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Lee HA, Lee M, Yoo JJ, Chun HS, Park Y, Kim HY, Kim TH, Seo YS, Sinn DH. Identification of patients with favorable prognosis after resection in intermediate-stage-hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Surg 2024; 110:1008-1018. [PMID: 38016294 PMCID: PMC10871631 DOI: 10.1097/js9.0000000000000941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS It is unclear which patients benefit from resection in intermediate-stage-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The authors aimed to identify high-risk patients for early recurrence among patients with resectable intermediate-stage HCC. METHODS This multicenter retrospective study included patients who underwent resection or trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intermediate-stage HCC (2008-2019). Multivariable Cox proportional analysis was performed to identify high-risk patients when treated with resection. A prediction score for 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was developed using the training cohort and validated. The 2-year RFS in each risk group was compared with that in TACE group, after propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS A total of 1686 patients were included (480 and 1206 patients in the resection and TACE groups). During a median follow-up of 31.4 months, the 2-year RFS was significantly higher in the resection (47.7%) than in the TACE group (19.8%) [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=1.471, 95% CI: 1.199-1.803, P <0.001). On multivariate analysis, alpha-fetoprotein ≥5.0 ng/ml (aHR=0.202), ALBI grade ≥2 (aHR=0.709), tumor number ≥3 (aHR=0.404), and maximal tumor size ≥5 cm (aHR=0.323) were significantly associated with the lower risk of 2-year RFS in the resection group. The newly developed Surgery Risk score in BCLC-B (SR-B score) with four significant risk factors showed an area under the curve of 0.801 for the 2-year RFS and was validated. Based on the SR-B score, low-risk patients had a significantly higher 2-year RFS (training: aHR=5.834; validation: aHR=5.675) than high-risk patients (all P <0.001) did. In a PSM cohort, a low-risk resection group had a significantly higher (aHR=3.891); a high-risk resection group had a comparable 2-year RFS to those treated with TACE (aHR=0.816). CONCLUSIONS Resection may be beneficial for resectable intermediate-stage HCC based on the SR-B score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Ah Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Medical Center
- The Korean Liver Cancer Association
| | - Minjong Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Medical Center
- The Korean Liver Cancer Association
| | - Jeong-Ju Yoo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Ho Soo Chun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Medical Center
| | - Yewan Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital
| | - Hwi Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Medical Center
| | - Tae Hun Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Medical Center
| | - Yeon Seok Seo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul
| | - Dong Hyun Sinn
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
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Eresen A, Pang Y, Zhang Z, Hou Q, Chen Z, Yu G, Wang Y, Yaghmai V, Zhang Z. Sorafenib plus memory like natural killer cell combination therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:344-354. [PMID: 38323279 PMCID: PMC10839321] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib, FDA-approved therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leads to limited improvement in overall survival. However, it may indirectly impact the expansion and activity of natural killer (NK) cells. While NK cell-based immunotherapies generally exhibit favorable safety profiles, their effectiveness in controlling solid tumor growth is constrained, primarily due to the absence of antigen specificity and suboptimal expansion and persistence within the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we postulated that enhancing NK cell functionality via cytokine activation could bolster their viability and cytotoxic capabilities, leading to an improved therapeutic response when combined with sorafenib. Memory-like (ML)-NK cells were generated through the supplementation of optimal concentrations of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 cytokines. Following a single day of treatment, cytotoxicity against rat and human HCC cells was evaluated via flow cytometry analysis. A rat HCC model was developed in 30 animals via subcapsular implantation and assigned to control, NK, sorafenib, ML-NK, and combination groups. Sorafenib was administered orally, and NK cells were delivered via the intrahepatic artery. Tumor growth was measured one week after treatment evaluation. Therapeutic efficacy during in-vitro and in-vivo analysis was investigated through a one-way ANOVA test, followed by pairwise two-tailed Student t-tests, considering P < 0.05 statistically significant. The in-vitro experiment results demonstrated that sorafenib and conventional NK cell therapies induced more substantial cell death than the control group (P < 0.01). ML NK cells significantly improved cell death compared to conventional NK cell immunotherapy. Furthermore, sorafenib in combination with ML-NK cells significantly decreased the viability of HCC cells (P < 0.05) compared to sorafenib plus conventional NK cell combination therapy. In vivo experiments have shown that sorafenib and ML-NK cell immunotherapy reduced the growth rate of HCC tumors compared to conventional NK immunotherapy and control groups. Notably, a combination of sorafenib and ML-NK cell immunochemotherapy resulted in the most significant suppression of tumor growth when compared to other therapies. In conclusion, our experimental findings demonstrate that the concurrent administration of sorafenib and ML-NK immunotherapy enhances cytotoxicity against HCC by optimizing the therapeutic response through cytokine activation, resulting in a significant decrease in tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aydin Eresen
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Yongsheng Pang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zigeng Zhang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Qiaoming Hou
