Sustained activation of detoxification pathways promotes liver carcinogenesis in response to chronic bile acid-mediated damage

DNA hypomethylation characterizes genes encoding tissue-dominant functional proteins in liver and skeletal muscle

Each tissue has a dominant set of functional proteins required to mediate tissue-specific functions. Epigenetic modifications, transcription, and translational efficiency control tissue-dominant protein production. However, the coordination of these regulatory mechanisms to achieve such tissue-specific protein production remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the DNA methylome, transcriptome, and proteome in mouse liver and skeletal muscle. We found that DNA hypomethylation at promoter regions is globally associated with liver-dominant or skeletal muscle-dominant functional protein production within each tissue, as well as with genes encoding proteins involved in ubiquitous functions in both tissues. Thus, genes encoding liver-dominant proteins, such as those involved in glycolysis or gluconeogenesis, the urea cycle, complement and coagulation systems, enzymes of tryptophan metabolism, and cytochrome P450-related metabolism, were hypomethylated in the liver, whereas those encoding-skeletal muscle-dominant proteins, such as those involved in sarcomere organization, were hypomethylated in the skeletal muscle. Thus, DNA hypomethylation characterizes genes encoding tissue-dominant functional proteins.

Transient rapamycin treatment during developmental stage extends lifespan in Mus musculus and Drosophila melanogaster

Lifespan is determined by complex and tangled mechanisms that are largely unknown. The early postnatal stage has been proposed to play a role in lifespan, but its contribution is still controversial. Here, we show that a short rapamycin treatment during early life can prolong lifespan in Mus musculus and Drosophila melanogaster. Notably, the same treatment at later time points has no effect on lifespan, suggesting that a specific time window is involved in lifespan regulation. We also find that sulfotransferases are upregulated during early rapamycin treatment both in newborn mice and in Drosophila larvae, and transient dST1 overexpression in Drosophila larvae extends lifespan. Our findings unveil a novel link between early-life treatments and long-term effects on lifespan.

Human gut-microbiome interplay: Analysis of clinical studies for the emerging roles of diagnostic microbiology in inflammation, oncogenesis and cancer management

Microorganisms have been known to coexist in various parts of human body including the gut. The interactions between microbes and the surrounding tissues of the host are critical for fine fettle of the gut. The incidence of such microorganisms tends to vary among specific type of cancer affected individuals. Such microbial communities of specific tumor sites in cancer affected individuals could plausibly be used as prognostic and/or diagnostic markers for tumors associated with that specific site. Microorganisms of intestinal and non-intestinal origins including Helicobacter pylori can target several organs, act as carcinogens and promote cancer. It is interesting to note that diets causing inflammation can also increase the cancer risk. Yet, dietary supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics can reduce the incidence of cancer. Therefore, both diet and microbial community of the gut have dual roles of prevention and oncogenesis. Hence, this review intends to summarize certain important details related to gut microbiome and cancer.

Flow enhances phenotypic and maturation of adult rat liver organoids

A biologically relevant in vitro model of hepatic microtissue would be a valuable tool for the preclinical study of pharmacokinetics and metabolism. Although considerable advances have been made in recent years in the establishment of alternative in vitro culture systems that mimic liver tissue, generating an effective liver model remains challenging. Specifically, existing model systems still exhibit limited functions for hepatocellular differentiation potential and cellular complexity. It is essential to improve the in vitro differentiation of liver progenitor cells (LPCs) for disease modeling and preclinical pharmatoxicological research. Here, we describe a rat liver organoid culture system under in vivo-like steady-state flow conditions; this system is capable of controlling the expansion and differentiation of rat liver organoids over 10-15 d. LPCs cultured in medium flow conditions become self-assembled liver organoids that exhibit phenotypic and functional hepato-biliary modeling. In addition, hepatocytes that are differentiated using liver organoids produced albumin and maintained polygonal morphology, which is characteristic of mature hepatocytes.

JTC-801 inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of the Hep G2 hepatoblastoma cell line by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signalling pathway

The increased worldwide mortality rate due to liver cancer may be attributed to the aggressive nature of the disease. Signal transduction through G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can affect a number of aspects of cancer biology, including invasion, migration and vascular remodelling. JTC-801, a novel GPCR antagonist, has demonstrated promising anticancer effects in adenocarcinoma and osteosarcoma cells. In the present study, the effect of JTC-801 on the proliferation and migration of hepatoblastoma Hep G2 cells was investigated. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay revealed that JTC-801 markedly suppressed the growth of the Hep G2 cells. Additionally, JTC-801 significantly inhibited cell invasion and migration in a Transwell assay. Furthermore, the expression of anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 decreased and the expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins active caspase-3 and apoptosis regulator BAX increased in the Hep G2 cells following JTC-801 treatment. Additionally, JTC-801 suppressed the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signalling pathway in the Hep G2 cells. Therefore, the present study revealed that JTC-801 can induce the apoptosis of Hep G2 cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, which suggests that JTC-801 may be a potential novel drug target for clinical liver cancer treatment.