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Zhang Y, Tu J, Wang J, Dai T, Zheng L, Sun S, Tu C, Li H, Qian L. NFKBIE is a predictive factor of survival and is correlated with immune infiltration and antigen processing and presentation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2024; 28:480. [PMID: 39161335 PMCID: PMC11332585 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14613] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The important role of the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) pathway in tumour development has long been recognized; however, the role of the NFκB inhibitor family in liver cancer has not been elucidated. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious public health burden with a high incidence, poor prognosis, and early detection, especially in Asia, where hepatitis is prevalent. In the present study, the mRNA expression level of the NFκB inhibitor family was assessed in HCC and normal tissues using the Metabolic Gene Rapid Visualizer, University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal, and the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource database (TIMER). Survival curves of nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor (NFKBI)E were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method. Genes co-expressed with NFKBIE in HCC samples were studied using data from the LinkedOmics and the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Databases. Protein-protein interaction networks, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment pathway analyses were used to assess the NFKBIE mechanism in HCC. Using the TIMER database, the association between immune infiltration and NFKBIE was determined. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to evaluate the function of NFKBIE in HCC and its impact on proliferation and migration. Western blotting was used to confirm the expression of NFKBIE in HCC cell lines. In addition, NFKBIE overexpression in HCC was demonstrated using tissue microarrays encompassing 80 pairs of HCC and normal liver tissues. NFKBIE was the only NFκB inhibitor with high expression and an improved prognosis in HCC compared with other NFκB inhibitors. NFKBIE was correlated with clinical characteristics, such as tumour grade, tumour protein P53 mutation status and tumour stage. Data obtained from Gene Set Cancer Analysis suggested that NFKBIE may inhibit the PI3K/AKT, RAS/MAPK, RTK and TSC/mTOR pathways. In addition, NFKBIE was significantly associated with B-cell immune infiltration and the RNA-seq data demonstrated that knockdown of NFKBIE significantly affected 'Antigen processing and presentation' and 'hepatocellular carcinoma' pathways. Immunohistochemistry of microarrays of tissue samples revealed that NFKBIE was overexpressed in several stages of HCC. Finally, inhibition of NFKBIE decreased the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. In conclusion, due to its prognostic value and overexpression in HCC, NFKBIE distinguished itself from other NFκB inhibitors. As such, it may provide a novel prognostic indicator and immunotherapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- Department of Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China West District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Jinqi Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), Wuhu, Anhui 241001, P.R. China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China West District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Tiancheng Dai
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, The First Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, P.R. China
| | - Lin Zheng
- Department of Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China West District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Sinan Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Conyin Tu
- Department of Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China West District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China West District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
| | - Liting Qian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230031, P.R. China
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Feng Z, Cao K, Sun H, Liu X. SEH1L siliencing induces ferroptosis and suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression via ATF3/HMOX1/GPX4 axis. Apoptosis 2024:10.1007/s10495-024-02009-5. [PMID: 39095556 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-024-02009-5] [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] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
SEH1 like nucleoporin (SEH1L) is an important component of nuclear pore complex (NPC), which is crucial in the regulation of cell division. However, the interrelation between SEH1L expression and tumor progression is less studied. In this research, we performed a systematic bioinformatic analysis about SEH1L using TCGA, Timer 2.0, Cbioportal, UCLAN and CellMiner™ databases in pan-cancer. Besides, we further validated the bioinformatic results through in vitro and in vivo experiments in HCC, including transcriptome sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), cell proliferation assays, clone formation, EdU, transwell, flow cytometry and subcutaneous tumor model. Our results suggested that SEH1L was significantly up-regulated and related to poor prognosis in most cancers, and may serve as a potential biomarker. SEH1L could promote HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Besides, the next generation sequencing suggested that 684 genes was significantly up-regulated and 678 genes was down-regulated after the knock down of SEH1L. SEH1L siliencing could activate ATF3/HMOX1/GPX4 axis, decrease mitochondrial membrane potential and GSH, but increase ROS and MDA, and these effects could be reversed by the knock down of ATF3. This study indicated that SEH1L siliencing could induce ferroptosis and suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression via ATF3/HMOX1/GPX4 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Feng
- Postdoctoral Station of Medical Aspects of Specific Environments, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Ke Cao
- Department of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Haojia Sun
- Department of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Xuewen Liu
- Department of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, P.R. China.
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He F, He Z, Wang C. A novel role of AIM2 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Hepatol 2024; 29:101532. [PMID: 39048057 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2024.101532] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The absence of melanoma 2 (AIM2) protein triggers the activation of the inflammasome cascade. It is unclear whether AIM2 plays a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses radiofrequency waves to treat tumors. In this study, we investigated if RFA could induce pyroptosis, also called cell inflammatory necrosis, in HCC through AIM2-inflammasome signaling in vivo and in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS BALB/c nude mice were used to generate HepG2 or SMMC-7721 cell-derived tumor xenografts. HCC cells with knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 were created using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and expression vector transfection, respectively, for functional and mechanistic studies. Downstream effects were examined using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, ELISAs, and other molecular assays. RESULTS RFA significantly suppressed tumor growth in HCC cell xenografts. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that RFA could induce pyroptosis. Furthermore, AIM2, NLRP3, caspase-1, γ-H2AX, and DNA-PKc had significantly greater expression levels in liver tissues from mice treated with RFA compared with those of the controls. Additionally, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 expression levels were significantly higher in the HCC cell-derived xenograft mice treated with RFA compared with those without RFA. Notably, a significantly greater effect was achieved in the RFA complete ablation group versus the partial ablation group. Knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 in HCC cells demonstrated that AIM2 exerted a role in RFA-induced pyroptosis. CONCLUSIONS RFA can suppress HCC tumor growth by inducing pyroptosis via AIM2. Therefore, therapeutically intervening with AIM2-mediated inflammasome signaling may help improve RFA treatment outcomes for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifan He
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, No. 138 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Zhongming He
- Interventional Radiology Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, No. 185 Juqian Road, Changhzou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Caoye Wang
- Interventional Radiology Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, No. 185 Juqian Road, Changhzou, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi A, Momeny M, Rezaei N, Fallah F, Bashash D. Immune landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma: From dysregulation of the immune responses to the potential immunotherapies. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e4098. [PMID: 39034646 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.4098] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a considerable global health burden due to its late diagnosis and high morbidity. The liver's specific anatomical and physiological features expose it to various antigens, requiring precise immune regulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a comprehensive overview of the interactions between the immune system and gut microbiota in the development of HCC, as well as the relevant therapeutic approaches are discussed. Dysregulation of immune compartments within the liver microenvironment drives HCC pathogenesis, characterized by elevated regulatory cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and M2 macrophages as well as suppressive molecules, alongside reduced number of effector cells like T cells, natural killer cells, and M1 macrophages. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota also contributes to HCC by disrupting intestinal barrier integrity and triggering overactivated immune responses. Immunotherapy approaches, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, have exhibited promise in HCC management, yet adoptive cell therapy and cancer vaccination research are in the early steps with relatively less favorable outcomes. Further understanding of immune dysregulation, gut microbiota involvement, and therapeutic combination strategies are essential for advancing precision immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atieh Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi
- Pediatric Infections Research Center, Research Institute for Children's Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Momeny
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Fallah
- Pediatric Infections Research Center, Research Institute for Children's Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Jin Y, Zuo Y, Li G, Liu W, Pan Y, Fan T, Fu X, Yao X, Peng Y. Advances in spatial transcriptomics and its applications in cancer research. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:129. [PMID: 38902727 PMCID: PMC11188176 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02040-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumors have increasing morbidity and high mortality, and their occurrence and development is a complicate process. The development of sequencing technologies enabled us to gain a better understanding of the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms in tumors. In recent years, the spatial transcriptomics sequencing technologies have been developed rapidly and allow the quantification and illustration of gene expression in the spatial context of tissues. Compared with the traditional transcriptomics technologies, spatial transcriptomics technologies not only detect gene expression levels in cells, but also inform the spatial location of genes within tissues, cell composition of biological tissues, and interaction between cells. Here we summarize the development of spatial transcriptomics technologies, spatial transcriptomics tools and its application in cancer research. We also discuss the limitations and challenges of current spatial transcriptomics approaches, as well as future development and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Jin
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuanli Zuo
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, 610061, China
| | - Wenrong Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yitong Pan
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ting Fan
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Fu
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, 610061, China.
| | - Yong Peng
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Frontier Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, China.
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Sanai FM, Odah HO, Alshammari K, Alzanbagi A, Alsubhi M, Tamim H, Alolayan A, Alshehri A, Alqahtani SA. Nivolumab as Second-Line Therapy Improves Survival in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2196. [PMID: 38927902 PMCID: PMC11202187 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited data exists for the efficacy and outcomes of nivolumab as a second-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in patients with uHCC who experienced disease progression during sorafenib treatment. METHODS In this retrospective, observational, multicenter study, adult Child-Turcotte-Pugh A/7B patients with uHCC who tolerated sorafenib therapy but showed disease progression switched to second-line intravenous nivolumab (n = 42). A similar number of consecutive, unselected patients who were maintained on sorafenib therapy, regardless of tumoral response or progression, served as historical controls (n = 38). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS, defined as the time from starting sorafenib in either group up to death due to any cause) and analyzed by intention-to-treat. RESULTS The mean age of the overall cohort was 72.4 ± 10.1 years, of whom 87.5% were males and 58.8% had underlying viral etiology. Patients in the two cohorts were similar, except those who received nivolumab had more co-morbidities (70.0% vs. 15.4%), ECOG-2 status (21.4% vs. 15.8%), BCLC stage C (81.0% vs. 47.4%), and extravascular invasion (54.4% vs. 21.8%) (p < 0.05 for all). More patients in the nivolumab arm were Child-Turcotte-Pugh B (35.7% vs. 21.1%, p = 0.15). Median OS was 22.2 months (95% CI: 8.9-49.8) on second-line nivolumab and 11.0 months (95% CI: 3.6-18.4) on sorafenib alone (HR 1.93; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3, p = 0.014). Median OS after starting nivolumab was 10.2 months, and time-to-progression was 4.9 months (95% CI: 3.2-6.3). CONCLUSION Nivolumab is an effective second-line treatment option in patients with uHCC who progress on sorafenib, with significantly improved OS. These early real-life data offer encouraging results, similar to those shown in Phase I/IIa clinical trials. Further investigations are warranted for the use of nivolumab as a monotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal M. Sanai
- Gastroenterology Section, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah 21423, Saudi Arabia;
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hassan O. Odah
- Gastroenterology Section, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah 21423, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Kanan Alshammari
- Oncology Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia (A.A.)
