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Li H, Ye Z, Wang X, Yuan J, Guo J, Liu C, Yan B, Fan H, Lyu Y, Liu X. Intracellular magnetic hyperthermia reverses sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma through its action on signaling pathways. iScience 2024; 27:110029. [PMID: 38883844 PMCID: PMC11176631 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib, a first-line drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), unfortunately encounters resistance in most patients, leading to disease progression. Traditional approaches to counteract this resistance, particularly those targeting the RAF-MEK-ERK pathway, often face clinical feasibility limitations. Magnetic hyperthermia (MH), unlike conventional thermal therapies, emerges as a promising alternative. It uniquely combines magnetothermal effects with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study found the potential of intracellular MH enhanced the efficacy of sorafenib, increased cellular sensitivity to sorafenib, and reversed sorafenib resistance by inhibiting the RAF-MEK-ERK pathway in an ROS-dependent manner in a sorafenib-resistant HCC cell. Further, in a sorafenib-resistant HCC mouse model, MH significantly sensitized tumors to sorafenib therapy, resulting in inhibited tumor growth and improved survival rates. This presents a promising strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance in HCC, potentially enhancing therapeutic outcomes for patients with this challenging condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugang Li
- National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Precision Surgery & Regenerative Medicine; Shaanxi Province Center for Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Engineering Research; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Magnetic Medicine; First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- School of Future Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Zirui Ye
- National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Precision Surgery & Regenerative Medicine; Shaanxi Province Center for Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Engineering Research; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Magnetic Medicine; First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Institute of Regenerative and Reconstructive Medicine, Med-X Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Xun Wang
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Jianlan Yuan
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Jingyi Guo
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Bin Yan
- National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Precision Surgery & Regenerative Medicine; Shaanxi Province Center for Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Engineering Research; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Magnetic Medicine; First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Institute of Regenerative and Reconstructive Medicine, Med-X Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Haiming Fan
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
| | - Yi Lyu
- National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Precision Surgery & Regenerative Medicine; Shaanxi Province Center for Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Engineering Research; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Magnetic Medicine; First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Institute of Regenerative and Reconstructive Medicine, Med-X Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
- School of Future Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Precision Surgery & Regenerative Medicine; Shaanxi Province Center for Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Engineering Research; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Magnetic Medicine; First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Institute of Regenerative and Reconstructive Medicine, Med-X Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
- School of Future Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
- Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education; Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710069, China
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Dong FL, Xu ZZ, Wang YQ, Li T, Wang X, Li J. Exosome-derived circUPF2 enhances resistance to targeted therapy by redeploying ferroptosis sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:298. [PMID: 38811968 PMCID: PMC11137910 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02582-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be treated with sorafenib, which is the primary choice for targeted therapy. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of sorafenib is greatly restricted due to resistance. Research has shown that exosomes and circular RNAs play a vital role in the cancer's malignant advancement. However, the significance of exosomal circular RNAs in the development of resistance to sorafenib in HCC remains uncertain. METHODS Ultracentrifugation was utilized to isolate exosomes (Exo-SR) from the sorafenib-resistant HCC cells' culture medium. Transcriptome sequencing and differential expression gene analysis were used to identify the targets of Exo-SR action in HCC cells. To identify the targets of Exo-SR action in HCC cells, transcriptome sequencing and analysis of differential expression genes were employed. To evaluate the impact of exosomal circUPF2 on resistance to sorafenib in HCC, experiments involving gain-of-function and loss-of-function were conducted. RNA pull-down assays and mass spectrometry analysis were performed to identify the RNA-binding proteins interacting with circUPF2. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), immunofluorescence (IF) -fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and rescue assays were used to validate the interactions among circUPF2, IGF2BP2 and SLC7A11. Finally, a tumor xenograft assay was used to examine the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of Exo-SR and circUPF2 in vivo. RESULTS A novel exosomal circRNA, circUPF2, was identified and revealed to be significantly enriched in Exo-SR. Exosomes with enriched circUPF2 enhanced sorafenib resistance by promoting SLC7A11 expression and suppressing ferroptosis in HCC cells. Mechanistically, circUPF2 acts as a framework to enhance the creation of the circUPF2-IGF2BP2-SLC7A11 ternary complex contributing to the stabilization of SLC7A11 mRNA. Consequently, exosomal circUPF2 promotes SLC7A11 expression and enhances the function of system Xc- in HCC cells, leading to decreased sensitivity to ferroptosis and resistance to sorafenib. CONCLUSIONS The resistance to sorafenib in HCC is facilitated by the exosomal circUPF2, which promotes the formation of the circUPF2-IGF2BP2-SLC7A11 ternary complex and increases the stability of SLC7A11 mRNA. Focusing on exosomal circUPF2 could potentially be an innovative approach for HCC treatment.
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MESH Headings
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Humans
- Exosomes/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Sorafenib/pharmacology
- RNA, Circular/genetics
- RNA, Circular/metabolism
- Ferroptosis/drug effects
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Animals
- Mice
- RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Mice, Nude
- Amino Acid Transport System y+/metabolism
- Amino Acid Transport System y+/genetics
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Lin Dong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, No. 16766, Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Zong-Zhen Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, No. 16766, Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Ying-Qiao Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Tao Li
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, No. 16766, Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China.
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Jie Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, No. 16766, Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China.
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Sukowati CHC, Jayanti S, Turyadi T, Muljono DH, Tiribelli C. Hepatitis B virus genotypes in precision medicine of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma: Where we are now. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:1097-1103. [PMID: 38660644 PMCID: PMC11037070 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i4.1097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major player in chronic hepatitis B that may lead to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV genetics are diverse where it is classified into at least 9 genotypes (A to I) and 1 putative genotype (J), each with specific geographical distribution and possible different clinical outcomes in the patient. This diversity may be associated with the precision medicine for HBV-related HCC and the success of therapeutical approaches against HCC, related to different pathogenicity of the virus and host response. This Editorial discusses recent updates on whether the classification of HBV genetic diversity is still valid in terms of viral oncogenicity to the HCC and its precision medicine, in addition to the recent advances in cellular and molecular biology technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caecilia H C Sukowati
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, Research Organization for Health, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Jakarta 10340, Indonesia
- Liver Cancer Unit, Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Sri Jayanti
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, Research Organization for Health, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Jakarta 10340, Indonesia
| | - Turyadi Turyadi
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, Research Organization for Health, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Jakarta 10340, Indonesia
| | - David H Muljono
- Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Liver Cancer Unit, Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, Trieste 34149, Italy
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Augello G, Cusimano A, Cervello M, Cusimano A. Extracellular Vesicle-Related Non-Coding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Overview. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1415. [PMID: 38611093 PMCID: PMC11011022 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer. It is a major public health problem worldwide, and it is often diagnosed at advanced stages, when no effective treatment options are available. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized double-layer lipid vesicles containing various biomolecule cargoes, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. EVs are released from nearly all types of cells and have been shown to play an important role in cell-to-cell communication. In recent years, many studies have investigated the role of EVs in cancer, including HCC. Emerging studies have shown that EVs play primary roles in the development and progression of cancer, modulating tumor growth and metastasis formation. Moreover, it has been observed that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) carried by tumor cell-derived EVs promote tumorigenesis, regulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) and playing critical roles in the progression, angiogenesis, metastasis, immune escape, and drug resistance of HCC. EV-related ncRNAs can provide information regarding disease status, thus encompassing a role as biomarkers. In this review, we discuss the main roles of ncRNAs present in HCC-derived EVs, including micro(mi) RNAs, long non-coding (lnc) RNAs, and circular (circ) RNAs, and their potential clinical value as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (A.C.); (M.C.)
| | - Alessandra Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (A.C.); (M.C.)
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (A.C.); (M.C.)
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (A.C.); (M.C.)
