1
|
Alemayehu E, Fasil A, Ebrahim H, Mulatie Z, Bambo GM, Gedefie A, Teshome M, Worede A, Belete MA. Circulating microRNAs as promising diagnostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1353547. [PMID: 38808007 PMCID: PMC11130514 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1353547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, is a major global health problem, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Early identification and diagnosis of HCC requires the discovery of reliable biomarkers. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of miRNAs for HCC. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO website with the registration number CRD42023417494. Method: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Wiley Online Library, and Science Direct databases to identify pertinent articles published between 2018 and 30 July 2023. Stata 17.0 software was employed to determine the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) for evaluating the accuracy of miRNAs in diagnosing HCC. The assessment of heterogeneity among studies involved the use of the Cochran-Q test and I2 statistic tests. Due to the observed significant heterogeneity, the random-effect model was chosen. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were also undertaken to explore potential sources contributing to heterogeneity. Deeks' funnel plot was used to assess publication bias. In addition, Fagan's nomogram and likelihood ratio scattergram were utilized to assess the clinical validity of miRNAs for HCC. Result: Twenty-four articles were included, involving 1,668 individuals diagnosed with HCC and 1,236 healthy individuals. The findings revealed pooled sensitivity of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80-0.88), specificity of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77-0.84), PLR of 4.36 (95% CI: 3.59-5.30), NLR of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.15-0.25), DOR of 22.47 (95% CI: 14.47-32.64), and an AUC of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86-0.91) for the diagnosis of HCC using miRNAs. Furthermore, results from the subgroup analysis demonstrated that superior diagnostic performance was observed when utilizing plasma miRNAs, a large sample size (≥100), and miRNA panels. Conclusion: Hence, circulating miRNAs demonstrate substantial diagnostic utility for HCC and can serve as effective non-invasive biomarkers for the condition. Additionally, miRNA panels, miRNAs derived from plasma, and miRNAs evaluated in larger sample sizes (≥100) demonstrate enhanced diagnostic efficacy for HCC diagnosis. Nevertheless, a large pool of prospective studies and multi-center research will be required to confirm our findings in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ermiyas Alemayehu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Alebachew Fasil
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Hussen Ebrahim
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Zewudu Mulatie
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Getachew Mesfin Bambo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Mizan-Tepi University, Mizan Aman, Ethiopia
| | - Alemu Gedefie
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Mulugeta Teshome
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Dessie Health Science College, Dessie, Ethiopia
| | - Abebaw Worede
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Melaku Ashagrie Belete
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang J, Guan X, Shang N, Wu D, Liu Z, Guan Z, Zhang Z, Jin Z, Wei X, Liu X, Song M, Zhu W, Dai G. Dysfunction of CCT3-associated network signals for the critical state during progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167054. [PMID: 38360074 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors and is a serious threat to human health; thus, early diagnosis and adequate treatment are essential. However, there are still great challenges in identifying the tipping point and detecting early warning signals of early HCC. In this study, we aimed to identify the tipping point (critical state) of and key molecules involved in hepatocarcinogenesis based on time series transcriptome expression data of HCC patients. The phase from veHCC (very early HCC) to eHCC (early HCC) was identified as the critical state in HCC progression, with 143 genes identified as key candidate molecules by combining the DDRTree (dimensionality reduction via graph structure learning) and DNB (dynamic network biomarker) methods. Then, we ranked the candidate genes to verify their mRNA levels using the diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC mouse model and identified five early warning signals, namely, CCT3, DSTYK, EIF3E, IARS2 and TXNRD1; these signals can be regarded as the potential early warning signals for the critical state of HCC. We identified CCT3 as an independent prognostic factor for HCC, and functions of CCT3 involving in the "MYCtargets_V1" and "E2F-Targets" are closely related to the progression of HCC. The predictive method combining the DDRTree and DNB methods can not only identify the key critical state before cancer but also determine candidate molecules of critical state, thus providing new insight into the early diagnosis and preemptive treatment of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Wang
- School of Computer and Artificial Intelligence, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China; School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Xiaowen Guan
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Ning Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Di Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Zihan Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Zhenzhen Guan
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Zhizi Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Zhongzhen Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Xiaoran Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Mingzhu Song
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China
| | - Weijun Zhu
- School of Computer and Artificial Intelligence, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China.