| | - Adnan Alzanbagi
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah 57657, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Murooj Alsubhi
- Department of Medical Imaging, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Hani Tamim
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107, Lebanon
| | - Ashwaq Alolayan
- Oncology Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia (A.A.)
| | - Ahmed Alshehri
- Adult Medical Oncology Section, Adult Oncology Department, Princess Noorah Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Saleh A. Alqahtani
- Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia;
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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You Z, Ling S, Zhao S, Han H, Bian Y, He Y, Chen X. Tissue damage from chronic liver injury inhibits peripheral NK cell abundance and proinflammatory function. J Leukoc Biol 2024; 115:1042-1052. [PMID: 38315633 PMCID: PMC11135618 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the difficulties in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is that it is impossible to eliminate the inhibitory effect of the tumor microenvironment on immune response. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the formation process of the tumor microenvironment. Chronic inflammation is the core factor of cancer occurrence and the leading stage of inflammation-cancer transformation, and the natural killer cell subsets play an important role in it. Our study confirmed that in the stage of chronic liver injury, the local immunosuppressive microenvironment of the liver (i.e. the damaged microenvironment) has been formed, but this inhibitory effect is only for peripheral natural killer cells and has no effect on tissue-resident natural killer subsets. The markers of damage microenvironment are the same as those of tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonghao You
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
| | - Shaoxue Ling
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
| | - Shuwu Zhao
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
| | - Haixing Han
- SINOSH (Tianjin) Group Co., Ltd, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Yuhong Bian
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
| | - Yongzhi He
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
| | - Xi Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China
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Zhu W, Wang W, Zheng W, Chen X, Wang X, Xie J, Jiang S, Chen H, Zhu S, Xue P, Jiang X, Li H, Wang G. Diagnostic performance of PIVKA-II in identifying recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma following curative resection: a retrospective cohort study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8416. [PMID: 38600210 PMCID: PMC11006886 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) plays a critical role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, studies on its efficacy in diagnosing recurrent HCC were rarely found. A multicenter, retrospective, and observational study was conducted. During the overall follow-up of 5 years, HCC patients who had curative resection were monitored every 3 months in the first year post-surgery and every 6 months thereafter if no recurrence occurred. Tumor markers were collected at the diagnosis of recurrence for those with recurrence and at the last follow-up for those without recurrence. The median serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP in the recurrence group were significantly higher than those in the non-recurrence group (PIVKA-II: 84.62 vs. 18.76 mAU/ml, p < 0.001; AFP: 4.90 vs. 3.00 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and there is a significant correlation between PIVKA-II and AFP (R = 0.901, p < 0.001). PIVKA-II showed better accuracy than AFP in the diagnosis of overall recurrent HCC (AUC: 0.883 vs. 0.672; p < 0.0001), but also in patients with negative PIVKA-II before curative resection (AUC: 0.878 vs. 0.680, p = 0.001). Clinician should pay more attention to serum PIVKA-II values when following patients after curative HCC resection to detect early recurrence.Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2300070874.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Zhu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Weilong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Wenjie Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiaolong Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiaowen Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Juping Xie
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Shijie Jiang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Haoqi Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shuguang Zhu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Ping Xue
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Liver Transplantation, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Genshu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- Department of Liver Transplantation, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- Chinese Medicine Guangdong Laboratory (Hengqin Laboratory), Hengqin, 519031, China.
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Wang H, Zhou Q, Xie DF, Xu Q, Yang T, Wang W. LAPTM4B-mediated hepatocellular carcinoma stem cell proliferation and MDSC migration: implications for HCC progression and sensitivity to PD-L1 monoclonal antibody therapy. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:165. [PMID: 38388484 PMCID: PMC10884007 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06542-8] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), immunotherapy is vital for advanced-stage patients. However, diverse individual responses and tumor heterogeneity have resulted in heterogenous treatment outcomes. Our mechanistic investigations identified LAPTM4B as a crucial gene regulated by ETV1 (a transcription factor), especially in liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). The influence of LAPTM4B on LCSCs is mediated via the Wnt1/c-Myc/β-catenin pathway. CXCL8 secretion by LAPTM4B drove myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) migration, inducing unfavorable patient prognosis. LAPTM4B affected PD-L1 receptor expression in tumor microenvironment and enhanced tumor suppression induced by PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies in HCC patients. LAPTM4B up-regulation is correlated with adverse outcomes in HCC patients, sensitizing them to PD-L1 monoclonal antibody therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojun Wang
- Department of Urology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100020, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, 100071, Beijing, China
| | - Quanwei Zhou
- The National Key Clinical Specialty, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ding Fang Xie
- The Second Department of Medical Oncology, Xiangtan Central Hospital, Xiangtan, China
| | - Qingguo Xu
- Department of Organ Transplant Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Tongwang Yang
- The Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of the Fundamentaland Clinical Research on Functional Nucleic Acid, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Urology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100020, Beijing, China.
- Capital Medical University, 100071, Beijing, China.
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10
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Xu X, Wang MD, Xu JH, Fan ZQ, Diao YK, Chen Z, Jia HD, Liu FB, Zeng YY, Wang XM, Wu H, Qiu W, Li C, Pawlik TM, Lau WY, Shen F, Lv GY, Yang T. Adjuvant immunotherapy improves recurrence-free and overall survival following surgical resection for intermediate/advanced hepatocellular carcinoma a multicenter propensity matching analysis. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1322233. [PMID: 38268916 PMCID: PMC10806403 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1322233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background & aims The effectiveness of adjuvant immunotherapy to diminish recurrence and improve long-term prognosis following curative-intent surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of increased interest, especially among individuals at high risk of recurrence. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of adjuvant immunotherapy on long-term recurrence and survival after curative resection among patients with intermediate/advanced HCC. Methods Using a prospectively-collected multicenter database, patients who underwent curative-intent resection for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B/C HCC were identified. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between patients treated with and without adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis further identified independent factors of RFS and OS. Results Among the 627 enrolled patients, 109 patients (23.3%) received adjuvant immunotherapy. Most ICI-related adverse reactions were grading I-II. PSM analysis created 99 matched pairs of patients with comparable baseline characteristics between patients treated with and without adjuvant immunotherapy. In the PSM cohort, the median RFS (29.6 vs. 19.3 months, P=0.031) and OS (35.1 vs. 27.8 months, P=0.036) were better among patients who received adjuvant immunotherapy versus patients who did not. After adjustment for other confounding factors on multivariable analyzes, adjuvant immunotherapy remained independently associated with favorable RFS (HR: 0.630; 95% CI: 0.435-0.914; P=0.015) and OS (HR: 0.601; 95% CI: 0.401-0.898; P=0.013). Subgroup analyzes identified potentially prognostic benefits of adjuvant immunotherapy among patients with intermediate-stage and advanced-stage HCC. Conclusion This real-world observational study demonstrated that adjuvant immunotherapy was associated with improved RFS and OS following curative-intent resection of intermediate/advanced HCC. Future randomized controlled trials are warranted to establish definitive evidence for this specific population at high risks of recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ming-Da Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Hao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhong-Qi Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yong-Kang Diao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hang-Dong Jia
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fu-Bao Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yong-Yi Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xian-Ming Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Han Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Timothy M. Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Yue Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Gao J, Han S, Gu J, Wu C, Mu X. The Prognostic and Therapeutic Role of Histone Acetylation Modification in LIHC Development and Progression. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1682. [PMID: 37763801 PMCID: PMC10536947 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59091682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The modification of histone acetylation plays a vital role in regulating tumor occurrence and development, but the interaction between histone acetylation modulator genes and the liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) microenvironment, as well as immunotherapy, has not been investigated. Materials and Methods: Analysis of all statistical data was carried out using R software (Version 4.2.0) and the online tool Sangerbox. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, including signature construction and validation, functional analyses, immune and genomic features analyses, and immunotherapy prediction analyses, were performed to explore the prognostic and therapeutic role of histone acetylation modulator genes in LIHC development and progression. Results: The LIHC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was selected as the training cohort; the GSE76427 cohort from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the LIRI-JP cohort from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database were selected as the validation cohorts. The histone acetylation modulator gene-based prognostic signature was constructed and validated successfully. Immune infiltration analysis showed that most immune cells and immune functions were enriched in patients with high histone acetylation risk scores (HARS). Additionally, high levels of checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) were also observed in high HARS patients. Meanwhile, TIDE algorithm analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between HARS and immunotherapy response, and submap algorithm analysis was used for the verification of the results, from which we found that high HAPS patients were more likely to respond to immunotherapy. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the histone acetylation modulator genes, particularly for KAT21, SIRT6, and HAT1, may have the potential to function as a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for LIHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Gao
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (J.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210029, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Sheng Han
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (J.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210029, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Jian Gu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (J.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210029, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (J.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210029, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xiaoxin Mu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (J.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210029, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing 210029, China
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12
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Tang F, Wang N. Identification and validation of ferroptosis-related prognostic risk model and immune landscape in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152723. [PMID: 37517112 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152723] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferroptosis has been paid much more attention on account of the correlation withtumorigenesis and development. However, the molecular characteristics and immune landscape of ferroptosis regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been fully elucidated. METHODS RNA-sequencing data and matched clinical data were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, then underwent gene expression, genetic variations, prognostic risk model, and immune characterization analyses. An independent cohort from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was utilized to validate ferroptosis-related prognostic risk model. RESULTS We first identified the differentially expressed ferroptosis regulators between the tumor tissues and normal controls in HCC. Furthermore, the prognostic risk model based on ferroptosis regulators was constructed, of which the high risk group presented poor clinical outcomes compared to the low risk group. Importantly, the ferroptosis-related prognostic risk model consistently presented excellent prediction ability in recognizing the high and low risk patients according to the validation from an independent cohort. Subsequently, immune landscape analysis uncovered that most of ferroptosis regulatory genes were significantly associated with the infiltration of multiple immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoints in HCC. Moreover, the correlations of risk score with immune cells infiltration and immune checkpoints were determined in HCC. CONCLUSION Our study developed a prognostic risk model based on ferroptosis regulatory genes, which could accurately predict the patients' prognosis. Immune characteristics analysisrevealed that ferroptosis regulatory genes were associated with immune cells infiltration and immune checkpoints in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin 300170, China; Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin 300170, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin 300170, China; Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin 300170, China.
