidentified mechanism by which IQGAP1 coordinates intracellular signaling.
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Mohapatra T, Dixit M. IQ Motif Containing GTPase Activating Proteins (IQGAPs), A-Kinase Anchoring Proteins (AKAPs) and Kinase Suppressor of Ras Proteins (KSRs) in Scaffolding Oncogenic Pathways and Their Therapeutic Potential. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:45837-45848. [PMID: 36570181 PMCID: PMC9773950 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Scaffolding proteins colocalize interacting partners on their surface and facilitate complex formation. They have multiple domains and motifs, which provide binding sites for various molecules. This property of scaffolding proteins helps in the orderly transduction of signals. Abnormal signal transduction is frequently observed in cancers, which can also be attributed to the altered functionality of scaffolding proteins. IQ motif containing GTPase activating proteins (IQGAPs), kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR), and A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) tether oncogenic pathways RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK, PI3K/AKT, Hippo, Wnt, and CDC42/RAC to them. Scaffolding proteins are attractive drug targets as they are the controlling hub for multiple pathways and regulate crosstalk between them. The first part of this review describes the human scaffolding proteins known to play a role in oncogenesis, pathways altered by them, and the impact on oncogenic processes. The second part provides information on the therapeutic potential of scaffolding proteins and future possibilities. The information on the explored and unexplored areas of the therapeutic potential of scaffolding proteins will be equally helpful for biologists and chemists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talina Mohapatra
- National
Institute of Science Education and Research, School of Biological Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 752050, India
- Homi
Bhabha National Institute, Training School
Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Manjusha Dixit
- National
Institute of Science Education and Research, School of Biological Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 752050, India
- Homi
Bhabha National Institute, Training School
Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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Dai Q, Song F, Li X, Huang F, Zhao H. Comprehensive analysis of the expression and prognosis for IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1121. [PMID: 36320006 PMCID: PMC9628040 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10204-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAPs) are a group of scaffold proteins which have been identified to be involved in tumor initiation and progression in diverse types of cancer. Clinical studies and experimental evidence suggest that IQGAPs play an essential role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and alterations in their expression are closely related to patient prognosis. However, the different expression patterns and prognostic values of all three IQGAP isoforms in HCC have not yet been analyzed simultaneously. METHODS We analyzed the transcriptional and survival data of IQGAPs in HCC patients using Oncomine, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, and GeneMANIA. We further examined tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 250 HCC patients using immunohistochemistry to assess the relationship between IQGAPs expression and clinicopathological features and validate the prognostic value of IQGAPs. In addition, we analyzed transcriptional changes of IQGAPs with regards to survival data in HCC patients from the TCGA-LIHC (liver hepatocellular carcinoma) cohort to validate our results. RESULTS We found that the expression levels of IQGAP1 and 3 were significantly elevated in HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues, whereas the expression level of IQGAP2 was decreased in the former than in the latter. The clinical data showed that positive IQGAP1 expression was associated with larger tumor size, advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, poor relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS), and positive IQGAP3 expression was associated with poorer tumor differentiation, RFS, and OS. Conversely, positive IQGAP2 expression predicted less tumor numbers and microvascular invasion, as well as higher RFS and OS in these patients. CONCLUSIONS IQGAPs may serve as new prognostic biomarkers and potential targets for precision therapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Dai
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui 230032 Hefei, People’s Republic of China ,grid.275559.90000 0000 8517 6224Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Fei Song
- grid.275559.90000 0000 8517 6224Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Xincheng Li
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui 230032 Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Huang
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui 230032 Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongchuan Zhao
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui 230032 Hefei, People’s Republic of China
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Zoheir KMA, Abd-Rabou AA, Darwish AM, Abdelhafez MA, Mahrous KF. Inhibition of induced-hepatic cancer in vivo through IQGAP1-shRNA gene therapy and modulation of TRAIL-induced apoptosis pathway. Front Oncol 2022; 12:998247. [PMID: 36276098 PMCID: PMC9581201 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.998247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Liver cancer is the deadliest malignancy among common tumors. It is the top cause of cancer-related deaths in Egypt, and it is characterized by increasing occurrence among the population. The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of pre-treatment of IQGAP1-shRNA on induced mouse hepatocellular carcinoma model and evaluate the potency of this IQGAP1-shRNA plasmid to recover hepatic cancer as a new tool of cancer therapy. Therefore, we will use RNA interference (RNAi) technology to silence IQGAP1 oncogene to completely recover the chemically induced models for hepatic cancer by designing short RNAi specific for