| | - Guifu Dai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Attallah KA, Albannan MS, Farid K, Rizk SM, Fathy N. HCC-Check: A Novel Diagnostic Tool for Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Cytokeratin-1 and Epithelial Membrane Antigen: A Cross-Sectional Study. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2024; 23:15330338241234790. [PMID: 38436112 PMCID: PMC10913511 DOI: 10.1177/15330338241234790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is frequently diagnosed in advanced stages, leading to a poorer prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis and identification of biomarkers may significantly improve outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 486 participants distributed among 3 groups: F1 to F3 = 184, F4 = 183, and hepatocellular carcinoma = 119. Liver fibrosis staging was performed using FibroScan, while imaging features were used for hepatocellular carcinoma detection. Epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin-1 levels in serum were quantified through Western blot and ELISA, respectively. Results: Patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma exhibited significantly elevated levels of epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin-1 compared to non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients, with a highly significant statistical difference (P < .0001). Epithelial membrane antigen demonstrated diagnostic performance with an area under the curve of 0.75, a sensitivity of 69.0%, and a specificity of 68.5%. Cytokeratin-1 for the identification of hepatocellular carcinoma showed a sensitivity of 79.0% and a specificity of 81.4%, resulting in an area under the curve of 0.87. The developed HCC-Check, which incorporates epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratin-1, albumin, and alpha-fetoprotein, displayed a higher area under the curve of 0.95 to identify hepatocellular carcinoma, with a sensitivity of 89.8% and a specificity of 83.9%. Notably, HCC-Check values exceeding 2.57 substantially increased the likelihood of hepatocellular carcinoma, with an estimated odds ratio of 50.65, indicating a higher susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma development than those with lower values. The HCC-Check diagnostic test exhibited high precision in identifying patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly those with small tumor sizes (<5 cm) and a single nodule, as reflected in area under the curve values of 0.92 and 0.85, respectively. HCC-Check was then applied to the validation study to test its accuracy and reproducibility, showing superior area under the curves for identifying different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma. These outcomes underscore the effectiveness of the test in the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: The HCC-Check test presents a highly accurate diagnostic method for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma in its early stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kareem A. Attallah
- Research and Development Department, Biotechnology Research Center, New Damietta, Egypt
- Clinical Research Department, Damietta Directorate for Health Affairs, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, Damietta, Egypt
| | - Mohamed S. Albannan
- Research and Development Department, Biotechnology Research Center, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Khaled Farid
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Sherine M. Rizk
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nevine Fathy
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mashali MA, Saad NS. Exploring HMGB2 in hepatocellular carcinoma: charting new paths for diagnostic and therapeutic innovations. J Gastrointest Oncol 2023; 14:2668-2670. [PMID: 38196529 PMCID: PMC10772683 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-23-934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A. Mashali
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Nancy S. Saad
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Guan MC, Zhang SY, Ding Q, Li N, Fu TT, Zhang GX, He QQ, Shen F, Yang T, Zhu H. The Performance of GALAD Score for Diagnosing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12030949. [PMID: 36769597 PMCID: PMC9918029 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12030949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background GALAD score, comprising five clinical parameters, is a predictive model developed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. Since its emergence, its diagnostic ability has been validated in different populations with a wide variation. