The altered lipidome of hepatocellular carcinoma

A novel in-depth "static- dynamic" lipidomics workflow to reveal lipids reprogramming in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, and with current treatments proving less effective, there is an urgent need for specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Lipid metabolism reprogramming is a crucial cancer hallmark, yet comprehensive studies on lipid metabolic fluxes remain limited. In this study, combined with non-targeted lipidomics, a comprehensive workflow for stable isotope tracing lipidomics was established to analyze changes in lipid levels of HepG2 cells and LO2 cells from both static and dynamic perspectives. Through the screening of differential metabolites and the enrichment analysis of lipid metabolic pathways, the most significant differential metabolic pathways were found. Finally, the TCGA and CPTAC databases were utilized to analyze the gene expression levels and protein expression levels of pivotal enzymes in the differential metabolic pathways, and these findings were verified by Western Blotting experiments. The results demonstrated that the lipid metabolism of HCC was disordered, and the metabolic pathways that caused lipid changes in HCC were mainly glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid signaling pathway. LPCAT1 and SMPD1 played a crucial role in the reprogramming of lipid metabolism in HCC. The established "static-dynamic" lipidomics workflow improves the coverage and accuracy of dynamic lipid monitoring, elucidating the roles of lipids in physiological and pathological processes, providing tools for studying lipid function, and offering new perspectives on the pathogenesis of HCC as well as the identification of drug targets.

Establishment of MS LOC platform and its pilot application in clinical lipidomics

Lipidomics has demonstrated significant potential for disease diagnosis and prediction. The development and optimization of a robust mass spectrometry (MS) platform for lipidome analysis is critically important, as it can facilitate biomarker discovery, cohort testing, and performance evaluation in clinical lipidomics studies. In this work, we developed a high-throughput and reliable platform, termed MS Lab on a Chip (MS LOC), which integrates the MetArray chip, an automated lipidomics pretreatment protocol, and the reflectron matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) instrument. The MetArray chip, produced through a mass production process, exhibited exceptional stability as an MS substrate. The integration of automated lipid pretreatment and MS detection processes ensures high throughput, stability and efficiency during sample preparation. The analysis of various lipid standards and different types of biological samples enabled comprehensive investigation of lipid features and annotation using the MS LOC. Furthermore, a small cohort study, consisting of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-HCC groups, was conducted on this platform, providing preliminary validation of its performance and suggesting that this platform offers a comprehensive protocol for clinical lipidomics testing.

FASN promotes lipid metabolism and progression in colorectal cancer via the SP1/PLA2G4B axis

Abnormal metabolic reprogramming is essential for tumorigenesis, metastasis, and the regulation of immune responses. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key enzyme in lipid metabolism, plays a crucial role in these processes. However, the relationship between FASN-mediated lipid reprogramming and the immune response in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. The present study demonstrated that FASN expression is elevated in CRC tissues and is significantly associated with poor prognosis. Functional experiments revealed that FASN promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and phosphatidylcholine (PC) production in CRC cells. Additionally, in vivo experiments revealed that FASN knockdown significantly inhibits tumor growth and the spread of CRC cells to the lungs. Mechanistically, FASN, which is upregulated in CRC tissues, drives cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and PC metabolism through the SP1/PLA2G4B axis, subsequently suppressing the antitumor response of natural killer (NK) cells in a PC-dependent manner. These findings provide new insights into lipid metabolism and the immunobiology of CRC, suggesting potential targets for the treatment and prevention of CRC. Schematic diagram showing the mechanism by which FASN promotes cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and PC metabolism in CRC via the SP1/PLA2G4B axis, subsequently suppressing the antitumor response of NK cells in a PC-dependent manner. FFA free fatty acid, LPA lysophosphatidic acid, PA phosphatidate, DAG diglyceride, PC phosphatidylcholine, LPC lysophosphatidylcholine, CE cholesterol ester, TAG triacylglycerol.

Alleviation effect of macrophage depletion on hepatotoxicity of triptolide: A new insight based on metabolomics and proteomics

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Triptolide (TP) is an abietane-type diterpenoid isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F, which is used to relieve rheumatism, alleviate joint pain and swelling, and promote blood circulation for more than 600 years in China. The most common preparations containing TP from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, which are Tripterygium tablets and Tripterygium glycoside tablets, are widely used in clinical for treating rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases at present. However, the clinical application is hindered by severe systemic toxicity induced by TP, especially hepatotoxicity. It is crucial to discover potent and specific detoxification strategy for TP.

