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Romualdo GR, Leroy K, Costa CJS, Prata GB, Vanderborght B, da Silva TC, Barbisan LF, Andraus W, Devisscher L, Câmara NOS, Vinken M, Cogliati B. In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Strategies for Translational Modeling. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5583. [PMID: 34771745 PMCID: PMC8582701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally. HCC is a complex multistep disease and usually emerges in the setting of chronic liver diseases. The molecular pathogenesis of HCC varies according to the etiology, mainly caused by chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections, chronic alcohol consumption, aflatoxin-contaminated food, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with metabolic syndrome or diabetes mellitus. The establishment of HCC models has become essential for both basic and translational research to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and unravel new molecular drivers of this disease. The ideal model should recapitulate key events observed during hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression in view of establishing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to be translated into clinical practice. Despite considerable efforts currently devoted to liver cancer research, only a few anti-HCC drugs are available, and patient prognosis and survival are still poor. The present paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of in vivo and in vitro models used for translational modeling of HCC with a specific focus on their key molecular hallmarks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Kaat Leroy
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Cícero Júlio Silva Costa
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Gabriel Bacil Prata
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Bart Vanderborght
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Tereza Cristina da Silva
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Luís Fernando Barbisan
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
| | - Wellington Andraus
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences IV, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
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Pascale RM, Simile MM, Peitta G, Seddaiu MA, Feo F, Calvisi DF. Experimental Models to Define the Genetic Predisposition to Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101450. [PMID: 31569678 PMCID: PMC6826893 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent human cancer and the most frequent liver tumor. The study of genetic mechanisms of the inherited predisposition to HCC, implicating gene-gene and gene-environment interaction, led to the discovery of multiple gene loci regulating the growth and multiplicity of liver preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions, thus uncovering the action of multiple genes and epistatic interactions in the regulation of the individual susceptibility to HCC. The comparative evaluation of the molecular pathways involved in HCC development in mouse and rat strains differently predisposed to HCC indicates that the genes responsible for HCC susceptibility control the amplification and/or overexpression of c-Myc, the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes, and the activity of Ras/Erk, AKT/mTOR, and of the pro-apoptotic Rassf1A/Nore1A and Dab2IP/Ask1 pathways, the methionine cycle, and DNA repair pathways in mice and rats. Comparative functional genetic studies, in rats and mice differently susceptible to HCC, showed that preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of resistant mouse and rat strains cluster with human HCC with better prognosis, while the lesions of susceptible mouse and rats cluster with HCC with poorer prognosis, confirming the validity of the studies on the influence of the genetic predisposition to hepatocarinogenesis on HCC prognosis in mouse and rat models. Recently, the hydrodynamic gene transfection in mice provided new opportunities for the recognition of genes implicated in the molecular mechanisms involved in HCC pathogenesis and prognosis. This method appears to be highly promising to further study the genetic background of the predisposition to this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa M Pascale
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Maria M Simile
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Graziella Peitta
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Maria A Seddaiu
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Francesco Feo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
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Guimaraes-Young A, Feddersen CR, Dupuy AJ. Sleeping Beauty Mouse Models of Cancer: Microenvironmental Influences on Cancer Genetics. Front Oncol 2019; 9:611. [PMID: 31338332 PMCID: PMC6629774 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon insertional mutagenesis system offers a streamlined approach to identify genetic drivers of cancer. With a relatively random insertion profile, SB is uniquely positioned for conducting unbiased forward genetic screens. Indeed, SB mouse models of cancer have revealed insights into the genetics of tumorigenesis. In this review, we highlight experiments that have exploited the SB system to interrogate the genetics of cancer in distinct biological contexts. We also propose experimental designs that could further our understanding of the relationship between tumor microenvironment and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Guimaraes-Young
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Charlotte R Feddersen
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Adam J Dupuy
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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Zavadil JA, Herzig MCS, Hildreth K, Foroushani A, Boswell W, Walter R, Reddick R, White H, Zare H, Walter CA. C3HeB/FeJ Mice mimic many aspects of gene expression and pathobiological features of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2018; 58:309-320. [PMID: 30365185 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a deadly cancer, underscoring the need for relevant preclinical models. Male C3HeB/FeJ mice model spontaneous HCC with some hepatocarcinogenesis susceptibility loci corresponding to syntenic regions of human chromosomes altered in HCC. We tested other properties of C3HeB/FeJ tumors for similarity to human HCC. C3HeB/FeJ tumors were grossly visible at 4 months of age, with prevalence and size increasing until about 11 months of age. Histologic features shared with human HCC include hepatosteatosis, tumor progression from dysplasia to poorly differentiated, vascular invasion, and trabecular, oncocytic, vacuolar, and clear cell variants. More tumor cells displayed cytoplasmic APE1 staining versus normal liver. Ultrasound effectively detected and monitored tumors, with 85.7% sensitivity. Over 5000 genes were differentially expressed based on the GSE62232 and GSE63898 human HCC datasets. Of these, 158 and 198 genes, respectively, were also differentially expressed in C3HeB/FeJ. Common cancer pathways, cell cycle, p53 signaling and other molecular aspects, were shared between human and mouse differentially expressed genes. We established eigengenes that distinguish HCC from normal liver in the C3HeB/FeJ model and a subset of human HCC. These features extend the relevance and improve the utility of the C3HeB/FeJ line for HCC studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Zavadil
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Maryanne C S Herzig
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Kim Hildreth
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Amir Foroushani
- Department of Computer Science, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
| | - William Boswell
- Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
| | - Ronald Walter
- Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
| | - Robert Reddick
- Pathology Department, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Hugh White
- Radiology Department, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas.,Radiology Department, Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Affairs Hospital, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Habil Zare
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Christi A Walter
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