IQGAP1 gene in HCC cells in vivo and construct new vectors suitable for this purpose. We assigned mice into three groups: the first negative control group (NC) was injected with saline, the second control group was injected with shRNA (shNC), the third positive control group was injected with diethylnitrosamine (DENAA), and the fourth group was treated with the IQGAP1-shRNA prior to its exposure to DENA. Results Our results revealed that the treated group with IQGAP1-shRNA with DENA developed very few cases of hepatic cancer when compared with the positive control group. The positive control group exhibited significant increases in the liver function level as well as a decrease in serum albumin levels when compared to both the treated and the negative control groups. The altered levels of the serum α-fetoprotein as well as of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-4 in DENA-treated mice were significantly ameliorated by IQGAP1-shRNA administration. Flow cytometer analyses have indicated that the silencing of IQGAP1 cannot significantly modulate DENA-induced apoptosis in the circulating blood cells. Moreover, the elevated mRNA expression levels of IQGAP1, IQGAP3, KRas, HRas, interleukin-8, nuclear factor kappa B, caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bcl-2, were significantly decreased by the IQGAP1-shRNA treatment. However, the IQGAP2, DR4, DR5, p53 and BAX genes were found to be significantly up-regulated post-therapy. In agreement with these findings, IQGAP1-shRNA was able to modulate the DENA-induced histological changes in the mice liver which were represented by severe necrosis and hydropic degenerative changes. Conclusion Our study revealed that IQGAP1-shRNA was able to preserve hepatocyte integrity and the liver histological architecture through the regulation of the expression of IQGAPs, Ras, TRAILs and IL-8 receptors, as well as of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes. Therefore, the silencing of IQGAP1 could be part of a promising therapeutic strategy against hepatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khairy M. A. Zoheir
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
- *Correspondence: Khairy M. A. Zoheir,
| | - Ahmed A. Abd-Rabou
- Hormones Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M. Darwish
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A. Abdelhafez
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Karima F. Mahrous
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
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Chen Y, Mei J, Zhang P, Liu J, Chen L, Wu L, Zhang Y. IQGAP1 is positively correlated with PD-L1 and regulates its expression via mediating STAT proteins phosphorylation. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 108:108897. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Dai Q, Ain Q, Rooney M, Song F, Zipprich A. Role of IQ Motif-Containing GTPase-Activating Proteins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:920652. [PMID: 35785216 PMCID: PMC9243542 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.920652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAPs) are a class of scaffolding proteins, including IQGAP1, IQGAP2, and IQGAP3, which govern multiple cellular activities by facilitating cytoskeletal remodeling and cellular signal transduction. The role of IQGAPs in cancer initiation and progression has received increasing attention in recent years, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where the aberrant expression of IQGAPs is closely related to patient prognosis. IQGAP1 and 3 are upregulated and are considered oncogenes in HCC, while IQGAP2 is downregulated and functions as a tumor suppressor. This review details the three IQGAP isoforms and their respective structures. The expression and role of each protein in different liver diseases and mainly in HCC, as well as the underlying mechanisms, are also presented. This review also provides a reference for further studies on IQGAPs in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Dai
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Else Kröner Graduate School for Medical Students “Jena School for Ageing Medicine (JSAM)”, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Quratul Ain
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Rooney
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Fei Song
- Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Zipprich
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Alexander Zipprich,
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Jiang J, Zheng Y, Chen F, Dong L, Guo X. Activation of YAP1 by STK25 contributes to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Tissue Cell 2022; 76:101797. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2022.101797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Wei T, Lambert PF. Role of IQGAP1 in Carcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3940. [PMID: 34439095 PMCID: PMC8391515 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13163940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Scaffolding proteins can play important roles in cell signaling transduction. IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) influences many cellular activities by scaffolding multiple key signaling pathways, including ones involved in carcinogenesis. Two decades of studies provide evidence that IQGAP1 plays an essential role in promoting cancer development. IQGAP1 is overexpressed in many types of cancer, and its overexpression in cancer is associated with lower survival of the cancer patient. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the oncogenic roles of IQGAP1. We start by describing the major cancer-related signaling pathways scaffolded by IQGAP1 and their associated cellular activities. We then describe clinical and molecular evidence for the contribution of IQGAP1 in different types of cancers. In the end, we review recent evidence implicating IQGAP1 in tumor-related immune responses. Given the critical role of IQGAP1 in carcinoma development, anti-tumor therapies targeting IQGAP1 or its associated signaling pathways could be beneficial for patients with many types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul F. Lambert
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
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