Expression of c-Myc, c-Fos, and c-jun in hepatocellular carcinoma

Plasma-derived extracellular matrix for xenofree and cost-effective organoid modeling for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes significant cancer mortality worldwide. Cancer organoids can serve as useful disease models by high costs, complexity, and contamination risks from animal-derived products and extracellular matrix (ECM) that limit its applications. On the other hand, synthetic ECM alternatives also have limitations in mimicking native biocomplexity. This study explores the development of a physiologically relevant HCC organoid model using plasma-derived extracellular matrix as a scaffold and nutritive biomatrix with different cellularity components to better mimic the heterogenous HCC microenvironment. Plasma-rich platelet is recognized for its elevated levels of growth factors, which can promote cell proliferation. By employing it as a biomatrix for organoid culture there is a potential to enhance the quality and functionality of organoid models for diverse applications in biomedical research and regenerative medicine and to better replicate the heterogeneous microenvironment of HCC.

METHOD

To generate the liver cancer organoids, HUH-7 hepatoma cells were cultured alone (homogenous model) or with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (heterogeneous model) in plasma-rich platelet extracellular matrix (ECM). The organoids were grown for 14 days and analyzed for cancer properties including cell viability, invasion, stemness, and drug resistance.

RESULTS

HCC organoids were developed comprising HUH-7 hepatoma cells with or without human mesenchymal stromal and endothelial cells in plasma ECM scaffolds. Both homogeneous (HUH-7 only) and heterogeneous (mixed cellularity) organoids displayed viability, cancer hallmarks, and chemoresistance. The heterogeneous organoids showed enhanced invasion potential, cancer stem cell populations, and late-stage HCC genetic signatures versus homogeneous counterparts.

CONCLUSION

The engineered HCC organoids system offers a clinically relevant and cost-effective model to study liver cancer pathogenesis, stromal interactions, and drug resistance. The plasma ECM-based culture technique could enable standardized and reproducible HCC modeling. It could also provide a promising option for organoid culture and scaling up.

Jun/Fos promotes migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by enhancing BORIS promoter activity

The Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS), as a specific indicator of hepatocellular carcinoma, exhibits a significant increase in expression. However, its upstream regulatory network remains enigmatic. Previous research has indicated a strong correlation between the Hippo pathway and the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. It is well established that the Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) frequently engages in interactions with the Hippo pathway. Thus, we attempt to prove whether Jun and Fos, a major member of the AP-1 family, are involved in the regulation of BORIS expression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the existence of binding sites for Jun and Fos within the BORIS promoter. Through a series of overexpression and knockdown experiments, we corroborated that Jun and Fos have the capacity to augment BORIS expression, thereby fostering the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, Methylation-Specific PCR and Bisulfite Sequencing PCR assays revealed that Jun and Fos do not have a significant impact on the demethylation of the BORIS promoter. However, luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments substantiated that Jun and Fos could directly bind to the BORIS promoter, thereby enhancing its transcription. In conclusion, these results suggest that Jun and Fos can promote the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by directly regulating the expression of BORIS. These findings may provide experimental evidence positioning BORIS as a novel target for the clinical intervention of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Predictive value of immediate early response 5 like (IER5L) in the prognosis and immune checkpoint blockade therapy of non-small cell lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignancy with high mortality. Immediate early response 5 like (IER5L) has been found to associate with worse prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. However, its role in the prognosis prediction of NSCLC has remained largely unknown.

METHODS

The IER5L expression in NSCLC and normal tissues was analyzed in two public cohorts: TCGA-LUAD-LUSC and GSE159857. Additionally, functional enrichment, survival analysis, CIBERSORT and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were investigated between low- and high-IER5L level groups. The in vitro IER5L mRNA and protein levels were determined using RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

The data from TCGA-LUAD-LUSC and GSE159857 cohorts showed a high IER5L mRNA expression in NSCLC tissue samples compared to normal controls. The increased expression of IER5L in NSCLC cells were also validated by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Additionally, NSCLC patients with high-IER5L level had significantly worse prognosis and IER5L could be used as an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients. Meanwhile, patients in the high-IER5L group had higher TMB level. IER5L expression was negatively correlated with the proportion of Monocytes and T cells CD4 memory resting, and was positively related to the proportion of Tregs and M0 macrophages in tumor tissues. Besides, transcription factors TFAP4 and ZNF692 may bind to the promoter region of IER5L, and then modulate IER5L gene transcription, thereby affecting IER5L gene expression. Furthermore, GSEA results showed that IER5L gene was closely related to MAPK, PI3K-Akt, NF-kappaB signaling pathways in NSCLC.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, high IER5L expression may be a promising unfavorable prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC patients.

Natural bioactive compounds and STAT3 against hepatocellular carcinoma: An update

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging and very fatal liver cancer. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway is a crucial regulator of tumor development and are ubiquitously active in HCC. Therefore, targeting STAT3 has emerged as a promising approach for preventing and treating HCC. Various natural bioactive compounds (NBCs) have been proven to target STAT3 and have the potential to prevent and treat HCC as STAT3 inhibitors. Numerous kinds of STAT3 inhibitors have been identified, including small molecule inhibitors, peptide inhibitors, and oligonucleotide inhibitors. Due to the undesirable side effects of the conventional therapeutic drugs against HCC, the focus is shifted to NBCs derived from plants and other natural sources. NBCs can be broadly classified into the categories of terpenes, alkaloids, carotenoids, and phenols. Most of the compounds belong to the family of terpenes, which prevent tumorigenesis by inhibiting STAT3 nuclear translocation. Further, through STAT3 inhibition, terpenes downregulate matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP2), matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), modulating metastasis. Terpenes also suppress the anti-apoptotic proteins and cell cycle markers. This review provides comprehensive information related to STAT3 abrogation by NBCs in HCC with in vitro and in vivo evidences.

Hepatocyte integrity depends on c-Jun-controlled proliferation in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. The transcription factor c-Jun, which is induced in S. mansoni infection-associated liver disease, can promote hepatocyte survival but can also trigger hepatocellular carcinogenesis. We aimed to analyze the hepatic role of c-Jun following S. mansoni infection. We adopted a hepatocyte-specific c-Jun knockout mouse model (Alb-Cre/c-Jun loxP) and analyzed liver tissue and serum samples by quantitative real-time PCR array, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, hydroxyproline quantification, and functional analyses. Hepatocyte-specific c-Jun knockout (c-JunΔli) was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Infection with S. mansoni induced elevated aminotransferase-serum levels in c-JunΔli mice. Of note, hepatic Cyclin D1 expression was induced in infected c-Junf/f control mice but to a lower extent in c-JunΔli mice. S. mansoni soluble egg antigen-induced proliferation in a human hepatoma cell line was diminished by inhibition of c-Jun signaling. Markers for apoptosis, oxidative stress, ER stress, inflammation, autophagy, DNA-damage, and fibrosis were not altered in S. mansoni infected c-JunΔli mice compared to infected c-Junf/f controls. Enhanced liver damage in c-JunΔli mice suggested a protective role of c-Jun. A reduced Cyclin D1 expression and reduced hepatic regeneration could be the reason. In addition, it seems likely that the trends in pathological changes in c-JunΔli mice cumulatively led to a loss of the protective potential being responsible for the increased hepatocyte damage and loss of regenerative ability.

Dissection of action mechanisms of Zuogui Pill in the treatment of liver cancer based on machine learning and network pharmacology: A review

This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of Zuogui Pill in its efficacy against liver cancer, employing a combination of data mining approaches and network pharmacology methods. A novel clustering analysis algorithm was proposed to identify the core gene modules of Zuogui Pill. This algorithm successfully identified 5 core modules, with the first large module comprised of twelve proteins forming a 12-clique, representing the strongest connections among them. By utilizing GEO platform, ten key target proteins were detected, including FOS, PTGS2, and MYC. According to the GO annotation and KEGG analysis, desired target proteins were significantly enriched in various biological processes (BP). The analysis showed that ten key targets were strongly associated with signaling pathways mainly centered on MAPK and PI3K-Akt pathway. Additionally, molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between core active ingredients of Zuogui Pill and these key targets, and the best affinity modes were observed for PTGS2-Sesamin, PRKCA-Sesamin, FOS-delta-Carotene. In order to establish the relationships between clinical symptoms and drug targets, a heterogeneous targets-related network was constructed. A total of 60 key target-symptom association pairs were detected, exemplified by the strongly association between fever and PTGS2 through the intermediary of Shu Di Huang. In summary, symptom-target associations are valuable in uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms of Zuogui Pill. Our work reinforced the notion that Zuogui pill exhibits therapeutic potential on liver cancer through network targets, as well as synergistic effects of multi-component and multi-pathway. This study provided specific references for future experiments at the cost of less time.

