1
|
Chan YT, Zhang C, Wu J, Lu P, Xu L, Yuan H, Feng Y, Chen ZS, Wang N. Biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:189. [PMID: 39242496 PMCID: PMC11378508 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02101-z] [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: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a global health challenge, causing a significant social-economic burden. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant type of primary liver cancer, which is highly heterogeneous in terms of molecular and cellular signatures. Early-stage or small tumors are typically treated with surgery or ablation. Currently, chemotherapies and immunotherapies are the best treatments for unresectable tumors or advanced HCC. However, drug response and acquired resistance are not predictable with the existing systematic guidelines regarding mutation patterns and molecular biomarkers, resulting in sub-optimal treatment outcomes for many patients with atypical molecular profiles. With advanced technological platforms, valuable information such as tumor genetic alterations, epigenetic data, and tumor microenvironments can be obtained from liquid biopsy. The inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of HCC are illustrated, and these collective data provide solid evidence in the decision-making process of treatment regimens. This article reviews the current understanding of HCC detection methods and aims to update the development of HCC surveillance using liquid biopsy. Recent critical findings on the molecular basis, epigenetic profiles, circulating tumor cells, circulating DNAs, and omics studies are elaborated for HCC diagnosis. Besides, biomarkers related to the choice of therapeutic options are discussed. Some notable recent clinical trials working on targeted therapies are also highlighted. Insights are provided to translate the knowledge into potential biomarkers for detection and diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and drug resistance indicators in clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Junyu Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Pengde Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lin Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hongchao Yuan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Arefnezhad R, Ashna S, Rezaei-Tazangi F, Arfazadeh SM, Seyedsalehie SS, Yeganeafrouz S, Aghaei M, Sanandaji M, Davoodi R, Abadi SRK, Vosough M. Noncoding RNAs and programmed cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma: Significant role of epigenetic modifications in prognosis, chemoresistance, and tumor recurrence rate. Cell Biol Int 2024; 48:556-576. [PMID: 38411312 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.12145] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer with a high death rate in the world. The molecular mechanisms related to the pathogenesis of HCC have not been precisely defined so far. Hence, this review aimed to address the potential cross-talk between noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and programmed cell death in HCC. All related papers in the English language up to June 2023 were collected and screened. The searched keywords in scientific databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were HCC, ncRNAs, Epigenetic, Programmed cell death, Autophagy, Apoptosis, Ferroptosis, Chemoresistance, Tumor recurrence, Prognosis, and Prediction. According to the reports, ncRNAs, comprising long ncRNAs, microRNAs, circular RNAs, and small nucleolar RNAs can affect cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis, as well as cell death-related processes, such as autophagy, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and apoptosis in HCC by regulating cancer-associated genes and signaling pathways, for example, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase/MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. It seems that ncRNAs, as epigenetic regulators, can be utilized as biomarkers in diagnosis, prognosis, survival and recurrence rates prediction, chemoresistance, and evaluation of therapeutic response in HCC patients. However, more scientific evidence is suggested to be accomplished to confirm these results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reza Arefnezhad
- Coenzyme R Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sara Ashna
- Student Research Committee, Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rezaei-Tazangi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | | | - Seyede Shabnam Seyedsalehie
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur, University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Shaghayegh Yeganeafrouz
- Department of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Medical branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Melika Aghaei
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mandana Sanandaji
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Experimental Cancer Medicine, Huddinge, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jeepalyam S, Sheel A, Ejaz A, Miller E, Manne A. Is Cell-Free DNA Testing in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ready for Prime Time? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14231. [PMID: 37762533 PMCID: PMC10531802 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Revamping the current biomarker landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could improve overall outcomes. The use of commercially available cfDNA testing (also known as liquid biopsy) is limited by the low prevalence of targetable mutations and does not have any prognostic or predictive value. Thus, current cfDNA testing cannot be relied upon for perioperative risk stratification (POR), including early detection of recurrence, long-term surveillance, predicting outcomes, and treatment response. Prior evidence on cfDNA mutation profiling (non-specific detection or gene panel testing) suggests that it can be a reliable tool for POR and prognostication, but it still requires significant improvements. cfDNA methylation changes or epigenetic markers have not been explored extensively, but early studies have shown potential for it to be a prognostic biomarker tool. The predictive value of cfDNA (mutations and EM) to assist treatment selection (systemic therapy, immune-checkpoint inhibitor vs. tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and to monitor response to systemic and locoregional therapies should be a future area of focus. We highlighted the unmet needs in the HCC management and the current role of cfDNA testing in HCC in addressing them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sravan Jeepalyam