AIM OF STUDY

According to our previous study, TP-induced hepatotoxicity is primarily related to macrophages. This study aimed to investigate the alleviation effects of macrophage depletion on the TP-induced liver injury in mice and to explore the related mechanisms by integration of metabolomics and proteomics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were treated with clodronate liposomes to deplete macrophage before administration of triptolide. The alleviation effects were evaluated by biochemical analysis of serum and histopathology observation of the hepatic tissues. Metabolomics and proteomics were carried out to explore the mechanism of macrophage depletion on triptolide-induced liver injury. The levels of mRNA and protein of TLR4- MyD88-NF-κB axis were further detected.

RESULTS

The altered levels of biochemistry indicators, including aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB), and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) were significantly recovered, and histopathological liver injury also showed restoring tendency in mice with macrophage depletion compared to mice with TP-treatment. The inflammation indicator interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were recovered significantly after depletion of macrophage. Results of metabolomics and proteomics demonstrated that macrophage depletion exerted protective effects on triptolide-induced liver injury by regulating 85 metabolites and 202 proteins. Joint analysis of multi-omics data suggested macrophage depletion could regulate lipid metabolism and maintain inflammatory homeostasis. The increased expression of NF-κB, TLR4, and MyD88 were decreased after depletion of macrophage.

CONCLUSION

TP-induced hepatotoxicity is mainly associated with dysfunction of macrophages and imbalance of inflammatory homeostasis. The findings of this study may help facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Understanding the physiological mechanisms and therapeutic targets of diseases: Lipidomics strategies

As a pivotal branch of metabolomics, lipidomics studies global changes in lipid metabolism under different physiological and pathological conditions or drug interventions, discovers key lipid markers, and elaborates the associated lipid metabolism network. There are a considerable number of lipids in the host, which act on various functional networks such as metabolism and immune regulation. As an indispensable research method, lipidomics plays a key character in the analysis of lipid composition in organisms, the elaboration of the physiological mechanism of lipids, and the decoding of their character in the occurrence and development of diseases by exploring the character of lipids in the host environmental network. As an essential means of driving lipidomics research, High-throughput and High-resolution mass spectrometry is helpful in exploring disease phenotypic characteristics, diagnosing disease biomarkers, regulating related metabolic pathways, and discovering related active components. In this paper, we discuss the specific role of lipidomics in the analysis of disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, which is conducive to the realization of accurate and personalized medicine.

Mass spectrometry-based multi-omics analysis reveals distinct molecular features in early and advanced stages of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a serious primary solid tumor that is prevalent worldwide. Due to its high mortality rate, it is crucial to explore both early diagnosis and advanced treatment for HCC. In recent years, multi-omics approaches have emerged as promising tools to identify biomarkers and investigate molecular mechanisms of biological processes and diseases. In this study, we performed proteomics, phosphoproteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics to reveal the molecular features of early- and advanced-stage HCC. The data obtained from these omics were analyzed separately and then integrated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disease. The multi-omics results unveiled intricate biological pathways and interaction networks underlying the initiation and progression of HCC. Moreover, we proposed specific potential biomarker panels for both early- and advanced-stage HCC by overlapping our data with CPTAC database for HCC diagnosis, and deduced novel insights and mechanisms related to HCC origination and development, such as glucose depletion during tumor progression, ROCK1 deactivation and GSK3A activation.

Glycerophospholipid-driven lipid metabolic reprogramming as a common key mechanism in the progression of human primary hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma

Metabolic reprogramming, a key mechanism regulating the growth and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), still lacks effective clinical strategies for its integration into the precise screening of primary liver cancer. This study utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to conduct a comprehensive, non-targeted metabolomics analysis, revealing significant upregulation of lipid metabolites such as phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine in patients with HCC and CCA, particularly within the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway. Hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated marked upregulation of phospholipase A2 in tumor tissues, further emphasizing the potential of lipid metabolism as a therapeutic target and its important part in the course of cancer. This work provides a new viewpoint for addressing the clinical challenges associated with HCC and CCA, laying the groundwork for the broad application of early diagnosis and personalized treatment strategies, and ultimately aiming to provide tailored and precise therapeutic options for patients.