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate its overall diagnostic performance in differentiating HCC in chronic liver diseases. Methods Eligible studies were searched in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases by 29 May 2022. Pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Results Fifteen original studies (comprising 19,021 patients) were included. For detecting any-stage HCC, GALAD score yielded an excellent ability, with pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.82 (95%CI: 0.78-0.85), 0.89 (95%CI: 0.85-0.91), and 0.92 (95%CI: 0.89-0.94), respectively. Notably, further analyses demonstrated a good diagnostic accuracy of GALAD score for identifying Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging (BCLC) 0/A HCC, with a moderate sensitivity (0.73 (95%CI: 0.66-0.79)) and a high specificity (0.87 (95%CI: 0.81-0.91)); by contrast, only 38% of early-stage patients can be identified by alpha-fetoprotein, with an AUC value of 0.70 (95%CI: 0.66-0.74). Following subgroup analyses based on different HCC etiologies, higher sensitivities and AUC values were observed in subgroups with hepatitis C or non-viral liver diseases. For detecting BCLC 0/A HCC in the cirrhotic population, GALAD score had a pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.78 (95%CI: 0.66-0.87), 0.80 (95%CI: 0.72-0.87), and 0.86 (95%CI: 0.83-0.89). Conclusions We highlighted the superior diagnostic accuracy of GALAD score for detecting any-stage HCC with a high sensitivity and specificity, especially for early-stage HCC, with a relatively stable diagnostic performance. The addition of GALAD score into ultrasound surveillance may identify more HCC patients. Our findings imply the robust power of the GALAD score as a HCC screening or diagnostic tool, and it should be further validated by more studies with high quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Cheng Guan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Shi-Yu Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Qian Ding
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ting-Ting Fu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Gui-Xia Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Qian-Qian He
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Navy Medical University), Shanghai 200438, China
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (T.Y.); (H.Z.)
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Navy Medical University), Shanghai 200438, China
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Clinical Research Institute, Third Affiliated Hospital of Navy Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (T.Y.); (H.Z.)
| | - Hong Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (T.Y.); (H.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Guan MC, Ouyang W, Liu SY, Sun LY, Chen WY, Tong XM, Zhu H, Yang T. Alpha-fetoprotein, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein alone and in combination for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A multicenter analysis. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2022; 21:559-568. [PMID: 35643910 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2022.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current surveillance strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3), and their combinations in HCC underlying NAFLD patients. METHODS Serologic AFP, AFP-L3, and PIVKA-II levels in NAFLD patients with and without HCC were measured. By receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were obtained to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each biomarker and their combinations. RESULTS This study was conducted on 139 patients with NAFLD-HCC and 345 NAFLD controls. The elevation of these three biomarkers was observed in patients with NAFLD-HCC compared to those in NAFLD controls (all P < 0.001). When they were analyzed individually, PIVKA-II showed the best performance in diagnosing any-stage HCC with an AUC of 0.869, followed by AFP (0.763; vs. PIVKA-II, P < 0.001) and AFP-L3 (0.689; vs. PIVKA-II, P < 0.001). When they were analyzed in combination, AFP + PIVKA-II yielded the highest AUC (0.906), followed by AFP + PIVKA-II + AFP-L3 (0.904; vs. AFP + PIVKA-II, P = 0.086), PIVKA-II + AFP-L3 (0.881; vs. AFP + PIVKA-II, P < 0.001), and AFP + AFP-L3 (0.759; vs. AFP + PIVKA-II, P < 0.001). Similar findings were obtained in the subgroup with early-stage NAFLD-HCC, as well as the non-cirrhotic subgroup. CONCLUSIONS These data validated the better diagnostic ability of PIVKA-II than AFP or AFP-L3 alone for diagnosing any-stage HCC among patients with NAFLD, and the combination of AFP + PIVKA-II significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of NAFLD-HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Cheng Guan
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Wei Ouyang
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Si-Yu Liu
- Department of Laboratory, Zhejiang University Lishui Hospital, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Li-Yang Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Wei-Yue Chen
- Department of Laboratory, Zhejiang University Lishui Hospital, Lishui 323000, China; The Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Interventional Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhejiang University Lishui Hospital, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Xiang-Min Tong