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Ladd AD, Duarte S, Sahin I, Zarrinpar A. Mechanisms of drug resistance in HCC. Hepatology 2024; 79:926-940. [PMID: 36680397 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
HCC comprises ∼80% of primary liver cancer. HCC is the only major cancer for which death rates have not improved over the last 10 years. Most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease when surgical and locoregional treatments are not feasible or effective. Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor targeting cell growth and angiogenesis, was approved for advanced unresectable HCC in 2007. Since then, other multikinase inhibitors have been approved. Lenvatinib was found to be noninferior to sorafenib as a first-line agent. Regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab were shown to prolong survival as second-line agents. Advances in immunotherapy for HCC have also added hope for patients, but their efficacy remains limited. A large proportion of patients with advanced HCC gain no long-term benefit from systemic therapy due to primary and acquired drug resistance, which, combined with its rising incidence, keeps HCC a highly fatal disease. This review summarizes mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to therapy and includes methods for bypassing resistance. It addresses recent advancements in immunotherapy, provides new perspectives on the linkage between drug resistance and molecular etiology of HCC, and evaluates the role of the microbiome in drug resistance. It also discusses alterations in signaling pathways, dysregulation of apoptosis, modulations in the tumor microenvironment, involvement of cancer stem cells, changes in drug metabolism/transport, tumor hypoxia, DNA repair, and the role of microRNAs in drug resistance. Understanding the interplay among these factors will provide guidance on the development of new therapeutic strategies capable of improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra D Ladd
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sergio Duarte
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ilyas Sahin
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ali Zarrinpar
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Chen Z, Du D, Li J, Zhang W, Shao J. Cuproptosis-related molecular classification and gene signature of hepatocellular carcinoma and experimental verification. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:1268-1289. [PMID: 38617510 PMCID: PMC11009816 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-1876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy with poor overall prognosis. Cuproptosis, a recently proposed mode of copper-dependent cell death, plays a critical role in the malignant progression of various tumors; however, the expression and prognostic value of cuproptosis-related regulatory genes in HCC remain unclear. Methods Genomic, genetic, and expression profiles of ten key cuproptosis-related regulatory genes were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) dataset and protein expression data from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Unsupervised clustering of HCC patients based on these ten key cuproptosis-related regulatory genes was used to identify different HCC subtypes and analyze the differences in clinical and immune characteristics among subtypes. Subsequently, univariate Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox analyses were used to establish a cuproptosis-related prognostic signature, and the accuracy of prognostic signature prediction was internally validated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve in TCGA training and testing cohorts. The prognostic signature was externally validated using TCGA-LIHC entire cohort and International Cancer Genome Consortium Liver Cancer (ICGC-LIRI) cohorts. Finally, the expression landscape of cuproptosis-related regulatory genes in prognostic signature was explored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) experiments. Results Ten cuproptosis-related genes were differentially expressed in normal and HCC tissues. Unsupervised clustering identified two subtypes and HCC patients with these two subtypes had different clinical prognoses and immune characteristics, as well as different degrees of response to immunotherapy. Lipoyltransferase 1 (LIPT1), dihydrolipoamide s-acetyltransferase (DLAT), and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) were selected to construct a prognostic signature, which significantly distinguished HCC patients with different survival periods in the TCGA training and testing cohorts and was well validated in both the TCGA-LIHC entire cohort and ICGC-LIRI cohort. The risk score of the prognostic signature was confirmed to be an independent prognostic factor, and nomograms were generated to effectively predict the probability of HCC patient survival. The qRT-PCR, western blotting and IHC results also revealed a significant imbalance in the expression of these cuproptosis-related genes in HCC. Conclusions The classification and prognostic signature based on cuproptosis-related regulatory genes helps to explain the heterogeneity of HCC, which may contribute to the individualized treatment of patients with the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehao Chen
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Engineering Research Center of Hepatobiliary Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Dongnian Du
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Engineering Research Center of Hepatobiliary Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jiajuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Engineering Research Center of Hepatobiliary Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenming Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Engineering Research Center of Hepatobiliary Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jianghua Shao
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Province Engineering Research Center of Hepatobiliary Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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Cheng T, Zhou C, Bian S, Sobeck K, Liu Y. Coordinated activation of DNMT3a and TET2 in cancer stem cell-like cells initiates and sustains drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:110. [PMID: 38528605 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03288-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to targeted therapies represents a significant hurdle to successfully treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While epigenetic abnormalities are critical determinants of HCC relapse and therapeutic resistance, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We aimed to address whether and how dysregulated epigenetic regulators have regulatory and functional communications in establishing and maintaining drug resistance. METHODS HCC-resistant cells were characterized by CCK-8, IncuCyte Live-Cell analysis, flow cytometry and wound-healing assays. Target expression was assessed by qPCR and Western blotting. Global and promoter DNA methylation was measured by dotblotting, methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation and enzymatic digestion. Protein interaction and promoter binding of DNMT3a-TET2 were investigated by co-immunoprecipitation, ChIP-qPCR. The regulatory and functional roles of DNMT3a and TET2 were studied by lentivirus infection and puromycin selection. The association of DNMT and TET expression with drug response and survival of HCC patients was assessed by public datasets, spearman correlation coefficients and online tools. RESULTS We identified the coordination of DNMT3a and TET2 as an actionable mechanism of drug resistance in HCC. The faster growth and migration of resistant HCC cells were attributed to DNMT3a and TET2 upregulation followed by increased 5mC and 5hmC production. HCC patients with higher DNMT3a and TET2 had a shorter survival time with a less favorable response to sorafenib therapy than those with lower expression. Cancer stem cell-like cells (CSCs) displayed DNMT3a and TET2 overexpression, which were insensitive to sorafenib. Either genetic or pharmacological suppression of DNMT3a or/and TET2 impaired resistant cell growth and oncosphere formation, and restored sorafenib sensitivity. Mechanistically, DNMT3a did not establish a regulatory circuit with TET2, but formed a complex with TET2 and HDAC2. This complex bound the promoters of oncogenes (i.e., CDK1, CCNA2, RASEF), and upregulated them without involving promoter DNA methylation. In contrast, DNMT3a-TET2 crosstalk silences tumor suppressors (i.e., P15, SOCS2) through a corepressor complex with HDAC2 along with increased promoter DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that DNMT3a and TET2 act coordinately to regulate HCC cell fate in DNA methylation-dependent and -independent manners, representing strong predictors for drug resistance and poor prognosis, and thus are promising therapeutic targets for refractory HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Cheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, P.R. China
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Changli Zhou
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
- MetroHealth Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA
| | - Sicheng Bian
- MetroHealth Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA
| | - Kelsey Sobeck
- The Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Yahui Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, P.R. China.
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Safri F, Nguyen R, Zerehpooshnesfchi S, George J, Qiao L. Heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma: from mechanisms to clinical implications. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00764-w. [PMID: 38499648 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00764-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of primary liver cancer. Current treatment options have limited efficacy against this malignancy, primarily owing to difficulties in early detection and the inherent resistance to existing drugs. Tumor heterogeneity is a pivotal factor contributing significantly to treatment resistance and recurrent manifestations of HCC. Intratumoral heterogeneity is an important aspect of the spectrum of complex tumor heterogeneity and contributes to late diagnosis and treatment failure. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the molecular mechanisms of how tumor heterogeneity develops. This review aims to summarize the possible molecular dimensions of tumor heterogeneity with an emphasis on intratumoral heterogeneity, evaluate its profound impact on the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for HCC, and explore the suitability of appropriate pre-clinical models that can be used to best study tumor heterogeneity; thus, opening new avenues for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatema Safri
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Romario Nguyen
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Shadi Zerehpooshnesfchi
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
| | - Liang Qiao
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
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Xu K, Wang X, Hu S, Tang J, Liu S, Chen H, Zhang X, Dai P. LINC00540 promotes sorafenib resistance and functions as a ceRNA for miR-4677-3p to regulate AKR1C2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27322. [PMID: 38463802 PMCID: PMC10920722 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib resistance is one of the main causes of poor prognosis in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as suppressors or oncogenic factors during tumor progression and drug resistance. Here, to identify therapeutic targets for HCC, the biological mechanisms of abnormally expressed lncRNAs were examined in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Specifically, we established sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines (Huh7-S and SMMC7721-S), which displayed an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed to established differential lncRNA expression profiles for sorafenib-resistant cells. Through this analysis, we identified LINC00540 as significantly up-regulated in sorafenib-resistant cells and a candidate lncRNA for further mechanistic investigation. Functionally, LINC00540 knockdown promoted sorafenib sensitivity and suppressed migration, invasion, EMT and the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells, whereas overexpression of LINC00540 resulted in the opposite effects in parental cells. LINC00540 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by competitively binding to miR-4677-3p , thereby promoting AKR1C2 expression. This is the first study that demonstrates a role for LINC00540 in enhancing sorafenib resistance, migration and invasion of HCC cells through the LINC00540/miR-4677-3p/AKR1C2 axis, suggesting that LINC00540 may represent a potential therapeutic target and prognosis biomarker for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixuan Xu
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Shuwei Hu
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Jiaxuan Tang
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Shihui Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Hui Chen
- The University Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Xiaobin Zhang
- The University Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Penggao Dai
- National Engineering Research Center for Miniaturized Detection Systems, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
- Shaanxi Lifegen Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 712000, China
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10
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Pal S, Kabeer SW, Sharma S, Tikoo K. l-Methionine potentiates anticancer activity of Sorafenib by epigenetically altering DUSP3/ERK pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23663. [PMID: 38367245 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cancer-related cause of death worldwide. Although Sorafenib is the standard systemic therapy for treating HCC, but it develops resistance very quickly, leading to poor prognosis. The current study was planned to explore the effect of l-methionine on the anticancer activity of Sorafenib in HCC. Ten millimolar of l-methionine treatment significantly reduced the IC50 of Sorafenib from 5.513 ± 0.171 to 0.8095 ± 0.0465 µM in HepG2 cell line. It also resulted in concomitant increase in oxidative stress and deactivation of ERK/AMPK/AKT pathway. Additionally, it also resulted in the increased expression of dual specificity phosphatase 3 (DUSP3). In a rat model of sorafenib-resistant HCC induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) (100 mg/L/day) and Sorafenib (10 mg/kg), l-methionine (300 and 500 mg/kg/day) supplementation overcame the drug resistance, as indicated by the reduced formation of surface tumor nodules, prevention of cellular hypertrophy, hyperplasia and inflammation, and improved animal survival. Furthermore, l-methionine in combination with Sorafenib also inhibited AMPK/AKT and ERK pathway. At chromatin level, l-methionine supplementation prevented global methylation of H3K27me3, an inactivation mark, and demethylation of H3K36me2, an activation mark. Interestingly, our findings suggest that inhibition of the ERK pathway via increased activity of DUSP3 is epigenetically regulated. Besides, chromatin immunoprecipitation data exhibited augmented H3K36me2 (an activation mark) levels on the DUSP3 promoter region. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report that l-methionine supplementation improves the chemosensitivity in Sorafenib-resistant HCC via modulating the epigenetic landscape and can be a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagata Pal
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India
| | - Shaheen Wasil Kabeer
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India
| | - Shivam Sharma
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India
| | - Kulbhushan Tikoo
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India
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11
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Jiang Z, Shi B, Zhang Y, Yu T, Cheng Y, Zhu J, Zhang G, Zhong M, Hu S, Ma X. CREB3L4 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and decreases sorafenib chemosensitivity by promoting RHEB-mTORC1 signaling pathway. iScience 2024; 27:108843. [PMID: 38303702 PMCID: PMC10831937 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to explore the roles of CREB3L4 in the pathogenesis and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The proliferation of HCC lines was determined in the presence of CREB3L4 over-expression and silencing. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to screen the potential target of CREB3L4 on mTORC1. Xenografted tumor model was established to define the regulatory effects of CREB3L4 in the tumorigenesis. Then we evaluated the roles of CREB3L4 in chemosensitivity to sorafenib treatment. CREB3L4 significantly induced the HCC cell proliferation by modulating the activation of mTROC1-S6K1 signaling pathway via binding with RHEB promoter. Moreover, CREB3L4 dramatically inhibited the chemosensitivity to sorafenib treatment via up-regulating RHEB-mTORC1 signaling. CREB3L4 promoted HCC progression and decreased its chemosensitivity to sorafenib through up-regulating RHEB-mTORC1 signaling pathway, indicating a potential treatment strategy for HCC through targeting CREB3L4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengchen Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
- Department of Gastric Surgery, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Bowen Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Tianming Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jiankang Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Guangyong Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Mingwei Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Sanyuan Hu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Xiaomin Ma
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
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12
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Khan SU, Fatima K, Aisha S, Malik F. Unveiling the mechanisms and challenges of cancer drug resistance. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:109. [PMID: 38347575 PMCID: PMC10860306 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01302-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer treatment faces many hurdles and resistance is one among them. Anti-cancer treatment strategies are evolving due to innate and acquired resistance capacity, governed by genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, metabolic, or microenvironmental cues that ultimately enable selected cancer cells to survive and progress under unfavorable conditions. Although the mechanism of drug resistance is being widely studied to generate new target-based drugs with better potency than existing ones. However, due to the broader flexibility in acquired drug resistance, advanced therapeutic options with better efficacy need to be explored. Combination therapy is an alternative with a better success rate though the risk of amplified side effects is commonplace. Moreover, recent groundbreaking precision immune therapy is one of the ways to overcome drug resistance and has revolutionized anticancer therapy to a greater extent with the only limitation of being individual-specific and needs further attention. This review will focus on the challenges and strategies opted by cancer cells to withstand the current therapies at the molecular level and also highlights the emerging therapeutic options -like immunological, and stem cell-based options that may prove to have better potential to challenge the existing problem of therapy resistance. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer Ullah Khan
- Division of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Srinagar-190005, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India.
| | - Kaneez Fatima
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Srinagar-190005, Jammu and Kashmir, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Shariqa Aisha
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Srinagar-190005, Jammu and Kashmir, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Fayaz Malik
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Srinagar-190005, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India.