The significance of lipid metabolism reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma

In the intricate landscape of the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) emerge as a ubiquitous cellular component that profoundly affects the oncogenic process. The microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a pronounced infiltration of TAMs, underscoring their pivotal role in modulating the trajectory of the disease. Amidst the evolving therapeutic paradigms for HCC, the strategic reprogramming of metabolic pathways presents a promising avenue for intervention, garnering escalating interest within the scientific community. Previous investigations have predominantly focused on elucidating the mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells without paying sufficient attention to understanding how TAM metabolic reprogramming, particularly lipid metabolism, affects the progression of HCC. In this review article, we intend to elucidate how TAMs exert their regulatory effects via diverse pathways such as E2F1-E2F2-CPT2, LKB1-AMPK, and mTORC1-SREBP, and discuss correlations of TAMs with these processes and the characteristics of relevant pathways in HCC progression by consolidating various studies on TAM lipid uptake, storage, synthesis, and catabolism. It is our hope that our summary could delineate the impact of specific mechanisms underlying TAM lipid metabolic reprogramming on HCC progression and provide useful information for future research on HCC and the development of new treatment strategies.

Crosstalk between Epigenetics and Metabolic Reprogramming in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A New Sight

Epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming alterations are two important features of tumors, and their reversible, spatial, and temporal regulation is a distinctive hallmark of carcinogenesis. Epigenetics, which focuses on gene regulatory mechanisms beyond the DNA sequence, is a new entry point for tumor therapy. Moreover, metabolic reprogramming drives hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation and progression, highlighting the significance of metabolism in this disease. Exploring the inter-regulatory relationship between tumor metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modification has become one of the hot directions in current tumor metabolism research. As viral etiologies have given way to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-induced HCC, it is urgent that complex molecular pathways linking them and hepatocarcinogenesis be explored. However, how aberrant crosstalk between epigenetic modifications and metabolic reprogramming affects MASLD-induced HCC lacks comprehensive understanding. A better understanding of their linkages is necessary and urgent to improve HCC treatment strategies. For this reason, this review examines the interwoven landscape of molecular carcinogenesis in the context of MASLD-induced HCC, focusing on mechanisms regulating aberrant epigenetic alterations and metabolic reprogramming in the development of MASLD-induced HCC and interactions between them while also updating the current advances in metabolism and epigenetic modification-based therapeutic drugs in HCC.

The switch triggering the invasion process: Lipid metabolism in the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

In humans, the liver is a central metabolic organ with a complex and unique histological microenvironment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, accounts for most cases of primary liver cancer. As an emerging hallmark of cancers, metabolic reprogramming acts as a runaway mechanism that disrupts homeostasis of the affected organs, including the liver. Specifically, rewiring of the liver metabolic microenvironment, including lipid metabolism, is driven by HCC cells, propelling the phenotypes of HCC cells, including dissemination, invasion, and even metastasis in return. The resulting formation of this vicious loop facilitates various malignant behaviors of HCC further. However, few articles have comprehensively summarized lipid reprogramming in HCC metastasis. Here, we have reviewed the general situation of the liver microenvironment and the physiological lipid metabolism in the liver, and highlighted the effects of different aspects of lipid metabolism on HCC metastasis to explore the underlying mechanisms. In addition, we have recapitulated promising therapeutic strategies targeting lipid metabolism and the effects of lipid metabolic reprogramming on the efficacy of HCC systematical therapy, aiming to offer new perspectives for targeted therapy.

Adaptations of membrane trafficking in cancer and tumorigenesis

Membrane trafficking, a fundamental cellular process encompassing the transport of molecules to specific organelles, endocytosis at the plasma membrane and protein secretion, is crucial for cellular homeostasis and signalling. Cancer cells adapt membrane trafficking to enhance their survival and metabolism, and understanding these adaptations is vital for improving patient responses to therapy and identifying therapeutic targets. In this Review, we provide a concise overview of major membrane trafficking pathways and detail adaptations in these pathways, including COPII-dependent endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi vesicle trafficking, COPI-dependent retrograde Golgi-to-ER trafficking and endocytosis, that have been found in cancer. We explore how these adaptations confer growth advantages or resistance to cell death and conclude by discussing the potential for utilising this knowledge in developing new treatment strategies and overcoming drug resistance for cancer patients.

