1
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Peng C, Wang Y, Zhang H, Chen P. The platelet-related genes associated with the prognosis of HCC by regulating cycling T cell and prolif-TAMs. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26798. [PMID: 38486758 PMCID: PMC10938119 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26798] [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] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence highlighted the important roles of platelets in the prognosis and progression of various tumors. Nevertheless, the role of platelet-related genes (PRGs) in HCC remains limited. In this work, 92 differentially expressed PRGs were described in HCC using TCGA and ICGC databases. Then, based on the different expressions of PRGs, we explored two subtypes and developed the PRGs prognostic signature in HCC. The PRGs signature was an independent prognosis factor associated with immune cell infiltration in HCC. Furthermore, two external validation sets verified the expression and prognosis of the PRGs signature gene in HCC. Finally, scRNA-seq analysis demonstrated that the signature genes (CENPE and KIF2C) were mainly expressed in cycling T cells and prolif-TAMs. Enrichment analysis showed that CENPE and KIF2C regulated the cell cycle and p53 pathways in these cells. In conclusion, this study builds the PRGs-related risk signature of HCC and reveals the potential mechanism by which these signature genes regulate the immune microenvironment in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenjia Peng
- School of Mathematics and Computational Science, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha, 410205, PR China
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, PR China
| | - Ying Wang
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, PR China
| | - Hengbo Zhang
- Physical Education Department, First Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, PR China
| | - Ping Chen
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, PR China
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2
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Zhang J, Wu G, Peng R, Cao J, Tu D, Zhou J, Su B, Jin S, Jiang G, Zhang C, Bai D. A Novel Scoring Model of Deubiquitination Patterns Predicts Prognosis and Immunotherapeutic Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2023; 38:101789. [PMID: 37734237 PMCID: PMC10518587 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101789] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of deubiquitinases (DUBs) is significantly associated with tumorigenesis. However, the precise impact of deubiquitination on the tumour microenvironment (TME) and immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In this study, we comprehensively characterized the transcriptional and genetic alterations of 26 overall survival (OS)-related DUBs in HCC. The consensus clustering algorithm was used to identify patients with distinct deubiquitination patterns. We then established a DUBscore model using the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm to quantify the deubiquitination patterns of individual HCC patients. Finally, we performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the key DUBs. Consequently, three distinct deubiquitination patterns were identified, each showing significant differences in the characteristics of the TME, immune response, and clinical prognosis. Further analysis revealed that the DUBscore was an independent prognostic factor and could predict the response to immunotherapy for patients with HCC. Ultimately, BRCC3 was identified as a key DUB based on the DUBscore, which was significantly overexpressed in tumour tissues, as confirmed by qRT‒PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We analysed the distribution and expression of BRCC3 in various types of immune cells using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). In conclusion, our study revealed the crucial role of deubiquitination patterns in shaping TME complexity and diversity. A more personalized and effective antitumour immunotherapy strategy can be developed by utilizing the DUBscore model to identify deubiquitination patterns in individual HCC patients. Our findings also highlight that BRCC3 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in HCC and a predictive marker for immunotherapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China; Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China
| | - Gefeng Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China; Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China
| | - Rui Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Jun Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Daoyuan Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Bingbing Su
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Shengjie Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Guoqing Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China.
| | - Dousheng Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, 98 West Nantong Rd, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225000, China.
