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Manuppella F, Pisano G, Taralli S, Caldarella C, Calcagni ML. Diagnostic Performances of PET/CT Using Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitors in Patients with Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors: A Comprehensive Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7197. [PMID: 39000301 PMCID: PMC11241825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
PET/CT using radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitors (FAPIs) is a promising diagnostic tool in oncology, especially when non-increased and/or physiologically high [18F]FDG uptake (as in liver parenchyma) is observed. We aimed to review the role of PET/CT using radiolabeled FAPIs in primary and/or metastatic liver lesions, and to compare their performances with more "conventional" radiopharmaceuticals. A search algorithm based on the terms "FAPI" AND ("hepatic" OR "liver") was applied, with the last update on 1st January 2024. Out of 177 articles retrieved, 76 studies reporting on the diagnostic application of radiolabeled FAPI PET/CT in at least one patient harboring primary or metastatic liver lesion(s) were fully analyzed. Although there was some heterogeneity in clinical conditions and/or study methodology, PET/CT with radiolabeled FAPIs showed an excellent performance in common primary liver malignancies (hepatocarcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) and liver metastases (mostly from the gastrointestinal tract and lungs). A higher tumor-to-background ratio for FAPIs than for [18F]FDG was found in primary and metastatic liver lesions, due to lower background activity. Despite limited clinical evidence, radiolabeled FAPIs may be used to assess the suitability and effectiveness of FAPI-derived therapeutic agents such as [177Lu]Lu-FAPI. However, future prospective research on a wider population is needed to confirm the excellent performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Manuppella
- Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini e Radioterapia Oncologica, UOC Di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.M.); (G.P.); (S.T.); (M.L.C.)
- Dipartimento Universitario Di Scienze Radiologiche Ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giusi Pisano
- Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini e Radioterapia Oncologica, UOC Di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.M.); (G.P.); (S.T.); (M.L.C.)
- Dipartimento Universitario Di Scienze Radiologiche Ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Taralli
- Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini e Radioterapia Oncologica, UOC Di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.M.); (G.P.); (S.T.); (M.L.C.)
| | - Carmelo Caldarella
- Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini e Radioterapia Oncologica, UOC Di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.M.); (G.P.); (S.T.); (M.L.C.)
| | - Maria Lucia Calcagni
- Dipartimento Di Diagnostica Per Immagini e Radioterapia Oncologica, UOC Di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.M.); (G.P.); (S.T.); (M.L.C.)
- Dipartimento Universitario Di Scienze Radiologiche Ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
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Gromek P, Senkowska Z, Płuciennik E, Pasieka Z, Zhao LY, Gielecińska A, Kciuk M, Kłosiński K, Kałuzińska-Kołat Ż, Kołat D. Revisiting the standards of cancer detection and therapy alongside their comparison to modern methods. World J Methodol 2024; 14:92982. [PMID: 38983668 PMCID: PMC11229876 DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v14.i2.92982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In accordance with the World Health Organization data, cancer remains at the forefront of fatal diseases. An upward trend in cancer incidence and mortality has been observed globally, emphasizing that efforts in developing detection and treatment methods should continue. The diagnostic path typically begins with learning the medical history of a patient; this is followed by basic blood tests and imaging tests to indicate where cancer may be located to schedule a needle biopsy. Prompt initiation of diagnosis is crucial since delayed cancer detection entails higher costs of treatment and hospitalization. Thus, there is a need for novel cancer detection methods such as liquid biopsy, elastography, synthetic biosensors, fluorescence imaging, and reflectance confocal microscopy. Conventional therapeutic methods, although still common in clinical practice, pose many limitations and are unsatisfactory. Nowadays, there is a dynamic advancement of clinical research and the development of more precise and effective methods such as oncolytic virotherapy, exosome-based therapy, nanotechnology, dendritic cells, chimeric antigen receptors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, natural product-based therapy, tumor-treating fields, and photodynamic therapy. The present paper compares available data on conventional and modern methods of cancer detection and therapy to facilitate an understanding of this rapidly advancing field and its future directions. As evidenced, modern methods are not without drawbacks; there is still a need to develop new detection strategies and therapeutic approaches to improve sensitivity, specificity, safety, and efficacy. Nevertheless, an appropriate route has been taken, as confirmed by the approval of some modern methods by the Food and Drug Administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Gromek
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Senkowska
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Płuciennik
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Pasieka
- Department of Biomedicine and Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-136, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Lin-Yong Zhao
- Department of General Surgery & Laboratory of Gastric Cancer, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
- Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Adrianna Gielecińska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Lodz 90-237, Lodzkie, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, Lodz 90-237, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Mateusz Kciuk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Lodz 90-237, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Karol Kłosiński
- Department of Biomedicine and Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-136, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Żaneta Kałuzińska-Kołat
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Lodzkie, Poland
- Department of Biomedicine and Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-136, Lodzkie, Poland
| | - Damian Kołat
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Lodzkie, Poland
- Department of Biomedicine and Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-136, Lodzkie, Poland
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De Battista D, Yakymi R, Scheibe E, Sato S, Gerstein H, Markowitz TE, Lack J, Mereu R, Manieli C, Zamboni F, Farci P. Identification of Two Distinct Immune Subtypes in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1370. [PMID: 38611048 PMCID: PMC11011136 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071370] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
HBV is the most common risk factor for HCC development, accounting for almost 50% of cases worldwide. Despite significant advances in immunotherapy, there is limited information on the HBV-HCC tumor microenvironment (TME), which may influence the response to checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we characterize the TME in a unique series of liver specimens from HBV-HCC patients to identify who might benefit from immunotherapy. By combining an extensive immunohistochemistry analysis with the transcriptomic profile of paired liver samples (tumor vs. nontumorous tissue) from 12 well-characterized Caucasian patients with HBV-HCC, we identified two distinct tumor subtypes that we defined immune-high and immune-low. The immune-high subtype, seen in half of the patients, is characterized by a high number of infiltrating B and T cells in association with stromal activation and a transcriptomic profile featuring inhibition of antigen presentation and CTL activation. All the immune-high tumors expressed high levels of CTLA-4 and low levels of PD-1, while PD-L1 was present only in four of six cases. In contrast, the immune-low subtype shows significantly lower lymphocyte infiltration and stromal activation. By whole exome sequencing, we documented that four out of six individuals with the immune-low subtype had missense mutations in the CTNNB1 gene, while only one patient had mutations in this gene in the immune-high subtype. Outside the tumor, there were no differences between the two subtypes. This study identifies two distinctive immune subtypes in HBV-associated HCC, regardless of the microenvironment observed in the surrounding nontumorous tissue, providing new insights into pathogenesis. These findings may be instrumental in the identification of patients who might benefit from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide De Battista
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Rylee Yakymi
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Evangeline Scheibe
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Shinya Sato
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Hannah Gerstein
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Tovah E. Markowitz
- Integrated Data Sciences Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Justin Lack
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Roberto Mereu
- Department of Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, 09047 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Cristina Manieli
- Sevizio di Anatomia Patologica, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, 09047 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Fausto Zamboni
- Department of Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, 09047 Cagliari, Italy; (R.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Patrizia Farci
- Hepatic Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (D.D.B.); (R.Y.); (E.S.); (S.S.); (H.G.)
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Batheja S, Sahoo RK, Tarannum S, Vaiphei KK, Jha S, Alexander A, Goyal AK, Gupta U. Hepatocellular carcinoma: Preclinical and clinical applications of nanotechnology with the potential role of carbohydrate receptors. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130443. [PMID: 37573973 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130443] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of liver cancer; accounts for 75-85% of cases. The treatment and management of HCC involve different sanative options like surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc. Recently, various advancements have been introduced for the diagnosis and targeting of hepatic tumor cells. Among these, biomarkers are considered the primary source for the diagnosis and differentiation of tumor cells. With the advancement in the field of nanotechnology, different types of nanocarriers have been witnessed in tumor targeting. Nanocarriers such as nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric micelles, nanofibers, etc. are readily prepared for effective tumor targeting with minimal side-effects. The emergence of various approaches tends to improve the effectiveness of these nanocarriers as demonstrated in ample clinical trials. This review focuses on the significant role of carbohydrates such as mannose, galactose, fructose, etc. in the development, diagnosis, and therapy of HCC. Hence, the current focus of this review is to acknowledge various perspectives regarding the occurrence, diagnosis, treatment, and management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanya Batheja
- Nanopolymeric Drug Delivery Lab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar Sahoo
- Nanopolymeric Drug Delivery Lab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817, India
| | - Sofiya Tarannum
- Nanopolymeric Drug Delivery Lab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817, India
| | - Klaudi K Vaiphei
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sila Katamur, Changsari, Kamrup, Guwahati, Assam 781101, India
| | - Shikha Jha
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sila Katamur, Changsari, Kamrup, Guwahati, Assam 781101, India
| | - Amit Alexander
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sila Katamur, Changsari, Kamrup, Guwahati, Assam 781101, India
| | - Amit Kumar Goyal
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817, India
| | - Umesh Gupta
- Nanopolymeric Drug Delivery Lab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817, India.