AFB1 Triggers Lipid Metabolism Disorders through the PI3K/Akt Pathway and Mediates Apoptosis Leading to Hepatotoxicity

As the most prevalent mycotoxin in agricultural products, aflatoxin B1 not only causes significant economic losses but also poses a substantial threat to human and animal health. AFB1 has been shown to increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but the underlying mechanism is not thoroughly researched. Here, we explored the toxicity mechanism of AFB1 on human hepatocytes following low-dose exposure based on transcriptomics and lipidomics. Apoptosis-related pathways were significantly upregulated after AFB1 exposure in all three hES-Hep, HepaRG, and HepG2 hepatogenic cell lines. By conducting a comparative analysis with the TCGA-LIHC database, four biomarkers (MTCH1, PPM1D, TP53I3, and UBC) shared by AFB1 and HCC were identified (hazard ratio > 1), which can be used to monitor the degree of AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity. Simultaneously, AFB1 induced abnormal metabolism of glycerolipids, sphingolipids, and glycerophospholipids in HepG2 cells (FDR < 0.05, impact > 0.1). Furthermore, combined analysis revealed strong regulatory effects between PIK3R1 and sphingolipids (correlation coefficient > 0.9), suggesting potential mediation by the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) /protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway within mitochondria. This study revealed the dysregulation of lipid metabolism induced by AFB1 and found novel target genes associated with AFB-induced HCC development, providing reliable evidence for elucidating the hepatotoxicity of AFB as well as assessing food safety risks.

Integrated plasma metabolomics and lipidomics profiling highlights distinctive signature of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV patients

BACKGROUND

Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is essential towards the improvement of prognosis and patient survival. Circulating markers such as α-fetoprotein (AFP) and micro-RNAs represent useful tools but still have limitations. Identifying new markers can be fundamental to improve both diagnosis and prognosis. In this approach, we harness the potential of metabolomics and lipidomics to uncover potential signatures of HCC.

METHODS

A combined untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics plasma profiling of 102 HCV-positive patients was performed by HILIC and RP-UHPLC coupled to Mass Spectrometry. Biochemical parameters of liver function (AST, ALT, GGT) and liver cancer biomarkers (AFP, CA19.9 e CEA) were evaluated by standard assays.

RESULTS

HCC was characterized by an elevation of short and long-chain acylcarnitines, asymmetric dimethylarginine, methylguanine, isoleucylproline and a global reduction of lysophosphatidylcholines. A supervised PLS-DA model showed that the predictive accuracy for HCC class of metabolomics and lipidomics was superior to AFP for the test set (100.00% and 94.40% vs 55.00%). Additionally, the model was applied to HCC patients with AFP values < 20 ng/mL, and, by using only the top 20 variables selected by VIP scores achieved an Area Under Curve (AUC) performance of 0.94.

CONCLUSION

These exploratory findings highlight how metabo-lipidomics enables the distinction of HCC from chronic HCV conditions. The identified biomarkers have high diagnostic potential and could represent a viable tool to support and assist in HCC diagnosis, including AFP-negative patients.

miR-21-5p promotes NASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The mechanisms governing the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) towards steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. Here, we evaluated the role of hsa-miRNA-21-5p in NASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

METHODS

Hepatic hsa-miR-21-5p expression was evaluated in two cohorts of patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (n = 199) or HCC (n = 366 HCC and n = 11 NAFLD-HCC). Serum/liver metabolomic profiles were correlated with hsa-miR-21-5p in NAFLD obese patients. Wild-type (WT) and Mir21 KO mice were fed a choline-deficient, amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet for 32 and 66 weeks to induce NASH and NASH-HCC, respectively.

RESULTS

In obese individuals, hsa-miR-21-5p expression increased with NAFLD severity and associated with a hepatic lipotoxic profile. CDAA-fed WT mice displayed increased hepatic mmu-miR-21-5p levels and progressively developed NASH and fibrosis, with livers presenting macroscopically discernible pre-neoplastic nodules, hyperplastic foci and deregulated cancer-related pathways. Mir21 KO mice exhibited peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) activation, augmented mitochondrial activity, reduced liver injury and NAS below the threshold for NASH diagnosis, with the pro-inflammatory/fibrogenic milieu reversing to baseline levels. In parallel, Mir21 KO mice displayed reduced number of pre-neoplastic nodules, hepatocyte proliferation and activation of oncogenic signalling, being protected from NASH-associated carcinogenesis. The hsa-miRNA-21-5p/PPARα pathway was similarly deregulated in patients with HCC- or NASH-related HCC, correlating with HCC markers and worse prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Hsa-miR-21-5p is a key inducer of whole-spectrum NAFLD progression, from simple steatosis to NASH and NASH-associated carcinogenesis. The inhibition of hsa-miR-21-5p, leading to a pro-metabolic profile, might constitute an appealing therapeutic approach to ameliorate NASH and prevent progression towards HCC.