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Romualdo GR, Prata GB, da Silva TC, Fernandes AAH, Moreno FS, Cogliati B, Barbisan LF. Fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis revisited: Establishing standard medium-term chemically-induced male and female models. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203879. [PMID: 30212575 PMCID: PMC6136798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma causes ~10% of all cancer-related deaths worldwide, usually emerging in a background of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis (70%-90% of cases). Chemically-induced mouse models for fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis are widely-applied, resembling the corresponding human disease. Nonetheless, a long time is necessary for the development of preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions. Thus, we proposed an early fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis model for male and female mice separately, focusing on reducing the experimental time for preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions development and establishing standard models for both sexes. Then, two-week old susceptible C3H/HeJ male and female mice (n = 8 animals/sex/group) received a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN, 10 or 50 mg/Kg). During 2 months, mice received 3 weekly doses of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 10% corn oil solution, 0.25 to 1.50 μL/g b.wt.) and they were euthanized at week 17. DEN/CCl4 protocols for males and females displayed clear liver fibrosis, featuring collagen accumulation and hepatic stellate cell activation (α-SMA). In addition, liver from males displayed increased CD68+ macrophage number, COX-2 protein expression and IL-6 levels. The DEN/CCl4 models in both sexes impaired antioxidant defense as well as enhanced hepatocyte proliferation and apoptosis. Moreover, DEN/CCl4-treated male and female developed multiple preneoplastic altered hepatocyte foci and hepatocellular adenomas. As expected, the models showed clear male bias. Therefore, we established standard and suitable fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis models for male and female mice, shortening the experimental time for the development of hepatocellular preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions in comparison to other classical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Bacil Prata
- Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tereza Cristina da Silva
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Angélica Henrique Fernandes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Salvador Moreno
- Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luís Fernando Barbisan
- Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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Morphological Studies of Hepatocellular Carcinomas in Male CBA Mice with High Liability to Cancer under the Effect of Phytoadaptogen. Bull Exp Biol Med 2016; 161:727-730. [DOI: 10.1007/s10517-016-3495-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Herzig MCS, Zavadil JA, Street K, Hildreth K, Drinkwater NR, Reddick T, Herbert DC, Hanes MA, McMahan CA, Reddick RL, Walter CA. DNA Alkylating Agent Protects Against Spontaneous Hepatocellular Carcinoma Regardless of O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase Status. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2015; 9:245-52. [PMID: 26667451 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-15-0251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is increasingly important in the United States as the incidence rate rose over the last 30 years. C3HeB/FeJ mice serve as a unique model to study hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis because they mimic human hepatocellular carcinoma with delayed onset, male gender bias, approximately 50% incidence, and susceptibility to tumorigenesis is mediated through multiple genetic loci. Because a human O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (hMGMT) transgene reduces spontaneous tumorigenesis in this model, we hypothesized that hMGMT would also protect from methylation-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. To test this hypothesis, wild-type and hMGMT transgenic C3HeB/FeJ male mice were treated with two monofunctional alkylating agents: diethylnitrosamine (DEN; 0.025 μmol/g body weight) on day 12 of life with evaluation for glucose-6-phosphatase-deficient (G6PD) foci at 16, 24, and 32 weeks or N-methyl-N-nitrosurea (MNU; 25 mg MNU/kg body weight) once monthly for 7 months starting at 3 months of age with evaluation for liver tumors at 12 to 15 months of age. No difference in abundance or size of G6PD foci was measured with DEN treatment. In contrast, it was unexpectedly found that MNU reduces liver tumor prevalence in wild-type and hMGMT transgenic mice despite increased tumor prevalence in other tissues. hMGMT and MNU protections were additive, suggesting that MNU protects through a different mechanism, perhaps through the cytotoxic N7-alkylguanine and N3-alkyladenine lesions which have low mutagenic potential compared with O(6)-alkylguanine lesions. Together, these results suggest that targeting the repair of cytotoxic lesions may be a good preventative for patients at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryanne C S Herzig
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Jessica A Zavadil
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | | | - Kim Hildreth
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Norman R Drinkwater
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Traci Reddick
- Transgenic Mouse Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Damon C Herbert
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Martha A Hanes
- Department of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - C Alex McMahan
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Robert L Reddick
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Christi A Walter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio Cancer Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. South Texas Veteran's Health Care System, Audie Murphy Hospital, San Antonio, Texas.
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Bocharova OA, Karpova RV, Bocharov EV, Solov'yov YN. Effects of Phytoadaptogen on Hepatoma Development in Cancer-Prone CBA Mice. Bull Exp Biol Med 2015; 159:655-7. [PMID: 26472094 DOI: 10.1007/s10517-015-3040-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The incidence, size, and number of hepatocarcinomas decreased in cancer-prone male CBA mice under the effect of preventive and therapeutic treatment with a complex phytoadaptogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- O A Bocharova
- N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - R V Karpova
- N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - E V Bocharov
- N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu N Solov'yov
- N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Regulator of G-protein signaling-5 is a marker of hepatic stellate cells and expression mediates response to liver injury. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108505. [PMID: 25290689 PMCID: PMC4188519 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is mediated by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which respond to a variety of cytokine and growth factors to moderate the response to injury and create extracellular matrix at the site of injury. G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated signaling, via endothelin-1 (ET-1) and angiotensin II (AngII), increases HSC contraction, migration and fibrogenesis. Regulator of G-protein signaling-5 (RGS5), an inhibitor of vasoactive GPCR agonists, functions to control GPCR-mediated contraction and hypertrophy in pericytes and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Therefore we hypothesized that RGS5 controls GPCR signaling in activated HSCs in the context of liver injury. In this study, we localize RGS5 to the HSCs and demonstrate that Rgs5 expression is regulated during carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute and chronic liver injury in Rgs5LacZ/LacZ reporter mice. Furthermore, CCl4 treated RGS5-null mice develop increased hepatocyte damage and fibrosis in response to CCl4 and have increased expression of markers of HSC activation. Knockdown of Rgs5 enhances ET-1-mediated signaling in HSCs in vitro. Taken together, we demonstrate that RGS5 is a critical regulator of GPCR signaling in HSCs and regulates HSC activation and fibrogenesis in liver injury.