- Department of Laboratory, Zhejiang University Lishui Hospital, Lishui 323000, China; Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310059, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Minimal Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310059, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Navy Medical University), Shanghai 200438, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Oncogenic Wnt3a is a promising sensitive biomarker for monitoring hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2022; 22:263-269. [PMID: 36435702 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on early diagnosis. Previously, the abnormal expression of Wnt3a as the key signaling molecule in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was found in HCC cells and could be released into the circulation. In this study, we used rat model of hepatocarcinogenesis to dynamically investigate the alteration of oncogenic Wnt3a and to explore its early monitor value for HCC. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats (SD) were fed with diet 2-fluorenylacetamide (2-FAA, 0.05%) for inducing hepatocarcinogenesis, and grouped based on liver morphological alteration by Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining; rats fed with normal chow were used as normal control (NC). Total RNA and protein were purified from rat livers. Differently expressed genes (DEGs) or Wnt3a mRNA, cellular distribution, and Wnt3a protein levels were analyzed by whole genome microarray with signal logarithm ratio (SLR log2cy5/cy3), immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. RESULTS Models of rat hepatocarcinogenesis were successfully established based on liver histopathological H&E staining. Rats were divided into the cell degeneration (rDeg), precancerosis (rPre-C) and HCC (rHCC) groups. Total numbers of the up- and down-regulated DEGs with SLR ≥ 8 were 55 and 48 in the rDeg group, 268 and 57 in the rPre-C group, and 312 and 201 in the rHCC group, respectively. Significantly altered genes were involved in cell proliferation, signal transduction, tumor metastasis, and apoptosis. Compared with the NC group, Wnt3a mRNA was increased by 4.6 folds (P < 0.001) in the rDeg group, 7.4 folds (P < 0.001) in the rPre-C group, and 10.4 folds (P < 0.001) in the rHCC group; the positive rates of liver Wnt3a were 66.7% (P = 0.001) in the rDeg group, 100% (P < 0.001) in the rPre-C group, and 100% (P < 0.001) in the rHCC group, respectively. Also, there were significant differences of liver Wnt3a (P < 0.001) or serum Wnt3a (P < 0.001) among different groups. CONCLUSIONS Overexpression of Wnt3a was associated with rat hepatocarcinogenesis and it should be expected to be a promising monitoring biomarker for HCC occurrence at early stage.
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu Y, Liang W, Chang Y, He Z, Wu M, Zheng H, Ke X, Lv M, Liu Q, Liu Q, Tang W, Huang Q, Lu Y, He M, Yang Q, Mo C, Wang J, Peng K, Min Z, Su H, Chen J. CEP192 is a novel prognostic marker and correlates with the immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:950884. [PMID: 36238304 PMCID: PMC9551108 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.950884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) responds poorly to standard chemotherapy or targeted therapy; hence, exploration for novel therapeutic targets is urgently needed. CEP192 protein is indispensable for centrosome amplification, which has been extensively characterized in both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Here, we combined bioinformatics and experimental approaches to assess the potential of CEP192 as a prognostic and therapeutic target in HCC. CEP192 expression increased with tumor stage and was associated with poor clinicopathologic features, frequent recurrence, and higher mortality. Upon single-cell RNA sequencing, CEP192 was found to be involved in the proliferation and self-renewal of hepatic progenitor-like cells. This observation was further evidenced using CEP192 silencing, which prevented tumor cell proliferation and self-renewal by arresting cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Notably, CEP192 was highly correlated with multiple tumor-associated cytokine ligand–receptor axes, including IL11–IL11RA, IL6–IL6R, and IL13–IL13RA1, which could promote interactions between hepatic progenitor-like cells, PLVAP+ endothelial cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and CD4+ T cells. Consequently, CEP192 expression was closely associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and low immunophenoscores, making it a potential predictor of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Taken together, our results unravel a novel onco-immunological role of CEP192 in establishing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and provide a novel biomarker, as well as a potential target for therapeutic intervention of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanmei Liang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yabin Chang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zehui He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meijian Wu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haozhi Zheng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinrong Ke
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minjia Lv
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingqian Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinyu Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Waner Tang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiaoling Huang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Lu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qijun Yang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunpan Mo
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiefan Wang
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kunwei Peng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqun Min