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Ankur Sheel
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Aslam Ejaz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eric Miller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ashish Manne
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Campani C, Zucman-Rossi J, Nault JC. Genetics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Tumor to Circulating DNA. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030817. [PMID: 36765775 PMCID: PMC9913369 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 90% of primary hepatic malignancies and is one of the major causes of cancer-related death. Over the last 15 years, the molecular landscape of HCC has been deciphered, with the identification of the main driver genes of liver carcinogenesis that belong to six major biological pathways, such as telomere maintenance, Wnt/b-catenin, P53/cell cycle regulation, oxidative stress, epigenetic modifiers, AKT/mTOR and MAP kinase. The combination of genetic and transcriptomic data composed various HCC subclasses strongly related to risk factors, pathological features and prognosis. However, translation into clinical practice is not achieved, mainly because the most frequently mutated genes are undruggable. Moreover, the results derived from the analysis of a single tissue sample may not adequately catch the intra- and intertumor heterogeneity. The analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is broadly developed in other types of cancer for early diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring under systemic treatment in order to identify primary and secondary mechanisms of resistance. The aim of this review is to describe recent data about the HCC molecular landscape and to discuss how ctDNA could be used in the future for HCC detection and management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Campani
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris Cité, Team «Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors», 75006 Paris, France
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Labex OncoImmunology, 75006 Paris, France
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Firenze, 50134 Firenze, Italy
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris Cité, Team «Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors», 75006 Paris, France
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Labex OncoImmunology, 75006 Paris, France
- Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, APHP, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Charles Nault
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris Cité, Team «Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors», 75006 Paris, France
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Labex OncoImmunology, 75006 Paris, France
- Liver Unit, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, 93000 Bobigny, France
- Unité de Formation et de Recherche Santé Médecine et Biologie Humaine, Université Paris Nord, 93000 Bobigny, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-6-1067-9461
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lee HW, Kim E, Cho KJ, Park HJ, Seo J, Lee H, Baek E, Choi JR, Han KH, Lee ST, Park JY. Applications of molecular barcode sequencing for the detection of low-frequency variants in circulating tumour DNA from hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver Int 2022; 42:2317-2326. [PMID: 35776657 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool for minimally invasive and accurate detection of various malignancies. We aimed to apply molecular barcode sequencing to circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from liquid biopsies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). STUDY DESIGN Patients with HCC or benign liver disease were enrolled between 2017 and 2018. Matched tissue and serum samples were obtained from these patients. Plasma cell-free DNA was extracted and subjected to targeted sequencing with ultra-high coverage and molecular barcoding. RESULTS The study included 143 patients: 102 with HCC, 7 with benign liver tumours and 34 with chronic liver disease. No tier 1/2 or oncogenic mutations were detected in patients with benign liver disease. Among the HCC patients, 49 (48%) had tier 1/2 mutations in at least one gene; detection rates were higher in advanced stages (75%) than in early stages (26%-33%). TERT was the most frequently mutated gene (30%), followed by TP53 (16%), CTNNB1 (14%), ARID2 (5%), ARID1A (4%), NFE2L2 (4%), AXIN1 (3%) and KRAS (1%). Survival among patients with TP53 mutations was significantly worse (p = 0.007) than among patients without these mutations, whereas CTNNB1 and TERT mutations did not affect survival. ctDNA testing combined with α-fetoprotein and prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II analyses improved HCC detection, even in early stages. CONCLUSIONS ctDNA detection using molecular barcoding technology offers dynamic and personalized information concerning tumour biology, such information can guide clinical diagnosis and management. This detection also has the potential as a minimally invasive approach for prognostic stratification and post-therapeutic monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye Won Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Yonsei Liver Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Esl Kim
- Department of Medical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung Joo Cho
- Yonsei Liver Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye Jung Park
- Yonsei Liver Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jieun Seo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeonah Lee
- Department of Medical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunha Baek
- Dxome Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jong Rak Choi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Dxome Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Kwang-Hyub Han