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Zheng K, Li M. Predicting Survival Signature of Bladder Cancer Related to Cancer-Associated Fibroblast (CAF) Constructed by Intersecting Genes in TCGA and GEO. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00892-y. [PMID: 37749482 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00892-y] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Bladder cancer was one of the most common carcinomas around the world. However, the mechanism of the disease still remained to be investigated. We expected to establish a prognostic survival model with 9 prognostic genes to predict overall survival (OS) in patients of bladder cancer. The gene expression data of bladder cancer were obtained from TCGA and GEO datasets. TCGA and GEO datasets were used for screening prognostic genes along with developing and validating a 9-gene prognostic survival model by method of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and LASSO with Cox regression. The relative analysis of evaluate tumor burden mutation (TBM), GO, KEGG, chemotherapy drug and functional pathway were also performed based on CAF-related mRNAs. 151 Overlapping CAF-related genes were distinguished after intersecting differentially expressed genes from 945 genes in TCGA and 491 genes in GEO dataset. 9 Prognostic genes (MSRB2, AGMAT, KLF6, DDAH2, GADD45B, SERPINE2, STMN3, TEAD2, and COMP) were used for construction of prognostic model after LASSO with Cox regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed a good survival prediction by this model. Functional analysis indicated chemokine, cytokine, ECM interaction, oxidative stress and apoptosis were highly appeared. Potential drugs targeted different CAF-related genes like vemurafenib, irofulven, ghiotepa, and idarubicin were found as well. We constructed a novel 9 CAF-related mRNAs prognostic model and explored the gene expression and potential functional information of related genes, which might be worthy of clinical application. In addition, potential chemotherapy drugs could provide useful insights into the potential clinical treatment of bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifeng Zheng
- Department of Chemoradiotherapy, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
| | - Mengting Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Aboussekhra A, Islam SS, Alraouji NN. Activated breast stromal fibroblasts exhibit myoepithelial and mammary stem cells features. Transl Oncol 2023; 35:101721. [PMID: 37329829 PMCID: PMC10366632 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101721] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Active breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote tumor growth and spread, and like tumor cells they are also heterogeneous with various molecular sub-types and different pro-tumorigenic capacities. METHODS We have used immunoblotting as well as quantitative RT-PCR to assess the expression of various epithelial/mesenchymal as well as stemness markers in breast stromal fibroblasts. Immunofluorescence was utilized to assess the level of different myoepithelial and luminal markers at the cellular level. Flow cytometry allowed to determine the proportion of CD44- and ALDH1-positive breast fibroblasts, while sphere formation assay was used to test the ability of these cells to form mammospheres. RESULTS We have shown here that IL-6-dependent activation of breast and skin fibroblasts promotes mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and stemness in a STAT3- and p16-dependent manner. Interestingly, most primary CAFs isolated from breast cancer patients exhibited such transition and expressed lower levels of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin as compared to their adjacent normal fibroblasts (TCFs) isolated from the same patients. We have also shown that some CAFs and IL-6-activated fibroblasts express high levels of the myoepithelial markers cytokeratin 14 and CD10. Interestingly, 12 CAFs isolated from breast tumors showed higher proportions of CD24low/CD44high and ALDHhigh cells, compared to their corresponding TCF cells. These CD44high cells have higher abilities to form mammospheres and to enhance cell proliferation of breast cancer cells in a paracrine manner relative to their corresponding CD44low cells. CONCLUSION Together, the present findings show novel characteristics of active breast stromal fibroblasts, which exhibit additional myoepithelial/progenitor features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelilah Aboussekhra
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, MBC # 03, PO BOX 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Syed S Islam
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, MBC # 03, PO BOX 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noura N Alraouji
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, MBC # 03, PO BOX 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
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Wei L, Liu Z, Qin L, Xian L, Chen K, Zhou S, Hu L, Xiong Y, Li B, Qin Y. BORIS variant SF2(C2/A4) promotes the malignant development of liver cancer by activating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and hepatic stellate cells. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:731-742. [PMID: 36929051 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms of metastasis and recurrence of liver cancer remain largely unknown. Here, we found that Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) variant SF2(C2/A4) was highly expressed in high metastatic potential hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and clinical tumor samples, related to the formation of satellite nodules. Its over expression promoted self-renewal, the expression of tumor stem cell markers, chemoresistance, wound healing rate, invasion and metastasis of HepG2 and Hep3B cells; reinforced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), decreased the expression of E-cadherin and increased N-cadherin and Vimentin. Subcellular localization experiment showed that BORIS SF2(C2/A4) was localized in nucleus and cytoplasm. Further double luciferase reporter gene experiment confirmed that it bound to TWIST1 gene promoter and significantly increased latter expression. BORIS SF2(C2/A4) knock down induced apoptosis of HCCLM3 and PLC/PRF/5 cells, and increased the protein content of cleaved caspase 3. Additionally, BORIS SF2(C2/A4) over expression increased the expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in HepG2 and Hep3B cells. FGF2 expressed higher in HCC tumor tissues than in paired peri-tumor tissues, and its expression was positively correlated with BORIS SF2(C2/A4). Interestingly, high expression of FGF2 is also associated with the formation of satellite nodules. Moreover, using the medium from BORIS SF2(C2/A4) overexpressed cell lines to coculture hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) line LX-2, the latter could be activated and increased the expression of CD90 and PIGF, which is consistent with the effect of adding bFGF alone. These results indicate that BORIS SF2(C2/A4) plays a role in deterioration of liver cancer by regulating TWIST1 to induce EMT, and by FGF2 to activate HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Zhongjian Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lu Qin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Longjun Xian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Kefei Chen
- Department of Surgery Division of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Siqi Zhou
- Department of Surgery Division of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Department of Surgery Division of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yimei Xiong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Surgery Division of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yang Qin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
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Toshida K, Itoh S, Harada N, Morinaga A, Yugawa K, Tomiyama T, Kosai-Fujimoto Y, Tomino T, Kurihara T, Nagao Y, Morita K, Oda Y, Yoshizumi T. Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote tumor cell growth via miR-493-5p in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:937-947. [PMID: 36369960 PMCID: PMC9986089 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) progression is poorly understood. This study aimed to reveal whether specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from CAFs were involved in ICC progression. Conditioned medium (CM) and EVs in the CM of CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) derived from ICC specimens were used to investigate the effects on tumor cell lines. miRNA microarray assay was used to examine the miRNAs of EVs derived from CAFs and NFs in ICC, and the effects of miR-493-5p on tumor cell lines were examined. Additionally, databases were used to identify miR-493-5p targets, and the relationship between prognosis of ICC patients and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript propeptide (CARTPT), one of the targets of miR-493-5p, expression in ICC tissues was retrospectively analyzed. Compared with NF-derived CM and EVs, CAF-derived CM and EVs promoted cell lines in proliferation, scratch, migration, and invasion assays. miRNA microarray analysis revealed that miR-493-5p was significantly increased in CAF-derived EVs compared to NF-derived EVs. Tumor cell lines transfected with miR-493-5p were promoted in proliferation and scratch assays. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 76 ICC specimens; both overall and recurrence-free survival rates were significantly worse in the CARTPT-negative group. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that low CARTPT expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for overall and recurrence-free survival. Overall, our data suggest that CAFs in the ICC TME suppress CARTPT in tumor cells and promote tumor cells via miR-493-5p in EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuya Toshida
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Shinji Itoh
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Noboru Harada
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Akinari Morinaga
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kyohei Yugawa
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Tomiyama
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kosai-Fujimoto
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Tomino
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kurihara
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Nagao
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kazutoyo Morita
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Oda
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tomoharu Yoshizumi
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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Werchau N, Kotter B, Criado-Moronati E, Gosselink A, Cordes N, Lock D, Lennartz S, Kolbe C, Winter N, Teppert K, Engert F, Webster B, Mittelstaet J, Schaefer D, Mallmann P, Mallmann MR, Ratiu D, Assenmacher M, Schaser T, von Bergwelt-Baildon M, Abramowski P, Kaiser AD. Combined targeting of soluble latent TGF-ß and a solid tumor-associated antigen with adapter CAR T cells. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2140534. [PMID: 36387056 PMCID: PMC9662194 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2140534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Solid tumors consist of malignant and nonmalignant cells that together create the local tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, the TME is characterized by the expression of numerous soluble factors such as TGF-β. TGF-β plays an important role in the TME by suppressing T cell effector function and promoting tumor invasiveness. Up to now CAR T cells exclusively target tumor-associated antigens (TAA) located on the cell membrane. Thus, strategies to exploit soluble antigens as CAR targets within the TME are needed. This study demonstrates a novel approach using Adapter CAR (AdCAR) T cells for the detection of soluble latent TGF-β within the TME of a pancreatic tumor model. We show that AdCARs in combination with the respective adapter can be used to sense soluble tumor-derived latent TGF-β, both in vitro and in vivo. Sensing of the soluble antigen induced cellular activation and effector cytokine production in AdCAR T cells. Moreover, we evaluated AdCAR T cells for the combined targeting of soluble latent TGF-β and tumor cell killing by targeting CD66c as TAA in vivo. In sum, our study broadens the spectrum of targetable moieties for AdCAR T cells by soluble latent TGF-β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Werchau
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Kotter
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | - Nicole Cordes
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Dominik Lock
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Simon Lennartz
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Carolin Kolbe
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Nora Winter
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Karin Teppert
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Fabian Engert
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Brian Webster
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter Mallmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Cologne and Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael R. Mallmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Cologne and Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dominik Ratiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Cologne and Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Schaser
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Michael von Bergwelt-Baildon
- Department of Internal Medicine III and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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10
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Feng H, Zhuo Y, Zhang X, Li Y, Li Y, Duan X, Shi J, Xu C, Gao Y, Yu Z. Tumor Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Key Players for Immunotherapy. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:1109-1125. [PMID: 36320666 PMCID: PMC9618253 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s381764] [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: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a serious medical therapeutic challenge as conventional curative avenues such as surgery and chemotherapy only benefit for few patients with limited tumor burden. Immunotherapy achieves clinical progress in the treatment of this prevalent malignant disease by virtue of the development of tumor immunology; however, most patients have experienced minimal or no clinical benefit in terms of overall survival. The complexity and diversity of tumor microenvironment (TME) built by immune and stromal cell subsets has been considered to be responsible for the insufficiency of immunotherapy. The advance of bioanalytical technology boosts the exploration of the composition and differentiation of these infiltrated cells, which reflect the immune state of the TME and impact the efficacy of the antitumor immune response. Targeting these cells to remodel the TME is one of the important immunotherapeutic approaches to improve HCC treatment. In this review, we focused on the role of these non-cancerous cells in the tumor progression, and elaborated their function on cancer immunotherapy when manipulating them as potential targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Feng
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunhui Zhuo
- Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuyao Li
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Li
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangjuan Duan
- Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jia Shi
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengbin Xu
- Department of Informatics, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueqiu Gao
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China,Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Yueqiu Gao, Institute of Infectious Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21 20256507, Fax +86 21 20256699, Email
| | - Zhuo Yu
- Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China,Zhuo Yu, Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21 20256507, Fax +86 21 20256699, Email
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11
