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Zhao Y, Zhao L, Jin H, Xie Y, Chen L, Zhang W, Dong L, Zhang L, Huang Y, Wan K, Yang Q, Wang S. Plasma methylated GNB4 and Riplet as a novel dual-marker panel for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2299044. [PMID: 38154055 PMCID: PMC10761049 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2299044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can greatly improve the survival rate of patients. We aimed to develop a novel marker panel based on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation for the detection of HCC. The differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCs) specific for HCC blood diagnosis were selected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, then validated by the whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) of 12 paired HCC and paracancerous tissues. The clinical performance of the panel was evaluated using tissue samples [32 HCC, chronic liver disease (CLD), and healthy individuals] and plasma cohorts (173 HCC, 199 CLD, and 98 healthy individuals). The combination of G protein subunit beta 4 (GNB4) and Riplet had the optimal area under the curve (AUC) in seven candidates through TCGA, GEO, and WGBS analyses. In tissue validation, the GNB4 and Riplet showed an AUC of 100% with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% for detecting any-stage HCC. In plasma, it demonstrated a high sensitivity of 84.39% at 91.92% specificity, with an AUC of 92.51% for detecting any-stage HCC. The dual-marker panel had a higher sensitivity of 78.26% for stage I HCC than alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) of 47.83%, and a high sensitivity of 70.27% for detecting a single tumour (size ≤3 cm). In conclusion, we developed a novel dual-marker panel that demonstrates high accuracy in detecting HCC, surpassing the performance of AFP testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanteng Zhao
- Department of Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- Plastic maxillofacial surgery, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huifang Jin
- Department of Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ying Xie
- Department of Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liyinghui Chen
- Department of Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Research and development department, Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Company, Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lanlan Dong
- Research and development department, Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Company, Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lianglu Zhang
- Research and development department, Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Company, Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Research and development department, Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Company, Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kangkang Wan
- Research and development department, Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Company, Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiankun Yang
- Department of Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shaochi Wang
- Translational Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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2
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Huang J, Sun M, Wang M, Yu A, Zheng H, Bu C, Zhou J, Zhang Y, Qiao Y, Hu Z. Establishment and characterization of a highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Bioengineered 2024; 15:2296775. [PMID: 38184822 PMCID: PMC10773622 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2023.2296775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of alcohol-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been increasing during the last decade. Cancer research requires cell lines suitable for both in vitro and in vivo assays. However, there is a lack of cell lines with a high in vivo metastatic capacity for this HCC subtype. Herein, a new HCC cell line was established, named HCC-ZJ, using cells from a patient diagnosed with alcohol-related HCC. The karyotype of HCC-ZJ was 46, XY, del (p11.2). Whole-exome sequencing identified several genetic variations in HCC-Z that occur frequently in alcohol-associated HCC, such as mutations in TERT, CTNNB1, ARID1A, CDKN2A, SMARCA2, and HGF. Cell counting kit-8 assays, colony formation assays, and Transwell assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation, migration, and sensitivity to sorafenib and lenvatinib of HCC-Z in vitro. HCC-ZJ showed a robust proliferation rate, a weak foci-forming ability, a strong migration capacity, and a moderate invasion tendency in vitro. Finally, the tumorigenicity and metastatic capacity of HCC-Z were evaluated using a subcutaneous xenograft model, an orthotopic xenograft model, and a tail-veil injection model. HCCZJ exhibited strong tumorigenicity in the subcutaneous xenograft and orthotopic tumor models. Moreover, HCC-ZJ spontaneously formed pulmonary metastases in the orthotopic tumor model. In summary, a new HCC cell line derived from a patient with alcohol-related HCC was established, which showed a high metastatic capacity and could be applied for in vitro and in vivo experiments during pre-clinical research.Highlights• An alcohol-related HCC cell line, HCC-ZJ, was established• HCC-ZJ was applicable for in vitro functional experiment and gene editing• HCC-ZJ was applicable for in vivo tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiacheng Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Hepatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengqing Sun
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Menglan Wang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Anning Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Hepatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huilin Zheng
- School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chiwen Bu
- Department of General Surgery, People’s Hospital of Guanyun County, Lianyungang, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiting Qiao
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhenhua Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Hepatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
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3
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Zhang HY, Zhu JJ, Liu ZM, Zhang YX, Chen JJ, Chen KD. A prognostic four-gene signature and a therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma: Construction and analysis of a circRNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA network. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2024; 23:272-287. [PMID: 37407412 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor long-term prognosis. The competition of circular RNAs (circRNAs) with endogenous RNA is a novel tool for predicting HCC prognosis. Based on the alterations of circRNA regulatory networks, the analysis of gene modules related to HCC is feasible. METHODS Multiple expression datasets and RNA element targeting prediction tools were used to construct a circRNA-microRNA-mRNA network in HCC. Gene function, pathway, and protein interaction analyses were performed for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in this regulatory network. In the protein-protein interaction network, hub genes were identified and subjected to regression analysis, producing an optimized four-gene signature for prognostic risk stratification in HCC patients. Anti-HCC drugs were excavated by assessing the DEGs between the low- and high-risk groups. A circRNA-microRNA-hub gene subnetwork was constructed, in which three hallmark genes, KIF4A, CCNA2, and PBK, were subjected to functional enrichment analysis. RESULTS A four-gene signature (KIF4A, CCNA2, PBK, and ZWINT) that effectively estimated the overall survival and aided in prognostic risk assessment in the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort was developed. CDK inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, HDAC inhibitors, and EGFR inhibitors were predicted as four potential mechanisms of drug action (MOA) in high-risk HCC patients. Subsequent analysis has revealed that PBK, CCNA2, and KIF4A play a crucial role in regulating the tumor microenvironment by promoting immune cell invasion, regulating microsatellite instability (MSI), and exerting an impact on HCC progression. CONCLUSIONS The present study highlights the role of the circRNA-related regulatory network, identifies a four-gene prognostic signature and biomarkers, and further identifies novel therapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yan Zhang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jia-Jie Zhu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Zong-Ming Liu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Zhang
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Jia-Jia Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Ke-Da Chen
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China.
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Piras IS, DiStefano JK. Comprehensive meta-analysis reveals distinct gene expression signatures of MASLD progression. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302517. [PMID: 38565287 PMCID: PMC10987979 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), pose significant risks of severe fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite their widespread prevalence, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of these common chronic hepatic conditions are not fully understood. Here, we conducted the most extensive meta-analysis of hepatic gene expression datasets from liver biopsy samples to date, integrating 10 RNA-sequencing and microarray datasets (1,058 samples). Using a random-effects meta-analysis model, we compared over 12,000 shared genes across datasets. We identified 685 genes differentially expressed in MASLD versus normal liver, 1,870 in MASH versus normal liver, and 3,284 in MASLD versus MASH. Integrating these results with genome-wide association studies and coexpression networks, we identified two functionally relevant, validated coexpression modules mainly driven by SMOC2, ITGBL1, LOXL1, MGP, SOD3, and TAT, HGD, SLC25A15, respectively, the latter not previously associated with MASLD and MASH. Our findings provide a comprehensive and robust analysis of hepatic gene expression alterations associated with MASLD and MASH and identify novel key drivers of MASLD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignazio S Piras
- https://ror.org/02hfpnk21 Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Johanna K DiStefano
- https://ror.org/02hfpnk21 Diabetes and Metabolic Disease Research Unit, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Kara-Ali GH, Cano L, Dion S, Imerzoukene G, Hamon A, Simoes Eugénio M, Piquet-Pellorce C, Ghukasyan G, Samson M, Le Seyec J, Dimanche-Boitrel MT. Trim21 deficiency in mice increases HCC carcinogenesis in a NASH context and is associated with immune checkpoint upregulation. Int J Cancer 2024; 154:1999-2013. [PMID: 38308587 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The global pandemic of metabolic diseases has increased the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the context of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The downregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM21 has been linked to poor prognosis in different cancers including HCC. In order to investigate the role of TRIM21 in liver cancer progression on NASH, Trim21+/+ and Trim21-/- male mice were injected with streptozotocin at the neonatal stage. The hypoinsulinemic mice were then fed with a high-fat high-cholesterol diet (HFHCD) for 4, 8 or 12 weeks. All mice developed NASH which systematically resulted in HCC progression. Interestingly, compared to the Trim21+/+ control mice, liver damage was worsened in Trim21-/- mice, with more HCC nodules found after 12 weeks on HFHCD. Immune population analysis in the spleen and liver revealed a higher proportion of CD4+PD-1+ and CD8+PD-1+ T cells in Trim21-/- mice. The liver and HCC tumors of Trim21-/- mice also exhibited an increase in the number of PD-L1+ and CD68+ PD-L1+ cells. Thus, TRIM21 limits the emergence of HCC nodules in mice with NASH by potentially restricting the expression of PD-1 in lymphocytes and PD-L1 in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghania Hounana Kara-Ali
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Luis Cano
- INRAE, CHU Pontchaillou, Inserm, UMR 1241 Numecan, Univ. Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Sarah Dion
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Ghiles Imerzoukene
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Annaig Hamon
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Mélanie Simoes Eugénio
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Claire Piquet-Pellorce
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Gevorg Ghukasyan
- Plateforme d'Histopathologie de Haute Précision (H2P2), Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Michel Samson
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Jacques Le Seyec
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
| | - Marie-Thérèse Dimanche-Boitrel
- EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, Inserm, Rennes, France
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Dong R, Wang C, Tang B, Cheng Y, Peng X, Yang X, Ni B, Li J. WDR4 promotes HCC pathogenesis through N 7-methylguanosine by regulating and interacting with METTL1. Cell Signal 2024; 118:111145. [PMID: 38493882 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The N7-methylguanosine (m7G), a modification at defined internal positions within tRNAs and rRNAs, is correlated with tumor progression. Methyltransferase like 1 (METTL1)/ WD repeat domain 4 (WDR4) mediated tRNA m7G modification, which could alter many oncogenic mRNAs translation to promote progress of multiple cancer types. However, whether and how the internal mRNA m7G modification is involved in tumorigenesis remains unclear. METHODS The immunohistochemistry assay was conducted to detect the expression of WDR4 and METTL1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the expression of both genes whether contributes to the prognosis of the survival rate of HCC patients. Then, CCK8, colony formation assays and tumor xenograft models were conducted to determine the effects of WDR4 on HCC cells in vitro and vivo. Besides, dot blot assay, m7G-MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq analysis were conducted to determine whether WDR4 contributes to m7G modification and underlying mechanism in HCC cells. Finally, rescue and CO-IP assay were conducted to explore whether WDR4 and METTL1 proteins form a complex in Huh7 cells. RESULTS WDR4 modulates m7G modification at the internal sites of tumor-promoting mRNAs by forming the WDR4-METTL1 complex. WDR4 knockdown downregulated the expression of mRNA and protein levels of METTL1 gene and thus further modulate the formation of WDR4-METTL1 complex indirectly. METTL1 expression was markedly correlated with WDR4 expression in HCC tissues. HCC patients with high expression of both genes had a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS WDR4 may contribute to HCC pathogenesis by interacting with and regulating the expression of METTL1 to synergistically modulate the m7G modification of target mRNAs in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Dong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China; Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing 401320, China
| | - Chuanxu Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Bo Tang
- Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing 401320, China
| | - Yayu Cheng
- Department of Gynecology, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Hospital), Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Xuehui Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Xiaomin Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Bing Ni
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.