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Zhang S, Li L, Kendrick SL, Gerard RD, Zhu H. TALEN-mediated somatic mutagenesis in murine models of cancer. Cancer Res 2014; 74:5311-21. [PMID: 25070752 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-0529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer genome sequencing has identified numerous somatic mutations whose biologic relevance is uncertain. In this study, we used genome-editing tools to create and analyze targeted somatic mutations in murine models of liver cancer. Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) were designed against β-catenin (Ctnnb1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc), two commonly mutated genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), to generate isogenic HCC cell lines. Both mutant cell lines exhibited evidence of Wnt pathway dysregulation. We asked whether these TALENs could create targeted somatic mutations after hydrodynamic transfection into mouse liver. TALENs targeting β-catenin promoted endogenous HCC carrying the intended gain-of-function mutations. However, TALENs targeting Apc were not as efficient in inducing in vivo homozygous loss-of-function mutations. We hypothesized that hepatocyte polyploidy might be protective against TALEN-induced loss of heterozygosity, and indeed Apc gene editing was less efficient in tetraploid than in diploid hepatocytes. To increase efficiency, we administered adenoviral Apc TALENs and found that we could achieve a higher mutagenesis rate in vivo. Our results demonstrate that genome-editing tools can enable the in vivo study of cancer genes and faithfully recapitulate the mosaic nature of mutagenesis in mouse cancer models. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5311-21. ©2014 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyuan Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Department of Internal Medicine, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Department of Internal Medicine, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Sara L Kendrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Department of Internal Medicine, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Robert D Gerard
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Hao Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Department of Internal Medicine, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
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Oberley CC, Bilger A, Drinkwater NR. Genetic background determines if Stat5b suppresses or enhances murine hepatocarcinogenesis. Mol Carcinog 2014; 54:959-70. [PMID: 24838184 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Murine hepatocarcinogenesis requires growth hormone (GH). To determine if the GH-responsive transcription factor STAT5b (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b) is also required, we compared the hepatic gene expression profiles of global Stat5b null mice to cancer-resistant mice mutant in the GH pathway-GH-deficient little and androgen receptor-null Tfm males. We found a high degree of overlap among Tfm, little, and Stat5b null males. The liver cancer susceptibility of global Stat5b null mice was assessed on three distinct genetic backgrounds: BALB/cJ (BALB), C57BL/6J (B6), and C3H/HeJ (C3H). The effect of Stat5b on hepatocarcinogenesis depended on the genetic background. B6 Stat5b null congenic males and females developed 2.4 times as many tumors as wild-type (WT) controls (P < 0.002) and the tumors were larger (P < 0.003). In BALB/c congenics, loss of STAT5b had no effect on either sex. C3H Stat5b null congenic males and females were resistant to liver cancer, developing 2.7- and 6-fold fewer tumors, respectively (P < 0.02, 0.01). These results provide the first example of a single gene behaving as both oncogene and tumor suppressor in a given tissue, depending only on the endogenous modifier alleles carried by different genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C Oberley
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Andrea Bilger
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Norman R Drinkwater
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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12
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Weinhouse C, Anderson OS, Bergin IL, Vandenbergh DJ, Gyekis JP, Dingman MA, Yang J, Dolinoy DC. Dose-dependent incidence of hepatic tumors in adult mice following perinatal exposure to bisphenol A. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2014; 122:485-91. [PMID: 24487385 PMCID: PMC4014767 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1307449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume chemical with hormone-like properties that has been implicated as a potential carcinogen. Early-life exposure has been linked to increased risk for precancerous lesions in mammary and prostate glands and the uterus, but no prior study has shown a significant association between BPA exposure and cancer development. OBJECTIVE We explored the effects of BPA exposure during gestation and lactation on adult incidence of hepatic tumors in mice. METHODS Isogenic mice were perinatally exposed to BPA through maternal diets containing one of four environmentally relevant doses of BPA (0, 50 ng, 50 μg, or 50 mg per kilogram of diet), and we followed approximately one male and one female per litter until they were 10 months of age. Animals were tested for known risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma, including bacterial and viral infections. RESULTS We found dose-dependent incidence of hepatic tumors in 10-month-old BPA-exposed mice. Of the offspring examined, 23% presented with hepatic tumors or preneoplastic lesions. We observed a statistically significant dose-response relationship, with an odds ratio for neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of 7.23 (95% CI: 3.23, 16.17) for mice exposed to 50 mg BPA/kg diet compared with unexposed controls. Observed early disease onset, absence of bacterial or viral infection, and lack of characteristic sexual dimorphism in tumor incidence support a nonclassical etiology. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first report of a statistically significant association between BPA exposure and frank tumors in any organ. Our results link early-life exposure to BPA with the development of hepatic tumors in rodents, and have potential implications for human health and disease.
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Kennedy GD, Nukaya M, Moran SM, Glover E, Weinberg S, Balbo S, Hecht SS, Pitot HC, Drinkwater NR, Bradfield CA. Liver tumor promotion by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin is dependent on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and TNF/IL-1 receptors. Toxicol Sci 2014; 140:135-43. [PMID: 24718703 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfu065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We set out to better understand the signal transduction pathways that mediate liver tumor promotion by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxn ("dioxin"). To this end, we first employed congenic mice homozygous for either the Ahr(b1) or Ahr(d) alleles (encoding an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) with high or low binding affinity for dioxin, respectively) and demonstrated that hepatocellular tumor promotion in response to dioxin segregated with the Ahr locus. Once we had genetic evidence for the importance of AHR signaling, we then asked if tumor promotion by dioxin was influenced by "interleukin-1 (IL-1)-like" inflammatory cytokines. The importance of this question arose from our earlier observation that aspects of the acute hepatocellular toxicity of dioxin are dependent upon IL1-like cytokine signaling. To address this issue, we employed a triple knock-out (TKO) mouse model with null alleles at the loci encoding the three relevant receptors for tumor necrosis factors α and β and IL-1α and IL-1β (i.e., null alleles at the Tnfrsf1a, Tnfrsf1b, and Il-1r1 loci). The observation that TKO mice were resistant to the tumor promoting effects of dioxin in liver suggests that inflammatory cytokines play an important step in dioxin mediated liver tumor promotion in the mouse. Collectively, these data support the idea that the mechanism of dioxin acute hepatotoxicity and its activity as a promoter in a mouse two stage liver cancer model may be similar, i.e., tumor promotion by dioxin, like acute hepatotoxicity, are mediated by the linked action of two receptor systems, the AHR and the receptors for the "IL-1-like" cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Kennedy
