Serum choline is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma survival: a prospective cohort study

Betaine inhibits the stem cell-like properties of hepatocellular carcinoma by activating autophagy via SAM/m6A/YTHDF1-mediated enhancement on ATG3 stability

Background: Stem cell-like properties are known to promote the recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), contributing to a poor prognosis for HCC patients. Betaine, an important phytochemical and a methyl-donor related substance, has shown protective effects against liver diseases. However, its effect on HCC stem cell-like properties and the underlying mechanisms remains uninvestigated. Methods: We measured the effects of betaine on the stem cell-like properties and malignant progression of HCC using patient-derived xenografts, cell-derived xenografts, tail vein-lung metastasis models, in vitro limiting dilution, tumor sphere formation, colony formation, and transwell assays. Mechanistic exploration was conducted using western blots, dot blots, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR, RNA stability assays, RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR, RNA pull-down, and gene mutation assays. Results: A cohort study of HCC found that a higher serum concentration of betaine was associated with decreased levels of stemness-related markers. Furthermore, in HCC cells and xenograft mice, betaine suppressed the stem cell-like properties of HCC by activating autophagy. Mechanistically, betaine increased the m6A modification in HCC by producing S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) via betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT). This increase in SAM subsequently triggered autophagy by enhancing the stability of autophagy-related protein 3 (ATG3) via YTHDF1 in an m6A-dependent manner, thereby inhibiting the stem cell-like properties of HCC cells. Conclusions: These findings indicate that betaine inhibits the stem cell-like properties of HCC via the SAM/m6A/YTHDF1/ATG3 pathway. This study underscores the potential anti-tumor effects of betaine on HCC and offers novel therapeutic prospects for HCC patients.

Loss of Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase 1 Potentiates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Reducing Aspartate Level

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that metabolic reprogramming is crucial for the development of HCC. Carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1 (CPS1), a rate-limiting enzyme in urea cycle, is an abundant protein in normal hepatocytes, however, lacking systemic research in HCC. It is found that CPS1 is low-expressed in HCC tissues and circulating tumor cells, negatively correlated with HCC stage and prognosis. Further study reveals that CPS1 is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it inhibits the activity of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C to block the biosynthesis of diacylglycerol (DAG), leading to the downregulation of the DAG/protein kinase C pathway to inhibit invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. On the other hand, CPS1 promotes cell proliferation by increasing intracellular S-adenosylmethionin to enhance the m6A modification of solute carrier family 1 member 3 mRNA, a key transporter for aspartate intake. Finally, CPS1 overexpressing adeno-associated virus can dampen HCC progression. Collectively, this results uncovered that CPS1 is a switch between HCC proliferation and metastasis by increasing intracellular aspartate level.

Preclinical evaluation of dalbergin loaded PLGA-galactose-modified nanoparticles against hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibition of the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway

Prior research has shown the effectiveness of dalbergin (DL), dalbergin nanoformulation (DLF), and dalbergin-loaded PLGA-galactose-modified nanoparticles (DLMF) in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The present investigation constructs upon our previous research and delves into the molecular mechanisms contributing to the anticancer effects of DLF and DLMF. This study examined the anti-cancer effects of DL, DLF, and DLMF by diethyl nitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC model in albino Wistar rats. In addition, we performed biochemical, antioxidant, lipid profile tests, and histological studies of liver tissue. The anticancer efficacy of DLMF is equivalent to that of 5-fluorouracil, a commercially available therapy for HCC. Immunoblotting studies revealed a reduction in the expression of many apoptotic markers, such as p53, BAX, and Cyt-C, in HCC. Conversely, the expression of Bcl-2, TNF-α, NFκB, p-AKT, and STAT-3 was elevated. Nevertheless, the administration of DL, DLF, and DLMF effectively controlled the levels of these apoptotic markers, resulting in a considerable decrease in the expression of Bcl-2, TNF-α, NFκB, p-AKT, and STAT-3. Specifically, the activation of TNF-alpha and STAT-3 triggers the signalling pathways that include the Bcl-2 family of proteins, Cyt-C, caspase 3, and 9. This ultimately leads to apoptosis and the suppression of cell growth. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis using 1H NMR indicated that the metabolites of animals reverted to normal levels after the treatment.

Choline suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by attenuating AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy via choline transporter SLC5A7 activation

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated death. Emerging evidence suggests that autophagy plays a critical role in HCC tumorigenesis, metastasis, and prognosis. Choline is an essential nutrient related to prolonged survival and reduced risk of HCC. However, it remains unclear whether this phenomenon is mediated by autophagy.

Methods

Two HCC cell lines (HUH-7 and Hep3B) were used in the present study. Cell growth was evaluated by cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and in vivo mouse xenografts assays. Cell motility was calculated by wound healing and transwell assays. Autophagosomes were measured by transmission electron microscope (TEM), and autophagy flux was detected by mRFP-GFP-labeled LC3 protein. The mRNA level of genes was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The protein levels were detected by Western blotting (WB).