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Zhu J, Zhao W, Yang J, Liu C, Wang Y, Zhao H. Anoikis-related lncRNA signature predicts prognosis and is associated with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma. Anticancer Drugs 2024; 35:466-480. [PMID: 38507233 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000001589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Anoikis is a programmed cell death process triggered when cells are dislodged from the extracellular matrix. Numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as significant factors associated with anoikis resistance in various tumor types, including glioma, breast cancer, and bladder cancer. However, the relationship between lncRNAs and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has received limited research attention. Further research is needed to investigate this potential link and understand the role of lncRNAs in the progression of HCC. We developed a prognostic signature based on the differential expression of lncRNAs implicated in anoikis in HCC. A co-expression network of anoikis-related mRNAs and lncRNAs was established using data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for HCC. Cox regression analyses were conducted to formulate an anoikis-related lncRNA signature (ARlncSig) in a training cohort, which was subsequently validated in both a testing cohort and a combined dataset comprising the two cohorts. Receiver operating characteristic curves, nomograms, and decision curve analyses based on the ARlncSig score and clinical characteristics demonstrated robust predictive ability. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of several immune processes in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in immune cell subpopulations, expression of immune checkpoint genes, and response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy between the high- and low-risk groups. Lastly, we validated the expression levels of the five lncRNAs included in the signature using quantitative real-time PCR. In conclusion, our ARlncSig model holds substantial predictive value regarding the prognosis of HCC patients and has the potential to provide clinical guidance for individualized immunotherapy. In this study, we obtained 36 genes associated with anoikis from the Gene Ontology and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis databases. We also identified 22 differentially expressed lncRNAs that were correlated with these genes using data from TCGA. Using Cox regression analyses, we developed an ARlncSig in a training cohort, which was then validated in both a testing cohort and a combined cohort comprising data from both cohorts. Additionally, we collected eight pairs of liver cancer tissues and adjacent tissues from the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University for further analysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of ARlncSig as a biomarker for liver cancer prognosis. The study developed a risk stratification system called ARlncSig, which uses five lncRNAs to categorize liver cancer patients into low- and high-risk groups. Patients in the high-risk group exhibited significantly lower overall survival rates compared to those in the low-risk group. The model's predictive performance was supported by various analyses including the receiver operating characteristic curve, nomogram calibration, clinical correlation analysis, and clinical decision curve. Additionally, differential analysis of immune function, immune checkpoint, response to chemotherapy, and immune cell subpopulations revealed significant differences between the high- and low-risk groups. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR validated the expression levels of the five lncRNAs. In conclusion, the ARlncSig model demonstrates critical predictive value in the prognosis of HCC patients and may provide clinical guidance for personalized immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahong Zhu
- Interventional and Vascular Surgery Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University
| | - Wenjing Zhao
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University
| | - Junkai Yang
- Interventional and Vascular Surgery Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University
| | - Cheng Liu
- Interventional and Vascular Surgery Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University
| | - Yilang Wang
- Internal Medicine Department, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Interventional and Vascular Surgery Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University
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8
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Zheng E, Chen Q, Xiao A, Luo X, Lu Q, Tian C, Liu H, Zhao J, Wei L, Yang P, Chen Y. Systemic loss of CD36 aggravates NAFLD-related HCC through MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 707:149781. [PMID: 38492244 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS CD36, a membrane protein widely present in various tissues, is crucial role in regulating energy metabolism. The rise of HCC as a notable outcome of NAFLD is becoming more apparent. Patients with hereditary CD36 deficiency are at increased risk of NAFLD. However, the impact of CD36 deficiency on NAFLD-HCC remains unclear. METHODS Global CD36 knockout mice (CD36KO) and wild type mice (WT) were induced to establish NAFLD-HCC model by N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) plus high fat diet (HFD). Transcriptomics was employed to examine genes that were expressed differentially. RESULTS Compared to WT mice, CD36KO mice showed more severe HFD-induced liver issues and increased tumor malignancy. The MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway activation was detected in the liver tissues of CD36KO mice using RNA sequencing and Western blot analysis. CONCLUSION Systemic loss of CD36 leaded to the advancement of NAFLD to HCC by causing lipid disorders and metabolic inflammation, a process that involves the activation of MAPK signaling pathway. We found that CD36 contributes significantly to the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis in NAFLD-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enze Zheng
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Anhua Xiao
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Xiaoqing Luo
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Qiannan Lu
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Chuan Tian
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Huan Liu
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Jinqing Zhao
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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 & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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
| | - Ping Yang
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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.
| | - Yaxi Chen
- Centre for Lipid Research & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Metabolism on Lipid and Glucose, 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.
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9
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Huang F, Shi X, Hu M, Yan H, Li X, Ding Y, Zheng X, Cai X, Dai S, Xia Q, Cai Y. Blocking of FGFR4 signaling by F30 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through HMOX1-dependent ferroptosis pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 970:176493. [PMID: 38484925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Excessive activation of FGF19/fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) signaling is associated with poor survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). FGFR4 inhibitors show promise for HCC treatment. F30, an indazole derivative designed through computer-aided drug design targeting FGFR4, demonstrated anti-HCC activity as described in our previous studies. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying F30's anticancer effects remain largely unexplored. We report here that F30 could effectively induce ferroptosis in HCC cells. The concentrations of cellular ferrous iron, the peroxidation of cell membranes and the homeostasis of reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione disulfide (GSSG) were dysregulated by F30, thereby affecting cellular redox status. Induction of ferroptosis in HCC by F30 was inhibited by specific ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1. F30 upregulates various ferroptosis-related genes, including the heme oxygenase enzymes 1 (HMOX1), a key mediator of redox regulation. Surprisingly, F30-induced ferroptosis in HCC is dependent on HMOX1. The dysregulation of cellular ferrous iron concentrations and cell membrane peroxidation was rescued when knocking down HMOX1 with specific small interfering RNA. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying FGFR4-targeting F30's anti-HCC effects and suggest that FGFR4 inactivation could be beneficial for HCC treatment involving ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyu Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xueqin Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Meng Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Hang Yan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yujie Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xinxin Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xiaojun Cai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Shijie Dai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Qinqin Xia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yuepiao Cai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China.
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10
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Teng Y, Xu J, Wang Y, Wen N, Ye H, Li B. Combining a glycolysis‑related prognostic model based on scRNA‑Seq with experimental verification identifies ZFP41 as a potential prognostic biomarker for HCC. Mol Med Rep 2024; 29:78. [PMID: 38516783 PMCID: PMC10975023 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2024.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy with a poor prognosis, and its heterogeneity affects the response to clinical treatments. Glycolysis is highly associated with HCC therapy and prognosis. The present study aimed to identify a novel biomarker for HCC by exploring the heterogeneity of glycolysis in HCC. The intersection of both marker genes of glycolysis‑related cell clusters from single‑cell RNA sequencing analysis and mRNA data of liver HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas were used to construct a prognostic model through Cox proportional hazard regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. Data from the International Cancer Genome Consortium were used to validate the results of the analysis. Immune status analysis was then conducted. A significant gene in the prognostic model was identified as a potential biomarker and was verified through in vitro experiments. The results revealed that the glycolysis‑related prognostic model divided patients with HCC into high‑ and low‑risk groups. A nomogram combining the model and clinical features exhibited accurate predictive ability, with an area under the curve of 0.763 at 3 years. The high‑risk group exhibited a higher expression of checkpoint genes and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion scores, suggesting that this group may be more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. The tumor tissues had a higher zinc finger protein (ZFP)41 mRNA and protein expression compared with the adjacent tissues. In vitro analyses revealed that ZFP41 played a crucial role in cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and glycolysis. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that the glycolysis‑related prognostic gene, ZFP41, is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, and may play a crucial role in glycolysis and malignancy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Teng
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jianrong Xu
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yaoqun Wang
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Division of Biliary Tract Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ningyuan Wen
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Division of Biliary Tract Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Hui Ye
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Division of Biliary Tract Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Bei Li
- Research Center for Biliary Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Division of Biliary Tract Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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11
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Qiu H, Jiang B, Chen Y, Lin Z, Zheng W, Cao X. Featured lncRNA-based signature for discriminating prognosis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Appl Genet 2024; 65:355-366. [PMID: 38347289 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-024-00836-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in carcinogenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to identify a robust lncRNA signature for predicting the survival of HCC patients. We performed an integrated analysis of the lncRNA expression profiling in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-liver hepatocellular carcinoma database to identify the prognosis-related lncRNA for the HCC. The HCC cohort was randomly divided into a training set (n = 250) and a testing set (n = 113). Following a two-step screening, we identified an 18-lncRNA signature risk score. The high-risk subgroups had significantly shorter survival time than the low-risk group in both the training set (P < 0.0001) and the testing set (P = 0.005). Stratification analysis revealed that the prognostic value of the lncRNA-based signature was independent of the tumor stage and pathologic stage. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the 18-lncRNA signature risk score was 0.826 (95%CI, 0.764-0.888), 0.817 (95%CI, 0.759-0.876), and 0.799 (95%CI, 0.731-0.867) for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year follow-up, respectively. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that the 18 lncRNA might mediate cell cycle, DNA replication processes, and canonical cancer-related pathways, in which MCM3AP-AS1 was a potential target for HCC. In conclusion, the 18-lncRNA signature was a robust predictive biomarker for the prognosis and progression of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyuan Qiu
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Suqian First People's Hospital, Suqian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yinqi Chen
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Zhaoyi Lin
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Wenjie Zheng
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xiaolei Cao
- Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
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12
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Qiu Z, Yuan X, Wang X, Liu S. Crosstalk between m6A modification and non-coding RNAs in HCC. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111076. [PMID: 38309550 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with high morbidity and occurrence. Although various therapeutic approaches have been rapidly developed in recent years, the underlying molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of HCC remain enigmatic. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification is believed to regulate RNA metabolism and further gene expression. This process is intricately regulated by multiple regulators, such as methylases and demethylases. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of the epigenetic modification, mRNA transcription and other biological processes, exhibiting crucial roles in tumor occurrence and development. The m6A-ncRNA interaction has been implicated in the malignant phenotypes of HCC and plays an important role in drug resistance. This review summarizes the effect of m6A-ncRNA crosstalk on HCC progression and their clinical implications as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zitong Qiu
- Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, PR China
| | - Xingxing Yuan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Heilongjiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150006, PR China
| | - Xinyue Wang
- International Education College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, PR China
| | - Songjiang Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, PR China.
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13
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Jiang F, Xu Y, Jiang Z, Hu B, Lv Q, Wang Z. Deciphering the immunological and prognostic features of hepatocellular carcinoma through ADP-ribosylation-related genes analysis and identify potential therapeutic target ARFIP2. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111073. [PMID: 38302034 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies, and its prognosis and treatment outcome cannot be accurately predicted. ADP-ribosylation (ADPR) is a post-translationa modification of proteins involved in protein trafficking and immune response. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the ADPR-related genes associated with the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy of hepatocellular carcinoma treatments. METHODS We downloaded the data of hepatocellular carcinoma samples to identify ADPR-related genes as prognostic markers, and established a novel ADPR-related index (ADPRI) based on univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses. Patients' prognosis, clinical features, somatic variant, tumor immune microenvironment, chemotherapeutic response and immunotherapeutic response were systematically analyzed. Finally, the role of ARFIP2 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells was preliminarily explored in vitro. RESULTS The ADPRI consisting of four ADPR related genes (ARL8B, ARFIP2, PARP12, ADPRHL1) was established to be a reliable predictor of survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and was validated using external datasets. Compared with the low ADPRI group, the high ADPRI group presented higher levels of mutation frequency, immune infiltration and patients in high ADPRI group benefit more from immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. In addition, we predicted some natural small molecule drugs as potential therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, Knockdown of ARFIP2 inhibits the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing the G1/S phase cell cycle arrest in HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS The ADPRI can be used to accurately predict the prognosis and immunotherapeutic response of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and providing valuable insights for future precision treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfen Jiang
- Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Zhuang Jiang
- Traditional Chinese Medicine department, Shanghai Haijiang Hospital, 200434 Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Hu
- General Department, Shanghai Yangpu District Central Hospital, 200090 Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Lv
- Gastrointestinal surgery, Wuhan Union Hospital, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Gastrointestinal surgery, Wuhan Union Hospital, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China.