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13
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Zhang Y, Xiao B, Liu Y, Wu S, Xiang Q, Xiao Y, Zhao J, Yuan R, Xie K, Li L. Roles of PPAR activation in cancer therapeutic resistance: Implications for combination therapy and drug development. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 964:176304. [PMID: 38142851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic resistance is a major obstacle to successful treatment or effective containment of cancer. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) play an essential role in regulating energy homeostasis and determining cell fate. Despite of the pleiotropic roles of PPARs in cancer, numerous studies have suggested their intricate relationship with therapeutic resistance in cancer. In this review, we provided an overview of the roles of excessively activated PPARs in promoting resistance to modern anti-cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. The mechanisms through which activated PPARs contribute to therapeutic resistance in most cases include metabolic reprogramming, anti-oxidant defense, anti-apoptosis signaling, proliferation-promoting pathways, and induction of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In addition, we discussed the mechanisms through which activated PPARs lead to multidrug resistance in cancer, including drug efflux, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and acquisition and maintenance of the cancer stem cell phenotype. Preliminary studies investigating the effect of combination therapies with PPAR antagonists have suggested the potential of these antagonists in reversing resistance and facilitating sustained cancer management. These findings will provide a valuable reference for further research on and clinical translation of PPAR-targeting treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxia Zhang
- School of Medicine, The South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Bin Xiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Yunduo Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Shunhong Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Qin Xiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Yuhan Xiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Junxiu Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Ruanfei Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China
| | - Keping Xie
- School of Medicine, The South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Linhai Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, 511518, China.
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14
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Guo Y, Hu H, Chen W, Yin H, Wu J, Hsieh CY, He Q, Cao J. SynergyX: a multi-modality mutual attention network for interpretable drug synergy prediction. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae015. [PMID: 38340091 PMCID: PMC10858681 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Discovering effective anti-tumor drug combinations is crucial for advancing cancer therapy. Taking full account of intricate biological interactions is highly important in accurately predicting drug synergy. However, the extremely limited prior knowledge poses great challenges in developing current computational methods. To address this, we introduce SynergyX, a multi-modality mutual attention network to improve anti-tumor drug synergy prediction. It dynamically captures cross-modal interactions, allowing for the modeling of complex biological networks and drug interactions. A convolution-augmented attention structure is adopted to integrate multi-omic data in this framework effectively. Compared with other state-of-the-art models, SynergyX demonstrates superior predictive accuracy in both the General Test and Blind Test and cross-dataset validation. By exhaustively screening combinations of approved drugs, SynergyX reveals its ability to identify promising drug combination candidates for potential lung cancer treatment. Another notable advantage lies in its multidimensional interpretability. Taking Sorafenib and Vorinostat as an example, SynergyX serves as a powerful tool for uncovering drug-gene interactions and deciphering cell selectivity mechanisms. In summary, SynergyX provides an illuminating and interpretable framework, poised to catalyze the expedition of drug synergy discovery and deepen our comprehension of rational combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Guo
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haitao Hu
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Polytechnic Institute, Zhejiang University, 269 Shixiang Road,310000, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenbo Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Polytechnic Institute, Zhejiang University, 269 Shixiang Road,310000, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hao Yin
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Polytechnic Institute, Zhejiang University, 269 Shixiang Road,310000, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jian Wu
- Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chang-Yu Hsieh
- The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, 291 Fucheng Road, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Innovative Anticancer Drugs, Ministry of Education, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation in Digestive System Tumors, Ministry of Education, 310020, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, 291 Fucheng Road, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ji Cao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center of Innovative Anticancer Drugs, Ministry of Education, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation in Digestive System Tumors, Ministry of Education, 310020, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, 291 Fucheng Road, 310018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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15
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Gao X, Lin Y, Huang X, Lu C, Luo W, Zeng D, Li Y, Su T, Liang R, Ye J. Comprehensive analysis of the role of Netrin G1 (NTNG1) in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 963:176262. [PMID: 38101695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Netrin G1 (NTNG1) is a member of the Netrin family and plays a crucial role in various human cancers. However, the molecular functions of NTNG1 in HCC and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. HCC expression data was obtained from the GEO database and analyzed using various bioinformatics tools. The expression of NTNG1 in HCC tissues and liver cancer cells was evaluated through RT-qPCR and western blotting. Cells with stable NTNG1 overexpression and knockdown were established, and CCK-8, colony formation, and flow cytometry assays were conducted in vitro. The xenograft model was utilized to verify the tumorigenesis capacity of NTNG1 in vivo. IHC was employed to analyze the expression of NTNG1 and CD163 proteins. HCC-specific genes were screened, followed by functional enrichment and immune cell infiltration analysis. Finally, the Co-IP was used to detect the interaction between NTNG1 and N-cadherin. NTNG1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and liver cancer cells, and associated with significantly poorer OS rates. In addition, NTNG1 overexpression in liver cancer cells significantly increased their proliferation, colony growth, invasion, migration, and EMT, while inhibiting apoptosis. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that NTNG1 was closely related to EMT and tumor infiltration. IHC staining revealed a positive correlation between NTNG1 expression and CD163 in HCC tissues. Additionally, an EMT inhibitor attenuated the expression levels of EMT-related markers and counteracted the effects of NTNG1 overexpression in liver cancer cells. This study is the first to identify NTNG1 as a potential therapeutic target in HCC, promoting tumor development and progression by regulating EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Xi Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Cheng Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Wenfeng Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Dandan Zeng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Yongqiang Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Tingshi Su
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China
| | - Rong Liang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China.
| | - Jiazhou Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, PR China.
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16
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Chen L, Xiao H, Wu Y, Yan D, Shan M, Sun L, Yan X, Liu D, Li T, Zhang Y, Xiang L, Chen A, Li S, Xiang W, Ni Z, He F, Yang M, Lian J. CircPHKB decreases the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to sorafenib via miR-1234-3p/CYP2W1 axis. Genomics 2024; 116:110764. [PMID: 38113974 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2023.110764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib is currently the first-line treatment for patients with advanced liver cancer, but its therapeutic efficacy declines significantly after a few months of treatment. Therefore, it is of great importance to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of sorafenib sensitivity in liver cancer cells. In this study, we provided initial evidence demonstrating that circPHKB, a novel circRNA markedly overexpressed in sorafenib-treated liver cancer cells, attenuated the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to sorafenib. Mechanically, circPHKB sequestered miR-1234-3p, resulting in the up-regulation of cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily W member 1 (CYP2W1), thereby reducing the killing effect of sorafenib on liver cancer cells. Moreover, knockdown of circPHKB sensitized liver cancer cells to sorafenib in vivo. The findings reveal a novel circPHKB/miR-1234-3p/CYP2W1 pathway that decreases the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to sorafenib, suggesting that circPHKB and the axis may serve as promising targets to improve the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib against liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingxi Chen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hanxi Xiao
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yaran Wu
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dongjing Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Meihua Shan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liangbo Sun
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaojing Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Xiang
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - An Chen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuhui Li
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhenhong Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fengtian He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Mingzhen Yang
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jiqin Lian
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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17
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Suk FM, Wu CY, Fang CC, Chen TL, Liao YJ. β-HB treatment reverses sorafenib resistance by shifting glycolysis-lactate metabolism in HCC. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115293. [PMID: 37567069 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor. Although sorafenib and regorafenib have been approved for first-line and second-line treatment, respectively, of patients with advanced HCC, long-term treatment often results in acquired resistance. Given that glycolysis-mediated lactate production can contribute to drug resistance and impair HCC treatment efficacy, we investigated the effects of ketone body treatment on the metabolic shift in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. We discovered differential expression of 3-hydroxymethyl glutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) and the ketone body D-β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) in four sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines. In sorafenib-resistant HCC cells, lower HMGCS2 and β-HB levels were correlated with more glycolytic alterations and higher lactate production. β-HB treatment enhanced pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) expression and decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA) expression and lactate production in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Additionally, β-HB combined with sorafenib or regorafenib promoted the antiproliferative and antimigratory abilities of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells by inhibiting the B-raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and mesenchymal N-cadherin-vimentin axis. Although the in vivo β-HB administration did not affect tumor growth, the expression of proliferative and glycolytic proteins was inhibited in subcutaneous sorafenib-resistant tumors. In conclusion, exogenous β-HB treatment can reduce lactate production and reverse sorafenib resistance by inducing a glycolytic shift; it can also synergize with regorafenib for treating sorafenib-resistant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fat-Moon Suk
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ying Wu
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Fang
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Lang Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jen Liao
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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18
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Sukowati C, Cabral LKD, Anfuso B, Dituri F, Negro R, Giannelli G, Tiribelli C. PD-L1 Downregulation and DNA Methylation Inhibition for Molecular Therapy against Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13357. [PMID: 37686163 PMCID: PMC10487900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous cancer characterized by various cellular subtypes. This study investigates the potential of a combination strategy using immunotherapy and epigenetic reprogramming against HCC. We used a transgenic HCC mouse C57BL/6J-TG(ALB1HBV)44BRI/J to assess the dynamics of the programmed death receptor and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) and DNA methylation markers. In parallel, PD-L1 RNA silencing was performed in various human HCC cell lines, while combination therapy was performed in a co-culture system using long-term exposure of 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA) and an anti-PD-L1. Data from the mouse model showed that the expressions of Pdcd1, Pdcd1l1, and DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) were significantly higher in HCC as compared to the wild-type mice (p < 0.01), supported by the high presence of PD-L1 methylated DNA. In HCC cell lines, PD-L1 silencing was accompanied by DNMT1 reduction, mostly noted in aggressive HCC cell lines, followed by the dysregulation of the cancer stem cell marker EpCAM. In combination therapy, the growth of HCC cells and lymphocytes was limited by the PD-L1 antibody, further reduced in the presence of 5-AZA by up to 20% (p < 0.001). The data demonstrated that combination therapy might be an option as a potential treatment for heterogeneous HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caecilia Sukowati
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), B.J. Habibie Building, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 8, Jakarta Pusat 10340, Indonesia
| | - Loraine Kay D. Cabral
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
- Doctoral School in Molecular Biomedicine, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa, 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Beatrice Anfuso
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa, 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Dituri
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Negro
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
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19
