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Younis MA, Harashima H. Understanding Gene Involvement in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Implications for Gene Therapy and Personalized Medicine. Pharmgenomics Pers Med 2024; 17:193-213. [PMID: 38737776 PMCID: PMC11088404 DOI: 10.2147/pgpm.s431346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the dominant type of liver cancers and is one of the deadliest health threats globally. The conventional therapeutic options for HCC are hampered by low efficiency and intolerable side effects. Gene therapy, however, now offers hope for the treatment of many disorders previously considered incurable, and gene therapy is beginning to address many of the shortcomings of conventional therapies. Herein, we summarize the involvement of genes in the pathogenesis and prognosis of HCC, with a special focus on dysregulated signaling pathways, genes involved in immune evasion, and non-coding RNAs as novel two-edged players, which collectively offer potential targets for the gene therapy of HCC. Herein, the opportunities and challenges of HCC gene therapy are discussed. These include innovative therapies such as genome editing and cell therapies. Moreover, advanced gene delivery technologies that recruit nanomedicines for use in gene therapy for HCC are highlighted. Finally, suggestions are offered for improved clinical translation and future directions in this area of endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud A Younis
- Laboratory of Innovative Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
- Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Hideyoshi Harashima
- Laboratory of Innovative Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
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Cong Z, Zhao H, Zhang S, You T, Xie Y. LAGE3 promotes angiogenesis on hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing VEGFA mRNA. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167196. [PMID: 38653358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
RNA modification plays important roles in various physiological and pathological process. LAGE3 is a component of EKC/KEOPS complex, which is probably involved in the formation of a threonylcarbamoyl group on adenosine at position 37 (t(6)A37) in tRNAs, but its exact role in HCC is less studied. Our study reveals that LAGE3 exhibits upregulated expression in HCC compared with normal hepatocellular tissue. High expression of LAGE3 promotes hepatocellular cell proliferation and migration. Further investigations suggest that the increased expression of LAGE3 cloud lead to upregulated VEGFA secretion and angiogenesis in HCC. The mechanistic study reveals LAGE3 is required for the VEGFA mRNA stability. This research may open new avenues for diagnosis and targeted therapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuangzhi Cong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tiangeng You
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yanting Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
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Guo R, Lu F, Lin J, Fu C, Liu M, Yang S. Multi-b-value DWI to evaluate the synergistic antiproliferation and anti-heterogeneity effects of bufalin plus sorafenib in an orthotopic HCC model. Eur Radiol Exp 2024; 8:43. [PMID: 38467904 PMCID: PMC10928042 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-024-00448-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multi-b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with different postprocessing models allows for evaluating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) proliferation, spatial heterogeneity, and feasibility of treatment strategies. We assessed synergistic effects of bufalin+sorafenib in orthotopic HCC-LM3 xenograft nude mice by using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), a stretched exponential model (SEM), and a fractional-order calculus (FROC) model. METHODS Twenty-four orthotopic HCC-LM3 xenograft mice were divided into bufalin+sorafenib, bufalin, sorafenib treatment groups, and a control group. Multi-b-value DWI was performed using a 3-T scanner after 3 weeks' treatment to obtain true diffusion coefficient Dt, pseudo-diffusion coefficient Dp, perfusion fraction f, mean diffusivity (MD), mean kurtosis (MK), distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), heterogeneity index α, diffusion coefficient D, fractional order parameter β, and microstructural quantity μ. Necrotic fraction (NF), standard deviation (SD) of hematoxylin-eosin staining, and microvessel density (MVD) of anti-CD31 staining were evaluated. Correlations of DWI parameters with histopathological results were analyzed, and measurements were compared among four groups. RESULTS In the final 22 mice, f positively correlated with MVD (r = 0.679, p = 0.001). Significantly good correlations of MK (r = 0.677), α (r = -0.696), and β (r= -0.639) with SD were observed (all p < 0.010). f, MK, MVD, and SD were much lower, while MD, α, β, and NF were higher in bufalin plus sorafenib group than control group (all p < 0.050). CONCLUSION Evaluated by IVIM, DKI, SEM, and FROC, bufalin+sorafenib was found to inhibit tumor proliferation and angiogenesis and reduce spatial heterogeneity in HCC-LM3 models. RELEVANCE STATEMENT Multi-b-value DWI provides potential metrics for evaluating the efficacy of treatment in HCC. KEY POINTS • Bufalin plus sorafenib combination may increase the effectiveness of HCC therapy. • Multi-b-value DWI depicted HCC proliferation, angiogenesis, and spatial heterogeneity. • Multi-b-value DWI may be a noninvasive method to assess HCC therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Guo
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 274 Middle Zhi-jiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Lu
- Department of Radiology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Lin
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Caixia Fu
- MR Application Development, Siemens Shenzhen Magnetic Resonance Ltd, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengxiao Liu
- MR scientific Marketing, Diagnostic Imaging, Siemens Healthineers Ltd, Shanghai, 201318, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuohui Yang
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 274 Middle Zhi-jiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China.
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Wagenpfeil J, Kupczyk PA, Bruners P, Siepmann R, Guendel E, Luetkens JA, Isaak A, Meyer C, Kuetting F, Pieper CC, Attenberger UI, Kuetting D. Outcome of transarterial radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma as a first-line interventional therapy and after a previous transarterial chemoembolization. Front Radiol 2024; 4:1346550. [PMID: 38445105 PMCID: PMC10912470 DOI: 10.3389/fradi.2024.1346550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Due to a lack of data, there is an ongoing debate regarding the optimal frontline interventional therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the study is to compare the results of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) as the first-line therapy and as a subsequent therapy following prior transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in these patients. Methods A total of 83 patients were evaluated, with 38 patients having undergone at least one TACE session prior to TARE [27 male; mean age 67.2 years; 68.4% stage Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) B, 31.6% BCLC C]; 45 patients underwent primary TARE (33 male; mean age 69.9 years; 40% BCLC B, 58% BCLC C). Clinical [age, gender, BCLC stage, activity in gigabecquerel (GBq), Child-Pugh status, portal vein thrombosis, tumor volume] and procedural [overall survival (OS), local tumor control (LTC), and progression-free survival (PFS)] data were compared. A regression analysis was performed to evaluate OS, LTC, and PFS. Results No differences were found in OS (95% CI: 1.12, P = 0.289), LTC (95% CI: 0.003, P = 0.95), and PFS (95% CI: 0.4, P = 0.525). The regression analysis revealed a relationship between Child-Pugh score (P = 0.005), size of HCC lesions (>10 cm) (P = 0.022), and OS; neither prior TACE (Child-Pugh B patients; 95% CI: 0.120, P = 0.729) nor number of lesions (>10; 95% CI: 2.930, P = 0.087) correlated with OS. Conclusion Prior TACE does not affect the outcome of TARE in unresectable HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Wagenpfeil
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Patrick Arthur Kupczyk
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Philipp Bruners
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Robert Siepmann
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Emelie Guendel
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julian Alexander Luetkens
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexander Isaak
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Carsten Meyer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Fabian Kuetting
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Claus Christian Pieper
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Ulrike Irmgard Attenberger
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniel Kuetting
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, Germany
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Liu Y, Wu H, Sang Y, Chong W, Shang L, Li L. Research progress of exosomes in the angiogenesis of digestive system tumour. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:33. [PMID: 38341827 PMCID: PMC10859358 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00879-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumours of the digestive system cover a wide range of diseases that affect the health of people to a large extent. Angiogenesis is indispensable in the development, and metastasis of tumours, mainly in two ways: occupation or formation. Vessels can provide nutrients, oxygen, and growth factors for tumours to encourage growth and metastasis, so cancer progression depends on simultaneous angiogenesis. Recently, exosomes have been proven to participate in the angiogenesis of tumours. They influence angiogenesis by binding to tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGFR)-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3 with different affinities, regulating Yap-VEGF pathway, Akt pathway or other signaling pathway. Additionally, exosomes are potential therapeutic vectors that can deliver many types of cargoes to different cells. In this review, we summarize the roles of exosomes in the angiogenesis of digestive system tumours and highlight the clinical application prospects, directly used as targers or delivery vehicles, in antiangiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Engineering of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, 250021, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yaodong Sang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Engineering of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, 250021, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China
| | - Wei Chong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Engineering of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, 250021, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China.
| | - Liang Shang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Engineering of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, 250021, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China.
| | - Leping Li
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Engineering of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, 250021, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China.