Multi-omics integrated analyzed the origin of intrahepatic mucinous cholangiocarcinoma: a case report

Intrahepatic mucinous cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC) is a rare subtype of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). Limited data describe the genetic characteristics of IMCC and insights on its pathogenesis are lacking. Here, we employed a multi-omics approach to analyze somatic mutations, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome of tumor tissue obtained from a case of IMCC in order to clarify the pathogenesis of IMCC. A total of 54 somatic mutations were detected, including a G12D mutation in KRAS that is likely to be involved in the onset of IMCC. The genes consistently up-regulated at the transcription level and in the proteome were enriched for mucin and mucopolysaccharide biosynthesis, for cell cycle functions and for inflammatory signaling pathways. The consistently down-regulated genes were enriched in bile synthesis and fatty acid metabolism pathways. Further multi-omics analysis found that mucin synthesis by MUC4 and MUC16 was elevated by up-regulated expression of mesothelin (MSLN). Moreover, transcription factor ONECUT3 was identified that possibly activates the transcription of mucin and mucopolysaccharide biosynthesis in IMCC.

Anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor AT7519

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancerous tumors and one of the leading causes of death among cancer-related disorders. Chemotherapy is ineffective in HCC patients, and the number of drugs that are in use is limited. Thus, new molecules are needed that could increase the effectiveness of anti-HCC regimens. Here, we show that AT7519, a CDK inhibitor, exerts positive effects on HCC cells: it inhibits proliferation, migration and clonogenicity. Detailed analysis of the transcriptomes of cells treated with this compound indicated that AT7519 affects a substantial portion of genes that are associated with HCC development and progression. Moreover, we showed that the concomitant use of AT7519 with gefitinib or cabozantinib sensitized HCC cells to these drugs. Thus, our research indicates that AT7519 is worth considering in monotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients or in combination with other drugs, e.g., gefitinib or cabozantinib.

Applying Lipidomics to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Clinical Perspective

The prevalence of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and associated complications, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is growing worldwide, due to the epidemics of metabolic risk factors, such as obesity and type II diabetes. Among other factors, an aberrant lipid metabolism represents a crucial step in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the development of HCC in this population. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the application of translational lipidomics in NAFLD patients and NAFLD associated HCC in clinical practice.

Metabolic Reprogramming of HCC: A New Microenvironment for Immune Responses

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver cancer, ranking third among the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide and whose incidence varies according to geographical area and ethnicity. Metabolic rewiring was recently introduced as an emerging hallmark able to affect tumor progression by modulating cancer cell behavior and immune responses. This review focuses on the recent studies examining HCC's metabolic traits, with particular reference to the alterations of glucose, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism, the three major metabolic changes that have gained attention in the field of HCC. After delivering a panoramic picture of the peculiar immune landscape of HCC, this review will also discuss how the metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer cells can affect, directly or indirectly, the microenvironment and the function of the different immune cell populations, eventually favoring the tumor escape from immunosurveillance.

Emerging role of aging in the progression of NAFLD to HCC

With the aging of global population, the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has surged in recent decades. NAFLD is a multifactorial disease that follows a progressive course, ranging from simple fatty liver, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is well established that aging induces pathological changes in liver and potentiates the occurrence and progression of NAFLD, HCC and other age-related liver diseases. Studies of senescent cells also indicate a pivotal engagement in the development of NAFLD via diverse mechanisms. Moreover, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), silence information regulator protein family (sirtuins), and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) are three vital and broadly studied targets involved in aging process and NAFLD. Nevertheless, the crucial role of these aging-associated factors in aging-related NAFLD remains underestimated. Here, we reviewed the current research on the roles of aging, cellular senescence and three aging-related factors in the evolution of NAFLD to HCC, aiming at inspiring promising therapeutic targets for aging-related NAFLD and its progression.

Development of a Bile Acid-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common diseases that threaten millions of lives annually. Evidence supports that bile acid (BA) affects HCC through inflammation, DNA damage, or other mechanisms.

Methods

A total of 127 BA-associated genes were analyzed in HCC tumor and nontumor samples using The Cancer Genome Atlas data. Genes correlated to the prognosis of patients with HCC were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Furthermore, a prediction model with identified genes was constructed to evaluate the risk of patients with HCC for prognosis.

Results

Out of 26 genes with differential expressions between the HCC and nontumor samples, 19 and 7 genes showed upregulated and downregulated expressions, respectively. Three genes, NPC1, ABCC1, and SLC51B, were extrapolated to construct a prediction model for the prognosis of patients with HCC.

Conclusion

The three-gene prediction model was more reliable than the pathological staging characters of the tumor for the prognosis and survival of patients with HCC. In addition, the upregulated genes facilitating the transport of BAs are associated with poor prognosis of patients with HCC, and genes of de novo synthesis of BAs benefit patients with HCC.