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Qiu J, Wang H, Lv X, Mao L, Huang J, Hao T, Li J, Qi S, Chen G, Jiang H. Hepatocellular carcinoma cell differentiation trajectory predicts immunotherapy, potential therapeutic drugs, and prognosis of patients. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220656. [PMID: 37589009 PMCID: PMC10426728 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore a novel classification and investigate the clinical significance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. We analyzed integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and bulk RNA-seq data obtained from HCC samples. Cell trajectory analysis divided HCC cells into three subgroups with different differentiation states: state 1 was closely related to phosphoric ester hydrolase activity, state 2 was involved in eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding, translation regulator activity and ribosome, and state 3 was associated with oxidoreductase activity and metabolism. Three molecular classes based on HCC differentiation-related genes (HDRGs) from HCC samples were identified, which revealed immune checkpoint gene expression and overall survival (OS) of HCC patients. Moreover, a prognostic risk scoring (RS) model was generated based on eight HDRGs, and the results showed that the OS of the high-risk group was worse than that of the low-risk group. Further, potential therapeutic drugs were screened out based on eight prognostic RS-HDRGs. This study highlights the importance of HCC cell differentiation in immunotherapy, clinical prognosis, and potential molecular-targeted drugs for HCC patients, and proposes a direction for the development of individualized treatments for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Haoyun Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Geriatric Immunology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xin Lv
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lipeng Mao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Geriatric Immunology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Junyan Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Tao Hao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Junliang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shuo Qi
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Guodong Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang421001, Hunan Province, China
| | - Haiping Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, Guangdong Province, China
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20
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Shannon AH, Manne A, Diaz Pardo DA, Pawlik TM. Combined radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibition for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1193762. [PMID: 37554167 PMCID: PMC10405730 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1193762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and a leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. Until recently, systemic therapy for advanced HCC, defined as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B or C, was limited and ineffective in terms of long-term survival. However, over the past decade, immune check point inhibitors (ICI) combinations have emerged as a potential therapeutic option for patients with nonresectable disease. ICI modulate the tumor microenvironment to prevent progression of the tumor. Radiotherapy is a crucial tool in treating unresectable HCC and may enhance the efficacy of ICI by manipulating the tumor microenvironment and decreasing tumor resistance to certain therapies. We herein review developments in the field of ICI combined with radiotherapy for the treatment of HCC, as well as look at challenges associated with these treatment modalities, and review future directions of combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H. Shannon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ashish Manne
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Dayssy A. Diaz Pardo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Timothy M. Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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21
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Hsu TW, Su YH, Chen HA, Liao PH, Shen SC, Tsai KY, Wang TH, Chen A, Huang CY, Shibu MA, Wang WY, Shen SC. Galectin-1-mediated MET/AXL signaling enhances sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by escaping ferroptosis. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6503-6525. [PMID: 37433225 PMCID: PMC10373977 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib, a small-molecule inhibitor targeting several tyrosine kinase pathways, is the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, not all patients with HCC respond well to sorafenib, and 30% of patients develop resistance to sorafenib after short-term treatment. Galectin-1 modulates cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and plays a crucial role in HCC progression. However, whether Galectin-1 regulates receptor tyrosine kinases by sensitizing HCC to sorafenib remains unclear. Herein, we established a sorafenib-resistant HCC cell line (Huh-7/SR) and determined that Galectin-1 expression was significantly higher in Huh-7/SR cells than in parent cells. Galectin-1 knockdown reduced sorafenib resistance in Huh-7/SR cells, whereas Galectin-1 overexpression in Huh-7 cells increased sorafenib resistance. Galectin-1 regulated ferroptosis by inhibiting excessive lipid peroxidation, protecting sorafenib-resistant HCC cells from sorafenib-mediated ferroptosis. Galectin-1 expression was positively correlated with poor prognostic outcomes for HCC patients. Galectin-1 overexpression promoted the phosphorylation of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) and MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (MET) signaling, which increased sorafenib resistance. MET and AXL were highly expressed in patients with HCC, and AXL expression was positively correlated with Galectin-1 expression. These findings indicate that Galectin-1 regulates sorafenib resistance in HCC cells through AXL and MET signaling. Consequently, Galectin-1 is a promising therapeutic target for reducing sorafenib resistance and sorafenib-mediated ferroptosis in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tung-Wei Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hao Su
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center for Digestive Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-An Chen
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center for Digestive Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiang Liao
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Shih Chiang Shen
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center for Digestive Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Metabolic and Weight Management Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Kuei-Yen Tsai
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Hsuan Wang
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Alvin Chen
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yang Huang
- Cardiovascular and Mitochondrial Related Disease Research Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- Center of General Education, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | | | - Wan-Yu Wang
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
| | - Shing-Chuan Shen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- International Master/PhD Program in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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22
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Fang Y, Zhang X, Huang H, Zeng Z. The interplay between noncoding RNAs and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma: the big impact of little things. J Transl Med 2023; 21:369. [PMID: 37286982 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04238-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in people, and a common primary liver cancer. Lacking early diagnosis and a high recurrence rate after surgical resection, systemic treatment is still an important treatment method for advanced HCC. Different drugs have distinct curative effects, side effects and drug resistance due to different properties. At present, conventional molecular drugs for HCC have displayed some limitations, such as adverse drug reactions, insensitivity to some medicines, and drug resistance. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been well documented to be involved in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as research into the molecular basis of drug resistance, are urgently needed for the management of HCC. We review current research on ncRNAs and consolidate the known roles regulating drug resistance in HCC and examine the potential clinical applications of ncRNAs in overcoming drug resistance barriers in HCC based on targeted therapy, cell cycle non-specific chemotherapy and cell cycle specific chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Fang
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - XiaoLi Zhang
- Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - HanFei Huang
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhong Zeng
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Nguyen DT, Nguyen DH, Nguyen VTH. Sorafenib as first-line treatment for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma: an outcome evaluation. J Int Med Res 2023; 51:3000605231179928. [PMID: 37314298 DOI: 10.1177/03000605231179928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical outcomes following first-line treatment with sorafenib in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with primary HCC that had been treated with sorafenib. Their data were collected from the hospital medical records database at three time-points: after three cycles, after six cycles and at the end of the sorafenib treatment regimen. The starting dose was 800 mg/day sorafenib but this could be reduced to 600 mg/day or 400 mg/day if patients developed adverse events (AEs). RESULTS A total of 98 patients participated in the study. Of these, nine (9.2%) had a partial response, 47 patients (48.0%) had stable disease and 42 patients (42.9%) had progressive disease. The overall disease control rate was 57.1% (56 of 98 patients). Median progression-free survival for the overall cohort was 4.7 months. The most common AEs were hand-foot skin reaction (49 of 98 patients; 50.0%), fatigue (41 of 98 patients; 41.8%), appetite loss (39 of 98 patients; 39.8%) and hepatotoxicity/transaminitis (24 of 98 patients; 24.5%). The majority of the AEs were toxicity grades 1 and 2. CONCLUSION Sorafenib as a first-line treatment for primary HCC patients provided survival benefits and the AEs were well tolerated by patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dung Thi Nguyen
- Department of On-demand GI Medical Oncology, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Duong Hoang Nguyen
- Department of On-demand GI Medical Oncology, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Van Thi Hong Nguyen
- Department of On-demand GI Medical Oncology, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
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24
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Gao X, Lu C, Liu Z, Lin Y, Huang J, Lu L, Li S, Huang X, Tang M, Huang S, He Z, She X, Liang R, Ye J. RBM38 Reverses Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Combining and Promoting lncRNA-GAS5. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112897. [PMID: 37296859 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a life-threatening human malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Patients with HCC are often diagnosed at an advanced stage with a poor prognosis. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor used as the first-line treatment for patients with advanced HCC. However, acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC leads to tumor aggression and limits the drug's survival benefits; the underlying molecular mechanisms for this resistance remain unclear. METHODS This study aimed to examine the role of the tumor suppressor RBM38 in HCC, and its potential to reverse sorafenib resistance. In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying the binding of RBM38 and the lncRNA GAS5 were examined. The potential involvement of RBM38 in sorafenib resistance was examined using both in vitro and in vivo models. Functional assays were performed to assess whether RBM38: binds to and promotes the stability of the lncRNA GAS5; reverses the resistance of HCC to sorafenib in vitro; and suppresses the tumorigenicity of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells in vivo. RESULTS RBM38 expression was lower in HCC cells. The IC50 value of sorafenib was significantly lower in cells with RBM38 overexpression than in control cells. RBM38 overexpression improved sorafenib sensitivity in ectopic transplanted tumors and suppressed the growth rate of tumor cells. RBM38 could bind to and stabilize GAS5 in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. In addition, functional assays revealed that RBM38 reversed sorafenib resistance both in vivo and in vitro in a GAS5-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS RBM38 is a novel therapeutic target that can reverse sorafenib resistance in HCC by combining and promoting the lncRNA GAS5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Cheng Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Julu Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Shuanghang Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xi Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Minchao Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Shilin Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Ziqin He
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xiaomin She
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Rong Liang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Jiazhou Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
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25
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Huang L, Xu R, Li W, Lv L, Lin C, Yang X, Yao Y, Saw PE, Xu X. Repolarization of macrophages to improve sorafenib sensitivity for combination cancer therapy. Acta Biomater 2023; 162:98-109. [PMID: 36931417 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib is the first line drug for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy. However, HCC patients usually acquire resistance to sorafenib treatment within 6 months. Recent evidences have shown that anticancer drugs with antiangiogenesis effect (e.g., sorafenib) can aggravate the hypoxia microenvironment and promote the infiltration of more tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into the tumor tissues. Therefore, repolarization of TAMs phenotype could be expected to not only eliminate the influence of TAMs on sorafenib lethality to HCC cells, but also provide an additional anticancer effect to achieve combination therapy. However, immune side effects remain a great challenge due to the non-specific macrophage repolarization in normal tissues. We herein employed a tumor microenvironment (TME) pH-responsive nanoplatform to concurrently transport sorafenib and modified resiquimod (R848-C16). This nanoparticle (NP) platform is made with a TME pH-responsive methoxyl-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymer. After intravenous administration, the co-delivery NPs could highly accumulate in the tumor tissues and then respond to the TME pH to detach their surface PEG chains. With this PEG detachment to enhance uptake by TAMs and HCC cells, the co-delivery NPs could combinatorially inhibit HCC tumor growth via sorafenib-mediated lethality to HCC cells and R848-mediated repolarization of TAMs into tumoricidal M1-like macrophages. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Anticancer drugs with antiangiogenesis effect (e.g., sorafenib) can aggravate the hypoxia microenvironment and promote the infiltration of more tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into the tumor tissues to restrict the anticancer effect. In this work, we designed and developed a tumor microenvironment (TME) pH-responsive nanoplatform for systemic co-delivery of sorafenib and resiquimod in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy. These co-delivery NPs show high tumor accumulation and could respond to the TME pH to enhance uptake by TAMs and HCC cells. With the sorafenib-mediated lethality to HCC cells and R848-mediated repolarization of TAMs, the co-delivery NPs show a combinational inhibition of HCC tumor growth in both xenograft and orthotopic tumor models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linzhuo Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China
| | - Rui Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China
| | - Weirong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Li Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China
| | - Chunhao Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China
| | - Xianzhu Yang
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou 511442, PR China
| | - Yandan Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Phei Er Saw
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China.
| | - Xiaoding Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan 528200, PR China.