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13
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Lominadze Z, Shaik MR, Choi D, Zaffar D, Mishra L, Shetty K. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Genetic Classification. Cancer J 2023; 29:249-258. [PMID: 37796642 PMCID: PMC10686192 DOI: 10.1097/ppo.0000000000000682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global burden, with management complicated by its heterogeneity, varying presentation, and relative resistance to therapy. Recent advances in the understanding of the genetic, molecular, and immunological underpinnings of HCC have allowed a detailed classification of these tumors, with resultant implications for diagnosis, prognostication, and selection of appropriate treatments. Through the correlation of genomic features with histopathology and clinical outcomes, we are moving toward a comprehensive and unifying framework to guide our diagnostic and therapeutic approach to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zurabi Lominadze
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
| | | | - Dabin Choi
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center
| | - Duha Zaffar
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Midtown Medical Center
| | - Lopa Mishra
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Divisions of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health
| | - Kirti Shetty
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
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14
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Brandi N, Renzulli M. The Synergistic Effect of Interventional Locoregional Treatments and Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108598. [PMID: 37239941 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has remarkably revolutionized the management of advanced HCC and prompted clinical trials, with therapeutic agents being used to selectively target immune cells rather than cancer cells. Currently, there is great interest in the possibility of combining locoregional treatments with immunotherapy for HCC, as this combination is emerging as an effective and synergistic tool for enhancing immunity. On the one hand, immunotherapy could amplify and prolong the antitumoral immune response of locoregional treatments, improving patients' outcomes and reducing recurrence rates. On the other hand, locoregional therapies have been shown to positively alter the tumor immune microenvironment and could therefore enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. Despite the encouraging results, many unanswered questions still remain, including which immunotherapy and locoregional treatment can guarantee the best survival and clinical outcomes; the most effective timing and sequence to obtain the most effective therapeutic response; and which biological and/or genetic biomarkers can be used to identify patients likely to benefit from this combined approach. Based on the current reported evidence and ongoing trials, the present review summarizes the current application of immunotherapy in combination with locoregional therapies for the treatment of HCC, and provides a critical evaluation of the current status and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Brandi
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Renzulli
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy
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15
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Biasiolo A, Sandre M, Ferro S, Quarta S, Ruvoletto M, Villano G, Turato C, Guido M, Marin O, Pontisso P. Epitope-Specific Anti-SerpinB3 Antibodies for SerpinB3 Recognition and Biological Activity Inhibition. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050739. [PMID: 37238609 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050739] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
SerpinB3 is a serine protease inhibitor that plays a relevant role in disease progression and cancer by increasing fibrosis, cell proliferation, and invasion, besides conferring resistance to apoptosis. The mechanisms underlying these biological activities are not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to generate antibodies directed against different SerpinB3 epitopes to better investigate their biological role. Five exposed epitopes were identified using the software DNASTAR Lasergene and the corresponding synthetic peptides were used for NZW rabbit immunization. Anti-P#2 and anti-P#4 antibodies were able to recognize both SerpinB3 and SerpinB4 by ELISA. Anti-P#5 antibody, produced against the reactive site loop of SerpinB3, showed the greatest specific reactivity for human SerpinB3. This antibody was able to recognize SerpinB3 at nuclear level, while anti-P#3 antibody recognized SerpinB3 only at cytoplasmic level, both by immunofluorescence and by immunohistochemistry. The biological activity of each antibody preparation was assessed in HepG2 cells overexpressing SerpinB3 and anti-P#5 antibody reduced proliferation by 12% cell and cell invasion by 75%, while trivial results were obtained with the other antibody preparations. These findings indicate that the reactive site loop of SerpinB3 is essential for the invasiveness features induced by this serpin and it could become a novel druggable target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Biasiolo
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Michele Sandre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Stefania Ferro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Santina Quarta
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Ruvoletto
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Villano
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Cristian Turato
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Guido
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Oriano Marin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pontisso
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Feng Y, Zhang H, Ren Q, Li C, Liu S, Zheng C, Xia X. Contrast-enhanced CT parameters predict short-term tumor response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received sequential combined anti-angiogenesis and immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Eur J Radiol 2023; 162:110784. [PMID: 36958125 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2023.110784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate whether relative Hounsfield unit attenuation index (rHUAI) on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) can predict tumor response in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who received sequential combined treatment of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and anti-angiogenesis therapy. METHOD One hundred seventeen advanced HCC patients who underwent the sequential combined treatment in a tertiary hospital between March 2020 and December 2021 were allocated to prediction and validation cohorts (with a ratio of 2:1) based on the time of initial ICI treatment. rHUAI from the arterial to the portal-venous phase (rHU_ap) and from the portal-venous to the delayed phase (rHU_pd) was calculated. The optimal cut-off values (COVs) of rHU_ap and rHU_pd for predicting tumor response were identified using Youden's index. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the relationship between the COVs and tumor response. The validity of COVs was verified in the validation cohort using the chi-square test and Cramer's V coefficient (V). RESULTS The optimal COVs of the two observers were 0.5316 and 0.3265 for rHU_ap, and -0.0208 and -0.0048 for rHU_pd, respectively. Multivariable analysis suggested that the COVs were independently associated with tumor response in the prediction cohort (rHU_ap, Odds ratio: 7.727 and 7.808, 95 % CI: 2.516-23.728 and 2.399-25.410, p value < 0.001 and 0.001; rHU_pd, Odds ratio: 0.034 and 0.011, 95 % CI: 0.002-0.600 and 0.001-0.209, p value of 0.021 and 0.003). In the validation cohort, the optimal COVs of rHU_ap had a moderate to a strong association with tumor response (V = 0.362-0.545, p < 0.05). The association between COVs of rHU_pd and tumor response was slight to strong (V = 0.24-0.545, p = 0.001 to 0.134). CONCLUSION rHUAI obtained from CECT has the potential as a non-invasive tool for predicting tumor response in advanced HCC patients who have received combined ICI and anti-angiogenesis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Feng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wuhan Hankou Hospital, 172 Zhaojiatiao Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province 430011, China
| | - Qianqian Ren
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Changde Li
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Chuansheng Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xiangwen Xia
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China.
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Liu P, Kong L, Liu Y, Li G, Xie J, Lu X. A key driver to promote HCC: Cellular crosstalk in tumor microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1135122. [PMID: 37007125 PMCID: PMC10050394 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1135122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third greatest cause of cancer-related mortality, which of the major pathological type is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for more than 90%. HCC is characterized by high mortality and is predisposed to metastasis and relapse, leading to a low five-year survival rate and poor clinical prognosis. Numerous crosstalk among tumor parenchymal cells, anti-tumor cells, stroma cells, and immunosuppressive cells contributes to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), in which the function and frequency of anti-tumor cells are reduced with that of associated pro-tumor cells increasing, accordingly resulting in tumor malignant progression. Indeed, sorting out and understanding the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of cellular crosstalk in TME is crucial to discover more key targets and specific biomarkers, so that develop more efficient methods for early diagnosis and individualized treatment of liver cancer. This piece of writing offers insight into the recent advances in HCC-TME and reviews various mechanisms that promote HCC malignant progression from the perspective of mutual crosstalk among different types of cells in TME, aiming to assist in identifying the possible research directions and methods in the future for discovering new targets that could prevent HCC malignant progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyue Liu
- Clinical Medical College, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Lingyu Kong
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Clinical Skills Training Center, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Jianjia Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Clinical Medical College, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Lu,
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18
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Ji L, Zhang Q, Cao Y, Liu L. A prognostic risk model, tumor immune environment modulation, and drug prediction of ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hum Cell 2023; 36:1173-1189. [PMID: 36892792 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00885-8] [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: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is challenging due to its heterogeneity. Ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism have been shown to be closely related to HCC. We obtained HCC-related expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. We then crossed differentially expressed genes (DEGs), amino acid metabolism genes, and ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to obtain amino acid metabolism-ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (AAM-FR DEGs). Moreover, we developed a prognostic model using Cox analysis, followed by a correlation analysis of risk scores with clinical characteristics. We also performed an immune microenvironment analysis and drug sensitivity analysis. Finally, the expression levels of model genes were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical assays. We found that the 18 AAM-FR DEGs were mainly enriched to the alpha-amino acid metabolic process and amino acid biosynthesis pathways. Cox analysis identified CBS, GPT2, SUV39H1, and TXNRD1 as prognostic biomarkers for the risk model construction. Our results showed that the risk scores differed between pathology stage, pathology T stage, and HBV, and the number of HCC patients in the two groups. In addition, the expression of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 was high in the high-risk group, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of sorafenib also differed between the two groups. Finally, the experimental validation demonstrated that the expression of biomarkers was consistent with the study analysis. Therefore, in this study, we constructed and validated a prognostic model (CBS, GPT2, SUV39H1, and TXNRD1) related to ferroptosis and amino acid metabolism and examined their prognostic value for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Digestive Oncology, Cancer Center, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- Experimental Center of Science and Research, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yumeng Cao
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Lixin Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Liver Injury and Digestive System Neoplasms, Provincial Committee of the Medical and Health, Taiyuan, China.
