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Li YT, Wu HL, Liu CJ. Molecular Mechanisms and Animal Models of HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: With Emphasis on Metastatic Tumor Antigen 1. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9380. [PMID: 34502289 PMCID: PMC8431721 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important cause of cancer death worldwide, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major etiology, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Lack of sensitive biomarkers for early diagnosis of HCC and lack of effective therapeutics for patients with advanced HCC are the main reasons for high HCC mortality; these clinical needs are linked to the molecular heterogeneity of hepatocarcinogenesis. Animal models are the basis of preclinical and translational research in HBV-related HCC (HBV-HCC). Recent advances in methodology have allowed the development of several animal models to address various aspects of chronic liver disease, including HCC, which HBV causes in humans. Currently, multiple HBV-HCC animal models, including conventional, hydrodynamics-transfection-based, viral vector-mediated transgenic, and xenograft mice models, as well as the hepadnavirus-infected tree shrew and woodchuck models, are available. This review provides an overview of molecular mechanisms and animal models of HBV-HCC. Additionally, the metastatic tumor antigen 1 (MTA1), a cancer-promoting molecule, was introduced as an example to address the importance of a suitable animal model for studying HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Tsung Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Lin Wu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Jen Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
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Blidisel A, Marcovici I, Coricovac D, Hut F, Dehelean CA, Cretu OM. Experimental Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-A Preclinical Perspective. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3651. [PMID: 34359553 PMCID: PMC8344976 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequent form of primary liver carcinoma, is a heterogenous and complex tumor type with increased incidence, poor prognosis, and high mortality. The actual therapeutic arsenal is narrow and poorly effective, rendering this disease a global health concern. Although considerable progress has been made in terms of understanding the pathogenesis, molecular mechanisms, genetics, and therapeutical approaches, several facets of human HCC remain undiscovered. A valuable and prompt approach to acquire further knowledge about the unrevealed aspects of HCC and novel therapeutic candidates is represented by the application of experimental models. Experimental models (in vivo and in vitro 2D and 3D models) are considered reliable tools to gather data for clinical usability. This review offers an overview of the currently available preclinical models frequently applied for the study of hepatocellular carcinoma in terms of initiation, development, and progression, as well as for the discovery of efficient treatments, highlighting the advantages and the limitations of each model. Furthermore, we also focus on the role played by computational studies (in silico models and artificial intelligence-based prediction models) as promising novel tools in liver cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Blidisel
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
| | - Iasmina Marcovici
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Dorina Coricovac
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Florin Hut
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
| | - Cristina Adriana Dehelean
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Octavian Marius Cretu
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
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Suresh M, Menne S. Application of the woodchuck animal model for the treatment of hepatitis B virus-induced liver cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2021; 13:509-535. [PMID: 34163570 PMCID: PMC8204361 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v13.i6.509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This review describes woodchucks chronically infected with the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) as an animal model for hepatocarcinogenesis and treatment of primary liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Since laboratory animal models susceptible to HBV infection are limited, woodchucks experimentally infected with WHV, a hepatitis virus closely related to HBV, are increasingly used to enhance our understanding of virus-host interactions, immune response, and liver disease progression. A correlation of severe liver pathogenesis with high-level viral replication and deficient antiviral immunity has been established, which are present during chronic infection after WHV inoculation of neonatal woodchucks for modeling vertical HBV transmission in humans. HCC in chronic carrier woodchucks develops 17 to 36 mo after neonatal WHV infection and involves liver tumors that are comparable in size, morphology, and molecular gene signature to those of HBV-infected patients. Accordingly, woodchucks with WHV-induced liver tumors have been used for the improvement of imaging and ablation techniques of human HCC. In addition, drug efficacy studies in woodchucks with chronic WHV infection have revealed that prolonged treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogs, alone or in combination with other compounds, minimizes the risk of liver disease progression to HCC. More recently, woodchucks have been utilized in the delineation of mechanisms involved in innate and adaptive immune responses against WHV during acute, self-limited and chronic infections. Therapeutic interventions based on modulating the deficient host antiviral immunity have been explored in woodchucks for inducing functional cure in HBV-infected patients and for reducing or even delaying associated liver disease sequelae, including the onset of HCC. Therefore, woodchucks with chronic WHV infection constitute a well-characterized, fully immunocompetent animal model for HBV-induced liver cancer and for preclinical evaluation of the safety and efficacy of new modalities, which are based on chemo, gene, and immune therapy, for the prevention and treatment of HCC in patients for which current treatment options are dismal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasa Suresh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, United States
| | - Stephan Menne
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, United States
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Li YT, Wu HL, Kao JH, Cheng HR, Ho MC, Wang CC, Chen PJ, Chen DS, Liu CJ. Expression of Metastatic Tumor Antigen 1 Splice Variant Correlates With Early Recurrence and Aggressive Features of Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology 2019; 70:184-197. [PMID: 30802976 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of metastatic tumor antigen 1 (MTA1) was correlated with poor prognosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). The aim of this study was to examine the clinical significance of the expression of MTA1 and its exon 4-excluded form (MTA1dE4), the most abundant spliced variant of MTA1, in patients receiving curative resection for HBV-HCC. We collected 102 patients with HBV-HCC and received curative resection retrospectively and examined the expressions level of total MTA1/MTA1dE4 in their paired nontumor and tumor liver tissues by using RT-qPCR. The association between MTA1/MTA1dE4 expression and various tumor features as well as tumor recurrence was analyzed. During the median follow-up period of 4 years, 25 patients (24.5%) showed early recurrence (within 12 months postresection) and 42 (54.5%) showed late recurrence. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, MTA1dE4 overexpression in tumor, but not MTA1, was associated with early recurrence (P = 0.0365), but not late recurrence. In multivariate analysis, only alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥200 ng/mL (P = 0.006) and large tumor size (P = 0.027) were correlated with early recurrence. In the subgroup of patients with AFP <200 ng/mL, high MTA1dE4, but not total MTA1, expression could help predict early recurrence (P = 0.0195). In vitro, wound healing and invasion assays were performed in HCC cells, and MTA1dE4 was found to exhibit a higher ability in promoting migration and invasion of hepatoma cells than full-length MTA1. Conclusion: MTA1dE4 expression is correlated with more aggressive tumor characteristics and might serve as a more sensitive marker for early recurrence of HBV-HCC, especially for low-AFP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Tsung Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Lin Wu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Horng Kao
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huei-Ru Cheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Ho
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chiang Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jer Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ding-Shinn Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Jen Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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