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Loesch R, Caruso S, Paradis V, Godard C, Gougelet A, Renault G, Picard S, Tanaka I, Renoux-Martin Y, Perret C, Taketo MM, Zucman-Rossi J, Colnot S. Deleting the β-catenin degradation domain in mouse hepatocytes drives hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoblastoma-like tumor growth. J Hepatol 2022; 77:424-435. [PMID: 35257829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS One-third of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) harbor mutations activating the β-catenin pathway, predominantly via mutations in the CTNNB1 gene itself. Mouse models of Apc loss-of-function are widely used to mimic β-catenin-dependent tumorigenesis. Given the low prevalence of APC mutations in human HCCs, we aimed to generate liver tumors through CTNNB1 exon 3 deletion (βcatΔex3). We then compared βcatΔex3 liver tumors with liver tumors generated via frameshift in exon 15 of Apc (Apcfs-ex15). METHODS We used hepatocyte-specific and inducible mouse models generated through either a Cre-Lox or a CRISPR/Cas9 approach using adeno-associated virus vectors. Tumors generated by the Cre-Lox models were phenotypically analyzed using immunohistochemistry and were selected for transcriptomic analysis by RNA-sequencing (RNAseq). Mouse RNAseq data were compared to human RNAseq data (8 normal tissues, 48 HCCs, 9 hepatoblastomas) in an integrative analysis. Tumors generated via CRISPR were analyzed using DNA sequencing and immuno-histochemistry. RESULTS Mice with CTNNB1 exon 3 deletion in hepatocytes developed liver tumors indistinguishable from Apcfs-ex15 liver tumors. Both Apcfs-ex15 and βcatΔex3 mouse models induced growth of phenotypically distinct tumors (differentiated or undifferentiated). Integrative analysis of human and mouse tumors showed that differentiated mouse tumors cluster with well-differentiated human CTNNB1-mutated tumors. Conversely, undifferentiated mouse tumors cluster with human mesenchymal hepatoblastomas and harbor activated YAP signaling. CONCLUSION Apcfs-ex15 and βcatΔex3 mouse models both induce growth of tumors that are transcriptionally similar to either well-differentiated and β-catenin-activated human HCCs or mesenchymal hepatoblastomas. LAY SUMMARY New and easy-to-use transgenic mouse models of primary liver cancers have been generated, with mutations in the gene encoding beta-catenin, which are frequent in both adult and pediatric primary liver cancers. The mice develop both types of cancer, constituting a strong preclinical model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Loesch
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Stefano Caruso
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France
| | | | - Cecile Godard
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Angélique Gougelet
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Gilles Renault
- INSERM, CNRS, Institut COCHIN, F-75014, France; Plateforme Imageries du Vivant, Université de Paris, France
| | - Simon Picard
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Ingrid Tanaka
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | - Yoan Renoux-Martin
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France
| | | | | | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France
| | - Sabine Colnot
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (CRC), F-75006, France; Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, France.
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