Cyclin E1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 are critical for initiation, but not for progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

Knockdown of CCNB2 inhibits the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer by regulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway

Gastric cancer (GC) constitutes a malignant neoplasm with elevated mortality and dismal prognosis, featuring insidious early manifestation, a propensity for recurrence and metastasis, and drug resistance. Hence, there is an exigency to explore novel therapeutic tactics for GC. The expression of Cyclin B2 (CCNB2) is augmented in a multiplicity of human malignancies, nevertheless, investigations into the correlation between CCNB2 and GC are scarce. Our study reveal that CCNB2 is highly expressed in human GC tissues and significantly correlates with unfavorable survival prognoses in GC patients. Functional gain and loss assays demonstrated that CCNB2 can potentiate the proliferation and migration of GC cells both in vitro and in vivo, while its overexpression facilitates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of GC cells. The outcomes of RNA sequencing imply that CCNB2 is implicated in the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, overexpression of RHBDL2 can countervail the inhibition of the EMT process and the PI3K/AKT signaling mediated by CCNB2 in GC cells. Thus, targeting this newly identified pathway might constitute a prospective therapeutic strategy for GC.

Better Transcriptomic Stability and Broader Transcriptomic Thermal Response Range Drive the Greater Thermal Tolerance in a Global Invasive Turtle Relative to Native Turtle

Greater thermal tolerance of invasive species benefits their survival and spread under extreme climate events, especially under global warming. Revealing the mechanisms underlying the interspecific differences in thermal tolerance between invasive and native species can help understand the invasion process and predict potential invaders. Here, we link the changes in global transcriptomics and antioxidant defense at multiple temperatures with the differences in thermal limits in the juveniles of a successful globally invasive turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans, and a native turtle in China, Mauremys reevesii. The two species show different thermal tolerances and have co-existed in habitats with the risk of overheating. The majority of the transcriptional response to thermal stress is conserved in the two turtle species, including protein folding or DNA damage responses activated under relatively moderate thermal stress and regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis during severe thermal stress. Greater thermal tolerance of T. scripta elegans can be associated with a more stable global transcriptome during thermal stress, except for necessary stress responses, and a broader thermal range of continuous up-regulation of the core mechanisms promoting survival under thermal stress, mainly protein folding and negative regulation of apoptosis. Under extreme hot conditions, the opposite change trends of genes involved in survival mechanisms during thermal stress between invasive and native turtles can be due to differences in energy turnover. The present study provides insights into the mechanisms of physiological differences between invasive and native species given global transcriptional changes and helps understand successful invasion and predict potential invasive species.

Adaptive survival strategies of rumen microbiota with solid diet deficiency in early life cause epithelial mitochondrial dysfunction

With extreme nutritional substrate deficiency, the adaptive responses of the gastrointestinal microbiota and host metabolism are largely unknown. Here, we successfully established a microbial substrate deficiency model in the rumen without solid diet introduction in neonatal lambs. In the absence of solid diet, we observed a reduction in the Simpson Index of rumen bacteria, along with a marked decline in the abundance of keystone microorganisms such as Prevotella, Selenomonas, Megasphaera, and Succiniclasticum, indicating a simplified microbial interaction network. Additionally, more urea and NH3-N production facilitated microbial efficient nitrogen utilization to prioritize ammonia as a nitrogen source for survival, reallocating energy to overcome nutritional limitations and sustain their viability. In addition, enriched archaea (Methanosarcina, Methanomicrobium, Methanobrevibacter, and Methanobacterium) promoted hydrogen removal and the growth of nitrogen-producing microorganisms (Pecoramyces, Piromyces, Caecomyces, and Orpinomyces). It also reinforced the glutamate-glutamine pathway, as evidenced by the higher expression of glnA, GLUL, gdhA, and ureAB, suggesting enhanced internal cycling of nitrogen for microbial survival. This selfish microbial survival strategy deprived the host of adequate volatile fatty acids for energy metabolism, resulting in the downregulation of rumen epithelial cell cycle proteins (CCNB1, CCNE), abnormal mitochondrial morphology, and reduced mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid copy number and adenosine triphosphate production. Overall, these findings revealed the adaptive survival strategies of rumen microbiota with solid diet deficiency in early life, which caused alterations in epithelial cell mitochondrial function.

Pan-cancer analysis identifies the oncogenic role of CCNE1 in human cancers

OBJECTIVE

To investigate expression, prognosis, immune cell infiltration of Cyclin E1 (CCNE1) in cancer.

METHODS

We used TIMER and GEPIA datasets to analyze the differential expression of CCNE1 in multiple tumors. GEPIA and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases were utilized to observe the prognostic significance of CCNE1 in cancer. TIMER and cBioPortal databases were adopted for the analysis regarding immune infiltration and mutation respectively.

RESULTS

The results showed that CCNE1 was highly expressed in multiple cancers including BLCA, BRCA, CHOL, COAD, ESCA, HNSC, KICH, KIRC, KIRP, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, READ, STAD, THCA, UCEC (P < 0.001) and CESC (P < 0.01). High CCNE1 expression was associated with a poor overall survival prognosis in several cancers, including ACC, BRCA, KIRC, KIRP, LGG, LIHC, LUAD and MESO. Additionally, CCNE1 expression was correlated with the cancer-associated immune infiltration level in BRCA, COAD, LUSC, STAD and THYM.

CONCLUSIONS

CCNE1 is expected to be a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis and immune infiltration in various cancers.

Integrating molecular, biochemical, and immunohistochemical features as predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma drug response using machine-learning algorithms

Introduction

Liver cancer, particularly Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remains a significant global health concern due to its high prevalence and heterogeneous nature. Despite the existence of approved drugs for HCC treatment, the scarcity of predictive biomarkers limits their effective utilization. Integrating diverse data types to revolutionize drug response prediction, ultimately enabling personalized HCC management.

Method

In this study, we developed multiple supervised machine learning models to predict treatment response. These models utilized classifiers such as logistic regression (LR), k-nearest neighbors (kNN), neural networks (NN), support vector machines (SVM), and random forests (RF) using a comprehensive set of molecular, biochemical, and immunohistochemical features as targets of three drugs: Pantoprazole, Cyanidin 3-glycoside (Cyan), and Hesperidin. A set of performance metrics for the complete and reduced models were reported including accuracy, precision, recall (sensitivity), specificity, and the Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC).

Results and Discussion

Notably, (NN) achieved the best prediction accuracy where the combined model using molecular and biochemical features exhibited exceptional predictive power, achieving solid accuracy of 0.9693 ∓ 0.0105 and average area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.94 ∓ 0.06 coming from three cross-validation iterations. Also, found seven molecular features, seven biochemical features, and one immunohistochemistry feature as promising biomarkers of treatment response. This comprehensive method has the potential to significantly advance personalized HCC therapy by allowing for more precise drug response estimation and assisting in the identification of effective treatment strategies.

Evolution and diversity of the hepatitis B virus genome: Clinical implications

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant global health burden. The genetic variation of HBV is complex. HBV can be divided into nine genotypes, which show significant differences in geographical distribution, clinical manifestations, transmission routes and treatment response. In recent years, substantial progress has been made through various research methods in understanding the development, pathogenesis, and antiviral treatment response of clinical disease associated with HBV genetic variants. This progress provides important theoretical support for a deeper understanding of the natural history of HBV infection, virus detection, drug treatment, vaccine development, mother-to-child transmission, and surveillance management. This review summarizes the mechanisms of HBV diversity, discusses methods used to detect viral diversity in current studies, and the impact of viral genome variation during infection on the development of clinical disease.

Inhibitors and PROTACs of CDK2: challenges and opportunities

INTRODUCTION

Abundant evidence suggests that the overexpression of CDK2-cyclin A/E complex disrupts normal cell cycle regulation, leading to uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. Thus, CDK2 has become a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In recent years, insights into the structures of the CDK2 catalytic site and allosteric pockets have provided notable opportunities for developing more effective clinical candidates of CDK2 inhibitors.