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Liu XT, Huang Y, Liu D, Jiang YC, Zhao M, Chung LH, Han XD, Zhao Y, Chen J, Coleman P, Ting KK, Tran C, Su Y, Dennis CV, Bhatnagar A, Liu K, Don AS, Vadas MA, Gorrell MD, Zhang S, Murray M, Kavurma MM, McCaughan GW, Gamble JR, Qi Y. Targeting the SphK1/S1P/PFKFB3 axis suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by disrupting glycolytic energy supply that drives tumor angiogenesis. J Transl Med 2024; 22:43. [PMID: 38200582 PMCID: PMC10782643 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04830-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading life-threatening health challenge worldwide, with pressing needs for novel therapeutic strategies. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), a well-established pro-cancer enzyme, is aberrantly overexpressed in a multitude of malignancies, including HCC. Our previous research has shown that genetic ablation of Sphk1 mitigates HCC progression in mice. Therefore, the development of PF-543, a highly selective SphK1 inhibitor, opens a new avenue for HCC treatment. However, the anti-cancer efficacy of PF-543 has not yet been investigated in primary cancer models in vivo, thereby limiting its further translation. METHODS Building upon the identification of the active form of SphK1 as a viable therapeutic target in human HCC specimens, we assessed the capacity of PF-543 in suppressing tumor progression using a diethylnitrosamine-induced mouse model of primary HCC. We further delineated its underlying mechanisms in both HCC and endothelial cells. Key findings were validated in Sphk1 knockout mice and lentiviral-mediated SphK1 knockdown cells. RESULTS SphK1 activity was found to be elevated in human HCC tissues. Administration of PF-543 effectively abrogated hepatic SphK1 activity and significantly suppressed HCC progression in diethylnitrosamine-treated mice. The primary mechanism of action was through the inhibition of tumor neovascularization, as PF-543 disrupted endothelial cell angiogenesis even in a pro-angiogenic milieu. Mechanistically, PF-543 induced proteasomal degradation of the critical glycolytic enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3, thus restricting the energy supply essential for tumor angiogenesis. These effects of PF-543 could be reversed upon S1P supplementation in an S1P receptor-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first in vivo evidence supporting the potential of PF-543 as an effective anti-HCC agent. It also uncovers previously undescribed links between the pro-cancer, pro-angiogenic and pro-glycolytic roles of the SphK1/S1P/S1P receptor axis. Importantly, unlike conventional anti-HCC drugs that target individual pro-angiogenic drivers, PF-543 impairs the PFKFB3-dictated glycolytic energy engine that fuels tumor angiogenesis, representing a novel and potentially safer therapeutic strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tracy Liu
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Yu Huang
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Da Liu
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Yingxin Celia Jiang
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Min Zhao
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Long Hoa Chung
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Xingxing Daisy Han
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Yinan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Utilization of Ministry of Education, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, 116600, Liaoning, China
| | - Jinbiao Chen
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Paul Coleman
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Ka Ka Ting
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Collin Tran
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Yingying Su
- Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Claude Vincent Dennis
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Atul Bhatnagar
- Sydney Mass Spectrometry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Ken Liu
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Anthony Simon Don
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mathew Alexander Vadas
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Mark Douglas Gorrell
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Shubiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Utilization of Ministry of Education, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, 116600, Liaoning, China
| | - Michael Murray
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey William McCaughan
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Jennifer Ruth Gamble
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Yanfei Qi
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia.
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Chen H, Cao D, Han N, Zhang M, Jiang W, Wang X, Zeng Q, Tang H. Hepatitis B Virus-Encoded MicroRNA (HBV-miR-3) Inhibits FIH-1 Expression to Promote Tumor Angiogenesis in HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:2337-2353. [PMID: 38163053 PMCID: PMC10757782 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s436926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a solid tumor with a rich blood supply, and anti-angiogenesis has important clinical significance. Hepatitis B Virus-Encoded MicroRNA 3 (HBV-miR-3) has recently been reported to be involved in HCC development. In this study, we aim to elucidate the role of HBV-miR-3 in promoting HBV-related HCC angiogenesis through Factor Inhibiting Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (FIH-1). Results By analyzing HBV-related HCC tissue samples, we found that high expression of HBV-miR-3 was associated with poor overall survival and HBV-miR-3 expression was significantly correlated with VEGFR2 and FIH-1 expressions. In vitro, HBV-miR-3 agomir repressed FIH-1 expression and promoted HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling activation in HepG2 cells, resulting in increased HUVEC lumen formation in HepG2-HUVEC co-culture model. Conversely, HBV-miR-3 antagomir induced FIH-1 expression and inhibited HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling activation in HepG2.2.15 cells, resulting in decreased HUVEC lumen formation in HepG2.2.15-HUVEC co-culture model. The effect of HBV-miR-3 to HCC angiogenesis was also confirmed by a mouse tumor bearing model. We also confirmed that HBV-miR-3 repressed FIH-1 expression via targeting the 3'-UTR of FIH-1 mRNA by luciferase activity assay. Conclusion HBV-miR-3 was related to HCC patients' overall survival and it promoted angiogenesis by repressing FIH-1 expression. HBV-miR-3 may be a new marker for predicting prognosis and a novel target for anti-angiogenic treatment of HBV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chen
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Cao
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ning Han
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Wang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qinmin Zeng
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Tang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
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Vennela J, Pottakkat B, Vairappan BS, Verma SK, Mukherjee V. Hepatic Expression of NTN4 and Its Receptors in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2023; 24:4285-4292. [PMID: 38156865 PMCID: PMC10909082 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2023.24.12.4285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiogenesis contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Netrin-4 (NTN4) is a secreted glycoprotein that has been reported to control angiogenesis and preserve endothelial homeostasis. Macrovascular invasion of the portal vein, referred to as portal vein invasion (PVI) is associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In this work, we sought to understand more about the systemic and hepatic level expression of NTN4 and its receptors in HCC patients with and without portal vein invasion. METHODS A total of 154 patients with HCC, and 90 healthy volunteers were recruited in this case-control study. Patients with HCC were further subdivided into those with portal vein invasion (PVI) (n=68), and those without portal vein invasion (NPVI) (n=86). Clinical characteristics and liver function parameters were recorded among the study subjects PVI and NPVI. The serum levels of NTN4 (pg/ml) were estimated by ELISA. HCC tissues and normal non-tumorous liver tissues (controls) were collected for gene expression analysis of NTN4 and its receptors. RESULTS ALT, ALP, and GGT levels were significantly elevated in the serum of HCC patients with PVI compared to NPVI and control subjects. Systemic NTN4 was significantly reduced in both PVI and NPVI patients compared to control subjects. At the tissue level, the hepatic NTN4 followed a similar trend with significantly lower mRNA expression in both patients with PVI and NPVI compared to control subjects. CONCLUSIONS Systemic and hepatic NTN4 levels were reduced in both PVI and NPVI subjects. The hepatic expression of NTN4 receptors Neogenin and UNC5B were markedly elevated in patients with HCC with PVI compared to NPVI. Future experimental studies might shed the role of NTN4 and its receptors in the development of PVI in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyothi Vennela
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Biju Pottakkat
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Bala subramaniyan Vairappan
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Surendra Kumar Verma
- Department of Pathology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Victor Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
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9
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Fanoodi A, Maharati A, Akhlaghipour I, Rahimi HR, Moghbeli M. MicroRNAs as the critical regulators of tumor angiogenesis in liver cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 251:154913. [PMID: 37931431 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies in human digestive system. Despite the recent therapeutic methods, there is a high rate of mortality among liver cancer patients. Late diagnosis in the advanced tumor stages can be one of the main reasons for the poor prognosis in these patients. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer can be helpful for the early stage tumor detection and treatment. Vascular expansion in liver tumors can be one of the important reasons for poor prognosis and aggressiveness. Therefore, anti-angiogenic drugs are widely used in liver cancer patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have key roles in the regulation of angiogenesis in liver tumors. Due to the high stability of miRNAs in body fluids, these factors are widely used as the non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic markers in cancer patients. Regarding, the importance of angiogenesis during liver tumor growth and invasion, in the present review, we discussed the role of miRNAs in regulation of angiogenesis in these tumors. It has been reported that miRNAs mainly exert an anti-angiogenic function by regulation of tumor microenvironment, transcription factors, and signaling pathways in liver tumors. This review can be an effective step to suggest the miRNAs for the non-invasive early detection of malignant and invasive liver tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Fanoodi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Amirhosein Maharati
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Iman Akhlaghipour
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Rahimi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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10
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Dai S, Li F, Xu S, Hu J, Gao L. The important role of miR-1-3p in cancers. J Transl Med 2023; 21:769. [PMID: 37907984 PMCID: PMC10617136 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04649-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a malignant tumor that seriously threatens human life and health. At present, the main treatment methods include surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. However, the mechanism of tumor occurrence and development is complex, and it produces resistance to some traditional treatment methods, leading to treatment failure and a high mortality rate for patients. Therefore, exploring the molecular mechanisms of tumor occurrence, development, and drug resistance is a very important task. MiRNAs are a type of non-coding small RNA that regulate a series of biological effects by binding to the 3'-UTR of the target mRNA, degrading the mRNA, or inhibiting its translation. MiR-1-3p is an important member of them, which is abnormally expressed in various tumors and closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. This article introduces miR-1-3p from multiple aspects, including its production and regulation, role in tumor occurrence and development, clinical significance, role in drug resistance, and approaches for targeting miR-1-3p. Intended to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the important role of miR-1-3p in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangming Dai
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang, China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang, China
| | - Shuoguo Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang, China
| | - Jinda Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang, China
| | - Lichen Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang, China.