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14
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Yeo YH, Lee YT, Tseng HR, Zhu Y, You S, Agopian VG, Yang JD. Alpha-fetoprotein: Past, present, and future. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0422. [PMID: 38619448 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein that plays an important role in immune regulation with critical involvement in early human development and maintaining the immune balance during pregnancy. Postfetal development, the regulatory mechanisms controlling AFP undergo a shift and AFP gene transcription is suppressed. Instead, these enhancers refocus their activity to maintain albumin gene transcription throughout adulthood. During the postnatal period, AFP expression can increase in the setting of hepatocyte injury, regeneration, and malignant transformation. It is the first oncoprotein discovered and is routinely used as part of a screening strategy for HCC. AFP has been shown to be a powerful prognostic biomarker, and multiple HCC prognosis models confirmed the independent prognostic utility of AFP. AFP is also a useful predictive biomarker for monitoring the treatment response of HCC. In addition to its role as a biomarker, AFP plays important roles in immune modulation to promote tumorigenesis and thus has been investigated as a therapeutic target in HCC. In this review article, we aim to provide an overview of AFP, encompassing the discovery, biological role, and utility as an HCC biomarker in combination with other biomarkers and how it impacts clinical practice and future direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Hui Yeo
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yi-Te Lee
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hsian-Rong Tseng
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yazhen Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ronald Reagan Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sungyong You
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Vatche G Agopian
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ju Dong Yang
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Comprehensive Transplant Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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Makino K, Ishii T, Takeda H, Saito Y, Fujiwara Y, Fujimoto M, Ito T, Wakama S, Kumagai K, Munekage F, Horie H, Tomofuji K, Oshima Y, Uebayashi EY, Kawai T, Ogiso S, Fukumitsu K, Takai A, Seno H, Hatano E. Integrated analyses of the genetic and clinicopathological features of cholangiolocarcinoma: cholangiolocarcinoma may be characterized by mismatch-repair deficiency. J Pathol 2024; 263:32-46. [PMID: 38362598 DOI: 10.1002/path.6257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Cholangiolocarcinoma (CLC) is a primary liver carcinoma that resembles the canals of Hering and that has been reported to be associated with stem cell features. Due to its rarity, the nature of CLC remains unclear, and its pathological classification remains controversial. To clarify the positioning of CLC in primary liver cancers and identify characteristics that could distinguish CLC from other liver cancers, we performed integrated analyses using whole-exome sequencing (WES), immunohistochemistry, and a retrospective review of clinical information on eight CLC cases and two cases of recurrent CLC. WES demonstrated that CLC includes IDH1 and BAP1 mutations, which are characteristic of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). A mutational signature analysis showed a pattern similar to that of iCCA, which was different from that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CLC cells, including CK7, CK19, and EpCAM, were positive for cholangiocytic differentiation markers. However, the hepatocytic differentiation marker AFP and stem cell marker SALL4 were completely negative. The immunostaining patterns of CLC with CD56 and epithelial membrane antigen were similar to those of the noncancerous bile ductules. In contrast, mutational signature cluster analyses revealed that CLC formed a cluster associated with mismatch-repair deficiency (dMMR), which was separate from iCCA. Therefore, to evaluate MMR status, we performed immunostaining of four MMR proteins (PMS2, MSH6, MLH1, and MSH2) and detected dMMR in almost all CLCs. In conclusion, CLC had highly similar characteristics to iCCA but not to HCC. CLC can be categorized as a subtype of iCCA. In contrast, CLC has characteristics of dMMR tumors that are not found in iCCA, suggesting that it should be treated distinctly from iCCA. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Makino
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takamichi Ishii
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Takeda
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoichi Saito
- Laboratory of Bioengineering, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yukio Fujiwara
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Masakazu Fujimoto
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Satoshi Wakama
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Kumagai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Munekage
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Horie
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Tomofuji
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yu Oshima
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Takayuki Kawai
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Surgery, Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ogiso
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Fukumitsu
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Seno
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Etsuro Hatano
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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16
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Shi X, Shi D, Yin Y, Wu Y, Chen W, Yu Y, Wang X. Cuproptosis-associated genes (CAGs) contribute to the prognosis prediction and potential therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111072. [PMID: 38307306 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cuproptosis is a novel form of cell death that exhibits close association with mitochondrial respiration and occurs through distinct mechanisms compared to previously characterized forms of cell death. However, the precise impact of cuproptosis-associated genes (CAGs) on prognosis, immune profiles, and treatment efficacy in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) remains poorly understood. METHODS A comprehensive analysis of CAGs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis was conducted using genomic data from HCC patients. Consensus clustering analysis was performed to determine molecular subtypes related to cuproptosis in HCC. The single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm was applied to quantify the infiltration levels of immune cells, while the "ESTIMATE" package was employed to calculate tumor purity, stromal scores, and immune scores in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm was utilized to construct a risk score related to CAGs. Finally, CCK8, wound healing, Transwell migration/invasion, EDU and xenograft model were employed to explore the potential oncogenic role of MTF1. RESULTS Three distinct patterns of cuproptosis modification were identified, each associated with unique functional enrichments, clinical characteristics, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor microenvironment (TME), and prognosis. A CAGs-related risk score (Cuscore) was developed to predict prognosis in TCGA and validated in GSE76427 and ICGC datasets. Notably, patients with a low Cuscore had better prognoses and were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy.Additionally, the high Cuscore group in HCC also revealed three potential therapeutic targets (TUBA1B, CDC25B, and CSNK2A1) as well as several therapeutic compounds. Moreover, the experiment measured the expression levels of six prognosis-related CAGs, wherein knockdown of MTF1 exhibited suppression of proliferation, invasion, and migration formation in HCC cell lines. CONCLUSION The findings have enhanced our comprehension of the cuproptosis characteristics in HCC, and stratification based on CuScore may potentially enhance the prediction of patients' prognosis and facilitate the development of effective and innovative treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Shi
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210009, China; Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China
| | - Dongmin Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yefeng Yin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yuxiao Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shangdong 250117, China
| | - Wenwei Chen
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China.
| | - Xuehao Wang
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210009, China; Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China.
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17
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Zang Q, Ju Y, Liu S, Wu S, Zhu C, Liu L, Xu W, He Y. The significance of m6A RNA methylation regulators in diagnosis and subtype classification of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Hum Cell 2024; 37:752-767. [PMID: 38536633 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-024-01044-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, abnormal m6A alteration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been a focus on investigating the biological implications. In this study, our objective is to determine whether m6A modification contributes to the progression of HBV-related HCC. To achieve this, we employed a random forest model to screen top 8 characteristic m6A regulators from 19 candidate genes. Subsequently, we developed a nomogram model that utilizes these 8 characteristic m6A regulators to predict the prevalence of HBV-related HCC. According to decision curve analysis, patients may benefit from the nomogram model. The clinical impact curves exhibited a robust predictive capability of the nomogram models. Additionally, consensus molecular subtyping was employed to identify m6A modification patterns and m6A-related gene signature. The quantification of immune cell subsets was accomplished through the implementation of ssGSEA algorithms. PCA algorithms were developed to compute the m6A score for individual tumors. Two distinct m6A modification patterns, namely cluster A and cluster B, exhibited significant correlations with distinct immune infiltration patterns and biological pathways. Notably, patients belonging to cluster B demonstrated higher m6A scores compared to those in cluster A, as determined by the m6A score metric. Furthermore, the expression of IGFBP3 proteins was validated through immunofluorescence, revealing their pronounced lower expression in tumor tissues. In summary, our study underscores the importance of m6A modification in the advancement of HBV-related HCC. This research has the potential to yield novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the identification of HBV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qijuan Zang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yalin Ju
- Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Siyi Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shaobo Wu
- Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chengbin Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liangru Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weicheng Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingli He
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta Road(W), Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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18
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Qu C, Wu Q, Lu J, Li F. Prognostic value and potential mechanism of cellular senescence and tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: Insights from bulk transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing analysis. Environ Toxicol 2024; 39:2512-2527. [PMID: 38189188 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The high mortality rate and postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contribute to the burden on society and healthcare. The prognostic value and underlying mechanisms of cellular senescence and tumor microenvironment (TME) in HCC remain unclear. Bulk transcriptomic data were obtained from 368 HCC samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas-liver hepatocellular carcinoma cohort and 64 samples from the GSE116174 dataset. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of HCC were obtained from the GSE149614 dataset, including 18 tumor samples from 10 patients. Prognosis-related cellular senescence genes and immune cells were identified through univariate analysis. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis was performed to construct the CellAge score and TME score, both of which were identified as independent prognostic factors for HCC based on multivariate Cox analysis. The combined CellAge and TME scores showed improved prognostic stratification for HCC patients, as confirmed by multivariate Cox analysis (p < .001). The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed enrichment of the extracellular matrix receptor interaction signaling pathway in the group with high CellAge scores and low TME scores, which exhibited a worse prognosis. Single-cell sequencing results revealed higher expression activity of the cAMP response element modulator (CREM) extended transcription factor in HCC cells and most immune cells, indicating its involvement in TME remodeling. Finally, the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) analysis demonstrated that the combined scores could predict the outcomes of immune therapy in patients with HCC. In conclusion, cellular senescence contributes to TME remodeling in HCC, and the developed CellAge and TME scores serve as independent prognostic factors and predictors of immune therapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Qu
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Clinical Center for Acute Pancreatitis, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiongdi Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Clinical Center for Acute Pancreatitis, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Clinical Center for Acute Pancreatitis, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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19
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Song LN, Wang B, Cai JL, Zhang PL, Chen SP, Zhou ZJ, Dai Z. Stratifying ICIs-responsive tumor microenvironment in HCC: from parsing out immune-hypoxic crosstalk to clinically applicable MRI-radiomics models. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:1356-1364. [PMID: 38355839 PMCID: PMC11014931 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02463-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to redefine Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-responsive "hot" TME and develop a corresponding stratification model to maximize ICIs-efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Hypoxic scores were designed, and the relevance to immunotherapy responses were validated in pan-cancers through single cell analysis. Multi-omics analysis using the hypoxic scores and immune infiltrate abundance was performed to redefine the ICIs-responsive TME subtype in HCC patients from TCGA (n = 363) and HCCDB database (n = 228). The immune hypoxic stress index (IHSI) was constructed to stratify the ICIs-responsive TME subtype, with exploring biological mechanism in vitro and in vivo. MRI-radiomics models were built for clinical applicability. RESULTS The hypoxic scores were lower in the dominant cell-subclusters of responders in pan-cancers. The higher immune infiltrate-normoxic (HIN) subtype was redefined as the ICIs-responsive TME. Stratification of the HIN subtype using IHSI effectively identified ICIs-responders in Melanoma (n = 122) and urological cancer (n = 22). TRAF3IP3, the constituent gene of IHSI, was implicated in ICIs-relevant "immune-hypoxic" crosstalk by stimulating MAVS/IFN-I pathway under normoxic condition. MRI-radiomics models assessing TRAF3IP3 with HIF1A expression (AUC > 0.80) screened ICIs-Responders in HCC cohort (n = 75). CONCLUSION The hypoxic-immune stratification redefined ICIs-responsive TME and provided MRI-Radiomics models for initial ICIs-responders screening, with IHSI facilitating further identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Na Song
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Biao Wang
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Liang Cai
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Pei-Ling Zhang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shi-Ping Chen
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zheng-Jun Zhou
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhi Dai
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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20
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Jiang S, Lu H, Pan Y, Yang A, Aikemu A, Li H, Hao R, Huang Q, Qi X, Tao Z, Wu Y, Quan C, Zhou G, Lu Y. Characterization of the distinct immune microenvironments between hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216799. [PMID: 38479553 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
As two major types of primary liver cancers, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have been well studied separately. However, a systemic assessment of the similarities and differences between the TIME of HCC and ICC is still lacking. In this study, we pictured a landscape of combined TIME of HCC and ICC by sequencing and integrating 41 single-cell RNA-seq samples from four different tissue types of both malignancies. We found that T cells in HCC tumors generally exhibit higher levels of immunosuppression and exhaustion than those in ICC tumors. Myeloid cells in HCC and ICC tumors also exhibit distinct phenotypes and may serve as a key factor driving the differences between their TIMEs. Besides, we identified a cluster of EGR1+ macrophages specifically enriched in HCC tumors. Together, our study provides new insights into cellular composition, states and interactions in the TIMEs of HCC and ICC, which could pave the way for the development of future therapeutic targets for liver cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; School of Life Science, University of Hebei, Baoding City, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Hao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yingwei Pan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Aiqing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China
| | - Ainiwaer Aikemu
- College of Xinjiang Uyghur Medicine, Hetian City, Xinjiang Province, PR China
| | - Hao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China
| | - Rongjiao Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; School of Life Science, University of Hebei, Baoding City, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Qilin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Xin Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, PR China
| | - Zongjian Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yinglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China
| | - Cheng Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Gangqiao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; School of Life Science, University of Hebei, Baoding City, Hebei Province, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, PR China; Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, PR China.
| | - Yiming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences at Beijing, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, PR China; School of Life Science, University of Hebei, Baoding City, Hebei Province, PR China.