Results

We found that choline inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells by downregulating autophagy in vitro and in vivo. Upregulated expression of the solute carrier family 5 member 7 (SLC5A7), a specific choline transporter, correlated with better HCC prognosis. We further discovered that choline could promote SLC5A7 expression, upregulate cytoplasm p53 expression to impair the AMPK/mTOR pathway, and attenuate autophagy. Finally, we found that choline acted synergistically with sorafenib to attenuate HCC development in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

Our findings provide novel insights into choline-mediated autophagy in HCC, providing the foothold for its future application in HCC treatment.

Vitamin B6 Metabolic Pathway is Involved in the Pathogenesis of Liver Diseases via Multi-Omics Analysis

Purpose

To clarify the underlying regulatory mechanisms of progression from liver cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we analyzed the microbiomics, metabolomics, and proteomics in plasma and tissues from patients with HCC or decompensated liver cirrhosis (DC).

Patients and Methods

Tissues and plasma from 44 HCC patients and 28 patients with DC were collected for metabolomic analysis. 16S rRNA sequencing was performed in nine HCC tissues (HCCT), four distal noncancerous tissues (HCCN), and 11 DC tissues (DCT). Five HCC tissues had liver cirrhosis (HCCT-LC). Five hepatocellular carcinoma tissues without liver cirrhosis (HCCT-NLC) and five DCT were selected for proteomic sequencing. After combining proteomic and metabolomic analysis, we constructed a mouse model of chronic liver injury using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and treated them with vitamin B6 (VB6).

Results

16s rRNA sequence results showed that HCC tissues had higher alpha diversity. The highest LDA scores were detected for Elizabethkingia in HCCT, Subsaxibacter in DCT, and Stenotrophomon in HCCN. Metabolomics results demonstrated some metabolites, including capric acid, L-threonate, choline, alpha-D-Glucose, D-ribose, betaine, 2E-eicosenoic acid, linoleic acid, L-palmitoylcarnitine, taurodeoxycholic acid, L-pyroglutamic acid, androsterone sulfate, and phthalic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (MEHP), had better diagnostic efficacy than AFP (AUC: 0.852; 95% CI: 0.749, 0.954). In a combined analysis of metabolomics and proteomics, we found that HCCT-LC had more obvious disorders of VB6 metabolism and pentose and glucuronate interconversions than DCT, and kynurenine metabolism disorder was more significant in HCCT-LC than in HCCT-NLC. In the CCl4-induced chronic liver injury model, after VB6 supplementation, inflammatory cell infiltration, hepatocyte edema, and degeneration were significantly improved.

Conclusion

We found significant differences in the flora distribution between HCCT and DC; MEHP was a new diagnostic biomarker of HCC, and VB6 ameliorated the inflammatory cell infiltration, hepatocyte edema, and degeneration in chronic liver injury.

Micromolar Metabolite Measurement in an Electronically Multiplexed Format

The detection of metabolites such as choline in blood are important in clinical care for patients with cancer and cardiovascular disease. Choline is only present in human blood at low concentrations hence accurate measurement in an affordable point-of-care format is extremely challenging. Integration of microfluidics on to complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has the potential to enable advanced sensing technologies with extremely low limit of detection that are well suited to multiple clinical metabolite measurements. Although CMOS and microfluidics are individually mature technologies, their integration has presented challenges that we overcome in a novel, cost-effective, single-step process. To demonstrate the process, we present the microfluidic integration of a metabolomics-on-CMOS point-of-care platform with four capillary microfluidic channels on top of a CMOS optical sensor array. The fabricated device was characterised to verify the required structural profile, mechanical strength, optical spectra, and fluid flow. As a proof of concept, we used the device for the in-vitro quantification of choline in human blood plasma with a limit of detection of 3.2 M and a resolution of 1.6 M.

Dietary intake of one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients and hepatocellular carcinoma survival in the Guangdong Liver Cancer Cohort

Dietary intake of one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients has been linked to cancer-related outcomes, but their effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality are still unknown. The objective was to assess whether pre-diagnostic...

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Candidate Genes Involved in Light-Induced Primordium Differentiation in Pleurotus eryngii

Pleurotus eryngii, a highly valued edible fungus, is one of the major commercially cultivated mushrooms in China. The development of P. eryngii, especially during the stage of primordium differentiation, is easily affected by light. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the response of primordium differentiation to light remains unknown. In the present study, primordium expression profiles under blue-light stimulation, red-light stimulation, and exposure to darkness were compared using high-throughput sequencing. A total of 16,321 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from three comparisons. GO enrichment analysis showed that a large number of DEGs were related to light stimulation and amino acid biosynthesis. KEGG analyses demonstrated that the MAPK signaling pathway, oxidative phosphorylation pathway, and RNA transport were most active during primordium differentiation. Furthermore, it was predicted that the blue-light photoreceptor WC-1 and Deoxyribodipyrimidine photolyase PHR play important roles in the primordium differentiation of P. eryngii. Taken together, the results of this study provide a speculative mechanism that light induces primordium differentiation and a foundation for further research on fruiting body development in P. eryngii.