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Kim E. Tumor Immune Microenvironment as a New Therapeutic Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development. Dev Reprod 2023; 27:167-174. [PMID: 38292233 PMCID: PMC10824567 DOI: 10.12717/dr.2023.27.4.167] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is driven by a multistep and long-term process. Because current therapeutic strategies are limited for HCC patients, there are increasing demands for understanding of immunotherapy, which has made technological and conceptual innovations in the treatment of cancer. Here, I discuss HCC immunotherapy in the view of interaction between liver resident cells and immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjeong Kim
- BK21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, School of Life
Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu
41566, Korea
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4
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Deng W, Chen F, Li Y, Xu L. Development of a clinical scoring model to predict the overall and relapse‑free survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma following a hepatectomy. Mol Clin Oncol 2023; 19:87. [PMID: 37854326 PMCID: PMC10580259 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2023.2683] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal disease, and surgical resection is one of the major treatment methods used. However, to date, at least to the best of our knowledge, there is no effective prognostic scoring system for the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of patients following hepatectomy. The present study developed a low-cost and easy-to-use model based on the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with HCC for assessment of outcome prediction and risk stratification. A total of 690 patients with HCC undergoing surgery were included and randomly divided into two cohorts (n=345). Cox regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association between the clinicopathological and treatment features, and patient survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that ascites, vascular tumor thrombus, low tumor differentiation and extrahepatic metastasis were independent risk factors for OS. Extrahepatic metastasis and multiple tumors were independent risk factors to predict tumor recurrence. These variables were weighted to construct the ascites, vascular tumor thrombus, low tumor differentiation, extrahepatic metastasis and multiple tumors (AVLEM) score based on the cumulative incidence (CuI) of the aforementioned variables, and the patients were classified into grade 0 (CuI=0), grade 1 (CuI=1 for OS and CuI ≥1 for RFS), and grade 2 (CuI ≥2) subgroups, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the OS and RFS differed significantly among the subgroups; however, the survival rate between the two cohorts did not exhibit any marked differences. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that with this AVLEM scoring system, patients with HCC with a high score had a poor OS and RFS; thus, it is suggested that such patients undergo imaging examinations following a hepatectomy more frequently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyu Deng
- College of Life Science, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, Jiangxi 334001, P.R. China
- Department of Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, P.R. China
| | - Fu Chen
- College of Life Science, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, Jiangxi 334001, P.R. China
| | - Yuanxiang Li
- College of Life Science, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, Jiangxi 334001, P.R. China
| | - Leibo Xu
- Department of Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, P.R. China
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5
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Jangid AK, Kim S, Kim HJ, Kim K. Biomaterial-Mediated Exogenous Facile Coating of Natural Killer Cells for Enhancing Anticancer Efficacy toward Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1789-1801. [PMID: 37726892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00335] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells exhibit a good therapeutic efficacy against various malignant cancer cells. However, the therapeutic efficacy of plain NK cells is relatively low due to inadequate selectivity for cancer cells. Therefore, to enhance the targeting selectivity and anticancer efficacy of NK cells, we have rationally designed a biomaterial-mediated ex vivo surface engineering technique for the membrane decoration of cancer recognition ligands onto NK cells. Our designed lipid conjugate biomaterial contains three major functional moieties: (1) 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE) lipid for cell membrane anchoring, (2) polyethylene glycol for intracellular penetration blocker, and (3) lactobionic acid (LBA) for cancer recognition. The biomaterial was successfully applied to NK cell surfaces (LBA-NK) to enhance recognition and anticancer functionalities, especially toward asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR)-overexpressing hepatocellular carcinoma. Highly efficient and homogeneous NK cell surface editing was achieved with a simple coating process while maintaining intrinsic properties of NK cells. LBA-NK cells showed potential ASGPR-mediated tumor cell binding (through LBA-ASGPR interaction) and thereby significantly augmented anticancer efficacies against HepG2 liver cancer cells. Thus, LBA-NK cells can be a novel engineering strategy for the treatment of liver cancers via facilitated immune synapse interactions in comparison with currently available cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Kumar Jangid
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, South Korea
| | - Sungjun Kim
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, South Korea
| | - Hyun Jin Kim
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea
| | - Kyobum Kim
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, South Korea