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11
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Huang Q, He S, Zhan D. Osimertinib is a dual inhibitor of hepatocellular carcinoma and angiogenesis in an EGFR-independent manner, and synergizes with venetoclax. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:10727-10735. [PMID: 37310474 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04926-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the effects of osimertinib on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and angiogenesis, and its combinatory effects with venetoclax in HCC. METHODS Viability was assessed by flow cytometry of Annexin V in multiple HCC cell lines after drug treatment. In vitro angiogenesis assay was performed using primary human liver tumor associated endothelial cell (HLTEC). HCC-bearing model was generated by subcutaneous implantation of Hep3B cells to investigate the efficacy of osimertinib alone and its combination with venetoclax. RESULTS Osimertinib significantly induced apoptosis in a panel of HCC cell lines regardless of EGFR expression level. It inhibited capillary network formation and induced apoptosis in HLTEC. Using HCC xenograft mouse model, we further showed that osimertinib at non-toxic dose inhibited tumor growth by ~ 50% and remarkably decreased blood vessel in tumor. Mechanism studies demonstrated that osimertinib acted on HCC cells in an EGFR-independent manner. It decreased level of VEGF and Mcl-1 in HCC cells via suppressed phosphorylation of eIF4E, thus leading to inhibition of eIF4E-mediated translation. Mcl-1 overexpression reversed pro-apoptotic effect of osimertinib, suggesting an important role of Mcl-1 in osimertinib's action in HCC cells. Of note, the combination of osimertinib and venetoclax achieved approximately complete HCC cell death and tumor growth in mice. CONCLUSIONS We provide pre-clinical evidence that osimertinib is a promising candidate for the treatment of HCC via targeting tumor cells and angiogenesis. The combination of osimertinib and venetoclax is synergistic in inhibiting HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoxin Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Shengsong He
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dongang Zhan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Jingzhou Street 136, Xiangcheng District, Xiangyang, 441021, China.
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12
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Jyothi V, Pottakkat B, V B, Verma SK. Serum Levels of Netrin-4 and Its Association With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results From a Case-Control Study. Cureus 2023; 15:e43844. [PMID: 37736464 PMCID: PMC10510428 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiogenesis plays a vital role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by contributing to tumor growth and metastasis. Netrin-4 (NTN4) is a secreted glycoprotein that regulates angiogenesis and maintains endothelial homeostasis. There were no studies found focusing on the value of NTN4 as a serum biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the systemic expression of NTN4 in patients with HCC. We also explore the association of NTN4 with major clinicopathological and biochemical characteristics of HCC. METHODS A total of 116 patients with HCC and 44 healthy volunteers were recruited in this case-control study. Clinical characteristics and liver function parameters were recorded among the study subjects. The levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP) were quantified in patients with HCC. The serum levels of NTN4 (pg/ml) were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS The median NTN4 levels were significantly decreased in patients with HCC when compared to control subjects (p < 0.0001). There was no difference between NTN4 levels in AFP-positive patients and AFP-negative patients (p = 0.39). Of note, NTN4 levels were significantly decreased in HCC patients with metastasis (p < 0.02) and portal vein invasion (p < 0.04). Further, NTN4 levels were significantly reduced in HCC patients with Child-Pugh C score (p < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve for serum levels of NTN4 in the HCC group and control group was generated. At a cut-off of 30 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for NTN4 were 80% and 82%, respectively, with an AUC of 0.894. CONCLUSIONS Low levels of NTN4 were associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and metastasis in HCC. Estimation of circulating NTN4 has prognostic value as a minimally invasive biomarker in HCC. Future studies might shed the role of NTN4 in the development of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vennela Jyothi
- Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND
| | - Biju Pottakkat
- Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND
| | - Balasubramaniyan V
- Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND
| | - Surendra Kumar Verma
- Pathology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND
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13
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Xing L, Tang Y, Li L, Tao X. ROS in hepatocellular carcinoma: What we know. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023:109699. [PMID: 37499994 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a primary liver cancer subtype, has a poor prognosis due to its high degree of malignancy. The lack of early diagnosis makes systemic therapy the only hope for HCC patients with advanced disease; however, resistance to drugs is a major obstacle. In recent years, targeted molecular therapy has gained popularity as a potential treatment for HCC. An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are cancer markers and a potential target for HCC therapy, can both promote and inhibit the disease. At present, many studies have examined targeted regulation of ROS in the treatment of HCC. Here, we reviewed the latest drugs that are still in the experimental stage, including nanocarrier drugs, exosome drugs, antibody drugs, aptamer drugs and polysaccharide drugs, to provide new hope for the clinical treatment of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xing
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China; School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Yuting Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China; School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China.
| | - Xufeng Tao
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China.
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14
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Li X, Wang J, Wang Q, Luo T, Song X, Wan G, Feng Z, He X, Lei Q, Xu Y, You X, Yu L, Zhang L, Zhao L. A novel VEGFR inhibitor ZLF-095 with potent antitumor activity and low toxicity. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15152. [PMID: 37251840 PMCID: PMC10209341 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis plays a critical role in the survival, progression and metastasis of malignant tumors. Multiple factors are known to induce tumor angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most important one. Lenvatinib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor of VEGFRs which has been approved for the treatment of various malignancies as the first-line agent by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It shows excellent antitumor efficacy in clinical practice. However, the adverse effects of Lenvatinib may seriously impair the therapeutic effect. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a novel VEGFR inhibitor (ZLF-095), which exhibited high activity and selectivity for VEGFR1/2/3. ZLF-095 displayed apparently antitumor effect in vitro and in vivo. We discovered that Lenvatinib could provoke fulminant ROS-caspase3-GSDME-dependent pyroptosis in GSDME-expressing cells by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, which may be one of the reasons for Lenvatinib's toxicity. Meanwhile, ZLF-095 showed less toxicity than Lenvatinib by switching pyroptosis to apoptosis. These results suggest that ZLF-095 could become a potential angiogenesis inhibitor for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Tianwen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xuejiao Song
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, 610000, China
| | - Guoquan Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhanzhan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaojie He
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qian Lei
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610093, China
| | - Ying Xu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, No.229 North Taibai Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710069, China
| | - Xinyu You
- College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian 463000, China
| | - Luoting Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lidan Zhang
- Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
| | - Lifeng Zhao
- Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
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15
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Ye Y, Wang M, Wang G, Mai Z, Zhou B, Han Y, Zhuang J, Xia W. lncRNA miR4458HG modulates hepatocellular carcinoma progression by activating m6A-dependent glycolysis and promoting the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:99. [PMID: 36933158 PMCID: PMC11072995 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04741-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in different biological functions of cancers. However, their function in the metabolism of glucose in patients with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. In this study, HCC and paired intact liver tissues were utilized to examine the miR4458HG expression using qRT-PCR and human HCC cell lines to examine cell proliferation, colony formation, and glycolysis after transfection of siRNAs targeting miR4458HG or miR4458HG vectors. The molecular mechanism of miR4458HG was clarified through in situ hybridization, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation analysis. The results showed that the miR4458HG affected HCC cell proliferation, activated the glycolysis pathway, and promoted the polarization of tumor-associated macrophage in vitro and in vivo models. Mechanistically, miR4458HG bound IGF2BP2 (a key RNA m6A reader) and facilitated IGF2BP2-mediated target mRNA stability, including HK2 and SLC2A1 (GLUT1), and consequently altered HCC glycolysis and tumor cell physiology. At the same time, HCC-derived miR4458HG could be wrapped in the exosomes and promoted the polarization of tumor-associated macrophage by increasing ARG1 expression. Hence, miR4458HG is oncogenic in nature among patients with HCC. To develop an effective treatment strategy of HCC patients presenting with high glucose metabolism, physicians should focus on miR4458HG and its pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ye
- Central Laboratory, The Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Menghan Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Guoyu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Zhongchao Mai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Borong Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Yang Han
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Juhua Zhuang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 358 Datong Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, China.
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16
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Liu Y, Tang H, Zhang Y, Wang Q, Li S, Wang Z, Shi X. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000519 contributes to angiogenesis and tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma through the miR-1296/E2F7 axis. Hum Cell 2023; 36:738-751. [PMID: 36627545 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-022-00854-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. Uncontrolled angiogenesis plays a critical role in hepatocellular tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of circular RNA hsa_circ_0000519 and the potential involvement of microRNA (miR)-1296 and E2F transcription factor 7 (E2F7) in HCC development. Hsa_circ_0000519 was highly expressed in HCC cells and hepatocellular tumor tissues, and correlated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0000519 significantly reduced HCC cell viability, suppressed cell proliferation, and induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0000519 also inhibited formation of capillary-like endothelial structures in vitro and impeded microvessel formation in mice bearing HCC tumors. The migration and invasive capacities of HCC cells were markedly reduced by hsa_circ_0000519 knockdown. Hsa_circ_0000519 possessed a binding site for microRNA (miR)-1296. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0000519 significantly decreased the miR-1296 expression in both HCC cells and mouse xenografts. Furthermore, E2F7 was a target of miR-1296. Hsa_circ_0000519 positively regulated E2F7 via acting as a miR-1296 sponge. Upregulation of E2F7 abolished the inhibitory effects of hsa_circ_0000519 knockdown on HCC cell proliferation and angiogenesis. In conclusion, hsa_circ_0000519 promoted tumor progression and angiogenesis in HCC through the miR-1296/E2F7 axis. These data suggest the potential clinical application of hsa_circ_0000519 in HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Hui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Yaling Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Shiying Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China.