AREA COVERED

This article reviews the latest CDK2 inhibitors that have entered clinical trials and discusses the design and discovery of the most promising new preclinical CDK2 inhibitors in recent years. Additionally, it summarizes the development of allosteric CDK2 inhibitors and CDK2-targeting PROTACs. The review encompasses strategies for inhibitor and PROTAC design, structure-activity relationships, as well as in vitro and in vivo biological assessments.

EXPERT OPINION

Despite considerable effort, no CDK2 inhibitor has yet received FDA approval for marketing due to poor selectivity and observed toxicity in clinical settings. Future research must prioritize the optimization of the selectivity, potency, and pharmacokinetics of CDK2 inhibitors and PROTACs. Moreover, exploring combination therapies incorporating CDK2 inhibitors with other targeted agents, or the design of multi-target inhibitors, presents significant promise for advancing cancer treatment strategies.

Study of sex-biased differences in genomic profiles in East Asian hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a notable sex disparity in incidence and tumor aggressiveness. Revealing differences in genetic landscapes between male and female HCCs may expand the understanding of sexual disparities mechanisms and assist the development of precision medicine. Although reports on the sex disparity of HCC are accumulated, studies focusing on sex-related biomarkers among Asian populations remain limited. Here, we conducted a comprehensive genomic profiling analysis to explore differences between male and female patients within a cohort of 195 Taiwanese HCC patients. We did not detect any sex-biased genomic alterations. However, when our investigation extended to the TCGA dataset, we found higher frequencies of gene copy gains in CCNE2 and mutations in CTNNB1 and TP53 among male patients. Besides, we further evaluated the associations between genomic alterations and patients' prognosis by sex. The results showed that female patients harboring tumors with STAT3 gain and alterations in the JAK-STAT pathway displayed a poor prognosis. These two factors remained independently associated with unfavorable prognosis even after adjusting for the patient's age and stage characteristics (Hazard ratio = 10.434, 95% CI 3.331-32.677, P < 0.001; Hazard ratio = 2.547, 95% CI 1.195-5.432, P = 0.016, respectively). In summary, this study provides valuable insights into understanding sex disparity in HCC in the East Asian population. Validation through larger cohorts and extensive sequencing efforts is warranted.

The Role of Z Chromosome Localization Gene psmd9 in Spermatogenesis of Cynoglossus semilaevis

Proteasome 26S Subunit, Non-ATPase 9 (psmd9) plays an important role in the balance of protamine and the stability of the nucleolar structure during spermatogenesis. In this study, we cloned the psmd9 of Cynoglossus semilaevis and analyzed its expression pattern. psmd9 was identified on the Z chromosome of C. semilaevis, which is considered an interesting candidate gene for spermatogenesis. qRT-PCR and FISH experiments showed that the psmd9 gene was significantly highly expressed in the testes. It is worth noting that the expression level of psmd9 in male fish testes is significantly higher than that in pseudomales. In order to further explore the role of psmd9 in spermatogenesis, a male testicular cell line was used as the experimental material. The results of the psmd9-RNAi and overexpression experiments showed that psmd9 had a synergistic effect with spermatogenesis-related genes dnd1, cfap69, dnah3 and dnajb13, but had an antagonistic effect with ccne2. Our findings offer a scientific foundation for comprehending the role of psmd9 in the spermatogenesis regulatory network of C. semilaevis.

Quantifying Landscape-Flux via Single-Cell Transcriptomics Uncovers the Underlying Mechanism of Cell Cycle

Recent developments in single-cell sequencing technology enable the acquisition of entire transcriptome data. Understanding the underlying mechanism and identifying the driving force of transcriptional regulation governing cell function directly from these data remains challenging. This study reconstructs a continuous vector field of the cell cycle based on discrete single-cell RNA velocity to quantify the single-cell global nonequilibrium dynamic landscape-flux. It reveals that large fluctuations disrupt the global landscape and genetic perturbations alter landscape-flux, thus identifying key genes in maintaining cell cycle dynamics and predicting associated functional effects. Additionally, it quantifies the fundamental energy cost of the cell cycle initiation and unveils that sustaining the cell cycle requires curl flux and dissipation to maintain the oscillatory phase coherence. This study enables the inference of the cell cycle gene regulatory networks directly from the single-cell transcriptomic data, including the feedback mechanisms and interaction intensity. This provides a golden opportunity to experimentally verify the landscape-flux theory and also obtain its associated quantifications. It also offers a unique framework for combining the landscape-flux theory and single-cell high-through sequencing experiments for understanding the underlying mechanisms of the cell cycle and can be extended to other nonequilibrium biological processes, such as differentiation development and disease pathogenesis.

Predictive three-biomarker panel in peripheral blood mononuclear cells for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers and accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. This disease, marked by multifaceted etiology, often poses diagnostic challenges. Finding a reliable and non-invasive diagnostic method seems to be necessary. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of 20 HCC patients, 12 individuals with chronic hepatitis, and 15 healthy controls. Enrichment analysis revealed that platelet aggregation, secretory granule lumen, and G-protein-coupled purinergic nucleotide receptor activity were common biological processes, cellular components, and molecular function in HCC and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) compared to healthy controls, respectively. Furthermore, pathway analysis demonstrated that "estrogen response" was involved in the pathogenesis of HCC and CHB conditions, while, "apoptosis" and "coagulation" pathways were specific for HCC. Employing computational feature selection and logistic regression classification, we identified candidate genes pivotal for diagnostic panel development and evaluated the performance of these panels. Subsequent machine learning evaluations assessed these panels' performance in an independent cohort. Remarkably, a 3-marker panel, comprising RANSE2, TNF-α, and MAP3K7, demonstrated the best performance in qRT-PCR-validated experimental data, achieving 98.4% accuracy and an area under the curve of 1. Our findings highlight this panel's promising potential as a non-invasive approach not only for detecting HCC but also for distinguishing HCC from CHB patients.

SL-Miner: a web server for mining evidence and prioritization of cancer-specific synthetic lethality

SUMMARY

Synthetic lethality (SL) refers to a type of genetic interaction in which the simultaneous inactivation of two genes leads to cell death, while the inactivation of a single gene does not affect cell viability. It significantly expands the range of potential therapeutic targets for anti-cancer treatments. SL interactions are primarily identified through experimental screening and computational prediction. Although various computational methods have been proposed, they tend to ignore providing evidence to support their predictions of SL. Besides, they are rarely user-friendly for biologists who likely have limited programming skills. Moreover, the genetic context specificity of SL interactions is often not taken into consideration. Here, we introduce a web server called SL-Miner, which is designed to mine the evidence of SL relationships between a primary gene and a few candidate SL partner genes in a specific type of cancer, and to prioritize these candidate genes by integrating various types of evidence. For intuitive data visualization, SL-Miner provides a range of charts (e.g. volcano plot and box plot) to help users get insights from the data.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

SL-Miner is available at https://slminer.sist.shanghaitech.edu.cn.

Discovery of Tetrahydropyrazolopyrazine Derivatives as Potent and Selective MYT1 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer

Breast and gynecological cancers are among the leading causes of death in women worldwide, illustrating the urgent need for innovative treatment options. We identified MYT1 as a promising new therapeutic target for breast and gynecological cancer using PandaOmics, an AI-driven target discovery platform. The synthetic lethal relationship of MYT1 in tumor cell lines with CCNE1 amplification enhanced this rationale. Through structure-based drug design, we developed a series of novel, potent, and highly selective inhibitors specifically targeting MYT1. Importantly, our lead compound, featuring a tetrahydropyrazolopyrazine ring, exhibits remarkable selectivity over WEE1, a related kinase associated with bone marrow suppression upon inhibition. Optimization of potency and physical properties resulted in the discovery of compound 21, a novel MYT1 inhibitor, exhibiting optimal pharmacokinetic properties and promising in vivo antitumor efficacy.

