Role of TGF-β1 and C-Kit Mutations in the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Patients: in vitro Study

L-glutaminase synthesis by Klebsiella pneumoniae (AS KP 23) isolated from clinical strain, and its efficacy against human hepatocellular and breast cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The proliferation of cancer cells depends largely on glutamine for survival and proliferation. Glutamine serves as a carbon source for the synthesis of metabolites and lipids via the TCA cycle, as well as a source of nitrogen for the synthesis of amino acids and nucleotides. Recently, the role of glutamine metabolism in cancer has been explored in many studies. Therefore, it provides a scientific relationship for targeting glutamine metabolism for cancer treatment. L-glutaminase which is a powerful anticancer medication that is widely used around the world, works by removing L-glutamine from cancerous cells. L-glutaminase has been cited as the most potent molecule that inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells, which significantly raises the possible applicability of cancer therapy and the possibility of its application as an alternative drug to chemotherapy. The first investigation into the antitumor property of L-glutaminase revealed its inhibitory effect on the growth of Gardner lymphosarcoma (6C3HED) and L-1210 leukemia cells. In the same study, glutaminase from Pseudomonas spp., in combination with azaserine enhanced the degree of tumor growth inhibition. Subsequently, L-glutaminase was administered intravenously in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Recently, a purified L-glutaminase from Streptomyces sp. D214 was shown to be the most effective, with an IC50 value of 10 mg/ml against the MCF-7 tumor cell line. Also, various in vitro studies have revealed that the activity of glutaminase against the proliferation of tumor cell lines using the MTT (3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cell proliferation assay. Alcaligenes faecalis KLU102 glutaminase was able to reduce the viability of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 12.5 mg/ml within 24 h.

RESULTS

In this study, a bacterium extracellular from human stool samples was extracted and identified using morphological, biochemical, and molecular methods. The 16 S rRNA gene was 100% identical to the sequence from Klebsiella pneumoniae and was submitted to GenBank under accession number OQ703039. Thus, this strain was named Klebsiella pneumoniae AS KP 23. Further kinetic studies on the purified enzyme were performed. In addition, the pH stability of the L-glutaminase enzyme was slightly affected over the pH range of 7.0-9.0 after 2 h of pre-incubation, and the rate of thermal inactivation of the L-glutaminase enzyme increased with higher temperatures and longer preheating periods. In addition, the stability of the tested enzyme decreased with an increasing storage period at -20 °C. The SDS-PAGE revealed that the L-glutaminase subunits had a molecular weight of around 97 kDa. L-glutaminase was purified 1.33-fold with a final specific activity of 799.9 U/mg protein using gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme´s cytotoxic activity showed severe toxicity against the HepG-2 human hepatocellular and breast cancer cell lines. Klebsiella pneumoniae glutaminase was able to reduce the viability of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 305.78 µg/ml in human hepatocellular carcinoma and an IC50 value of 400.51 µg/ml in breast cancer cell lines.

CONCLUSION

Klebsiella pneumoniae AS KP 23 was a genetically determined microbial species isolated from human stool samples. The production of extracellular enzymes was examined. Additionally, purified L-glutaminase inhibited the growth of normal cells and showed potent anticancer activity against numerous cancer cell lines in the study. Its broad pH and temperature range, combined with its unique and highly stable catalytic activity, make it an excellent choice for use as an effective cancer inhibitor.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 1 acts as an oncogene and promotes lenvatinib efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing c-kit

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) act as proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressors in a wide variety of cancers. In this study, we intended to explore the role of USP1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical significance of USP1 in HCC was analyzed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and immunohistochemical staining. siRNAs and lentivirus were used to knock down and overexpress indicated genes, respectively. qRT-PCR and immunoblotting were performed to examine mRNA and protein expression, respectively. CCK8, colony formation and PI/Annexin V-APC staining were performed to examine cellular function. Immunoprecipitation, coomassie blue staining, mass spectrum and immunoblotting were conducted to evaluate the interaction between USP1 and c-kit.

RESULTS

USP1 was over-expressed in HCC patients. Patients with high expression of USP1 had shorter overall and disease free survival than those with low expression of USP1. Functional results showed that USP1 was critical for HCC cell growth and proliferation. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting results suggested that USP1 interacted with c-kit and promoted the stability of c-kit, which is an important target of lenvatinib in HCC. Knockdown of c-kit reversed the oncogenic function of USP1 on HCC cell growth. Lastly, USP1 upregulation conferred higher sensitivity of HCC cells to lenvatinib treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that USP1 acted as an oncogene in HCC. It also promoted lenvatinib efficacy by stabilizing c-kit.

Cancer stem cell markers for liver cancer and pancreatic cancer

Cancer stem cells (CSC) theory has ushered in a new era of cancer research. Tumor recurrence, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance are all related to the existence of cancer stem cells. Further understanding of tumor heterogeneity will contribute to targeted treatment. Liver cancer and pancreatic cancer are common digestive gland tumors with high lethality. This article reviews the identification and isolation of CSC markers in hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. The markers related signal pathways are involved in the occurrence and development of tumors, and have a significant impact on the proliferation, metastasis and invasion of cancer cells, which can be used as potential molecular therapeutic targets. This study will be helpful to understand cancer stem cell like cells.