- Experimental Center of Science and Research, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
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Kan X, Zhou G, Zhang F, Ji H, Shin DS, Monsky W, Zheng C, Yang X. Enhanced efficacy of direct immunochemotherapy for hepatic cancer with image-guided intratumoral radiofrequency hyperthermia. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e005619. [PMID: 36450380 PMCID: PMC9717415 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is still a challenge to prevent tumor recurrence post radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of medium-to-large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Immunochemotherapy, a combination of immunotherapy with chemotherapy, has demonstrated a great potential in augmenting the treatment efficacy for some malignancies. In this study, we validated the feasibility of using radiofrequency hyperthermia (RFH)-enhanced intratumoral immunochemotherapy of LTX-315 with liposomal doxorubicin for rat orthotopic HCC. METHODS Different groups of luciferase-labeled rat HCC cells and rat orthotopic HCC models were treated by: (1) phosphate buffered saline; (2) RFH; (3) LTX-315; (4) RFH+LTX-315; (5) liposomal doxorubicin; (6) RFH+liposomal doxorubicin; (7) LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin; and (8) RFH+LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin. Cell viabilities and apoptosis of different treatment groups were compared. Changes in tumor sizes were quantified by optical and ultrasound imaging, which were confirmed by subsequent histopathology. The potential underlying biological mechanisms of the triple combination treatment (RFH+LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin) were explored. RESULTS Flow cytometry and MTS assay showed the highest percentage of apoptotic cells and lowest cell viability in the triple combination treatment group compared with other seven groups (p<0.001). Tumors in this group also presented the most profound decrease in bioluminescence signal intensities and the smallest tumor volumes compared with other seven groups (p<0.001). A significant increase of CD8+ T cells, CD8+/interferon (IFN)-γ+ T cells, CD8+/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α+ T cells, and natural killer cells, and a significant decrease of regulatory T cells were observed in the tumors (p<0.001). Meanwhile, a significantly higher level of Th1-type cytokines in both plasma (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, IL-18, IFN-γ) and tumors (IL-2, IL-18, IFN-γ, TNF-α), as well as a significantly lower Th2-type cytokines of IL-4 and IL-10 in plasma and tumor were detected. CONCLUSIONS Intratumoral RFA-associated RFH could enhance the efficacy of immunochemotherapy of LTX-315 with liposomal doxorubicin for HCC, which may provide a new strategy to increase the curative efficacy of thermal ablation for medium-to-large HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Kan
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guanhui Zhou
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Interventional Treatment Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine First Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hongxiu Ji
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pathology, Overlake Medical Center and Incyte Diagnostics, Bellevue, WA, USA
| | - David S Shin
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Wayne Monsky
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Chuansheng Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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20
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Zhu Y, Qin LX. Strategies for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2022; 21:420-429. [PMID: 35977874 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer, mainly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the sixth most diagnosed cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Recently, immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made great progress in the systemic treatment of HCC. However, anti-PD-1 therapy with pembrolizumab or nivolumab as a single agent did not meet their predefined end points of overall survival in the KEYNOTE-240 and CheckMate 459 trials. It is urgent to understand the immunological rationale and explore novel ways to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. The combination of ICIs with other therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), monoclonal antibodies, or local therapy, has been demonstrated to improve overall response rate and survival. In addition, modulating tumor microenvironment is a potential way to overcome the primary and secondary resistance to immunotherapies. In this review, we summarized the latest findings in the immune microenvironment, the mechanisms of their synergistic effects when combined with anti-VEGF agents or TKIs, as well as other kinds of immune treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lun-Xiu Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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21
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Kim DH. Combination of interventional oncology local therapies and immunotherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. JOURNAL OF LIVER CANCER 2022; 22:93-102. [PMID: 37383404 PMCID: PMC10035730 DOI: 10.17998/jlc.2022.03.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Interventional oncology (IO) local therapies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can activate anti-cancer immunity and it is potentially leading to an anti-cancer immunity throughout the body. For the development of an effective HCC treatment regime, great emphasis has been dedicated to different IO local therapy mediated immune modulation and possible combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. In this review paper, we summarize the status of combination of IO local therapy and immunotherapy, as well as the prospective role of therapeutic carriers and locally administered immunotherapy in advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Evanston, IL, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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22
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Novel Systemic Treatment Modalities Including Immunotherapy and Molecular Targeted Therapy for Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147889. [PMID: 35887235 PMCID: PMC9320653 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are the sixth most common cancers worldwide. More than half of patients with HNSCC eventually experience disease recurrence and/or metastasis, which can threaten their long-term survival. HNSCCs located in the oral cavity and larynx are usually associated with tobacco and/or alcohol use, whereas human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly HPV16 infection, is increasingly recognized as a cause of oropharyngeal HNSCC. Despite clinical, histologic, and molecular differences between HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs, current treatment approaches are the same. For recurrent disease, these strategies include chemotherapy, immunotherapy with PD-1-inhibitors, or a monoclonal antibody, cetuximab, that targets epidermal growth factor; these therapies can be administered either as single agents or in combination. However, these treatment strategies carry a high risk of toxic side effects; therefore, more effective and less toxic treatments are needed. The landscape of HNSCC therapy is changing significantly; numerous clinical trials are underway to test novel therapeutic options like adaptive cellular therapy, antibody-drug conjugates, new targeted therapy agents, novel immunotherapy combinations, and therapeutic vaccines. This review helps in understanding the various developments in HNSCC therapy and sheds light on the path ahead in terms of further research in this field.
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23
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Riaz F, Wei P, Pan F. Fine-tuning of regulatory T cells is indispensable for the metabolic steatosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: A review. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:949603. [PMID: 35912096 PMCID: PMC9337771 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.949603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of chronic hepatic diseases are caused by nutritional imbalance. These nutritional inequities include excessive intake of alcohol and fat, which causes alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), respectively. The pathogenesis of hepatic diseases is mainly dependent on oxidative stress, autophagy, DNA damage, and gut microbiota and their metabolites. These factors influence the normal physiology of the liver and impact the hepatic microenvironment. The hepatic microenvironment contains several immune cells and inflammatory cytokines which interact with each other and contribute to the progression of chronic hepatic diseases. Among these immune cells, Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are the crucial subset of CD4+ T cells that create an immunosuppressive environment. This review emphasizes the function of Tregs in the pathogenesis of ALD and NAFLD and their role in the progression of NAFLD-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Briefly, Tregs establish an immunosuppressive landscape in the liver by interacting with the innate immune cells and gut microbiota and their metabolites. Meanwhile, with the advancement of steatosis, these Tregs inhibit the proliferation, activation and functions of other cytotoxic T cells and support the progression of simple steatosis to HCC. Briefly, it can be suggested that targeting Tregs can act as a favourable prognostic indicator by modulating steatosis and insulin resistance during the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and NAFLD-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farooq Riaz
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Department of otolaryngology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Fan Pan
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Fan Pan,
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24
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Kang SM, Khalil L, El-Rayes BF, Akce M. Rapidly Evolving Landscape and Future Horizons in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Era of Immuno-Oncology. Front Oncol 2022; 12:821903. [PMID: 35433430 PMCID: PMC9008732 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.821903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious global health problem as one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Systemic therapy for advanced HCC has progressed with the development of molecular targeted agents, however survival benefits remain modest. More recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have emerged and exhibited promising therapeutic benefits in a subset of patients. Physiologically, the intrinsic microenvironment in the liver is immunosuppressive, which represents a major obstacle for effective immune therapies in primary and secondary liver malignancies. For this reason, combination therapies that can overcome immune inhibitory mechanisms and enhance the immune response are a rationale approach for drug development in HCC. A recent example is the combination of the anti-PD-L1 antibody (atezolizumab) and anti-VEGF-A antibody (bevacizumab), which has shown significant improvement in survival as compared to standard of care in the first-line treatment for HCC. Other immunotherapy approaches including cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapy are also under investigation. This review summarizes the key trials leading to our current HCC treatment options and provides an overview of future immune-based strategies in development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mehmet Akce
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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25
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Comprehensive Analysis of HOX Family Members as Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:5758601. [PMID: 35251173 PMCID: PMC8890896 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5758601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background. The homeobox (HOX) gene family has been found to be involved in human cancers. However, its involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been well documented. Here, we comprehensively evaluated the role of HOXs in HCC. Methods. RNA sequencing profile of TCGA-LIHC and LIRI-JP were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), respectively. Data of TCGA-LIHC methylation were downloaded from UCSC Xena. Genetic alteration data for the TCGA samples was obtained from cBioPortal and GSCA. The diagnostic efficiency was assessed using ROC curves. The prognostic significance was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Subsequent functional analysis was performed through the clusterProfiler package. ssGSEA, ESTIMATE, and TIDE algorithms were employed to explore the relationship between HOXs and the HCC microenvironment. Finally, pRRophetic package and NCI-60 cancerous cell lines were applied to estimate anticancer drug sensitivity. Results. The mRNA levels of HOXs in HCC tissues were higher than those of noncancerous tissues and were correlated with poor overall survival (OS). HOXA6, C6, D9, D10, and D13 could serve as independent risk factors for OS. Further functional analysis revealed that these five HOXs regulate the cell proliferation, cell cycle, immune response, and microenvironment composition of HCC. In addition, the aberrant expression and methylation of HOXs is of great value in the diagnosis of HCC. Conclusion. HOXs play crucial roles in HCC and could serve as potential markers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.