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792
| | - Manabu Nukaya
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792
| | - Susan M Moran
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Edward Glover
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Samuel Weinberg
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Silvia Balbo
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Stephen S Hecht
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Henry C Pitot
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Norman R Drinkwater
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Christopher A Bradfield
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
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Mahoney WM, Gunaje J, Daum G, Dong XR, Majesky MW. Regulator of G-protein signaling - 5 (RGS5) is a novel repressor of hedgehog signaling. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61421. [PMID: 23637832 PMCID: PMC3630190 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays fundamental roles in morphogenesis, tissue repair, and human disease. Initiation of Hh signaling is controlled by the interaction of two multipass membrane proteins, patched (Ptc) and smoothened (Smo). Recent studies identify Smo as a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-like protein that signals through large G-protein complexes which contain the Gαi subunit. We hypothesize Regulator of G-Protein Signaling (RGS) proteins, and specifically RGS5, are endogenous repressors of Hh signaling via their ability to act as GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) for GTP-bound Gαi, downstream of Smo. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrate that RGS5 over-expression inhibits sonic hedgehog (Shh)-mediated signaling and osteogenesis in C3H10T1/2 cells. Conversely, signaling is potentiated by siRNA-mediated knock-down of RGS5 expression, but not RGS4 expression. Furthermore, using immuohistochemical analysis and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), we demonstrate that RGS5 is present with Smo in primary cilia. This organelle is required for canonical Hh signaling in mammalian cells, and RGS5 is found in a physical complex with Smo in these cells. We therefore conclude that RGS5 is an endogenous regulator of Hh-mediated signaling and that RGS proteins are potential targets for novel therapeutics in Hh-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M. Mahoney
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WMM); (MWM)
| | - Jagadambika Gunaje
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Guenter Daum
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Xiu Rong Dong
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mark W. Majesky
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WMM); (MWM)
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15
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Wang CY, Stapleton DS, Schueler KL, Rabaglia ME, Oler AT, Keller MP, Kendziorski CM, Broman KW, Yandell BS, Schadt EE, Attie AD. Tsc2, a positional candidate gene underlying a quantitative trait locus for hepatic steatosis. J Lipid Res 2012; 53:1493-501. [PMID: 22628617 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m025239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalchoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver dysfunction and is associated with metabolic diseases, including obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. We mapped a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for NAFLD to chromosome 17 in a cross between C57BL/6 (B6) and BTBR mouse strains made genetically obese with the Lep(ob/ob) mutation. We identified Tsc2 as a gene underlying the chromosome 17 NAFLD QTL. Tsc2 functions as an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, which is involved in many physiological processes, including cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism. We found that Tsc2(+/-) mice have increased lipogenic gene expression in the liver in an insulin-dependent manner. The coding single nucleotide polymorphism between the B6 and BTBR strains leads to a change in the ability to inhibit the expression of lipogenic genes and de novo lipogenesis in AML12 cells and to promote the proliferation of Ins1 cells. This difference is due to a different affinity of binding to Tsc1, which affects the stability of Tsc2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Nalesnik MA, Tseng G, Ding Y, Xiang GS, Zheng ZL, Yu Y, Marsh JW, Michalopoulos GK, Luo JH. Gene deletions and amplifications in human hepatocellular carcinomas: correlation with hepatocyte growth regulation. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2012; 180:1495-508. [PMID: 22326833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Revised: 12/09/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tissues from 98 human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) obtained from hepatic resections were subjected to somatic copy number variation (CNV) analysis. Most of these HCCs were discovered in livers resected for orthotopic transplantation, although in a few cases, the tumors themselves were the reason for the hepatectomies. Genomic analysis revealed deletions and amplifications in several genes, and clustering analysis based on CNV revealed five clusters. The LSP1 gene had the most cases with CNV (46 deletions and 5 amplifications). High frequencies of CNV were also seen in PTPRD (21/98), GNB1L (18/98), KIAA1217 (18/98), RP1-1777G6.2 (17/98), ETS1 (11/98), RSU1 (10/98), TBC1D22A (10/98), BAHCC1 (9/98), MAML2 (9/98), RAB1B (9/98), and YIF1A (9/98). The existing literature regarding hepatocytes or other cell types has connected many of these genes to regulation of cytoskeletal architecture, signaling cascades related to growth regulation, and transcription factors directly interacting with nuclear signaling complexes. Correlations with existing literature indicate that genomic lesions associated with HCC at the level of resolution of CNV occur on many genes associated directly or indirectly with signaling pathways operating in liver regeneration and hepatocyte growth regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Nalesnik
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241, USA
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Kachaylo EM, Pustylnyak VO, Lyakhovich VV, Gulyaeva LF. Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is a xenosensor and target for therapy. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2011; 76:1087-97. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006297911100026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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18
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Kamino H, Yamazaki Y, Saito K, Takizawa D, Kakizaki S, Moore R, Negishi M. Nuclear receptor CAR-regulated expression of the FAM84A gene during the development of mouse liver tumors. Int J Oncol 2011; 38:1511-20. [PMID: 21424122 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2011.980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 12/03/2010] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR is a phenobarbital (PB)-activated transcription factor. Using a mouse model of two-step liver tumorigenesis, in which tumor growth was initiated by diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) and promoted by chronic treatment with PB, we previously demonstrated that tumors developed only in the presence of CAR. Here, we have identified the FAM84A (family with sequence similarity 84, member A) gene as a CAR-regulated gene that is over-expressed during development of phenobarbital-promoted mouse liver tumors. FAM84A mRNA was induced in the liver of DEN/PB-treated mice prior to the development of liver tumors and this induction continued in the non-tumor as well as tumor tissues of a tumor-bearing liver. Western blotting demonstated that FAM84A protein expression increased in mouse liver after PB treatment; however, the FAM84A protein in liver and liver tumors was not phosphorylated at the serine 38 residue, which has been reported to correlate with morphological changes in cells. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed the cytoplasmic localization of FAM84A protein and its expression during tumor development in normal tissues (especially in hepatocytes around the central vein), eosinophilic foci, adenomas and carcinomas. HepG2 cell-based reporter assays indicated that CAR activated the FAM84A promoter. Exogenous over-expression of FAM84A in HepG2 cells resulted in increased cell migration. The physiological function of FAM84A remains unknown, but our results suggest that FAM84A is up-regulated by CAR during the development of liver tumors, and may play an important role in the progression of liver cancer by increasing cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Kamino