- Central Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hang Su
- Central Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingqi Chen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy and Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Department of Oncology and Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jingqi Chen,
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Qian Y, Itzel T, Ebert M, Teufel A. Deep View of HCC Gene Expression Signatures and Their Comparison with Other Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14174322. [PMID: 36077860 PMCID: PMC9454845 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression signatures correlate genetic alterations with specific clinical features, providing the potential for clinical usage. A plethora of HCC-dependent gene signatures have been developed in the last two decades. However, none of them has made its way into clinical practice. Thus, we investigated the specificity of public gene signatures to HCC by establishing a comparative transcriptomic analysis, as this may be essential for clinical applications. METHODS We collected 10 public HCC gene signatures and evaluated them by utilizing four different (commercial and non-commercial) gene expression profile comparison tools: Oncomine Premium, SigCom LINCS, ProfileChaser (modified version), and GENEVA, which can assign similar pre-analyzed profiles of patients with tumors or cancer cell lines to our gene signatures of interests. Among the query results of each tool, different cancer entities were screened. In addition, seven breast and colorectal cancer gene signatures were included in order to further challenge tumor specificity of gene expression signatures. RESULTS Although the specificity of the evaluated HCC gene signatures varied considerably, none of the gene signatures showed strict specificity to HCC. All gene signatures exhibited potential significant specificity to other cancers, particularly for colorectal and breast cancer. Since signature specificity proved challenging, we furthermore investigated common core genes and overlapping enriched pathways among all gene signatures, which, however, showed no or only very little overlap, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that specificity, independent validation, and clinical use of HCC genetic signatures solely relying on gene expression remains challenging. Furthermore, our work made clear that standards in signature generation and statistical methods but potentially also in tissue preparation are urgently needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuquan Qian
- Division of Hepatology, Division of Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Timo Itzel
- Division of Hepatology, Division of Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Healthy Metabolism, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Württemberg (CPDBW), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Teufel
- Division of Hepatology, Division of Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Healthy Metabolism, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Württemberg (CPDBW), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)621-383-4983; Fax: +49-(0)621-383-1467
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang MD, Sun LY, Qian GJ, Li C, Gu LH, Yao LQ, Diao YK, Pawlik TM, Lau WY, Huang DS, Shen F, Yang T. Prothrombin induced by vitamin K Absence-II versus alpha-fetoprotein in detection of both resectable hepatocellular carcinoma and early recurrence after curative liver resection: A retrospective cohort study. Int J Surg 2022; 105:106843. [PMID: 35995351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2022.106843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) are two commonly used biomarkers for detection and prognostic prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study sought to evaluate and compare the use of these two biomarkers to detect HCC, as well as predict postoperative early recurrence (within 2 years after HCC resection). METHODS Data on consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for HCC between 2014 and 2020 was prospectively collected and reviewed. Serum AFP and PIVKA-II levels within one week before surgery or at the time of detection of early recurrence were assessed; preoperative AFP positivity (≥20 ng/ml) and preoperative PIVKA-II positivity (≥40 mAU/ml) were examined relative to recurrence using univariate and multivariate Cox-regression analyses. RESULTS Among 751 patients who underwent curative HCC resection, 589 (78.4%) patients had preoperative PIVKA-II positivity versus 498 (66.3%) patients had preoperative AFP positivity (P < 0.001). With a median follow-up of 41.6 months, 370 (50.1%) patients had an early HCC recurrence; among patients with an early recurrence, the proportion of patients with PIVKA-II positivity versus AFP positivity (76.5% vs. 60.0%, P = 0.002) was higher. On multivariate analysis, preoperative PIVKA-II positivity, but not preoperative AFP positivity was an independent risk factor to predict early recurrence after HCC resection. CONCLUSIONS AFP and PIVKA-II are useful biomarkers to detect resectable HCC and predict early recurrence after HCC resection, with the latter showing higher rates of positivity. Preoperative PIVKA-II positivity was independently associated with early recurrence following HCC resection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Da Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China; Eastern Hepatobiliary Clinical Research Institute, Third Affiliated Hospital of Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Yang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guo-Jun Qian