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26
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Abou-Fadel J, Reid V, Le A, Croft J, Zhang J. Key Members of the CmPn as Biomarkers Distinguish Histological and Immune Subtypes of Hepatic Cancers. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13061012. [PMID: 36980321 PMCID: PMC10047786 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13061012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer, comprising hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The liver is a primary metabolic organ for progesterone (PRG) and PRG exerts its effects through classic nuclear PRG receptors (nPRs) and non-classic membrane PRG receptors (mPRs) or a combination of both. Previous studies have shown that the CCM signaling complex (CSC) couples both nPRs and mPRs to form the CmPn (CSC-mPR-PRG-nPR) signaling network, which is involved in multiple cellular signaling pathways, including tumorigenesis of various cancers. Despite advances in treatment, 5-year survival rates for liver cancer patients remain low, largely due to the chemoresistant nature of HCCs. The lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers for liver cancer diagnosis and prognosis emphasizes the need for identifying new potential biomarkers. We propose the potential use of CmPn members’ expression data as prognostic biomarkers or biomarker signatures for the major types of hepatic cancer, including HCCs and CCAs, as well as rare subtypes such as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) and hepatic angiosarcoma (HAS). In this study, we investigated the CmPn network through RNAseq data and immunofluorescence techniques to measure alterations to key cancer pathways during liver tumorigenesis. Our findings reveal significant differential expression of multiple CmPn members, including CCM1, PAQR7, PGRMC1, and nPRs, in both HCCs and CCAs, highlighting the crucial roles of mPRs, nPRs, and CSC signaling during liver tumorigenesis. These key members of the CmPn network may serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer subtypes, including rare subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jun Zhang
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(915)-215-4197
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Translational Control of Metabolism and Cell Cycle Progression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054885. [PMID: 36902316 PMCID: PMC10002961 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is a metabolic hub characterized by high levels of protein synthesis. Eukaryotic initiation factors, eIFs, control the first phase of translation, initiation. Initiation factors are essential for tumor progression and, since they regulate the translation of specific mRNAs downstream of oncogenic signaling cascades, may be druggable. In this review, we address the issue of whether the massive translational machinery of liver cells contributes to liver pathology and to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); it represents a valuable biomarker and druggable target. First, we observe that the common markers of HCC cells, such as phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6, belong to the ribosomal and translational apparatus. This fact is in agreement with observations that demonstrate a huge amplification of the ribosomal machinery during the progression to HCC. Some translation factors, such as eIF4E and eIF6, are then harnessed by oncogenic signaling. In particular, the action of eIF4E and eIF6 is particularly important in HCC when driven by fatty liver pathologies. Indeed, both eIF4E and eIF6 amplify at the translational level the production and accumulation of fatty acids. As it is evident that abnormal levels of these factors drive cancer, we discuss their therapeutic value.
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Xu B, Lu D, Liu K, Lv W, Xiao J, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Chai J, Wang L. Efficacy and Prognostic Factors of Regorafenib in the Treatment of BCLC Stage C Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Failure of the First-Line Therapy. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:507-518. [PMID: 36814894 PMCID: PMC9940492 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s400533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Regorafenib is a standard second-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in the treatment of patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage C HCC after failure of the first-line therapy and to analyze factors affecting the efficacy of regorafenib as the second-line treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 103 BCLC stage C HCC patients who received regorafenib as the second-line treatment. Among them, 51 patients received regorafenib plus transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and 52 patients received regorafenib alone. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events were compared between the two groups, and factors influencing the efficacy of regorafenib were analyzed. Results In patients with BCLC stage C HCC after failure of the first-line therapy, there was no statistically significant difference in median PFS between regorafenib plus TACE group and regorafenib group (5.3 vs 4.0 months, P=0.432). The median OS was significantly longer in the regorafenib plus TACE group than that in the regorafenib group (11.3 vs 8.2 months, P=0.034). Patients in both groups experienced adverse events at rates of 78.43% and 75%, respectively. Rates of grade III-IV serious adverse events were 19.61% and 13.46%, respectively. Hand-foot skin reactions, fatigue, abdominal pain, and hypertension were common side effects of regorafenib. The number of tumors was noted as an independent prognostic factor for PFS in the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, while Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (ECOG-PS) score, tumor size, the number of tumors, and combined local therapy were independent prognostic factors for OS. Regorafenib combined with TACE treatment improved OS for patients with ECOG-PS scores of 0-1, tumor size < 5 cm, and the number of tumors ≥ 3 compared with regorafenib alone. Conclusion Regorafenib exhibited to be a safe and effective sequential therapy for patients with BCLC stage C HCC after failure of the first-line treatment, and its combination with TACE could achieve a higher efficacy. ECOG-PS score, tumor size, the number of tumors, and combined local therapy were noted as prognostic factors affecting patients with BCLC stage C HCC who were treated with regorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Xu
- School of Graduate, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dong Lu
- School of Graduate, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, People’s Republic of China,Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Dong Lu, Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 17, Lujiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18056000897, Email
| | - Kaicai Liu
- Infection Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weifu Lv
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingkun Xiao
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingming Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengfeng Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Chai
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijun Wang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China
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Cabral LKD, Giraudi PJ, Giannelli G, Dituri F, Negro R, Tiribelli C, Sukowati CHC. Network Analysis for the Discovery of Common Oncogenic Biomarkers in Liver Cancer Experimental Models. Biomedicines 2023; 11:342. [PMID: 36830879 PMCID: PMC9953082 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy marked by heterogeneity. This study aimed to discover target molecules for potential therapeutic efficacy that may encompass HCC heterogeneity. In silico analysis using published datasets identified 16 proto-oncogenes as potential pharmacological targets. We used an immortalized hepatocyte (IHH) and five HCC cell lines under two subtypes: S1/TGFβ-Wnt-activated (HLE, HLF, and JHH6) and the S2/progenitor subtype (HepG2 and Huh7). Three treatment modalities, 5 µM 5-Azacytidine, 50 µM Sorafenib, and 20 nM PD-L1 gene silencing, were evaluated in vitro. The effect of treatments on the proto-oncogene targets was assessed by gene expression and Western blot analysis. Our results showed that 10/16 targets were upregulated in HCC cells, where cells belonging to the S2/progenitor subtype had more upregulated targets compared to the S1/TGFβ-Wnt-activated subtype (81% vs. 62%, respectively). Among the targets, FGR was consistently down-regulated in the cell lines following the three different treatments. Sorafenib was effective to down-regulate targets in S2/progenitor subtype while PD-L1 silencing was able to decrease targets in all HCC subtypes, suggesting that this treatment strategy may comprise cellular heterogeneity. This study strengthens the relevance of liver cancer cellular heterogeneity in response to cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loraine Kay D. Cabral
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park, Campus Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (L.K.D.C.); (P.J.G.); (C.T.)
- Doctoral School in Molecular Biomedicine, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pablo J. Giraudi
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park, Campus Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (L.K.D.C.); (P.J.G.); (C.T.)
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology IRCCS “S. De Bellis” Research Hospital, 70013 Bari, Italy; (G.G.); (F.D.); (R.N.)
| | - Francesco Dituri
- National Institute of Gastroenterology IRCCS “S. De Bellis” Research Hospital, 70013 Bari, Italy; (G.G.); (F.D.); (R.N.)
| | - Roberto Negro
- National Institute of Gastroenterology IRCCS “S. De Bellis” Research Hospital, 70013 Bari, Italy; (G.G.); (F.D.); (R.N.)
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park, Campus Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (L.K.D.C.); (P.J.G.); (C.T.)
| | - Caecilia H. C. Sukowati
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park, Campus Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (L.K.D.C.); (P.J.G.); (C.T.)
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Jakarta Pusat 10340, Indonesia
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Taheri F, Ebrahimi SO, Heidari R, Pour SN, Reiisi S. Mechanism and function of miR-140 in human cancers: A review and in silico study. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 241:154265. [PMID: 36509008 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA-140 (miR-140) acts as a tumor suppressor and plays a vital role in cell biological functions such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA repair. The expression of this miRNA has been shown to be considerably decreased in cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal adjacent tissues. Consequently, aberrant expression of some miR-140 target genes can lead to the initiation and progression of various human cancers, such as breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. The dysregulation of the miR-140 network also affects cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis of cancer cells by affecting various signaling pathways. Besides, up-regulation of miR-140 could enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in different cancer. We aimed to cover most aspects of miR-140 function in cancer development and address its importance in different stages of cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Taheri
- Department of Genetics, Sharekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sharekord, Iran
| | - Seyed Omar Ebrahimi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Razieh Heidari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Somaye Nezamabadi Pour
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran
| | - Somayeh Reiisi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.
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Wang J, Wu R, Sun JY, Lei F, Tan H, Lu X. An overview: Management of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Trends 2022; 16:405-425. [PMID: 36476621 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has constituted a significant health burden worldwide, and patients with advanced HCC, which is stage C as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, have a poor overall survival of 6-8 months. Studies have indicated the significant survival benefit of treatment based on sorafenib, lenvatinib, or atezolizumab-bevacizumab with reliable safety. In addition, the combination of two or more molecularly targeted therapies (first- plus second-line) has become a hot topic recently and is now being extensively investigated in patients with advanced HCC. In addition, a few biomarkers have been investigated and found to predict drug susceptibility and prognosis, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the clinical benefits of current therapies. In addition, many therapies other than tyrosine kinase inhibitors that might have additional survival benefits when combined with other therapeutic modalities, including immunotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, hepatectomy, and chemotherapy, have also been examined. This review provides an overview on the current understanding of disease management and summarizes current challenges with and future perspectives on advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rui Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Yu Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feifei Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Huabing Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Shannon AH, Ruff SM, Pawlik TM. Expert Insights on Current Treatments for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical and Molecular Approaches and Bottlenecks to Progress. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:1247-1261. [PMID: 36514693 PMCID: PMC9741819 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s383922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver tumor that typically occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease/cirrhosis. Treatment modalities for HCC have evolved and given the variety of treatment options, a multi-disciplinary approach requiring input from surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, hepatology, and interventional radiology is necessary. Multiple advances have been made over the last decade regarding treatment of HCC, especially advanced disease. Resection and transplantation remain as cornerstone curative-intent treatment options. For patients who are not candidates for curative-intent therapy, exciting progress has been made in molecular and cellular approaches to systemic therapy for HCC including immunotherapies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Although the prognosis for advanced HCC remains poor, the armamentarium of therapies has increased, and valuable years of life can be gained with these therapies. While the main therapeutic modality for early-stage disease remains resection, multimodal immunotherapy has emerged as first-line treatment for advanced disease. We herein review different clinical and molecular treatment modalities related to the treatment of HCC, as well as provide insights into future directions for HCC treatment. We highlight how research and progress are needed to move into a new era of molecular and cellular treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H Shannon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Samantha M Ruff
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA,Correspondence: Timothy M Pawlik, Department of Surgery, The Urban Meyer III and Shelley Meyer Chair for Cancer Research, Professor of Surgery, Oncology, Health Services Management and Policy, The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, 395 W. 12th Ave., Suite 670, Columbus, OH, USA, Tel +1 614 293 8701, Fax +1 614 293 4063, Email
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Ahmad M, Dhasmana A, Harne PS, Zamir A, Hafeez BB. Chemokine clouding and liver cancer heterogeneity: Does it impact clinical outcomes? Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:1175-1185. [PMID: 35189322 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity is a predominant feature of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that plays a crucial role in chemoresistance and limits the efficacy of available chemo/immunotherapy regimens. Thus, a better understanding regarding the molecular determinants of tumor heterogeneity will help in developing newer strategies for effective HCC management. Chemokines, a sub-family of cytokines are one of the key molecular determinants of tumor heterogeneity in HCC and are involved in cell survival, growth, migration, and angiogenesis. Herein, we provide a panoramic insight into the role of chemokines in HCC heterogeneity at genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, immune cell composition, and tumor microenvironment levels and its impact on clinical outcomes. Interestingly, our in-silico analysis data showed that expression of chemokine receptors impacts infiltration of various immune cell populations into the liver tumor and leads to heterogeneity. Thus, it is evident that aberrant chemokines clouding impacts HCC tumor heterogeneity and understanding this phenomenon in depth could be harnessed for the development of personalized medicine strategies in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudassier Ahmad
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78504, United States
| | - Anupam Dhasmana
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78504, United States; Department of Biosciences and Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Prateek Suresh Harne
- DHR Health Gastroenterology, 5520 Leonardo da Vinci Drive, Suite 100, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States
| | - Asif Zamir
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78504, United States; DHR Health Gastroenterology, 5520 Leonardo da Vinci Drive, Suite 100, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States
| | - Bilal Bin Hafeez
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78504, United States; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78504, United States.