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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19
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Jorgenson TC, Williams BR, Wendland A, Bilger A, Sandgren EP, Drinkwater NR. Identification of susceptibility loci in a mouse model of KRASG12D-driven pancreatic cancer. Cancer Res 2010; 70:8398-406. [PMID: 20959479 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-3980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Genetic background affects susceptibility to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in the Ela-KRAS(G12D) mouse model. In this model, KRAS oncogene expression is driven by an elastase promoter in acinar cells of the pancreas on an FVB/NTac (FVB) background [FVB-Tg(Ela-KRAS(G12D))] with the transgene carried on the Y chromosome. Through linkage analysis of crosses between the C57BL/6J (B6), BALB/cJ (BALB), and DBA/2J (D2) inbred strains of mice and resistant FVB-Tg(Ela-KRAS(G12D)), we have identified six susceptibility loci that affect mean preinvasive lesion multiplicity. Markers on chromosome 2 segregated with high tumor multiplicity in all three strains; these loci were designated Prsq1-3 (pancreatic ras susceptibility quantitative trait loci 1-3; combined F2 and N2 LOD(W), 6.0, 4.1, and 2.7, respectively). Susceptibility loci on chromosome 4, designated Prsq4 and Prsq5, were identified in crosses between FVB transgenic mice and B6 or BALB mice (combined F2 and N2 LOD(W), 3.6 and 2.9, respectively). A marker on chromosome 12 segregated with tumor multiplicity in a BALB × FVB-Tg(Ela-KRAS(G12D)) cross and was designated Prsq6 (LOD(W), ∼2.5). B6-Chr Y(FVB-Tg(Ela-KRASG12D)) and BALB-Chr Y(FVB-Tg(Ela-KRASG12D)) consomics, which carry the KRAS transgene on the FVB Y chromosome on an otherwise inbred B6 or BALB background, developed ∼4-fold (B6) and ∼10-fold (BALB) more lesions than FVB-Tg(Ela-KRAS(G12D)) mice. By 12 months of age, 10% of BALB-Chr Y(FVB-Tg(Ela-KRASG12D)) mice developed invasive carcinomas. Our findings provide evidence that regions of chromosomes 2, 4, and 12 influence the development and progression of pancreatic neoplasms initiated by an oncogenic allele of KRAS in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonia C Jorgenson
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
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20
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Frau M, Biasi F, Feo F, Pascale RM. Prognostic markers and putative therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Aspects Med 2010; 31:179-93. [PMID: 20176048 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2010.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2009] [Accepted: 02/16/2010] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most frequent human cancer and a fatal disease. Therapies with pharmacological agents do not improve the prognosis of patients with unresectable HCC. This emphasizes the need to identify new targets for early diagnosis, chemoprevention, and treatment of the disease. Available evidence indicates that clinical outcome of HCC could reflect the genetic predisposition to cancer development and progression. Numerous loci controlling HCC progression have been identified in rodents. In this review, we describe results of recent studies on effector mechanisms of susceptibility/resistance genes, responsible for HCC progression, aimed at identifying new putative prognostic markers and therapeutic targets of this tumor. Highest c-myc amplification and overexpression, alterations of iNOS crosstalk with IKK/NF-kB and RAS/ERK signaling, ubiquitination of ERK and cell cycle inhibitors, and deregulation of FOXM1 and cell cycle key genes occur in rapidly progressing dysplastic nodules and HCC, induced in genetic susceptible rat strains, compared to the lesions of resistant rats. Notably, alterations of these mechanisms in human HCC subtypes with poorer or better prognosis, are similar to those present in genetically susceptible and resistant rats, respectively, and function as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. Attempts to cure advanced HCC by molecular therapy directed against specific targets led to modest survival benefit. Thus, efforts are necessary to identify and test, in pre-clinical and clinical studies, new therapeutic targets for combined molecular treatments of HCC. They may take advantage from the comparative analysis of signal transduction in HCCs differently prone to progress, in rats and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddalena Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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21
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Feo F, Frau M, Tomasi ML, Brozzetti S, Pascale RM. Genetic and epigenetic control of molecular alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2009; 234:726-36. [PMID: 19429855 DOI: 10.3181/0901-mr-40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rat strains that are either susceptible or resistant to the induction of HCC has allowed the mapping of genes responsible for inherited predisposition to HCC. These studies show that the activity of several low penetrance genes and a predominant susceptibility gene regulate the development of hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents. These studies shed light on the epidemiology of human HCC. The identified genes regulate resistance to hepatocarcinogenesis by affecting the capacity of the initiated cells to grow autonomously and to progress to HCC. Analysis of the molecular alterations showed highest iNos cross-talk with IKK/NF-kB and RAS/ERK pathways in most aggressive liver lesions represented by HCC in the susceptible F344 rats. Unrestrained extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) activity linked to proteasomal degradation of dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (Dusp1), a specific ERK inhibitor, by the CKS1-SKP2 ubiquitin ligase complex was highest in more aggressive HCC of genetically susceptible rats. Furthermore, deregulation of G1 and S phases of the cell cycle occurs in HCC of susceptible F344 rats, leading to pRb hyperphosphorylation and elevated DNA synthesis, whereas a block to G1-S transition is present in the HCC of resistant BN rats. Importantly, similar alterations in the signaling pathways that regulate cell cycle progression were found in human HCC with poorer prognosis (as defend by patients' survival length), whereas human HCC with better prognosis had molecular characteristics similar to the lesions in the HCC of resistant rat strains. This review discusses the role of molecular alterations involved in the acquisition of resistance or susceptibility to HCC and the importance of genetically susceptible and resistant rat models for the identification of prognostic markers, and chemopreventive or therapeutic targets for the biological network therapy of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Feo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
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22