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21
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Cui Z, Li C, Liu W, Sun M, Deng S, Cao J, Yang H, Chen P. Scutellarin activates IDH1 to exert antitumor effects in hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:267. [PMID: 38622131 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06625-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Isochlorate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) is an important metabolic enzyme for the production of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), which has antitumor effects and is considered to have potential antitumor effects. The activation of IDH1 as a pathway for the development of anticancer drugs has not been attempted. We demonstrated that IDH1 can limit glycolysis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells to activate the tumor immune microenvironment. In addition, through proteomic microarray analysis, we identified a natural small molecule, scutellarin (Scu), which activates IDH1 and inhibits the growth of HCC cells. By selectively modifying Cys297, Scu promotes IDH1 active dimer formation and increases α-KG production, leading to ubiquitination and degradation of HIF1a. The loss of HIF1a further leads to the inhibition of glycolysis in HCC cells. The activation of IDH1 by Scu can significantly increase the level of α-KG in tumor tissue, downregulate the HIF1a signaling pathway, and activate the tumor immune microenvironment in vivo. This study demonstrated the inhibitory effect of IDH1-α-KG-HIF1a on the growth of HCC cells and evaluated the inhibitory effect of Scu, the first IDH1 small molecule agonist, which provides a reference for cancer immunotherapy involving activated IDH1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Cui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Caifeng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Mo Sun
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Shiwen Deng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Junxian Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Hongjun Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China.
| | - Peng Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China.
- Robot Intelligent Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences & MEGAROBO, Beijing, China.
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22
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Liu G, Li M, Zeng Z, Fan Q, Ren X, Wang Z, Sun Y, He Y, Sun L, Deng Y, Liu S, Zhong C, Gao J. Tyrosine hydroxylase inhibits HCC progression by downregulating TGFβ/Smad signaling. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:228. [PMID: 38610044 PMCID: PMC11015545 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01703-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The alteration of metabolic processes has been found to have significant impacts on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the effects of dysfunction of tyrosine metabolism on the development of HCC remains to be discovered. This research demonstrated that tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), which responsible for the initial and limiting step in the bio-generation of the neuro-transmitters dopamine and adrenaline, et al. was shown to be reduced in HCC. Increased expression of TH was found facilitates the survival of HCC patients. In addition, decreased TH indicated larger tumor size, much more numbers of tumor, higher level of AFP, and the presence of cirrhosis. TH effectively impairs the growth and metastasis of HCC cells, a process dependent on the phosphorylation of serine residues (S19/S40). TH directly binds to Smad2 and hinders the cascade activation of TGFβ/Smad signaling with the treatment of TGFβ1. In summary, our study uncovered the non-metabolic functions of TH in the development of HCC and proposes that TH might be a promising biomarker for diagnosis as well as an innovative target for metastatic HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Mengwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Zimei Zeng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Qi Fan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xinxin Ren
- Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhexin Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yaoqi Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
- Institute of Gynecological Minimally Invasive Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yulin He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Lunquan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Yuezhen Deng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Shupeng Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China.
- Institute of Gynecological Minimally Invasive Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| | - Chenxi Zhong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Jie Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87th of Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, China.
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23
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Liu X, Zhang K, Kaya NA, Jia Z, Wu D, Chen T, Liu Z, Zhu S, Hillmer AM, Wuestefeld T, Liu J, Chan YS, Hu Z, Ma L, Jiang L, Zhai W. Tumor phylogeography reveals block-shaped spatial heterogeneity and the mode of evolution in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3169. [PMID: 38609353 PMCID: PMC11015015 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Solid tumors are complex ecosystems with heterogeneous 3D structures, but the spatial intra-tumor heterogeneity (sITH) at the macroscopic (i.e., whole tumor) level is under-explored. Using a phylogeographic approach, we sequence genomes and transcriptomes from 235 spatially informed sectors across 13 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), generating one of the largest datasets for studying sITH. We find that tumor heterogeneity in HCC segregates into spatially variegated blocks with large genotypic and phenotypic differences. By dissecting the transcriptomic heterogeneity, we discover that 30% of patients had a "spatially competing distribution" (SCD), where different spatial blocks have distinct transcriptomic subtypes co-existing within a tumor, capturing the critical transition period in disease progression. Interestingly, the tumor regions with more advanced transcriptomic subtypes (e.g., higher cell cycle) often take clonal dominance with a wider geographic range, rejecting neutral evolution for SCD patients. Extending the statistical tests for detecting natural selection to many non-SCD patients reveal varying levels of selective signal across different tumors, implying that many evolutionary forces including natural selection and geographic isolation can influence the overall pattern of sITH. Taken together, tumor phylogeography unravels a dynamic landscape of sITH, pinpointing important evolutionary and clinical consequences of spatial heterogeneity in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8, Jingshun East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Neslihan A Kaya
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhe Jia
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8, Jingshun East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Dafei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sinan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Axel M Hillmer
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Torsten Wuestefeld
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jin Liu
- Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yun Shen Chan
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8, Jingshun East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China.
| | - Weiwei Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
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24
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Baek M, Kim M, Choi HI, Binas B, Cha J, Jung KH, Choi S, Chai YG. Identification of differentially expressed mRNA/lncRNA modules in acutely regorafenib-treated sorafenib-resistant Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301663. [PMID: 38603701 PMCID: PMC11008899 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is the standard first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but many patients become sorafenib-resistant (SR). This study investigated the efficacy of another kinase inhibitor, regorafenib (Rego), as a second-line treatment. We produced SR HCC cells, wherein the PI3K-Akt, TNF, cAMP, and TGF-beta signaling pathways were affected. Acute Rego treatment of these cells reversed the expression of genes involved in TGF-beta signaling but further increased the expression of genes involved in PI3K-Akt signaling. Additionally, Rego reversed the expression of genes involved in nucleosome assembly and epigenetic gene expression. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed four differentially expressed long non-coding RNA (DElncRNA) modules that were associated with the effectiveness of Rego on SR cells. Eleven putative DElncRNAs with distinct expression patterns were identified. We associated each module with DEmRNAs of the same pattern, thus obtaining DElncRNA/DEmRNA co-expression modules. We discuss the potential significance of each module. These findings provide insights and resources for further investigation into the potential mechanisms underlying the response of SR HCC cells to Rego.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Baek
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjae Kim
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae In Choi
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Bert Binas
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho Cha
- Department of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Hwa Jung
- Department of Biopharmaceutical System, Gwangmyeong Convergence Technology Campus of Korea Polytechnic II, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungkyoung Choi
- Department of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Mathematical Data Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Gyu Chai
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
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Jiang K, Ning N, Huang J, Chang Y, Wang R, Ma J. Psilostachyin C reduces malignant properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by blocking CREBBP-mediated transcription of GATAD2B. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:75. [PMID: 38600341 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01353-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Many herbal medicines and their bioactive compounds have shown anti-tumor properties. This study was conducted to examine the effect of psilostachyin C (PSC), a sesquiterpenoid lactone isolated from Artemisia vulgaris L., in the malignant properties of HCC cells. CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell assays revealed that 25 μM PSC treatment significantly suppressed proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion of two HCC cell lines (Hep 3B and Huh7) while promoting cell apoptosis. Bioinformatics prediction suggests CREB binding protein (CREBBP) as a promising target of PSC. CREBBP activated transcription of GATA zinc finger domain containing 2B (GATAD2B) by binding to its promoter. CREBBP and GATAD2B were highly expressed in clinical HCC tissues and the acquired HCC cell lines, but their expression was reduced by PSC. Either upregulation of CREBBP or GATAD2B restored the malignant properties of HCC cells blocked by PSC. Collectively, this evidence demonstrates that PSC pocessess anti-tumor functions in HCC cells by blocking CREBBP-mediated transcription of GATAD2B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Jiang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China
| | - Ning Ning
- Department of Orthopedics, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China
| | - Yu Chang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China
| | - Rao Wang
- Department of TCM Orthopedic Center, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 555, Youyi East Road, Beilin District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China.
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of Neurology, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 555, Youyi East Road, Beilin District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, P.R. China.
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26
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Chen T, Ruan Y, Ji L, Cai J, Tong M, Xue Y, Zhao H, Cai X, Xu J. S100A6 drives lymphatic metastasis of liver cancer via activation of the RAGE/NF-kB/VEGF-D pathway. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216709. [PMID: 38350547 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Patients diagnosed with lymph node (LN) metastatic liver cancer face an exceedingly grim prognosis. In-depth analysis of LN metastatic patients' characteristics and tumor cells' interactions with human lymphatic endothelial cells (HLECs), can provide important biological and therapeutic insights. Here we identify at the single-cell level that S100A6 expression differs between primary tumor and their LN metastasis. Of particular significance, we uncovered the disparity in S100A6 expression between tumors and normal tissues is greater in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients, frequently accompanied by LN metastases, than that in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with rare occurrence of LN metastasis. Furthermore, in the infrequent instances of LN metastasis in HCC, heightened S100A6 expression was observed, suggesting a critical role of S100A6 in the process of LN metastasis. Subsequent experiments further uncovered that S100A6 secreted from tumor cells promotes lymphangiogenesis by upregulating the expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) in HLECs through the RAGE/NF-kB/VEGF-D pathway while overexpression of S100A6 in tumor cells also augmented their migration and invasion. Taken together, these data reveal the dual effects of S100A6 in promoting LN metastasis in liver cancer, thus highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- TianYi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - YeLing Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - JingWei Cai
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Tong
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - YangTao Xue
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China
| | - XiuJun Cai
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China.
| | - JunJie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Minimal Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center of Severe Hepatobiliary Disease, Zhejiang Research and Development Engineering Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Technology and Equipment, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China.
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27
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Zhang Q, Liu L. Novel insights into small open reading frame-encoded micropeptides in hepatocellular carcinoma: A potential breakthrough. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216691. [PMID: 38360139 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Traditionally, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are regarded as a class of RNA transcripts that lack encoding capability; however, advancements in technology have revealed that some ncRNAs contain small open reading frames (sORFs) that are capable of encoding micropeptides of approximately 150 amino acids in length. sORF-encoded micropeptides (SEPs) have emerged as intriguing entities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) research, shedding light on this previously unexplored realm. Recent studies have highlighted the regulatory functions of SEPs in the occurrence and progression of HCC. Some SEPs exhibit inhibitory effects on HCC, but others facilitate its development. This discovery has revolutionized the landscape of HCC research and clinical management. Here, we introduce the concept and characteristics of SEPs, summarize their associations with HCC, and elucidate their carcinogenic mechanisms in HCC metabolism, signaling pathways, cell proliferation, and metastasis. In addition, we propose a step-by-step workflow for the investigation of HCC-associated SEPs. Lastly, we discuss the challenges and prospects of applying SEPs in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. This review aims to facilitate the discovery, optimization, and clinical application of HCC-related SEPs, inspiring the development of early diagnostic, individualized, and precision therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangnu Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), 518020, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), 518020, Shenzhen, China.