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Yu L, Shen N, Shi Y, Shi X, Fu X, Li S, Zhu B, Yu W, Zhang Y. Characterization of cancer-related fibroblasts (CAF) in hepatocellular carcinoma and construction of CAF-based risk signature based on single-cell RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1009789. [PMID: 36211448 PMCID: PMC9537943 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1009789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are involved in tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. We sought to explore the CAFs characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and establish a CAF-based risk signature for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. Methods The signal-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data was obtained from the GEO database. Bulk RNA-seq data and microarray data of HCC were obtained from the TCGA and GEO databases respectively. Seurat R package was applied to process scRNA-seq data and identify CAF clusters according to the CAF markers. Differential expression analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and tumor samples in TCGA dataset. Then Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the DEGs associated with CAF clusters, followed by the univariate Cox regression analysis to identify CAF-related prognostic genes. Lasso regression was implemented to construct a risk signature based on CAF-related prognostic genes. Finally, a nomogram model based on the risk signature and clinicopathological characteristics was developed. Results Based on scRNA-seq data, we identified 4 CAF clusters in HCC, 3 of which were associated with prognosis in HCC. A total of 423 genes were identified from 2811 DEGs to be significantly correlated with CAF clusters, and were narrowed down to generate a risk signature with 6 genes. These six genes were primarily connected with 39 pathways, such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, and hypoxia. Meanwhile, the risk signature was significantly associated with stromal and immune scores, as well as some immune cells. Multivariate analysis revealed that risk signature was an independent prognostic factor for HCC, and its value in predicting immunotherapeutic outcomes was confirmed. A novel nomogram integrating the stage and CAF-based risk signature was constructed, which exhibited favorable predictability and reliability in the prognosis prediction of HCC. Conclusion CAF-based risk signatures can effectively predict the prognosis of HCC, and comprehensive characterization of the CAF signature of HCC may help to interpret the response of HCC to immunotherapy and provide new strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghe Yu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningjia Shen
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xintong Shi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohui Fu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Bioinformatics R&D Department, Hangzhou Mugu Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Bin Zhu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Wenlong Yu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Yongjie Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
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12
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Peng H, Zhu E, Zhang Y. Advances of cancer-associated fibroblasts in liver cancer. Biomark Res 2022; 10:59. [PMID: 35971182 PMCID: PMC9380339 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00406-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, it is ranked sixth in incidence and fourth in mortality. According to the distinct origin of malignant tumor cells, liver cancer is mainly divided into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Since most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, the prognosis of liver cancer is poor. Tumor growth depends on the dynamic interaction of various cellular components in the tumor microenvironment (TME). As the most abundant components of tumor stroma, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been involved in the progression of liver cancer. The interplay between CAFs and tumor cells, immune cells, or vascular endothelial cells in the TME through direct cell-to-cell contact or indirect paracrine interaction, affects the initiation and development of tumors. Additionally, CAFs are not a homogeneous cell population in liver cancer. Recently, single-cell sequencing technology has been used to help better understand the diversity of CAFs in liver cancer. In this review, we mainly update the knowledge of CAFs both in HCC and CCA, including their cell origins, chemoresistance, tumor stemness induction, tumor immune microenvironment formation, and the role of tumor cells on CAFs. Understanding the context-dependent role of different CAFs subsets provides new strategies for precise liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Peng
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Erwei Zhu
- The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang (The Oncology Hospital of Lianyungang), Lianyungang, 222006, China
| | - Yewei Zhang
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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13
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Wu J, Deng H, Zhong H, Wang T, Rao Z, Wang Y, Chen Y, Zhang C. Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Evaluation of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:924223. [PMID: 35860594 PMCID: PMC9289292 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.924223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Several studies have demonstrated that 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT shows high intratumoral tracer uptake and low normal tissue uptake, allowing for excellent visualization of cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT for the evaluation of newly diagnosed NSCLC. Materials and Methods A prospective analysis of 28 individuals with histopathologically newly confirmed NSCLC that underwent 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT was conducted. The performance of two imaging modalities was compared based upon visual assessment, rates of cancer detection, and semi-quantitative parameters (target-to-background ratio [TBR], maximum standard uptake value [SUVmax]) for both primary tumors and metastases. Results In total, this study enrolled 28 participants (13 male, 15 female; median age: 60.5 years, range: 34 – 78 years. <u>For primary tumors, 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT have similar detection performance (28 vs. 27). However, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT was found to more effectively evaluate most metastases as compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT detecting more metastases present within the lymph nodes (53 vs. 49), pleura (8 vs. 7), liver (4 vs. 1), and bone (41 vs. 35).</u> The SUVmax and TBR values for 68Ga-FAPI were substantially superior to those for 18F-FDG in lymph node, pleural, and bone metastases. While the SUVmax for these two imaging approaches was comparable for hepatic metastases, 68Ga-FAPI exhibited a significantly higher TBR in relation to that of 18F-FDG. In addition, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrates excellent N (80% [8/10]) and M (92.9% [26/28]) staging accuracy in NSCLC patients. Conclusions 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT as an examination modality is excellent for evaluation of newly diagnosed NSCLC. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT improves the detection rates of most metastases and facilitating the superior staging of patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC, relative to that achieved by 18F-FDG PET/CT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Haoshu Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Stem Cell Laboratory, The Clinical Research Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of the General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zijuan Rao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Yingwei Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Chunyin Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Chunyin Zhang,
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14
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Xu H, Zhao J, Li J, Zhu Z, Cui Z, Liu R, Lu R, Yao Z, Xu Q. Cancer associated fibroblast-derived CCL5 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis through activating HIF1α/ZEB1 axis. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:478. [PMID: 35589690 PMCID: PMC9119971 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04935-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most enriched components of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) microenvironment, which are tightly related to the metastasis and invasion of HCC. We identified a mechanism by which CAF-derived chemokine CCL5 enhanced HCC metastasis by triggering the HIF1α/ZEB1 axis. We demonstrated that CAFs derived from HCC tissues promoted the migration and invasion of HCC cells and facilitated metastasis to the lung of NOD/SCID mice. Then the chemokine antibody array elucidated the higher chemokine CCL5 level secreted by CAFs than by paracancerous tissue fibroblasts (PTFs). Mechanistically, we found that CAF-derived CCL5 inhibited the ubiquitination and degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) by binding to specific receptors, maintained HIF1α under normoxia, thereby up-regulated the downstream gene zinc finger enhancer-binding protein 1 (ZEB1) and induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), ultimately validating its ability to promote lung metastasis of HCC. And this novel mechanism may have association with poor prognosis. Taken together, targeting CAF-derived CCL5 mediated HIF1α/ZEB1 cascade possibly propose a new therapeutic route for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixu Xu
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Jinping Li
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China ,Tianjin Kangzhe Pharmaceutical Technology Development Company, Ltd, 300042 Tianjin, China
| | - Zhifeng Zhu
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China ,Tianjin Kangzhe Pharmaceutical Technology Development Company, Ltd, 300042 Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaohai Cui
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Ran Liu
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Rong Lu
- Tianjin Kangzhe Pharmaceutical Technology Development Company, Ltd, 300042 Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi Yao
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Qiong Xu
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China ,Tianjin Kangzhe Pharmaceutical Technology Development Company, Ltd, 300042 Tianjin, China
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15
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Kato K, Fukai M, Hatanaka KC, Takasawa A, Aoyama T, Hayasaka T, Matsuno Y, Kamiyama T, Hatanaka Y, Taketomi A. Versican Secreted by Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2022; 29:7135-7146. [PMID: 35543908 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-022-11862-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly recurrent. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of the tumor microenvironment, promote malignancy; however, the mechanisms underlying their actions are obscure. We aimed to identify CAF-specific proteins in HCC and determine whether they could be potential therapeutic targets. METHODS Using comprehensive proteomic analysis of CAFs and noncancerous fibroblasts (NFs) primary-cultured from resected HCC specimens from the same patients, CAF-specific proteins were identified. Immunohistochemistry for versican (VCAN) was performed on cancerous tissues obtained from 239 patients with HCC. Conditioned medium from CAFs transfected with siRNA for VCAN was analyzed in vitro. RESULTS CAFs significantly promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion (p < 0.01, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively) compared with NFs. VCAN was upregulated in CAFs, and its stromal level correlated with poor differentiation (p = 0.009) and positive vascular invasion (p = 0.003). Stromal VCAN level was also associated with significantly lower overall (p = 0.002) and relapse-free (p < 0.001) survival rates. It also independently predicted prognosis and recurrence. VCAN-knockdown CAFs significantly suppressed HCC cell migration and invasion compared with negative control. CONCLUSIONS VCAN secreted from CAFs promoted malignant transformation of HCC cells and has potential as a new therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Kato
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Moto Fukai
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kanako C Hatanaka
- Center for Development of Advanced Diagnostics (C-DAD), Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.,Clinical Research and Medical Innovation Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akira Takasawa
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Aoyama
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hayasaka
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Matsuno
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toshiya Kamiyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Hatanaka
- Center for Development of Advanced Diagnostics (C-DAD), Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.,Research Division of Genome Companion Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akinobu Taketomi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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16
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She S, Ren L, Chen P, Wang M, Chen D, Wang Y, Chen H. Functional Roles of Chemokine Receptor CCR2 and Its Ligands in Liver Disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:812431. [PMID: 35281057 PMCID: PMC8913720 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.812431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are a family of cytokines that orchestrate the migration and positioning of immune cells within tissues and are critical for the function of the immune system. CCR2 participates in liver pathology, including acute liver injury, chronic hepatitis, fibrosis/cirrhosis, and tumor progression, by mediating the recruitment of immune cells to inflammation and tumor sites. Although a variety of chemokines have been well studied in various diseases, there is no comprehensive review presenting the roles of all known chemokine ligands of CCR2 (CCL2, CCL7, CCL8, CCL12, CCL13, CCL16, and PSMP) in liver disease, and this review aims to fill this gap. The introduction of each chemokine includes its discovery, its corresponding chemotactic receptors, physiological functions and roles in inflammation and tumors, and its impact on different immune cell subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoping She
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liying Ren
- Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Pu Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongbo Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongsong Chen
- Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Hongsong Chen,
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17
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Salah RA, Nasr MA, El-Derby AM, Abd Elkodous M, Mohamed RH, El-Ekiaby N, Osama A, Elshenawy SE, Hamad MHM, Magdeldin S, Gabr MM, Abdelaziz AI, El-Badri NS. Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line-microenvironment induced cancer-associated phenotype, genotype and functionality in mesenchymal stem cells. Life Sci 2022; 288:120168. [PMID: 34826437 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown promise in liver cancer treatment. However, when MSCs are recruited to hepatic site of injury, they acquire cancerous promoting phenotype. AIMS To assess the influence of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) microenvironment on human adipose MSCs (hA-MSCs) and predict hA-MSCs intracellular miRNAs role. MATERIALS AND METHODS After indirect co-culturing with Huh-7 cells, hA-MSCs were characterized via cell cycle profile, proliferation and migration potentials by MTT and scratch assays respectively. Functional enrichment analysis of deregulated proteins and miRNA targets was also analyzed. KEY FINDINGS Co-cultured hA-MSCs could acquire a cancer-associated phenotype as shown by upregulation of CAF, cancer markers, and downregulation of differentiation markers. Migration of these cancer-associated cells was increased concomitantly with upregulation of adhesion molecules, but not epithelial to mesenchymal transition markers. Co-cultured cells showed increased proliferation confirmed by downregulation in cell percentage in G0/G1, G2/M and upregulation in S phases of cell cycle. Upregulation of miR-17-5p and 615-5p in co-cultured hA-MSCs was also observed. Functional enrichment analysis of dysregulated proteins in co-cultured hA-MSCs, including our selected miRNAs targets, showed their involvement in development of cancer-associated characteristics. SIGNIFICANCE This study suggests an interaction between tumor cells and surrounding stromal components to generate cancer associated phenotype of some CAF-like characteristics, known to favor cancer progression. This sheds the light on the use of hA-MSCs in HCC therapy. hA-MSCs modulation may be partially achieved via dysregulation of intracellular miR17-5P and 615-5p expression, suggesting an important role for miRNAs in HCC pathogenesis, and as a possible therapeutic candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radwa Ayman Salah
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A Nasr
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
| | - Azza M El-Derby
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
| | - M Abd Elkodous
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
| | - Rania Hassan Mohamed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nada El-Ekiaby
- School of Medicine NewGiza University (NGU), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Aya Osama
- Proteomics and metabolomics Research Program, Basic Research Department, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 57357 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Shimaa E Elshenawy
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
| | | | - Sameh Magdeldin
- Proteomics and metabolomics Research Program, Basic Research Department, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 57357 Cairo, Egypt; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud M Gabr
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | | | - Nagwa S El-Badri
- Center of Excellence for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt.