Clinical Implication of E2F Transcription Factor 1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissues

Background: To date, the clinical management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients remains challenging and the mechanisms of E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) underlying HCC are obscure. Materials and Methods: Our study integrated datasets mined from several public databases to comprehensively understand the deregulated expression status of E2F1. Tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry staining was used to validate E2F1 expression level. The prognostic value of E2F1 was assessed. In-depth subgroup analyses were implemented to compare the differentially expressed levels of E2F1 in HCC patients with various tumor stages. Functional enrichments were used to address the predominant targets of E2F1 and shedding light on their potential roles in HCC. Results: We confirmed the elevated expression of E2F1 in HCC. Subgroup analyses indicated that elevated E2F1 level was independent of various stages in HCC. E2F1 possessed moderate discriminatory capability in differentiating HCC patients from non-HCC controls. Elevated E2F1 correlated with Asian race, tumor classification, neoplasm histologic grade, eastern cancer oncology group, and plasma AFP levels. Furthermore, high E2F1 correlated with poor survival condition and pooled HR signified E2F1 as a risk factor for HCC. Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes, coexpressed genes, and putative targets of E2F1 emphasized the importance of cell cycle pathway, where CCNE1 and CCNA2 served as hub genes. Conclusions: We confirmed the upregulation of E2F1 and explored the prognostic value of E2F1 in HCC patients. Two putative targeted genes (CCNE1 and CCNA2) of E2F1 were identified for their potential roles in regulating cell cycle and promote antiapoptotic activity in HCC patients.

Discovery of Selective Tertiary Amide Inhibitors of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 (CDK2)

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are key regulators of the cell cycle and are frequently altered in cancer cells, thereby leading to uncontrolled proliferation. In this context, CDK2 has emerged as an appealing target for anticancer drug development. Herein, we describe the discovery of a series of selective small molecule inhibitors of CDK2 beginning with historical compounds from our ERK2 program (e.g., compound 6). Structure-based drug design led to the potent and selective tool compound 32, where excellent selectivity against ERK2 and CDK4 was achieved by filling the lipophilic DFG-1 pocket and targeting interactions with CDK2-specific lower hinge binding residues, respectively. Compound 32 demonstrated 112% tumor growth inhibition in mice bearing OVCAR3 tumors with 50 mg/kg bis in die (BID) oral dosing.

Expression of Cyclin E1 in hepatic stellate cells is critical for the induction and progression of liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in mice

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most severe malignancies with increasing incidence and limited treatment options. Typically, HCC develops during a multistep process involving chronic liver inflammation and liver fibrosis. The latter is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix produced by Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs). This process involves cell cycle re-entry and proliferation of normally quiescent HSCs in an ordered sequence that is highly regulated by cyclins and associated cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) such as the Cyclin E1 (CCNE1)/CDK2 kinase complex. In the present study, we examined the role of Cyclin E1 (Ccne1) and Cdk2 genes in HSCs for liver fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis. To this end, we generated conditional knockout mice lacking Ccne1 or Cdk2 specifically in HSCs (Ccne1∆HSC or Cdk2∆HSC). Ccne1∆HSC mice showed significantly reduced liver fibrosis formation and attenuated HSC activation in the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) model. In a combined model of fibrosis-driven hepatocarcinogenesis, Ccne1∆HSC mice revealed decreased HSC activation even after long-term observation and substantially reduced tumor load in the liver when compared to wild-type controls. Importantly, the deletion of Cdk2 in HSCs also resulted in attenuated liver fibrosis after chronic CCl4 treatment. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that only a small fraction of HSCs expressed Ccne1/Cdk2 at a distinct time point after CCl4 treatment. In summary, we provide evidence that Ccne1 expression in a small population of HSCs is sufficient to trigger extensive liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis in a Cdk2-dependent manner. Thus, HSC-specific targeting of Ccne1 or Cdk2 in patients with liver fibrosis and high risk for HCC development could be therapeutically beneficial.

Berberine targets KIF20A and CCNE2 to inhibit the progression of nonsmall cell lung cancer via the PI3K/AKT pathway

BACKGROUND

Nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the main type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85%. Berberine (BBR), a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, has been reported to exhibit a potential antitumor effect in various cancers. In this research, we explored the function of BBR and its underlying mechanisms in the development of NSCLC.

METHODS

Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation assays, flow cytometry, and transwell invasion assay were employed to determine cell growth, the apoptotic rate, cell invasion of NSCLC cells, respectively. Western blot was applied for detecting the protein expression of c-Myc, matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9), kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A), cyclin E2 (CCNE2), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway-related proteins. Glycolysis was evaluated by detecting glucose consumption, lactate production, and adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate (ATP/ADP) ratio with the matched kits. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was conducted to analyze the level of KIF20A and CCNE2. Tumor model was established to evaluate the function of BBR on tumor growth in NSCLC in vivo. In addition, immunohistochemistry assay was employed to detect the level of KIF20A, CCNE2, c-Myc, and MMP9 in mice tissues.

RESULTS

BBR exhibited suppressive effects on the progression of NSCLC, as evidenced by inhibiting cell growth, invasion, glycolysis, and facilitating cell apoptosis in H1299 and A549 cells. KIF20A and CCNE2 were upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. Moreover, BBR treatment significantly decreased the expression of KIF20A and CCNE2. KIF20A or CCNE2 downregulation could repress cell proliferation, invasion, glycolysis, and induce cell apoptosis in both H1299 and A549 cells. The inhibition effects of BBR treatment on cell proliferation, invasion, glycolysis, and promotion effect on cell apoptosis were rescued by KIF20A or CCNE2 overexpression in NSCLC cells. The inactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway caused by BBR treatment in H1299 and A549 cells was restored by KIF20A or CCNE2 upregulation. In vivo experiments also demonstrated that BBR treatment could repress tumor growth by regulating KIF20A and CCNE2 and inactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway.

CONCLUSION

BBR treatment showed the suppressive impact on the progression of NSCLC by targeting KIF20A and CCNE2, thereby inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

SIRT3-dependent delactylation of cyclin E2 prevents hepatocellular carcinoma growth

Lysine lactylation (Kla) is a recently discovered histone mark derived from metabolic lactate. The NAD+ -dependent deacetylase SIRT3, which can also catalyze removal of the lactyl moiety from lysine, is expressed at low levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has been suggested to be an HCC tumor suppressor. Here we report that SIRT3 can delactylate non-histone proteins and suppress HCC development. Using SILAC-based quantitative proteomics, we identify cyclin E2 (CCNE2) as one of the lactylated substrates of SIRT3 in HCC cells. Furthermore, our crystallographic study elucidates the mechanism of CCNE2 K348la delactylation by SIRT3. Our results further suggest that lactylated CCNE2 promotes HCC cell growth, while SIRT3 activation by Honokiol induces HCC cell apoptosis and prevents HCC outgrowth in vivo by regulating Kla levels of CCNE2. Together, our results establish a physiological function of SIRT3 as a delactylase that is important for suppressing HCC, and our structural data could be useful for the future design of activators.

Lack of Cyclin E1 in hepatocytes aggravates ethanol-induced liver injury and hepatic steatosis in experimental murine model of acute and chronic alcohol-associated liver disease

BACKGROUND

Cyclin E1 is the regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) and one of the central players in cell cycle progression. We recently showed its crucial role for initiation of liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of Cyclin E1 in the development of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

METHODS

Mice with constitutive (E1^-/-), hepatocyte-specific (Cyclin E1^Δhepa), or intestinal-epithelial-cell-specific (Cyclin E1^ΔIEC) inactivation of Cyclin E1 and corresponding wild type littermate controls (WT) were administered either a Lieber-DeCarli ethanol diet (LDE) for 3 weeks or acute ethanol binges (6 g/kg) through oral gavage. Serum parameters of liver functionality were measured; hepatic tissues were collected for biochemical and histological analyses.