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28
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Chan YT, Wu J, Lu Y, Li Q, Feng Z, Xu L, Yuan H, Xing T, Zhang C, Tan HY, Feng Y, Wang N. Loss of lncRNA LINC01056 leads to sorafenib resistance in HCC. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:74. [PMID: 38582885 PMCID: PMC10998324 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01988-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Sorafenib is a major nonsurgical option for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, its clinical efficacy is largely undermined by the acquisition of resistance. The aim of this study was to identify the key lncRNA involved in the regulation of the sorafenib response in HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) single-guide RNA (sgRNA) synergistic activation mediator (SAM)-pooled lncRNA library was applied to screen for the key lncRNA regulated by sorafenib treatment. The role of the identified lncRNA in mediating the sorafenib response in HCC was examined in vitro and in vivo. The underlying mechanism was delineated by proteomic analysis. The clinical significance of the expression of the identified lncRNA was evaluated by multiplex immunostaining on a human HCC microtissue array. RESULTS CRISPR/Cas9 lncRNA library screening revealed that Linc01056 was among the most downregulated lncRNAs in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Knockdown of Linc01056 reduced the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib, suppressing apoptosis in vitro and promoting tumour growth in mice in vivo. Proteomic analysis revealed that Linc01056 knockdown in sorafenib-treated HCC cells induced genes related to fatty acid oxidation (FAO) while repressing glycolysis-associated genes, leading to a metabolic switch favouring higher intracellular energy production. FAO inhibition in HCC cells with Linc01056 knockdown significantly restored sensitivity to sorafenib. Mechanistically, we determined that PPARα is the critical molecule governing the metabolic switch upon Linc01056 knockdown in HCC cells and indeed, PPARα inhibition restored the sorafenib response in HCC cells in vitro and HCC tumours in vivo. Clinically, Linc01056 expression predicted optimal overall and progression-free survival outcomes in HCC patients and predicted a better sorafenib response. Linc01056 expression indicated a low FAO level in HCC. CONCLUSION Our study identified Linc01056 as a critical epigenetic regulator and potential therapeutic target in the regulation of the sorafenib response in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Junyu Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Yuanjun Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Qiucheng Li
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Zixin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lin Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hongchao Yuan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Tingyuan Xing
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hor-Yue Tan
- Centre for Chinese Medicine New Drug Development, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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29
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Zhang Q, Liu Y, Ren L, Li J, Lin W, Lou L, Wang M, Li C, Jiang Y. Proteomic analysis of DEN and CCl 4-induced hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8013. [PMID: 38580754 PMCID: PMC10997670 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58587-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) seriously threatens human health, mostly developed from liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. Since diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced HCC mouse model almost recapitulates the characteristic of HCC with fibrosis and inflammation, it is taken as an essential tool to investigate the pathogenesis of HCC. However, a comprehensive understanding of the protein expression profile of this model is little. In this study, we performed proteomic analysis of this model to elucidate its proteomic characteristics. Compared with normal liver tissues, 432 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in tumor tissues, among which 365 were up-regulated and 67 were down-regulated. Through Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) analysis and Gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis of DEPs, we identified two distinguishing features of DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model in protein expression, the upregulation of actin cytoskeleton and branched-chain amino acids metabolic reprogramming. In addition, matching DEPs from the mouse model to homologous proteins in the human HCC cohort revealed that the DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model was relatively similar to the subtype of HCC with poor prognosis. Finally, combining clinical information from the HCC cohort, we screened seven proteins with prognostic significance, SMAD2, PTPN1, PCNA, MTHFD1L, MBOAT7, FABP5, and AGRN. Overall, we provided proteomic data of the DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model and highlighted the important proteins and pathways in it, contributing to the rational application of this model in HCC research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Yuhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Liangliang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Junqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
- School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Weiran Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Lijuan Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Minghan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Chaoying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicle Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing, 102206, China.
- School of Basic Medical Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
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30
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Kim MY, Park ER, Cho EH, Park SH, Han CJ, Kim SB, Gu MB, Shin HJ, Lee KH. Depletion of proteasome subunit PSMD1 induces cancer cell death via protein ubiquitination and DNA damage, irrespective of p53 status. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7997. [PMID: 38580756 PMCID: PMC10997673 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by high incidence and fatality rates worldwide. In our exploration of prognostic factors in HCC, the 26s proteasome subunit, non-ATPase 1 (PSMD1) protein emerged as a significant contributor, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic target in this aggressive cancer. PSMD1 is a subunit of the 19S regulatory particle in the 26S proteasome complex; the 19S particle controls the deubiquitination of ubiquitinated proteins, which are then degraded by the proteolytic activity of the complex. Proteasome-targeting in cancer therapy has received significant attention because of its practical application as an established anticancer agent. We investigated whether PSMD1 plays a critical role in cancer owing to its prognostic significance. PSMD1 depletion induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase, DNA damage and apoptosis of cancer cells, irrespective of the p53 status. PSMD1 depletion-mediated cell death was accompanied by an increase in overall protein ubiquitination. These phenotypes occurred exclusively in cancer cells, with no effects observed in normal cells. These findings indicate that PSMD1 depletion-mediated ubiquitination of cellular proteins induces cell cycle arrest and eventual death in cancer cells, emphasizing PSMD1 as a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Yeun Kim
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Korea University, 75, Nowon-Ro, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, 01812, South Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun-Ran Park
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Korea University, 75, Nowon-Ro, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, 01812, South Korea
| | - Eung-Ho Cho
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiological and Clinical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sun-Hoo Park
- Department of Pathology, Division of Radiological and Clinical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chul Ju Han
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Radiological and Clinical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-Bum Kim
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiological and Clinical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Man Bock Gu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Jin Shin
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Korea University, 75, Nowon-Ro, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, 01812, South Korea.
| | - Kee-Ho Lee
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Korea University, 75, Nowon-Ro, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, 01812, South Korea.
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31
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Stauffer WT, Bobardt M, Ure DR, Foster RT, Gallay P. Cyclophilin D knockout significantly prevents HCC development in a streptozotocin-induced mouse model of diabetes-linked NASH. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301711. [PMID: 38573968 PMCID: PMC10994289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
A family of Peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIases), called Cyclophilins, localize to numerous intracellular and extracellular locations where they contribute to a variety of essential functions. We previously reported that non-immunosuppressive pan-cyclophilin inhibitor drugs like reconfilstat (CRV431) or NV556 decreased multiple aspects of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice under two different non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mouse models. Both CRV431 and NV556 inhibit several cyclophilin isoforms, among which cyclophilin D (CypD) has not been previously investigated in this context. It is unknown whether it is necessary to simultaneously inhibit multiple cyclophilin family members to achieve therapeutic benefits or if loss-of-function of one is sufficient. Furthermore, narrowing down the isoform most responsible for a particular aspect of NAFLD/NASH, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), would allow for more precise future therapies. Features of human diabetes-linked NAFLD/NASH can be reliably replicated in mice by administering a single high dose of streptozotocin to disrupt pancreatic beta cells, in conjunction with a high sugar, high fat, high cholesterol western diet over the course of 30 weeks. Here we show that while both wild-type (WT) and Ppif-/- CypD KO mice develop multipe severe NASH disease features under this model, the formation of HCC nodules was significantly blunted only in the CypD KO mice. Furthermore, of differentially expressed transcripts in a qPCR panel of select HCC-related genes, nearly all were downregulated in the CypD KO background. Cyclophilin inhibition is a promising and novel avenue of treatment for diet-induced NAFLD/NASH. This study highlights the impact of CypD loss-of-function on the development of HCC, one of the most severe disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston T. Stauffer
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Michael Bobardt
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Daren R. Ure
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Edison, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Robert T. Foster
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Edison, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Philippe Gallay
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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32
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Sanceau J, Poupel L, Joubel C, Lagoutte I, Caruso S, Pinto S, Desbois-Mouthon C, Godard C, Hamimi A, Montmory E, Dulary C, Chantalat S, Roehrig A, Muret K, Saint-Pierre B, Deleuze JF, Mouillet-Richard S, Forné T, Grosset CF, Zucman-Rossi J, Colnot S, Gougelet A. DLK1/DIO3 locus upregulation by a β-catenin-dependent enhancer drives cell proliferation and liver tumorigenesis. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1125-1143. [PMID: 38311851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The CTNNB1 gene, encoding β-catenin, is frequently mutated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, ∼30%) and in hepatoblastoma (HB, >80%), in which DLK1/DIO3 locus induction is correlated with CTNNB1 mutations. Here, we aim to decipher how sustained β-catenin activation regulates DLK1/DIO3 locus expression and the role this locus plays in HB and HCC development in mouse models deleted for Apc (ApcΔhep) or Ctnnb1-exon 3 (β-cateninΔExon3) and in human CTNNB1-mutated hepatic cancer cells. We identified an enhancer site bound by TCF-4/β-catenin complexes in an open conformation upon sustained β-catenin activation (DLK1-Wnt responsive element [WRE]) and increasing DLK1/DIO3 locus transcription in β-catenin-mutated human HB and mouse models. DLK1-WRE editing by CRISPR-Cas9 approach impaired DLK1/DIO3 locus expression and slowed tumor growth in subcutaneous CTNNB1-mutated tumor cell grafts, ApcΔhep HB and β-cateninΔExon3 HCC. Tumor growth inhibition resulted either from increased FADD expression and subsequent caspase-3 cleavage in the first case or from decreased expression of cell cycle actors regulated by FoxM1 in the others. Therefore, the DLK1/DIO3 locus is an essential determinant of FoxM1-dependent cell proliferation during β-catenin-driven liver tumorigenesis. Targeting the DLK1-WRE enhancer to silence the DLK1/DIO3 locus might thus represent an interesting therapeutic strategy to restrict tumor growth in primary liver cancers with CTNNB1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Sanceau
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Lucie Poupel
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France; Inovarion, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Camille Joubel
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Lagoutte
- University Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Stefano Caruso
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Sandra Pinto
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Christèle Desbois-Mouthon
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Cécile Godard
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Akila Hamimi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Enzo Montmory
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Cécile Dulary
- Centre National de Génotypage, Institut de Génomique, CEA, F-91057 Evry, France
| | - Sophie Chantalat
- Centre National de Génotypage, Institut de Génomique, CEA, F-91057 Evry, France
| | - Amélie Roehrig
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Kevin Muret
- Centre National de Génotypage, Institut de Génomique, CEA, F-91057 Evry, France
| | | | | | - Sophie Mouillet-Richard
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Thierry Forné
- IGMM, University Montpellier, CNRS, F-34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe F Grosset
- University Bordeaux, INSERM, Biotherapy of Genetic Diseases, Inflammatory Disorders and Cancer, BMGIC, U1035, MIRCADE team, F-33076 Bordeaux, France; University Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux Institute in Oncology, BRIC, U1312, MIRCADE team, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Sabine Colnot
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Angélique Gougelet
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; Team « Oncogenic functions of beta-catenin signaling in the liver », Équipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, F-75013 Paris, France; APHP, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, F-75015 Paris, France.
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Çağlayan Arslan Z, Okan M, Külah H. Pre-enrichment-free detection of hepatocellular carcinoma-specific ctDNA via PDMS and MEMS-based microfluidic sensor. Mikrochim Acta 2024; 191:229. [PMID: 38565645 PMCID: PMC10987365 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06315-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The growing interest in microfluidic biosensors has led to improvements in the analytical performance of various sensing mechanisms. Although various sensors can be integrated with microfluidics, electrochemical ones have been most commonly employed due to their ease of miniaturization, integration ability, and low cost, making them an established point-of-care diagnostic method. This concept can be easily adapted to the detection of biomarkers specific to certain cancer types. Pathological profiling of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is heterogeneous and rather complex, and biopsy samples contain limited information regarding the tumor and do not reflect its heterogeneity. Circulating tumor DNAs (ctDNAs), which can contain information regarding cancer characteristics, have been studied tremendously since liquid biopsy emerged as a new diagnostic method. Recent improvements in the accuracy and sensitivity of ctDNA determination also paved the way for genotyping of somatic genomic alterations. In this study, three-electrode (Au-Pt-Ag) glass chips were fabricated and combined with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels to establish an electrochemical microfluidic sensor for detecting c.747G > T hotspot mutations in the TP53 gene of ctDNAs from HCC. The preparation and analysis times of the constructed sensor were as short as 2 h in total, and a relatively high flow rate of 30 µl/min was used during immobilization and hybridization steps. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a PDMS-based microfluidic electrochemical sensor has been developed to target HCC ctDNAs. The system exhibited a limit of detection (LOD) of 24.1 fM within the tested range of 2-200 fM. The sensor demonstrated high specificity in tests conducted with fully noncomplementary and one-base mismatched target sequences. The developed platform is promising for detecting HCC-specific ctDNA at very low concentrations without requiring pre-enrichment steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Çağlayan Arslan
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, METU, Ankara, Turkey
- METU MEMS Research and Application Center, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Meltem Okan
- Department of Micro and Nanotechnology, METU, Ankara, Turkey
- METU MEMS Research and Application Center, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Haluk Külah
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, METU, Ankara, Turkey.
- Department of Micro and Nanotechnology, METU, Ankara, Turkey.
- METU MEMS Research and Application Center, Ankara, Turkey.
