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Zhang P, Cao J, Liang X, Su Z, Zhang B, Wang Z, Xie J, Chen G, Chen X, Zhang J, Feng Y, Xu Q, Song J, Hong A, Chen X, Zhang Y. Lian-Mei-Yin formula alleviates diet-induced hepatic steatosis by suppressing Yap1/FOXM1 pathway-dependent lipid synthesis. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024; 56:621-633. [PMID: 38516704 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024025] [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] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, with a global prevalence of 25%. Patients with NAFLD are more likely to suffer from advanced liver disease, cardiovascular disease, or type II diabetes. However, unfortunately, there is still a shortage of FDA-approved therapeutic agents for NAFLD. Lian-Mei-Yin (LMY) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for decades to treat liver disorders. It has recently been applied to type II diabetes which is closely related to insulin resistance. Given that NAFLD is another disease involved in insulin resistance, we hypothesize that LMY might be a promising formula for NAFLD therapy. Herein, we verify that the LMY formula effectively reduces hepatic steatosis in diet-induced zebrafish and NAFLD model mice in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, LMY suppresses Yap1-mediated Foxm1 activation, which is crucial for the occurrence and development of NAFLD. Consequently, lipogenesis is ameliorated by LMY administration. In summary, the LMY formula alleviates diet-induced NAFLD in zebrafish and mice by inhibiting Yap1/Foxm1 signaling-mediated NAFLD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiguang Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jieqiong Cao
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xujing Liang
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zijian Su
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bihui Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Junye Xie
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Gengrui Chen
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jinting Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yanxian Feng
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jianping Song
- Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - An Hong
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaojia Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yibo Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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Andrade AAR, Pauli F, Pressete CG, Zavan B, Hanemann JAC, Miyazawa M, Fonseca R, Caixeta ES, Nacif JLM, Aissa AF, Barreiro EJ, Ionta M. Antiproliferative Activity of N-Acylhydrazone Derivative on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Involves Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Required for G2/M Transition. Biomedicines 2024; 12:892. [PMID: 38672246 PMCID: PMC11048582 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040892] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in males. It is estimated that approximately one million deaths will occur by 2030 due to hepatic cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer subtype and is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage. The drug arsenal used in systemic therapy for HCC is very limited. Multikinase inhibitors sorafenib (Nexavar®) and lenvatinib (Lenvima®) have been used as first-line drugs with modest therapeutic effects. In this scenario, it is imperative to search for new therapeutic strategies for HCC. Herein, the antiproliferative activity of N-acylhydrazone derivatives was evaluated on HCC cells (HepG2 and Hep3B), which were chemically planned on the ALL-993 scaffold, a potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (VEGFR2). The substances efficiently reduced the viability of HCC cells, and the LASSBio-2052 derivative was the most effective. Further, we demonstrated that LASSBio-2052 treatment induced FOXM1 downregulation, which compromises the transcriptional activation of genes required for G2/M transition, such as AURKA and AURKB, PLK1, and CDK1. In addition, LASSBio-2052 significantly reduced CCNB1 and CCND1 expression in HCC cells. Our findings indicate that LASSBio-2052 is a promising prototype for further in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernanda Pauli
- Institute of Chemistry, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-140, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carolina Girotto Pressete
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Bruno Zavan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | | | - Marta Miyazawa
- School of Dentistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil
| | - Rafael Fonseca
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Ester Siqueira Caixeta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | | | - Alexandre Ferro Aissa
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Eliezer J. Barreiro
- Laboratory of Evaluation and Synthesis of Bioactive Substances (LASSBio), Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marisa Ionta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
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Merjaneh N, Hajjar M, Lan YW, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. The Promise of Combination Therapies with FOXM1 Inhibitors for Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:756. [PMID: 38398147 PMCID: PMC10886945 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040756] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a transcription factor in the forkhead (FOX) family, which is required for cellular proliferation in normal and neoplastic cells. FOXM1 is highly expressed in many different cancers, and its expression is associated with a higher tumor stage and worse patient-related outcomes. Abnormally high expression of FOXM1 in cancers compared to normal tissue makes FOXM1 an attractive target for pharmacological inhibition. FOXM1-inhibiting agents and specific FOXM1-targeted small-molecule inhibitors have been developed in the lab and some of them have shown promising efficacy and safety profiles in mouse models. While the future goal is to translate FOXM1 inhibitors to clinical trials, potential synergistic drug combinations can maximize anti-tumor efficacy while minimizing off-target side effects. Hence, we discuss the rationale and efficacy of all previously studied drug combinations with FOXM1 inhibitors for cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal Merjaneh
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Mona Hajjar
- The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA;
| | - Ying-Wei Lan
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
| | - Vladimir V. Kalinichenko
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
- Division of Neonatology, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
| | - Tanya V. Kalin
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA
- Department of Child Health, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
- Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (Y.-W.L.)