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Peychal SEM, Bilger A, Pitot HC, Drinkwater NR. Predominant modifier of extreme liver cancer susceptibility in C57BR/cdJ female mice localized to 6 Mb on chromosome 17. Carcinogenesis 2009; 30:879-85. [PMID: 19255062 PMCID: PMC2675651 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgp054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones influence the susceptibility of inbred mice to liver cancer. C57BR/cdJ (BR) females are extremely susceptible to spontaneous and chemically induced liver tumors, in part due to a lack of protection against hepatocarcinogenesis normally offered by ovarian hormones. BR males are also moderately susceptible, and the susceptibility of both sexes of BR mice to liver tumors induced with N,N-diethylnitrosamine relative to the resistant C57BL/6J (B6) strain is caused by two loci designated Hcf1 and Hcf2 (hepatocarcinogenesis in females) located on chromosomes 17 and 1, respectively. The Hcf1 locus on chromosome 17 is the predominant modifier of liver cancer in BR mice. To validate the existence of this locus and investigate its potential interaction with Hcf2, congenic mice for each region were generated. Homozygosity for the B6.BR(D17Mit164-D17Mit2) region resulted in a 4-fold increase in liver tumor multiplicity in females and a 4.5-fold increase in males compared with B6 controls. A series of 16 recombinants covering the entire congenic region was developed to further narrow the area containing Hcf1. Susceptible heterozygous recombinants demonstrated a 3- to 7-fold effect in females and a 1.5- to 2-fold effect in males compared with B6 siblings. The effect in susceptible lines completely recapitulated the susceptibility of heterozygous full-length chromosome 17 congenics and furthermore narrowed the location of the Hcf1 locus to a single region of the chromosome from 30.05 to 35.83 Mb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E-M Peychal
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1400 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Maronpot RR. Biological Basis of Differential Susceptibility to Hepatocarcinogenesis among Mouse Strains. J Toxicol Pathol 2009; 22:11-33. [PMID: 22271974 PMCID: PMC3246016 DOI: 10.1293/tox.22.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2008] [Accepted: 11/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a vast amount of literature related to mouse liver tumorigenesis generated over the past 60 years, not all of which has been captured here. The studies reported in this literature have generally been state of the art at the time they were carried out. A PubMed search on the topic "mouse liver tumors" covering the past 10 years yields over 7000 scientific papers. This review address several important topics related to the unresolved controversy regarding the relevance of mouse liver tumor responses observed in cancer bioassays. The inherent mouse strain differential sensitivities to hepatocarcinogenesis largely parallel the strain susceptibility to chemically induced liver neoplasia. The effects of phenobarbital and halogenated hydrocarbons in mouse hepatocarcinogenesis have been summarized because of recurring interest and numerous publications on these topics. No single simple paradigm fully explains differential mouse strain responses, which can vary more than 50-fold among inbred strains. In addition to inherent genetics, modifying factors including cell cycle balance, enzyme induction, DNA methylation, oncogenes and suppressor genes, diet, and intercellular communication influence susceptibility to spontaneous and induced mouse hepatocarcinogenesis. Comments are offered on the evaluation, interpretation, and relevance of mouse liver tumor responses in the context of cancer bioassays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R Maronpot
- Maronpot Consulting, LLC, 1612 Medfield Road, Raleigh, NC 27607-4726, USA
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24
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Feo F, Frau M, Pascale RM. Interaction of major genes predisposing to hepatocellular carcinoma with genes encoding signal transduction pathways influences tumor phenotype and prognosis. World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14:6601-15. [PMID: 19034960 PMCID: PMC2773299 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.6601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on rodents and humans demonstrate an inherited predisposition to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Analysis of the molecular alterations involved in the acquisition of a phenotype resistant or susceptible to hepatocarcinogenesis showed a deregulation of G1 and S phases in HCC of genetically susceptible F344 rats and a G1-S block in lesions of resistant Brown norway (BN) rats. Unrestrained extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity linked to proteasomal degradation of dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1), a specific ERK inhibitor, by the CKS1-SKP2 ubiquitin ligase complex occurs in more aggressive HCC of F344 rats and humans. This mechanism is less active in HCC of BN rats and human HCC with better prognosis. Upregulation of iNos cross-talk with IKK/NF-κB and RAS/ERK pathways occurs in rodent liver lesions at higher levels in the most aggressive models represented by HCC of F344 rats and c-Myc-TGF-α transgenic mice. iNOS, IKK/NF-κB, and RAS/ERK upregulation is highest in human HCC with a poorer prognosis and positively correlates with tumor proliferation, genomic instability and microvascularization, and negatively with apoptosis. Thus, cell cycle regulation and the activity of signal transduction pathways seem to be modulated by HCC modifier genes, and differences in their efficiency influence the susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis and probably the prognosis of human HCC.
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Kodama S, Negishi M. Phenobarbital Confers its Diverse Effects by Activating the Orphan Nuclear Receptor Car. Drug Metab Rev 2008; 38:75-87. [PMID: 16684649 DOI: 10.1080/03602530600569851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In the early 1960s, phenobarbital (PB) was shown to induce hepatic drug metabolism and the induction was implicated in the molecular mechanism of drug tolerance development. Since then, it has become evident that PB not only induces drug metabolism, but also triggers pleiotropic effects on liver function, such as cell growth and communication, proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum, tumor promotion, glucose metabolism, steroid/thyroid hormone metabolism, and bile acid synthesis. Upon activation by PB and numerous PB-type inducers, the nuclear receptor CAR mediates those pleiotropic actions by regulating various hepatic genes, utilizing multiple regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susumu Kodama
- Pharmacogenetics Section, Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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Manenti G, Galvan A, Falvella FS, Pascale RM, Spada E, Milani S, Gonzalez Neira A, Feo F, Dragani TA. Genetic control of resistance to hepatocarcinogenesis by the mouse Hpcr3 locus. Hepatology 2008; 48:617-23. [PMID: 18666244 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The genome of the BALB/c mouse strain provides alleles that dominantly inhibit hepatocellular tumor development in F1 crosses with the highly hepatocarcinogenesis-susceptible C3H/He strain. Genome-wide linkage analysis using a 1536-single-nucleotide polymorphism array in a (C3H/He x BALB/c)F2 intercross population treated with urethane to induce hepatocellular tumor development revealed a locus with a major role in the resistance to hepatocarcinogenesis. This locus, designated hepatocarcinogen resistance 3 (Hpcr3) and mapping to central chromosome 15, showed a linkage at LOD score = 16.52 and accounted for 40% of the phenotypical variance. The BALB/c-derived allele at Hpcr3 reduced tumor-occupied area of the liver up to 25-fold, in a semidominant way. Additional minor loci were mapped to chromosomes 1, 10, and 18. A gene expression profile of normal adult mouse liver showed a significant association with susceptibility of BALB/c, C3H/He, and F1 mice to hepatocarcinogenesis and identified the genes expressed in the Hpcr3 locus region; moreover, this analysis implicated the E2F1 pathway in the modulation of the phenotype susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis. CONCLUSION These findings, indicating the complex genetics of dominant resistance to hepatocarcinogenesis, represent a step toward the identification of the genes underlying this phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Manenti