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Eresen A, Sun C, Zhou K, Shangguan J, Wang B, Pan L, Hu S, Ma Q, Yang J, Zhang Z, Yaghmai V. Early Differentiation of Irreversible Electroporation Ablation Regions With Radiomics Features of Conventional MRI. Acad Radiol 2022; 29:1378-1386. [PMID: 34933803 PMCID: PMC10029937 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2021.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a promising non-thermal ablation technique for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Early differentiation of the IRE zone from surrounding reversibly electroporated (RE) penumbra is vital for the evaluation of treatment response. In this study, an advanced statistical learning framework was developed by evaluating standard MRI data to differentiate IRE ablation zones, and to correlate with histological tumor biomarkers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourteen rabbits with VX2 liver tumors were scanned following IRE ablation and forty-six features were extracted from T1w and T2w MRI. Following identification of key imaging variables through two-step feature analysis, multivariable classification and regression models were generated for differentiation of IRE ablation zones, and correlation with histological markers reflecting viable tumor cells, microvessel density, and apoptosis rate. The performance of the multivariable models was assessed by measuring accuracy, receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, and Spearman correlation coefficients. RESULTS The classifiers integrating four radiomics features of T1w, T2w, and T1w+T2w MRI data distinguished IRE from RE zones with an accuracy of 97%, 80%, and 97%, respectively. Also, pixelwise classification models of T1w, T2w, and T1w+T2w MRI labeled each voxel with an accuracy of 82.8%, 66.5%, and 82.9%, respectively. Regression models obtained a strong correlation with behavior of viable tumor cells (0.62 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.85, p < 0.01), apoptosis (0.40 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.82, p < 0.01), and microvessel density (0.48 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.58, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION MRI radiomics features provide descriptive power for early differentiation of IRE and RE zones while observing strong correlations among multivariable MRI regression models and histological tumor biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aydin Eresen
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Chong Sun
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Kang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junjie Shangguan
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Pan
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Su Hu
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Quanhong Ma
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Jia Yang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Vahid Yaghmai
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California.
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Identification and Validation of Two Heterogeneous Molecular Subtypes and a Prognosis Predictive Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Pyroptosis. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:8346816. [PMID: 36071875 PMCID: PMC9441383 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8346816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignant cancer with high incidence and mortality. Considering the high heterogeneity of HCC, clarifying molecular characteristics associated with HCC development could help improve patients' outcomes. Pyroptosis is a novel form of cell death and is noted to be implicated in HCC pathogenesis whereas its molecular feature in HCC is unclear. Thus, we intended to clarify the molecular characteristic as well as the clinical significance of pyroptosis for HCC. A systematic bioinformatics analysis was conducted among 40 pyroptosis-related genes based on The Cancer Genome Atlas, the International Cancer Genome Consortium, and the Gene Expression Omnibus databases. A total of 12 HCC-associated pyroptosis-related genes (HPRGs) were identified to be overexpressed in HCC tissues and significantly connected to patients' poor survival. Through consensus clustering based on the HPRGs' expression, we found patients could be stratified into two distinctive pyroptosis subtypes, PyLow and PyHigh. The PyHigh group owned a notable lower survival rate and a higher high-grade proportion compared with the PyLow subtype. Besides, patients' sensitivities to chemotherapeutic drugs also presented distinctive differences between the two subtypes. Indicated by pathway enrichment analysis and immune characteristic difference analysis, the distinctions between the pyroptosis subtypes may be related to tumor immunity. Further, a five-gene risk model composed of BAK1, CHMP4A, CHMP4B, DHX9, and GSDME was established. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that the model could credibly classify patients as low or high risk and was an independent prognostic indicator for HCC. Abnormal expressions of the five genes were validated by biological experiments and new bioinformatics analysis. In conclusion, this study recognized and verified two heterogeneous pyroptosis subtypes and a predictable prognosis model for HCC. Our work may help facilitate the clinical management and treatment of HCC and understand the functions of pyroptosis in oncology.
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Liu YC, Lin YH, Chi HC, Huang PS, Liao CJ, Liou YS, Lin CC, Yu CJ, Yeh CT, Huang YH, Lin KH. CRNDE acts as an epigenetic modulator of the p300/YY1 complex to promote HCC progression and therapeutic resistance. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:106. [PMID: 35999564 PMCID: PMC9400329 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary liver malignancies worldwide. The long-term prognosis for HCC remains extremely poor, with drug resistance being the major underlying cause of recurrence and mortality. The lncRNA colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) is an epigenetic mediator and plays an important role to drive proliferation and drug resistance in HCC. However, CRNDE as an epigenetic regulator with influences sorafenib resistance in HCC is unclear. Thus, we explore the potential of targeting the CRNDE/p300/YY1 axis as a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance of HCC. Method Detection of the expression level of CRNDE and EGFR in clinical specimens of HCC. CRNDE, EGFR, p300, and YY1expression were altered in HCC cells through transfection with different plasmids, and cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and sorafenib resistance were subsequently observed. Immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, re-chromatin immunoprecipitation, site-directed mutagenesis, RNA Immunoprecipitation, immune fluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were performed to uncover the mechanisms of CRNDE regulation. The xenograft nude mice model was used to investigate the tumor growth and sorafenib resistance. Results In this study, we showed that CRNDE expression is significantly positively correlated with that of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in clinical specimens of HCC and induces proliferation and sorafenib resistance of HCC via EGFR-mediated signaling. Mechanistically, CRNDE stabilized the p300/YY1 complex at the EGFR promoter and simultaneously enhanced histone H3K9 and H3K27 acetylation, which serve as markers of relaxed chromatin. EGFR was positively upregulated by the epigenetic complex, p300/YY1, in a manner dependent on CRNDE expression, leading to enhanced tumor cell proliferation and sorafenib resistance. Furthermore, C646, a p300 inhibitor, suppressed EGFR transcriptional activity by decreasing chromatin relaxation and YY1 binding, which effectively reduced proliferation/sorafenib resistance and prolonged overall survival. Conclusion Our collective findings support the potential of targeting the CRNDE/p300/YY1 axis as a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance of HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01326-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yang-Hsiang Lin
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Cheng Chi
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Shuan Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chia-Jung Liao
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Syuan Liou
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chiao-Chun Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chia-Jung Yu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Thoracic Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hui Huang
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kwang-Huei Lin
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China. .,Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan. .,Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Chen J, Chen X, Li T, Wang L, Lin G. Identification of chromatin organization-related gene signature for hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis and predicting immunotherapy response. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 109:108866. [PMID: 35691273 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chromatin organization is associated with tumorigenesis; however, information on its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited. Moreover, although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have proven effective against HCC, the optimal index remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to construct a chromatin organization-related gene signature (CORGS) for prognosis and predicting response to ICIs in HCC. METHODS HCC-related data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Construction (ICGC). Chromatin organization-related genes (CORGs) were retrieved from Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and prognostic genes were then applied to select candidate genes using advanced statistical methods, including learning vector quantization, random forest, and lasso regression. Subsequently, the CORGS was established based on chromatin organization-related hub genes using multivariate Cox regression analysis, evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and verified in 64 samples of HCC patients from Fujian Provincial Hospital (FPH) via quantitative PCR. Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis, tumor somatic mutation analysis, and tumor immune analysis were performed to evaluate the potential value of the CORGS. RESULTS Three hundred and thirty-nine CORGs were identified as DEGs, and 186 were associated with HCC prognosis (all P < 0.05). Four intersection genes were selected to establish the CORGS using TCGA cohort, which was found to serve as an independent risk factor for HCC patients. CORGS was then validated in an ICGC cohort. In addition, CORGS reliability was verified in 64 samples from HCC patients and 26 adjacent non-tumorous tissues, collected from the FPH. The CORGS was also associated with tumor immune microenvironment characteristics and ICI response. Moreover, data from "IMvigor 210" revealed that more patients in the low CORGS group responded to atezolizumab compared to high CORGS patients (P < 0.05). Finally, a nomogram of tumor characteristics and the CORGS was established, exhibiting superior discrimination and calibration compared to the current staging system and published models. CONCLUSIONS CORGS may serve as an effective predictive biomarker for HCC as well as a potential index of the tumor immune microenvironment and ICI response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingbo Chen
- Department of Oncology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xingte Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ting Li
- Department of Oncology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Guishan Lin
- Department of Oncology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
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Wei L, Wang Z, Jing N, Lu Y, Yang J, Xiao H, Guo H, Sun S, Li M, Zhao D, Li X, Qi W, Zhang Y. Frontier progress of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Chin Med 2022; 17:90. [PMID: 35907976 PMCID: PMC9338659 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-022-00645-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, accounting for 90% of primary liver cancer) was the sixth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer death in 2020. The number of new HCC patients in China accounted for nearly half of that in the world. HCC was of occult and complex onset, with poor prognosis. Clinically, at least 15% of patients with HCC had strong side effects of interventional therapy (IT) and have poor sensitivity to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a multi-target adjuvant therapy, had been shown to play an active anti-tumor role in many previous studies. This review systematically summarized the role of TCM combined with clinically commonly used drugs for the treatment of HCC (including mitomycin C, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, sorafenib, etc.) in the past basic research, and summarized the efficacy of TCM combined with surgery, IT and conventional therapy (CT) in clinical research. It was found that TCM, as an adjuvant treatment, played many roles in the treatment of HCC, including enhancing the tumor inhibition, reducing toxic and side effects, improving chemosensitivity and prolonging survival time of patients. This review summarized the advantages of integrated traditional Chinese and modern medicine in the treatment of HCC and provides a theoretical basis for clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai Wei
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Department of Scientific Research, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Niancai Jing
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Jili Yang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Hongyu Xiao
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Huanyu Guo
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Shoukun Sun
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Mingjing Li
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China
| | - Daqing Zhao
- Northeast Asia Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Xiangyan Li
- Northeast Asia Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Wenxiu Qi
- Northeast Asia Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China.
