Janus Kinase-2 Mutation Associated Portal Vein Thrombosis Complicating Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Novel Germline Mutations in Patients with Budd-Chiari Syndrome-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Budd-Chiari syndrome-hepatocellular carcinoma (BCS-HCC) is uncommon and its molecular pathogenesis is poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genomic landscape of BCS-HCC through whole exome sequencing (WES) to elucidate the cellular and molecular pathways involved in its pathogenesis.

METHODOLOGY

We enrolled BCS-HCC (n = 13) and BCS alone (n = 73) patients. WES was performed using the Twist Comprehensive Exome kit on the Illumina platform, followed by quality checks and analysis using the GATK pipeline. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were filtered out from the exonic part of the annotated variant calling file. rsIDs and Cosmic IDs (catalogue of somatic mutations in cancer) were assigned using dbSNP and Cosmic ID databases. Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene ontology analysis were done for pathogenic gene variants.

RESULTS

We observed 1849 significant mutations in 305 genes in BCS-HCC patients, including missense, Indel, and frameshift mutations. Missense variants were more common than frameshift and indels in all subjects. The pathogenic mutations were found in 34 genes-cancer-causing (18 genes) and disease-causing (16 genes, both BCS or BCS-HCC) as per COSMIC cancer gene census. Pathogenic mutations were frequently observed in the mucin family genes including MUC3A, MUC4, MUC6, and MUC16 in BCS-HCC subjects. Changes in extracellular matrix and glycosylation were observed in gene ontology analysis of the genes having pathogenic variants.

CONCLUSION

Mutations in the mucin gene family including other cancer-causing genes were associated with BCS-HCC in our cohort. Larger, multicentric studies with regional and ethnic diversity are required to validate these findings.

Recent Advances in the Knowledge of the Mechanisms of Leptin Physiology and Actions in Neurological and Metabolic Pathologies

Excess body weight is frequently associated with low-grade inflammation. Evidence indicates a relationship between obesity and cancer, as well as with other diseases, such as diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in which inflammation and the actions of various adipokines play a role in the pathological mechanisms involved in these disorders. Leptin is mainly produced by adipose tissue in proportion to fat stores, but it is also synthesized in other organs, where leptin receptors are expressed. This hormone performs numerous actions in the brain, mainly related to the control of energy homeostasis. It is also involved in neurogenesis and neuroprotection, and central leptin resistance is related to some neurological disorders, e.g., Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In peripheral tissues, leptin is implicated in the regulation of metabolism, as well as of bone density and muscle mass. All these actions can be affected by changes in leptin levels and the mechanisms associated with resistance to this hormone. This review will present recent advances in the molecular mechanisms of leptin action and their underlying roles in pathological situations, which may be of interest for revealing new approaches for the treatment of diseases where the actions of this adipokine might be compromised.