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Laboratories, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Wang H, Teske D, Tess A, Kohlhepp R, Choi Y, Kendziorski C, Moser AR. Identification of novel modifier loci of Apc Min affecting mammary tumor development. Cancer Res 2008; 67:11226-33. [PMID: 18056448 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-07-2487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Genetic background affects the susceptibility to mammary tumor development in Apc(Min/+) mice. Here we report the identification of four novel modifier loci that influence different aspects of mammary tumor development in Apc(Min/+) mice. Analysis of tumor development in a backcross of (FVBB6 Apc(Min/+)) x B6 Apc(Min/+) mice has identified a modifier on chromosome 9 that significantly affects tumor multiplicity, and a modifier on chromosome 4 that significantly affects tumor latency and affects tumor number with suggestive significance. This modifier was also identified in a backcross involving 129X1/SvJ and B6 Apc(Min/+) mice. A modifier on chromosome 18 specifically affects tumor latency but not tumor number. Kaplan-Meier analysis suggests there is at least an additive interaction affecting tumor latency between the loci on chromosomes 4 and 18. We also identified a modifier locus on chromosome 6 that interacts with the loci on chromosome 4 and chromosome 9 to affect tumor number. These results suggest that multiple genetic loci control different aspects of mammary tumor development. None of these modifiers is associated with intestinal tumor susceptibility, which indicates that these modifiers act on tumor development in a tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wang
- Department of Human Oncology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA
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Sun D, Ren H, Oertel M, Sellers RS, Shafritz DA, Zhu L. Inactivation of p27Kip1 promotes chemical mouse liver tumorigenesis in the resistant strain C57BL/6J. Mol Carcinog 2008; 47:47-55. [PMID: 17620307 DOI: 10.1002/mc.20360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The biochemical function of p27Kip1 as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases is well-established, but the role of p27 as a tumor suppressor depends on specific cellular contexts. Previous studies using p27 knockout mice on mixed C57BL/6J x 129/Sv strain background did not find a tumor suppressor role of p27 in the liver. An important feature of mouse liver tumorigenesis is strain-dependent tumor susceptibility. Here, we determined the role of p27 in liver tumorigenesis in C57BL/6J mice, a liver tumor resistant strain, in response to a diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and phenolbarbital (PB) two-stage carcinogenesis protocol. At 6 mo of age, while livers of DEN-PB treated p27+/+ and p27-/- C57BL/6J mice appeared morphologically normal, p27-/- livers, but not p27+/+ livers, contained readily detectable glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase)-deficient foci. At the 9-mo time point, p27-/- mice developed significantly enhanced liver tumor phenotypes than p27+/+ mice as demonstrated by increased numbers and sizes of liver surface nodules, increased liver-to-body weight ratios, and increased numbers of G6Pase-deficient nodules and histologically diagnosed foci and adenomas in liver sections. Hepatic lesions in p27-/- livers contained more proliferating hepatocytes than lesions in p27+/+ livers, while the numbers of apoptotic cells appeared similar in lesions of both genotypes. Unexpectedly, tumors in p27-/- livers contained only slightly elevated Cdk2 kinase activity compared with normal livers. These results reveal a liver tumor suppressor role of p27 in this resistant mouse strain, and the need to further study the role of Cdk2 kinase in liver tumor promotion by p27 inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daqian Sun
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Marion Bessin Liver Research Center and Albert Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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29
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Drew JC, Kastenmeier AS, Drinkwater NR. Ancestral bias in the Hras1 gene and distal Chromosome 7 among inbred mice. Mamm Genome 2007; 18:732-8. [PMID: 17906893 PMCID: PMC2042029 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-007-9061-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2007] [Accepted: 08/13/2007] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Inbred strains of mice vary in their frequency of liver tumors initiated by a mutation in the Hras1 (H-ras) proto-oncogene. We sequenced 4.5 kb of the Hras1 gene on distal Chr 7 in a diverse set of 12 commonly used laboratory inbred strains of mice and detected no sequence variation to account for strain-specific differences in Hras1 mutation prevalence. Furthermore, the Hras1 sequence is essentially monoallelic for an ancestral gene derived from the M. m. domesticus species. To determine if the monoallelism and associated low rate of polymorphism are unique to Hras1 or representative of the general chromosomal locale, we extended the sequence analysis to 12 genes in the final 8 Mb of distal Chr 7. A region of at least 2.5 Mb that encompasses several genes, including Hras1 and the H19/Igf2 loci, demonstrates virtually no sequence variation. The 12 inbred strains share one dominant haplotype derived from the M. m. domesticus allele. Chromosomal regions flanking the monoallelic segment exhibit a significantly higher rate of variation and multiple haplotypes, a majority of which are attributed to M. m. domesticus or M. m. musculus ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Drew
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1400 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 USA
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
| | - Andrew S. Kastenmeier
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1400 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 USA
| | - Norman R. Drinkwater
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1400 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 USA
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Buchmann A, Karcier Z, Schmid B, Strathmann J, Schwarz M. Differential selection for B-raf and Ha-ras mutated liver tumors in mice with high and low susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis. Mutat Res 2007; 638:66-74. [PMID: 17928010 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2007.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2007] [Revised: 08/02/2007] [Accepted: 08/30/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway is frequently observed in animal and human tumors. In our study, we analyzed B-raf codon 637 (formerly 624) and Ha-ras codon 61 mutations in liver tumors from C3H, B6C3F1 and C56BL mice which differ considerably with regard to their susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis. In total, 73% (102/140) of tumors induced by a single application of N-nitrosodiethylamine or 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene contained either B-raf or Ha-ras mutations and only <3% (4/140) were mutated in both genes. In addition, B-raf mutations were present in 76% (19/25) of early precancerous liver lesions. The prevalence of Ha-ras mutated tumors was significantly higher in the susceptible C3H and B6C3F1 mouse strains (39-50%) than in the comparatively resistant C57BL mouse (7%). B-raf mutated tumors, by contrast, were more frequent in C57BL mice (68%) than in the other two strains (17-45%). Taken together, our findings indicate that alterations affecting the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signalling pathway are a hallmark of carcinogen-induced liver tumors in mice. Moreover, our results show that mutational activation of B-raf in liver tumors of different mouse strains is, by contrast to Ha-ras, inversely related to their susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis. Although activated Ras and Raf proteins are assumed to have similar biological effects because they feed into the same signalling pathway, there seem to be subtle strain-specific differences in selection processes favouring the preferential outgrowth of either B-raf or Ha-ras mutated tumor populations in mouse liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albrecht Buchmann