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, 130000, Jilin, China.
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Feng T, Wu T, Zhang Y, Zhou L, Liu S, Li L, Li M, Hu E, Wang Q, Fu X, Zhan L, Xie Z, Xie W, Huang X, Shang X, Yu G. Stemness Analysis Uncovers That The Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Signaling Pathway Can Mediate Fatty Acid Homeostasis In Sorafenib-Resistant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Front Oncol 2022; 12:912694. [PMID: 35957896 PMCID: PMC9361019 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.912694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stem cells are regarded as an important part of individualized HCC treatment and sorafenib resistance. However, there is lacking systematic assessment of stem-like indices and associations with a response of sorafenib in HCC. Our study thus aimed to evaluate the status of tumor dedifferentiation for HCC and further identify the regulatory mechanisms under the condition of resistance to sorafenib. Datasets of HCC, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs) expression, somatic mutation, and clinical information were collected. The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi), which can represent degrees of dedifferentiation of HCC samples, was calculated to predict drug response of sorafenib therapy and prognosis. Next, unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted to distinguish mRNAsi-based subgroups, and gene/geneset functional enrichment analysis was employed to identify key sorafenib resistance-related pathways. In addition, we analyzed and confirmed the regulation of key genes discovered in this study by combining other omics data. Finally, Luciferase reporter assays were performed to validate their regulation. Our study demonstrated that the stemness index obtained from transcriptomic is a promising biomarker to predict the response of sorafenib therapy and the prognosis in HCC. We revealed the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway (the PPAR signaling pathway), related to fatty acid biosynthesis, that was a potential sorafenib resistance pathway that had not been reported before. By analyzing the core regulatory genes of the PPAR signaling pathway, we identified four candidate target genes, retinoid X receptor beta (RXRB), nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 3 (NR1H3), cytochrome P450 family 8 subfamily B member 1 (CYP8B1) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), as a signature to distinguish the response of sorafenib. We proposed and validated that the RXRB and NR1H3 could directly regulate NR1H3 and SCD, respectively. Our results suggest that the combined use of SCD inhibitors and sorafenib may be a promising therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingze Feng
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianzhi Wu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanxia Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lang Zhou
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Country Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Hepatology Unit and Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Erqiang Hu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianwen Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaocong Fu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Zhan
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijing Xie
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenqin Xie
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianying Huang
- Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xianying Huang, ; Xuan Shang, ; Guangchuang Yu,
| | - Xuan Shang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xianying Huang, ; Xuan Shang, ; Guangchuang Yu,
| | - Guangchuang Yu
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xianying Huang, ; Xuan Shang, ; Guangchuang Yu,
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RNA-binding protein ZCCHC4 promotes human cancer chemoresistance by disrupting DNA-damage-induced apoptosis. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:240. [PMID: 35853866 PMCID: PMC9296561 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01033-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play important roles in cancer development and treatment. However, the tumor-promoting RBPs and their partners, which may potentially serve as the cancer therapeutic targets, need to be further identified. Here, we report that zinc finger CCHC domain-containing protein 4 (ZCCHC4) is of aberrantly high expression in multiple human cancer tissues and is associated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance in patients of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), pancreatic cancer and colon cancer. ZCCHC4 promotes chemoresistance of HCC cells to DNA-damage agent (DDA) both in vitro and in vivo. HCC cell deficiency of ZCCHC4 reduces tumor growth in vivo and intratumoral interference of ZCCHC4 expression obviously enhances the DDA-induced antitumor effect. Mechanistically, ZCCHC4 inhibits DNA-damage-induced apoptosis in HCC cells by interacting with a new long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AL133467.2 to hamper its pro-apoptotic function. Also, ZCCHC4 blocks the interaction between AL133467.2 and γH2AX upon DDA treatment to inhibit apoptotic signaling and promote chemoresistance to DDAs. Knockout of ZCCHC4 promotes AL133467.2 and γH2AX interaction for enhancing chemosensitivity in HCC cells. Together, our study identifies ZCCHC4 as a new predictor of cancer poor prognosis and a potential target for improving chemotherapy effects, providing mechanistic insights to the roles of RBPs and their partners in cancer progression and chemoresistance.
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Chen Y, An Y, Dai Z, Liu Y, Liang Z, Zhao Q, Zhang L, Zhang Y. Highly selective enrichment of surface proteins from living cells by photo-crosslinking probe enabled in-depth analysis of surfaceome. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1203:339694. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.339694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Li D, Yao Y, Rao Y, Huang X, Wei L, You Z, Zheng G, Hou X, Su Y, Varghese Z, Moorhead JF, Chen Y, Ruan XZ. Cholesterol sensor SCAP contributes to sorafenib resistance by regulating autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:116. [PMID: 35354475 PMCID: PMC8966370 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02306-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant tumors and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Sorafenib is currently acknowledged as a standard therapy for advanced HCC. However, acquired resistance substantially limits the clinical efficacy of sorafenib. Therefore, further investigations of the associated risk factors are highly warranted. Methods We analysed a group of 78 HCC patients who received sorafenib treatment after liver resection surgery. The expression of SCAP and its correlation with sorafenib resistance in HCC clinical samples were determined by immunohistochemical analyses. Overexpression and knockdown approaches in vitro were used to characterize the functional roles of SCAP in regulating sorafenib resistance. The effects of SCAP inhibition in HCC cell lines were analysed in proliferation, apoptosis, and colony formation assays. Autophagic regulation by SCAP was assessed by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation assays. The combinatorial effect of a SCAP inhibitor and sorafenib was tested using nude mice. Results Hypercholesterolemia was associated with sorafenib resistance in HCC treatment. The degree of sorafenib resistance was correlated with the expression of the cholesterol sensor SCAP and consequent deposition of cholesterol. SCAP is overexpressed in HCC tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with sorafenib resistance, while SCAP inhibition could improve sorafenib sensitivity in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Furthermore, we found that SCAP-mediated sorafenib resistance was related to decreased autophagy, which was connected to decreased AMPK activity. A clinically significant finding was that lycorine, a specific SCAP inhibitor, could reverse acquired resistance to sorafenib in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions SCAP contributes to sorafenib resistance through AMPK-mediated autophagic regulation. The combination of sorafenib and SCAP targeted therapy provides a novel personalized treatment to enhance sensitivity in sorafenib-resistant HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02306-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Li
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingcheng Yao
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuhan Rao
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyu Huang
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Wei
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhimei You
- Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Guo Zheng
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoli Hou
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Su
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China
| | - Zac Varghese
- John Moorhead Research Laboratory, Centre for Nephrology, University College London Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - John F Moorhead
- John Moorhead Research Laboratory, Centre for Nephrology, University College London Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Yaxi Chen
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xiong Z Ruan
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 400016, Chongqing, China. .,John Moorhead Research Laboratory, Centre for Nephrology, University College London Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
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Tian Y, Lei Y, Fu Y, Sun H, Wang J, Xia F. Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:454-462. [PMID: 35362393 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220330151725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, which can be attributed to the high incidence and first diagnosis at an advanced stage. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), a class of small-molecule targeting drugs, are primarily used for the clinical treatment of HCC after chemotherapy because they show significant clinical efficacy and low incidence of clinical adverse reactions. However, resistance to sorafenib and other TKIs, which can be used to treat advanced HCC, poses a significant challenge. Recent mechanistic studies have shown that epithelial-mesenchymal transition or transformation (EMT), ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, hypoxia, autophagy, and angiogenesis are involved in apoptosis, angiogenesis, HCC cell proliferation, and TKI resistance in patients with HCC. Exploring and overcoming such resistance mechanisms is essential to extend the therapeutic benefits of TKIs to patients with TKI-resistant HCC. This review aims to summarize the potential resistance mechanism proposed in recent years and methods to reverse TKI resistance in the context of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Tian
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yongrong Lei
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yuna Fu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Heng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Feng Xia
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU (Southwest Hospital), Chongqing, 400038, China
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Heterogeneity induced GZMA-F2R communication inefficient impairs antitumor immunotherapy of PD-1 mAb through JAK2/STAT1 signal suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:213. [PMID: 35256589 PMCID: PMC8901912 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04654-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity has been associated with immunotherapy and targeted drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, communications between tumor and cytotoxic cells are poorly understood to date. In the present study, thirty-one clusters of cells were discovered in the tumor tissues and adjacent tissues through single-cell sequencing. Moreover, the quantity and function exhaustion of cytotoxic cells was observed to be induced in tumors by the TCR and apoptosis signal pathways. Furthermore, granzyme failure of cytotoxic cells was observed in HCC patients. Importantly, the GZMA secreted by cytotoxic cells was demonstrated to interact with the F2R expressed by the tumor cells both in vivo and in vitro. This interaction induced tumor suppression and T cell-mediated killing of tumor cells via the activation of the JAK2/STAT1 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, the activation of JAK2/STAT1 signaling promoted apoptosis under the mediating effect of the LDPRSFLL motif at the N-terminus of F2R, which interacted with GZMA. In addition, GZMA and F2R were positively correlated with PD-1 and PD-L1 in tumor tissues, while the expressions of F2R and GZMA promoted PD-1 mAb-induced tumor suppression in both mouse model and HCC patients. Finally, in HCC patients, a low expression of GZMA and F2R in the tumor tissues was correlated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis. Collectively, GZMA-F2R communication inefficient induces deficient PD-1 mAb therapy and provide a completely novel immunotherapy strategy for tumor suppression in HCC patients.