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Liu Y, Yang L, Yu M, Huang F, Zeng J, Lu Y, Yang C. Construction of a ceRNA network to reveal a vascular invasion associated prognostic model in hepatocellular carcinoma. Open Med (Wars) 2023; 18:20230795. [PMID: 37724126 PMCID: PMC10505303 DOI: 10.1515/med-2023-0795] [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] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore the prognostic value of vascular invasion (VI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by searching for competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network and constructing a new prognostic model for HCC. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC and normal tissues were identified from GEO and TCGA. StarBase and miRanda prediction tools were applied to construct a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. The DEGs between HCC with and without VI were also identified. Then, the hub genes were screened to build a prognostic risk score model through the method of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The prognostic ability of the model was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. In result, there were 221 up-regulated and 47 down-regulated differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) in HCC compared with normal tissue. A circRNA-related ceRNA network was established, containing 11 DEcircRNAs, 12 DEmiRNAs, and 161 DEmRNAs. Meanwhile, another DEG analysis revealed 625 up-regulated and 123 down-regulated DEGs between HCC with and without VI, and then a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built based on 122 VI-related DEGs. From the intersection of DEGs within the PPI and ceRNA networks, we obtained seven hub genes to build a novel prognostic risk score model. HCC patients with high-risk scores had shorter survival time and presented more advanced T/N/M stages as well as VI occurrence. In conclusion a novel prognostic model based on seven VI-associated DEGs within a circRNA-related ceRNA network was constructed in this study, with great ability to predict the outcome of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
| | - Mengsi Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Fen Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
| | - Jiangzheng Zeng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
| | - Yanda Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
| | - Changcheng Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, 31 Longhua Road, Haikou, Hainan 570102, P.R. China
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7
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Liu L, Wang Q, Wu L, Zhang L, Huang Y, Yang H, Guo L, Fang Z, Wang X. Overexpression of POLA2 in hepatocellular carcinoma is involved in immune infiltration and predicts a poor prognosis. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:138. [PMID: 37452331 PMCID: PMC10349470 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02949-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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second malignancy worldwide. POLA2 initiates DNA replication, regulates cell cycle and gene repair that promote tumorigenesis and disease progression. However, the prognostic and biological function roles of POLA2 in HCC had not been conclusively determined. METHODS The expression levels and prognosis role of POLA1 and POLA2 in HCC were analyzed based on TCGA-LIHC database and recruited 24 HCC patients. Gene mutations were analyzed using "maftools" package. POLA2 and immune cells correlations were analyzed by TIMER. POLA2 co-expressed genes functional enrichment were evaluated using Metascape. The mRNA and protein level of POLA2 was detected in HCC cells and tissues. Cell migration, invasion, proliferation, cell cycle and HCC cell lines derived xenograft model were performed to investigate POLA2 biological function. RESULTS POLA2 was significantly high expressed in HCC than in normal liver tissue in both TCGA-LIHC and our collected HCC samples. In validation cohort, POLA2 significantly related to tumor differentiation, tumor size and Ki-67 (p < 0.05). In TCGA-LIHC cohort, overexpression of POLA2 predicted a low OS and associated with different clinical stages. Multivariate Cox regression showed overexpression of POLA2 effectively distinguished the prognosis at different T, N, M, stages and grades of HCC. POLA2 expression correlated with mutation burden, immune cells infiltration and immune-associated genes expression of HCC. Functional enrichment revealed that POLA2 co-expressed genes were linked to cellular activity, plasma membrane protein complex and leukocyte activity, immune response-regulated cell surface receptor signaling pathway, and immune response-regulated signaling pathway. Moreover, POLA2 was also positively co-expressed with some immune checkpoints (CD274, CTL-4, HAVCR2, PDCD1, PDCD1LG2, TIGIT, and LAG3) (p < 0.001). Gene knockdown revealed that POLA2 promoted proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of SMMC-7721 and HepG2. The HCC xenograft tumor model also demonstrated remarkably tumor size inhibition, tumor proliferation inhibtion and tumor necrosis promotion when POLA2 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS POLA2 influenced immune microenvironment and tumor progression of HCC indicated that it might be a potential molecular marker for prognostic evaluation or a therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Linjun Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
- Taizhou Hospital Library, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lele Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Yuxi Huang
- Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haihua Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive, System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang, China
| | - Le Guo
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Zheping Fang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China.
- Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xuequan Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive, System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang, China.