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Chen Y, Yang Y, Wang N, Liu R, Wu Q, Pei H, Li W. β-Sitosterol suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth and metastasis via FOXM1-regulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18072. [PMID: 38063438 PMCID: PMC10844700 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
β-Sitosterol is a natural compound with demonstrated anti-cancer properties against various cancers. However, its effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study aims to investigate the impact of β-sitosterol on HCC. In this study, we investigated the effects of β-sitosterol on HCC tumour growth and metastasis using a xenograft mouse model and a range of molecular analyses, including bioinformatics, real-time PCR, western blotting, lentivirus transfection, CCK8, scratch and transwell assays. The results found that β-sitosterol significantly inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation, migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis identifies forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) as a potential target for β-sitosterol in HCC treatment. FOXM1 is upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, correlating with poor prognosis in patients. β-Sitosterol downregulates FOXM1 expression in vitro and in vivo. FOXM1 overexpression mitigates β-sitosterol's inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells. Additionally, β-sitosterol suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HepG2 cells, while FOXM1 overexpression promotes EMT. Mechanistically, β-sitosterol inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signalling by downregulating FOXM1, regulating target gene transcription related to HepG2 cell proliferation and metastasis. β-Sitosterol shows promising potential as a therapeutic candidate for inhibiting HCC growth and metastasis through FOXM1 downregulation and Wnt/β-catenin signalling inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuankun Chen
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Yijun Yang
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Nengyi Wang
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Qiuping Wu
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Hua Pei
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
| | - Wenting Li
- Department of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of HealthHainan Medical UniversityHaikouHainanChina
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiChina
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Liu BW, Cao JL, Wang Y, Zhao X, Zeng Q, Liu WP, Zhang JH, Fan YZ, Dou J. GANT61, an inhibitor of Gli1, inhibits the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. J Investig Med 2024; 72:181-192. [PMID: 37724700 DOI: 10.1177/10815589231204056] [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] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Constitutive activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in many cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, the terminal glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) regulates the expression of critical genes in the Hh pathway. The current study aims to evaluate the anti-HCC effect of the Gli1 inhibitor, GANT61. In vitro analysis including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and migration and invasion assay were adopted to evaluate the effect of GANT61 on HCC cell lines. In vivo, xenograft studies were also performed to verify the effect of GANT61 on HCC. By CCK-8 assay, we found that GANT61 could significantly reduce the growth of HCC cell lines Huh7 and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLE), and their IC50 concentrations were 4.481 and 6.734 μM, respectively. Flow cytometry shows that GANT61 induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and accelerated apoptosis of both HLE and Huh7 cells. While migration and invasion assay shows that GANT61 weakens cells' migration and invasion ability. Besides that, GANT61 inhibits the expression of Gli1, FoxM1, CyclinD1, and Bcl-2, upregulates the level of Bax protein, and also reverses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition program by downregulating the expression of Vimentin and N-Cadherin and upregulating the expression of epithelial E-Cadherin expression. Furthermore, GANT61 inhibits the growth of subcutaneous xenografts of Huh7 cells in nude mice. Overall, this study suggests that Gli1 is a potential target for therapy and GANT61 shows promising therapeutic potential for future treatment in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Wang Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jing-Lin Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Qiang Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Wen-Peng Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jun-Hong Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yi-Ze Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jian Dou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