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18
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Gouda G, Gupta MK, Donde R, Behera L, Vadde R. Tumor microenvironment in heptocellular carcinoma. THERANOSTICS AND PRECISION MEDICINE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA 2022:109-124. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98806-3.00007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
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19
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Hao X, Sun G, Zhang Y, Kong X, Rong D, Song J, Tang W, Wang X. Targeting Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of HCC: New Opportunities and Challenges. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:775462. [PMID: 34869376 PMCID: PMC8633569 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.775462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune associated cells in the microenvironment have a significant impact on the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and have received more and more attention. Different types of immune-associated cells play different roles, including promoting/inhibiting HCC and several different types that are controversial. It is well known that immune escape of HCC has become a difficult problem in tumor therapy. Therefore, in recent years, a large number of studies have focused on the immune microenvironment of HCC, explored many mechanisms worth identifying tumor immunosuppression, and developed a variety of immunotherapy methods as targets, laying the foundation for the final victory in the fight against HCC. This paper reviews recent studies on the immune microenvironment of HCC that are more reliable and important, and provides a more comprehensive view of the investigation of the immune microenvironment of HCC and the development of more immunotherapeutic approaches based on the relevant summaries of different immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopei Hao
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangshun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao 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 Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangyi Kong
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, 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 Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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20
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Satilmis B, Sahin TT, Cicek E, Akbulut S, Yilmaz S. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Microenvironment and Its Implications in Terms of Anti-tumor Immunity: Future Perspectives for New Therapeutics. J Gastrointest Cancer 2021; 52:1198-1205. [PMID: 34625923 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular cancer is an insidious tumor that is often diagnosed in a later stage of life. The tumor microenvironment is the key to tumorigenesis and progression. Many cellular and non-cellular components orchestrate the intricate process of hepatocarcinogenesis. The most important feature of hepatocellular cancer is the immune evasion process. The present review aims to summarize the key components of the tumor microenvironment in the immune evasion process. METHODS Google Scholar and PubMed databases have been searched for the mesh terms "Hepatocellular carcinoma" or "Liver Cancer" and "microenvironment." The articles were reviewed and the components of the tumor microenvironment were summarized. RESULTS The tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells and non-tumoral stromal and immune cells. HCC tumor microenvironment supports aggressive tumor behavior, provides immune evasion, and is an obstacle for current immunotherapeutic strategies. The components of the tumor microenvironment are intratumoral macrophages (tumor-associated macrophages (TAM)), bone marrow-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, and the activated hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSION There are intricate mechanisms that drive hepatocarcinogenesis. The tumor microenvironment is at the center of all the complex and diverse mechanisms. Effective and multistep immunotherapies should be developed to target different components of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basri Satilmis
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Tevfik Tolga Sahin
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey.
| | - Egemen Cicek
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sami Akbulut
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sezai Yilmaz
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
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21
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Dituri F, Centonze M, Berenschot EJW, Tas NR, Susarrey-Arce A, Krol S. Complex Tumor Spheroid Formation and One-Step Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Purification from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissue Promoted by Inorganic Surface Topography. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:3233. [PMID: 34947582 PMCID: PMC8706479 DOI: 10.3390/nano11123233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In vitro cell models play important roles as testbeds for toxicity studies, drug development, or as replacements in animal experiments. In particular, complex tumor models such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed to predict drug efficacy and facilitate translation into clinical practice. In this work, topographical features of amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) are fabricated and tested for cell culture of primary HCC cells and cell lines. The topographies vary from pyramids to octahedrons to structures named fractals, with increased hierarchy and organized in periodic arrays (square or Hexagonal). The pyramids were found to promote complex 2D/3D tissue formation from primary HCC cells. It was found that the 2D layer was mainly composed of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), while the 3D spheroids were composed of tumor cells enwrapped by a CAF layer. Compared with conventional protocols for 3D cultures, this novel approach mimics the 2D/3D complexity of the original tumor by invading CAFs and a microtumor. Topographies such as octahedrons and fractals exclude tumor cells and allow one-step isolation of CAFs even directly from tumor tissue of patients as the CAFs migrate into the structured substrate. Cell lines form spheroids within a short time. The presented inorganic topographical surfaces stimulate complex spheroid formation while avoiding additional biological scaffolds and allowing direct visualization on the substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Dituri
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
| | - Matteo Centonze
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
| | - Erwin J. W. Berenschot
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Niels R. Tas
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Arturo Susarrey-Arce
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Silke Krol
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
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22
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Kalasekar SM, VanSant-Webb CH, Evason KJ. Intratumor Heterogeneity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5524. [PMID: 34771685 PMCID: PMC8582820 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a leading cause of cancer-related death, but it remains difficult to treat. Intratumor genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity are inherent properties of breast, skin, lung, prostate, and brain tumors, and intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) helps define prognosis and therapeutic response in these cancers. Several recent studies estimate that ITH is inherent to HCC and attribute the clinical intractability of HCC to this heterogeneity. In this review, we examine the evidence for genomic, phenotypic, and tumor microenvironment ITH in HCC, with a focus on two of the top molecular drivers of HCC: β-catenin (CTNNB1) and Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). We discuss the influence of ITH on HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy, while highlighting the gaps in knowledge and possible future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kimberley J. Evason
- Department of Pathology and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (S.M.K.); (C.H.V.-W.)
