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Guo Z, Yao Z, Huang B, Wu D, Li Y, Chen X, Lu Y, Wang L, Lv W. MAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma: Exploring the potent combination of immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 140:112821. [PMID: 39088919 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112821] [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: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidity globally, and with the prevalence of metabolic-related diseases, the incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) related hepatocellular carcinoma (MAFLD-HCC) continues to rise with the limited efficacy of conventional treatments, which has created a major challenge for HCC surveillance. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and molecularly targeted drugs offer new hope for advanced MAFLD-HCC, but the evidence for the use of both types of therapy in this type of tumour is still insufficient. Theoretically, the combination of immunotherapy, which awakens the body's anti-tumour immunity, and targeted therapies, which directly block key molecular events driving malignant progression in HCC, is expected to produce synergistic effects. In this review, we will discuss the progress of immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy in MAFLD-HCC and look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Guo
- Department of Infection, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ziang Yao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking University People 's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Bohao Huang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100105, China
| | - Dongjie Wu
- Department of Infection, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Yanbo Li
- Department of Infection, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Xiaohan Chen
- Department of Hematology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Yanping Lu
- Department of Hepatology, Shenzhen Bao'an Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518100, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Infection, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
| | - Wenliang Lv
- Department of Infection, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
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Copil FD, Campani C, Lequoy M, Sultanik P, Blaise L, Wagner M, Ganne-Carrié N, Ozenne V, Thabut D, Nault JC, Ratziu V, Allaire M. No correlation between MASLD and poor outcome of Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab therapy in patients with advanced HCC. Liver Int 2024; 44:931-943. [PMID: 38291735 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It has been suggested that in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of metabolic aetiology, the efficacy of immunotherapy may be reduced. The aim was to investigate the impact of metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic risk factors (MRF) on the outcomes of Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab (AtezoBev). METHODS We collected data from 295 AtezoBev-treated patients, starting in 2020. MASLD was defined by the current/past presence of MRF, namely BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension or dyslipidaemia and no other cause of liver disease (daily alcohol ≤30 g in males and ≤20 g in females). The influence of baseline characteristics on progression (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed by uni/multivariate analysis using the Cox model. RESULTS Risk factors for cirrhosis were viral infection in 47%, excessive alcohol consumption in 45% and MASLD in 13%. In the whole cohort, 27% had 1 MRF, 23% had 2 MRF, 15% had 3 MRF and 6% had 4 MRF. Median PFS and OS were 6.5 and 15.6 months, respectively, and similar in patients with or without MASLD in Log rank analysis. The number of MRF or MALSD was not associated with PFS or OS in the univariate analysis. Factors associated with PFS in multivariate analysis included ALBI grade 3 (HR = 1.60, p = .03), AFP (HR = 1.01, p = .01) and metastasis (HR = 1.77, p < .001). During follow-up, 10% of patients experienced immune-related adverse events, with age and female gender, but not MRF or MASLD, as independent predictors. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that the presence of MASLD or the number of MRF did not lead to worse outcomes in advanced HCC patients treated with AtezoBev.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca-Dora Copil
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
| | - Claudia Campani
- INSERM UMR 1138, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
| | - Marie Lequoy
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Saint Antoine, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Sultanik
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
| | - Lorraine Blaise
- AP-HP Sorbonne Paris Nord, Hôpitaux Universitaire Paris Seine Saint-Denis, Service d'Hépatologie, Bobigny, France
| | - Mathilde Wagner
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de radiologie diagnostique, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Ganne-Carrié
- INSERM UMR 1138, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
- AP-HP Sorbonne Paris Nord, Hôpitaux Universitaire Paris Seine Saint-Denis, Service d'Hépatologie, Bobigny, France
| | - Violaine Ozenne
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Saint Antoine, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Thabut
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France
| | - Jean-Charles Nault
- INSERM UMR 1138, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
- AP-HP Sorbonne Paris Nord, Hôpitaux Universitaire Paris Seine Saint-Denis, Service d'Hépatologie, Bobigny, France
| | - Vlad Ratziu
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France
| | - Manon Allaire