RESULTS

The administration of acute EtOH binge and chronic LDE diet to E1^-/- mice enhanced hepatic steatosis, worsened liver damage and triggered body weight loss. Similarly, in the acute EtOH binge model, Cyclin E1^Δhepa mice revealed a significantly worsened liver phenotype. In contrast, inactivation of Cyclin E1 only in intestinal epithelial cell (IECs)did not lead to any significant changes in comparison to WT mice after acute EtOH challenge. Remarkably, both acute and chronic EtOH administration in E1^-/- animals resulted in increased levels of ADH and decreased expression of ALDH1/2. The additional application of a pan-Cdk inhibitor (S-CR8) further promoted liver damage in EtOH-treated WT mice.

CONCLUSION

Our data point to a novel unexpected role of Cyclin E1 in hepatocytes for alcohol metabolism, which seems to be independent of the canonical Cyclin E1/Cdk2 function as a cell cycle regulator.

Prostate Cancer: Advances in Genetic Testing and Clinical Implications

The demand for genetic testing (GT) for prostate cancer (PCa) is expanding, but there is limited knowledge about the genetic counseling (GC) needs of men. A strong-to-moderate inherited genetic predisposition causes approximately 5–20% of prostate cancer (PCa). In men with prostate cancer, germline testing may benefit the patient by informing treatment options, and if a mutation is noticed, it may also guide screening for other cancers and have family implications for cascade genetic testing (testing of close relatives for the same germline mutation). Relatives with the same germline mutations may be eligible for early cancer detection strategies and preventive measures. Cascade family testing can be favorable for family members, but it is currently unutilized, and strategies to overcome obstacles like knowledge deficiency, family communication, lack of access to genetic services, and testing expenses are needed. In this review, we will look at the genetic factors that have been linked to prostate cancer, as well as the role of genetic counseling and testing in the early detection of advanced prostate cancer.

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.

Therapeutic targeting of hepatocellular carcinoma cells with antrocinol, a novel, dual-specificity, small-molecule inhibitor of the KRAS and ERK oncogenic signaling pathways

Until recently, sorafenib has been the only treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Some patients, however, exhibit resistance to this treatment and subsequently experience cancer progression, recurrence, or death. Therefore, identifying a new alternative treatment for patients with little or no response to sorafenib treatment is vital. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential and underlying molecular mechanism of antrocinol ((3aS,4R,6aS,10aR)-4-(hydroxymethyl)-7,7-dimethyldecahydro-1H-naphtho[1,8a-c]furan-1-one) in patients with HCC. The results indicated that antrocinol was more therapeutically effective than antrocin, Stivarga, and sorafenib against HCC cell lines. Antrocinol also substantially suppressed the expression of KRAS-GTP, p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, and p-AKT in the Huh7 cell line. Additionally, antrocinol-induced apoptosis in the Huh7 cell line, inhibited the formation of tumorspheres, and suppressed the expression of cancer stem cell markers CD133, KLF4, CD44, OCT4, SOX2, and c-Myc. Animal studies revealed that antrocinol alone considerably suppressed tumor growth in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice inoculated with Huh7 tumorspheres. It also synergistically enhanced the anticancer effect of sorafenib, resulting in enhanced suppression of tumor growth (p < 0.001) and tumorsphere formation (p < 0.001). In tumor samples resected from mice treated with antrocinol alone or in combination with sorafenib, immunohistochemical analysis revealed an increase in BAX expression and a decrease in ERK and AKT protein expression. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the anti-HCC activity of antrocinol. With its higher therapeutic efficacy than that of sorafenib, antrocinol is a candidate drug for patients with HCC who demonstrate little or no response to sorafenib treatment.

Cell cycle related long non-coding RNAs as the critical regulators of breast cancer progression and metastasis

Cell cycle is one of the main cellular mechanisms involved in tumor progression. Almost all of the active molecular pathways in tumor cells directly or indirectly target the cell cycle progression. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the molecular mechanisms involved in cell cycle regulation in tumor cells. Since, early diagnosis has pivotal role in better cancer management and treatment, it is required to introduce the non-invasive diagnostic markers. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have higher stability in body fluids in comparison with mRNAs. Therefore, they can be used as efficient non-invasive markers for the early detection of breast cancer (BCa). In the present review we have summarized all of the reported lncRNAs involved in cell cycle regulation in BCa. It has been reported that lncRNAs mainly affect the cell cycle in G1/S transition through the CCND1/CDK4-6 complex. Present review paves the way of introducing the cell cycle related lncRNAs as efficient markers for the early detection of BCa.

New roles for AP-1/JUNB in cell cycle control and tumorigenic cell invasion via regulation of cyclin E1 and TGF-β2

BACKGROUND

JUNB transcription factor contributes to the formation of the ubiquitous transcriptional complex AP-1 involved in the control of many physiological and disease-associated functions. The roles of JUNB in the control of cell division and tumorigenic processes are acknowledged but still unclear.

RESULTS

Here, we report the results of combined transcriptomic, genomic, and functional studies showing that JUNB promotes cell cycle progression via induction of cyclin E1 and repression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 genes. We also show that high levels of JUNB switch the response of TGF-β2 stimulation from an antiproliferative to a pro-invasive one, induce endogenous TGF-β2 production by promoting TGF-β2 mRNA translation, and enhance tumor growth and metastasis in mice. Moreover, tumor genomic data indicate that JUNB amplification associates with poor prognosis in breast and ovarian cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal novel functions for JUNB in cell proliferation and tumor aggressiveness through regulation of cyclin E1 and TGF-β2 expression, which might be exploited for cancer prognosis and therapy.

WNK1–OSR1 Signaling Regulates Angiogenesis-Mediated Metastasis towards Developing a Combinatorial Anti-Cancer Strategy

Lysine-deficient protein kinase-1 (WNK1) is critical for both embryonic angiogenesis and tumor-induced angiogenesis. However, the downstream effectors of WNK1 during these processes remain ambiguous. In this study, we identified that oxidative stress responsive 1b (osr1b) is upregulated in endothelial cells in both embryonic and tumor-induced angiogenesis in zebrafish, accompanied by downregulation of protein phosphatase 2A (pp2a) subunit ppp2r1bb. In addition, wnk1a and osr1b are upregulated in two liver cancer transgenic fish models: [tert x p53^−/−] and [HBx,src,p53^−/−,RPIA], while ppp2r1bb is downregulated in [tert x p53^−/−]. Furthermore, using HUVEC endothelial cells co-cultured with HepG2 hepatoma cells, we confirmed that WNK1 plays a critical role in the induction of hepatoma cell migration in both endothelial cells and hepatoma cells. Moreover, overexpression of OSR1 can rescue the reduced cell migration caused by shWNK1 knockdown in HUVEC cells, indicating OSR1 is downstream of WNK1 in endothelial cells promoting hepatoma cell migration. Overexpression of PPP2R1A can rescue the increased cell migration caused by WNK1 overexpression in HepG2, indicating that PPP2R1A is a downstream effector in hepatoma. The combinatorial treatment with WNK1 inhibitor (WNK463) and OSR1 inhibitor (Rafoxanide) plus oligo-fucoidan via oral gavage to feed [HBx,src,p53^−/−,RPIA] transgenic fish exhibits much more significant anticancer efficacy than Regorafenib for advanced HCC. Importantly, oligo-fucoidan can reduce the cell senescence marker-IL-1β expression. Furthermore, oligo-fucoidan reduces the increased cell senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity in tert transgenic fish treated with WNK1-OSR1 inhibitors. Our results reveal the WNK1–OSR1–PPP2R1A axis plays a critical role in both endothelial and hepatoma cells during tumor-induced angiogenesis promoting cancer cell migration. By in vitro and in vivo experiments, we further uncover the molecular mechanisms of WNK1 and its downstream effectors during tumor-induced angiogenesis. Targeting WNK1–OSR1-mediated anti-angiogenesis and anti-cancer activity, the undesired inflammation response caused by inhibiting WNK1–OSR1 can be attenuated by the combination therapy with oligo-fucoidan and may improve the efficacy.