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23
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Jin X, Yin J, Zhu H, Li W, Yu K, Liu M, Zhang X, Lu M, Wan Z, Huang X. SMG9 Serves as an Oncogene to Promote the Tumor Progression via EMT and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:701454. [PMID: 34456727 PMCID: PMC8397484 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.701454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Aims: SMG9 participates in the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay process that degrades mRNA harboring nonsense mutations introduced either at the level of transcription or RNA processing. However, little is known about the role of SMG9 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this research was to clarify the effects of SMG9 expression on HCC progression. Methods: Microarray data were acquired from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to bioinformatically analyze the differential expression of SMG9 between HCC patients and normal controls. SMG9 mRNA level was measured in sixteen sets of fresh tumor tissues and adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues (ANLTs) via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). SMG9 protein expression was analyzed in ninety-five sets of paired formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens by immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, clinicopathological features of SMG9 in HCC were checked. For in vitro studies, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence SMG9 expression for exploring biological functions and underlying mechanisms of SMG9 in SMMC-7721 and HepG2. Results: We found that SMG9 was upregulated in HCC tissues and SMG9 levels were closely related to TNM stage, tumor number and tumor size. Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier proportional hazards analyses showed that high expression of SMG9 was associated with poor patient survival. Furthermore, proliferation, apoptosis resistance, migration and invasion of both SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells were suppressed by SMG9 inhibition. In addition, EMT and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were involved in SMG9-mediated HCC progression. Conclusions: SMG9 may serve as a potential novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Jin
- Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Yin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hongling Zhu
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Armed Police Corps Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Weikang Li
- Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kewei Yu
- Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miao Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiujuan Zhang
- Department of Liver Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miaolian Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zemin Wan
- Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianzhang Huang
- Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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24
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Tokuda K, Morine Y, Miyazaki K, Yamada S, Saito Y, Nishi M, Tokunaga T, Ikemoto T, Imura S, Shimada M. The interaction between cancer associated fibroblasts and tumor associated macrophages via the osteopontin pathway in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2021; 12:333-343. [PMID: 33659044 PMCID: PMC7899554 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-tumor associated macrophage (TAM)-cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) interactions are an important factor in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were cultured with cancer cell-conditioned medium (Ca.-CM), TAM-CM and CAF-CM, and the expression of CAF markers were evaluated by RT-PCR. Whether HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM contributed to the enhanced malignancy of cancer cells was examined using proliferation, invasion and migration assays. Furthermore, the differences between these three types of CM were evaluated using cytokine arrays. RESULTS HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM showed significantly increased mRNA expression of αSMA, FAP and IL-6. All HSCs cultured with each CM exhibited significantly increased proliferation, invasion and migration of cancer cells. The osteopontin concentration was significantly higher in HSCs cultured with TAM-CM than the other CAF-CMs. Osteopontin inhibition significantly reduced osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM and suppressed the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells enhanced by HSCs cultured with TAM-CM. CONCLUSIONS We observed enhanced osteopontin secretion from TAMs, and this increased osteopontin further promoted osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM, leading to increased malignancy. For the first time, we demonstrated the importance of cancer-TAM-CAF interactions via osteopontin in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazunori Tokuda
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yuji Morine
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Katsuki Miyazaki
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Yamada
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yu Saito
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nishi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takuya Tokunaga
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ikemoto
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Satoru Imura
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Shimada
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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25
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She Q, Hu S, Pu X, Guo Q, Mou C, Yang C. The effect of hepatocellular carcinoma-associated fibroblasts on hepatoma vasculogenic mimicry. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:4198-4210. [PMID: 33414995 PMCID: PMC7783763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vasculogenic Mimicry (VM) is the main source of blood supply in the early stage of tumor growth. Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most important host cells in the tumor microenvironment. Some studies have found that CAFs can promote tumor angiogenesis, but there are few reports on the relationship between CAFs and VM. Tissue samples were collected from 60 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 10 persons with normal liver function. The relationship between VM expression and clinicopathologic features was analyzed. Furthermore, the relationship between VM expression and vimentin or α-SMA expression was analyzed. Primary culture of hepatocellular CAFs and the collection of conditioned media were carried out. The effects of hepatocellular CAF conditioned medium on the formation of VM and the levels of VM-related proteins and genes in MHCC-97H cells were studied. The positive rate of VM was 35.0% in HCC tissues. There was no VM expression in normal liver tissues. VM expression was related to tumor diameter, Edmondson grade, clinical stage, and liver cirrhosis. The expression of vimentin and α-SMA in VM-positive patients was higher than in VM-negative patients. Different concentrations of hepatocellular CAF conditioned medium could promote the formation of VM and increase the expression of VM-related genes and proteins (MMP2 and EphA2) in MHCC-97H cells. The results show that there was a significant correlation between VM formation and the expression of vimentin or α-SMA in HCC tissues. The conditioned medium of hepatocellular CAFs may promote VM formation and the expression of VM-related genes and proteins (MMP2 and EphA2) in hepatoma cell line MHCC-97H.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin She
- Department of Pathology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shuya Hu
- Department of Pathology, Sichuan Mianyang 404 HospitalMianyang, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xia Pu
- Department of Pathology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qingxi Guo
- Department of Pathology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Chunru Mou
- Department of Pathology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Chengwan Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou, Sichuan Province, China
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26
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Jiang S, Zhang J, Bian J, Zhang L, Xu Y, Zhao H, Sang X, Lu X. Novel nomograms based on immune and stromal scores for predicting the disease-free and overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing radical surgery. J Surg Oncol 2020; 122:1569-1579. [PMID: 32885449 DOI: 10.1002/jso.26197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stromal and immune cells play important roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. However, tools for predicting the prognosis of patients with HCC based on stromal and immune scores are not well established. We aimed to develop nomograms that predicted the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients after radical surgery. METHODS Basic information of 251 patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Multivariate Cox analyses identified variables predicting the prognosis of patients. DFS and OS nomograms were constructed based on the stromal and immune scores of the training group and verified in the well-matched test group. RESULTS An intermediate stromal score (hazards ratio [HR] = 3.177; P < .001] was an independent risk factor for DFS. An intermediate immune score independently predicted a longer DFS (HR = 0.323; P = .002) and OS (HR = 0.305; P = .021); a high immune score predicted a longer DFS (HR = 0.289; P = .002). The concordance index (C-index) of nomograms was 0.729 for DFS and 0.696 for OS in the test group. CONCLUSION Nomograms based on the stromal and immune scores favorably predicted the DFS and OS of patients with HCC after radical surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shitao Jiang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Junwei Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Bian
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yiyao Xu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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27
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Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression through downregulation of exosomal miR-150-3p. Eur J Surg Oncol 2020; 47:384-393. [PMID: 32883551 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and deadly cancer. The prognosis of HCC is poor and is related to tumor progression. The malignant potential of HCC is regulated by the tumor microenvironment (TME). As cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) help regulate tumor progression, understanding how they function in HCC could improve patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in exosomes derived from CAFs might be involved in HCC progression. METHODS MiRNA microarray assay was used to analyze miRNA profiles of exosomes derived from CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) in HCC. Migration and invasion assays were performed to examine the effects of miR-150-3p on HCC in vitro. In addition, the relationships between prognosis of HCC patients and miR-150-3p expression in HCC tissues and plasma exosomes were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS MiR-150-3p was significantly reduced in CAFs-derived exosomes, and inhibited HCC migration and invasiveness. MiR-150-3p was transferred from CAFs transfected miR-150-3p to HCC cells through exosomes, and abrogated HCC migration and invasiveness. Furthermore, low miR-150-3p expression in HCC tissues was a significant risk factor for recurrence in HCC patients. More importantly, survival rate in patients with low miR-150-3p levels in plasma exosomes was significantly poor compared with that in patients with high miR-150-3p levels. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings suggest that the loss of antitumoral miR-150-3p in CAFs-derived exosomes greatly promotes HCC progression. Exosomal miR-150-3p is a potential prognostic biomarker, and transferring miR-150-3p-loaded exosomes to HCC cells might become a novel therapeutic option.
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Liu YC, Yeh CT, Lin KH. Cancer Stem Cell Functions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Comprehensive Therapeutic Strategies. Cells 2020; 9:cells9061331. [PMID: 32466488 PMCID: PMC7349579 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality owing to resistance to traditional treatments and tumor recurrence after therapy, which leads to poor therapeutic outcomes. Cancer stem cells (CSC) are a small subset of tumor cells with the capability to influence self-renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenesis. A number of surface markers for liver cancer stem cell (LCSC) subpopulations (EpCAM, CD133, CD44, CD13, CD90, OV-6, CD47, and side populations) in HCC have been identified. LCSCs play critical roles in regulating HCC stemness, self-renewal, tumorigenicity, metastasis, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance via genetic mutations, epigenetic disruption, signaling pathway dysregulation, or alterations microenvironment. Accumulating studies have shown that biomarkers for LCSCs contribute to diagnosis and prognosis prediction of HCC, supporting their utility in clinical management and development of therapeutic strategies. Preclinical and clinical analyses of therapeutic approaches for HCC using small molecule inhibitors, oncolytic measles viruses, and anti-surface marker antibodies have demonstrated selective, efficient, and safe targeting of LCSC populations. The current review focuses on recent reports on the influence of LCSCs on HCC stemness, tumorigenesis, and multiple drug resistance (MDR), along with LCSC-targeted therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
| | - Kwang-Huei Lin
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +886-3-211-8263
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Liu Z, Chen M, Zhao R, Huang Y, Liu F, Li B, Qin Y. CAF-induced placental growth factor facilitates neoangiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:18-25. [PMID: 31828297 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmz134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As a highly malignant tumor, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In most HCC patients, the development of HCC begins with hepatitis, which is followed by fibrosis and cirrhosis before progressing to HCC. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are generally believed to be derived from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), are highly involved in the development of HCC through the secretion of cytokines and angiogenic factors. The results of our study showed that a considerable number of CAFs highly expressed CD90 and were enriched in HCC tissues. Bioinformatics analysis of the transcriptome of HCC tissues revealed that placental growth factor (PlGF) is significantly correlated with CD90 expression. The isolated primary CAFs and activated HSCs overexpressed PlGF and CD90. In addition, the results of gene expression profiling interactive analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas showed that high levels of both PlGF and CD90 are correlated with tumor angiogenesis markers (CD31, CD34, and CD105) and predict poor HCC patient prognosis. In summary, our results suggest that CAFs can generate PlGF and may provide an effective target for CAFs-regulated neoangiogenesis in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjian Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Mingmei Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rongce Zhao
- Division of Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Division of Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bo Li
- Division of Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yang Qin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Tumor microenvironment targeted nanotherapeutics for cancer therapy and diagnosis: A review. Acta Biomater 2020; 101:43-68. [PMID: 31518706 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent findings suggest that the cellular and extracellular materials surrounding the cancerous cells from an atypical tumor microenvironment (TM) play a pivotal role in the process of tumor initiation and progression. TM comprises an intricate system involving diverse cell types including endothelial cells, pericytes, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, various inflammatory cells, dendritic cells, and cancer stem cells (CSCs). The TM-forming cells dynamically interact with the cancerous cells through various signaling mechanisms and pathways. The existence of this dynamic cellular communication is responsible for creating an environment suitable for sustaining a reasonably high cellular proliferation. Presently, researchers are showing interest to use these TM conditions to mediate effective targeting measures for cancer therapy. The use of nanotherapeutics-based combination therapy; stimuli-responsive nanotherapeutics targeting acidic pH, hypoxic environment; and nanoparticle-induced hyperthermia are some of the approaches that are under intense investigation for cancer therapy. This review discusses TM and its role in cancer progression and crosstalk understanding, opportunities, and epigenetic modifications involved therein to materialize the capability of nanotherapeutics to target cancer by availing TM. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This article presents various recent reports, proof-of-concept studies, patents, and clinical trials on the concept of tumor microenvironment for mediating the cancer-specific delivery of nanotechnology-based systems bearing anticancer drug and diagnostics. We highlight the potential of tumor microenvironment; its role in disease progression, opportunities, challenges, and allied treatment strategies for effective cancer therapy by conceptual understanding of tumor microenvironment and epigenetic modifications involved. Specifically, nanoparticle-based approaches to target various processes related to tumor microenvironment (pH responsive, hypoxic environment responsive, targeting of specific cells involved in tumor microenvironment, etc.) are dealt in detail.