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Park Y, Han Y, Kim D, Cho S, Kim W, Hwang H, Lee HW, Han DH, Kim KS, Yun M, Lee M. Impact of Exogenous Treatment with Histidine on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051205. [PMID: 35267513 PMCID: PMC8909034 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sorafenib (Nexavar@) is the only currently approved anti-cancer drug for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, despite the development of strategies combining sorafenib with other cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents to overcome sorafenib resistance, clinical trial results are still disappointing. In this study, we examined the enhancement of tumor responses to sorafenib by exogenous histidine treatment. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, is the first-line therapy for advanced HCC. However, long-term exposure to sorafenib often results in reduced sensitivity and the development of resistance. Although various amino acids have been shown to contribute to cancer initiation and progression, little is known about the effects of histidine, a dietary essential amino acid that is partially taken up via histidine/large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1), on cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the effects of histidine on HCC cells and sensitivity to sorafenib. Remarkably, we found that exogenous histidine treatment induced a reduction in the expression of tumor markers related to glycolysis (GLUT1 and HK2), inflammation (STAT3), angiogenesis (VEGFB and VEGFC), and stem cells (CD133). In addition, LAT1 expression was downregulated in HCC tumor regions with high expression of GLUT1, CD133, and pSTAT3, which are known to induce sorafenib resistance. Finally, we demonstrated that combined treatment with sorafenib and histidine could be a novel therapeutic strategy to enhance the sensitivity to sorafenib, thereby improving long-term survival in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusun Park
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
| | - Yeonju Han
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
| | - Dongwoo Kim
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Sua Cho
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
| | - WonJin Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
| | - Hyemin Hwang
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
| | - Hye Won Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Dai Hoon Han
- Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (D.H.H.); (K.S.K.)
| | - Kyung Sik Kim
- Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (D.H.H.); (K.S.K.)
| | - Mijin Yun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (M.L.)
| | - Misu Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (Y.P.); (Y.H.); (S.C.); (W.K.); (H.H.)
- Institute for New Drug Development, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (M.L.)
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Marin JJG, Romero MR, Herraez E, Asensio M, Ortiz-Rivero S, Sanchez-Martin A, Fabris L, Briz O. Mechanisms of Pharmacoresistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Drugs but Old Problems. Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:87-103. [PMID: 34544160 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with poor prognosis when diagnosed at advanced stages in which curative treatments are no longer applicable. A small group of these patients may still benefit from transarterial chemoembolization. The only therapeutic option for most patients with advanced HCC is systemic pharmacological treatments based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapy. Available drugs only slightly increase survival, as tumor cells possess additive and synergistic mechanisms of pharmacoresistance (MPRs) prior to or enhanced during treatment. Understanding the molecular basis of MPRs is crucial to elucidate the genetic signature underlying HCC resistome. This will permit the selection of biomarkers to predict drug treatment response and identify tumor weaknesses in a personalized and dynamic way. In this article, we have reviewed the role of MPRs in current first-line drugs and the combinations of immunotherapeutic agents with novel TKIs being tested in the treatment of advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose J G Marin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta R Romero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisa Herraez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maitane Asensio
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Ortiz-Rivero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Anabel Sanchez-Martin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Luca Fabris
- Department of Molecular Medicine (DMM), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,Department of Internal Medicine, Yale Liver Center (YLC), School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Oscar Briz
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), University of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain.,Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
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Song HY, Xia JS, Chen YG, Chen L. Cytochrome P450 3A5 polymorphism affects the metabolism of sorafenib and its toxicity for hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. Hum Exp Toxicol 2022; 41:9603271221080236. [PMID: 35099304 DOI: 10.1177/09603271221080236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) is a highly polymorphic gene and the encoded protein variants differ in catalytic activity, leading to inter-individual variation in metabolic ability. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of seven allelic variants on the ability of CYP3A5 to metabolize sorafenib in vitro and further explore the impacts of CYP3A5 polymorphism on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2) induced by sorafenib. METHODS Wild-type and variant CYP3A5 enzymes were expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells using a baculovirus dual-expression system, and protein expression was checked by western blot. The enzymes were incubated with sorafenib at 37°C for 30 min, and formation of the major metabolite sorafenib N-oxide was assayed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Intrinsic clearance values (Vmax/Km) were calculated for each enzyme. Additionally, recombinant HepG2 cells transfecting with CYP3A5 variants were used to investigate the effects of sorafenib on the proliferation of HepG2 cells. RESULTS Intrinsic clearance of the six variants CYP3A5*2, CYP3A5*3A, CYP3A5*3C, CYP3A5*4, CYP3A5*5, and CYP3A5*7 was 26.41-71.04% of the wild-type (CYP3A5*1) value. In contrast, the clearance value of the variant CYP3A5*6 was significantly higher (174.74%). Additionally, the decreased ATP levels and cell viability and the increased cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells transfected with CYP3A5*2, CYP3A5*3A, CYP3A5*3C, CYP3A5*4, CYP3A5*5, and CYP3A5*7 were observed, whereas, the increased ATP levels and cell viability and the reduced cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells transfected with CYP3A5*6 were also investigated when compared to CYP3A5*1. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that CYP3A5 polymorphism influences sorafenib metabolism and pharmacotherapeutic effect in hepatic carcinomas. These data may help explain differential response to drug therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, and they support the need for individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yan Song
- Department of Pharmacy, 12390Wuhan Third Hospital (Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University), Wuhan, China
| | - Jing-Sheng Xia
- Department of Pharmacy, 12390Wuhan Third Hospital (Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University), Wuhan, China
| | - Yong-Gang Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, 12390Wuhan Third Hospital (Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University), Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, 12390Wuhan Third Hospital (Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University), Wuhan, China
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Tang Q, Li X, Chen Y, Long S, Yu Y, Sheng H, Wang S, Han L, Wu W. Solamargine inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma and enhances the anticancer effect of sorafenib by regulating HOTTIP-TUG1/miR-4726-5p/MUC1 pathway. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:417-432. [PMID: 35040191 PMCID: PMC9302658 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary malignancies. Drug resistance has significantly prevented the clinical application of sorafenib (SF), a first‐line targeted medicine for the treatment of HCC. Solamargine (SM), a natural alkaloid, has shown potential antitumor activity, but studies about antitumor effect of SM are obviously insufficient in HCC. In the present study, we found that SM significantly inhibited the growth of HCC and enhanced the anticancer effect of SF. In brief, SM significantly inhibited the growth of HepG2 and Huh‐7 cells. The combination of SM and SF showed a synergistic antitumor effect. Mechanistically, SM downregulated the expression of long noncoding RNA HOTTIP and TUG1, followed by increasing the expression of miR‐4726‐5p. Moreover, miR‐4726‐5p directly bound to the 3′‐UTR region of MUC1 and decreased the expression of MUC1 protein. Overexpression of MUC1 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of SM on HepG2 and Huh‐7 cells viability, which suggested that MUC1 may be the key target in SM‐induced growth inhibition of HCC. More importantly, the combination of SM and SF synergistically restrained the expression of MUC1 protein. Taken together, our study revealed that SM inhibited the growth of HCC and enhanced the anticancer effect of SF through HOTTIP‐TUG1/miR‐4726‐5p/MUC1 signaling pathway. These findings will provide potential therapeutic targets and strategies for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Tang
- Department of Oncology, Clinical and Basic Research Team of TCM Prevention and Treatment of NSCLC, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Shunqin Long
- Department of Oncology, Clinical and Basic Research Team of TCM Prevention and Treatment of NSCLC, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Yaya Yu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Honghao Sheng
- Department of Oncology, Clinical and Basic Research Team of TCM Prevention and Treatment of NSCLC, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Sumei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Clinical and Basic Research Team of TCM Prevention and Treatment of NSCLC, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Ling Han
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Wanyin Wu
- Department of Oncology, Clinical and Basic Research Team of TCM Prevention and Treatment of NSCLC, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
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Yao F, Zhan Y, Li C, Lu Y, Chen J, Deng J, Wu Z, Li Q, Song Y, Chen B, Chen J, Tian K, Pu Z, Ni Y, Mou L. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals the Role of Phosphorylation-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stem Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:734287. [PMID: 35059393 PMCID: PMC8763978 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.734287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal activation of protein kinases and phosphatases is implicated in various tumorigenesis, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Advanced HCC patients are treated with systemic therapy, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which extend overall survival. Investigation of the underlying mechanism of protein kinase signaling will help to improve the efficacy of HCC therapy. Combining single-cell RNA sequencing data and TCGA RNA-seq data, we profiled the protein kinases, phosphatases, and other phosphorylation-related genes (PRGs) of HCC patients in this study. We found nine protein kinases and PRGs with high expression levels that were mainly detected in HCC cancer stem cells, including POLR2G, PPP2R1A, POLR2L, PRC1, ITBG1BP1, MARCKSL1, EZH2, DTYMK, and AURKA. Survival analysis with the TCGA dataset showed that these genes were associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Further correlation analysis showed that these genes were involved in cell cycle-related pathways that may contribute to the development of HCC. Among them, AURKA and EZH2 were identified as two hub genes by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Treatment with an AURKA inhibitor (alisertib) and an EZH2 inhibitor (gambogenic) inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We also found that both AURKA and EZH2 were highly expressed in TP53-mutant HCC samples. Our comprehensive analysis of PRGs contributes to illustrating the mechanisms underlying HCC progression and identifying potential therapeutic targets for future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuwen Yao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongqiang Zhan
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Changzheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Deng
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zijing Wu
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qi Li
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi’an Song
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Binhua Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinjun Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kuifeng Tian
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zuhui Pu
- Imaging Department, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Ni
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lisha Mou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Medical Engineering Research and Development Center, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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Lu Y, Chan YT, Tan HY, Zhang C, Guo W, Xu Y, Sharma R, Chen ZS, Zheng YC, Wang N, Feng Y. Epigenetic regulation of ferroptosis via ETS1/miR-23a-3p/ACSL4 axis mediates sorafenib resistance in human hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:3. [PMID: 34980204 PMCID: PMC8722264 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02208-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug resistance to sorafenib greatly limited the benefits of treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in the development of drug resistance. The key miRNA regulators related to the clinical outcome of sorafenib treatment and their molecular mechanisms remain to be identified. METHODS The clinical significance of miRNA-related epigenetic changes in sorafenib-resistant HCC was evaluated by analyzing publicly available databases and in-house human HCC tissues. The biological functions of miR-23a-3p were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were conducted to identify the mechanisms that regulating miR-23a-3p. Luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were used to validate the binding relationship of miR-23a-3p and its targets. RESULTS We found that miR-23a-3p was the most prominent miRNA in HCC, which was overexpressed in sorafenib non-responders and indicated poor survival and HCC relapse. Sorafenib-resistant cells exhibited increased miR-23a-3p transcription in an ETS Proto-Oncogene 1 (ETS1)-dependent manner. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of miR-23a-3p improved sorafenib response in HCC cells as well as orthotopic HCC tumours. Proteomics analysis suggested that sorafenib-induced ferroptosis was the key pathway suppressed by miR-23a-3p with reduced cellular iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. MiR-23a-3p directly targeted the 3'-untranslated regions (UTR) of ACSL4, the key positive regulator of ferroptosis. The miR-23a-3p inhibitor rescued ACSL4 expression and induced ferrotoptic cell death in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. The co-delivery of ACSL4 siRNA and miR-23a-3p inhibitor abolished sorafenib response. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that ETS1/miR-23a-3p/ACSL4 axis contributes to sorafenib resistance in HCC through regulating ferroptosis. Our findings suggest that miR-23a-3p could be a potential target to improve sorafenib responsiveness in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjun Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hor-Yue Tan
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Rakesh Sharma
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, USA
| | - Yi-Chao Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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