Elevated expression of ISY1, APOA-1, SYNE1, MTG1, and MMP10 at HCC initiation: HCC specific protein network involving interactions of key regulators of lipid metabolism, EGFR signaling, MAPK, and splicing pathways

Identification of molecular regulators of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation and progression is not well understood. We chemically induced HCC in male Wistar rats by administration of diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AFF). Using 2D-electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analyses, we characterized differentially expressed proteins in liver tissues at early stage of HCC progression. Using RT-PCR analysis, we quantified the mRNA expression of the characterized proteins and validated the transcript expression with tumor tissues of clinically confirmed HCC patients. Using bioinformatic tools, we analyzed a network among the introduced proteins that identified their interacting partners and analyzed the molecular mechanisms associated with signaling pathways during HCC progression. We characterized a protein, namely, pre-mRNA splicing factor 1 homolog (ISY1), which is upregulated at both transcriptome and proteome levels at HCC initiation, progression, and tumor stages. We analyzed the interacting partners of ISY1, namely, APOA-1, SYNE1, MMP10, and MTG1. Real-time PCR analysis confirmed elevated expression of APOA-1 mRNA at HCC initiation, progression, and tumor stages in animals undergoing tumorigenesis. The mRNA expression of the interacting partners was validated with tumor tissues of clinically confirmed liver cancer patients; the analysis revealed significant elevation in expression of transcripts. The transcriptome and proteome analyses complement each other and dysregulation in mRNA and protein expression of these regulators may play critical role in HCC initiation and progression.

Systems biology approach reveals a common molecular basis for COVID-19 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Background

Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be more susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and even more likely to suffer from severe COVID-19. Whether there is a common molecular pathological basis for COVID-19 and NAFLD remains to be identified. The present study aimed to elucidate the transcriptional alterations shared by COVID-19 and NAFLD and to identify potential compounds targeting both diseases.

Methods

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for COVID-19 and NAFLD were extracted from the GSE147507 and GSE89632 datasets, and common DEGs were identified using the Venn diagram. Subsequently, we constructed a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network based on the common DEGs and extracted hub genes. Then, we performed gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis of common DEGs. In addition, transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs regulatory networks were constructed, and drug candidates were identified.

Results

We identified a total of 62 common DEGs for COVID-19 and NAFLD. The 10 hub genes extracted based on the PPI network were IL6, IL1B, PTGS2, JUN, FOS, ATF3, SOCS3, CSF3, NFKB2, and HBEGF. In addition, we also constructed TFs–DEGs, miRNAs–DEGs, and protein–drug interaction networks, demonstrating the complex regulatory relationships of common DEGs.

Conclusion

We successfully extracted 10 hub genes that could be used as novel therapeutic targets for COVID-19 and NAFLD. In addition, based on common DEGs, we propose some potential drugs that may benefit patients with COVID-19 and NAFLD.

The O-GlcNAcylation and its promotion to hepatocellular carcinoma

O-GlcNAcylation is a posttranslational modification that attaches O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to the serine and threonine residues of proteins. Such a glycosylation would alter the activities, stabilities, and interactions of target proteins that are functional in a wide range of biological processes and diseases. Accumulating evidence indicates that O-GlcNAcylation is tightly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in its onset, growth, invasion and metastasis, drug resistance, and stemness. Here we summarize the discoveries of the role of O-GlcNAcylation in HCC and its function mechanism, aiming to deepen our understanding of HCC pathology, generate more biomarkers for its diagnosis and prognosis, and offer novel molecular targets for its treatment.

Role of Innate Immune Regulatory Genes, FOXP3 and FOS in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leading to chronic infection and its sequalae is responsible for over half a million deaths worldwide. The reason for persistence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is still not clearly understood. An attempt was made to understand the role of immune regulatory genes in CHB in comparison to spontaneously cleared HBV infection. Relative gene expression of 26 genes involved in innate immunity were studied using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Array. A total of 679 subjects from three different geographical regions of Northeast India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura) were included in this case-control study. The cases were subdivided into CHB cases with HBeAg(+)(72), CHB with HBeAg(-)(278), spontaneously cleared controls (88), and healthy controls (228). Overall, 28.3% of the subjects had previous exposure with HBV, while 28.6% had protective antibodies IgG/IgM against HBV. There was a statistically higher number of CHB in men (66.4%) compared to women (33.6%) (p = 0.0001). Proto-oncogene FOS has been found to be moderately upregulated in CHB with HBeAg +ve (2.3-fold) and significantly upregulated (4.1-fold upregulation) in hepatocellular carcinoma. Further, FOXP3 was found to be significantly upregulated (3.0-fold, p = 0.01) in CHB with HBeAg (+) compared to spontaneously cleared HBV infection. In conclusion, CHB with HBeAg positivity was found to have disrupted immune response with upregulation of FOS and FOXP3. Thus, early induction of HBeAg seroconversion with interferon-based therapy or oral nucleos(t)ide analogs along with FOS inhibitors can have important clinical implications in the management of CHB and preventing cirrhosis and HCC.

Single-cell profiling-guided combination therapy of c-Fos and histone deacetylase inhibitors in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Background

Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) have been widely applied in multiple tumours, but the expected efficacy was not observed in DLBCL. Therefore, this study is aimed to explore superior HDACis and optimise a relative combinational therapeutic strategy.

Methods

The antitumour effects of the drug were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay and apoptosis analysis. Single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐Seq) was used to analyse the intratumoural heterogeneity of DLBCL cells. Whole‐exome sequencing and RNA sequencing were performed to analyse the genetic and transcriptional features. Western blotting, qRT–PCR, protein array, immunohistochemistry, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were applied to explore the involved pathways. The antitumour effects of the compounds were assessed using subcutaneous xenograft tumour models.

Results

LAQ824 was screened and confirmed to kill DLBCL cells effectively. Using scRNA‐Seq, we characterised the heterogeneity of DLBCL cells under different drug pressures, and c‐Fos was identified as a critical factor in the survival of residual tumour cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that combinatorial treatment with LAQ824 and a c‐Fos inhibitor more potently inhibited tumour cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusion

Altogether, we found an HDACi, LAQ824, with high efficacy in DLBCL and provided a promising HDACi‐based combination therapy strategy.

Microbiome, fibrosis and tumor networks in a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis model of a choline-deficient high-fat diet using diethylnitrosamine

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is caused by the complex factors of inflammation, fibrosis and microbiomes. We used network analysis to examine the interrelationships of these factors.

METHODS

C57Bl/6 mice were categorized into groups: choline-sufficient high-fat (CSHF, n = 8), choline-deficient high-fat (CDHF, n = 9), and CDHF+ diethylnitrosamine (DEN, n = 8). All mice were fed CSHF or CDHF for 20 weeks starting at week 8, and mice in the CDHF + DEN group received one injection of DEN at 3 weeks of age. Bacterial gene was isolated from feces and analyzed using Miseq.

RESULTS

The CSHF group had less fibrosis than the other groups. Tumors were found in 22.2% and 87.5% of the CDHF group and CDHF + DEN groups, respectively. Gene expression in the liver of Cdkn1a (p21: tumor-suppressor) and c-jun was highest in the CDHF group. Bacteroides, Roseburia, Odoribacter, and Clostridium correlated with fibrosis. Streptococcus and Dorea correlated with inflammation and tumors. Akkermansia and Bilophila were inversely correlated with fibrosis and Bifidobacterium was inversely correlated with tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

DEN suppressed the overexpression of p21 caused by CDHF. Some bacteria formed a relationship networking associated with their progression and inhibition for tumors and fibrosis.

Identifying key genes and screening therapeutic agents associated with diabetes mellitus and HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma by bioinformatics analysis

Objective

Incidence of both Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rapidly increasing worldwide. One of the leading causes of HCC is hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is a resource of blood-borne viral infection. HCV increases the risk for HCC probably by promoting fibrosis and cirrhosis. Association among T2DM and HCV related HCC remains significant, indicating that such association is clinically reliable and robust. Lawson was the first who uncovered HCC in person suffered from T2DM. Until now, genetic association between HCV related HCC and T2DM is poorly known. Current work was designed to figure out the molecular mechanisms of both diseases by identifying the hub genes and therapeutic drugs using integrated bioinformatics analysis.