| | - Zhiyi Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Xiaofeng Shi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 74 Linjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
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Li W, Wu R, Zhang S, Zhao Y, Li L, Hu Z, Su Q, Mang Y, Zhang X, Dong Y, Zheng K, Ran J, Li L. Analysis of angiogenesis-related subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma and tumor microenvironment infiltration feature in hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol 2023:10.1007/s12094-023-03084-x. [PMID: 36708372 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03084-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized tumor, and angiogenesis plays an important role in its progression. However, the role of angiogenesis in cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. METHODS We evaluated the associations of 35 angiogenesis-related genes (ARGs) with the clinicopathological features of 816 HCC patients. In addition, we assessed the associations between the ARGs and TME cell infiltration. A nomogram was constructed to determine the prognostic value of ARGs for HCC. The ARG score was used to distinguish angiogenic subtypes of HCC, and its usefulness for predicting the prognosis and treatment response of HCC patients was evaluated. RESULTS We distinguished three ARG clusters differing in terms of TME cell infiltration, immune cell activation status, clinicopathological features, and clinical outcomes. There were significant associations of ARG expression with tumor immunity, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and transforming growth factor-β expression. An ARG score model was constructed to generate a risk score for each patient based on differentially expressed genes between clusters. Furthermore, a high ARG score was associated with high expression of CTLA-4 and PD-L1/PD-1, and a low Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion score, indicating the usefulness of the ARG score for selecting patients for immunotherapy. Considering the relationship between ARGs and tumor immunity, immunotherapy combined with vascular-targeted therapy may be the best treatment for HCC. CONCLUSIONS ARGs play an important role in TME diversity and complexity in HCC patients. The ARG score of HCC predicts TME invasion and can guide immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Li
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Ruichao Wu
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Shengning Zhang
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Yingpeng Zhao
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Laibang Li
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Zongqiang Hu
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Qiuming Su
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanyi Mang
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Xibing Zhang
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Yun Dong
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Kepu Zheng
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China
| | - Jianghua Ran
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China.
| | - Li Li
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Calmette Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China.
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18
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Moawad AW, Morshid A, Khalaf AM, Elmohr MM, Hazle JD, Fuentes D, Badawy M, Kaseb AO, Hassan M, Mahvash A, Szklaruk J, Qayyum A, Abusaif A, Bennett WC, Nolan TS, Camp B, Elsayes KM. Multimodality annotated hepatocellular carcinoma data set including pre- and post-TACE with imaging segmentation. Sci Data 2023; 10:33. [PMID: 36653372 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-01928-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver neoplasm, and its incidence has doubled over the past two decades owing to increasing risk factors. Despite surveillance, most HCC cases are diagnosed at advanced stages and can only be treated using transarterial chemo-embolization (TACE) or systemic therapy. TACE failure may occur with incidence reaching up to 60% of cases, leaving patients with a financial and emotional burden. Radiomics has emerged as a new tool capable of predicting tumor response to TACE from pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) studies. This data report defines the HCC-TACE data collection of confirmed HCC patients who underwent TACE and have pre- and post-procedure CT imaging studies and available treatment outcomes (time-to-progression and overall survival). Clinically curated segmentation of pre-procedural CT studies was done for the purpose of algorithm training for prediction and automatic liver tumor segmentation.
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19
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Wu H, Zhang L, Wang C, Li F, Qi L, Xiao L, Zhang M, Zhang H, Zhang G, Qin Y. Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Verification on Antiangiogenesis Mechanism of Hedyotis diffusa Willd in Liver Cancer. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2023; 2023:1416841. [PMID: 36647454 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1416841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW) is one of the most well-known herbs used in the therapy of cancer. However, the potential mechanisms of its antiangiogenic effects have not been fully explored. Here, we applied a network pharmacology approach to explore the potential mechanisms of HDW against liver cancer angiogenesis (LCA) and used a mouse orthotopic liver cancer model for experimental verification accordingly. Methods The effective components, primary active compounds, and possible targets in the therapy of LCA were predicted using network pharmacology and bioinformatics. In vivo testing of the pharmacodynamic foundation of HDW in the treatment of LCA was performed. Hepa1-6 cells were implanted in C57BL/6 mice to establish an orthotopic liver cancer model to evaluate the antitumor and antiangiogenesis effects of the drug. Furthermore, protein levels were evaluated by western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. Results We firstly confirmed the therapeutic effect of HDW on LCA and subsequently screened 7 active compounds from HDW according to their pharmacokinetic properties. Network analysis and enrichment analysis indicated that these compounds exhibit antiangiogenic effect by acting on multiple targets and thereby regulating multiple pathways mainly involved in Akt1, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-17, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Importantly, we preliminarily verified the results of the network pharmacology analysis in vivo. Conclusion Collectively, our work initially explored the therapeutic mechanism of HDW on tumor angiogenesis, which lays an experimental reference for further exploring its pharmacological action and its clinical application.
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20
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Pourhamzeh M, Asadian S, Mirzaei H, Minaei A, Shahriari E, Shpichka A, Es HA, Timashev P, Hassan M, Vosough M. Novel antigens for targeted radioimmunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Cell Biochem 2023; 478:23-37. [PMID: 35708866 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04483-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the sixth common cancer and forth cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Based on usually advanced stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the time of diagnosis, therapeutic options are limited and, in many cases, not effective, and typically result in the tumor recurrence with a poor prognosis. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) offers a selective internal radiation therapy approach using beta or alpha emitting radionuclides conjugated with tumor-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), or specific selective peptides. When compared to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, radiolabeled mAbs against cancer-associated antigens could provide a high therapeutic and exclusive radiation dose for cancerous cells while decreasing the exposure-induced side effects to healthy tissues. The recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, such as blockade of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has changed the landscape of cancer therapy, and the efficacy of different classes of immunotherapy has been tested in many clinical trials. Taking into account the use of ICIs in the liver tumor microenvironment, combined therapies with different approaches may enhance the outcome in the future clinical studies. With the development of novel immunotherapy treatment options in the recent years, there has been a great deal of information about combining the diverse treatment modalities to boost the effectiveness of immunomodulatory drugs. In this opinion review, we will discuss the recent advancements in RIT. The current status of immunotherapy and internal radiotherapy will be updated, and we will propose novel approaches for the combination of both techniques. Potential target antigens for radioimmunotherapy in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC radioimmunotherapy target antigens are the most specific and commonly accessible antigens on the surface of HCC cells. CTLA-4 ligand and receptor, TAMs, PD-1/PD-L, TIM-3, specific IEXs/TEXs, ROBO1, and cluster of differentiation antigens CD105, CD147 could all be used in HCC radioimmunotherapy. Abbreviations: TAMs, tumor-associated macrophages; CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen-4; PD-1, Programmed cell death protein 1; PD-L, programmed death-ligand1; TIM-3, T-cell immunoglobulin (Ig) and mucin-domain containing protein-3; IEXs, immune cell-derived exosomes; TEXs, tumor-derived exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Pourhamzeh
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.,Departments of Pathology and Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samieh Asadian
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Azita Minaei
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Elahe Shahriari
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anastasia Shpichka
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.,Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Peter Timashev
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia. .,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia. .,Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Moustapha Hassan
- Experimental Cancer Medicine, Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. .,Experimental Cancer Medicine, Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
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21
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Sabeti S, Ternifi R, Larson NB, Olson MC, Atwell TD, Fatemi M, Alizad A. Morphometric analysis of tumor microvessels for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma using contrast-free ultrasound imaging: A feasibility study. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1121664. [PMID: 37124492 PMCID: PMC10134399 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1121664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A contrast-free ultrasound microvasculature imaging technique was evaluated in this study to determine whether extracting morphological features of the vascular networks in hepatic lesions can be beneficial in differentiating benign and malignant tumors (hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in particular). Methods A total of 29 lesions from 22 patients were included in this work. A post-processing algorithm consisting of clutter filtering, denoising, and vessel enhancement steps was implemented on ultrasound data to visualize microvessel structures. These structures were then further characterized and quantified through additional image processing. A total of nine morphological metrics were examined to compare different groups of lesions. A two-sided Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for statistical analysis. Results In the malignant versus benign comparison, six of the metrics manifested statistical significance. Comparing only HCC cases with the benign, only three of the metrics were significantly different. No statistically significant distinction was observed between different malignancies (HCC versus cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic adenocarcinoma) for any of the metrics. Discussion Obtained results suggest that designing predictive models based on such morphological characteristics on a larger sample size may prove helpful in differentiating benign from malignant liver masses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soroosh Sabeti
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Redouane Ternifi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Nicholas B. Larson
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Michael C. Olson
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Thomas D. Atwell
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Mostafa Fatemi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Azra Alizad
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Azra Alizad,
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22
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Tadros SA, Attia YM, Maurice NW, Fahim SA, Abdelwahed FM, Ibrahim S, Badary OA. Thymoquinone Suppresses Angiogenesis in DEN-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting miR-1-3p. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36555545 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by its high vascularity and metastasis. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main bio-active constituent of Nigella sativa, has shown anticancer and hepatoprotective effects. TQ's anticancer effect is mediated through miRNA regulation. miR-1-3p plays a significant role in various cancers but its role in HCC invasiveness remains poorly understood. Bio-informatics analysis predicted that the 3'-UTR of TIMP3 is a target for miR-1-3p; Rats were equally divided into four groups: Group 1, the negative control; Group 2 received TQ; Group 3 received DEN; and Group 4 received DEN after pretreatment with TQ. The expression of TIMP3, MMP2, MMP9, and VEGF in rats' liver was determined immunohistochemically. RT-qPCR was used to measure the miR-1-3p level in rats' liver, and TIMP3, MMP2, MMP9, and VEGF in the HepG2 cells after being transfected with miR-1-3p mimic or inhibitor; In rats pretreated with TQ, a decreased expression of MMP2, MMP9 and VEGF, and increased expression levels of TIMP3 and miR-1-3p were detected. Treating the HepG2 cells with miR-1-3p mimic led to the upregulation of TIMP3 and downregulation of MMP2, MMP9, and VEGF, and showed a significant delay in wound healing; These results suggested that the anti-angiogenic effect of TQ in HCC may be mediated through the regulation of miR-1-3p.