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An Y, Liu F, Chen Y, Yang Q. Crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells in cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 24:13-24. [PMID: 31642585 PMCID: PMC6933413 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies have shown that cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in tumour progression, including carcinogenesis, invasion, metastasis and the chemoresistance of cancer cells. Immune cells, including macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells and T cells, play a dual role in the tumour microenvironment. Although increasing research has focused on studying interactions between distinct cells in the tumour microenvironment, the complex relationships between CAFs and immune cells remain unclear and need further study. Here, we summarize our current understanding of crosstalk between CAFs and immune cells, which may help clarify their diagnostic and therapeutic value in tumour progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan An
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Fengtian Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
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Tsang M, Quesnel K, Vincent K, Hutchenreuther J, Postovit LM, Leask A. Insights into Fibroblast Plasticity: Cellular Communication Network 2 Is Required for Activation of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in a Murine Model of Melanoma. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 190:206-221. [PMID: 31610176 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor stroma resembles a fibrotic microenvironment, being characterized by the presence of myofibroblast-like cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In wild-type mice injected with melanoma cells, we show that the stem cell transcription factor Sox2 is expressed by tumor cells and induced in CAFs derived from synthetic fibroblasts. These fibroblasts were labeled postnatally with green fluorescent protein using mice expressing a tamoxifen-dependent Cre recombinase under the control of a fibroblast-specific promoter/enhancer. Conversely, fibroblast activation was impaired in mice with a fibroblast-specific deletion of cellular communication network 2 (Ccn2), associated with reduced expression of α-smooth muscle actin and Sox2. Multipotent Sox2-expressing skin-derived precursor (SKP) spheroids were cultured from murine back skin. Using lineage tracing and flow cytometry, approximately 40% of SKPs were found to be derived from type I collagen-lineage cells and acquired multipotency in culture. Inhibition of mechanotransduction pathways prevented myofibroblast differentiation of SKPs and expression of Ccn2. In SKPs deleted for Ccn2, differentiation into a myofibroblast, but not an adipocyte or neuronal phenotype, was also impaired. In human melanoma, CCN2 expression was associated with a profibrotic integrin alpha (ITGA) 11-expressing subset of CAFs that negatively associated with survival. These results suggest that synthetic dermal fibroblasts are plastic, and that CCN2 is required for the differentiation of dermal progenitor cells into a myofibroblast/CAF phenotype and is, therefore, a therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Tsang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katherine Quesnel
- Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krista Vincent
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Hutchenreuther
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Leask
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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Yin Z, Dong C, Jiang K, Xu Z, Li R, Guo K, Shao S, Wang L. Heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts and roles in the progression, prognosis, and therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:101. [PMID: 31547836 PMCID: PMC6757399 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0782-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal disease, and recurrence and metastasis are the major causes of death in HCC patients. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major stromal cell type in the HCC microenvironment, promote HCC progression, and have gradually become a hot research topic in HCC-targeted therapy. This review comprehensively describes and discusses the heterogeneous tissue distribution, cellular origin, phenotype, and biological functions of HCC-associated fibroblasts. Furthermore, the possible use of CAFs for predicting HCC prognosis and in targeted therapeutic strategies is discussed, highlighting the critical roles of CAFs in HCC progression, diagnosis, and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeli Yin
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
| | - Chengyong Dong
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
| | - Keqiu Jiang
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhe Xu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
| | - Rui Li
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China
| | - Kun Guo
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
| | - Shujuan Shao
- Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Lvshun South Road, Lvshunkou District, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
| | - Liming Wang
- Engineering Research Center for New Materials and Precision Treatment Technology of Malignant Tumors Therapy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116027, Liaoning, China.
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Lu C, Rong D, Zhang B, Zheng W, Wang X, Chen Z, Tang W. Current perspectives on the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: challenges and opportunities. Mol Cancer 2019; 18:130. [PMID: 31464625 PMCID: PMC6714090 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-019-1047-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is on the rise due to the prevalence of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Although there are surgical and chemotherapy treatment avenues the mortality rate of HCC remains high. Immunotherapy is currently the new frontier of cancer treatment and the immunobiology of HCC is emerging as an area for further exploration. The tumor microenvironment coexists and interacts with various immune cells to sustain the growth of HCC. Thus, immunosuppressive cells play an important role in the anti-tumor immune response. This review will discuss the current concepts of immunosuppressive cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, marrow-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated neutrophils, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and regulatory T cell interactions to actively promote tumorigenesis. It further elaborates on current treatment modalities and future areas of exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Betty Zhang
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wubin Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. .,Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ziyi Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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The Role of Fibrosis and Liver-Associated Fibroblasts in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019. [PMID: 30959975 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071723.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Most HCC develops in the setting of chronic liver injury, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in liver fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis, respectively. CAFs, which probably derive from HSCs, activate into extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts and crosstalk with cancer cells to affect tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we describe the different components which form the HCC premalignant microenvironment (PME) and the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing on the liver fibrosis process and the biology of CAFs. We will describe the CAF-dependent mechanisms which have been suggested to promote hepatocarcinogenesis, such as the alteration of ECM, CAF-dependent production of cytokines and angiogenic factors, CAF-dependent reduction of immuno-surveillance, and CAF-dependent promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). New knowledge of the fibrosis process and the role of CAFs in HCC may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for liver cancer.
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Baglieri J, Brenner DA, Kisseleva T. The Role of Fibrosis and Liver-Associated Fibroblasts in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071723. [PMID: 30959975 PMCID: PMC6479943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Most HCC develops in the setting of chronic liver injury, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in liver fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis, respectively. CAFs, which probably derive from HSCs, activate into extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts and crosstalk with cancer cells to affect tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we describe the different components which form the HCC premalignant microenvironment (PME) and the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing on the liver fibrosis process and the biology of CAFs. We will describe the CAF-dependent mechanisms which have been suggested to promote hepatocarcinogenesis, such as the alteration of ECM, CAF-dependent production of cytokines and angiogenic factors, CAF-dependent reduction of immuno-surveillance, and CAF-dependent promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). New knowledge of the fibrosis process and the role of CAFs in HCC may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Baglieri
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - David A Brenner
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Peltanova B, Raudenska M, Masarik M. Effect of tumor microenvironment on pathogenesis of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review. Mol Cancer 2019; 18:63. [PMID: 30927923 PMCID: PMC6441173 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-019-0983-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is comprised of many different cell populations, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts and various infiltrating immune cells, and non-cell components of extracellular matrix. These crucial parts of the surrounding stroma can function as both positive and negative regulators of all hallmarks of cancer development, including evasion of apoptosis, induction of angiogenesis, deregulation of the energy metabolism, resistance to the immune detection and destruction, and activation of invasion and metastasis. This review represents a summary of recent studies focusing on describing these effects of microenvironment on initiation and progression of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, focusing on oral squamous cell carcinoma, since it is becoming clear that an investigation of differences in stromal composition of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment and their impact on cancer development and progression may help better understand the mechanisms behind different responses to therapy and help define possible targets for clinical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Peltanova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Raudenska
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Masarik
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
- BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Průmyslová 595,, CZ-252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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Wang X, Huo B, Liu J, Huang X, Zhang S, Feng T. Hepatitis B virus X reduces hepatocyte apoptosis and promotes cell cycle progression through the Akt/mTOR pathway in vivo. Gene 2019; 691:87-95. [PMID: 30630095 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.12.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus X (HBx), a viral onco-protein encoded by HBV, can promote oncogenesis of HCC. However, the mechanism of HBx in hepatocarcinogenesis is still unclear. In this study, we establish a new mouse model with normal immune system to investigate the role of HBx and its functional mechanisms under normal immune function. The animal model was established by injecting HBx-EGFP-14-19 cells into the hepatic portal vein of KM mice. To verify the mouse model, the expression of HBx in the liver tissue of mice was detected by qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The apoptosis index was calculated using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, and the expression levels of apoptosis-related and cell cycle-related factors were measured. Moreover, expression of proteins in the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway was detected in HBx-EGFP-14-19 mice with and without use of an Akt inhibitor. The results showed the HBx was successfully overexpressed in liver of KM mice. After overexpressing HBx, the apoptosis index was downregulated in HBx-EGFP-14-19 liver tissue, and the expression levels of caspase-9 and Bad were reduced, but Bcl-xl was increased in HBx-EGFP-14-19 liver tissue. Overexpression of HBx increased the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), cyclinD1 and cyclinE. Moreover, compared with the low-level HBx group, p-Akt and p-mTOR were increased in the livers of mice with high levels of HBx. However, inactivation of apoptosis by overexpression of HBx was abolished by the treatment with an Akt inhibitor. These results indicate that HBx can induce anti-apoptosis mechanisms in hepatocytes in vivo, which is mediated by the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Bennian Huo
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Siyao Zhang
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Tao Feng
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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Wang N, Wang S, Li MY, Hu BG, Liu LP, Yang SL, Yang S, Gong Z, Lai PBS, Chen GG. Cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview and promising therapeutic strategies. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2018; 10:1758835918816287. [PMID: 30622654 PMCID: PMC6304707 DOI: 10.1177/1758835918816287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The poor clinical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is ascribed to the resistance of HCC cells to traditional treatments and tumor recurrence after curative therapies. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified as a small subset of cancer cells which have high capacity for self-renewal, differentiation and tumorigenesis. Recent advances in the field of liver CSCs (LCSCs) have enabled the identification of CSC surface markers and the isolation of CSC subpopulations from HCC cells. Given their central role in cancer initiation, metastasis, recurrence and therapeutic resistance, LCSCs constitute a therapeutic opportunity to achieve cure and prevent relapse of HCC. Thus, it is necessary to develop therapeutic strategies to selectively and efficiently target LCSCs. Small molecular inhibitors targeting the core stemness signaling pathways have been actively pursued and evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. Other alternative therapeutic strategies include targeting LCSC surface markers, interrupting the CSC microenvironment, and altering the epigenetic state. In this review, we summarize the properties of CSCs in HCC and discuss novel therapeutic strategies that can be used to target LCSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuozhou Wang
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of
Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR,
China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck
Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of
Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ming-Yue Li
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong,
China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Bao-guang Hu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The
Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong,
China
| | - Li-ping Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas
Surgery, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Shenzhen
People’s Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Sheng-li Yang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical
College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shucai Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Pingshan
District People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province,
China
| | - Zhongqin Gong
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of
Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR,
China
| | - Paul B. S. Lai
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
SAR, China
| | - George G. Chen
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
SAR, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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De Stefano F, Chacon E, Turcios L, Marti F, Gedaly R. Novel biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma. Dig Liver Dis 2018; 50:1115-1123. [PMID: 30217732 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2018.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Most of these patients are seen with advanced disease at the time of presentation. In spite of its high prevalence, there are not many therapeutic options available for patients with advanced-stage HCC. There is an urgent need for improving early detection and prognostication of patients with HCC. In addition, the development of new therapies targeting specific pathways involved in the pathogenesis of HCC should be a major goal for future research, with the objective of improving outcomes of patients with HCC. Biomarkers represent a relatively easy and noninvasive way to detect and estimate disease prognosis. In spite of the numerous efforts to find molecules as possible biomarkers, there is not a single ideal marker in HCC. Many new findings have shown promising results both in diagnosing and treating HCC. In this review, we summarized the most recent and relevant biomarkers in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felice De Stefano
- Transplant and Hepatobiliary Center, Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Eduardo Chacon
- Transplant and Hepatobiliary Center, Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Lilia Turcios
- Transplant and Hepatobiliary Center, Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Francesc Marti
- Transplant and Hepatobiliary Center, Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Roberto Gedaly
- Transplant and Hepatobiliary Center, Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States.