Effects of Sulforaphane-Induced Cell Death upon Repeated Passage of Either P-Glycoprotein-Negative or P-Glycoprotein-Positive L1210 Cell Variants

The expression of the membrane ABCB1 transporter in neoplastic cells is one of the most common causes of reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy. In our previous study, we investigated the effect of a single culture of ABCB1-negative (S) and ABCB1-positive variants of L1210 cells (R and T) in the presence of sulforaphane (SFN). We demonstrated that SFN induces the onset of autophagy more markedly in S cells than in R or T cells. In the current study, we focused on the effect of the repeated culture of S, R and T cells in SFN-containing media. The repeated cultures increased the onset of autophagy compared to the simple culture, mainly in S cells and to a lesser extent in R and T cells, as indicated by changes in the cellular content of 16 and 18 kDa fragments of LC3B protein or changes in the specific staining of cells with monodansylcadaverine. We conclude that SFN affects ABCB1-negative S cells more than ABCB1-positive R and T cells during repeated culturing. Changes in cell sensitivity to SFN appear to be related to the expression of genes for cell-cycle checkpoints, such as cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases.

Discovery of an Orally Bioavailable and Selective PKMYT1 Inhibitor, RP-6306

PKMYT1 is a regulator of CDK1 phosphorylation and is a compelling therapeutic target for the treatment of certain types of DNA damage response cancers due to its established synthetic lethal relationship with CCNE1 amplification. To date, no selective inhibitors have been reported for this kinase that would allow for investigation of the pharmacological role of PKMYT1. To address this need compound 1 was identified as a weak PKMYT1 inhibitor. Introduction of a dimethylphenol increased potency on PKMYT1. These dimethylphenol analogs were found to exist as atropisomers that could be separated and profiled as single enantiomers. Structure-based drug design enabled optimization of cell-based potency. Parallel optimization of ADME properties led to the identification of potent and selective inhibitors of PKMYT1. RP-6306 inhibits CCNE1-amplified tumor cell growth in several preclinical xenograft models. The first-in-class clinical candidate RP-6306 is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials for treatment of various solid tumors.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of phase I cancer patients with CCNE1 amplification: MD Anderson experiences

Cyclin E is frequently encoded by CCNE1 gene amplification in various malignancies. We reviewed the medical records of patients with solid tumors displaying CCNE1 amplification to determine the effect of this amplification for future therapeutic development. We reviewed the medical records of patients with advanced solid tumors harboring CCNE1 amplification who were seen at the phase I clinic between September 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019. Among 79 patients with solid tumors harboring CCNE1 amplification, 56 (71%) received phase 1 clinical trial therapy, 39 (49%) had 3 or more concurrent genomic aberrances, and 52 (66%) had a concurrent TP53 mutation. The median overall survival (OS) after patients’ initial phase I visit was 8.9 months and after their initial metastasis diagnosis was 41.4 months. We identified four factors associated with poor risk: age < 45 years, body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m², presence of the TP53 mutation, and elevated LDH > upper limit of normal. In patients treated with gene aberration-related therapy, anti-angiogenic therapy led to significantly longer OS after their initial phase I trial therapy than those who did not: 26 months versus 7.4 months, respectively (P = 0.04). This study provided preliminary evidence that CCNE1 amplification was associated with frequent TP53 mutation and aggressive clinical outcomes. Survival benefit was observed in patients who received antiangiogenic therapy and gene aberration-related treatment, supporting the future development of a personalized approach to combine gene aberration-related therapy with antiangiogenesis for the treatment of advanced malignancies harboring CCNE1 amplification.

Comprehensive Analysis Identified Mutation-Gene Signature Impacts the Prognosis Through Immune Function in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a life-threatening and refractory malignancy with poor outcome. Genetic mutations are the hallmark of cancer. Thus far, there is no comprehensive prognostic model constructed by mutation-gene transcriptome in HCC. The prognostic value of mutation-gene signature in HCC remains elusive.

Methods

RNA expression profiles and the corresponding clinical information were recruited from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis was employed to establish gene signature. Kaplan–Meier curve and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve were implemented to evaluate the prognostic value. The Wilcoxon test was performed to analyze the expression of immune checkpoint genes, cell cycle genes, and tumor drug resistance genes in different risk groups. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-RCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to validate the mRNA and protein expression between HCC and adjacent nontumorous tissues in an independent cohort.

Results

A prognostic model consisting of five mutated genes was established by LASSO Cox regression analysis. The prognostic model classified patients into high- and low-risk groups. Compared with the low‐risk group, patients in the high‐risk group had significantly worse survival results. The prognostic model can accurately predict the overall survival of HCC patients and predict overall survival more accurately when combined with stage. Furthermore, the immune checkpoint genes, cell cycle genes, and tumor drug resistance genes were higher expressed in the high-risk group compared in the low-risk group. In addition, the expression level of prognostic signature genes was validated in an independent sample cohort, which was consistent with RNA sequencing expression in the TCGA database.

Conclusion

The prediction model of HCC constructed using mutation-related genes is of great significance for clinical decision making and the personalized treatment of patients with HCC.

S-adenosylmethionine inhibits la ribonucleoprotein domain family member 1 in murine liver and human liver cancer cells

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Methionine adenosyltransferase 1A (MAT1A) is responsible for S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) biosynthesis in the liver. Mice lacking Mat1a have hepatic SAMe depletion and develop NASH and HCC spontaneously. Several kinases are activated in Mat1a knockout (KO) mice livers. However, characterizing the phospho-proteome and determining whether they contribute to liver pathology remain open for study. Our study aimed to provide this knowledge.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

We performed phospho-proteomics in Mat1a KO mice livers with and without SAMe treatment to identify SAMe-dependent changes that may contribute to liver pathology. Our studies used Mat1a KO mice at different ages treated with and without SAMe, cell lines, in vitro translation and kinase assays, and human liver specimens. We found that the most striking change was hyperphosphorylation and increased content of La-related protein 1 (LARP1), which, in the unphosphorylated form, negatively regulates translation of 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP)-containing mRNAs. Consistently, multiple TOP proteins are induced in KO livers. Translation of TOP mRNAs ribosomal protein S3 and ribosomal protein L18 was enhanced by LARP1 overexpression in liver cancer cells. We identified LARP1-T449 as a SAMe-sensitive phospho-site of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). Knocking down CDK2 lowered LARP1 phosphorylation and prevented LARP1-overexpression-mediated increase in translation. LARP1-T449 phosphorylation induced global translation, cell growth, migration, invasion, and expression of oncogenic TOP-ribosomal proteins in HCC cells. LARP1 expression is increased in human NASH and HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal a SAMe-sensitive mechanism of LARP1 phosphorylation that may be involved in the progression of NASH to HCC.

A Shortcut from Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) to Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): c-MYC a Promising Target for Preventative Strategies and Individualized Therapy

BACKGROUND

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has risen as one of the leading etiologies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Oncogenes have been suggested to be responsible for the high risk of MAFLD-related HCC. We analyzed the impact of the proto-oncogene c-MYC in the development of human and murine MAFLD and MAFLD-associated HCC.

METHODS

alb-myctg mice were studied at baseline conditions and after administration of Western diet (WD) in comparison to WT littermates. c-MYC expression was analyzed in biopsies of patients with MAFLD and MAFLD-associated HCC by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Mild obesity, spontaneous hyperlipidaemia, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance were characteristic of 36-week-old alb-myctg mice. Middle-aged alb-myctg exhibited liver steatosis and increased triglyceride content. Liver injury and inflammation were associated with elevated ALT, an upregulation of ER-stress response and increased ROS production, collagen deposition and compensatory proliferation. At 52 weeks, 20% of transgenic mice developed HCC. WD feeding exacerbated metabolic abnormalities, steatohepatitis, fibrogenesis and tumor prevalence. Therapeutic use of metformin partly attenuated the spontaneous MAFLD phenotype of alb-myctg mice. Importantly, upregulation and nuclear localization of c-MYC were characteristic of patients with MAFLD and MAFLD-related HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

A novel function of c-MYC in MAFLD progression was identified opening new avenues for preventative strategies.