Unique situation of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egypt: A review of epidemiology and control measures

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common primary malignancy worldwide, and the third most common cause of death among cancers worldwide. HCC occurs in several pre-existing conditions, including hepatitis C, hepatitis B virus, and non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Egypt used to be the country with the heaviest hepatitis C virus (HCV) burden. The relationship between HCV and HCC is an important research area. In Egypt, HCC is a significant public health problem. A possible cause for the increasing rates of detection of HCC in Egypt is the mass screening program that was carried by the government for detecting and treating HCV. A multidisciplinary approach is now widely applied to HCC management in health centers all over Egypt. Different treatment modalities are available in Egypt, with success rates comparable to global rates. The Egyptian health authorities have made the elimination of HCV from Egypt a special priority, and this approach should lead to a decrease in number of HCC cases in the near future. In this article we review the current situation of HCC in Egypt, including epidemiological aspects, relevant risk factors for HCC development, strategies, and efforts established by health authorities for the screening and prevention of both HCV and HCC in Egypt. We highlight the different modalities for HCC treatment.

Identification of Key Regulators of Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Integrating Whole-Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing Data

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite recent advances in the understanding of the biological basis of HCC development, the molecular mechanisms underlying HCV-induced HCC (HCC-HCV) remain unclear. The carcinogenic potential of HCV varies according to the genotype and mutation in its viral sequence. Moreover, regulatory pathways play important roles in many pathogenic processes. Therefore, identifying the pathways by which HCV induces HCC may enable improved HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: We employed a systematic approach to identify an important regulatory module in the process of HCV-HCC development to find the important regulators. First, an HCV-related HCC subnetwork was constructed based on the gene expression in HCC-HCV patients and HCC patients. A priority algorithm was then used to extract the module from the subnetworks, and all the regulatory relationships of the core genes of the network were extracted. Integrating the significantly highly mutated genes involved in the HCC-HCV patients, core regulatory modules and key regulators related to disease prognosis and progression were identified.

Result: The key regulatory genes including EXO1, VCAN, KIT, and hsa-miR-200c-5p were found to play vital roles in HCV-HCC development. Based on the statistics analysis, EXO1, VCAN, and KIT mutations are potential biomarkers for HCV–HCC prognosis at the genomic level, whereas has-miR-200c-5P is a potential biomarker for HCV–HCC prognosis at the expression level.

Conclusion: We identified three significantly mutated genes and one differentially expressed miRNA, all related to HCC prognosis. As potential pathogenic factors of HCC, these genes and the miRNA could be new biomarkers for HCV-HCC diagnosis.

C-Kit, a Double-Edged Sword in Liver Regeneration and Diseases

Previous studies have reported an important role of c-kit in embryogenesis and adulthood. Activation of the SCF/KIT signal transduction pathway is customarily linked to cell proliferation, migration and survival thus influence hematopoiesis, pigmentation, and spermatogenesis. The role of c-kit in the liver is controversial, it is however argued that it is a double-edged sword in liver regeneration and diseases. First, liver c-kit⁺ cells, including oval cells, bile epithelial cells, and part of hepatocytes, participate in liver tissue repair by regenerating target cells according to the type of liver injury. At the same time, c-kit⁺ mast cells, act as immature progenitors in circulation, playing a critical role in liver fibrosis. Furthermore, c-kit is also a proto-oncogene. Notably, c-kit overexpression regulates gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Various studies have explored on c-kit and hepatocellular carcinoma, nevertheless, the intricate roles of c-kit in the liver are largely understudied. Herein, we extensively summarize previous studies geared toward providing hints for future clinical and basic research.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in Egypt: A comprehensive overview

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a universal problem and its epidemiological data showed variation from place to place. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth and fourth common cancer in worldwide and Egypt, respectively. Egypt ranks the third and 15^th most populous country in Africa and worldwide, respectively. The aim of this review is to compare the status of HCC in Egypt to that in the worldwide from different issues; risk factors, screening and surveillance, diagnosis and treatment, prevention, as well as research strategy.

MAIN BODY

The risk factors for HCC in Egypt are of great importance to be reported. The risk factor for HCC are either environmental- or host/genetic-related risk factors. In the last years, there is a tangible improvement of both screening and surveillance strategies of HCC in Egypt. The unprecedented national screening campaign launched by the end of 2018 is a mirror image of this improvement. While the improvement of the HCC prevention requires the governmental health administration to implement health policies. Although the diagnosis of Egyptian HCC patients follows the international guidelines but HCC treatment options are limited in terms of cost. In addition, there are limited Egyptian reports about HCC survival and relapse. Both basic and clinical HCC research in Egypt are still limited compared to worldwide.

SHORT CONCLUSION

Deep analysis and understanding of factors affecting HCC burden variation worldwide help in customization of efforts exerted to face HCC in different countries especially large country like Egypt. Overall, the presence of a research strategy to fight HCC in Egyptian patients will help in the optimum allocation of available resources to reduce the numbers of HCC cases and deaths and to improve the quality of life.