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23
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Arotzarena G, Toskich BB, Lewis AR, Paz-fumagalli R. Ablative radioembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma with total arterial supply originating from the superior adrenal artery achieved complete pathologic necrosis. Radiol Case Rep 2023; 18:196-199. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Exclusively extrahepatic arterial perfusion to previously untreated, early-stage, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is uncommon. We present a case of right superior adrenal artery completely supplying a subcapsular HCC in a 68-year-old male. The extrahepatic arterial territory targeted excluded structures potentially vulnerable to radiation, which allowed safe ablative Y-90 radioembolization that achieved complete pathological necrosis.
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24
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Salani F, Genovesi V, Vivaldi C, Massa V, Cesario S, Bernardini L, Caccese M, Graziani J, Berra D, Fornaro L, Masi G. Primary Resistance to Immunotherapy-Based Regimens in First Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Perspectives on Jumping the Hurdle. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194896. [PMID: 36230819 PMCID: PMC9563015 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) had been explored extensively in patients affected by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. These agents were expected to be the keystones of the disease’s first-line treatment because they were theoretically able to revert the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment of the cancerous liver, and because of their manageable safety profile. However, when used as monotherapies, they showed important activity and efficacy limitations. In this mini-review, we summarize the characteristics of the different ICIs-based regimens which constitute the present gold standard of first-line treatment, then, moving from their shortcomings, we discuss the rationale supporting the strategies currently under investigation: systemic triplets and new paradigms of immune-therapeutic agents such as CAR-T and vaccines. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a key component of different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, particularly in the first line of treatment. A lesson on the primary resistance which hampers their efficacy and activity was learned from the failure of the trials which tested them as first-line mono-therapies. Despite the combination of anti-PD(L)1 agents with anti-VEGF, anti CTLA4, or TKIs demonstrating relevant improvements in efficacy, the “doublets strategy” still shows room for improvement, due to a limited overall survival benefit and a high rate of progressive disease as best response. In this review, we discuss the results from the currently tested doublet strategies (i.e., atezolizumab+bevacizumab, durvalumab+tremelimumab with a mention to the newly presented ICIs/TKIs combinations), which highlight the need for therapeutic improvement. Furthermore, we examine the rationale and provide an overview of the ongoing trials testing the treatment intensification strategy with triplet drugs: anti-PD1+anti-CTLA4+anti-VEGF/TKIs and anti-PD1+anti-VEGF+alternative immunity targets. Lastly, we report on the alternative strategy to integrate ICIs into the new paradigm of immune therapeutics constituted by CAR-T and anti-cancer vaccines. This review provides up-to-date knowledge of ongoing clinical trials of the aforementioned strategies and critical insight into their mechanistic premises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Salani
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research “Health Science”, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Virginia Genovesi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valentina Massa
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Cesario
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Bernardini
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Miriam Caccese
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jessica Graziani
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Dario Berra
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fornaro
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Masi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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25
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Guo P, Hu Q, Wang J, Hai L, Nie X, Zhao Q. Butorphanol inhibits angiogenesis and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma and regulates MAPK pathway. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2022; 75:626-634. [PMID: 36131028 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-022-00565-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Butorphanol, a synthetic opioid, exerts analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects against pathogenic diseases. Butorphanol repressed malignant behaviors of tumor cells. In this study, the role of butorphanol in hepatocellular carcinoma was evaluated. Firstly, hepatocellular carcinoma cells were treated with butorphanol. The results showed that butorphanol decreased cell viability of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Cell proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells were inhibited by butorphanol. Secondly, butorphanol suppressed angiogenesis, and reduced phosphorylation levels of p38 and JNK in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Thirdly, butorphanol reduced in vivo tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in nude mice. Butorphanol reduced tumor micro-vascular density (MVD) and repressed lung metastasis. In conclusion, butorphanol exerted anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic effects on hepatocellular carcinoma and induced inactivation of MAPKs signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilei Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Qiangfu Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Jiandong Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Longzhu Hai
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Xiaohong Nie
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Qingyuan Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
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26
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Bartos A, Iancu I, Ciobanu L, Onaciu A, Moldovan C, Moldovan A, Moldovan RC, Tigu AB, Stiufiuc GF, Toma V, Iancu C, Al Hajjar N, Stiufiuc RI. Hybrid Lipid Nanoformulations for Hepatoma Therapy: Sorafenib Loaded Nanoliposomes-A Preliminary Study. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:2833. [PMID: 36014698 PMCID: PMC9414144 DOI: 10.3390/nano12162833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that has received increasing attention due to its high efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. However, its poor pharmacokinetic properties (limited water solubility, rapid elimination, and metabolism) still represent major bottlenecks that need to be overcome in order to improve Sorafenib's clinical application. In this paper, we propose a nanotechnology-based hybrid formulation that has the potential to overcome these challenges: sorafenib-loaded nanoliposomes. Sorafenib molecules have been incorporated into the hydrophobic lipidic bilayer during the synthesis process of nanoliposomes using an original procedure developed in our laboratory and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting this type of analysis. The liposomal hybrid formulations have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) that provided useful information concerning their shape, size, zeta-potential, and concentration. The therapeutic efficacy of the nanohybrids has been evaluated on a normal cell line (LX2) and two hepatocarcinoma cell lines, SK-HEP-1 and HepG2, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Bartos
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Iancu
- Department of Surgery, Medicover Hospital, 407062 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lidia Ciobanu
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Anca Onaciu
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Pharmaceutical Physics-Biophysics, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristian Moldovan
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Pharmaceutical Physics-Biophysics, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Alin Moldovan
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Radu Cristian Moldovan
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adrian Bogdan Tigu
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Valentin Toma
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cornel Iancu
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Nadim Al Hajjar
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Rares Ionut Stiufiuc
- MedFuture—Research Center for Advanced Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Pharmaceutical Physics-Biophysics, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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27
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Sartorius K, Antwi SO, Chuturgoon A, Roberts LR, Kramvis A. RNA Therapeutic Options to Manage Aberrant Signaling Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Dream or Reality? Front Oncol 2022; 12:891812. [PMID: 35600358 PMCID: PMC9115561 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.891812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the early promise of RNA therapeutics as a magic bullet to modulate aberrant signaling in cancer, this field remains a work-in-progress. Nevertheless, RNA therapeutics is now a reality for the treatment of viral diseases (COVID-19) and offers great promise for cancer. This review paper specifically investigates RNAi as a therapeutic option for HCC and discusses a range of RNAi technology including anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs), Aptamers, small interfering RNA (siRNA), ribozymes, riboswitches and CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The use of these RNAi based interventions is specifically outlined in three primary strategies, namely, repressing angiogenesis, the suppression of cell proliferation and the promotion of apoptosis. We also discuss some of the inherent chemical and delivery problems, as well as targeting issues and immunogenic reaction to RNAi interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt Sartorius
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, School of Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,The Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC), Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.,Department of Surgery, KZN Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN) Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Centre, Durban, South Africa
| | - Samuel O Antwi
- The Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC), Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.,Division of Epidemiology, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Anil Chuturgoon
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Lewis R Roberts
- The Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC), Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Anna Kramvis
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, School of Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Mahmoud K, Swidan S, El-Nabarawi M, Teaima M. Lipid based nanoparticles as a novel treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive review on targeting and recent advances. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:109. [PMID: 35248080 PMCID: PMC8898455 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01309-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is considered one of the deadliest diseases with one of the highest disease burdens worldwide. Among the different types of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma is considered to be the most common type. Multiple conventional approaches are being used in treating hepatocellular carcinoma. Focusing on drug treatment, regular agents in conventional forms fail to achieve the intended clinical outcomes. In order to improve the treatment outcomes, utilizing nanoparticles-specifically lipid based nanoparticles-are considered to be one of the most promising approaches being set in motion. Multiple forms of lipid based nanoparticles exist including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, microemulsion, nanoemulsion, phytosomes, lipid coated nanoparticles, and nanoassemblies. Multiple approaches are used to enhance the tumor uptake as well tumor specificity such as intratumoral injection, passive targeting, active targeting, and stimuli responsive nanoparticles. In this review, the effect of utilizing lipidic nanoparticles is being discussed as well as the different tumor uptake enhancement techniques used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Mahmoud
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt
- The Center for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt
| | - Shady Swidan
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt.