- Yonsei Liver Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Tae Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Dxome Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jun Yong Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Yonsei Liver Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumour DNA in Asian Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:8019652. [PMID: 35251214 PMCID: PMC8893997 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8019652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is a noninvasive method of detecting tumours, and its prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is controversial. We conducted a systematic review of published research data to evaluate the prognostic value of ctDNA in HCC patients. METHODS The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched to identify eligible studies reporting disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) stratified by ctDNA prior to January 2022. We evaluated the quality and design of these studies. The hazard ratio (HR) was used to combine the survivorship curve and univariate and multivariate results of the included studies. RESULTS In total, 8 articles were included, encompassing 577 HCC patients. The results of survival curve analysis showed that ctDNA was related to poor OS and DFS, and the effect sizes were HR = 2.44, 95% CI (1.42, 4.20), P=0.001; HR = 2.63, 95% CI (1.96, 3.53), P < 0.001. The univariate analysis results showed that ctDNA was related to poor OS (HR = 4.48, 95% CI (1.17, 13.70), P=0.003). The combined results of multivariate analysis showed that ctDNA was related to a shorter risk of OS (HR = 3.74, 95% CI (1.45, 9.65), P=0.006). The univariate and multivariate descriptive analysis results showed that ctDNA was related to shorter DFS, and the effect sizes were HR = 3.28, 95% CI (1.23, 11.30), P=0.011; HR = 3.01, 95% CI (1.11, 10.5), P < 0.001. CONCLUSION The evidence provided by this analysis suggests that ctDNA may be a prognostic biomarker and is negatively correlated with the survival of HCC patients. Mutations in the TERT and SOCS3 promoters in ctDNA are associated with poor prognosis and are expected to become good targets for liquid biopsy and to help select treatment strategies.
Collapse
|
7
|
Nishi Y, Aoki T, Shimizu T, Sato S, Matsumoto T, Shiraki T, Sakuraoka Y, Mori S, Iso Y, Ishizuka M, Kubota K. Significance of cytoplasmic expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver resection. Mol Clin Oncol 2021; 15:244. [PMID: 34650811 PMCID: PMC8506680 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2021.2406] [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: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is reportedly expressed in various types of cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, the significance of subcellular expression of TERT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been evaluated in detail. The present study evaluated TERT expression in resected HCC tumor tissues using immunohistochemistry. TERT expression was assessed in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of HCC cells. The associations between TERT expression and clinical characteristics, including expression levels of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic unit (DNA-PKcs) and 8-hydroxyganosine (8-OHdG), were investigated. Among the 135 HCCs, TERT expression was positive only in the cytoplasm in 86 tumors (63.7%), was positive only in the nucleus in 3 tumors (2.2%), was positive in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus in 5 tumors (3.7%) and was negative in 41 tumors (30.4%). Similar results were confirmed using another antibody for TERT. Cytoplasmic TERT expression was markedly associated with hepatitis B surface antigen, poor tumor differentiation, and expression levels of DNA-PKcs and 8-OHdG. However, TERT expression in the cytoplasm or in the nucleus was not significantly associated with the overall or recurrence-free survival periods. In conclusion, TERT was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of HCC tissues. Cytoplasmic TERT expression was closely associated with hepatitis B virus-related HCC and DNA-PKcs expression, as well as oxidative stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Nishi
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Taku Aoki
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Takayuki Shimizu
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Shun Sato
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Takatsugu Matsumoto
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Takayuki Shiraki
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Yuhki Sakuraoka
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Shozo Mori
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Iso
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Ishizuka
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| | - Keiichi Kubota
- Second Department of Surgery, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sefrioui D, Verdier V, Savoye-Collet C, Beaussire L, Ghomadi S, Gangloff A, Goria O, Riachi G, Montialoux H, Schwarz L, Tuech JJ, Frebourg T, Michel P, Sarafan-Vasseur N, Di Fiore F. Circulating DNA changes are predictive of disease progression after transarterial chemoembolization. Int J Cancer 2021; 150:532-541. [PMID: 34622951 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33829] [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: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is used to treat patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the clinical impact of a-fetoprotein (AFP) and circulating cell-free and tumor DNA (cfDNA and ctDNA) changes around the TACE procedure. Our prospective monocentric study enrolled consecutive patients treated with TACE, with samples collected at baseline (D - 1), Day 2 (D + 2) and 1 month (M + 1) after TACE. cfDNA was quantified by the fluorometric method, and ctDNA was quantified by digital polymerase chain reaction designed for two hotspot TERT mutations. Computerized tomography scans or magnetic resonance imaging were performed at M + 1 every 3 months following TACE and independently reviewed. The objective was to identify thresholds of cfDNA, ctDNA and AFP changes associated with progressive disease (PD) using receiver operating characteristic curves. Thirty-eight patients were included from March 2018 to March 2019. All markers significantly increased from D - 1 to D + 2 (P < .005), and cfDNA and ctDNA significantly decreased from D + 2 to M + 1 (P < .0001). The analysis of changes from D - 1 to M + 1 identified thresholds at +31.4% for cfDNA and 0% for ctDNA that were significantly associated with PD at M + 1 (44.4% [>+31.4%] vs 3.8% [≤+31.4%] and 50.0% [>0%] vs 5.0% [≤0%], respectively). No significant threshold was identified for AFP. Using a score combining cfDNA and ctDNA, the patients were classified into high- or low-risk PD groups at M + 1, with PD rates of 80.0% vs 4.3% (P = .001) and median progression-free survival times of 1.3 vs 10.3 months (P = .002). Our study suggests that cfDNA and ctDNA increases around the TACE procedure and are associated with therapeutic failure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Sefrioui
