Effect of the herbal formulation Jianpijiedu on the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire in rats with hepatocellular carcinoma and subjected to food restriction combined with laxative

Integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to elucidate the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma with spleen-deficiency syndrome

Background and aim

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China have been diagnosed with spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS), which accelerates the progression of HCC by disrupting the tumor microenvironment homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the intercellular crosstalk in HCC with SDS.

Experimental procedure

An HCC-SDS mouse model was established using orthotopic HCC transplantation based on reserpine-induced SDS. Single-cell data analysis and cancer cell prediction were conducted using Seurat and CopyKAT package, respectively. Intercellular interactions were explored using CellPhoneDB and CellChat and subsequently validated using co-culture assays, ELISA and histological staining. We performed pathway activity analysis using gene set variation analysis and the Seurat package. The extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling was assessed using a gel contraction assay, atomic force microscopy, and Sirius red staining. The deconvolution of the spatial transcriptomics data using the "CARD" package based on single-cell data.

Results and conclusion

We successfully established the HCC-SDS mouse model. Twenty-nine clusters were identified. The interactions between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were significantly enhanced via platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling in HCC-SDS. CAFs recruited in HCC-SDS lead to ECM remodeling and the activation of TGF-β signaling pathway. Deconvolution of the spatial transcriptome data revealed that CAFs physically surround cancer cells in HCC-SDS. This study reveals that the crosstalk of CAFs-cancer cells is crucial for the tumor-promoting effect of SDS. CAFs recruited by HCC via PDGFA may lead to ECM remodeling through activation of the TGF-β pathway, thereby forming a physical barrier to block immune cell infiltration under SDS.

Constructing the Logical Regression Model to Predict the Target of Jianpi Jiedu Decoction in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to identify the molecular mechanism and prognosis-related genes of Jianpi Jiedu decoction in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

The gene expression data of hepatocellular carcinoma samples and normal tissue samples were downloaded from TCGA database, and the potential targets of drug composition of Jianpi Jiedu decoction were obtained from TCMSP database. The genes were screened out in order to obtain the expression of these target genes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The differential expression of target genes was analyzed by R software, and the genes related to prognosis were screened by univariate Cox regression analysis. Then, the LASSO model was constructed for risk assessment and survival analysis between different risk groups. At the same time, independent prognostic analysis, GSEA analysis, and prognostic analysis of single gene in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were performed.

Results

174 compounds of traditional Chinese medicine were screened by TCMSP database, corresponding to 122 potential targets. 39 upregulated genes and 9 downregulated genes were screened out. A total of 20 candidate prognostic related genes were screened out by univariate Cox analysis, of which 12 prognostic genes were involved in the construction of the LASSO regression model. There was a significant difference in survival time between the high-risk group and low-risk group (p < 0.05). Among the genes related to prognosis, the expression levels of CCNB1, NQO1, NUF2, and CHEK1 were high in tumor tissues (p < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that the high expression levels of these four genes were significantly correlated with poor prognosis of HCC (p < 0.05). GSEA analysis showed that the main KEGG enrichment pathways were lysine degradation, folate carbon pool, citrate cycle, and transcription factors.

Conclusions

In the study, we found that therapy target genes of Jianpi Jiedu decoction were mainly involved in metabolism and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, and there was a close relationship between the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and the genes of CCNB1, NQO1, NUF2, and CHEK1.

IL-6 and NFE2L2: A putative role for the hepatoprotective effect of N. Sativa, P. Ginseng and C. Sempervirens in AFB-1 induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats

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P. Ginseng showed a prominent prophylactic effect in AFB-1 induced rat model.

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Hepatoprotective effects of extracts possibly mediated via IL-6, hs-CRP, SOD, NFE2L2.

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NFE2L2 play a pivotal role in this hepatoprotective effect of herbal extracts.

In this study, we investigated possible hepato-protective effects of N. Sativa, P. Ginseng, and C. Sempervirens in Aflatoxin B1 (AFB-1) induced hepatocellular carcinoma rat model.

Fifty-four male albino rats were randomly assigned to experimental groups. Alcoholic extracts of aforementioned herbs were administered orally for 28 days at different doses. IL-6, hs-CRP, MDA, SOD and NFE2L2 were determined using ELISA. Histopathological changes in treated groups were examined.

Herbal treatment significantly reduced IL-6, hs-CRP, and MDA (P < 0.001) whereas it significantly increased SOD (p < 0.001). C. Sempervirens 600 and N. Sativa 1000 increased NFE2L2 level compared to P. Ginseng 500 group (P value<0.01). Histopathological evaluation of treated groups showed different grades of healing of the liver.

This study confirms a beneficial hepatoprotective effect for aforementioned herbal extracts orally administered in rat model of AFB1 induced HCC. This effect is putatively mediated via modulation of inflammatory cytokines as well as amelioration of oxidative stress.

ESTABLISHMENT AND EVALUATION OF ORTHOTOPIC HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA AND DRUG-INDUCED HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA IN MICE WITH SPLEEN-DEFICIENCY SYNDROME IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

BACKGROUND

Spleen-deficiency syndrome (SDS) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) played pivotal roles on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was performed to establish and evaluate HCC model in mice with SDS in TCM.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 90 C57BL/6 mice were randomized in six groups (n=15 for each group): A, Control group; B, SDS group; C, orthotopic HCC (OHCC) group; D, OHCC based on SDS (SDS-OHCC) group; E, Drug-induced HCC (DHCC) group; F, DHCC based on SDS (SDS-DHCC) group. The SDS model were established by subcutaneous injection of reserpine, followed by the OHCC or DHCC model establishment. The SDS scores, tumor formation rate and survival time were recorded and calculated, as well as the histochemical stain was performed.

RESULTS

The SDS scores of mice in Group B, D, F were 17.57±4.86 (P<0.05 vs. Group A), 18.13±4.53 (P<0.05 vs. Group A and C) and 23.32±4.94 (P<0.05 vs. Group A and E) respectively. The tumor formation rate of mice in Group C, D, E and F were 73.33%, 100%, 60% and 80% respectively. The survival time of mice in Group C, D, E and F were 26.42±5.27, 17.33±4.76 (P<0.05 vs. Group C), 35.77±6.12 and 22.61±5.05 (P<0.05 vs. Group E) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The SDS-oriented HCC mice models were simple and easily-operated models for further studies on SDS oriented tumor. Meanwhile, SDS was a pivotal factor for low outcome of hepatic tumor. Abbreviations: HCC, Hepatocellular carcinoma; OHCC, Orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma; DHCC, Drug-induced hepatocellular carcinoma; SDS, Spleen-deficiency syndrome; TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine; SPF, Specific pathogen-free; DEN, Diethylnitrosamine; CCl4, Carbon tetrachloride; HE, Hematoxylin-eosin; IACUC, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.