- The Center for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed El-Nabarawi
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
| | - Mahmoud Teaima
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
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Habiba YH, Omran GA, Helmy MW, Houssen ME. Antitumor effects ofrhamnazinon sorafenib-treated human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines via modulation of VEGF signalingand PI3K/NF-κBp38/caspase-3 axes cross talk. Life Sci 2022;:120443. [PMID: 35245519 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common livermalignancy,characterized by dysregulation of multiple oncogenicsignaling pathways, including the VEGF/PI3K/NF-κBandp38 MAPKaxes.Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that targetsRaf kinases and receptor tyrosine kinases,which mediateHCC angiogenesis.Rhamnazinis a VEGFR2 signaling inhibitor, whichinhibits the phosphorylation of Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2) and its downstream signaling regulators. This study was designed toassess the antitumor effects of rhamnazinon human HCC cell lines treated with sorafenib, and to investigate the molecular mechanisms mediating this effect. MAIN METHODS HepG2 and HUH-7 HCC cell lines were used.Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. NF-κB, p38MAPK, VEGF, VEGFR2, PI3K, and Ki67 levels were assessedusing ELISA. Caspase-3 activity was measuredcolorimetrically. VEGFR2 expression was detected by RT-PCR. KEY FINDINGS MTT assay revealed that the sorafenib-rhamnazin combination showed significant cytotoxicity compared with sorafenib or rhamnazin alone. The sorafenib-rhamnazin combination also showed significant inhibition of the angiogenicVEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/NF-κBsignaling axis associated with significant upregulation of the apoptotic p38MAPK/caspase-3 axis and inhibition of Ki67, a proliferation marker in HepG2 and HUH-7 cells. SIGNIFICANCE Rhamnazin potentiates the chemotherapeutic effect of sorafenibvia modulation ofthe VEGF/PI3K/NF-κBsignaling axis, downregulation of VEGFR2 expression, and upregulation of the p38MAPK/caspase-3 axisin human HCC cell lines.
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Endler CH, Kukuk GM, Peeters JM, Beck GM, Isaak A, Faron A, Mesropyan N, Luetkens JA, Attenberger UI, Kupczyk PA. Dynamic Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Free Breathing: A Feasibility Study With a Motion Compensated Variable Density Radial Acquisition and a Viewsharing High-Pass Filtering Reconstruction. Invest Radiol 2022. [PMID: 35136004 DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0000000000000859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Robust dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images are crucial for accurate detection and categorization of focal liver lesions in liver/abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As optimal dynamic imaging usually requires multiple breath-holds, its inherent susceptibility to motion artifacts frequently results in degraded image quality in incompliant patients. Because free-breathing imaging may overcome this drawback, the intention of this study was to evaluate a dynamic MRI sequence acquired during free breathing using the variable density, elliptical centric golden angle radial stack-of-stars radial sampling scheme, which so far has not been implemented in 4-dimensional applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a prospective pilot study, 27 patients received a routine abdominal MRI protocol including the prototype free-breathing sequence (4DFreeBreathing) for dynamic imaging. This enables more convenient and faster reconstruction through variable density, elliptical centric golden angle radial stack-of-stars without the use of additional reconstruction hardware, and even higher motion robustness through soft-gating. A standard breath-hold sequence performed subsequently served as reference standard. Of the continuous dynamic data sets, each dynamic phase was analyzed regarding image quality, motion artifacts and vessel conspicuity using 5-point Likert scales. Furthermore, correct timing of the late arterial phase was compared with the preexaminations. RESULTS 4DFreeBreathing delivered motion-free dynamic images with high temporal resolution in each subject. Overall image quality scores were rated good or excellent for 4DFreeBreathing and the gold standard without significant differences (P = 0.34). There were significantly less motion artifacts in the 4DFreeBreathing sequence (P < 0.0001), whereas vessel conspicuity in each dynamic phase was comparable for both groups (P = 0.45, P > 0.99, P = 0.22, respectively). Correct timing of the late arterial phase could be achieved in 27 of 27 (100%) examinations using 4DFreeBreathing versus 35 of 53 (66%) preexaminations using gold standard (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The benefit of convenient and fast image reconstruction combined with the superiority in motion robustness and timing compared with standard breath hold sequences renders 4DFreeBreathing an attractive alternative to existing free-breathing techniques in dynamic liver MRI.
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Zheng J, Guo Z, Wen Z, Chen H. ZNF561 antisense RNA 1 contributes to angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma through upregulation of platelet-derived growth Factor-D. CHINESE J PHYSIOL 2022; 65:258-265. [DOI: 10.4103/0304-4920.359795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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Okamura S, Shimose S, Niizeki T, Kamachi N, Noda Y, Shirono T, Iwamoto H, Nakano M, Kuromatsu R, Koga H, Torimura T. Association between contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT and lenvatinib effectiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Clin Oncol 2022; 16:8. [PMID: 34881028 PMCID: PMC8647186 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2021.2442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the degree of contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT can predict the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with lenvatinib (LEN). A total of 67 consecutive patients with LEN-treated HCC were retrospectively analysed. In the pretreatment CE-CT, the CT values were measured using a region of interest within the main nodule and the liver parenchyma in the arterial phase, and the macroscopic degree of contrast enhancement of the tumour area was quantified by calculating the enhancement ratio (ER) of the liver parenchyma. The associations of pretreatment ER with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were then investigated. There were 20, 27 and 20 patients in the ER ≥1.5, 1.0≤ ER <1.5 and ER <1.0 groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the PFS and OS among the three ER groups (PFS, P=0.63; OS, P=0.455). The ER <1.0 group had significantly more patients with larger tumour diameters, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C with extrahepatic metastases, and higher des-γ-carboxy prothrombin values compared with the ER ≥1.0 group, suggesting that ER <1.0 reflected more aggressive types of HCC. The multivariate analysis revealed tumour size and α-fetoprotein as independent predictors of shorter PFS. Albumin-bilirubin grade 2 and BCLC stage C were significant predictors of poor OS, whereas the ER was confirmed as a non-significant predictor of both PFS and OS. Only non-alternating LEN and transarterial therapy (AT) were identified as independent predictors of unfavourable OS in patients with BCLC stage B HCC. Therefore, LEN has a strong therapeutic effect on HCC, regardless of the degree of contrast enhancement. Furthermore, AT may prolong the OS of LEN-treated patients with BCLC stage B HCC, regardless of tumour vascularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusuke Okamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Shigeo Shimose
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takashi Niizeki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Naoki Kamachi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Yu Noda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Tomotake Shirono
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hideki Iwamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Masahito Nakano
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Ryoko Kuromatsu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takuji Torimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
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Mo Z, Ding H, Zhou X, Zeng Z, Long L. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging may help identify patients with hepatocellular carcinoma eligible for treatment targeted at RAF1. Abdom Radiol (NY) 2022; 47:209-20. [PMID: 34738148 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-021-03325-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The RAF1 expression affects prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib. We examined the expression of sorafenib-targeted gene RAF1 to ascertain its relationship with gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics. We also explored the predictive potential of RAF1 expression markers in the treatment of HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty-five patients with HCC who underwent preoperative enhanced MRI scanning were included in this study. We analyzed the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of enhanced MRI findings in patients with HCC. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of RAF1 in HCC. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between these image features and the RAF1 gene expression levels in HCC. RESULTS The IHC analysis indicated a significant difference in tumor thrombus group (P = 0.037), RT-PCR results revealed a significant between-group difference for both tumor margins (P = 0.033) and capsule (P = 0.04). Binary logistic regression analysis results suggest that independent MRI predictors were regular tumor margins [P = 0.035, odds ratio (OR) = 3.145, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.087-9.103] and thrombus (P = 0.046, OR = 4.421, 95% CI 1.024-19.08) with high RAF1expression; the tumor capsule was not an independent predictor. CONCLUSION We found a correlation between MRI features and the RAF1 gene expression, Regular tumor margin and the presence of tumor thrombus are indicators of high RAF1 expression in HCC. Enhanced MRI may be useful for identifying patients with HCC eligible for targeted treatment.
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El-Hanboshy SM, Helmy MW, Abd-Alhaseeb MM. Catalpol synergistically potentiates the anti-tumour effects of regorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma via dual inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7233-7242. [PMID: 34596810 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06715-0/figures/4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer characterized by dysregulation of several crucial cellular signaling pathways such as PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 pathways. Novel therapies targeting these pathways have been discovered such as regorafenib which is small molecular multi-kinase inhibitor mainly targets VEGF/VEGFR2. Catalpol is an iridoid glycoside richly found in rehmannia glutinosa which is a fundamental herb used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine. It is evidenced that catalpol has many pharmacological effects on nervous and cardiovascular systems, in addition to exhibiting hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-tumour activities. However, its effect on HCC isn't clear enough. So, this study aimed to investigate the anti-tumour effects of catalpol either alone or in combination with regorafenib on HCC. METHODS AND RESULTS In vitro experiments were performed using HepG2 and HUH-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. MTT assays evaluated anti-proliferative effects of catalpol and/or regorafenib. Combination index was calculated via compusyn software to detect synergism. Tumour biomarkers were measured using ELISA technique. Results showed that catalpol has anti-tumour effects against HCC via targeting PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 pathways. In addition, results revealed that our novel combination of catalpol and regorafenib showed potent synergistic anti-tumour effect via suppressing both of PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways and their downstreams. CONCLUSION Catalpol and/or regorafenib markedly suppressed PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways and consequently showed potent anti-tumour effects against HCC. Results encourage further pre-clinical and clinical studies of this novel combination as a promising targeted therapy for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Muhammad El-Hanboshy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22514, Egypt.