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zhilin Chen
- Department of Human Biology and Business Administration, University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Guangbo Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Yining Wang
- Department of Radiology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijing, China
| | - Vahid Yaghmai
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
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3
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Guo S, Xing N, Du Q, Luo B, Wang S. Deciphering hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis and therapeutics: a study on anoikis, ceRNA regulatory network and traditional Chinese medicine. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1325992. [PMID: 38283837 PMCID: PMC10811069 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1325992] [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: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for approximately 90% of liver malignancies and is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. However, the role of anoikis, a programmed cell death mechanism crucial for maintaining tissue equilibrium, is not yet fully understood in the context of HCC. Methods: Our study aimed to investigate the expression of 10 anoikis-related genes (ARGs) in HCC, including BIRC5, SFN, UBE2C, SPP1, E2F1, etc., and their significance in the disease. Results: Through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, we discovered that these ARGs are involved in important processes such as tissue homeostasis, ion transport, cell cycle regulation, and viral infection pathways. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between the prognostic value of five ARGs and immune cell infiltrates. Analysis of clinical datasets revealed a strong association between BIRC5 expression and HCC pathological progression, including pathological stage, T stage, overall survival (OS), and race. By constructing a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and using molecular docking, we identified ten bioactive compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that could potentially modulate BIRC5. Subsequent in vitro experiments confirmed the influence of platycodin D, one of the identified compounds, on key elements within the ceRNA network. Discussion: In conclusion, our study presents a novel framework for an anoikis-centered prognostic model and an immune-involved ceRNA network in HCC, revealing potential regulatory targets. These insights contribute to our understanding of HCC pathology and may lead to improved therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sa Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Nan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qinyun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Ethnic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Meishan Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Meishan, China
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Wu J, Chan YT, Lu Y, Wang N, Feng Y. The tumor microenvironment in the postsurgical liver: Mechanisms and potential targets of postoperative recurrence in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:1946-1973. [PMID: 37102365 DOI: 10.1002/med.21967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Surgery remains to be the mainstay of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, its therapeutic efficacy is significantly impaired by postoperative recurrence, which occurs in more than half of cases as a result of intrahepatic metastasis or de novo tumorigenesis. For decades, most therapeutic strategies on inhibiting postoperative HCC recurrence have been focused on the residual tumor cells but satisfying therapeutic outcomes are barely observed in the clinic. In recent years, a better understanding of tumor biology allows us to shift our focus from tumor cells toward the postoperative tumor microenvironment (TME), which is gradually identified to play a pivotal role in tumor recurrence. In this review, we describe various surgical stress and surgical perturbation on postoperative TME. Besides, we discuss how such alternations in TME give rise to postoperative recurrence of HCC. Based on its clinical significance, we additionally highlight the potential of the postoperative TME as a target for postoperative adjuvant therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuanjun Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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5
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Shin E, Bak SH, Park T, Kim JW, Yoon SR, Jung H, Noh JY. Understanding NK cell biology for harnessing NK cell therapies: targeting cancer and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192907. [PMID: 37539051 PMCID: PMC10395517 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-engineered immune cell therapies have partially transformed cancer treatment, as exemplified by the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells in certain hematologic malignancies. However, there are several limitations that need to be addressed to target more cancer types. Natural killer (NK) cells are a type of innate immune cells that represent a unique biology in cancer immune surveillance. In particular, NK cells obtained from heathy donors can serve as a source for genetically engineered immune cell therapies. Therefore, NK-based therapies, including NK cells, CAR-NK cells, and antibodies that induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of NK cells, have emerged. With recent advances in genetic engineering and cell biology techniques, NK cell-based therapies have become promising approaches for a wide range of cancers, viral infections, and senescence. This review provides a brief overview of NK cell characteristics and summarizes diseases that could benefit from NK-based therapies. In addition, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical investigations on the use of adoptive NK cell transfer and agents that can modulate NK cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunju Shin
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Ho Bak
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Park
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ran Yoon
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yoon Noh