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26
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Shen H, Li H, Zhou J. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0032683 inhibits the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by sponging microRNA-338-5p. Bioengineered 2022; 13:2321-2335. [PMID: 35030979 PMCID: PMC8974012 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2024961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, several studies have been conducted on circRNA (circular RNA). circRNA regulates gene expression and plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of various tumors. However, the role and mechanism of hsa_circ_0032683 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not studied yet. In GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database, hsa_circ_0032683 expression was significantly lower in HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues. In vitro and in vivo functional tests revealed that hsa_circ_0032683 could inhibit HCC cells proliferation and promote their apoptosis. Mechanically, hsa_circ_0032683 primarily exists in the cytoplasm and competes with microRNA-338-5p (miR-338-5p) to regulate reticulon 4(RTN4). Our experiments revealed that hsa_circ_0032683 receded the proliferation ability of HCC via ceRNA (competing endogenous RNAs) mechanism, which provided potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC patients.Abbreviations: circRNAs: circular RNA; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; RTN4: reticulon 4; ceRNA: competing endogenous RNA; GEO: Gene Expression Omnibus; miRNA: microRNA; CSCD: Cancer-specific circRNA database; CRI: Circular RNA Interactome; TCGA: The Cancer Genome Atlas; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time PCR; NEK9:NIMA-related kinase nine; CSMD1: CUB and Sushi multiple domains 1; Tob1: transducer of ERBB2, 1; miR: microRNA; sh: short hairpin; WT: wild type; MUT: mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shen
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Center, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haifeng Li
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Center, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiahua Zhou
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Center, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Center, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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27
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Rong W, Wan N, Zheng X, Shi G, Jiang C, Pan K, Gao M, Yin Z, Gao ZJ, Zhang J. Chrysin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression through suppressing programmed death ligand 1 expression. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 95:153867. [PMID: 34923234 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS The aberrant PD-L1 expression on cancer cells was confirmed to participate in immune evasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous studies had documented that there were anti-tumorigenic effects of chrysin on HCC. However, whether chrysin can act on the over-expressed PD-L1 on HCC cells to exert the therapeutic effectiveness and the involved mechanisms has not yet been deciphered. PURPOSE Herein, we aimed to explore the regulatory effects of chrysin on the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint and investigate its possible mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. METHODS H22 xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the effects of chrysin on tumor growth and PD-L1 expression in tumors. In interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-induced HepG2 cells, the cytotoxicity of chrysin was detected by MTT assay. Flow cytometry, ELISA and RT-PCR were carried out to evaluate the expression of PD-L1, and the expression of proteins in STAT3 and NF-κB pathways was also determined by Western blot. In HepG2 cells and Jurkat T cell co-culture system, ELISA kit was used to detect the level of IL-2, and T cell proliferation was further evaluated by CCK-8 method. RESULTS Our data suggested that chrysin could effectively inhibit the progression of tumor, and promote the anti-tumor immunity of mice concomitant with enhanced CD4/CD8-positive T cell proportion in tumor tissues of H22 xenograft mouse model. Additionally, chrysin significantly down-regulated the expression of PD-L1 in vivo and in vitro, which was closely associated with the blockage of STAT3 and NF-κB pathways. Moreover, in the co-culture system, chrysin could increase the proliferation of T cells and the concentration of IL-2. CONCLUSION These results indicate that chrysin may have the potential to be an immune checkpoint inhibitor for preventive or as an adjunctive curative agent for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihao Rong
- Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 211200, China; Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Nanyan Wan
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Department of TCMs Pharmaceuticals, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xian Zheng
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Department of TCMs Pharmaceuticals, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Gaofeng Shi
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Cuihua Jiang
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Ke Pan
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Meng Gao
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Zhiqi Yin
- Department of TCMs Pharmaceuticals, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Ze-Jun Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China.
| | - Jian Zhang
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China.
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28
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Liu X, Wang C, Yang Q, Yuan Y, Sheng Y, Li D, Ojha SC, Sun C, Deng C. AC093797.1 as a Potential Biomarker to Indicate the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration by Reprogramming Cell Metabolism and Extracellular Matrix Dynamics. Front Genet 2021; 12:778742. [PMID: 34925460 PMCID: PMC8678093 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.778742] [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: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The risk signature composed of four lncRNA (AC093797.1, POLR2J4, AL121748.1, and AL162231.4.) can be used to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the clinical significance and biological function of AC093797.1 are still unexplored in HCC or other malignant tumors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the biological function of AC093797.1 in HCC and screen the candidate hub genes and pathways related to hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods: RT-qPCR was employed to detect AC093797.1 in HCC tissues and cell lines. The role of AC093797.1 in HCC was evaluated via the cell-counting kit-8, transwell, and wound healing assays. The effects of AC093797.1 on tumor growth in vivo were clarified by nude mice tumor formation experiments. Then, RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis based on subcutaneous tumor tissue was performed to identify the hub genes and pathways associated with HCC. Results: The expression of AC093797.1 decreased in HCC tissues and cell lines, and patients with low expressed AC093797.1 had poor overall survival (OS). AC093797.1 overexpression impeded HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Compared with the control group, 710 differentially expressed genes (243 upregulated genes and 467 downregulated genes) were filtered via RNA-sequencing, which mainly enriched in amino acid metabolism, extracellular matrix structure constituents, cell adhesion molecules cams, signaling to Ras, and signaling to ERKs. Conclusion: AC093797.1 may inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in HCC by reprograming cell metabolism or regulating several pathways, suggesting that AC093797.1 might be a potential therapeutic and prognostic marker for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Liu
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chenyu Wang
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qing Yang
- The Department of Gastroenterology, The Second People's Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yunjian Sheng
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Decheng Li
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Suvash Chandra Ojha
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Changfeng Sun
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Cunliang Deng
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,The Department of Tuberculosis, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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29
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Wu R, Guo W, Qiu X, Wang S, Sui C, Lian Q, Wu J, Shan Y, Yang Z, Yang S, Wu T, Wang K, Zhu Y, Wang S, Liu C, Zhang Y, Zheng B, Li Z, Zhang Y, Shen S, Zhao Y, Wang W, Bao J, Hu J, Wu X, Jiang X, Wang H, Gu J, Chen L. Comprehensive analysis of spatial architecture in primary liver cancer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg3750. [PMID: 34919432 PMCID: PMC8683021 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg3750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneity is the major challenge for cancer prevention and therapy. Here, we first constructed high-resolution spatial transcriptomes of primary liver cancers (PLCs) containing 84,823 spots within 21 tissues from seven patients. The progressive comparison of spatial tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics from nontumor to leading-edge to tumor regions revealed that the tumor capsule potentially affects intratumor spatial cluster continuity, transcriptome diversity, and immune cell infiltration. Locally, we found that the bidirectional ligand-receptor interactions at the 100-μm-wide cluster-cluster boundary contribute to maintaining intratumor architecture and the PROM1+ and CD47+ cancer stem cell niches are related to TME remodeling and tumor metastasis. Last, we proposed a TLS-50 signature to accurately locate tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) spatially and unveiled that the distinct composition of TLSs is shaped by their distance to tumor cells. Our study provides previous unknown insights into the diverse tumor ecosystem of PLCs and has potential benefits for cancer intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wu
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Wenbo Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xinyao Qiu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shicheng Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chengjun Sui
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Qiuyu Lian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianmin Wu
- Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yiran Shan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tong Wu
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Kaiting Wang
- Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yanjing Zhu
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Changyi Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yangqianwen Zhang
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Bo Zheng
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Zhixuan Li
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yani Zhang
- Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Siyun Shen
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jinxia Bao
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Ji Hu
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Tenth People’s Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Xiaoqing Jiang
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Hongyang Wang
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
- Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, China
- Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Corresponding author. (H.W); (J.G.); (L.C.)
| | - Jin Gu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, BNRIST Bioinformatics Division, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Corresponding author. (H.W); (J.G.); (L.C.)
| | - Lei Chen
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), Shanghai, China
- Corresponding author. (H.W); (J.G.); (L.C.)