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Nie G, Zhu X, Zhang H, Wang H, Yan J, Li X. Identifying the predictive role and the related drugs of oxidative stress genes in the hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2024; 7:e1978. [PMID: 38599581 PMCID: PMC11006533 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Oncogenesis and tumor development have been related to oxidative stress (OS). The potential diagnostic utility of OS genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, remains uncertain. As a result, this work aimed to create a novel OS related-genes signature that could be used to predict the survival of HCC patients and to screen OS related-genes drugs that might be used for HCC treatment. METHODS We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to acquire mRNA expression profiles and clinical data for this research and the GeneCards database to obtain OS related-genes. Following that, biological functions from Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed on differentially expressed OS-related genes (DEOSGs). Subsequently, the prognostic risk signature was constructed based on DEOSGs from the TCGA data that were screened by using univariate cox analysis, and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, and multivariate cox analysis. At the same time, we developed a prognostic nomogram of HCC patients based on risk signature and clinical-pathological characteristics. The GEO data was used for validation. We used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curves, and Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves to examine the prediction value of the risk signature and nomogram. Finally, we screened the differentially expressed OS genes related drugs. RESULTS We were able to recognize 9 OS genes linked to HCC prognosis. In addition, the KM curve revealed a statistically significant difference in overall survival (OS) between the high-risk and low-risk groups. The area under the curve (AUC) shows the independent prognostic value of the risk signature model. Meanwhile, the ROC curves and calibration curves show the strong prognostic power of the nomogram. The top three drugs with negative ratings were ZM-336372, lestaurtinib, and flunisolide, all of which inversely regulate different OS gene expressions. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that OS related-genes have a favorable prognostic value for HCC, which sheds new light on the relationship between oxidative stress and HCC, and suggests potential therapeutic strategies for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guole Nie
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Xingwang Zhu
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Honglong Zhang
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Haiping Wang
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Jun Yan
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
- Department of General SurgeryThe First Hospital of Lanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu ProvinceLanzhouChina
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical MedicineLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
- Department of General SurgeryThe First Hospital of Lanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu ProvinceLanzhouChina
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Sogbe M, Bilbao I, Marchese FP, Zazpe J, De Vito A, Pozuelo M, D’Avola D, Iñarrairaegui M, Berasain C, Arechederra M, Argemi J, Sangro B. Prognostic value of ultra-low-pass whole-genome sequencing of circulating tumor DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma under systemic treatment. Clin Mol Hepatol 2024; 30:177-190. [PMID: 38163441 PMCID: PMC11016491 DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2023.0426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS New prognostic markers are needed to identify patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who carry a worse prognosis. Ultra-low-pass whole-genome sequencing (ULP-WGS) (≤0.5× coverage) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as a low-cost promising tool to assess both circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fraction and large structural genomic alterations. Here, we studied the performance of ULP-WGS of plasma cfDNA to infer prognosis in patients with HCC. METHODS Plasma samples were obtained from patients with HCC prior to surgery, locoregional or systemic therapy, and were analyzed by ULP-WGS of cfDNA to an average genome-wide fold coverage of 0.3x. ctDNA and copy number alterations (CNA) were estimated using the software package ichorCNA. RESULTS Samples were obtained from 73 HCC patients at different BCLC stages (BCLC 0/A: n=37, 50.7%; BCLC B/C: n=36, 49.3%). ctDNA was detected in 18 out of 31 patients who received systemic treatment. Patients with detectable ctDNA showed significantly worse overall survival (median, 13.96 months vs not reached). ctDNA remained an independent predictor of prognosis after adjustment by clinical-pathologic features and type of systemic treatment (hazard ratio 7.69; 95%, CI 2.09-28.27). Among ctDNA-positive patients under systemic treatments, the loss of large genomic regions in 5q and 16q arms was associated with worse prognosis after multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION ULP-WGS of cfDNA provides clinically relevant information about the tumor biology. The presence of ctDNA and the loss of 5q and 16q arms in ctDNA-positive patients are independent predictors of worse prognosis in patients with advanced HCC receiving systemic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Sogbe
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Idoia Bilbao
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Francesco P. Marchese
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Computational Biology and Translational Genomics Program, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jon Zazpe
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Computational Biology and Translational Genomics Program, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Annarosaria De Vito
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Computational Biology and Translational Genomics Program, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Marta Pozuelo
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Computational Biology and Translational Genomics Program, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Delia D’Avola
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Internal Medicine Department, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Iñarrairaegui
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maria Arechederra
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Josepmaria Argemi
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
- University of Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Bruno Sangro
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Liver Unit, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Pamplona, Spain
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Li X, Su H, Tang W, Shu S, Zhao L, Sun J, Fan H. Targeting LEF1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition reverses lenvatinib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Invest New Drugs 2024; 42:185-195. [PMID: 38372948 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-024-01426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Acquired resistance is a significant hindrance to clinical application of lenvatinib in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Further in-depth investigation of resistance mechanisms can help to develop additional therapeutic strategies to overcome or delay resistance. In our study, two lenvatinib-resistant (LR) HCC cell lines were established by treatment with gradient increasing concentration of lenvatinib, named Hep3B-LR and HepG2-LR. Interestingly, continuous lenvatinib treatment reinforced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and cell invasion. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) enrichment analysis of RNA-sequencing from Hep3B-LR and corresponding parental cells revealed that activation of Wnt signaling pathway was involved in this adaptive process. Active β-catenin and its downstream target lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) were significantly elevated in LR HCC cells, which promoted lenvatinib resistance through mediating EMT-related genes. Data analysis based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) databases suggests that LEF1, as a key regulator of EMT, was a novel molecular target linked to lenvatinib resistance and poor prognosis in HCC. Using a small-molecule specific inhibitor ICG001 and knocking down LEF1 showed that targeting LEF1 restored the sensitivity of LR HCC cells to lenvatinib. Our results uncover upregulation of LEF1 confers lenvatinib resistance by facilitating EMT, cell migration, and invasion of LR HCC cells, indicating that LEF1 is a novel therapeutic target for overcoming acquired lenvatinib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxiu Li
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongmeng Su
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenqing Tang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shihui Shu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luyu Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinghan Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
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37
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Chen B, Qiu M, Gong R, Liu Y, Zhou Z, Wen Q, Wei X, Liang X, Jiang Y, Chen P, Wei Y, Huang Q, Mo Q, Lin Q, Yu H. Genetic variants in m5C modification genes are associated with survival of patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1125-1134. [PMID: 38438738 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03687-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with a high mortality rate. The 5-methylcytosine (m5C), a type of RNA modification, plays crucial regulatory roles in HCC carcinogenesis, metastasis, and prognosis. However, a few studies have investigated the effect of genetic variants in m5C modification genes on survival of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. In the present study, we evaluated associations between 144 SNPs in 15 m5C modification genes and overall survival (OS) in 866 patients with the HBV-related HCC. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis and differential expression analysis were conducted to investigate biological mechanisms. As a result, we identified that two SNPs (NSUN7 rs2437325 A > G and TRDMT1 rs34434809 G > C) were significantly associated with HBV-related HCC OS with adjusted allelic hazards ratios of 1.25 (95% confidence interval = 1.05-1.48 and P = 0.011) and 1.19 (1.02-1.38 and P = 0.027), respectively, with a trend of combined risk genotypes (Ptrend < 0.001). Moreover, the results of eQTL analyses showed that both NSUN7 rs2437325 G and TRDMT1 rs34434809 C alleles were associated with a reduced mRNA expression level in 208 normal liver tissues (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001, respectively). Taken together, genetic variants in the m5C modification genes may be potential prognostic biomarkers of HBV-related HCC after hepatectomy, likely through mediating the mRNA expression of corresponding genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Chen
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Moqin Qiu
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Department of Respiratory Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Rongbin Gong
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yingchun Liu
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Key Cultivated Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Medicine of Guangxi Health Commission, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zihan Zhou
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qiuping Wen
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Key Cultivated Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Medicine of Guangxi Health Commission, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiaoxia Wei
- Department of Clinical Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiumei Liang
- Department of Disease Process Management, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yanji Jiang
- Department of Scientific Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Peiqin Chen
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
- Editorial Department of Chinese Journal of Oncology Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yuying Wei
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiongguang Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qiuyan Mo
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiuling Lin
- Department of Clinical Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Hongping Yu
- Department of Experimental Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
- Key Cultivated Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Medicine of Guangxi Health Commission, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, 530021, China.
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Lin L, Hu P, Luo M, Chen X, Xiao M, Zhong Z, Peng S, Chen G, Yang G, Zhang F, Zhang Y. CircNOP14 increases the radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibition of Ku70-dependent DNA damage repair. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130541. [PMID: 38460628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are profoundly affected in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through various pathways. However, the role of circRNAs in the radiosensitivity of HCC cells is yet to be explored. In this study, we identified a circRNA-hsa_circ_0006737 (circNOP14) involved in the radiosensitivity of HCC. We found that circNOP14 increased the radiosensitivity of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, using a circRNA pulldown assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation, we identified Ku70 as a novel and robust interacting protein of circNOP14. Mechanistically, circNOP14 interacts with Ku70 and prevents its nuclear translocation, thereby increasing irradiation-induced DNA damage. Therefore, our findings may provide a predictive indicator and intervention option for 125I brachytherapy or external radiotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letao Lin
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Pan Hu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Ma Luo
- Department of Medical Imaging, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518000, PR China
| | - Meigui Xiao
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Zhihui Zhong
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Sheng Peng
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Guanyu Chen
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Fujun Zhang
- Department of Minimally Invasive Intervention, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Yanling Zhang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, PR China.