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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6
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Devan AR, Nair B, Aryan MK, Liju VB, Koshy JJ, Mathew B, Valsan A, Kim H, Nath LR. Decoding Immune Signature to Detect the Risk for Early-Stage HCC Recurrence. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2729. [PMID: 37345066 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often recognized as an inflammation-linked cancer, which possesses an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Curative treatments such as surgical resection, liver transplantation, and percutaneous ablation are mainly applicable in the early stage and demonstrate significant improvement of survival rate in most patients. However, 70-80% of patients report HCC recurrence within 5 years of curative treatment, representing an important clinical issue. However, there is no effective recurrence marker after surgical and locoregional therapies, thus, tumor size, number, and histological features such as cancer cell differentiation are often considered as risk factors for HCC recurrence. Host immunity plays a critical role in regulating carcinogenesis, and the immune microenvironment characterized by its composition, functional status, and density undergoes significant alterations in each stage of cancer progression. Recent studies reported that analysis of immune contexture could yield valuable information regarding the treatment response, prognosis and recurrence. This review emphasizes the prognostic value of tumors associated with immune factors in HCC recurrence after curative treatment. In particular, we review the immune landscape and immunological factors contributing to early-stage HCC recurrence, and discuss the immunotherapeutic interventions to prevent tumor recurrence following curative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy R Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | | | - Vijayastelar B Liju
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology-Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Joel Joy Koshy
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Bijo Mathew
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Arun Valsan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Epatology, Amrita Institute of Medical Science, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, and Research Institute of Life Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India
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7
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Bhatt A, Wu J. Immunotherapy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:2261-2271. [PMID: 37124885 PMCID: PMC10134420 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i15.2261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is presented frequently in late stages that are not amenable for curative treatment. Even for patients who can undergo resection for curative treatment of HCC, up to 50% recur. For patients who were not exposed to systemic therapy prior to recurrence, recurrence frequently cannot be subjected to curative therapy or local treatments. Such patients have several options of immunotherapy (IO). This includes programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T- lymphocyte associated protein 4 treatment, combination of PD-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor or single agent PD-1 therapy when all other options are deemed inappropriate. There are also investigational therapies in this area that explore either PD-1 and tyrosine kinase inhibitors or a novel agent in addition to PD-1 with vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. This mini-review explored IO options for patients with recurrent HCC who were not exposed to systemic therapy at the initial diagnosis. We also discussed potential IO options for patients with recurrent HCC who were exposed to first-line therapy with curative intent at diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahan Bhatt
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center of NYU Langone Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Jennifer Wu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center of NYU Langone Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
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Niu ZS, Wang WH, Niu XJ. Recent progress in molecular mechanisms of postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:6433-6477. [PMID: 36569275 PMCID: PMC9782839 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6433] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatectomy is currently considered the most effective option for treating patients with early and intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC remains unsatisfactory, predominantly because of high postoperative metastasis and recurrence rates. Therefore, research on the molecular mechanisms of postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence will help develop effective intervention measures to prevent or delay HCC metastasis and recurrence and to improve the long-term survival of HCC patients. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence to lay a foundation for improving the understanding of HCC metastasis and recurrence and for developing more precise prevention and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Shan Niu
- Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wen-Hong Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Niu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Qingdao Shibei District People's Hospital, Qingdao 266033, Shandong Province, China