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Paris, France
- INSERM UMR 1138, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
- Genomic Instability, Metabolism, Immunity and Liver Tumorigenesis Laboratory, Equipe Labellisée LIGUE, Paris, France
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Pipitone RM, Lupo G, Zito R, Javed A, Petta S, Pennisi G, Grimaudo S. The PD-1/PD-L1 Axis in the Biology of MASLD. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3671. [PMID: 38612483 PMCID: PMC11011676 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073671] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver (MASL), previously named nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), is a multifactorial disease in which metabolic, genetic, and environmental risk factors play a predominant role. Obesity and type 2 diabetes act as triggers of the inflammatory response, which contributes to the progression of MASL to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. In the liver, several parenchymal, nonparenchymal, and immune cells maintain immunological homeostasis, and different regulatory pathways balance the activation of the innate and adaptative immune system. PD-1/PD-L1 signaling acts, in the maintenance of the balance between the immune responses and the tissue immune homeostasis, promoting self-tolerance through the modulation of activated T cells. Recently, PD-1 has received much attention for its roles in inducing an exhausted T cells phenotype, promoting the tumor escape from immune responses. Indeed, in MASLD, the excessive fat accumulation dysregulates the immune system, increasing cytotoxic lymphocytes and decreasing their cytolytic activity. In this context, T cells exacerbate liver damage and promote tumor progression. The aim of this review is to illustrate the main pathogenetic mechanisms by which the immune system promotes the progression of MASLD and the transition to HCC, as well as to discuss the possible therapeutic applications of PD-1/PD-L1 target therapy to activate T cells and reinvigorate immune surveillance against cancer.
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Sawada K, Chung H, Softic S, Moreno-Fernandez ME, Divanovic S. The bidirectional immune crosstalk in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1852-1871. [PMID: 37939656 PMCID: PMC10680147 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an unabated risk factor for end-stage liver diseases with no available therapies. Dysregulated immune responses are critical culprits of MASLD pathogenesis. Independent contributions from either the innate or adaptive arms of the immune system or their unidirectional interplay are commonly studied in MASLD. However, the bidirectional communication between innate and adaptive immune systems and its impact on MASLD remain insufficiently understood. Given that both innate and adaptive immune cells are indispensable for the development and progression of inflammation in MASLD, elucidating pathogenic contributions stemming from the bidirectional interplay between these two arms holds potential for development of novel therapeutics for MASLD. Here, we review the immune cell types and bidirectional pathways that influence the pathogenesis of MASLD and highlight potential pharmacologic approaches to combat MASLD based on current knowledge of this bidirectional crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Sawada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Hak Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Samir Softic
- Department of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Maria E Moreno-Fernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Senad Divanovic
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA; Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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Martín-Escolano R, Virseda-Berdices A, Berenguer J, González-García J, Brochado-Kith O, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Díez C, Hontañon V, Resino S, Jiménez-Sousa MÁ. Predictive plasma biomarkers of long-term increase in hepatic steatosis index after HCV eradication in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114913. [PMID: 37216704 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic steatosis is a common condition found in the liver of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, contributing to more severe forms of liver disease. In addition, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may accelerate this process. Alternatively, several immune checkpoint proteins have been reported to be upregulated and correlated with disease progression during HCV and HIV infections. In steatosis, a detrimental immune system activation has been established; however, the role of the immune checkpoints has not been addressed so far. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the association between plasma immune checkpoint proteins at baseline (before antiviral therapy) with hepatic steatosis index (HSI) increase at the end of follow-up (∼ five years after sustained virologic response (SVR)). We performed a multicenter retrospective study in 62 patients coinfected with HIV/HCV who started antiviral therapy. Immune checkpoint proteins were analyzed at baseline using a Luminex 200TM analyzer. The statistical association analysis was carried out using Generalized Linear Models (GLM) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). Fifty-three percent of the patients showed HSI increase from baseline to the end of follow-up. Higher immune checkpoint protein levels of BTLA, CD137(4-1BB), CD80, GITR, LAG-3, and PD-L1 before HCV therapy were associated with a long-term increase in HSI after successful HCV therapy, suggesting a potential predictive role for early detection of progression towards steatosis in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Virseda-Berdices