Cyclin E1 in Murine and Human Liver Cancer: A Promising Target for Therapeutic Intervention during Tumour Progression

Cyclin E1 (CCNE1) is a regulatory subunit of Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and is thought to control the transition of quiescent cells into cell cycle progression. Recently, we identified CCNE1 and CDK2 as key factors for the initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we dissected the contributions of CCNE1 and CDK2 for HCC progression in mice and patients. Therefore, we generated genetically modified mice allowing inducible deletion of Ccne1 or Cdk2. After initiation of HCC, using the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DEN), we deleted Ccne1 or Cdk2 and subsequently analysed HCC progression. The relevance of CCNE1 or CDK2 for human HCC progression was investigated by in silico database analysis. Interventional deletion of Ccne1, but not of Cdk2, substantially reduced the HCC burden in mice. Ccne1-deficient HCCs were characterised by attenuated proliferation, impaired DNA damage response and downregulation of markers for stemness and microinvasion. Additionally, the tumour microenvironment of Ccne1-deficient mice showed a reduction in immune mediators, myeloid cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. In sharp contrast, Cdk2 was dispensable for HCC progression in mice. In agreement with our mouse data, CCNE1 was overexpressed in HCC patients independent of risk factors, and associated with reduced disease-free survival, a common signature for enhanced chromosomal instability, proliferation, dedifferentiation and invasion. However, CDK2 lacked diagnostic or prognostic value in HCC patients. In summary, CCNE1 drives HCC progression in a CDK2-independent manner in mice and man. Therefore, interventional inactivation of CCNE1 represents a promising strategy the treatment of liver cancer.

Potential lncRNA Biomarkers for HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis Revealed by Analysis on Coexpression Network

Background

Increasing evidence demonstrated that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) could affect inflammatory tumor immune microenvironment by modulating gene expression and could be used as a biomarker for HBC-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but still needs further research. The aim of the present study was to determine an lncRNA signature for the diagnosis of HBV-related HCC.

Methods

HBV-related HCC expression profiles (GSE55092, GSE19665, and GSE84402) were abstracted from the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) data resource, and R package limma and RobustRankAggreg were employed to identify common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Using machine learning, optimal diagnostic lncRNA molecular markers for HBV-related HCC were identified. The expression of candidate lncRNAs was cross-validated in GSE121248, and an ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve of lncRNA biomarkers was carried out. Additionally, a coexpression network and functional annotation was built, after which a PPI (protein-protein interaction) network along with module analysis were conducted with the Cytoscape open source software.

Result

A total of 38 DElncRNAs and 543 DEmRNAs were identified with a fold change larger than 2.0 and a P value < 0.05. By machine learning, AL356056.2, AL445524.1, TRIM52-AS1, AC093642.1, EHMT2-AS1, AC003991.1, AC008040.1, LINC00844, and LINC01018 were screened out as optional diagnostic lncRNA biosignatures for HBV-related HCC. The AUC (areas under the curve) of the SVM (support vector machine) model and random forest model were 0.957 and 0.904, respectively, and the specificity and sensitivity were 95.7 and 100% and 94.3 and 86.5%, respectively. The results of functional enrichment analysis showed that the integrated coexpressed DEmRNAs shared common cascades in the p53 signaling pathway, retinol metabolism, PI3K-Akt signaling cascade, and chemical carcinogenesis. The integrated DEmRNA PPI network complex was found to be comprised of 87 nodes, and two vital modules with a high degree were selected with the MCODE app.

Conclusion

The present study identified nine potential diagnostic biomarkers for HBV-related HCC, all of which could potentially modulated gene expression related to inflammatory conditions in the tumor immune microenvironment. The functional annotation of the target DEmRNAs yielded novel evidence in evaluating the precise functions of lncRNA in HBV-related HCC.

Hepatocyte-Specific Deletion of HIF2α Prevents NASH-Related Liver Carcinogenesis by Decreasing Cancer Cell Proliferation

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are involved in chronic liver disease progression. We previously showed that hepatocyte HIF-2α activation contributed significantly to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progression in experimental animals and human patients. In this study, using an appropriate genetic murine model, we mechanistically investigated the involvement of hepatocyte HIF-2α in experimental nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related carcinogenesis.

METHODS

The role of HIF-2α was investigated by morphologic, cellular, and molecular biology approaches in the following: (1) mice carrying hepatocyte-specific deletion of HIF-2α (HIF-2α-/- mice) undergoing a NASH-related protocol of hepatocarcinogenesis; (2) HepG2 cells stably transfected to overexpress HIF-2α; and (3) liver specimens from NASH patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

RESULTS

Mice carrying hepatocyte-specific deletion of HIF-2α (hHIF-2α-/-) showed a significant decrease in the volume and number of liver tumors compared with wild-type littermates. These effects did not involve HIF-1α changes and were associated with a decrease of cell proliferation markers proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki67. In both human and rodent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related tumors, HIF-2α levels were strictly associated with hepatocyte production of SerpinB3, a mediator previously shown to stimulate liver cancer cell proliferation through the Hippo/Yes-associated protein (YAP)/c-Myc pathway. Consistently, we observed positive correlations between the transcripts of HIF-2α, YAP, and c-Myc in individual hepatocellular carcinoma tumor masses, while HIF-2α deletion down-modulated c-Myc and YAP expression without affecting extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and AKT-dependent signaling. In vitro data confirmed that HIF-2α overexpression induced HepG2 cell proliferation through YAP-mediated mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the activation of HIF-2α in hepatocytes has a critical role in liver carcinogenesis during NASH progression, suggesting that HIF-2α-blocking agents may serve as novel putative therapeutic tools.

Expanding control of the tumor cell cycle with a CDK2/4/6 inhibitor

The CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib (PAL), significantly improves progression-free survival in HR⁺/HER2^- breast cancer when combined with anti-hormonals. We sought to discover PAL resistance mechanisms in preclinical models and through analysis of clinical transcriptome specimens, which coalesced on induction of MYC oncogene and Cyclin E/CDK2 activity. We propose that targeting the G₁ kinases CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 with a small-molecule overcomes resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition. We describe the pharmacodynamics and efficacy of PF-06873600 (PF3600), a pyridopyrimidine with potent inhibition of CDK2/4/6 activity and efficacy in multiple in vivo tumor models. Together with the clinical analysis, MYC activity predicts (PF3600) efficacy across multiple cell lineages. Finally, we find that CDK2/4/6 inhibition does not compromise tumor-specific immune checkpoint blockade responses in syngeneic models. We anticipate that (PF3600), currently in phase 1 clinical trials, offers a therapeutic option to cancer patients in whom CDK4/6 inhibition is insufficient to alter disease progression.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000073 Enhances Osteosarcoma Cells Malignant Behavior by Sponging miR-1252-5p and Modulating CCNE2 and MDM2

Objective: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in tumor progression. However, the role of hsa_circ_0000073 in osteosarcoma (OS) is still not fully elucidated.

Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or Western blot was used to detect the gene expression. GeneChip analysis, bioinformatics, luciferase reporter, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were adopted to predict and verify the relationships between genes. Counting Kit-8 Assay, clone formation assay, wound-healing assay, transwell assays, cell cycle assays, and in vivo tumorigenesis were used to evaluate cell function.

Results: hsa_circ_0000073 was highly expressed in OS cell lines and could promote OS progression, including proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle in vitro as well as tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanically, hsa_circ_0000073 could readily downregulate the expression of CCNE2 and MDM2 through miR-1252-5p. Rescue experiments validated miR-1252-5p mimics, or CCNE2/MDM2 short hairpin RNA could reverse the hsa_circ_0000073 overexpressing-induced impairment of malignant tumor behavior.