| | - Maged Wasfy Helmy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22514, Egypt
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El-Hanboshy SM, Helmy MW, Abd-Alhaseeb MM. Catalpol synergistically potentiates the anti-tumour effects of regorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma via dual inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7233-7242. [PMID: 34596810 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06715-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer characterized by dysregulation of several crucial cellular signaling pathways such as PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 pathways. Novel therapies targeting these pathways have been discovered such as regorafenib which is small molecular multi-kinase inhibitor mainly targets VEGF/VEGFR2. Catalpol is an iridoid glycoside richly found in rehmannia glutinosa which is a fundamental herb used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine. It is evidenced that catalpol has many pharmacological effects on nervous and cardiovascular systems, in addition to exhibiting hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-tumour activities. However, its effect on HCC isn't clear enough. So, this study aimed to investigate the anti-tumour effects of catalpol either alone or in combination with regorafenib on HCC. METHODS AND RESULTS In vitro experiments were performed using HepG2 and HUH-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. MTT assays evaluated anti-proliferative effects of catalpol and/or regorafenib. Combination index was calculated via compusyn software to detect synergism. Tumour biomarkers were measured using ELISA technique. Results showed that catalpol has anti-tumour effects against HCC via targeting PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 pathways. In addition, results revealed that our novel combination of catalpol and regorafenib showed potent synergistic anti-tumour effect via suppressing both of PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways and their downstreams. CONCLUSION Catalpol and/or regorafenib markedly suppressed PI3K/p-Akt/mTOR/NF-κB and VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathways and consequently showed potent anti-tumour effects against HCC. Results encourage further pre-clinical and clinical studies of this novel combination as a promising targeted therapy for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Muhammad El-Hanboshy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22514, Egypt.
| | - Maged Wasfy Helmy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22514, Egypt
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Seyedpour SM, Nabati M, Lambers L, Nafisi S, Tautenhahn HM, Sack I, Reichenbach JR, Ricken T. Application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Liver Biomechanics: A Systematic Review. Front Physiol 2021; 12:733393. [PMID: 34630152 PMCID: PMC8493836 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.733393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
MRI-based biomechanical studies can provide a deep understanding of the mechanisms governing liver function, its mechanical performance but also liver diseases. In addition, comprehensive modeling of the liver can help improve liver disease treatment. Furthermore, such studies demonstrate the beginning of an engineering-level approach to how the liver disease affects material properties and liver function. Aimed at researchers in the field of MRI-based liver simulation, research articles pertinent to MRI-based liver modeling were identified, reviewed, and summarized systematically. Various MRI applications for liver biomechanics are highlighted, and the limitations of different viscoelastic models used in magnetic resonance elastography are addressed. The clinical application of the simulations and the diseases studied are also discussed. Based on the developed questionnaire, the papers' quality was assessed, and of the 46 reviewed papers, 32 papers were determined to be of high-quality. Due to the lack of the suitable material models for different liver diseases studied by magnetic resonance elastography, researchers may consider the effect of liver diseases on constitutive models. In the future, research groups may incorporate various aspects of machine learning (ML) into constitutive models and MRI data extraction to further refine the study methodology. Moreover, researchers should strive for further reproducibility and rigorous model validation and verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed M. Seyedpour
- Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Biomechanics Lab, Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Mehdi Nabati
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Lena Lambers
- Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Biomechanics Lab, Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sara Nafisi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hans-Michael Tautenhahn
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Ingolf Sack
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen R. Reichenbach
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center of Medical Optics and Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Michael Stifel Center for Data-driven and Simulation Science Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Tim Ricken
- Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Biomechanics Lab, Institute of Mechanics, Structural Analysis and Dynamics, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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Atwa SM, Odenthal M, El Tayebi HM. Genetic Heterogeneity, Therapeutic Hurdle Confronting Sorafenib and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4343. [PMID: 34503153 PMCID: PMC8430643 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the latest advances in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening and treatment modalities, HCC is still representing a global burden. Most HCC patients present at later stages to an extent that conventional curative options are ineffective. Hence, systemic therapy represented by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sorafenib, in the first-line setting is the main treatment modality for advanced-stage HCC. However, in the two groundbreaking phase III clinical trials, the SHARP and Asia-Pacific trials, sorafenib has demonstrated a modest prolongation of overall survival in almost 30% of HCC patients. As HCC develops in an immune-rich milieu, particular attention has been placed on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a novel therapeutic modality for HCC. Yet, HCC therapy is hampered by the resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs and the subsequent tumor recurrence. HCC is characterized by substantial genomic heterogeneity that has an impact on cellular response to the applied therapy. And hence, this review aims at giving an insight into the therapeutic impact and the different mechanisms of resistance to sorafenib and ICIs as well as, discussing the genomic heterogeneity associated with such mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M. Atwa
- Pharmaceutical Biology Department, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11865, Egypt;
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Margarete Odenthal
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, 50924 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Hend M. El Tayebi
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
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Liu Q, Zhang B, Wang L, Zheng R, Qiang J, Wang H, Yan F, Li R. Assessment of Vascular Network Connectivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Graph-Based Approach. Front Oncol 2021; 11:668874. [PMID: 34295812 PMCID: PMC8290165 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.668874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The angiogenesis of liver cancer is a key condition for its growth, invasion, and metastasis. This study aims to investigate vascular network connectivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using graph-based approach. METHODS Orthotopic HCC xenograft models (n=10) and the healthy controls (n=10) were established. After 21 days of modeling, hepatic vascular casting and Micro-CT scanning were performed for angiography, followed by blood vessels automatic segmentation and vascular network modeling. The topologic parameters of vascular network, including clustering coefficient (CC), network structure entropy (NSE), and average path length (APL) were quantified. Topologic parameters of the tumor region, as well as the background liver were compared between HCC group and normal control group. RESULTS Compared with normal control group, the tumor region of HCC group showed significantly decreased CC [(0.046 ± 0.005) vs. (0.052 ± 0.006), P=0.026], and NSE [(0.9894 ± 0.0015) vs. (0.9927 ± 0.0010), P<0.001], and increased APL [(0.433 ± 0.138) vs. (0.188 ± 0.049), P<0.001]. Compared with normal control group, the background liver of HCC group showed significantly decreased CC [(0.047 ± 0.004) vs. (0.052 ± 0.006), P=0.041] and increased NSE [0.9938 (0.9936~0.9940) vs. (0.9927 ± 0.0010), P=0.035]. No significant difference was identified for APL between the two groups. CONCLUSION Graph-based approach allows quantification of vascular connectivity of HCC. Disrupted vascular topological connectivity exists in the tumor region, as well as the background liver of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyu Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Luna Wang
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rencheng Zheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinwei Qiang
- Department of Radiology, Jinshan hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He Wang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruokun Li
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Baby J, Devan AR, Kumar AR, Gorantla JN, Nair B, Aishwarya TS, Nath LR. Cogent role of flavonoids as key orchestrators of chemoprevention of hepatocellular carcinoma: A review. J Food Biochem 2021; 45:e13761. [PMID: 34028054 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemopreventive approaches with food-derived phytochemicals are progressively rising as a significant aspect of tumor management and control. Herein, we have showcased the major phytoconstituents belonging to the group of flavanoid, as anti-cancer agents used for the treatment and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib is the sole drug used for the treatment of advanced HCC, but its clinical application is limited because of its severe adverse effects and drug resistance. Diet-based chemoprevention seems to be the way forward for this disease of malignant nature. As HCC is derived from a chronic inflammatory milieu, the regular incorporation of bioactive phytochemicals in the diet will confer protection and prevent progression to hepatocarcinogenesis. Many preclinical studies proved that the health benefits of flavonoids confer cytotoxic potential against various types of cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma. As flavonoids with excellent safety profile are abundantly present in common vegetables and fruits, they can be better utilized for chemoprevention and chemosensitization in such chronic condition. This review highlights the plausible role of the eight most promising flavonoids (Curcumin, Kaempferol, Resveratrol, Quercetin, Silibinin, Baicalein, Galangin and Luteolin) as key orchestrators of chemoprevention in hepatocellular carcinoma with preclinical and clinical evidence. An attempt to address the challenges in its clinical translation is also included. This review also provides an insight into the close association of HCC and metabolic disorders which may further decipher the chemopreventive effect of dietary bioactive from a proof of concept to extensive clinical translation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: According to GLOBOCAN 2020 database, it is estimated that 905,677 new cases of liver cancer and approximately 830,180 deaths related to that. The cancer incidence and mortality are almost similar as it is diagnosed at an advanced stage in patients where systemic drug therapy is the sole approach. Due to the emergence of multidrug resistance and drug-related toxicities, most of the patient can not adhere to the therapy regimen. Flavonoids are known to be a potential anticancer agent with an excellent safety profile. These are found to be effective preclinically against hepatocellular carcinoma through modulation of numerous pathways in hepatocarcinogenesis. But, the bioavailability issue, lack of well designed-validated clinical evidence, the possibility of food-drug interaction etc limit its clinical utility. The research inputs mainly to overcome pharmacokinetic issues along with suitable validation of efficacy and toxicity will be a critical point for establishing flavonoids as an effective, safe, affordable therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Baby
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Aswathy R Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Ayana R Kumar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | | | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Thanatharayil Sathian Aishwarya
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi, Kerala, India
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Florea A, Mottaghy FM, Bauwens M. Molecular Imaging of Angiogenesis in Oncology: Current Preclinical and Clinical Status. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5544. [PMID: 34073992 PMCID: PMC8197399 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is an active process, regulating new vessel growth, and is crucial for the survival and growth of tumours next to other complex factors in the tumour microenvironment. We present possible molecular imaging approaches for tumour vascularisation and vitality, focusing on radiopharmaceuticals (tracers). Molecular imaging in general has become an integrated part of cancer therapy, by bringing relevant insights on tumour angiogenic status. After a structured PubMed search, the resulting publication list was screened for oncology related publications in animals and humans, disregarding any cardiovascular findings. The tracers identified can be subdivided into direct targeting of angiogenesis (i.e., vascular endothelial growth factor, laminin, and fibronectin) and indirect targeting (i.e., glucose metabolism, hypoxia, and matrix metallo-proteases, PSMA). Presenting pre-clinical and clinical data of most tracers proposed in the literature, the indirect targeting agents are not 1:1 correlated with angiogenesis factors but do have a strong prognostic power in a clinical setting, while direct targeting agents show most potential and specificity for assessing tumour vascularisation and vitality. Within the direct agents, the combination of multiple targeting tracers into one agent (multimers) seems most promising. This review demonstrates the present clinical applicability of indirect agents, but also the need for more extensive research in the field of direct targeting of angiogenesis in oncology. Although there is currently no direct tracer that can be singled out, the RGD tracer family seems to show the highest potential therefore we expect one of them to enter the clinical routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Florea
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Felix M. Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Bauwens
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Luan F, Liu B, Guo X, Yong W. Hepatitis B Virus preS2 Domain Promotes Angiogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Transcriptional Activation of VEGFA Promoter. Hepat Mon 2021; 21. [DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.111618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
: Angiogenesis is closely related to the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Angiogenic factors have been confirmed to be overexpressed in HCC. The hepatitis B virus preS2 domain is a transactivator that plays an important role in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. Here, we aimed to investigate the potential of the preS2 domain in inducing angiogenesis in HCC. A total of 25 cases of pathologically confirmed HCC were screened. The levels of preS2, CD34, and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in HCC samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The proliferation of vascular endothelial cells was detected by CCK-8. Besides, VEGFA was analyzed by Western blot in HCC cells. The effect of preS2 on the VEGFA promoter was measured by dual-luciferase reporter assays. We found that preS2 domain-positive HCCs had significantly higher microvessel density (MVD) and VEGFA expression than preS2 domain-negative HCCs. Overexpression of preS2 upregulated VEGFA expression in HepG2 and activated vascular endothelial cell proliferation. However, blocking preS2 expression reduced VEGFA expression in HepG2.2.15 and inhibited the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. In addition, a dual-luciferase assay indicated that the preS2 domain could activate VEGFA promoter activity. In conclusion, we showed that the expression of the preS2 domain promotes angiogenesis by transactivating the VEGFA promoter in HCC.