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Yi K, Wang Y, Rong Y, Bao Y, Liang Y, Chen Y, Liu F, Zhang S, He Y, Liu W, Zhu C, Wu L, Peng J, Chen H, Huang W, Yuan Y, Xie M, Wang F. Transcriptomic Signature of 3D Hierarchical Porous Chip Enriched Exosomes for Early Detection and Progression Monitoring of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024; 11:e2305204. [PMID: 38327127 PMCID: PMC11005692 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal malignant tumor, and the current non-invasive diagnosis method based on serum markers, such as α-fetoprotein (AFP), and des-γ-carboxy-prothrombin (DCP), has limited efficacy in detecting it. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop novel biomarkers for HCC. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of exosomes as biomarkers. To enhance exosome enrichment, a silicon dioxide (SiO2) microsphere-coated three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous chip, named a SiO2-chip is designed. The features of the chip, including its continuous porous 3D scaffold, large surface area, and nanopores between the SiO2 microspheres, synergistically improved the exosome capture efficiency. Exosomes from both non-HCC and HCC subjects are enriched using an SiO2-chip and performed RNA sequencing to identify HCC-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the exosomes. This study analysis reveales that LUCAT-1 and EGFR-AS-1 are two HCC-related lncRNAs. To further detect dual lncRNAs in exosomes, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is employed. The integration of dual lncRNAs with AFP and DCP significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, the integration of dual lncRNAs with DCP effectively monitors the prognosis of patients with HCC and detects disease progression. In this study, a liquid biopsy-based approach for noninvasive and reliable HCC detection is developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kezhen Yi
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityNo.169 Donghu Road, Wuchang DistrictWuhan430071P. R. China
| | - Yike Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Yuan Rong
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityNo.169 Donghu Road, Wuchang DistrictWuhan430071P. R. China
| | - Yiru Bao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Yingxue Liang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Yiyi Chen
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityNo.169 Donghu Road, Wuchang DistrictWuhan430071P. R. China
| | - Fusheng Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071P.R. China
| | - Shikun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071P.R. China
| | - Yuan He
- Medical Research Center for Structural BiologySchool of Basic Medical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Weihuang Liu
- Medical Research Center for Structural BiologySchool of Basic Medical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Chengliang Zhu
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryInstitute of Translational MedicineRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430060P. R. China
| | - Long Wu
- Department of OncologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan430060P. R. China
| | - Jin Peng
- Department of Radiation and Medical OncologyZhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhan430071P. R. China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of PathologyZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan430071P. R. China
| | - Weihua Huang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
- Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071P.R. China
| | - Yufeng Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071P.R. China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei ProvinceWuhanHubei430071P. R. China
- Tai Kang Center for Life and Medical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhanHubei430071P. R. China
| | - Min Xie
- College of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430072P. R. China
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityNo.169 Donghu Road, Wuchang DistrictWuhan430071P. R. China
- Center for Single‐Cell Omics and Tumor Liquid BiopsyZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan430071P. R. China
- Wuhan Research Center for Infectious Diseases and CancerChinese Academy of Medical SciencesWuhan430071P. R. China
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Wang C, Chen C, Hu W, Tao L, Chen J. Revealing the role of necroptosis microenvironment: FCGBP + tumor-associated macrophages drive primary liver cancer differentiation towards cHCC-CCA or iCCA. Apoptosis 2024; 29:460-481. [PMID: 38017206 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-023-01908-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that the conversion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) can be stimulated by manipulating the tumor microenvironment linked with necroptosis. However, the specific cells regulating the necroptosis microenvironment have not yet been identified. Additionally, further inquiry into the mechanism of how the tumor microenvironment regulates necroptosis and its impact on primary liver cancer(PLC) progression may be beneficial for precision therapy. We recruited a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset (scRNA-seq) with 34 samples from 4 HCC patients and 3 iCCA patients, and a Spatial Transcriptomic (ST) dataset including one each of HCC, iCCA, and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA). Quality control, dimensionality reduction and clustering were based on Seurat software (v4.2.2) process and batch effects were removed by harmony (v0.1.1) software. The pseudotime analysis (also known as cell trajectory) in the single cell dataset was performed by monocle2 software (v2.24.0). Calculation of necroptosis fraction was performed by AUCell (v1.16.0) software. Switch gene analysis was performed by geneSwitches(v0.1.0) software. Dimensionality reduction, clustering, and spatial image in ST dataset were performed by Seurat (v4.0.2). Tumor cell identification, tumor subtype characterization, and cell type deconvolution in spot were performed by SpaCET (v1.0.0) software. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry experiments were used to prove our conclusions. Analysis of intercellular communication was performed using CellChat software (v1.4.0). ScRNA-seq analysis of HCC and iCCA revealed that necroptosis predominantly occurred in the myeloid cell subset, particularly in FCGBP + SPP1 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which had the highest likelihood of undergoing necroptosis. The existence of macrophages undergoing necroptosis cell death was further confirmed by immunofluorescence. Regions of HCC with poor differentiation, cHCC-CCA with more cholangiocarcinoma features, and the tumor region of iCCA shared spatial colocalization with FCGBP + macrophages, as confirmed by spatial transcriptomics, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Pseudotime analysis showed that premalignant cells could progress into two directions, one towards HCC and the other towards iCCA and cHCC-CCA. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrated that the number of macrophages undergoing necroptosis in cHCC-CCA was higher than in iCCA and HCC, the number of macrophages undergoing necroptosis in cHCC-CCA with cholangiocarcinoma features was more than in cHCC-CCA with hepatocellular carcinoma features. Further investigation showed that myeloid cells with the highest necroptosis score were derived from the HCC_4 case, which had a severe inflammatory background on pathological histology and was likely to progress towards iCCA and cHCC-CCA. Switchgene analysis indicated that S100A6 may play a significant role in the progression of premalignant cells towards iCCA and cHCC-CCA. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of S100A6 in PLC, the more severe inflammatory background of the tumor area, the more cholangiocellular carcinoma features of the tumor area, S100A6 expression was higher. The emergence of necroptosis microenvironment was found to be significantly associated with FCGBP + SPP1 + TAMs in PLC. In the presence of necroptosis microenvironment, premalignant cells appeared to transform into iCCA or cHCC-CCA. In contrast, without a necroptosis microenvironment, premalignant cells tended to develop into HCC, exhibiting amplified stemness-related genes (SRGs) and heightened malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Wang
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Cuimin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wenting Hu
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lili Tao
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jiakang Chen
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
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Wei H, Li W, Yang M, Fang Q, Nian J, Huang Y, Wei Q, Huang Z, Liu G, Xu Z, Hu A, Pu J. METTL3/16-mediated m 6A modification of ZNNT1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by activating ZNNT1/osteopontin/S100A9 positive feedback loop-mediated crosstalk between macrophages and tumour cells. Clin Immunol 2024; 261:109924. [PMID: 38310994 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.109924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Macrophages are the major components of tumour microenvironment, which play critical roles in tumour development. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) also contributes to tumour progression. However, the potential roles of m6A in modulating macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly understood. Here, we identified ZNNT1 as an HCC-related m6A modification target, which was upregulated and associated with poor prognosis of HCC. METTL3 and METTL16-mediated m6A modification contributed to ZNNT1 upregulation through stabilizing ZNNT1 transcript. ZNNT1 exerted oncogenic roles in HCC. Furthermore, ZNNT1 recruited and induced M2 polarization of macrophages via up-regulating osteopontin (OPN) expression and secretion. M2 Macrophages-recruited by ZNNT1-overexpressed HCC cells secreted S100A9, which further upregulated ZNNT1 expression in HCC cells via AGER/NF-κB signaling. Thus, this study demonstrates that m6A modification activated the ZNNT1/OPN/S100A9 positive feedback loop, which promoted macrophages recruitment and M2 polarization, and enhanced malignant features of HCC cells. m6A modification-triggered ZNNT1/OPN/S100A9 feedback loop represents potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huamei Wei
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Wenchuan Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Meng Yang
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Quan Fang
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Jiahui Nian
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Youguan Huang
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Qing Wei
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Zihua Huang
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Guoman Liu
- Graduate College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Zuoming Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Anbin Hu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Pu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China; The Guangxi Clinical Medical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, No. 18 Zhongshan two Road, Baise 533000, China.
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Hussein S, Soliman NA, Dahmy SIE, Khamis T, Sameh R, Mostafa FM. Effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) on histopathological changes and gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model in male rats: the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Histochem Cell Biol 2024; 161:337-343. [PMID: 38296878 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-023-02262-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The third most prevalent malignancy to cause mortality is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is activated by binding to the transmembrane receptor Patched-1 (PTCH-1), which depresses the transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor Smoothened (SMO). This study was performed to examine the preventative and therapeutic effects of cannabidiol in adult rats exposed to diethyl nitrosamine (DENA)-induced HCC.A total of 50 male rats were divided into five groups of 10 rats each. Group I was the control group. Group II received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of DENA for 14 weeks. Group III included rats that received cannabidiol (CBD) orally (3-30 mg/kg) for 2 weeks and DENA injections for 14 weeks. Group IV rats received oral CBD for 2 weeks before 14 weeks of DENA injections. Group V included rats that received CBD orally for 2 weeks after their last injection of DENA. Measurements were made for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and alpha fetoprotein (AFP). Following total RNA extraction, Smo, Hhip, Ptch-1, and Gli-1 expressions were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A histopathological analysis of liver tissues was performed.The liver enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant state, morphological, and molecular parameters of the adult male rat model of DENA-induced HCC showed a beneficial improvement after CBD administration. In conclusion, by focusing on the Hh signaling system, administration of CBD showed a beneficial improvement in the liver enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant status, morphological, and molecular parameters in the DENA-induced HCC in adult male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samia Hussein
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
| | - Nabil A Soliman
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Samih I El Dahmy
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Tarek Khamis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Reham Sameh
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Fatma M Mostafa
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt
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Ji D, Lu S, Zhang H, Li Z, Wang S, Miao T, Jiang Z, Ao L. Bulk and single-cell transcriptome reveal the immuno-prognostic subtypes and tumour microenvironment heterogeneity in HCC. Liver Int 2024; 44:979-995. [PMID: 38293784 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Accumulating evidences suggest tumour microenvironment (TME) profoundly influence clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Existing immune subtypes are susceptible to batch effects, and integrative analysis of bulk and single-cell transcriptome is helpful to recognize immune subtypes and TME in HCC. METHODS Based on the relative expression ordering (REO) of 1259 immune-related genes, an immuno-prognostic signature was developed and validated in 907 HCC samples from five bulk transcriptomic cohorts, including 72 in-house samples. The machine learning models based on subtype-specific gene pairs with stable REOs were constructed to jointly predict immuno-prognostic subtypes in single-cell RNA-seq data and validated in another single-cell data. Then, cancer characteristics, immune landscape, underlying mechanism and therapeutic benefits between subtypes were analysed. RESULTS An immune-related signature with 29 gene pairs stratified HCC samples individually into two risk subgroups (C1 and C2), which was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. The machine learning models verified the immune subtypes from five bulk cohorts to two single-cell transcriptomic data. Integrative analysis revealed that C1 had poorer outcomes, higher CNV burden and malignant scores, higher sensitivity to sorafenib, and exhibited an immunosuppressive phenotype with more regulators, e.g., myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), Mø_SPP1, while C2 was characterized with better outcomes, higher metabolism, more benefit from immunotherapy, and displayed active immune with more effectors, e.g., tumour infiltrating lymphocyte and dendritic cell. Moreover, both two single-cell data revealed the crosstalk of SPP1-related L-R pairs between cancer and immune cells, especially SPP1-CD44, might lead to immunosuppression in C1. CONCLUSIONS The REO-based immuno-prognostic subtypes were conducive to individualized prognosis prediction and treatment options for HCC. This study paved the way for understanding TME heterogeneity between immuno-prognostic subtypes of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daihan Ji
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shuting Lu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Huarong Zhang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhenli Li
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shenglin Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tongjie Miao
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhiyu Jiang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lu Ao
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Wang Q, Huang Y, Zhu Y, Zhang W, Wang B, Du X, Dai Q, Zhang F, Fang Z. The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 promotes neutrophil extracellular trap network release to regulate hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7165. [PMID: 38613157 PMCID: PMC11015054 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, it has a poor prognosis due to its highly invasive and metastatic nature. Consequently, identifying effective prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets has been extensively investigated. METTL5, an 18S rRNA methyltransferase, is abnormally high in HCC. But its biological function and prognostic significance in HCC remain largely unelucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of METTL5 in HCC progression, and elucidate its possible molecular mechanisms in HCC via transcriptome sequencing, providing new insights for identifying new HCC prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. METHODS The METTL5 expression in HCC and paracancerous tissues was analyzed using HCC immunohistochemical microarrays and bioinformatic retrieval methods to correlate METTL5 with clinicopathological features and survival prognosis. We constructed a METTL5 knockdown hepatocellular carcinoma cell line model and an animal model to determine the effect of METTL5 on hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Subsequently, RNA sequencing was performed to analyze the molecular mechanism of METTL5 in HCC based on the sequencing results, and relevant experiments were performed to verify it. RESULTS We found that METTL5 expression was elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and correlated with poor patient prognosis, and in the analysis of clinicopathological features showed a correlation with TNM staging. In hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with knockdown of METTL5, the malignant biological behavior was significantly reduced both in vitro and in vivo. Based on the sequencing results as well as the results of GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, we found that METTL5 could promote the generation and release of neutrophil extracellular capture network (NETs) and might further accelerate the progression of HCC. CONCLUSION The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and correlates with poor prognosis. METTL5 accelerates malignant progression of HCC by promoting generation and release of the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) network, providing new insights for clinical biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets in HCC prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceWenzhou Medical UniversityLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Yuxi Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceWenzhou Medical UniversityLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Yu Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Binfeng Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Xuefeng Du