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Shan Y, Zheng L, Zhang S, Qian B. Abnormal expression of FOXM1 in carcinogenesis of renal cell carcinoma: From experimental findings to clinical applications. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 692:149251. [PMID: 38056162 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149251] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a prevalent malignancy within the genitourinary system. At present, patients with high-grade or advanced RCC continue to have a bleak prognosis. Mounting research have emphasized the significant involvement of Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) in RCC development and progression. Therefore, it is imperative to consolidate the existing evidence regarding the contributions of FOXM1 to RCC tumorigenesis through a comprehensive review. This study elucidated the essential functions of FOXM1 in promoting RCC growth, invasion, and metastasis by regulating cell cycle progression, DNA repair, angiogenesis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Also, FOXM1 might serve as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker as well as a therapeutic target for RCC. Clinical findings demonstrated that the expression of FOXM1 was markedly upregulated in RCC samples, while a high level of FOXM1 was found to be associated with a poor overall survival rate of RCC. Furthermore, it is worth noting that FOXM1 may have a significant impact on the resistance of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to radiotherapy. This observation suggests that inhibiting FOXM1 could be a promising strategy to impede the progression of RCC and enhance its sensitivity to radiotherapy. The present review highlighted the pivotal role of FOXM1 in RCC development. FOXM1 has the capacity to emerge as not only a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool but also a viable therapeutic option for unresectable RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Shan
- Department of Nephrology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Liying Zheng
- Postgraduate Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College, Ganzhou, China
| | - Shilong Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Biao Qian
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Urology and Andrology of Ganzhou, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
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Wu HY, Luo LF, Wei F, Jiang HM. Comprehensive clinicopathological significance and putative transcriptional mechanisms of Forkhead box M1 factor in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol 2023; 21:366. [PMID: 38001498 PMCID: PMC10675979 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-023-03250-z] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Forkhead box M1 factor (FOXM1) is a crucial activator for cancer cell proliferation. While FOXM1 has been shown to promote hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, its transcriptional mechanisms remain incompletely understood. METHODS We performed an in-house tissue microarray on 313 HCC and 37 non-HCC tissue samples, followed by immunohistochemical staining. Gene chips and high throughput sequencing data were used to assess FOXM1 expression and prognosis. To identify candidate targets of FOXM1, we comprehensively reanalyzed 41 chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) data sets. We predicted FOXM1 transcriptional targets in HCC by intersecting candidate FOXM1 targets with HCC overexpressed genes and FOXM1 correlation genes. Enrichment analysis was employed to address the potential mechanisms of FOXM1 underlying HCC. Finally, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis was performed to confirm the transcriptional activity of FOXM1 on its predicted targets. RESULTS This study, based on 4235 HCC tissue samples and 3461 non-HCC tissue samples, confirmed the upregulation of FOXM1 in HCC at mRNA and protein levels (standardized mean difference = 1.70 [1.42, 1.98]), making it the largest multi-centered study to do so. Among HCC patients, FOXM1 was increased in Asian and advanced subgroups, and high expression of FOXM1 had a strong ability to differentiate HCC tissue from non-HCC tissue (area under the curve = 0.94, sensitivity = 88.72%, specificity = 87.24%). FOXM1 was also shown to be an independent exposure risk factor for HCC, with a pooled hazard ratio of 2.00 [1.77, 2.26]. The predicted transcriptional targets of FOXM1 in HCC were predominantly enriched in nuclear division, chromosomal region, and catalytic activity acting on DNA. A gene cluster encoding nine transcriptional factors was predicted to be positively regulated by FOXM1, promoting the cell cycle signaling pathway in HCC. Finally, the transcriptional activity of FOXM1 and its targets was supported by single-cell analysis of HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS This study not only confirmed the upregulation of FOXM1 in HCC but also identified it as an independent risk factor. Moreover, our findings enriched our understanding of the complex transcriptional mechanisms underlying HCC pathogenesis, with FOXM1 potentially promoting HCC progression by activating other transcription factors within the cell cycle pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Yu Wu
- Department of Medical Experimental Center, The First People's Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Feng Luo
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Wei
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Mian Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
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