Methods

Four microarray datasets were downloaded from GEO database and analyzed using R in order to obtain different expressed genes (DEGs). Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks was constructed using STRING tool and visualized by Cytoscape. Moreover, hub genes were identified on the basis of their degree of connectivity. Finally, Networkanalyst and DGIdb were used for the identification of transcription factors (TFs) and selection of candidate drugs, respectively.

Results

A total of 53 DEGs were identified, of which 41 were upregulated genes and 12 were downregulated genes. PPI network obtained from STRING were subjected to Cytoscape plugin cytoHubba, and top 10 genes (AURKA, JUN, AR, MELK, NCOA2, CENPF, NCAPG, PCK1, RAD51AP1, and GTSE1) were chosen as the target hub genes based on the highest degree of connectivity. Furthermore, 47 drugs of AURKA, JUN, AR, MELK, and NCOA2 were found having therapeutic potential to treat HCV-HCC in patients with T2DM.

Conclusion

This study updates the information and yield a new perspective in context of understanding the pathogenesis and development of HCV related HCC in affected persons with T2DM. In vivo and in vitro investigation of hub genes and pathway interaction is essential to delineate the specific roles of the novel hub genes, which may help to reveal the genetic association between HCV-HCC and T2DM. In future, hub genes along with their candidate drugs might be capable of improving the personalized detection and therapies for both diseases.

circRNA hsa_circ_104566 Sponged miR-338-3p to Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) could sponge micro-RNAs (miRNAs) to regulate tumor progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hsa_circ_104566 contributes to papillary thyroid carcinoma progression. However, the tumorigenic mechanism of hsa_circ_104566 on HCC remains enigmatic. The role of hsa_circ_104566 on HCC was therefore evaluated in this study. First, the high expression of hsa_circ_104566 was found in HCC tissues, which was significantly associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Second, Hsa_circ_104566 promoted HCC progression by decreasing apoptosis and E-cadherin, while increasing cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and N-cadherin. On the other hand, HCC progression was suppressed by knockdown of hsa_circ_104566. Hsa_circ_104566 could target miR-338-3p, and its expression was negatively correlated with miR-338-3p in HCC patients. Moreover, miR-338-3p suppressed protein expression of Forkhead box protein 1 (FOXP1) and had a negative correlation with FOXP1 in HCC patients. Functional assay further indicated that the promotion of HCC progression by hsa_circ_104566 was reversed by miR-338-3p, and miR-338-3p inhibitor could counteract the effect of hsa_circ_104566 knockdown on the suppression of HCC progression. In vivo assay indicated that hsa_circ_104566 knockdown suppressed HCC tumor growth and metastasis. In conclusion, hsa_circ_104566 sponged miR-338-3p to promote HCC progression, providing a potential therapeutic target for cancer intervention.

Upregulation of Nogo-B by hypoxia inducible factor-1 and activator protein-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Nogo-B is an important regulator of tumor angiogenesis. Expression of Nogo-B is remarkably upregulated in multiple tumor types, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we show the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of Nogo-B in liver cancer. In response to hypoxia, expression of Nogo-B significantly increased in HCC tissues and cells. The distal hypoxia-responsive element in the promoter was essential for transcriptional activation of Nogo-B under hypoxic conditions, which is the specific site for hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) binding. In addition, Nogo-B expression was associated with c-Fos expression in HCC tissues. Nogo-B expression was induced by c-Fos, yet inhibited by a dominant negative mutant A-Fos. Deletion and mutation analysis of the predicted activator protein-1 binding sites revealed that functional element mediated the induction of Nogo-B promoter activity, which was confirmed by ChIP. These results indicate that HIF-1α and c-Fos induce the expression of Nogo-B depending on tumor microenvironments, such as hypoxia and low levels of nutrients, and play a role in upregulation of Nogo-B in tumor angiogenesis.

Efficacy of pH-Sensitive Nanomedicines in Tumors with Different c-MYC Expression Depends on the Intratumoral Activation Profile

Effective inhibition of the protein derived from cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-Myc) is one of the most sought-after goals in cancer therapy. While several c-Myc inhibitors have demonstrated therapeutic potential, inhibiting c-Myc has proven challenging, since c-Myc is essential for normal tissues and tumors may present heterogeneous c-Myc levels demanding contrasting therapeutic strategies. Herein, we developed tumor-targeted nanomedicines capable of treating both tumors with high and low c-Myc levels by adjusting their ability to spatiotemporally control drug action. These nanomedicines loaded homologues of the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) motif inhibitor JQ1 as epigenetic c-Myc inhibitors through pH-cleavable bonds engineered for fast or slow drug release at intratumoral pH. In tumors with high c-Myc expression, the fast-releasing (FR) nanomedicines suppressed tumor growth more effectively than the slow-releasing (SR) ones, whereas, in the low c-Myc tumors, the efficacy of the nanomedicines was the opposite. By studying the tumor distribution and intratumoral activation of the nanomedicines, we found that, despite SR nanomedicines achieved higher accumulation than the FR counterparts in both c-Myc high and low tumors, the antitumor activity profiles corresponded with the availability of activated drugs inside the tumors. These results indicate the potential of engineered nanomedicines for c-Myc inhibition and spur the idea of precision pH-sensitive nanomedicine based on cancer biomarker levels.

Stress kinases in the development of liver steatosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an important component of metabolic syndrome and one of the most prevalent liver diseases worldwide. This disorder is closely linked to hepatic insulin resistance, lipotoxicity, and inflammation. Although the mechanisms that cause steatosis and chronic liver injury in NAFLD remain unclear, a key component of this process is the activation of stress-activated kinases (SAPKs), including p38 and JNK in the liver and immune system. This review summarizes findings which indicate that the dysregulation of stress kinases plays a fundamental role in the development of steatosis and are important players in inducing liver fibrosis. To avoid the development of steatohepatitis and liver cancer, SAPK activity must be tightly regulated not only in the hepatocytes but also in other tissues, including cells of the immune system. Possible cellular mechanisms of SAPK actions are discussed.

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Hepatic JNK triggers steatosis and insulin resistance, decreasing lipid oxidation and ketogenesis in HFD-fed mice.

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Decreased liver expression of p38α/β in HFD increases lipogenesis.

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Hepatic p38γ/δ drive insulin resistance and inhibit autophagy, which may lead to steatosis.

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Macrophage p38α/β promote cytokine production and M1 polarization, leading to lipid accumulation in hepatocytes.

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Myeloid p38γ/δ contribute to cytokine production and neutrophil migration, protecting against steatosis, diabetes and NAFLD.

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JNK1 and p38γ induce HCC while p38α blocks it. However, deletion of hepatic JNK1/2 induces cholangiocarcinoma.

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SAPK are potential therapeutic target for metabolic disorders, steatohepatitis and liver cancer.

miR-29b-3p inhibits post-infarct cardiac fibrosis by targeting FOS

Background: Cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of heart deterioration. Recently, the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various cardiovascular diseases associated with cardiac fibrosis have been extensively investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of miR-29b-3p in cardiac fibrosis after MI.

Methods: miR-29b-3p expression in TGF-β1-activated cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) was detected by qRT-PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Trans-well assays were performed to evaluate CFs proliferation and migration ability, respectively. Protein expressions of α-SMA, collagen I, collagen III, MMP2, and MMP9 were examined by Western blot assay. Bioinformatics, luciferase, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were carried out to determine whether FOS was targeted by miR-29b-3p.

Results: TGF-β1 treatment dose-dependently curbed miR-29b-3p expression in CFs. miR-29b-3p restrained the promotive impacts of TGF-β1 on CFs proliferation, migration, and differentiation. FOS was affirmed to be a target of miR-29b-3p, elevated expression of FOS reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-29b-3p on cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation in TGF-β1-activated CFs.

Conclusion: miR-29b-3p degraded the pro-fibrosis effect induced by TGF-β1 via targeting FOS, providing a prospective therapeutic avenue for cardiac fibrosis after MI.