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Vincent Verdier
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Céline Savoye-Collet
- UNIROUEN, Quantif-LITIS EA 4108, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Radiology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | | | - Slim Ghomadi
- Department of Radiology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France.,UNIROUEN, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France
| | - Alice Gangloff
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Odile Goria
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Ghassan Riachi
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Hélène Montialoux
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Lilian Schwarz
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Digestive Surgery Department, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Tuech
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Digestive Surgery Department, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Thierry Frebourg
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Genetics, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Pierre Michel
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | | | - Frédéric Di Fiore
- UNIROUEN, Inserm 1245, IRON group, Normandie Univ, Rouen, France.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nakatsuka T, Nakagawa H, Hayata Y, Wake T, Yamada T, Nishibatake Kinoshita M, Nakagomi R, Sato M, Minami T, Uchino K, Enooku K, Kudo Y, Tanaka Y, Kishikawa T, Otsuka M, Tateishi R, Koike K. Post-treatment cell-free DNA as a predictive biomarker in molecular-targeted therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol 2021; 56:456-469. [PMID: 33712873 DOI: 10.1007/s00535-021-01773-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liquid biopsies, particularly those involving circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are rapidly emerging as a non-invasive alternative to tumor biopsies. However, clinical applications of ctDNA analysis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been fully elucidated. METHODS We measured the amount of plasma-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in HCC patients before (n = 100) and a few days after treatment (n = 87), including radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and molecular-targeted agents (MTAs), and prospectively analyzed their associations with clinical parameters and prognosis. TERT promoter mutations in cfDNA were analyzed using droplet digital PCR. Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive mutational analysis of post-treatment cfDNA via targeted ultra-deep sequencing (22,000× coverage) in a panel of 275 cancer-related genes in selected patients. RESULTS Plasma cfDNA levels increased significantly according to HCC clinical stage, and a high cfDNA level was independently associated with a poor prognosis. TERT promoter mutations were detected in 45% of all cases but were not associated with any clinical characteristics. cfDNA levels increased significantly a few days after treatment, and a greater increase in post-treatment cfDNA levels was associated with a greater therapeutic response to MTAs. The detection rate of TERT mutations increased to 57% using post-treatment cfDNA, suggesting that the ctDNA was enriched. Targeted ultra-deep sequencing using post-treatment cfDNA after administering lenvatinib successfully detected various gene mutations and obtained promising results in lenvatinib-responsive cases. CONCLUSIONS Post-treatment cfDNA analysis may facilitate the construction of biomarkers for predicting MTA treatment effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nakatsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hayato Nakagawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Yuki Hayata
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Taijiro Wake
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Tomoharu Yamada
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Mizuki Nishibatake Kinoshita
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakagomi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Masaya Sato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.,Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Minami
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Koji Uchino
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Enooku
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yotaro Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yasuo Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kishikawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Motoyuki Otsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koike