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Ma R, Liu W, Sun T, Dang C, Li K. Clinical significance of FBXO43 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its impact on tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15373. [PMID: 37250703 PMCID: PMC10211365 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15373] [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] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The effects of FBXO43 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinical significance have not yet been determined. This study aims to determine the clinical significance of FBXO43 in HCC and its impact on the biological functions of HCC cells. Methods Data from TCGA database were downloaded to investigate the expression of FBXO43 in HCC and its correlation with prognosis and immune infiltration. Immunohistochemical staining images of FBXO43 in HCC were acquired from the HPA website. HCC cells (BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721) were transfected with the lentivirus targeting FBXO43 to decrease FBXO43 expression in HCC cells. Western blotting assay was conducted to evaluate the expression level of FBXO43 protein. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of HCC cells. The migration and invasion of HCC cells were investigated by performing scratch wound-healing and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. Results In comparison to normal tissues, FBXO43 is overexpressed in HCC tissue, and high FBXO43 expression is linked to late T stage, TNM stage and tumor grade. Elevated FBXO43 expression is a risk factor for HCC. In patients with high FBXO43 expression, the overall survival, disease-specific survival, progression-free survival and disease-free survival are poorer. The proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells are significantly attenuated in FBXO43 knockdown cells. Also, TCGA data analysis reveals that FBXO43 exhibits a positive correlation with immunosuppression of HCC. Conclusion FBXO43 is overexpressed in HCC, and is linked to late tumor stage, worse prognosis and tumor immunosuppression. FBXO43 knockdown restrains the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rulan Ma
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shannxi, China
| | - Tuanhe Sun
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chengxue Dang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kang Li
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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Tang Y, Cao J, Peng R, Mao X, Su B, Tang H, Tu D, Zhou J, Jiang G, Jin S, Wang Q, Zhang C, Liu R, Zhang C, Bai D. Screening and Verification of Key Ubiquitination Genes Related to Immune Infiltration in Stage III/IV Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:765-781. [PMID: 37250505 PMCID: PMC10216869 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s407536] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Immune checkpoint therapy (ICIs) effectively improves the prognosis of advanced (stage III/IV) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, its objective response rate (ORR) is below 20%, significantly limiting ICI use in advanced HCC patients. The level of tumour immune infiltration influences ICI response rate. Recent studies have found ubiquitinase to be an important factor that regulates tumour immune infiltration. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the key ubiquitination genes that regulate immune infiltration in advanced HCC and further validate them. Methods A biotechnological process was performed as a means of classifying 90 advanced HCC patients into three immune subtypes and identifying associations with immune infiltration in the co-expressed modules. Ubiquitination-related genes were then screened with WGCNA. Gene enrichment analysis was performed for the target module and 30 hub genes were screened out by protein-protein interaction network (PPI). ssGSEA, single-gene sequencing and the MCP counter were used for exploring immune infiltration. TIDE score was applied for predicting drug efficacy and GSEA was used for exploring potential pathways. Finally, GRB2 expression in HCC tissue was validated by in vitro experiments. Results GRB2 expression was found to have a significant correlation with the pathological stage and prognosis of HCC patients and a positive correlation with immune infiltration and tumour mutation burden (TMB). In addition, significant correlations with the efficacy of ICIs, sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) were identified. GRB2 was found to be most significantly associated with the JAK-STAT signalling pathway and cytosolic DNA sensing pathway. Finally, it was found that GRB2 expression is closely related to the prognosis, tumour size and TMN stage. Conclusion A significant association was observed between the ubiquitinated gene GRB2 and the prognosis and immune infiltration of advanced HCC patients and it may potentially be used for predicting therapy efficacy in advanced HCC patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rui Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingkang Mao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bingbing Su
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daoyuan Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guoqing Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shengjie Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Renjie Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- General Surgery Institute of Yangzhou, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dousheng Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- General Surgery Institute of Yangzhou, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Vita F, Olaizola I, Amato F, Rae C, Marco S, Banales JM, Braconi C. Heterogeneity of Cholangiocarcinoma Immune Biology. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060846. [PMID: 36980187 PMCID: PMC10047186 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are aggressive tumors arising along the biliary tract epithelium, whose incidence and mortality are increasing. CCAs are highly desmoplastic cancers characterized by a dense tumor microenvironment (TME), in which each single component plays a fundamental role in shaping CCA initiation, progression and resistance to therapies. The crosstalk between cancer cells and TME can affect the recruitment, infiltration and differentiation of immune cells. According to the stage of the disease and to intra- and inter-patient heterogeneity, TME may contribute to either protumoral or antitumoral activities. Therefore, a better understanding of the effect of each immune cell subtype may open the path to new personalized immune therapeutic strategies for the management of CCA. In this review, we describe the role of immune cells in CCA initiation and progression, and their crosstalk with both cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the cancer-stem-cell-like (CSC) niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Vita
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy
| | - Irene Olaizola
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute–Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (I.O.); (J.M.B.)
| | - Francesco Amato
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Colin Rae
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Sergi Marco
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Jesus M. Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute–Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (I.O.); (J.M.B.)