Nuclear FOXP3 inhibits tumor growth and induced apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting c-Myc

The status of FOXP3 and its isoforms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. We aimed to investigate the expression and function of FOXP3 and its isoforms in HCC. The study was performed on 84 HCC patients, HCC cell lines and a mouse tumor model. The levels of FOXP3 and its isoforms were determined by nested PCR, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The correlation between their levels and clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed. The full length of FOXP3 (FOXP3) and exon 3-deleted FOXP3 (FOXP3Δ3) were found to be the major isoforms in HCC. The levels of FOXP3Δ3 mRNA and protein in HCC tumor samples were not significantly different from their adjacent normal tissues. The high expression of FOXP3 protein in HCC patients showed a good overall survival. The overexpression of FOXP3 significantly reduced tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The immunofluorescence result indicated that FOXP3 needed to be translocated into the nucleus to exert its inhibitory function. The luciferase assay demonstrated that FOXP3 could be synergistic with Smad2/3/4 to inhibit the oncogene c-Myc. The co-immunoprecipitation results further revealed that FOXP3 could interact with Smad2/3/4. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that both FOXP3 and Smad2/3/4 bound the promoter of the c-Myc to inhibit it. The in vivo mouse tumor model study confirmed the inhibitory effect of FOXP3. Collectively, the expression of tumor FOXP3 can inhibit the growth of HCC via suppressing c-Myc directly or indirectly via interacting with Smad2/3/4. Therefore, FOXP3 is a tumor suppressor in HCC.

Wnt signaling and Loxl2 promote aggressive osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequent primary malignant bone tumor in urgent need of better therapies. Using genetically modified mouse models (GEMMs), we demonstrate that Wnt signaling promotes c-Fos-induced OS formation via the actions of the collagen-modifying enzyme Loxl2. c-Fos/AP-1 directly regulates the expression of the Wnt ligands Wnt7b and Wnt9a in OS cells through promoter binding, and Wnt7b and Wnt9a in turn promote Loxl2 expression in murine and human OS cells through the transcription factors Zeb1 and Zeb2. Concordantly, inhibition of Wnt ligand secretion by inactivating the Wnt-less (Wls) gene in osteoblasts in c-Fos GEMMs either early or in a therapeutic setting reduces Loxl2 expression and progression of OS. Wls-deficient osteosarcomas proliferate less, are less mineralized and are enriched in fibroblastic cells surrounded by collagen fibers. Importantly, Loxl2 inhibition using either the pan-Lox inhibitor BAPN or a specific inducible shRNA reduces OS cell proliferation in vitro and decreases tumor growth and lung colonization in murine and human orthotopic OS transplantation models. Finally, OS development is delayed in c-Fos GEMMs treated with BAPN or with specific Loxl2 blocking antibodies. Congruently, a strong correlation between c-FOS, LOXL2 and WNT7B/WNT9A expression is observed in human OS samples, and c-FOS/LOXL2 co-expression correlates with OS aggressiveness and decreased patient survival. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of Wnt and/or Loxl2 should be considered to potentiate the inadequate current treatments for pediatric, recurrent, and metastatic OS.

Syndecan-1 Promotes Hepatocyte-Like Differentiation of Hepatoma Cells Targeting Ets-1 and AP-1

Syndecan-1 is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan which is indispensable in the structural and functional integrity of epithelia. Normal hepatocytes display strong cell surface expression of syndecan-1; however, upon malignant transformation, they may lose it from their cell surfaces. In this study, we demonstrate that re-expression of full-length or ectodomain-deleted syndecan-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells downregulates phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38, with the truncated form exerting an even stronger effect than the full-length protein. Furthermore, overexpression of syndecan-1 in hepatoma cells is associated with a shift of heparan sulfate structure toward a highly sulfated type specific for normal liver. As a result, cell proliferation and proteolytic shedding of syndecan-1 from the cell surface are restrained, which facilitates redifferentiation of hepatoma cells to a more hepatocyte-like phenotype. Our results highlight the importance of syndecan-1 in the formation and maintenance of differentiated epithelial characteristics in hepatocytes partly via the HGF/ERK/Ets-1 signal transduction pathway. Downregulation of Ets-1 expression alone, however, was not sufficient to replicate the phenotype of syndecan-1 overexpressing cells, indicating the need for additional molecular mechanisms. Accordingly, a reporter gene assay revealed the inhibition of Ets-1 as well as AP-1 transcription factor-induced promoter activation, presumably an effect of the heparan sulfate switch.

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-4 promotes gastric cancer progression via activating Erk1/2

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide, and its poor prognosis is mainly due to the rapid tumor progression including tumor invasion, distant metastasis, etc. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating GC progression lays the basis for the development of targeted therapeutic agents. Increasing evidence suggests that guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-4 (GNB4), a key subunit of heterotrimeric G protein, plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of multiple malignancies. However, whether and how GNB4 promotes GC progression are still unknown. In this study, we found that GNB4 was highly expressed in GC tissues compared to that in non-tumor tissues and was significantly associated with tumor invasion depth, pathological stage and poor survival rate of GC patients. Both gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies revealed that GNB4 significantly enhanced GC cell growth and motility both in vitro and in vivo. Further studies revealed that GNB4 overexpression induced G1-S transition and promoted the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. These tumor promoting effects were mediated by GNB4 which activates the Erk1/2 pathway through upregulating Erk1/2 phosphorylation, as U0126, an Erk1/2 phosphorylation inhibitor, could significantly inhibit GNB4-mediated cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In summary, GNB4 contributes to the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells by activating the Erk1/2 signaling pathway, and it may serve as a potential therapeutic target of GC.

Schistosoma mansoni Egg-Secreted Antigens Activate Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Associated Transcription Factors c-Jun and STAT3 in Hamster and Human Hepatocytes

Clinical data have provided evidence that schistosomiasis can promote hepatocellular carcinogenesis. c-Jun and STAT3 are critical regulators of liver cancer development and progression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatocellular activation of c-Jun and STAT3 by Schistosoma mansoni infection. Expression and function of c-Jun and STAT3 as well as proliferation and DNA repair were analyzed by western blotting, electrophoretic mobility-shift assay, and immunohistochemistry in liver of S. mansoni-infected hamsters, Huh7 cells, primary hepatocytes, and human liver biopsies. Hepatocellular activation of c-Jun was demonstrated by nuclear translocation of c-Jun, enhanced phosphorylation (Ser73), and AP-1/DNA-binding in response to S. mansoni infection. Nuclear c-Jun staining pattern around lodged eggs without ambient immune reaction, and directionally from granuloma to the central veins, suggested that substances released from schistosome eggs were responsible for the observed effects. In addition, hepatocytes with c-Jun activation show cell activation and DNA double-strand breaks. These findings from the hamster model were confirmed by analyses of human biopsies from patients with schistosomiasis. Cell culture experiments finally demonstrated that activation of c-Jun and STAT3 as well as DNA repair were induced by an extract from schistosome eggs (soluble egg antigens) and culture supernatants of live schistosome egg (egg-conditioned medium), and in particular by IPSE/alpha-1, the major component secreted by live schistosome eggs. The permanent activation of hepatocellular carcinoma-associated proto-oncogenes such as c-Jun and associated transcription factors including STAT3 by substances released from tissue-trapped schistosome eggs may be important factors contributing to the development of liver cancer in S. mansoni-infected patients. Therefore, identification and therapeutic targeting of the underlying pathways is a useful strategy to prevent schistosomiasis-associated carcinogenesis.

Identification of the possible therapeutic targets in the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor pathway in a cohort of Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma complicating chronic hepatitis C type 4

Background:

Molecular targeted drugs are the first line of treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its chemo- and radioresistant nature. HCC has several well-documented etiologic factors that drive hepatocarcinogenesis through different molecular pathways. Currently, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of HCC. Therefore, we included a unified cohort of HCV genotype 4-related HCCs to study the expression levels of genes involved in the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) pathway, which is known to be involved in all aspects of cancer growth and progression.

Aim:

Determine the gene expression patterns of IGF1R pathway genes in a cohort of Egyptian HCV-related HCCs. Correlate them with different patient/tumor characteristics. Determine the activity status of involved pathways.

Methods:

Total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from 32 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of human HCV-related HCCs and 6 healthy liver donors as controls. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using RT² Profiler PCR Array for Human Insulin Signaling Pathway was done to determine significantly up- and downregulated genes with identification of most frequently coregulated genes, followed by correlation of gene expression with different patient/tumor characteristics. Finally, canonical pathway analysis was performed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software.