Conclusion: hsa_circ_0000073 functions as a tumor promoter in OS to increase malignant tumor behavior through sponging miR-1252-5p and regulating CCNE2 and MDM2 expression, which could be a novel target for OS therapy.

Liver-specific over-expression of Cripto-1 in transgenic mice promotes hepatocyte proliferation and deregulated expression of hepatocarcinogenesis-related genes and signaling pathways

In this study, we investigated the role of embryonic gene Cripto-1 (CR-1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using hepatocyte-specific CR-1-overexpressing transgenic mice. The expression of truncated 1.7-kb CR-1 transcript (SF-CR-1) was significantly higher than the full-length 2.0-kb CR-1 transcript (FL-CR-1) in a majority of HCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, CR-1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in HCC tissues than adjacent normal liver tissues. Hepatocyte-specific over-expression of CR-1 in transgenic mice enhanced hepatocyte proliferation after 2/3 partial hepatectomy (2/3 PHx). CR-1 over-expression significantly increased in vivo xenograft tumor growth of HCC cells in nude mice and in vitro HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. CR-1 over-expression in the transgenic mouse livers deregulated HCC-related signaling pathways such as AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, Stat3, MAPK/ERK, JNK, TGF-β and Notch, as well as expression of HCC-related genes such as CD5L, S100A8, S100A9, Timd4, Orm2, Orm3, PDK4, DMBT1, G0S2, Plk2, Plk3, Gsta1 and Gsta2. However, histological signs of precancerous lesions, hepatocyte dysplasia or HCC formation were not observed in the livers of 3-, 6- or 8-month-old hepatocyte-specific CR-1-overexpressing transgenic mice. These findings demonstrate that liver-specific CR-1 overexpression in transgenic mice deregulates signaling pathways and genes associated with HCC.

MYC amplifications are common events in childhood osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma, the most common primary malignant tumour of bone, affects both children and adults. No fundamental biological differences between paediatric and adult osteosarcoma are known. Here, we apply multi-region whole-genome sequencing to an index case of a 4-year-old child whose aggressive tumour harboured high-level, focal amplifications of MYC and CCNE1 connected by translocations. We reanalysed copy number readouts of 258 cases of high-grade osteosarcoma from three different cohorts and identified a significant enrichment of focal MYC, but not CCNE1, amplifications in children. Furthermore, we identified four additional cases of MYC and CCNE1 coamplification, highlighting a rare driver event which warrants further investigation. Our findings indicate that amplification of the MYC oncogene is a major driver of childhood osteosarcoma, while CCNE1 appears recurrently amplified independent of age.

Novel N-bridged pyrazole-1-carbothioamides with potential antiproliferative activity: design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico studies

Thiazole-substituted pyrazole is an important structural feature of many bioactive compounds, including antiviral, antitubercular, analgesic and anticancer agents. Herein we describe an efficient and facile approach for the synthesis of two series of 36 novel N-bridged pyrazole-1-phenylthiazoles. The antiproliferative activity of a set of representative compounds was evaluated in vitro against different human cancer cell lines. Among the identified compounds, compound 18 showed potent anticancer activity against the examined cancer cell lines. The in silico molecular docking study revealed that compound 18 possesses high binding affinity toward both SK1 and CDK2. Overall, these results indicate that compound 18 is a promising lead anticancer compound which may be exploited for development of antiproliferative drugs.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00630 facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression through recruiting transcription factor E2F1 to up-regulate cyclin-dependent kinase 2 expression

This study is aimed to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA 630 (LINC00630) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to examine LINC00630 expression in HCC cell lines and tissues. After LINC00630 was overexpressed or depleted in HCC cell lines, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, BrdU assay, and flow cytometry were conducted for detecting HCC cell multiplication, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression. The catRAPID database was adopted to predict the binding relationship between LINC00630 and E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1), and RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were carried out to verify this binding relationship. The binding of E2F1 to the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) promoter region was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR) assay. Western blotting was conducted to detect the protein expression of E2F1 and CDK2 in HCC cells. We report that LINC00630 expression was up-regulated in HCC and was significantly correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. LINC00630 overexpression facilitated HCC cell proliferation and cell cycle progression and inhibited the cell apoptosis, while LINC00630 knockdown had the opposite effects. LINC00630 directly bounds with E2F1. LINC00630 overexpression enhanced the binding of E2F1 to the CDK2 promoter region, thereby promoting CDK2 transcription, whereas knocking down LINC00630 inhibited CDK2 transcription. Collectively, LINC00630 promoted CDK2 transcription by recruiting E2F1 to the promoter region of CDK2, thereby promoting the malignant progression of HCC. Our data suggest that LINC00630 is a promising molecular target for HCC.

Identification of the molecular targets and mechanisms of compound mylabris capsules for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment through network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional Chinese herbal formulas have been proven to exert an inhibitory effect on tumor. Compound mylabris capsules (CMC) has been used for treating cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), for years in China. However, its therapeutic mechanisms on HCC remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This research aimed to elucidate the molecular targets and mechanisms of CMC for treating HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, the bioactive ingredients and potential targets of CMC, as well as HCC-related targets were retrieved from publicly available databases. Next, the overlapped genes between potential targets of CMC and HCC-related targets were determined using bioinformatics analysis. Then, networks of ingredient-target and gene-pathway were constructed. Finally, cell experiments were carried out to examine the effects of CMC-medicated serum on HCC and validate the core molecular targets.

RESULTS

In total, 151 bioactive ingredients and 255 potential targets of CMC were selected, 982 differentially expressed genes of HCC were identified. Among them, 34 overlapped genes were finally selected. In addition, 20 pathways and 429 GO terms were significantly enriched. Protein-protein interaction and gene-pathway networks indicated that Cyclin B1(CCNB1) and Cyclin Dependent Kinase 1(CDK1) were the core gene targets for the treatment of CMC on HCC. Moreover, in vitro studies showed that CMC-medicated serum significantly inhibited the viability of HepG2 cells. Furthermore, CMC downregulated CCNB1 and CDK1 expressions and induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest.

CONCLUSIONS

CMC plays a therapeutic role in HCC via multi-component, -target and -pathway mechanisms, in which CCNB1 and CDK1 may be the core molecular targets. This study indicates that the integration of network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, followed by experimental validation, can serves as an effective tool for studying the therapeutic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine.

RMI2 is a prognostic biomarker and promotes tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma

Genomic instability is a hallmark of all cancers. RMI2 is a crucial component of the BLM-TopoIIIa-RMI1-RMI2 complex that maintains genome stability. It has been shown to accelerate tumor progression in lung cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer. However, its expression and function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poorly defined. In this study, gene expression data and corresponding clinical information of HCC were downloaded from the TCGA, ICGC, and GEO databases. The expression level and clinical significance of RMI2 in HCC were then analyzed. In addition, cellular and molecular biology experiments were conducted to explore the effects of silencing and overexpression of RMI2 on human liver cancer cells and the associated mechanisms. The results showed that RMI2 expression was elevated in HCC tissues. High expression of RMI2 was correlated with shorter survival and poor prognosis of patients. The results of CCK-8, Edu, and clonogenic assays confirmed that RMI2 overexpression promoted the proliferation of HCC cells. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that RMI2 overexpression enhanced G1-S phase transition and decreased apoptosis. Moreover, the protein expression of key effector molecules in the p53 signaling pathway was reduced following RMI2 overexpression. In summary, these results indicate that RMI2 promotes the growth of HCC cells and suppresses their apoptosis by inhibiting the p53 signaling pathway. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms driving HCC tumorigenesis and new therapeutic targets.