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Toxicology, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstr. 56, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
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Abstract
The nuclear receptors CAR and PXR were first characterized as xenosensing transcription factors regulating the induction of phase I and II xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes as well as transporters in response to exogenous stimuli. It has now become clear, however, that these receptors cross-talk with endogenous stimuli as well, which extends their regulation to various physiological processes such as energy metabolism and cell growth. As recognition of the function of these receptors has widened, the molecular mechanism of their regulation has evolved from simple protein-DNA binding to regulation by complex protein-protein interactions. Novel mechanisms as to how xenobiotic exposure alters hepatic metabolic pathways such as gluconeogenesis and beta-oxidation have emerged. At the same time, the molecular mechanism of how endogenous stimuli, such as insulin, regulate xenobiotc metabolism via CAR and PXR have also become evident.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - MASAHIKO NEGISHI
- Corresponding author: Masahiko Negishi, Ph.D., Tel: 919-541-2404, Fax: 919-541-0696, E-mail:
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32
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De Miglio MR, Virdis P, Calvisi DF, Frau M, Muroni MR, Simile MM, Daino L, Careddu GM, Sanna-Passino E, Pascale RM, Feo F. Mapping a Sex Hormone–Sensitive Gene Determining Female Resistance to Liver Carcinogenesis in a Congenic F344.BN-Hcs4Rat. Cancer Res 2006; 66:10384-90. [PMID: 17079458 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-06-2881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is prevalent in human and rodent males. Hepatocarcinogenesis is controlled by various genes in susceptible F344 and resistant Brown Norway (BN) rats. B alleles at Hcs4 locus, on RNO16, control neoplastic nodule volume. We constructed the F344.BN-Hcs4 recombinant congenic strain (RCS) by introgressing a 4.41-cM portion of Hcs4 from BN strain in an isogenic F344 background. Preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions were induced by the "resistant hepatocyte" protocol. Eight weeks after initiation, lesion volume and positivity for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were much higher in lesions of F344 than BN rats of both sexes. These variables were lower in females than in males. Lesion volume and PCNA values of male RCS were similar to those of F344 rats, but in females corresponded to those of BN females. Carcinomatous nodules and HCC developed at 32 and 60 weeks, respectively, in male F344 and congenics and, rarely, in F344 females. BN and congenic females developed only eosinophilic/clear cells nodules. Gonadectomy of congenic males, followed by beta-estradiol administration, caused a decrease in Ar expression, an increase in Er-alpha expression, and development of preneoplastic lesions comparable to those from BN females. Administration of testosterone to gonadectomized females led to Ar increase and development of preneoplastic lesions as in F344 males. This indicates a role of homozygous B alleles at Hcs4 in the determination of phenotypic patterns of female RCS and presence at Hcs4 locus of a high penetrance gene(s), activated by estrogens and inhibited/unaffected by testosterone, conferring resistance to females in which the B alleles provide higher resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria R De Miglio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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Thomae TL, Stevens EA, Liss AL, Drinkwater NR, Bradfield CA. The Teratogenic Sensitivity to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Is Modified by a Locus on Mouse Chromosome 3. Mol Pharmacol 2005; 69:770-5. [PMID: 16354765 DOI: 10.1124/mol.105.019760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In an effort to understand how genetics can influence individual sensitivity to environmentally induced disease, we performed a linkage analysis to identify murine loci in addition to the Ahr locus that influence the incidence of cleft palate and hydronephrosis in developing mice exposed to the pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin). Administration of 64 microg/kg dioxin to C57BL/6J (B6) dams at embryonic day 9 (E9) led to palatal clefting and hydronephrosis in nearly 100% of embryos by E17. In contrast, similar exposure of CBA/J (CBA) dams led to cleft palate in only 8% and hydronephrosis in 69% of embryos. To determine the genetic basis for this strain-dependent sensitivity, linkage analyses on the progeny of a B6CBAF1 intercross and a CBAxB6CBAF1 backcross were performed. The incidences of cleft palate and hydronephrosis were assessed and genomic DNA from embryos was analyzed at informative simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) markers. One locus segregating with dioxin-induced cleft palate was identified (p < 0.01) and designated as chemically mediated teratogenesis number 1 (Cmt1). The Cmt1 locus is located on chromosome 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tami L Thomae
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, 1400 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1599, USA
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Feo F, De Miglio MR, Simile MM, Muroni MR, Calvisi DF, Frau M, Pascale RM. Hepatocellular carcinoma as a complex polygenic disease. Interpretive analysis of recent developments on genetic predisposition. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2005; 1765:126-47. [PMID: 16216419 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2005.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2005] [Revised: 08/25/2005] [Accepted: 08/26/2005] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The different frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans at risk suggests a polygenic predisposition. However, detection of genetic variants is difficult in genetically heterogeneous human population. Studies on mouse and rat models identified 7 hepatocarcinogenesis susceptibility (Hcs) and 2 resistance (Hcr) loci in mice, and 7 Hcs and 9 Hcr loci in rats, controlling multiplicity and size of neoplastic liver lesions. Six liver neoplastic nodule remodeling (Lnnr) loci control number and volume of re-differentiating lesions in rat. A Hcs locus, with high phenotypic effects, and various epistatic gene-gene interactions were identified in rats, suggesting a genetic model of predisposition to hepatocarcinogenesis with different subset of low-penetrance genes, at play in different subsets of population, and a major locus. This model is in keeping with human HCC epidemiology. Several putative modifier genes in rodents, deregulated in HCC, are located in chromosomal segments syntenic to sites of chromosomal aberrations in humans, suggesting possible location of predisposing loci. Resistance to HCC is associated with lower genomic instability and downregulation of cell cycle key genes in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. p16(INK4A) upregulation occurs in susceptible and resistant rat lesions. p16(INK4A)-induced growth restraint was circumvented by Hsp90/Cdc37 chaperons and E2f4 nuclear export by Crm1 in susceptible, but not in resistant rats and human HCCs with better prognosis. Thus, protective mechanisms seem to be modulated by HCC modifiers, and differences in their efficiency influence the susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis and probably the prognosis of human HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Feo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella 4, 07100 Sasssari, Italy.
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