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, “Instituto de Salud Carlos III”), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Chiara Braconi
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
- Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK
- Correspondence:
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Huang H, Yao H, Wei Y, Chen M, Sun J. Cellular senescence-related long noncoding ribonucleic acids: Predicting prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2023; 6:e1791. [PMID: 36726348 PMCID: PMC10075286 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1791] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to their inherent role in cell function, long non-coding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) mediate changes in the microenvironment, and thereby participate in the development of cellular senescence. AIMS This study aimed to identify cellular senescence-related lncRNAs that could predict the prognosis of liver cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS Gene expression and clinical data were downloaded from the UCSC Xena platform, ICGC, and TCGA databases. Cox regression and LASSO regression were used to establish a cellular senescence-related lncRNA model. ROC curves and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were then constructed to predict patient prognosis. Cox regression analysis and clinical characteristics were used to evaluate the capability of the model. Tumor mutational burden and tumor-infiltrating immune cell analyses were subsequently performed in the risk subgroups and the samples in the entire cohort were reclustered. Finally, potential small molecule immune-targeted drugs were identified based on the model. The cellular senescence-related prognostic model that was constructed based on AGAP11 and FAM182B. Along with the results of Cox regression and Lasso regression, the risk score was found to be an independent factor for predicting overall survival in cohorts. In the subgroup analysis, the prognosis of the low-risk group in each cohort was significantly higher than that of the high-risk group; the area under temporal ROC curves and clinical ROC curves were all greater than 0.65, respectively. C-index shows that the risk scores are greater than 0.6, showing the stability of the model. The high-risk group demonstrated lower tumor microenvironment and higher tumor mutational burden scores, further verifying the reliability of the model grouping results. Analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells indicated that CD8+ and γδ T cells were more abundant among patients in the low-risk group; cluster reorganization indicated that the two groups had different prognoses and proportions of immune cells. The p value of potential drugs predicted based on the expression of model lncRNAs were all less than .05, demonstrating the potential of model lncRNAs as therapeutic targets to some extent. CONCLUSION A prognostic model based on cellular senescence-associated lncRNAs was established and this may be used as a potential biomarker for the prognosis assessment of liver cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Huang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Yao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaqing Wei
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinjin Sun
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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12
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Tian S, Li J, Xiang J, Peng P. The Clinical Relevance and Immune Correlation of SLC10 Family Genes in Liver Cancer. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:1415-1431. [PMID: 36606115 PMCID: PMC9809167 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s392586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim This study was aimed to reveal the clinical relevance and immune correlation of the SLC10 family genes in liver cancer. Methods A comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was utilized to determine the gene expression, genetic alterations, DNA methylation, clinical significance, survival association and immune correlation of seven SLC10 family genes in liver cancer. The multiplexed immunohistochemical technique was applied to determine the association between SLC10A3 protein expression and immune cells, and the correlation between SLC10A3 protein and immune checkpoints (PD1 and PD-L1) in a cohort of 32 individuals with liver cancer. Results The expression of SLC10 family genes was different between normal liver tissues and malignant liver tissues. SLC10A5 showed the highest alteration rate (8%), followed by SLC10A3 (2.8%). Low expression of SLC10A1 was indicative of poor tumor grade and advanced tumor stage in liver cancer. Scatter plots uncovered that expression of SLC10A3 was inversely associated with SLC10A1 and SLC10A5 expression in liver cancer. The expression of SLC10A1 and SLC10A5 was strongly associated with their DNA methylation. SLC10A1 expression was a reliable genetic biomarker for the prediction of survival outcomes in liver cancer population. Expression of SLC10 family genes was remarkably linked with the abundance of most immune infiltrating cells in liver cancer, and SLC10A3 was the most significant member. The multiplexed immunohistochemical technique confirmed that there existed the significant correlations between SLC10A3 protein expression and CD4 T cells, CD20 B cells and the close association with PD-1 in the stromal area from malignant tissues. Conclusion The expressions of SLC10 family genes were different between normal liver tissues and malignant liver tissues, and they were correlated with each other in liver cancer. SLC10A1 possesses the most significant correlation with survival outcomes. SLC10A3 exhibited the most significant relationship with immune cells, as revealed by bioinformatics analysis and multispectral imaging technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Tian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiao Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiankang Xiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pailan Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Pailan Peng, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. 28 Guiyi Street, Guiyang, 550000, People’s Republic of China, Email