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Guo Y, Cai X, Lu H, Li Q, Zheng Y, Lin Z, Cheng Z, Yang M, Zhang L, Xiang L, Yang X. 17β-Estradiol Promotes Apoptosis of HepG2 Cells Caused by Oxidative Stress by Increasing Foxo3a Phosphorylation. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:607379. [PMID: 33790784 PMCID: PMC8005602 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.607379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is associated with high mortality, particularly in patients infected with the hepatitis B virus. Treatment methods remain very limited. Here, we explored the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on apoptosis of various liver cell lines (LO2, HepG2, and HepG2.2.15 cells). Within a certain concentration range, 17β-estradiol induced oxidative stress and apoptosis of HepG2 cells, downregulated ERα-36 expression, and increased Akt and Foxo3a phosphorylation. p-Foxo3a became localized around the nucleus but did not enter the organelle. The levels of mRNAs encoding manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase, to the promoters of which Foxo3a binds to trigger gene expression, were significantly reduced in HepG2 cells. 17β-estradiol had no obvious effects on LO2 or HepG2.2.15 cells. We speculate that 17β-estradiol may induce oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by increasing Foxo3a phosphorylation, thus promoting apoptosis. This may serve as a new treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Guo
- Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital/School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangsheng Cai
- Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital/School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Medical Experiments, University of Chinese Academy of Science-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaorong Yang, ; Lei Xiang, ; Xiangsheng Cai,
| | - Hanwei Lu
- Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital/School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiqi Li
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zefang Lin
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zexiong Cheng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maoxiang Yang
- Center for Medical Experiments, University of Chinese Academy of Science-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital/School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Xiang
- Center for Medical Experiments, University of Chinese Academy of Science-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaorong Yang, ; Lei Xiang, ; Xiangsheng Cai,
| | - Xiaorong Yang
- Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital/School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaorong Yang, ; Lei Xiang, ; Xiangsheng Cai,
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Teng F, Zhang JX, Chang QM, Wu XB, Tang WG, Wang JF, Feng JF, Zhang ZP, Hu ZQ. LncRNA MYLK-AS1 facilitates tumor progression and angiogenesis by targeting miR-424-5p/E2F7 axis and activating VEGFR-2 signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2020; 39:235. [PMID: 33168027 PMCID: PMC7650167 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01739-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial in the invasion, angiogenesis, progression, and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The lncRNA MYLK-AS1 promotes the growth and invasion of HCC through the EGFR/HER2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. However, the clinical significance of MYLK-AS1 in HCC still needs to be further determined. METHODS Bioinformatic analysis was performed to determine the potential relationship among MYLK-AS1, miRNAs and mRNAs. A total of 156 samples of normal liver and paired HCC tissues from HCC patients were used to evaluate MYLK-AS1 expression by qRT-PCR. Human HCC cell lines were used to evaluate the colony formation, cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis after transfection of lentiviral short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting MYLK-AS1 or MYLK-AS1 vectors. The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism was clarified using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), Western blotting, qPCR, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and dual luciferase reporter analysis. RESULTS MYLK-AS1 up-regulation was detected in the HCC tumor tissues and cell lines associated with the enhancement of the angiogenesis and tumor progression. The down-regulation of MYLK-AS1 reversed the effects on angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion and metastasis in the HCC cells and in vivo. MYLK-AS1 acted as ceRNA, capable of regulating the angiogenesis in HCC, while the microRNA miR-424-5p was the direct target of MYLK-AS1. Promoting the angiogenesis and the tumor proliferation, the complex MYLK-AS1/miR-424-5p activated the VEGFR-2 signaling through E2F7, whereas the specific targeting of E2F transcription factor 7 (E2F7) by miR-424-5p, was indicated by the mechanism studies. CONCLUSIONS MYLK-AS1 and E2F7 are closely related to some malignant clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC, thus the MYLK-AS1/ miR-424-5p/E2F7 signaling pathway might represent a promising treatment strategy to combat HCC.
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MESH Headings
- Calcium-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood supply
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Disease Progression
- E2F7 Transcription Factor/metabolism
- Female
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/blood supply
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Middle Aged
- Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase/genetics
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/metabolism
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/pathology
- Prognosis
- RNA, Antisense/genetics
- RNA, Antisense/metabolism
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Transfection
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Teng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Ju-Xiang Zhang
- Shanghai Med-X Engineering Center for Medical Equipment and Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Meng Chang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu-Bo Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Guo Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Fa Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Feng Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Ping Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhi-Qiu Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201199, People's Republic of China.
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Yu Q, Wu L, Ji J, Feng J, Dai W, Li J, Wu J, Guo C. Gut Microbiota, Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2020; 7:271-288. [PMID: 33150145 PMCID: PMC7605923 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s277870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. HCC incidence rate is sixth and mortality is fourth worldwide. However, HCC pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The incidence of HCC is associated with genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors. The role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of HCC has attracted researchers’ attention because of anatomical and functional interactions between liver and intestine. Studies have demonstrated the involvement of gut microbiota in the development of HCC and chronic liver diseases, such as alcoholic liver disease (ALD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and liver cirrhosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of receptors with diverse biological functions. Natural and synthetic PPAR agonists show potential for treatment of NAFLD, liver fibrosis, and HCC. Recent studies have demonstrated that PPARs take part in gut microbiota inhabitation and adaptation. This manuscript reviews the role of gut microbiota in the development of HCC and precancerous diseases, the role of PPARs in modulation of gut microbiota and HCC, and potential of gut microbiota for HCC diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiao Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiqi Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200336, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianye Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanyong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China
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Olejarz W, Kubiak-Tomaszewska G, Chrzanowska A, Lorenc T. Exosomes in Angiogenesis and Anti-angiogenic Therapy in Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165840. [PMID: 32823989 PMCID: PMC7461570 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is the process through which new blood vessels are formed from pre-existing ones. Exosomes are involved in angiogenesis in cancer progression by transporting numerous pro-angiogenic biomolecules like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and microRNAs. Exosomes promote angiogenesis by suppressing expression of factor-inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Uptake of tumor-derived exosomes (TEX) by normal endothelial cells activates angiogenic signaling pathways in endothelial cells and stimulates new vessel formation. TEX-driven cross-talk of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with immune cells blocks their anti-tumor activity. Effective inhibition of tumor angiogenesis may arrest tumor progression. Bevacizumab, a VEGF-specific antibody, was the first antiangiogenic agent to enter the clinic. The most important clinical problem associated with cancer therapy using VEGF- or VEFGR-targeting agents is drug resistance. Combined strategies based on angiogenesis inhibitors and immunotherapy effectively enhances therapies in various cancers, but effective treatment requires further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wioletta Olejarz
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (W.O.); (G.K.-T.)
- Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grażyna Kubiak-Tomaszewska
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (W.O.); (G.K.-T.)
- Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Chrzanowska
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Lorenc
- 1st Department of Clinical Radiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Chałubińskiego 5, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-22-502-1073
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