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Berenguer
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas/VIH; Hospital General Universitario "Gregorio Marañón", Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan González-García
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Medicina Interna-Unidad de VIH. Hospital Universitario La Paz. Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPAZ). Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Brochado-Kith
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Amanda Fernández-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Díez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas/VIH; Hospital General Universitario "Gregorio Marañón", Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor Hontañon
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Medicina Interna-Unidad de VIH. Hospital Universitario La Paz. Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPAZ). Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Ángeles Jiménez-Sousa
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
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Liu X, Zhou J, Wu H, Chen S, Zhang L, Tang W, Duan L, Wang Y, McCabe E, Hu M, Yu Z, Liu H, Choi CHJ, Sung JJY, Huang L, Liu R, Cheng ASL. Fibrotic immune microenvironment remodeling mediates superior anti-tumor efficacy of a nano-PD-L1 trap in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Ther 2023; 31:119-133. [PMID: 36146933 PMCID: PMC9840184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The local microenvironment where tumors develop can shape cancer progression and therapeutic outcome. Emerging evidence demonstrate that the efficacy of immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) is undermined by fibrotic tumor microenvironment (TME). The majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops in liver fibrosis, in which the stromal and immune components may form a barricade against immunotherapy. Here, we report that nanodelivery of a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) trap gene exerts superior efficacy in treating fibrosis-associated HCC when compared with the conventional monoclonal antibody (mAb). In two fibrosis-associated HCC models induced by carbon tetrachloride and a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, the PD-L1 trap induced significantly larger tumor regression than mAb with no evidence of toxicity. Mechanistic studies revealed that PD-L1 trap, but not mAb, consistently reduced the M2 macrophage proportion in the fibrotic liver microenvironment and promoted cytotoxic interferon gamma (IFNγ)+tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)+CD8+T cell infiltration to the tumor. Moreover, PD-L1 trap treatment was associated with decreased tumor-infiltrating polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell (PMN-MDSC) accumulation, resulting in an inflamed TME with a high cytotoxic CD8+T cell/PMN-MDSC ratio conductive to anti-tumor immune response. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of two clinical cohorts demonstrated preferential PD-L1 expression in M2 macrophages in the fibrotic liver, thus supporting the translational potential of nano-PD-L1 trap for fibrotic HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jingying Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Haoran Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Shufen Chen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Lingyun Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Wenshu Tang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Liang Duan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Eleanor McCabe
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mengying Hu
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zhuo Yu
- Department of Liver Disease, Shuguang Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hanzhuang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Chung Hang Jonathan Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Joseph Jao-Yiu Sung
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 Singapore, Singapore; State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Leaf Huang
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rihe Liu
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Alfred Sze-Lok Cheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
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Jeong S, Shin WY, Oh YH. Immunotherapy for NAFLD and NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1150360. [PMID: 37020584 PMCID: PMC10069645 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1150360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease, leads to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the increasing incidence and prevalence of NAFLD, its therapeutic and preventive strategies to lower the disease burden is limited. In recent years, immunotherapy, including anti-programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 treatment, has emerged as a potential approach to reach satisfactory modulation for the progression of NAFLD and treatment of NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the effectiveness of immunotherapy against NAFLD and NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma is in the early phase and it is yet not advanced. In addition, conflicting results are being reported regarding the prognosis of patients with NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma and high expression of programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1. Herein, this review will discuss and elucidate the attempts and underlying mechanisms of immunotherapy against NAFLD and NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seogsong Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, CHA University School of Medicine, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Young Shin