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Roudi R, D'Angelo A, Sirico M, Sobhani N. Immunotherapeutic treatments in hepatocellular carcinoma; achievements, challenges and future prospects. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108322. [PMID: 34735916 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and fatal malignancies with an alarming trend all around the world. Common therapeutic approaches in the early stage of disease are surgical resection, ablation, and liver transplantation. Due to the insidious identity of HCC, the majority of the patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, where tumor spreading, or distant metastasis unfortunately have already occurred. Immunotherapeutic options have elicited a promising approach in some malignancies with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving the first checkpoint inhibitor anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) ipilimumab for the treatment of melanoma ten years ago. In the past decade, many clinical trials have been investigating anti-CTLA-4 as well as anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapies in various solid tumors, including HCC. In this mini-review we will discuss the latest clinical data from clinical trials for immune-checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheleh Roudi
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Alberto D'Angelo
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2-7AX, UK
| | - Marianna Sirico
- Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Navid Sobhani
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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31
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Liu HT, Jiang MJ, Deng ZJ, Li L, Huang JL, Liu ZX, Li LQ, Zhong JH. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Progresses and Challenges. Front Oncol 2021; 11:737497. [PMID: 34745958 PMCID: PMC8570111 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.737497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumor in the world and its incidence is increasing in many countries. In recent years, with the deepening understanding of the immune and pathological mechanisms of HCC, immunotherapy based on the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment has become a new treatment choice for patients with HCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed death protein-1, programmed death protein-ligand-1, or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 are the most widely used. Instead of general immune-enhancing therapies, ICIs can reactivate anti-tumor immune responses by disrupting co-inhibitory T cell signaling. In this review, the research progress and existing problems of ICIs in the treatment of HCC in recent years are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jian-Hong Zhong
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department, Guangxi Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
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Huang J, Zhang L, Chen J, Wan D, Zhou L, Zheng S, Qiao Y. The Landscape of Immune Cells Indicates Prognosis and Applicability of Checkpoint Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:744951. [PMID: 34650926 PMCID: PMC8510566 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.744951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor-infiltrating immune cells are important components of tumor microenvironment (TME), and their composition reflects the confrontation between host immune system and tumor cells. However, the relationship between the composition of infiltrating immune cells, prognosis, and the applicability of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) needs systematic examination. Methods Cell-Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) was applied to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) cohort. Diagnostic and prognostic models were constructed based on immune cells, and the models were validated by two external cohorts. The relationship between immune cells and PD-L1 was evaluated by Spearman correlation, and the finding was validated in our in-house HCC sample. Result Patients in TCGA LIHC cohort were classified into six subtypes with different prognosis based on the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells simulated via CIBERSORT. Among 22 types of immune cells, intratumoral PD-L1 mRNA level exhibited linear relationship with the fraction of five types of immune cells (M1 macrophages, plasma cells, CD8+ T cells, resting mast cells, and regulatory T cells), and M1 macrophages showed the strongest relevance (R = 0.26, p < 0.001). Immunohistochemistry of our in-house HCC specimens verified this conclusion. Moreover, intratumoral mRNA levels of M1 macrophage-associated cytokines were positively correlated with PD-L1 level. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that the prognosis of HCC patients was associated with the pattern of infiltrating immune cells in TME, and macrophage-associated cytokines might be a potential non-invasive marker for predicting the PD-L1 level for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiacheng Huang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Center (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China.,Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lele Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Center (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China.,Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianxiang Chen
- Pharmacy Institute and Department of Hepatology, Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dalong Wan
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Center (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Center (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China.,Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiting Qiao
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Center (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
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Wang M, Xiong Z. The Mutation and Expression Level of LRP1B are Associated with Immune Infiltration and Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:6343-6358. [PMID: 34629898 PMCID: PMC8495614 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s333390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to explore the expression level and mutation of LRP1B in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to analyse the relationship between its prognostic value and immune invasion. Methods HCC mutant gene sets were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas and International Cancer Genome Consortium databases. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the prognostic value of LRP1B expression and mutation load in HCC. The relationships between LRP1B expression level and immune cells and immune marker molecules were analysed by using the TIMER database. The association of LRP1B expression with drug sensitivity was obtained by using CellMiner. Gene set enrichment analysis and co-expression by Spearman correlation analysis were used to explore the internal mechanism of LRP1B in HCC. Results Seventeen most commonly mutated genes were screened out, and LRP1B was the only gene associated with HCC prognosis. The copy number variations were significantly correlated with T cell CD8+ (P < 0.05). LRP1B expression level was positively correlated with the infiltration degree of macrophage (P < 0.05, R = 0.132), myeloid dendritic cell (P < 0.05, R = 0.093), neutrophil (P < 0.05, R = 0.134) and T cell CD8+ cells (P < 0.05, R = 0.102) and negatively correlated with B cell (P < 0.05, R = −0.014) and T cell CD4+ (P < 0.05, R = −0.075). LRP1B expression level was significantly correlated with immunomarker molecules and drug sensitivity (all P < 0.05). The prediction of lncRNA RUSC1-AS1/hsa-miR-215-5p/LRP1B axis by bioinformatics may be the potential mechanism underlying LRP1B’s effect on HCC prognosis and progression. Conclusion LRP1B plays a vital role in HCC prognostic value, which is expected to be a new potential therapeutic target for HCC. LRP1B provides a theoretical basis for the clinical targeted therapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Wang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430077, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifan Xiong
- Division of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430077, People's Republic of China
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Marsili L, Dal Bo M, Berti F, Toffoli G. Thermoresponsive Chitosan-Grafted-Poly( N-vinylcaprolactam) Microgels via Ionotropic Gelation for Oncological Applications. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1654. [PMID: 34683947 PMCID: PMC8539247 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgels can be considered soft, porous and deformable particles with an internal gel structure swollen by a solvent and an average size between 100 and 1000 nm. Due to their biocompatibility, colloidal stability, their unique dynamicity and the permeability of their architecture, they are emerging as important candidates for drug delivery systems, sensing and biocatalysis. In clinical applications, the research on responsive microgels is aimed at the development of "smart" delivery systems that undergo a critical change in conformation and size in reaction to a change in environmental conditions (temperature, magnetic fields, pH, concentration gradient). Recent achievements in biodegradable polymer fabrication have resulted in new appealing strategies, including the combination of synthetic and natural-origin polymers with inorganic nanoparticles, as well as the possibility of controlling drug release remotely. In this review, we provide a literature review on the use of dual and multi-responsive chitosan-grafted-poly-(N-vinylcaprolactam) (CP) microgels in drug delivery and oncological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Marsili
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.D.B.); (G.T.)
| | - Michele Dal Bo
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.D.B.); (G.T.)
| | - Federico Berti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Toffoli
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.D.B.); (G.T.)
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Fessas P, Kaseb A, Wang Y, Saeed A, Szafron D, Jun T, Dharmapuri S, Rafeh Naqash A, Muzaffar M, Navaid M, Khan U, Lee C, Bulumulle A, Yu B, Paul S, Nimkar N, Bettinger D, Benevento F, Hildebrand H, Pressiani T, Abugabal YI, Personeni N, Huang YH, Rimassa L, Ang C, Marron T, Pinato DJ. Post-registration experience of nivolumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: an international study. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-001033. [PMID: 32868393 PMCID: PMC7462152 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nivolumab is Food and Drug Administration approved in sorafenib-experienced, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Post-registration data of treatment in a real-world setting is lacking. Patients and methods We performed an international, multicenter observational study to confirm safety and efficacy of nivolumab in 233 patients treated outside clinical trials from eight centers in North America, Europe and Asia. Results Patients received nivolumab for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C (n=191, 92.0%) and Child-Pugh (CP) A (n=158, 67.8%) or B (n=75, 32.2%) HCC as first (n=85, 36.5%) or second to fourth systemic therapy line (n=148, 63.5%). Objective response rate (ORR) was 22.4% and disease control rate was 52.1%. Median overall survival (OS) was 12.2 months (95% CI 8.4 to 16.0) and median progression-free survival was 10.1 months (95% CI 6.1 to 14.2). Treatment-related adverse events of grade >2 occurred in 26 patients (11.2%). Efficacy and safety were similar across CP classes and therapy line. OS was shorter in CP-B than A (7.3 months vs 16.3 months, p<0.001) and in post-first line use (10.4 months vs 16.3 months, p=0.05). Achievement of an objective response predicted for improved OS (25.4 months vs 13.2 months, p<0.001). Conclusions This study confirms safety and efficacy of nivolumab in advanced HCC across various lines of therapy and degrees of liver dysfunction. Despite equal ORR and toxicity to nivolumab, patients with CP-B functional class have shorter survival than the patients with CP-A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Fessas
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ahmed Kaseb
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Yinghong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kansas University Cancer Center, Westwood, Kansas, United States
| | - David Szafron
- Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Tomi Jun
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York, United States
| | - Sirish Dharmapuri
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York, United States
| | - Abdul Rafeh Naqash
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States
| | - Mahvish Muzaffar
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States
| | - Musharraf Navaid
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States
| | - Uqba Khan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York City, New York, United States
| | - ChiehJu Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Anushi Bulumulle
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States
| | - Bo Yu
- Department of Medicine, New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, United States
| | - Sonal Paul
- Department of Medicine, New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, United States
| | - Neil Nimkar
- Department of Medicine, New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, United States
| | - Dominik Bettinger
- Department of Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Francesca Benevento
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, S Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Hannah Hildebrand
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kansas University Cancer Center, Westwood, Kansas, United States
| | - Tiziana Pressiani
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Yehia I Abugabal
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Nicola Personeni
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Yi-Hsiang Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Celina Ang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York, United States
| | - Thomas Marron
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York, United States
| | - David J Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Wang N, Zhou X, Tang F, Wang X, Zhu X. Identification of LOXL3-associating immune infiltration landscape and prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma. Virchows Arch 2021; 479:1153-1165. [PMID: 34448895 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-021-03193-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, breakthroughs in the field of tumor immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made a therapeutic revolution, which has been shown to improve the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Immune infiltrates represent a major component of tumor microenvironment (TME), and play an essential role in both tumor progression and therapeutic response. The major unmet challenge in tumor immunotherapy is exploring the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of TME promoting the management of HCC. Lysyl oxidase like 3 (LOXL3) participates in the remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the cross-linking of collagen and elastic fibers. It has been reported that LOXL3 is associated with the development and tumorigenesis of multiple types of cancer. RNA sequencing data and corresponding clinical information were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, then subjected to gene expression, tumor microenvironment, survival, enrichment analyses utilizing R packages. In this study, we first found that LOXL3 gene was upregulated in tumor tissues compared with the normal tissues. Furthermore, LOXL3 expression is positively correlated with the infiltration of multiple immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoint genes in HCC. Meanwhile, high LOXL3 expression predicted poor outcomes of the patients with HCC. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that LOXL3 was mainly linked to extracellular structure and matrix organization, cell-cell adhesion, and T cell activation. This is the first comprehensive study to indicate that LOXL3 is correlated with immune infiltrates and may serve as a novel biomarker predicting prognosis and immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Wang
- Tianjin Third Central Hospital, 83 Jintang Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, 300170, China.
| | - Xue Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Tianjin Haihe Hospital, Haihe Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Fei Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhu
- Tianjin Third Central Hospital, 83 Jintang Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, 300170, China
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Li S, Qi Y, Huang Y, Guo Y, Huang T, Jia L. Exosome-derived SNHG16 sponging miR-4500 activates HUVEC angiogenesis by targeting GALNT1 via PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Physiol Biochem 2021; 77:667-682. [PMID: 34423392 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-021-00833-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests cancer-derived exosomes play an important role in promoting angiogenesis. Long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) is known to aggravate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the function of exosomal SNHG16 in HCC angiogenesis remains unclear. In this study, the expression of SNHG16 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. The proliferative, migratory, and angiogenic abilities of HUVECs were enhanced after exposure to exosomes derived from HCC cells by transmitting SNHG16. In addition, SNHG16 was validated to promote the biological function of HUVECs directly. Exosomal SNHG16 increased GALNT1 expression to promote angiogenesis via sponging miR-4500. SNHG16/miR-4500/GALNT1 axis played an important role in exosome-mediated angiogenesis and tumor growth in vitro and vivo. Furthermore, SNHG16 activated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway via competing endogenous miR-4500 and GALNT1. Meanwhile, the expression of plasma exosomal SNHG16 upregulated in the plasma of HCC patients. These data elucidated the essential role of exosomal SNHG16 in communication between HCC cells and endothelial cells. Exosomal SNHG16 could be utilized as a therapeutic target for anti-angiogenesis in HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangda Li
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yu Qi
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yiran Huang
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yanru Guo
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Tong Huang
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Li Jia
- College of Laboratory Medicine, Dalian Medical University, 9 Lvshunnan Road Xiduan, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning Province, China.