Results:

Six genes – AEBP1, AKT2, C-FOS, PIK3R1, PRKCI, SHC1 – were significantly overexpressed. Thirteen genes – ADRB3, CEBPA, DUSP14, ERCC1, FRS3, IGF2, INS, IRS1, JUN, MTOR, PIK3R2, PPP1CA, RPS6KA1 – were significantly underexpressed. Several differentially expressed genes were related to different tumor/patient characteristics. Nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species production pathway was significantly activated in the present cohort, while the growth hormone signaling pathway was inactive.

Conclusions:

The gene expression patterns identified in this study may serve as possible therapeutic targets in HCV-related HCCs. The most frequently coregulated genes may serve to guide combined molecular targeted therapies. The IGF1R pathway showed evidence of inactivity in the present cohort of HCV-related HCCs, so targeting this pathway in therapy may not be effective.

Green tea extract inhibits early oncogenic responses in mice with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) increases hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. We hypothesized that the hepatoprotective anti-inflammatory benefits of catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) would protect against HCC progression by inhibiting NASH-associated liver injury and pro-oncogenic responses. We used an HCC model in high-fat (HF)-fed mice that mimics early oncogenic events during NASH without inducing tumorigenesis and premature mortality. Male C57BL/6J mice (4-weeks old) were fed a HF diet containing GTE at 0% or 2%. Mice were administered saline or diethylnitrosamine (DEN; 60 mg kg-1, i.p.) at 5-weeks and 7-weeks of age. NASH, inflammation, fibrosis, and oncogenic responses were assessed at 25-weeks of age. Saline-treated mice showed prominent histopathological signs of steatosis and hepatocellular ballooning. Although DEN did not impact adiposity, steatosis, ballooning and hepatic lipid accumulation, these parameters were attenuated by GTE regardless of DEN. Hepatic lipid peroxidation and fibrosis that were increased by DEN were attenuated by GTE. Hepatic TLR4, MCP1 and TNFα mRNA levels were unaffected by DEN, whereas iNOS was increased by DEN. These transcripts were lowered by GTE. GTE attenuated the frequency of PCNA+ hepatocytes and mRNA expression of cyclin D1, MIB1 and Ki-67 that were otherwise increased by DEN. GTE increase APAF1 mRNA that was otherwise lowered by DEN. Relative to saline-treated mice, DEN increased mRNA levels of oncostatin M, gp130, c-Fos, c-Myc and survivin; each was lowered by GTE in DEN-treated mice. These findings indicate that GTE may protect against hepatic oncogenesis by limiting early steps in the carcinogenic cascade related to NASH-associated HCC.

Dact2 is involved in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Dishevelled-associated antagonist of beta-catenin 2 (Dact2) is involved in the regulation of intracellular signaling pathways during development. It negatively regulates the Nodal signaling pathway, possibly by promoting lysosomal degradation of Nodal receptors such as TGFBR1, and plays an inhibitory role during the re-epithelialization of skin wounds by attenuating transforming growth factor-β signaling. Dact2 is known to act as a functional tumor suppressor in colon cancer; reduced Dact2 can promote liver cancer progression and suppress gastric cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis by inhibiting Wnt signaling. Zebrafish is used as a model of cancer biology because it shows similar tumorigenesis and morphogenesis as in humans and gene manipulation in this organism is possible. This study was performed to explore phenotypic changes in Dact2 knockout zebrafish and investigate the function of Dact2. A 10-base pair deletion Dact2 knockout zebrafish was prepared using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system. Dact2 knockout enhanced the expression of the MMP2 and MMP9 genes, which are related to tumor invasion and migration, and the Snail, VEGF, and ZEB genes, which are related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The absence of Dact2 also resulted in hyperplasia of the gastrointestinal epithelium, fibrosis in the pancreas and liver, increased proliferation of the pancreatic and hepatic bile ducts, and invasive proliferation into the pancreas. A wound healing assay confirmed that the absence of Dact2 enhanced EMT, thus accelerating wound healing. This study suggests that a loss of function of Dact2 impacts EMT-related gene regulation and tumor generation in a zebrafish knockout model, which is a useful model for exploring the mechanisms of these processes.

Elevated expression of cellular SYNE1, MMP10, and GTPase1 and their regulatory role in hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy resulting in high mortality. HCC progression is associated with abnormal signal transduction that changes cell signaling pathways and ultimately leads to dysregulation of cell functions and uncontrolled cell proliferation. Present study was undertaken with the objective to identify differentially expressed proteins and quantify their transcript expression in the liver of HCC-bearing rats vis-à-vis controls and to decipher the network involving interaction of genes coding for the characterized proteins to an insight into mechanism of HCC tumorigenesis. 2D-Electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS were used to characterize differentially expressed proteins in DEN (diethylnitrosamine)-induced HCC tissue using the protocol reported by us earlier. Real-time PCR was performed to quantify the expression of transcripts for the identified proteins. GENEMANIA, an interacting network of genes coding for selected proteins, was deciphered that provided the functional role of these proteins in HCC progression. Upregulation of proteins SYNE1, MMP10, and MTG1 was observed. The mRNA quantification revealed elevated expression of their transcripts at HCC initiation, progression, and tumor stages. Network analysis showed the involvement of the genes coding for these proteins in dysregulation of signaling pathways during HCC development. The elevated expression of SYNE1, MMP10, and MTG1 suggests the role of these proteins as potential players in HCC progression and tumorigenesis.

MicroRNAs Involved in Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Target Candidates, Functionality and Efficacy in Animal Models and Prognostic Relevance

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for the second-leading cancer-related death toll worldwide. Although sorafenib and levantinib as frontline therapy and regorafenib, cabazantinib and ramicurimab have now been approved for second-line therapy, the therapeutic benefit is in the range of only a few months with respect to prolongation of survival. Aggressiveness of HCC is mediated by metastasis. Intrahepatic metastases and distant metastasis to the lungs, lymph nodes, bones, omentum, adrenal gland and brain have been observed. Therefore, the identification of metastasis-related new targets and treatment modalities is of paramount importance. In this review, we focus on metastasis-related microRNAs (miRs) as therapeutic targets for HCC. We describe miRs which mediate or repress HCC metastasis in mouse xenograft models. We discuss 18 metastasis-promoting miRs and 35 metastasis-inhibiting miRs according to the criteria as outlined. Six of the metastasis-promoting miRs (miR-29a, -219-5p, -331-3p, 425-5p, -487a and -1247-3p) are associated with unfavourable clinical prognosis. Another set of six down-regulated miRs (miR-101, -129-3p, -137, -149, -503, and -630) correlate with a worse clinical prognosis. We discuss the corresponding metastasis-related targets as well as their potential as therapeutic modalities for treatment of HCC-related metastasis. A subset of up-regulated miRs -29a, -219-5p and -425-5p and down-regulated miRs -129-3p and -630 were evaluated in orthotopic metastasis-related models which are suitable to mimic HCC-related metastasis. Those miRNAs may represent prioritized targets emerging from our survey.

Diosgenin Suppresses Cholangiocarcinoma Cells Via Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest And Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis

Purpose

Diosgenin (DSG) is the precursor of steroid hormones and plays a crucial part in the proliferation of various carcinomas including human colorectal cancer and gastric carcinoma. Nevertheless, its specific features and mechanisms in human cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remain unknown.

Methods

MTS assay, colony-forming assay, and EdU assay were performed to determine the role of DSG on the progression of human CCA cells. The distributions of cell cycle, the ratio of apoptosis, and the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were studied by flow cytometry (FCM). AO/EB and Hoechst 33258 staining were performed to observe the morphological features of cell apoptosis. TEM was performed to observe the ultrastructures of QBC939 and HuCCT1 cells. The mRNA and protein expression of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and GSK3β/β-catenin pathway were further confirmed by qPCR and Western blotting. The xenograft tumor model of HuCCT1 cells was built. Immunohistochemistry of tumor tissues was performed.

Results

Our results indicated that DSG inhibited the progression of six CCA cell lines. In vivo tumor studies also indicated that DSG significantly inhibited tumor growth in xenografts in nude mice. The expression of mitosis-promoting factor cyclinB1 was decreased along with the elevating level of cell cycle inhibitor p21, resulting in arresting CCA cell cycles at G2/M phase. Furthermore, DSG induced apoptosis with the increased expressions of cytosol cytochrome C, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-PARP1 and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Mechanistically, our study showed that GSK3β/β-catenin pathway was involved in the apoptosis of CCA cells. Thus, DSG might provide a new clue for the drug therapy of CCA.

Conclusion

In our data, DSG was found to have efficient antitumor potential of human CCA cells in vitro and in vivo.