- Department of Family medicine, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Gwangmyeong, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hwan Oh
- Department of Family medicine, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Gwangmyeong, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Yun Hwan Oh,
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Nguyen TK, Phung HH, Choi WJ, Ahn HC. Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study on the Multi-Target Mechanisms of Aloe vera for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Treatment. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3585. [PMID: 36559697 PMCID: PMC9783676 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease with limited treatment options. The widely distributed plant Aloe vera has shown protective effects against NASH in animals, yet the precise mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-NASH effects of Aloe vera using a network pharmacology and molecular docking approach. By searching online databases and analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset, we obtained 260 Aloe vera-NASH common targets. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses showed that the common targets were strongly associated with the key pathological processes implicated in NASH, including lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and liver fibrosis. Four core proteins, AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), transcription factor c-Jun, and tumor suppressor protein p53, were identified from compound-target-pathway and protein-protein interaction networks. Molecular docking analysis verified that the active ingredients of Aloe vera were able to interact with the core proteins, especially AKT1 and TNFα. The results demonstrate the multi-compound, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms of Aloe vera against NASH. Our study has shown the scientific basis for further experiments in terms of the mechanism to develop Aloe vera-based natural products as complementary treatments for NASH. Furthermore, it identifies novel drug candidates based on the structures of Aloe vera's active compounds.
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Li D, Li K, Zhang W, Yang KW, Mu DA, Jiang GJ, Shi RS, Ke D. The m6A/m5C/m1A Regulated Gene Signature Predicts the Prognosis and Correlates With the Immune Status of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:918140. [PMID: 35833147 PMCID: PMC9272990 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.918140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA modification of m6A/m5C/m1A contributes to the occurrence and development of cancer. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the functions of m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression levels of 45 m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes in HCC tissues were determined. The functional mechanisms and protein–protein interaction network of m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes were investigated. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HCC gene set was categorized based on 45 m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes, and survival analysis was used to determine the relationship between the overall survival of HCC patients in subgroups. Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses were used to construct the risk model and nomogram for m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes. The relationships between m6A/m5C/m1A regulated gene subsets and risk model and immune cell infiltration were analyzed using CIBERSORT. m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes were involved in mRNA and RNA modifications, mRNA and RNA methylation, mRNA and RNA stability, and other processes. There was a statistically significant difference between cluster1 and cluster2 groups of genes regulated by m6A/m5C/m1A. The prognosis of cluster1 patients was significantly better than that of cluster2 patients. There were statistically significant differences between the two cluster groups in terms of fustat status, grade, clinical stage, and T stage of HCC patients. The risk model comprised the overexpression of YBX1, ZC3H13, YTHDF1, TRMT10C, YTHDF2, RRP8, TRMT6, LRPPRC, and IGF2BP3, which contributed to the poor prognosis of HCC patients. The high-risk score was associated with prognosis, fustat status, grade, clinical stage, T stage, and M stage and was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in HCC patients. High-risk score mechanisms included spliceosome, RNA degradation, and DNA replication, among others, and high-risk was closely related to stromal score, CD4 memory resting T cells, M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, resting mast cells, CD4 memory activated T cells, and follicular helper T cells. In conclusion, the cluster subgroup and risk model of m6A/m5C/m1A regulated genes were associated with the poor prognosis and immune microenvironment in HCC and are expected to be the new tools for assessing the prognosis of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Department of Oncology, Huanggang Central Hospital, Huanggang, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Jianyang City, Jianyang, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Jianyang City, Jianyang, China
| | - Kong-Wu Yang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - De-An Mu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Jianyang City, Jianyang, China
| | - Guo-Jun Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Rong-Shu Shi
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- *Correspondence: Di Ke, ; Rong-Shu Shi,
| | - Di Ke
- Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- *Correspondence: Di Ke, ; Rong-Shu Shi,
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