Targeting cell-cycle machinery in cancer

Abnormal activity of the core cell-cycle machinery is seen in essentially all tumor types and represents a driving force of tumorigenesis. Recent studies revealed that cell-cycle proteins regulate a wide range of cellular functions, in addition to promoting cell division. With the clinical success of CDK4/6 inhibitors, it is becoming increasingly clear that targeting individual cell-cycle components may represent an effective anti-cancer strategy. Here, we discuss the potential of inhibiting different cell-cycle proteins for cancer therapy.

Expression and Diagnostic Value of miR-497 and miR-1246 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as biomarkers in various cancers. Our study aims to explore the roles of miR-497 and miR-1246 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 were measured by RT-PCR. A correlation analysis was conducted between the expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 and clinicopathological characteristics of patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy in HCC. In addition, bioinformatics tools were also utilized to predict the potential targets of miR-497 and miR-1246.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-497 in HCC was significantly down-regulated compared with the control group while the miR-1246 revealed a significantly higher expression level in HCC. There was a significant correlation demonstrated between the expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 in preoperative serum of HCC and the differentiation degree, Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification, and metastasis. The expression levels of serum miR-497 and miR-1246 were significantly associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and overall survival rate of patients with HCC. Moreover, the potential target genes of miR-497 in HCC include ARL2, UBE2Q1, PHF19, APLN, CHEK1, CASK, SUCO, CCNE1, and KIF23. The low expression of these nine genes is associated with a better prognosis of HCC patients. AUTS2 is a novel target gene of miR-1246, and its low expression is significantly related to the low overall survival rate of HCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-497 and miR-1246 are possibly involved in the progression of HCC by regulating target genes, respectively, and could serve as biomarkers in HCC.

Cyclin E in normal physiology and disease states

E-type cyclins, collectively called cyclin E, represent key components of the core cell cycle machinery. In mammalian cells, two E-type cyclins, E1 and E2, activate cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and drive cell cycle progression by phosphorylating several cellular proteins. Abnormally elevated activity of cyclin E-CDK2 has been documented in many human tumor types. Moreover, cyclin E overexpression mediates resistance of tumor cells to various therapeutic agents. Recent work has revealed that the role of cyclin E extends well beyond cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, and it may regulate a diverse array of physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we discuss these various cyclin E functions and the potential for therapeutic targeting of cyclin E and cyclin E-CDK2 kinase.

Critical signaling pathways governing hepatocellular carcinoma behavior; small molecule-based approaches

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of death due to cancer. Although there are different treatment options, these strategies are not efficient in terms of restricting the tumor cell's proliferation and metastasis. The liver tumor microenvironment contains the non-parenchymal cells with supportive or inhibitory effects on the cancerous phenotype of HCC. Several signaling pathways are dis-regulated in HCC and cause uncontrolled cell propagation, metastasis, and recurrence of liver carcinoma cells. Recent studies have established new approaches for the prevention and treatment of HCC using small molecules. Small molecules are compounds with a low molecular weight that usually inhibit the specific targets in signal transduction pathways. These components can induce cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, block metastasis, and tumor growth. Devising strategies for simultaneously targeting HCC and the non-parenchymal population of the tumor could lead to more relevant research outcomes. These strategies may open new avenues for the treatment of HCC with minimal cytotoxic effects on healthy cells. This study provides the latest findings on critical signaling pathways governing HCC behavior and using small molecules in the control of HCC both in vitro and in vivo models.

Integrative Analysis of Methylation and Copy Number Variations of Prostate Adenocarcinoma Based on Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis

Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is the most pervasive carcinoma diagnosed in men with over 170,000 new cases every year in the United States and is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men despite its indolent clinical course. Prostate-specific antigen testing, which is the most commonly used non-invasive diagnostic method for PRAD, has improved early detection rates in the past decade, but its effectiveness for monitoring disease progression and predicting prognosis is controversial. To identify novel biomarkers for these purposes, we carried out weighted gene co-expression network analysis of the top 10,000 variant genes in PRAD from The Cancer Genome Atlas in order to identify gene modules associated with clinical outcomes. Methylation and copy number variation analysis were performed to screen aberrantly expressed genes, and the Kaplan-Meier survival and gene set enrichment analyses were conducted to evaluate the prognostic value and potential mechanisms of the identified genes. Cyclin E2 (CCNE2), rhophilin Rho GTPase-binding protein (RHPN1), enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), tonsoku-like DNA repair protein (TONSL), epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2), fibromodulin (FMOD), and solute carrier family 7 member (SLC7A4) were identified as potential prognostic indicators and possible therapeutic targets as well. These findings can improve diagnosis and disease monitoring to achieve better clinical outcomes in PRAD.

Promotive action of 2-acetylaminofluorene on hepatic precancerous lesions initiated by diethylnitrosamine in rats: Molecular study

BACKGROUND

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induces hepatic neoplastic lesions over a prolonged period.

AIM

To investigate the promotive action of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) when combined with DEN in order to develop a rat model for induction of precancerous lesion and investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the activity of 2-AAF.

METHODS

The pre-precancerous lesions were initiated by intraperitoneal injection of DEN for three weeks consecutively, followed by one intraperitoneal injection of 2-AAF at three different doses (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg). Rats were separated into naïve, DEN, DEN + 100 mg 2-AAF, DEN + 200 mg 2-AAF, and DEN + 300 mg 2-AAF groups. Rats were sacrificed after 10 wk and 16 wk. Liver functions, level of alpha-fetoprotein, glutathione S-transferase-P and proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining of liver tissues were performed. The mRNA level of RAB11A, BAX, p53, and Cyclin E and epigenetic regulation by long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RP11-513I15.6, miR-1262 (microRNA), and miR-1298 were assessed in the sera and liver tissues of the rats.

RESULTS

2-AAF administration significantly increased the percent area of the precancerous foci and cell proliferation along with a significant decrease in RAB11A, BAX, and p53 mRNA, and the increase in Cyclin E mRNA was associated with a marked decrease in lncRNA RP11-513I15.6 expression with a significant increase in both miR-1262 and miR-1298.

CONCLUSION

2-AFF promoted hepatic precancerous lesions initiated through DEN by decreasing autophagy, apoptosis, and tumor suppression genes, along with increased cell proliferation, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. These actions were mediated under the epigenetic regulation of lncRNA RP11-513I15.6/miR-1262/miR-1298.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDK) and Their Role in Diseases Development-Review

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are involved in many crucial processes, such as cell cycle and transcription, as well as communication, metabolism, and apoptosis. The kinases are organized in a pathway to ensure that, during cell division, each cell accurately replicates its DNA, and ensure its segregation equally between the two daughter cells. Deregulation of any of the stages of the cell cycle or transcription leads to apoptosis but, if uncorrected, can result in a series of diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease), and stroke. This review presents the current state of knowledge about the characteristics of cyclin-dependent kinases as potential pharmacological targets.

Molecular characterization of long-term survivors of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most fatal cancers, and the majority of patients die within three years. However, a small proportion of patients overcome this fatal disease and survive for more than five years. To determine the molecular characteristics of long-term survivors (survival ≥ 5 years), we analyzed the genomic and clinical data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the International Cancer Genome Consortium databases, and identified molecular features that were strongly associated with the patients' prognosis. Genes involved in the cell cycle were expressed at lower levels in tumor tissues from long-term survivors than those from short-term survivors (survival ≤ 1 years). High levels of positive regulators of the G₁/S cell cycle transition (cyclin-dependent kinase 2 [CDK2], CDK4, Cyclin E2 [CCNE2], E2F1, E2F2) were potential markers of poor prognosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma patients with TP53 mutations were mainly belonged to the short-term survivor group. Abemaciclib, an FDA-approved selective inhibitor of CDK4/6, inhibited the cell proliferation and tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Thus, high G₁/S transition-related gene levels and TP53 mutations are promising diagnostic biomarkers for short-term survivals, and abemaciclib may be a potential targeted drug for hepatocellular carcinoma.