O-GlcNAcylated c-Jun antagonizes ferroptosis via inhibiting GSH synthesis in liver cancer

Ferroptosis is a metabolism-related cell death. Stimulating ferroptosis in liver cancer cells is a strategy to treat liver cancer. However, how to eradicate liver cancer cells through ferroptosis and the obstacles to inducing ferroptosis in liver cancer remain unclear. Here, we observed that erastin suppressed the malignant phenotypes of liver cancer cells by inhibiting O-GlcNAcylation of c-Jun and further inhibited protein expression, transcription activity and nuclear accumulation of c-Jun. Overexpression of c-Jun-WT with simultaneous PuGNAc treatment conversely inhibited erastin-induced ferroptosis, whereas overexpression of c-Jun-WT alone or overexpression of c-Jun-S73A (a non-O-GlcNAcylated form of c-Jun) with PuGNAc treatment did not exert a similar effect. GSH downregulation induced by erastin was restored by overexpression of c-Jun-WT with simultaneous PuGNAc treatment. In addition, overexpression of c-Jun-WT, but not its S73A mutant, induced PSAT1 and CBS transcription via directly binding to their promoter regions, suggesting that GSH synthesis is regulated by O-GlcNAcylated c-Jun. A positive correlation between c-Jun O-GlcNAcylation and GSH was observed in clinical samples. Collectively, O-GlcNAcylated c-Jun represents an obstructive factor to ferroptosis, and targeting O-GlcNAcylated c-Jun might be helpful for treating liver cancer.

Lipid nanoparticles that deliver IL-12 messenger RNA suppress tumorigenesis in MYC oncogene-driven hepatocellular carcinoma

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy because of its ability to activate a number of host immune subsets that recognize and destroy cancer cells. We found that human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with higher than median levels of IL-12 have significantly favorable clinical outcomes. Here, we report that a messenger RNA (mRNA) lipid nanoparticle delivering IL-12 (IL-12-LNP) slows down the progression of MYC oncogene-driven HCC. IL-12-LNP was well distributed within the HCC tumor and was not associated with significant animal toxicity. Treatment with IL-12-LNP significantly reduced liver tumor burden measured by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and increased survival of MYC-induced HCC transgenic mice in comparison to control mice. Importantly, IL-12-LNP exhibited no effect on transgenic MYC levels confirming that its therapeutic efficacy was not related to the downregulation of a driver oncogene. IL-12-LNP elicited marked infiltration of activated CD44⁺ CD3⁺ CD4⁺ T helper cells into the tumor, and increased the production of Interferon γ (IFNγ). Collectively, our findings suggest that IL-12-LNP administration may be an effective immunotherapy against HCC.

Oncogene c-fos and mutant R175H p53 regulate expression of Nucleophosmin implicating cancer manifestation

Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a nucleolar protein that is frequently overexpressed in various types of solid tumors. NPM1 is involved in several cellular processes that might contribute significantly to the increased proliferation potential of cancers. Previous reports suggest that NPM1 expression is highly increased in response to mitogenic and oncogenic signals, the mechanisms of which have not been elucidated extensively. Using constructs incorporating different fragments of the NPM1 promoter upstream to a Luciferase reporter gene, we have identified the minimal promoter of NPM1 and candidate transcription factors regulating NPM1 promoter activity by luciferase reporter assays. We have validated the roles of a few candidate factors at the transcriptional and protein level by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry, and explored the mechanism of regulation of NPM1 expression using immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. We show here that the expression of NPM1 is regulated by transcription factor c-fos, a protein that is strongly activated by growth factor signals. In addition, mutant p53 (R175H) overexpression also enhances NPM1 expression possibly through c-myc and c-fos. Moreover, both c-fos and mutant p53 are overexpressed in oral tumor tissues that showed NPM1 overexpression. Collectively, our results suggest that c-fos and mutant p53 R175H positively regulate NPM1 expression, possibly in synergism, that might lead to oncogenic manifestation.

Low expression of c-Myc protein predicts poor outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after resection

Background

Embryonic Liver Fodrin (ELF) is an adaptor protein of transforming growth factor (TGF-β) signaling cascade. Disruption of ELF results in mislocalization of Smad3 and Smad4, leading to compromised TGF-β signaling. c-Myc is an important oncogenic transcription factor, and the disruption of TGF-β signaling promotes c-Myc-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carcinogenesis. However, the prognostic significance of c-Myc in HCC is less understood

Methods

The expression of c-Myc protein and mRNA were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qRT- PCR, respectively. IHC was performed to detect TGF-β1 and ELF expression in HCC tissues. Their relationship with clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were examined.

Results

The expression of c-Myc protein and mRNA in HCC tissues were significantly higher in HCC area than those in normal liver tissues. However, the expression were low compared with those adjacent to HCC area. c-Myc protein was independently predictive of DFS and OS, and it was negatively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.031), tumor number (P = 0.038), and recurrence (P = 0.001). Low c-Myc expression was associated with short-term recurrence and poor prognosis. The predictive value of c-Myc combined with TGF-β1 or/and ELF was higher than that of any other single marker. Low c-Myc, high TGF-β1 or/and low ELF expression was associated with the worst DFS and OS.

Conclusions

Low expression of c-Myc protein predicts poor outcomes in patients with HCC with hepatectomy. The combination of the expression of c-Myc, TGF-β1, and ELF can be used to accurately predict outcomes of patients with HCC.

SERS Quantification and Characterization of Proteins and Other Biomolecules

Changes in protein expression levels and protein structure may indicate genomic mutations and may be related to some diseases. Therefore, the precise quantification and characterization of proteins can be used for disease diagnosis. Compared with several other alternative methods, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is regarded as an excellent choice for the quantification and structural characterization of proteins. Herein, we review the main advance of using plasmonic nanostructures as SERS sensing platform for this purpose. Three design approaches, including direct SERS, indirect SERS, and SERS-encoded nanoparticles, are discussed in the direction of developing new precise approaches of quantification and characterization of proteins. While this Review is focused on proteins, in order to highlight concepts of SERS-based sensors also detection of other biomolecules will be discussed.

Targeting activator protein 1 signaling pathway by bioactive natural agents: Possible therapeutic strategy for cancer prevention and intervention

Activator protein 1 (AP-1) is a key transcription factor in the control of several cellular processes responsible for cell survival proliferation and differentiation. Dysfunctional AP-1 expression and activity are involved in several severe diseases, especially inflammatory disorders and cancer. Therefore, targeting AP-1 has recently emerged as an attractive therapeutic strategy for cancer prevention and therapy. This review summarizes our current understanding of AP-1 biology and function as well as explores and discusses several natural bioactive compounds modulating AP-1-associated signaling pathways for cancer prevention and intervention. Current limitations, challenges, and future directions of research are also critically discussed.

Effects of gene knockdown of CNP on ventricular remodeling after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through NPRB/Cgmp signaling pathway in rats

This study aimed to explore effects of CNP on ventricular remodeling following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury through the NPRB/cGMP signaling pathway. Rat cardiomyocytes were assigned into: control, I/R, I/R + CNP, and I/R + 8-Br-cGMP groups. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting were used to detect cGMP content and expression, respectively. After model establishment of I/R rats, normal control, CNP^-/- control, I/R, and CNP^-/- groups were set. Indexes of heart were detected using echocardiography and hemodynamics. ELISA was used to measure serum CNP, cGMP, LDH, cTn I, CK-MB, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. Myocardial infarct was identified by TTC staining, and apoptosis conditions by TUNEL staining. QRT-PCR and Western blotting were adopted to detect expressions of CNP, NPRB, cGMP, and apoptosis-related genes. Compared with control group, cGMP contents and expression in the I/R, I/R + CNP and I/R + 8-Br-cGMP groups were decreased. Levels of LVEDV, LVESV, LVDS, LVDD, IVSD, LVM, LVEDP, and LVSP were higher in the I/R, CNP^-/- control, and CNP^-/- groups than normal control group while LVEF, SV, CO, and ±dp/dtmax were lower. Compared with the normal control group, LDH, cTn I, CK-MB, TNF-α, and IL-6 were higher in the I/R, CNP^-/- control and CNP^-/- groups; pathological changes and myocardial infarction were observed in the I/R, CNP^-/- control, and CNP^-/- groups; expressions of apoptosis-related genes in those groups were higher; while CNP, NPRB, cGMP, and Bcl-2 expressions were decreased. We came to the conclusion that gene knockdown of CNP blocks the NPRB/cGMP signaling pathway, thereby aggravating myocardial I/R injury and causing ventricular remodeling in rats.