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Kan A, Le Y, Zhang YF, Duan FT, Zhong XP, Lu LH, Ling YH, Guo RP. ELTD1 Function in Hepatocellular Carcinoma is Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblast-Dependent. J Cancer 2018; 9:2415-2427. [PMID: 30026838 PMCID: PMC6036878 DOI: 10.7150/jca.24406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: EGF, latrophilin, and seven transmembrane domain containing 1 (ELTD1) constitutes an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) of the adhesion family. High expression of ELTD1 is correlated with favorable prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). After silencing ELTD1 expression, however, tumor invasiveness is drastically reduced. The underlying mechanism of this apparent contradictory phenomenon is unknown. Because adhesion GPCRs couple extracellular adhesion to intracellular signaling, as a member of this family, ELTD1 function may be related to its tumor microenvironment. We therefore investigated the interaction between ELTD1 and the HCC tumor microenvironment. Methods: ELTD1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemical analyses of tissue samples from two independent groups of 333 patients with HCC. Correlations between the ELTD1 expression and the clinicopathological values were examined. We also constructed ELTD1 overexpression and knockdown HCC cell lines and conducted a series of in vivo and in vitro ELTD1 functional assays. We further collected carcinoma associated fibroblast (CAF) culture supernatants to culture HCC cell lines and repeat the respective functional assays in comparison with the control group. Results: Clinicopathologic correlations and in vivo models indicated ELTD1 as a tumor suppressor gene, whereas in vitro experiments suggested that ELTD1 could promote malignancy in HCC cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining of the generated ELTD1 overexpression xenograft tumors demonstrated that the CAF markers vimentin and α-SMA were highly expressed compared to the control group. This suggests that ELTD1 expression is correlated to CAF distribution. In addition, culturing with CAF supernatants inhibited HCC cell proliferation and invasion rates, confirming the correlation between CAF and ELTD1. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that ELTD1 regulation of HCC progression is CAF-dependent, suggesting that ELTD1 function is regulated by its tumor microenvironment. Further investigation is required to determine the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Yong Le
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Yong-Fa Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Fang-Ting Duan
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Xiao-Ping Zhong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Liang-He Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Yi-Hong Ling
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
| | - Rong-Ping Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
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Liu Z, Li J, Chen J, Shan Q, Dai H, Xie H, Zhou L, Xu X, Zheng S. MCM family in HCC: MCM6 indicates adverse tumor features and poor outcomes and promotes S/G2 cell cycle progression. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:200. [PMID: 29463213 PMCID: PMC5819696 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Minichromosome Maintenance family (MCMs), as replication licensing factors, is involved in the pathogenesis of tumors. Here, we investigated the expression of MCMs and their values in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods MCMs were analyzed in 105 samples including normal livers (n = 15), cirrhotic livers (n = 40), HCC (n = 50) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) (Cohort 1). Significantly up-regulated MCMs were verified in 102 HCC and matched peritumoral livers using PCR (Cohort 2), and the correlations with clinical features and outcomes were determined. In addition, the focused MCMs were analyzed in parallel immunohistochemistry of 345 samples on spectrum of hepatocarcinogenesis (Cohort 3) and queried for the potential specific role in cell cycle. Results MCM2–7, MCM8 and MCM10 was significantly up-regulated in HCC in Cohort 1. In Cohort 2, overexpression of MCM2–7, MCM8 and MCM10 was verified and significantly correlated with each other. Elevated MCM2, MCM6 and MCM7 were associated with adverse tumor features and poorer outcomes. In Cohort 3, MCM6 exhibited superior HCC diagnostic performance compared with MCM2 and MCM7 (AUC: 0.896 vs. 0.675 and 0.771, P < 0.01). Additionally, MCM6 other than MCM2 and MCM7 independently predicted poorer survival in 175 HCC patients. Furthermore, knockdown of MCM6 caused a delay in S/G2-phase progression as evidenced by down-regulation of CDK2, CDK4, CyclinA, CyclinB1, CyclinD1, and CyclinE in HCC cells. Conclusions We analyze MCMs mRNA and protein levels in tissue samples during hepatocarcinogenesis. MCM6 is identified as a driver of S/G2 cell cycle progression and a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in HCC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4056-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikun Liu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaonan Shan
- Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Haojiang Dai
- Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyang Xie
- Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. .,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China. .,Collaborative innovation center for diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. .,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Beijing, China. .,Collaborative innovation center for diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, Hangzhou, China.
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Wu Z, Zeng Q, Cao K, Sun Y. Exosomes: small vesicles with big roles in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:60687-60697. [PMID: 27463001 PMCID: PMC5312412 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the prognosis is still poor. Pioneering work has demonstrated a potential role for tumour cell-derived exosomes (TEXs) in HCC. TEXs can mediate immune responses, antigen presentation and intracellular communication by serving as vehicles for the transfer of proteins, viruses, lipids and RNA between cells. An improved understanding of the roles played by exosomes could lead to a powerful new strategy for preventing and treating HCC. In this review, we summarise current understanding on the topic. The literature points to two faces of TEXs in HCC: 1) They can promote invasion, metastasis, immune evasion and modulation and 2) they can act as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and can be used in anti-cancer drug resistance and immunotherapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitong Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, Guigang, Guangxi, China
| | - Qinghai Zeng
- Department of Dermatology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ke Cao
- Department of Oncology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yifan Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
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Ma LJ, Wang XY, Duan M, Liu LZ, Shi JY, Dong LQ, Yang LX, Wang ZC, Ding ZB, Ke AW, Cao Y, Zhang XM, Zhou J, Fan J, Gao Q. Telomere length variation in tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts: potential biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Pathol 2017; 243:407-417. [PMID: 28833123 PMCID: PMC5725724 DOI: 10.1002/path.4961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The role of telomere dysfunction and aberrant telomerase activities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been overlooked for many years. This study aimed to delineate the variation and prognostic value of telomere length in HCC. Telomere‐specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and qPCR were used to evaluate telomere length in HCC cell lines, tumor tissues, and isolated non‐tumor cells within the tumor. Significant telomere attrition was found in tumor cells and cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) compared to their normal counterparts, but not in intratumor leukocytes or bile duct epithelial cells. Clinical relevance and prognostic value of telomere length were investigated on tissue microarrays of 257 surgically treated HCC patients. Reduced intensity of telomere signals in tumor cells or CAFs correlated with larger tumor size and the presence of vascular invasion (p < 0.05). Shortened telomeres in tumor cells or CAFs associated with reduced survival and increased recurrence, and were identified as independent prognosticators for HCC patients (p < 0.05). These findings were validated in an independent HCC cohort of 371 HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, confirming telomere attrition and its prognostic value in HCC. We also showed that telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutation correlated with telomere shortening in HCC. Telomere variation in tumor cells and non‐tumor cells within the tumor microenvironment of HCC was a valuable prognostic biomarker for this fatal malignancy. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jie Ma
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Xiao-Ying Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Meng Duan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Long-Zi Liu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jie-Yi Shi
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Liang-Qing Dong
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Liu-Xiao Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zhi-Chao Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zhen-Bin Ding
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Ai-Wu Ke
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Ya Cao
- Cancer Research Institute, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Hunan, PR China
| | - Xiao-Ming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
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Nair N, Calle AS, Zahra MH, Prieto-Vila M, Oo AKK, Hurley L, Vaidyanath A, Seno A, Masuda J, Iwasaki Y, Tanaka H, Kasai T, Seno M. A cancer stem cell model as the point of origin of cancer-associated fibroblasts in tumor microenvironment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6838. [PMID: 28754894 PMCID: PMC5533745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07144-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most prominent cell types in the stromal compartment of the tumor microenvironment. CAFs support multiple aspects of cancer progression, including tumor initiation, invasion, and metastasis. The heterogeneous nature of the stromal microenvironment is attributed to the multiple sources from which the cells in this compartment originate. The present study provides the first evidence that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are one of the key sources of CAFs in the tumor niche. We generated CSC-like cells by treating mouse induced pluripotent stem cells with conditioned medium from breast cancer cell lines. The resulting cell population expressed both CSC and pluripotency markers, and the sphere-forming CSC-like cells formed subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. Intriguingly, these CSC-like cells always formed heterogeneous populations surrounded by myofibroblast-like cells. Based on this observation, we hypothesized that CSCs could be the source of the CAFs that support tumor maintenance and survival. To address this hypothesis, we induced the differentiation of spheres and purified the myofibroblast-like cells. The resulting cells exhibited a CAF-like phenotype, suggesting that they had differentiated into the subpopulations of cells that support CSC self-renewal. These findings provide novel insights into the dynamic interplay between various microenvironmental factors and CAFs in the CSC niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Nair
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Anna Sanchez Calle
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Maram Hussein Zahra
- Menoufia University, Faculty of Science, Chemistry Department, Shebin El-Koom, 32511, Egypt
| | - Marta Prieto-Vila
- National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Aung Ko Ko Oo
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Laura Hurley
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 110E Warren Avenue, Suite 2215, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Arun Vaidyanath
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Akimasa Seno
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Junko Masuda
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Iwasaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Hiromi Tanaka
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 975 W. Walnut Street, IB-130, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Tomonari Kasai
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
| | - Masaharu Seno
- Nano-biotechnology, Department of Medical Bioengineering, Okayama University, 3.1.1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
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Chitosan nanoparticle-delivered siRNA reduces CXCR4 expression and sensitizes breast cancer cells to cisplatin. Biosci Rep 2017; 37:BSR20170122. [PMID: 28446538 PMCID: PMC6434078 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20170122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) has been reported as a poor prognostic biomarker in human breast cancers, and has been suggested as a promising therapeutic target of breast cancer treatment. The present study aims to investigate the delivery efficiency of siRNA by chitosan into breast cancer cells, and then to examine the regulatory role by chitosan nanoparticle-delivered siRNA on CXCR4 expression and on the chemosensitivity of breast cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that the siRNA could be capsuled by chitosan into nanoparticles with a diameter of 80-110 nm, and with a zeta potential of 20-50 mV. The chitosan nanoparticle delivered siRNA efficiently into breast cancer MCF-7 cells significantly reduced the expression of CXCR4 in both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, the reduced CXCR4 by chitosan nanoparticle-delivered siRNA was associated with increased sensitivity of breast cancer cells to cisplatin. Reduced growth and increased apoptosis of MCF-7 cells were observed in the CXCR4 siRNA group than in the control siRNA group. Taken together, our results present the treatment potential of chitosan nanoparticle-delivered siRNA targeting CXCR4 in breast cancers.