- Department of Ultrasonic Intervention, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Hui Gu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan-Qing Yao
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Kang Diao
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China; Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China; Eastern Hepatobiliary Clinical Research Institute, Third Affiliated Hospital of Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tian Yang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China; Eastern Hepatobiliary Clinical Research Institute, Third Affiliated Hospital of Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Differential response of hepatocellular carcinoma glycolytic metabolism and oxidative stress markers after exposure to human amniotic membrane proteins. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:7731-7741. [PMID: 35716291 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07598-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human Amniotic Membrane (hAM) has been studied as a potential therapeutic option in cancer, namely in hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously, our research group evaluated the effect of human Amniotic Membrane Protein Extracts (hAMPE) in cancer therapy, demonstrating that hAMPE inhibit the metabolic activity of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines: Hep3B2.1-7, HepG2 and Huh7. Therefore, and considering the close relationship between metabolic activity and oxidative stress, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hAMPE treatment in glucose metabolism and its role in oxidative stress of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS AND RESULTS Glucose uptake and lactate production was assessed by 1 H-NMR, and the expression of several mediators of the glycolytic pathway was evaluated by Western blot or fluorescence. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and biomarkers of oxidative stress effects in proteins were detected. Our results showed that hAMPE treatment increased glucose consumption on Hep3B2.1-7, HepG2, and Huh7 through the increase of GLUT1 in Hep3B2.1-7 and Huh7, and GLUT3 in HepG2 cells. It was observed an increased expression of 6-phosphofrutokinase (PFK-1L) in all cell lines though glucose was not converted to lactate on HepG2 and Huh7 cells, suggesting that hAMPE treatment may counteract the Warburg effect observed in carcinogenesis. In Hep3B2.1-7, hAMPE treatment induced an increase in expression of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and monocarboxylate transporter isoform 4 (MCT4). We further detected that hAMPE enhances the TAC of culture media after 2 and 8 h. This was followed by a degree of protection against proteins nitration and carbonylation. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this work highlights the potential usefulness of hAMPE as anticancer therapy through the modulation of the glycolytic and oxidative profile in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
Collapse
|
12
|
Hedyotis diffusa Willd. Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Downregulating AKT/mTOR Pathways. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5210152. [PMID: 34527062 PMCID: PMC8437616 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5210152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Objective Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (HDW) is a famous Chinese herbal medicine, traditionally used to treat cancer in China. Currently, the clinically used drugs for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still have poor efficacy and have many side effects. HDW has fewer side effects after taking it, so this study explores the inhibitory effect of HDW on HCC, which may become a promising drug for the treatment of HCC. Methods HCC cell lines such as SMMC-7721, SK-hep1, and Hep-G2 were treated with Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (HDW), after which migration was detected via transwell, while the proliferation of these cells was detected via MTT, CCK-8, and colony formation assays. Furthermore, protein levels were evaluated by western blotting, and Hep-G2 cells were implanted in nude mice to establish a xenograft model to evaluate the antitumor effect of the drug. Results HDW exhibited the ability to inhibit the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. And its anticancer mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma may be via AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, the drug use of HDW in the mouse model system has achieved a good effect. Importantly, it did not cause significant weight loss or hepatorenal toxicity. Conclusion HDW can suppress the activation of the AKT/mTOR pathway in HCC cells, which may bring new light for the treatment of this kind of malignant tumor, but its exact mechanism still needs to be further explored.
Collapse
|