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Yao J, Yang Z, Yang J, Wang ZG, Zhang ZY. Long non-coding RNA FEZF1-AS1 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via targeting miR-107/Wnt/β-catenin axis. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:13726-13738. [PMID: 34023817 PMCID: PMC8202841 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a public health problem around the world, with the molecular mechanisms being still incompletely clear. This study was carried out to explore the role and mechanism of long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) FEZF1-AS1 in HCC progression. RNA sequencing and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT- PCR) were applied to identify differently expressed lncRNAs in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. CCK8 assay was adopted to test cell proliferation and flow cytometry was taken to detect cell apoptosis. Wound healing assay and transwell experiment were performed to determine cell migration and invasion. To validate the function of lncRNA FEZF1-AS1 in vivo, tumor-burdened models were established. The results showed that lncRNA FEZF1-AS1 level was prominently enhanced in HCC tumor specimens and overexpression of FEZF1-AS1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells. In mechanism, overexpression of FEZF1-AS1 reduced the expression of miR-107 which inhibited the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Overexpression of β-catenin promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion which were inhibited by FEZF1-AS1 downregulation. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that FEZF1-AS1 promoted HCC progression through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling by targeting miR-107, which provided a novel target for the therapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yao
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Wang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Zheng-Yun Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
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Hibino S, Kawazoe T, Kasahara H, Itoh S, Ishimoto T, Sakata-Yanagimoto M, Taniguchi K. Inflammation-Induced Tumorigenesis and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115421. [PMID: 34063828 PMCID: PMC8196678 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation, especially chronic inflammation, plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and metastasis through various mechanisms and is now recognized as a hallmark of cancer and an attractive therapeutic target in cancer. In this review, we discuss recent advances in molecular mechanisms of how inflammation promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis and suppresses anti-tumor immunity in various types of solid tumors, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer as well as hematopoietic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Hibino
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Inflammology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-0041, Japan;
| | - Tetsuro Kawazoe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Hidenori Kasahara
- National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Department of Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan;
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shinji Itoh
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Takatsugu Ishimoto
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, International Research Center of Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan;
| | | | - Koji Taniguchi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-5050
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Yang G, Wang G, Xiong Y, Sun J, Li W, Tang T, Li J. CDC20 promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating epithelial‑mesenchymal transition. Mol Med Rep 2021; 24:483. [PMID: 33907851 PMCID: PMC8127032 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of primary liver cancer, which is associated with high mortality. HCC is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) has been reported to be associated with the development of various malignant tumors and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been reported to be involved in the malignant metastasis of HCC. Therefore, the present study hypothesized that CDC20 may participate in the malignant biological behavior of HCC via EMT. The present study analyzed the expression levels of CDC20 in HCC and the association between CDC20 and poor prognosis. Furthermore, the effects of CDC20 on the proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC cells were examined using proliferation, migration and invasion assays. Finally, alterations in EMT were analyzed. The results revealed that CDC20 was highly expressed in HCC and HCC cell lines (P<0.05), and its high expression level was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC (P<0.05). CDC20 silencing inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells. Furthermore, CDC20 silencing increased the expression levels of E-cadherin, and decreased the expression levels of N-cadherin, vimentin and Ki-67. In conclusion, the present study reported that CDC20 may be a novel therapeutic target in HCC and CDC20 could promote the progression of HCC by regulating EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Yang
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Guan Wang
- Physical Examination Center, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Yongfu Xiong
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Ji Sun
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Weinan Li
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Tao Tang
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
| | - Jingdong Li
- Department of Hepatocellular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, P.R. China
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BEZ235 Increases the Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Sorafenib by Inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Inducing Autophagy. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5556306. [PMID: 33987439 PMCID: PMC8079203 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5556306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Acquired resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to sorafenib (SFB) is the main reason for the failure of SFB treatment of the cancer. Abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is important in the acquired resistance of SFB. Therefore, we investigated whether BEZ235 (BEZ) could reverse acquired sorafenib resistance by targeting the PI3K/mTOR pathway. A sorafenib-resistant HCC cell line Huh7R was established. MTT assay, clone formation assay, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the effects of BEZ235 alone or combined with sorafenib on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy of Huh7 and Huh7R cells. The antitumor effect was evaluated in animal models of Huh7R xenografts in vivo. Western blot was used to detect protein levels of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and related effector molecules. In vitro results showed that the Huh7R had a stronger proliferation ability and antiapoptosis effect than did Huh7, and sorafenib had no inhibitory effect on Huh7R. SFB + BEZ inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway caused by sorafenib. Moreover, SFB + BEZ inhibited the proliferation and cloning ability, blocked the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, and promoted apoptosis in the two cell lines. The autophagy level in Huh7R cells was higher than in Huh7 cells, and BEZ or SFB + BEZ further promoted autophagy in the two cell lines. In vivo, SFB + BEZ inhibited tumor growth by inducing apoptosis and autophagy. We concluded that BEZ235 enhanced the sensitivity of sorafenib through suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and inducing autophagy. These observations may provide the experimental basis for sorafenib combined with BEZ235 in trial treatment of HCC.
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Wang J, Li J, Tang G, Tian Y, Su S, Li Y. Clinical outcomes and influencing factors of PD-1/PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:279. [PMID: 33732355 PMCID: PMC7905537 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an increasing incidence worldwide, and the global 5-year survival rate ranges from 5-30%. In China, HCC seriously threatens the nation's health; the incidence of HCC ranks fourth among all theriomas, and the mortality rate is the third highest worldwide. The main therapies for HCC are surgical treatment or liver transplantation; however, most patients with HCC will experience postoperative recurrence or metastasis, eventually resulting in mortality. As for advanced or unresectable HCC, the current appropriate treatment strategy is transarterial chemoembolization; however, limited therapeutic effect and natural or acquired drug resistance affect the efficacy of this approach. Previous studies have demonstrated that PD-L1 expression on host cells and myeloid cells plays an important role in PD-L1 blocked-mediated tumor regression. Thus, further research on programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is required. Countries including the United States, France, Britain and China have developed PD-1/PD-L1 blockers, including nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, atezolizumab, avelumab, durvalumab, toripalimab, sintilimab and camrelizumab. Notably, all of these blockers have therapeutic effect and influencing factors in HCC. Factors that influence the clinical outcome of PD-1 have also been discovered, such as inflammatory genes, specific receptors and signaling pathways. The discovery of these factors will help to identify novel methods, such as combination treatment, to decrease the influence of other factors on the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1. Sorafenib and lenvatinib have been approved for first-line treatment for patients with advanced HCC. When first-line treatment frequently fails, pembrolizumab and ipilimumab plus nivolumab are used following sorafenib (but not lenvatinib) treatment in advanced HCC. Thus, tumor immunotherapy using PD-1/PD-L1 blockers exhibits promising outcomes for the treatment of HCC, and more novel PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are being developed to fight against this disease. The present review discusses the clinical results and influencing factors of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in HCC to provide insight into the development and optimization of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiting Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Guiju Tang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Song Su
- Department of Liver and Gallbladder, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Yaling Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
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Yang X, Yang S, Song J, Yang W, Ji Y, Zhang F, Rao J. Dysregulation of miR-23b-5p promotes cell proliferation via targeting FOXM1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:47. [PMID: 33723252 PMCID: PMC7960996 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00440-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence demonstrates that MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in contributing to tumor development and progression. However, the underlying role and mechanisms of miR-23b-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) formation remain unclear. Our study showed that miR-23b-5p was downregulated in the HCC tissues and cell lines, and lower expression of miR-23b-5p was associated with more severe tumor size and poorer survival. Gain- or loss-of-function assays demonstrated that miR-23b-5p induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and inhibited cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. qRT-PCR, western blot and luciferase assays verified that Mammalian transcription factor Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1), upregulated in HCC specimens, was negatively correlated with miR-23b-5p expression and acted as a direct downstream target of miR-23b-5p. In addition, miR-23b-5p could regulate cyclin D1 and c-MYC expression by directly targeting FOXM1. Further study revealed that restoration of FOXM1 neutralized the cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation inhibition caused by miR-23b-5p. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-23b-5p acted as a tumor suppressor role in HCC progression by targeting FOXM1 and may serve as a potential novel biomarker for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchen Yang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China
| | - Shikun Yang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinhua Song
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjie Yang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Ji
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jianhua Rao
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China.