Association of serum choline levels and all-cause mortality risk in adults with hypertension: a nested case-control study

Background

Serum choline levels were associated with multiple chronic diseases. However, the association between serum choline and all-cause mortality in Chinese adults with hypertension remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between serum choline concentrations and all-cause mortality risk in Chinese adults with hypertension, a high-risk population.

Methods

A nested, case–control study was conducted that included 279 patients with all-cause death, and 279 matched, living controls, derived from the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT). Baseline serum choline concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of serum choline levels and all-cause mortality risk, with adjustment of pertinent covariables, including folic acid and homocysteine.

Results

The median age of all participants was 64.13 years [interquartile range (IQR), 57.33–70.59 years]. The median serum choline concentration for cases (9.51 μg/mL) was higher than that in controls (7.80 μg/mL) (P = 0.009). When serum choline concentration was assessed as a continuous variable (per SD increased), there was a positive relation between serum choline levels and all-cause mortality risk [odds ratios (OR), 1.29; 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), 1.06–1.57; P = 0.010]. There was an increased all-cause mortality risk for participants in quartiles 2–4 (≥ 4.00 μg/mL; OR, 1.79; 95%CI, 1.15–2.78 compared with quartile 1 (< 4.00 μg/mL). In addition, non-drinking was found to promote the incidence of all-cause mortality for those with high choline concentrations.

Conclusions

High serum choline concentrations were associated with increased all-cause mortality risk among Chinese adults with hypertension, compared to lower choline concentrations.

Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT007948885; UTL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00794885?term=NCT00794885&draw=2&rank=1.

Dietary protein and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective cohort study

Dietary protein has been linked with all-cause and cancer mortality. However, the relationship between dietary protein and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dietary protein intake was related to HCC mortality using data from the Guangdong Liver Cancer Cohort (GLCC), a prospective cohort study of HCC survivors established at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Dietary information one year before the diagnosis of HCC was obtained through a 79-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A total of 883 patients with newly diagnosed HCC who were recruited between September 2013 and April 2017 were included in this study. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models. The multivariate-adjusted HRs in the highest vs. the lowest tertile of total protein intake were 0.68 (95% CI: 0.52-0.91, P-trend = 0.007) for all-cause mortality and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55-0.99, P-trend = 0.040) for HCC-specific mortality. However, the associations of animal protein intake, plant protein intake, and animal-to-plant protein ratio with all-cause and HCC-specific mortality were not significant (all P-trend >0.05). Our research suggests that higher prediagnostic dietary intake of total protein was associated with reduced all-cause and HCC-specific mortality.

Rapid Metabolic Recovery of Donor Circulatory Death Liver Graft Using Whole Blood Perfusion: A Pig Study

Ex vivo perfusion technology has been actively developed to solve the problem of severe donor shortage. In this study, the ex vivo metabolic characteristics of porcine donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver in short-term perfusion using whole or diluted blood were compared with those of the in vivo transplanted state to evaluate their initial response to resuscitation.

Methionine metabolism in chronic liver diseases: an update on molecular mechanism and therapeutic implication

As one of the bicyclic metabolic pathways of one-carbon metabolism, methionine metabolism is the pivot linking the folate cycle to the transsulfuration pathway. In addition to being a precursor for glutathione synthesis, and the principal methyl donor for nucleic acid, phospholipid, histone, biogenic amine, and protein methylation, methionine metabolites can participate in polyamine synthesis. Methionine metabolism disorder can aggravate the damage in the pathological state of a disease. In the occurrence and development of chronic liver diseases (CLDs), changes in various components involved in methionine metabolism can affect the pathological state through various mechanisms. A methionine-deficient diet is commonly used for building CLD models. The conversion of key enzymes of methionine metabolism methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) 1 A and MAT2A/MAT2B is closely related to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In vivo and in vitro experiments have shown that by intervening related enzymes or downstream metabolites to interfere with methionine metabolism, the liver injuries could be reduced. Recently, methionine supplementation has gradually attracted the attention of many clinical researchers. Most researchers agree that adequate methionine supplementation can help reduce liver damage. Retrospective analysis of recently conducted relevant studies is of profound significance. This paper reviews the latest achievements related to methionine metabolism and CLD, from molecular mechanisms to clinical research, and provides some insights into the future direction of basic and clinical research.