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Bolm L, Cigolla S, Wittel UA, Hopt UT, Keck T, Rades D, Bronsert P, Wellner UF. The Role of Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Cancer: Extracellular Matrix Versus Paracrine Factors. Transl Oncol 2017; 10:578-588. [PMID: 28658650 PMCID: PMC5487255 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2017.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Desmoplasia is a characteristic feature and a suspected mechanism of tumor progression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Main constituents of the stroma involve cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and extracellular matrix (ECM). The aim of this study was to dissect the interaction of CAFs, ECM, and PDAC cells in both an in vitro setting and a large-scale clinical cohort study. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Patients operated for PDAC were identified from our prospectively maintained clinical database. A standard pathology protocol was applied for pancreatoduodenectomy specimens also assessing CAF activation as either CAF grade 0 or CAF grade +. Interaction between a spectrum of pancreatic cancer cell lines (PCCs) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) was assessed in a conditioned medium experimental setup. RESULTS: One hundred eleven patients operated for PDAC from 2001 to 2011 were identified. Univariate analysis disclosed CAF grade + (P = .030), positive M status (P < .001), and lymph node ratio (LNR) > 0.1 (P = .045) to impair overall survival. Independent prognostic factors were CAF grade (P = .050) and positive M status (P = .002). CAF grade correlated with N status (CC = 0.206, P = .030), LNR (CC = 0.187, P = .049), tumor size (CC = −0.275, P = .003), and M status (CC = 0.190, P = .045). In the in vitro setting, paracrine effects of pancreatic cancer cell resulted in morphological activation of fibroblasts and tumor cell differentiation–dependent increase of fibroblast growth. Paracrine effects of poorly differentiated PCCs led to an upregulation of Vimentin in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Paracrine effects of fibroblasts on their part promoted cancer cell motility in all PCCs. As the second stromal component, fibroblast-derived ECM resulted in significantly decreased proliferation depending on density and led to upregulation of ZEB1 in poorly differentiated PCCs. CONCLUSION: In PDAC patients, positive CAF grading was identified as a negative prognostic parameter correlating with positive N status, high LNR, positive M status, and smaller tumor size. Whereas bilateral interaction of PCCs and CAFs promotes tumor progression, ECM poses PCC growth restrictions. In summary, our study discloses differential effects of stromal components and may help to interpret heterogeneous results of former studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa Bolm
- Department of Surgery, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
| | - Simon Cigolla
- Department of Surgery, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Uwe A Wittel
- Department of Surgery, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Germany
| | - Ulrich T Hopt
- Department of Surgery, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Germany
| | - Tobias Keck
- Department of Surgery, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Dirk Rades
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Peter Bronsert
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Germany; Tumorbank Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Manzanares MÁ, Usui A, Campbell DJ, Dumur CI, Maldonado GT, Fausther M, Dranoff JA, Sirica AE. Transforming Growth Factors α and β Are Essential for Modeling Cholangiocarcinoma Desmoplasia and Progression in a Three-Dimensional Organotypic Culture Model. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2017; 187:1068-1092. [PMID: 28315313 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
To gain insight into the cellular and molecular interactions mediating the desmoplastic reaction and aggressive malignancy of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), we modeled ICC desmoplasia and progression in vitro. A unique three-dimensional (3D) organotypic culture model was established; within a dilute collagen-type I hydrogel, a novel clonal strain of rat cancer-associated myofibroblasts (TDFSM) was co-cultured with a pure rat cholangiocarcinoma cell strain (TDECC) derived from the same ICC type as TDFSM. This 3D organotypic culture model reproduced key features of desmoplastic reaction that closely mimicked those of the in situ tumor, as well as promoted cholangiocarcinoma cell growth and progression. Our results supported a resident liver mesenchymal cell origin of the TDFSM cells, which were not neoplastically transformed. Notably, 3D co-culturing of TDECC cells with TDFSM cells provoked the formation of a dense fibrocollagenous stroma in vitro that was associated with significant increases in both proliferative TDFSM myofibroblastic cells and TDECC cholangiocarcinoma cells accumulating within the gel matrix. This dramatic desmoplastic ICC-like phenotype, which was not observed in the TDECC or TDFSM controls, was highly dependent on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, but not promoted by TGF-α. However, TGF-α was determined to be a key factor for promoting cholangiocarcinoma cell anaplasia, hyperproliferation, and higher malignant grading in this 3D culture model of desmoplastic ICC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Á Manzanares
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Akihiro Usui
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Deanna J Campbell
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Catherine I Dumur
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Gabrielle T Maldonado
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Michel Fausther
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Jonathan A Dranoff
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Alphonse E Sirica
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
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Zhai Y, Zhang J, Wang H, Lu W, Liu S, Yu Y, Weng W, Ding Z, Zhu Q, Shi J. Growth differentiation factor 15 contributes to cancer-associated fibroblasts-mediated chemo-protection of AML cells. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2016; 35:147. [PMID: 27643489 PMCID: PMC5029001 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-016-0405-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemo-resistance is still a major obstacle in efforts to overcome acute myeloid leukemia (AML). An emerging concept has proposed that interactions between the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and leukemia cells reduce the sensitivity of the leukemia cells to chemotherapy. As an important element of the tumor microenvironment, the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are considered to be activated modulators in the chemo-resistance of many solid tumors. But their contribution to AML has yet to be fully understood. Here we report a critical role for CAFs which were thought to be a survival and chemo-protective factor for leukemia cells. METHODS A retrospective study on the BM biopsies from 63 primary AML patients and 59 normal controls was applied to quantitative analysis the fiber stroma in the BM sections. Then immunohistochemistry on the BM biopsies were used to detect the makers of the CAFs. Their effects on drug resistance of leukemia cells were further to be assessed by co-cultured experiments in vitro. Moreover, the possible mechanisms involved in CAF-mediated chemo-protection of AML cells was investigated by antibody neutralization and siRNA knockdown experiments, with particular emphasis on the role of GDF15. RESULTS In our study, excessive reticular fibers in the BM led to higher frequency of relapse and mortality in primary AML patients, bringing the inspiration for us to investigate the functional roles of the fiber-devied cells. We declared that the CAF cells which expressed higher levels of FSP1, α-SMA or FAP protein were widely distributed in the marrow of AML. Then in vitro co-cultured tests showed that these CAFs could protect leukemia cell lines (THP-1/K562) from chemotherapy. Interestingly, this effect could be decreased by either treatment with a neutralizing anti-GDF15 antibody or knockdown GDF15 (with siGDF15) in CAFs. Furthermore, we also confirmed that the GDF15(+) cells mainly co-localized with FAP, which was identified as the typical phenotype of CAFs in the BM stroma. CONCLUSIONS We firstly demonstrate that the functional CAFs are widespread within the BM of AML patients and should be a critical chemo-protective element for AML cells by producing amount of GDF15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmei Zhai
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Sihong Liu
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yehua Yu
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Wei Weng
- Department of Hematology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Zhiyong Ding
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital South campus, Shanghai, 201400, China
| | - Qi Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jun Shi
- Department of Hematology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
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Kubo N, Araki K, Kuwano H, Shirabe K. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:6841-6850. [PMID: 27570421 PMCID: PMC4974583 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i30.6841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatic stellate cells in the liver are stimulated sustainably by chronic injury of the hepatocytes, activating myofibroblasts, which produce abundant collagen. Myofibroblasts are the major source of extracellular proteins during fibrogenesis, and may directly, or secreted products, contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the components of the tumor microenvironment that promote the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells by secreting various growth factors and cytokines. CAFs crosstalk with cancer cells stimulates tumor progression by creating a favorable microenvironment for progression, invasion, and metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Basic studies on CAFs have advanced, and the role of CAFs in tumors has been elucidated. In particular, for hepatocellular carcinoma, carcinogenesis from cirrhosis is a known fact, and participation of CAFs in carcinogenesis is supported. In this review, we discuss the current literature on the role of CAFs and CAF-related signaling in carcinogenesis, crosstalk with cancer cells, immunosuppressive effects, angiogenesis, therapeutic targets, and resistance to chemotherapy. The role of CAFs is important in cancer initiation and progression. CAFtargeted therapy may be effective for suppression not only of fibrosis but also cancer progression.
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