Hepatocellular adenoma in a European flatfish (Limanda limanda): Genetic alterations in laser-capture micro-dissected tissue and global transcriptomic approach

Liver tumours in flatfish have been diagnosed using histopathology for decades to monitor the impacts of marine pollution. Here we describe the application of specific gene (retinoblastoma, Rb) profiling in laser capture micro-dissected samples, and a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach to isolate differentially expressed genes in hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) samples from dab, Limanda limanda. The Rb profiles from apparently normal and HCA micro-dissected samples of fish from the North Sea showed no significant difference, and genotypic heterogeneity within defined histological phenotypes was observed. In the SSH, sequences associated with cell signalling, cell cycle, gene expression regulation, protein transport and protein degradation were isolated. These included up-regulation of arrestin domain containing 3 (arrdc3), Rac-1 and tribbles, and down-regulation of ankyrin repeat/sterile alpha-motif domain-containing protein 1B-like (ANKS1B-like), c-fos, CDKN1B and RhoA-like sequences, previously implicated in mammalian HCA. This study offers new candidates involved in fish liver tumour development.

The essential role of YAP O-GlcNAcylation in high-glucose-stimulated liver tumorigenesis

O-GlcNAcylation has been implicated in the tumorigenesis of various tissue origins, but its function in liver tumorigenesis is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that O-GlcNAcylation can enhance the expression, stability and function of Yes-associated protein (YAP), the downstream transcriptional regulator of the Hippo pathway and a potent oncogenic factor in liver cancer. O-GlcNAcylation induces transformative phenotypes of liver cancer cells in a YAP-dependent manner. An O-GlcNAc site of YAP was identified at Thr241, and mutating this site decreased the O-GlcNAcylation, stability, and pro-tumorigenic capacities of YAP, while increasing YAP phosphorylation. Importantly, we found via in vitro cell-based and in vivo mouse model experiments that O-GlcNAcylation of YAP was required for high-glucose-induced liver tumorigenesis. Interestingly, a positive feedback between YAP and global cellular O-GlcNAcylation is also uncovered. We conclude that YAP O-GlcNAcylation is a potential therapeutic intervention point for treating liver cancer associated with high blood glucose levels and possibly diabetes.

Yap is a transcriptional factor involved in tumorigenesis. Here the authors show that a previously unknown post-translational modification of Yap, O-GlcNAcylation, increases its transcriptional activity and is required for high glucose-induced liver cancer development.

Liver carcinogenesis by FOS-dependent inflammation and cholesterol dysregulation

Hepatocellular cancers arise in a background of liver damage and inflammation. Bakiri et al. describe the function of the transcription factor c-Fos/AP-1 using mouse models and human data. c-Fos affects cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and induces DNA damage and inflammation, thus promoting liver cancer.

Human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), which arise on a background of chronic liver damage and inflammation, express c-Fos, a component of the AP-1 transcription factor. Using mouse models, we show that hepatocyte-specific deletion of c-Fos protects against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCCs, whereas liver-specific c-Fos expression leads to reversible premalignant hepatocyte transformation and enhanced DEN-carcinogenesis. c-Fos–expressing livers display necrotic foci, immune cell infiltration, and altered hepatocyte morphology. Furthermore, increased proliferation, dedifferentiation, activation of the DNA damage response, and gene signatures of aggressive HCCs are observed. Mechanistically, c-Fos decreases expression and activity of the nuclear receptor LXRα, leading to increased hepatic cholesterol and accumulation of toxic oxysterols and bile acids. The phenotypic consequences of c-Fos expression are partially ameliorated by the anti-inflammatory drug sulindac and largely prevented by statin treatment. An inverse correlation between c-FOS and the LXRα pathway was also observed in human HCC cell lines and datasets. These findings provide a novel link between chronic inflammation and metabolic pathways important in liver cancer.

Dietary restriction protects against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular tumorigenesis by restoring the disturbed gene expression profile

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal and prevalent malignancies, worse still, there are very limited therapeutic measures with poor clinical outcomes. Dietary restriction (DR) has been known to inhibit spontaneous and induced tumors in several species, but the mechanisms are little known. In the current study, by using a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC mice model, we found that DR significantly reduced the hepatic tumor number and size, delayed tumor development, suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Further transcriptome sequencing of liver tissues from the DEN and the DEN accompanied with DR (DEN+DR) mice showed that DEN induced profound changes in the gene expression profile, especially in cancer-related pathways while DR treatment reversed most of the disturbed gene expression induced by DEN. Finally, transcription factor enrichment analysis uncovered the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (SP1) probably functioned as the main regulator of gene changes, orchestrating the protective effects of DR on DEN induced HCC. Taken together, by the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis, we elucidate that DR protects aginst DEN-induced HCC by restoring the disturbed gene expression profile, which holds the promise to provide effective molecular targets for cancer therapies.

Myosin phosphatase and RhoA-activated kinase modulate arginine methylation by the regulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Myosin phosphatase (MP) holoenzyme is a protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) type Ser/Thr specific enzyme that consists of a PP1 catalytic (PP1c) and a myosin phosphatase target subunit-1 (MYPT1). MYPT1 is an ubiquitously expressed isoform and it targets PP1c to its substrates. We identified the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) enzyme of the methylosome complex as a MYPT1-binding protein uncovering the nuclear MYPT1-interactome of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. It is shown that PRMT5 is regulated by phosphorylation at Thr80 by RhoA-associated protein kinase and MP. Silencing of MYPT1 increased the level of the PRMT5-specific symmetric dimethylation on arginine residues of histone 2 A/4, a repressing gene expression mark, and it resulted in a global change in the expression of genes affecting cellular processes like growth, proliferation and cell death, also affecting the expression of the retinoblastoma protein and c-Myc. The phosphorylation of the MP inhibitory MYPT1^T850 and the regulatory PRMT5^T80 residues as well as the symmetric dimethylation of H2A/4 were elevated in human hepatocellular carcinoma and in other types of cancers. These changes correlated positively with the grade and state of the tumors. Our results suggest the tumor suppressor role of MP via inhibition of PRMT5 thereby regulating gene expression through histone arginine dimethylation.

The Differential Immunohistochemical Expression of p53, c-Jun, c-Myc, and p21 Between HCV-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma With and Without Cirrhosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes 70.48% of all liver tumors among Egyptians with multifactorial etiology and complex pathogenesis. HCV infection is the most common risk factor of HCC in Egypt, which commonly develops on top of cirrhosis (HCC-C); however, 15% to 20% of HCC are reported to arise in noncirrhotic livers (HCC-NC). This study aimed to explore the differences in the immunohistochemical expression of p53, c-Jun, c-Myc, and p21 between HCC-C and HCC-NC to verify the underlying molecular pathways and to study their role in hepatocarcinogenesis. This study investigated 103 cases of HCC (86 cases of HCC-C and 17 cases HCC-NC including tumorous and nontumorous tissues) together with 10 cases of chronic hepatitis and 10 cases of pure cirrhosis as control groups. Zero, 100%, 100%, and 50% of chronic hepatitis cases were positive for p53, c-Jun, c-Myc, and p21, respectively. All cirrhotic cases were negative for p53 and c-Jun, whereas they were all positive for c-Myc and p21. A total of 41%, 11.65%, 86.4%, and 57.3% of HCC cases showed p53, c-Jun, c-Myc, and p21 expression, respectively. The only difference between HCC-C and HCC-NC was the H-score values of p21 expression, which were higher in HCC-C compared with HCC-NC (P=0.03). HCV-related HCC commonly develops on top of cirrhosis with a minority develops on top of noncirrhotic liver. Only p21 pathway appears to be upregulated in favor of HCC-C than HCC-NC. p53 is considered as a late-event molecular carcinogen, whereas p21 and c-Myc may serve as early-event molecular carcinogen in HCC. The oncogenic role of p21 may be related to its cytoplasmic localization and its promotion of c-Myc expression. Progressive increase in the intensity of c-Myc expression from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis to HCC may refer to its role as a multistep regulator of hepatocarcinogenesis. The marked reduction of c-Jun in HCC may refer to its tumor suppressor activity.

Silica nanoparticles induce endoplasmic reticulum stress response and activate mitogen activated kinase (MAPK) signalling

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Effects of silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) were investigated in Huh7 cells.

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SiO₂-NPs induced ER stress response and activated MAPK pathway.