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Li J, Hu K, He D, Zhou L, Wang Z, Tao Y. Prognostic Value of PLXND1 and TGF-β1 Coexpression and Its Correlation With Immune Infiltrates in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 10:604131. [PMID: 33489909 PMCID: PMC7820679 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.604131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy with no curative treatments. Plexin D1 (PLXND1) is a cellular receptor whose functions have been explored in several human cancers; however, the critical roles of PLXND1 in HCC have rarely been probed. Therefore, the present study attempted to elucidate the expression pattern, prognostic significance, and potential roles of PLXND1 in HCC. We found that PLXND1 expression in HCC tissues was significantly higher compared with normal liver tissue from Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Integrative Molecular Database of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCCDB) databases. This result was further validated by immunohistochemistry staining (IHC) using tissue microarrays, which contained 216 HCC cases collected from our hospital. Additionally, PLXND1 expression showed a significant correlation with several clinical characteristics, including tumor grade and tumor hemorrhage (TH). Moreover, TISIDB and GEPIA databases were used to investigate the roles of PLXND1 in tumor-immune system interactions in HCC. As an immunoinhibitor, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1) displayed the greatest correlations with PLXND1 in HCC. Finally, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox analysis were conducted to further examine the potential clinical value of PLXND1 in HCC. We described a subclassification of HCC based on PLXND1 and TGF-β1 expression, which could be used to predict clinical outcomes and patient prognosis. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that PLXND1 might be a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanni Li
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Kuan Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Dongren He
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yiming Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Hong GQ, Cai D, Gong JP, Lai X. Innate immune cells and their interaction with T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:57. [PMID: 33281968 PMCID: PMC7709558 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.12319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor and is associated with necroinflammation driven by various immune cells, such as dendritic cells, macrophages and natural killer cells. Innate immune cells can directly affect HCC or regulate the T-cell responses that mediate HCC. In addition, innate immune cells and T cells are not isolated, which means the interaction between them is important in the HCC microenvironment. Considering the current unsatisfactory efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with HCC, understanding the relationship between innate immune cells and T cells is necessary. In the present review the roles and clinical value of innate immune cells that have been widely reported to be involved in HCC, including dendritic cells, macrophages (including kupffer cells), neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils and innate lymphoid cells and the crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune responses in the antitumor process have been discussed. The present review will facilitate researchers in understanding the importance of innate immune cells in HCC and lead to innovative immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Qing Hong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Thyroid Breast Surgery, Tongnan District People's Hospital, Chongqing 402660, P.R. China
| | - Dong Cai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Ping Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, P.R. China
| | - Xing Lai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Thyroid Breast Surgery, Tongnan District People's Hospital, Chongqing 402660, P.R. China
- Correspondence to: Dr Xing Lai, Department of Hepatobiliary and Thyroid Breast Surgery, Tongnan District People's Hospital, 271 Datong, Tongnan, Chongqing 402660, P.R. China, E-mail:
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Zhao LP, Zheng RR, Huang JQ, Chen XY, Deng FA, Liu YB, Huang CY, Yu XY, Cheng H, Li SY. Self-Delivery Photo-Immune Stimulators for Photodynamic Sensitized Tumor Immunotherapy. ACS NANO 2020; 14:17100-17113. [PMID: 33236625 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Self-delivery of photosensitizer and immune modulator to tumor site is highly recommendable to improve the photodynamic immunotherapy yet remains challenging. Herein, self-delivery photoimmune stimulators (designated as iPSs) are developed for photodynamic sensitized tumor immunotherapy. Carrier-free iPSs are constructed by optimizing the noncovalent interactions between the pure drugs of chlorine e6 (Ce6) and NLG919, which avoid the excipients-raised toxicity and immunogenicity. Intravenously administrated iPSs prefer to passively accumulate on tumor tissues for a robust photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the induction of immunogenetic cell death (ICD) cascade to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and initiate antitumor immune response. Meanwhile, the concomitant delivery of NLG919 inhibits the activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Ultimately, the photodynamic sensitized immunotherapy with iPSs efficiently inhibit the primary and distant tumor growth with a low system toxicity, which would shed light on the development of self-delivery nanomedicine for clinical transformation in tumor precision therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Ping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Rong-Rong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Qi Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials Research Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P.R. China
| | - Xia-Yun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Fu-An Deng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Chu-Yu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Xi-Yong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
| | - Hong Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials Research Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P.R. China
| | - Shi-Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, P.R. China
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He K, Liu S, Xia Y, Xu J, Liu F, Xiao J, Li Y, Ding Q, Lu L, Xiang G, Zhan M. CXCL12 and IL7R as Novel Therapeutic Targets for Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma Are Correlated With Somatic Mutations and the Tumor Immunological Microenvironment. Front Oncol 2020; 10:574853. [PMID: 33344233 PMCID: PMC7746863 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.574853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanism of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) development in correlation with tumor microenvironments and somatic mutations is still being elucidated. This study aims to identify the potential molecular mechanisms and candidate biomarkers in response to tumor microenvironments and somatic mutations. Multiple bioinformatics analysis methods were applied to assess the tumor immunological microenvironment, differentially expressed genes, genetic function enrichment, immunocyte infiltration, regulatory network construction, and tumor mutational burden, and to identify DNA methylation sites. The immunological microenvironment features of ESTIMATE score (OS: p = 0.017, HR = 0.64; RFS: HR = 0.43, p < 0.001) have an important impact on the prognosis of LIHC patients. Cut-off by ESTIMATE score and prognostic information identified 666 DEGs (45 downregulated and 621 upregulated) that were linked with leukocyte migration and lymphocyte activation. In immunocyte infiltration analysis, NK cells (resting), M1 macrophages, CD8+ T cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are considered core immunoregulatory cells, exhibited significant differences between higher and lower ESTIMATE scores (overall survival and recurrence-free survival p-values < 0.01). Subsequently, further analysis of immunocyte-hub gene identification illustrated that the expression levels of CXCL12 and IL7R significantly correlated with core immunoregulatory cells and somatic mutations (CXCL12: p = 2.1E-06; IL7R: p = 0.001). This study provides new insight into our understanding of the mechanisms of immunocyte regulation and microenvironment involved in LIHC development as well as the effective biomarkers of CXCL12 and IL7R and core immunoregulatory cells, which may emerge as novel therapies for LIHC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke He
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China.,Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Xia
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianguo Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Heyuan People's Hospital, Heyuan, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Xiao
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yong Li
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Qianshan Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Guoan Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
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Ni S, Wei Q, Yang L. ADORA1 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via PI3K/AKT Pathway. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:12409-12419. [PMID: 33293832 PMCID: PMC7719345 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s272621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy worldwide. Although the contradictory role of ADORA1 has been explored in certain types of cancers, its clinical significance and function in hepatocellular carcinoma cells are largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS The level of ADORA1 in HCC tissues and cells was evaluated by RT-PCR. The function of ADORA1 overexpression on HCC cell proliferation and invasion was assessed by MTS, transwell analysis, and colony formation assay. In addition, a mouse subcutaneous xenograft model was used to study in vivo effects. The efficacy of knockdown of ADORA1 sensitizes to chemotherapy was assessed by staining with Annexin V/propidium iodide followed with flow cytometry and nuclei fragmentation. RESULTS In this study, ADORA1 was identified to be up-regulated in HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissue. High ADORA1 mRNA expression predicted poor survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Ectopic expression of ADORA1 increased hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion. ADORA1 knockdown inhibited HCC cell growth and sensitized to chemotherapy. Furthermore, ADORA1 activated PI3K/AKT oncogenic signaling pathways. Treatment with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the effects of ADORA1 on tumor growth in either ADORA1-overexpressing or -deficiency cells. Finally, overexpression of ADORA1 stimulates HCC tumor growth in vivo. Treatment of ADORA1 antagonist oppositely suppressed HCC xenograft tumor growth. CONCLUSION ADORA1 serves as an important oncoprotein and a promoter of cell proliferation through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Ni
- Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Wei
- Behavioral Style Construction Office, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region530021, People’s Republic of China
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Liu Q, Weng QQ, Shen SF, Jiang T, Pan ZC, Lin MX, Lan YQ, Wang Y, Chen Q, Shi CM. AT-rich interactive domain1A determines sensitivity to oxaliplatin in gastric cancer cells. Transl Cancer Res 2020; 9:7540-7549. [PMID: 35117354 PMCID: PMC8798539 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-20-2384] [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: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease and its traditional histopathological classification is difficult to meet clinical needs. Oxaliplatin is an antitumor drug with high efficiency and low toxicity. Therefore, the insensitivity or secondary drug resistance of oxaliplatin to gastric cancer is vital for tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to oxaliplatin after ARID1A (AT-rich interactive domain1A gene) gene silencing. Methods MGC-803 and AGS cells were selected as gastric cancer cells for study. ARID1A protein and mRNA expression was detected by Western blot and quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The short hairpin RNA (shRNA) fragment of ARID1A gene silencing was constructed and introduced into gastric cancer cells. The cell proliferation activity was calculated using CCK8 and the IC50 was calculated. The flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle and apoptosis rate. The ability of cell invasion was detected by transwell method. Cells were treated with different concentrations of oxaliplatin. Results The proliferation of gastric cancer cells was promoted by ARID1A gene silencing (P<0.01), the quantity of cells in S phase increased (P<0.05), and the invasive ability increased (P<0.05). After treatment with oxaliplatin at different concentrations, ARID1A gene silencing reduced the inhibition rate of oxaliplatin on gastric cancer cells and apoptosis rate (P<0.05), and increased IC 50 (P<0.01). Conclusions ARID1A gene silencing, a factor promoting proliferation of gastric cancer cells, would reduce the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to oxaliplatin, which can provide a basis for the exploration of targeted drugs for individualized treatment of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qing-Qing Weng
- Department of Oncology, First Hospital of Putian City, Putian, China
| | - Song-Fei Shen
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhang-Chi Pan
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meng-Xin Lin
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan-Qin Lan
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chun-Mei Shi
- Department of Oncology, Union Medical College Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Abstract
Liver cancer is a global problem and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for about 85% of this cancer. In the USA, etiologies and risk factors for HCC include chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), obesity, excessive alcohol drinking, exposure to tobacco smoke, and genetic factors. Chronic HCV infection appears to be associated with about 30% of HCC. Chronic HCV infection induces multistep changes in liver, involving metabolic disorders, steatosis, cirrhosis and HCC. Liver carcinogenesis requires initiation of neoplastic clones, and progression to clinically diagnose malignancy. Tumor progression associates with profound exhaustion of tumor-antigen-specific CD8+T cells, and accumulation of PD-1hi CD8+T cells and Tregs. In this chapter, we provide a brief description of HCV and environmental/genetic factors, immune regulation, and highlight mechanisms of HCV associated HCC. We also underscore HCV treatment and recent paradigm of HCC progression, highlighted the current treatment and potential future therapeutic opportunities.
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