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jang JW, Kim JS, Kim HS, Tak KY, Lee SK, Nam HC, Sung PS, Kim CM, Park JY, Bae SH, Choi JY, Yoon SK. Significance of TERT Genetic Alterations and Telomere Length in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092160. [PMID: 33946181 PMCID: PMC8125722 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, integrative analysis studies of TERT-telomere signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis are lacking. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological association and prognostic value of TERT gene alterations and telomere length in HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy as well as transarterial chemotherapy (TACE). We found that there are eight key TERT-interacting genes and higher TERT expression and longer telomere length in HCC. We also found TERT-telomeric signals related to correlation with tumor differentiation and stage progression. TERT promoter mutations were an independent predictor of worse overall survival after hepatectomy, while TERT expression independently predicted worse time to progression after TACE. Telomere length was also associated with survival in TACE-treated patients. These findings suggest that TERT-telomere signals might be useful biomarkers for HCC, but the prognostic values may differ with tumor characteristics and treatment. Abstract Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mutations are reportedly the most frequent somatic genetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An integrative analysis of TERT-telomere signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological association and prognostic value of TERT gene alterations and telomere length in HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy as well as transarterial chemotherapy (TACE). TERT promoter mutation, expression, and telomere length were analyzed by Sanger sequencing and real-time PCR in 305 tissue samples. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed to identify a set of genes that physically interact with TERT. The PPI analysis identified eight key TERT-interacting genes, namely CCT5, TUBA1B, mTOR, RPS6KB1, AKT1, WHAZ, YWHAQ, and TERT. Among these, TERT was the most strongly differentially expressed gene. TERT promoter mutations were more frequent, TERT expression was significantly higher, and telomere length was longer in tumors versus non-tumors. TERT promoter mutations were most frequent in HCV-related HCCs and less frequent in HBV-related HCCs. TERT promoter mutations were associated with higher TERT levels and longer telomere length and were an independent predictor of worse overall survival after hepatectomy. TERT expression was positively correlated with tumor differentiation and stage progression, and independently predicted shorter time to progression after TACE. The TERT-telomere network may have a crucial role in the development and progression of HCC. TERT-telomere abnormalities might serve as useful biomarkers for HCC, but the prognostic values may differ with tumor characteristics and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Won Jang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2258-6015; Fax: +82-2-3481-4025
| | - Jin-Seoub Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Hye-Seon Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Kwon-Yong Tak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Soon-Kyu Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Hee-Chul Nam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Pil-Soo Sung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Chang-Min Kim
- Department of Research & Business Development, CbsBioscience Inc., Deajeon 34113, Korea; (C.-M.K.); (J.-Y.P.)
| | - Jin-Young Park
- Department of Research & Business Development, CbsBioscience Inc., Deajeon 34113, Korea; (C.-M.K.); (J.-Y.P.)
| | - Si-Hyun Bae
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Jong-Young Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| | - Seung-Kew Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (K.-Y.T.); (S.-K.L.); (H.-C.N.); (P.-S.S.); (S.-H.B.); (J.-Y.C.); (S.-K.Y.)
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Collage of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (J.-S.K.); (H.-S.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Akuta N, Kawamura Y, Kobayashi M, Arase Y, Saitoh S, Fujiyama S, Sezaki H, Hosaka T, Kobayashi M, Suzuki Y, Suzuki F, Ikeda K, Kumada H. TERT Promoter Mutation in Serum Cell-Free DNA Is a Diagnostic Marker of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Oncology 2020; 99:114-123. [PMID: 32998139 DOI: 10.1159/000510366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It remains unclear whether TERT promoter mutation (TERT C228T) in serum cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is useful for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS In this retrospective study, we analyzed the relationships between TERT C228T in serum cfDNA and levels of AFP and PIVKAII in 57 Japanese patients with histopathologically confirmed NAFLD background, consisting of 36 patients with HCC and 21 without HCC. We also examined the liver-related survival rate and HCC recurrence rate after the initial treatment for HCC. TERT C228T was detected using a highly sensitive method based on wild-type blocking PCR (detection limit in excess of 0.7% mutant-type DNA). RESULTS In all of the 57 patients, multivariate analysis identified TERT C228T positive as significant determinant of primary HCC. In the 36 patients with HCC, the percentage of patients positive for TERT C228T was 63.9%. The percentage of patients positive for TERT C228T with normal AFP and PIVKAII was 35.3%. The positive predictive value and specificity for prediction of BCLC stage 0 or A were both high. In 6 patients, TERT C228T was repeatedly negative during follow-up but became positive at the time of HCC diagnosis. Four patients who underwent HCC surgical resection had well-differentiated solitary HCC measuring <30 mm, and all were TERT C228T positive with normal AFP and PIVKAII. TERT C228T status had no influence on the cumulative liver-related survival rate and HCC recurrence rate. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the superiority of TERT C228T in serum cfDNA compared with AFP and PIVKAII in the early diagnosis of primary HCC in NAFLD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norio Akuta
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan,
| | - Yusuke Kawamura
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yasuji Arase
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Saitoh
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shunichiro Fujiyama
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitomi Sezaki
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hosaka
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kobayashi
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Suzuki
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumitaka Suzuki
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Ikeda
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Kumada
- Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|