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13
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Liu Z, Qi Y, Wang H, Zhang Q, Wu Z, Wu W. Risk model of hepatocellular carcinoma based on cuproptosis-related genes. Front Genet 2022; 13:1000652. [PMID: 36186455 PMCID: PMC9521278 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1000652] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Owing to the heterogeneity displayed by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the complexity of tumor microenvironment (TME), it is noted that the long-term effectiveness of the cancer therapy poses a severe clinical challenge. Hence, it is essential to categorize and alter the treatment intervention decisions for these tumors. Materials and methods: “ConsensusClusterPlus” tool was used for developing a secure molecular classification system that was based on the cuproptosis-linked gene expression. Furthermore, all clinical properties, pathway characteristics, genomic changes, and immune characteristics of different cell types involved in the immune pathways were also assessed. Univariate Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) analyses were used for designing the prognostic risk model associated with cuproptosis. Results: Three cuproptosis-linked subtypes (clust1, clust2, and clust3) were detected. Out of these, Clust3 showed the worst prognosis, followed by clust2, while Clust1 showed the best prognosis. Three subtypes had significantly different enrichment in pathways related to Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle, cell cycle, and cell senescence (p < 0.01). The clust3 subtype with poor prognosis had a low “ImmuneScore” and low immune cell infiltration, and the three subtypes had significant differences in the antigen processing and presentation pathway of the macrophages. Clust1 had a low TIDE score and was sensitive to immunotherapy. Then, according to the prognosis-related genes of cuproptosis, a prognosis risk model related to cuproptosis was constructed, containing seven genes (KIF2C, PTTG1, CENPM, CDC20, CYP2C9, SFN, and CFHR3). “High” group had a higher TIDE score compared to the TIDE score value shown by the “Low” group, which benefited less from immunotherapy, whereas the “High” group patients were more sensitive to the conventional drugs. Finally, the prognosis risk model related to cuproptosis was combined with clinical pathological characteristics to further improve the prognostic model and survival prediction. Conclusion: Three new molecular subgroups based on cuproptosis-linked genes were revealed, and a cuproptosis-related prognostic risk model comprising seven genes was established in this study, which could assist in predicting the prognosis and identifying the patients benefit from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yong Qi
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Haibo Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qikun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhengsheng Wu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Zhengsheng Wu, ; Wenyong Wu,
| | - Wenyong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Zhengsheng Wu, ; Wenyong Wu,
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14
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Sukowati C, Cabral LKD, Tiribelli C. Immune checkpoint and angiogenic inhibitors for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: It takes two to tangle. Ann Hepatol 2022; 27:100740. [PMID: 35809835 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2022.100740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy represents an effective and promising option in various cancers, including in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown a remarkable breakthrough in the last decade, in addition to molecular targeted therapy of angiogenesis such as tyrosine kinases inhibitors. ICIs provide new regimen that can be applied in different stages of the disease. In parallel, HCC progression is related to the tumor microenvironment (TME), involving the cross-talk between various cellular and non-cellular components within the TME niche. It appears logical to synergistically target several HCC components to increase the efficacy of the treatment. In this paper, we summarize evidence that the combination therapy of ICIs and angiogenesis inhibitors would be a potentially better strategy for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caecilia Sukowati
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park Campus Basovizza, SS14 km 163.5, Trieste 34149, Italy; Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), B.J. Habibie Building, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 8, Jakarta Pusat 10340, Indonesia.
| | - Loraine Kay D Cabral
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park Campus Basovizza, SS14 km 163.5, Trieste 34149, Italy; Doctoral School in Molecular Biomedicine, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa, 1, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, AREA Science Park Campus Basovizza, SS14 km 163.5, Trieste 34149, Italy
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Dios-Barbeito S, González R, Cadenas M, García LF, Victor VM, Padillo FJ, Muntané J. Impact of nitric oxide in liver cancer microenvironment. Nitric Oxide 2022; 128:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2022.07.006] [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] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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