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SiO₂-NPs induced inflammatory reaction by induction of TNF-α.

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Activation of MAPK may lead to activation of AP-1 complex.

Humans may be exposed to engineered silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) but potential adverse effects are poorly understood, in particular in relation to cellular effects and modes of action. Here we studied effects of SiO₂-NPs on cellular function in human hepatoma cells (Huh7). Exposure for 24 h to 10 and 50 μg/ml SiO₂-NPs led to induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as demonstrated by transcriptional induction of DNAJB9, GADD34, CHOP, as well as CHOP target genes BIM, CHAC-1, NOXA and PUMA. In addition, CHOP protein was induced. In addition, SiO₂-NPs induced an inflammatory response as demonstrated by induction of TNF-α and IL-8. Activation of MAPK signalling was investigated employing a PCR array upon exposure of Huh7 cells to SiO₂-NPs. Five of 84 analysed genes, including P21, P19, CFOS, CJUN and KSR1 exhibited significant transcriptional up-regulation, and 18 genes a significant down-regulation. Strongest down-regulation occurred for the proto-oncogene BRAF, MAPK11, one of the four p38 MAPK genes, and for NFATC4. Strong induction of CFOS, CJUN, FRA1 and CMYC was found after exposure to 50 μg/ml SiO₂-NPs for 24 h. To analyse for effects derived from up-regulation of TNF-α, Huh7 cells were exposed to SiO₂-NPs in the presence of the TNF-α inhibitor sauchinone, which reduced the induction of the TNF-α transcript by about 50%. These data demonstrate that SiO₂-NPs induce ER stress, MAPK pathway and lead to inflammatory reaction in human hepatoma cells. Health implications of SiO₂-NPs exposure should further be investigated for a risk assessment of these frequently used nanoparticles.

Association of long noncoding RNA and c-JUN expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs) have emerged as key elements in modulating gene expression in different biological contexts.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used quantitative real-time PCR (Qpcr) to evaluate the expression of lncRNA-UCA1 and C-JUN in serum of 70 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 32 patients chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 38 healthy subjects and their correlation with different clinicopathological factors.

RESULTS

The expression of lncRNA-UCA1 and C-JUN was positive in 91.4%HCC patients with strong discriminating power between HCC and healthy subjects and CHC patients as well. The median follow up period was 29 months. The survival analysis showed that both lncRNA-UCA1 and C-JUN were independent prognostic factors. Of note, we identified C-JUN expression changes consistent with the lncRNA-UCA1 target regulation.

CONCLUSION

This information sheds light on the possible role of lncRNA-UCA1 and C-JUN mRNA as promising diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as potential therapeutic targets in HCC.

Glucose induced activation of canonical Wnt signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma is regulated by DKK4

Elevated glycemic index, an important feature of diabetes is implicated in an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this association are relatively less explored. Present study investigates the effect of hyperglycemia over HCC proliferation. We observed that high glucose culture condition (HG) specifically activates canonical Wnt signaling in HCC cells, which is mediated by suppression of DKK4 (a Wnt antagonist) expression and enhanced β-catenin level. Functional assays demonstrated that a normoglycemic culture condition (NG) maintains constitutive expression of DKK4, which controls HCC proliferation rate by suppressing canonical Wnt signaling pathway. HG diminishes DKK4 expression leading to loss of check at G0/G1/S phases of the cell cycle thereby enhancing HCC proliferation, in a β-catenin dependent manner. Interestingly, in NOD/SCID mice supplemented with high glucose, HepG2 xenografted tumors grew rapidly in which elevated levels of β-catenin, c-Myc and decreased levels of DKK4 were detected. Knockdown of DKK4 by shRNA promotes proliferation of HCC cells in NG, which is suppressed by treating cells exogenously with recombinant DKK4 protein. Our in vitro and in vivo results indicate an important functional role of DKK4 in glucose facilitated HCC proliferation.

Gender Differences in Response to Prolonged Every-Other-Day Feeding on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Hepatocytes in Mice

Intermittent fasting decreases glucose and insulin levels and increases insulin sensitivity and lifespan. Decreased food intake influences the liver. Previous studies have shown gender differences in response to various types of caloric restriction, including every-other-day (EOD) feeding, in humans and rodents. Our goal was to show the influence of prolonged EOD feeding on the morphology, proliferation and apoptosis of livers from male and female mice. After nine months of an EOD diet, the livers from male and female mice were collected. We examined their morphology on histological slides using the Hematoxilin and Eosine (H_E) method and Hoechst staining of cell nuclei to evaluate the nuclear area of hepatocytes. We also evaluated the expression of mRNA for proto-oncogens, pro-survival proteins and apoptotic markers using Real Time Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR). We noted increased lipid content in the livers of EOD fed female mice. EOD feeding lead to a decrease of proliferation and apoptosis in the livers of female and male mice, which suggest that tissue maintenance occurred during EOD feeding. Our experiment revealed sex-specific expression of mRNA for proto-oncogenes and pro-survival and pro-apoptotic genes in mice as well as sex-specific responses to the EOD treatment.

MiR-449a suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by multiple targets

Background

Increasing evidence indicates that Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). MiR-449a is a liver abundant miRNA. However, the role of miR-449a in the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown.

Methods

The expression levels of miR-449a were first examined in HCC cell lines and tumour tissues by real-time PCR. The in vitro and in vivo functional effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-449a were examined further.

Results

In the present study, we found that miR-449a was significantly decreased in HCC cells and tissues, especially in those with the portal vein tumor thrombus. In HCC cell lines, stable overexpression of miR-449a was sufficient to inhibit cell motility in vitro, and pulmonary metastasis in vivo. In addition, ectopic overexpression of miR-449a in HCC cells promoted the expression of epithelial markers and reduced the levels of mesenchymal markers. Further studies revealed that the reintroduction of miR-449a attenuated the downstream signaling of Met, and consequently reduced the accumulation of Snail in cell nucleus by targeting the 3’-untranslated regions (3’-UTR) of FOS and Met.

Conclusions

Our data highlight an important role of miR-449a in the molecular etiology of HCC, and implicate the potential application of miR-449a in cancer therapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1738-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

MAPK signaling triggers transcriptional induction of cFOS during amino acid limitation of HepG2 cells

Amino acid (AA) deprivation in mammalian cells activates a collection of signaling cascades known as the AA response (AAR), which is characterized by transcriptional induction of stress-related genes, including FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog (cFOS). The present study established that the signaling mechanism underlying the AA-dependent transcriptional regulation of the cFOS gene in HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells is independent of the classic GCN2-eIF2-ATF4 pathway. Instead, a RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK cascade mediates AAR signaling to the cFOS gene. Increased cFOS transcription is observed from 4-24 h after AAR-activation, exhibiting little or no overlap with the rapid and transient increase triggered by the well-known serum response. Furthermore, serum is not required for the AA-responsiveness of the cFOS gene and no phosphorylation of promoter-bound serum response factor (SRF) is observed. The ERK-phosphorylated transcription factor E-twenty six-like (p-ELK1) is increased in its association with the cFOS promoter after activation of the AAR. This research identified cFOS as a target of the AAR and further highlights the importance of AA-responsive MAPK signaling in HepG2 cells.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies miR-221 as a core regulator in hepatocellular carcinoma and its silencing suppresses tumor properties

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignancy; however, there is a lack of effective targeted therapies. We and others have found that miR-221 is one of the most consistently overexpressed miRNAs in liver cancer. However, the roles of miR-221 in hepatocellular carcinogenesis are still not fully elucidated. In the present study, we used bioinformatics tools, gain- and loss-of-function methods to determine the roles of miR-221 in HCC. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-221 is a core miRNA which targets a large number of HCC-related genes and has formed many feed-forward regulatory loops combining transcription factors (TFs) to regulate HCC-related genes. Inhibition of miR-221 in liver cancer cells decreased cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration/invasion and also induced G1 arrest and apoptosis. In addition, we demonstrated that miR-221 bound directly to the 3'-untranslated region of BMF, BBC3 and ANGPTL2, and inhibited the expression of BMF, BBC3 and ANGPTL2. In a mouse model, lentivirus‑mediated miR-221 silencing could significantly suppress the growth of hepatoma xenografts in nude mice. In conclusion, we showed that miR-221 is a critical modulator in the HCC signaling pathway, and miR-221 silencing inhibits liver cancer malignant properties in vitro and in vivo, which may benefit the treatment for patients with unresectable HCC.