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Qiqiang Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Fabiao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
| | - Zheping Fang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceWenzhou Medical UniversityLinhaiZhejiangChina
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceLinhaiZhejiangChina
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Chen X, Yang F, Zhang C, Wang X, Yuan C, Shi D, Zhu S, Zhang X, Chen X, Zhao W. BLVRA exerts its biological effects to induce malignant properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via Wnt/β-catenin pathway. J Mol Histol 2024; 55:159-167. [PMID: 38216836 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-023-10179-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The function of Biliverdin Reductase A (BLVRA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells proliferation, invasion and migration remains unclear. Therefore, this research intends to explore the effect of BLVRA on HCC cells growth and metastasis. BLVRA expression was analyzed in public dataset and examined by using western blot. The malignant function of BLVRA in HCC cell lines and its effect on Wnt/β-catenin pathway were measured. Analysis from GEPIA website showed that BLVRA expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues, and high expression of BLVRA resulted in worse prognosis of HCC patients. Results from western blot showed that BLVRA expression was obviously increased in HCC cell lines. Moreover, HepG2 and Hep3B cells in si-BLVRA-1 or si-BLVRA-2 group displayed an obvious reduction in its proliferation, cell cycle, invasion and migration compared to those in the si-control group. Additionally, si-BLVRA-1 or si-BLVRA-2 transfection significantly reduced the protein levels of Vimentin, Snail1 and Snail2, as well as decreased Bcl-2 expression and increased Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 expression. Furthermore, si-BLVRA treatment inhibited the protein levels of c-MYC, β-catenin, and Cyclin D1. After IWP-4 (Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor) treatment, the proliferation ability of HCC cells was significantly reduced. BLVRA expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues and cell lines, and knocked down of BLVRA could suppress the proliferation, invasion and migration in HCC cell lines, as well as induce cell apoptosis. Moreover, si-BLVRA transfection blocked the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinju Chen
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangming Yang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanlei Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinting Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Changwei Yuan
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Shi
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuaishuai Zhu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotong Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqi Chen
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenxia Zhao
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19 Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, 450000, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
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Liu Z, Zhao P. Integrative analysis unveils ECM signatures and pathways driving hepatocellular carcinoma progression: A multi-omics approach and prognostic model development. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18230. [PMID: 38568083 PMCID: PMC10989547 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is a highly lethal form of cancer that is among the deadliest cancer types globally. In terms of cancer-related mortality rates, liver cancer ranks among the top three, underscoring the severity of this disease. Insufficient analysis has been conducted to fully understand the potential value of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in immune infiltration and the prognostic stratification of LIHC, despite its recognised importance in the development of this disease. The scRNA-seq data of GSE149614 was used to conduct single-cell analysis on 10 LIHC samples. CellChat scores were calculated for seven cell populations in the descending cohort to investigate cellular communication, while PROGENy scores were calculated to determine tumour-associated pathway scores in different cell populations. The pathway analysis using GO and KEGG revealed the enrichment of ECM-associated genes in the pathway, highlighting the potential role of the ECM in LIHC development. By utilizing the TCGA-LIHC cohort, an ECM-based prognostic model for LIHC was developed using Lasso regression. Immune infiltration scores were calculated using two methods, and the performance of the ECM-related risk score was evaluated using an independent cohort from the CheckMate study. To determine the precise expression of ECM-associated risk genes in LIHC, we evaluated hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines using a range of assays, including Western blotting, invasion assays and Transwell assays. Using single-cell transcriptome analysis, we annotated the spatially-specific distribution of major immune cell types in single-cell samples of LIHC. The main cell types identified and annotated included hepatocytes, T cells, myeloid cells, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and B cells. The utilisation of cellchat and PROGENy analyses enabled the investigation and unveiling of signalling interactions, protein functionalities and the prominent influential pathways facilitated by the primary immune cell types within the LIHC. Numerous tumour pathways, including PI2K, EGFR and TGFb, demonstrated a close correlation with the involvement of ECM in LIHC. Moreover, an evaluation was conducted to assess the primary ECM-related functional changes and biological pathway enrichment in LIHC. Differential genes associated with ECM were identified and utilised to create prognostic models. The prognostic stratification value of these models for LIHC patients was confirmed through validation in multiple databases. Furthermore, through immune infiltration analysis, it was discovered that ECM might be linked to the irregular expression and regulation of numerous immune cells. Additionally, histone acetylation was mapped against gene mutation frequencies and differential expression profiles. The prognostic stratification efficacy of the ECM prediction model constructed in the context of PD-1 inhibitor therapy was also examined, and it exhibited strong stratification performance. Cellular experiments, including Western blotting, invasion and Transwell assays, revealed that ECM-associated risk genes have a promoting effect on the development of LIHC. The creation of biomarkers for LIHC using ECM-related genes unveiled substantial correlations with immune microenvironmental infiltration and functional mutations in various tumour pathways. This enlightens us to the possibility that the influence of ECM on tumours may extend beyond simply promoting the fibrotic process and the stromal composition of tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
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Sun L, He M, Li F, Wu D, Zheng P, Zhang C, Liu Y, Liu D, Shan M, Yang M, Ma Y, Lian J, Xiong H. Oxyberberine sensitizes liver cancer cells to sorafenib via inhibiting NOTCH1-USP7-c-Myc pathway. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0405. [PMID: 38573832 PMCID: PMC10997235 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sorafenib is the first-line therapy for patients with advanced-stage HCC, but its clinical cure rate is unsatisfactory due to adverse reactions and drug resistance. Novel alternative strategies to overcome sorafenib resistance are urgently needed. Oxyberberine (OBB), a major metabolite of berberine in vivo, exhibits potential antitumor potency in various human malignancies, including liver cancer. However, it remains unknown whether and how OBB sensitizes liver cancer cells to sorafenib. METHODS Cell viability, trypan blue staining and flow cytometry assays were employed to determine the synergistic effect of OBB and sorafenib on killing HCC cells. PCR, western blot, co-immunoprecipitation and RNA interference assays were used to decipher the mechanism by which OBB sensitizes sorafenib. HCC xenograft models and clinical HCC samples were utilized to consolidate our findings. RESULTS We found for the first time that OBB sensitized liver cancer cells to sorafenib, enhancing its inhibitory effect on cell growth and induction of apoptosis in vitro. Interestingly, we observed that OBB enhanced the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib by reducing ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) expression, a well-known tumor-promoting gene. Mechanistically, OBB inhibited notch homolog 1-mediated USP7 transcription, leading to the downregulation of V-Myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (c-Myc), which synergized with sorafenib to suppress liver cancer. Furthermore, animal results showed that cotreatment with OBB and sorafenib significantly inhibited the tumor growth of liver cancer xenografts in mice. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that OBB enhances the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to sorafenib through inhibiting notch homolog 1-USP7-c-Myc signaling pathway, which potentially provides a novel therapeutic strategy for liver cancer to improve the effectiveness of sorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangbo Sun
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Meng He
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Di Wu
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Meihua Shan
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Mingzhen Yang
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanhang Ma
- Department of General Surgery of Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Jiqin Lian
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Haojun Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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48
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Xing J, Tan R, Huang F, Tian N. Integrated analyses for identification of a three-gene signature associated with Chaihu Shugan San formula for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18211. [PMID: 38613352 PMCID: PMC11015397 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Chaihu Shugan San (CSS) is a well-known traditional herbal formula that has the potential to ameliorate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, its mechanism of action remains unknown. Here, we identified the key targets of CSS against HCC and developed a prognostic model to predict the survival of patients with HCC. The effect of CSS plus sorafenib on HCC cell proliferation was evaluated using the MTT assay. LASSO-Cox regression was used to establish a three-gene signature model targeting CSS. Correlations between immune cells, immune checkpoints and risk score were determined to evaluate the immune-related effects of CSS. The interactions between the components and targets were validated using molecular docking and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) assays. CSS and sorafenib synergistically inhibited HCC cell proliferation. Ten core compounds and 224 targets were identified using a drug compound-target network. The prognostic model of the three CSS targets (AKT1, MAPK3 and CASP3) showed predictive ability. Risk scores positively correlated with cancer-promoting immune cells and high expression of immune checkpoint proteins. Molecular docking and SPR analyses confirmed the strong binding affinities of the active components and the target genes. Western blot analysis confirmed the synergistic effect of CSS and sorafenib in inhibiting the expression of these three targets. In conclusion, CSS may regulate the activity of immune-related factors in the tumour microenvironment, reverse immune escape, enhance immune responses through AKT1, MAPK3, and CASP3, and synergistically alleviate HCC. The co-administration of sorafenib with CSS has a strong clinical outlook against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia‐heng Xing
- College of Life ScienceZhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityZhejiangHangzhouChina
| | - Ru‐xue Tan
- College of Life ScienceZhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityZhejiangHangzhouChina
| | - Fei‐er Huang
- College of Life ScienceZhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityZhejiangHangzhouChina
| | - Nan Tian
- College of Life ScienceZhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityZhejiangHangzhouChina
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49
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Du M, Qu Y, Qin L, Zheng J, Sun W. The cell death-related genes machine learning model for precise therapy and clinical drug selection in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18168. [PMID: 38494848 PMCID: PMC10945081 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the prevailing subtype of hepatocellular malignancy. While previous investigations have evidenced a robust link with programmed cell death (PCD) and tumorigenesis, a comprehensive inquiry targeting the relationship between multiple PCDs and HCC remains scant. Our aim was to develop a predictive model for different PCD patterns in order to investigate their impact on survival rates, prognosis and drug response rates in HCC patients. We performed functional annotation and pathway analysis on identified PCD-related genes (PCDRGs) using multiple bioinformatics tools. The prognostic value of these PCDRGs was verified through a dataset obtained from GEO. Consensus clustering analysis was utilized to elucidate the correlation between diverse PCD clusters and pertinent clinical characteristics. To comprehensively uncover the distinct PCD regulatory patterns, our analysis integrated gene expression profiling, immune cell infiltration and enrichment analysis. To predict survival differences in HCC patients, we established a PCD model. To enhance the clinical applicability for the model, we developed a highly accurate nomogram. To address the treatment of HCC, we identified several promising chemotherapeutic agents and novel targeted drugs. These drugs may be effective in treating HCC and could improve patient outcomes. To develop a cell death feature for HCC patients, we conducted an analysis of 12 different PCD mechanisms using eligible data obtained from public databases. Through this analysis, we were able to identify 1254 PCDRGs likely to contribute to cell death on HCC. Further analysis of 1254 PCDRGs identified 37 genes with prognostic value in HCC patients. These genes were then categorized into two PCD clusters A and B. The categorization was based on the expression patterns of the genes in the different clusters. Patients in PCD cluster B had better survival probabilities. This suggests that PCD mechanisms, as represented by the genes in cluster B, may have a protective effect against HCC progression. Furthermore, the expression of PCDRGs was significantly higher in PCD cluster A, indicating that this cluster may be more closely associated with PCD mechanisms. Furthermore, our observations indicate that patients exhibiting elevated tumour mutation burden (TMB) are at an augmented risk of mortality, in comparison to those displaying low TMB and low-risk statuses, who are more likely to experience prolonged survival. In addition, we have investigated the potential distinctions in the susceptibility of diverse risk cohorts towards emerging targeted therapies, designed for the treatment of HCC. Moreover, our investigation has shown that AZD2014, SB505124, LJI308 and OSI-207 show a greater efficacy in patients in the low-risk category. Conversely, for the high-risk group patients, PD173074, ZM447439 and CZC24832 exhibit a stronger response. Our findings suggest that the identification of risk groups and personalized treatment selection could lead to better clinical outcomes for patients with HCC. Furthermore, significant heterogeneity in clinical response to ICI therapy was observed among HCC patients with varying PCD expression patterns. This novel discovery underscores the prospective usefulness of these expression patterns as prognostic indicators for HCC patients and may aid in tailoring targeted treatment for those of distinct risk strata. Our investigation introduces a novel prognostic model for HCC that integrates diverse PCD expression patterns. This innovative model provides a novel approach for forecasting prognosis and assessing drug sensitivity in HCC patients, driving a more personalized and efficacious treatment paradigm, elevating clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, additional research endeavours are required to confirm the model's precision and assess its potential to inform clinical decision-making for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Du
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
| | - Yonggang Qu
- Department of clinical medicineChina medical university Second HospitalShenyangLiaoningChina
| | - Lingshan Qin
- Department of clinical medicineFourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Jiahe Zheng
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of RadiologyShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
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50
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Tahir F, Farooq M, Malik MA, Manzoor S. Extracellular Vesicles Contribute to Viral-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Understanding Their Involvement in Viral Hepatitis and Their Potential as Biomarkers for Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma Detection. Viral Immunol 2024; 37:159-166. [PMID: 38588555 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2023.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The high global prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C and the poor prognosis of hepatitis B and hepatitis C-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), necessitates the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Recent studies show that cell-to-cell communication via extracellular vesicles (EVs) is involved in the HCC progression. The objective of the following study was to explore the role of EVs in the progression of viral-induced HCC and investigate their potential for the early diagnosis of cancer. First, the mRNA derived from EVs of HCC patients was compared to the mRNA derived from EVs from the healthy controls. Expression analysis of ANGPTL3, SH3BGRL3, and IFITM3 genes from the EVs was done. Afterward, to confirm whether hepatocytes can uptake EVs, HuH7 cells were exposed to EVs, and the expression analysis of downstream target genes (AKT, TNF-α, and MMP-9) in Huh7 cells was done. Transcriptional analysis showed that in the EVs from HCC patients, the expression levels of ANGPTL3, SH3BGRL3, and IFITM3 were significantly increased by 2.62-, 4.3-, and 9.03-folds, respectively. The downstream targets, AKT, TNF-α, and MMP-9, also showed a considerable change of 4.1-, 1.46-, and 5.05-folds, respectively, in Huh7 cells exposed to HCC EVs. In conclusion, the following study corroborates the role of EVs in HCC progression. Furthermore, the significant alteration in mRNA levels of the selected genes demonstrates their potential to be used as possible biomarkers for the early diagnosis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Tahir
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Research Group, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mariya Farooq
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Research Group, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Maliha Ashraf Malik
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Research Group, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Manzoor
- Molecular Virology and Immunology Research Group, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
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