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Yoon JS, Lee CW. Protein phosphatases regulate the liver microenvironment in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Mol Med 2022; 54:1799-1813. [PMID: 36380016 PMCID: PMC9722691 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00883-0] [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: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is a complicated heterogeneous organ composed of different cells. Parenchymal cells called hepatocytes and various nonparenchymal cells, including immune cells and stromal cells, are distributed in liver lobules with hepatic architecture. They interact with each other to compose the liver microenvironment and determine its characteristics. Although the liver microenvironment maintains liver homeostasis and function under healthy conditions, it also shows proinflammatory and profibrogenic characteristics that can induce the progression of hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis, eventually changing to a protumoral microenvironment that contributes to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to recent studies, phosphatases are involved in liver diseases and HCC development by regulating protein phosphorylation in intracellular signaling pathways and changing the activities and characteristics of liver cells. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the importance of protein phosphatases in HCC development and in the regulation of the cellular components in the liver microenvironment and to show their significance as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joon-Sup Yoon
- grid.264381.a0000 0001 2181 989XDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16419 Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Woo Lee
- grid.264381.a0000 0001 2181 989XDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16419 Republic of Korea ,grid.264381.a0000 0001 2181 989XDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, 06351 Republic of Korea
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10
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Wang LT, Zeng QL, Jiang SL, Chen ZY, Wang XL, Li L, Li X. Ficolin-2: A potential immune-related therapeutic target with low expression in liver cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:987481. [PMID: 36425563 PMCID: PMC9679423 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.987481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate the role of ficolin-2 (FCN2) in the development and course of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to contribute to the evolution of innovative HCC therapeutics. Methods Oncomine, GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis), TISIDB (Tumor Immune System Interactions and Drug Bank database), UALCAN (University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer data analysis portal), UCSC (University of California, Santa Cruz), R package, the Kaplan–Meier technique, Cox regression analysis, LinkedOmics, Pearson’s correlation, and a nomogram were used to investigate the prognostic value of FCN2 in HCC. Co-expressed genes were screened. A protein–protein interaction network was created using the STRING database. Finally, immunohistochemistry was performed to establish the expression of FCN2 in HCC tissues. A pan-cancer study centered on HCC-related molecular analysis was also conducted to look for a link between FCN2 and immune infiltration, immune modulators, and chemokine receptors. Results In HCC tissues, the expression of FCN2 was observed to be lower than that in normal tissues. This was connected to the HCC marker alpha-fetoprotein, showing that FCN2 is involved in the development and progression of cancer. FCN2 may act through Staphylococcus aureus infection, lectins, and other pathways. Furthermore, at the immune level, the expression of FCN2 in HCC was associated with some immune cell infiltration, immunomodulators, and chemokine receptors. Conclusion FCN2 may be an immune checkpoint inhibitor for HCC, creating a breakthrough in the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-ting Wang
- The First Clinical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiu-ling Zeng
- The First Clinical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Shao-lan Jiang
- The First Clinical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhen-yu Chen
- The First Clinical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiao-ling Wang
- The First Clinical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Pathology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Li, ; Xiaolong Li,
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Key Laboratory of Longevity and Agingrelated Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Li, ; Xiaolong Li,
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Lee CC, You JF, Wang YC, Lan SW, Wei KC, Chen KT, Huang YC, Wu TWE, Huang APH. Gross Total Resection Promotes Subsequent Recovery and Further Enhancement of Impaired Natural Killer Cell Activity in Glioblastoma Patients. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12091144. [PMID: 36138881 PMCID: PMC9496976 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091144] [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: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Highlights Natural killer cell activity is dramatically impaired in patients with glioblastoma. Surgical resection of glioblastoma promotes redistribution of NK cell subsets and increases NK cell activity 30 days after surgery. Gross total resection rather than subtotal resection significantly recovers and further increases the impaired NK cell activity in patients with glioblastoma.
Abstract Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor, and median survival is relatively short despite aggressive standard treatment. Natural killer (NK) cell dysfunction is strongly associated with tumor recurrence and metastasis but is unclear in glioblastoma. NK activity (NKA) represents NK cell-secreted interferon-γ (IFN-γ), which modulates immunity and inhibits cancer progression. This study aimed to analyze NKA in glioblastoma patients to obtain a clearer overview of immunity surveillance. From 2020 to 2021, a total of 20 patients and six healthy controls were recruited. Peripheral blood samples were collected preoperatively and on postoperative days (POD) 3 and 30. Then, NKA was measured using the NK VUE kit. Although NKA decreased on POD3, it recovered and further significantly enhanced on POD30, with a nearly five-fold increase compared to baseline (p = 0.004). Furthermore, the percentage of CD56brightCD16− NK cells decreased significantly on POD3 (p = 0.022) and further recovered on PO30. Subgroup analysis of extent surgical resection further revealed that the recovery of impaired NKA was attributable to gross total resection (GTR) rather than subtotal resection (STR). In conclusion, NKA is significantly impaired in glioblastoma, and GTR has demonstrated superior benefit in improving the suppressed NKA and increased CD56brightCD16− NK subset in glioblastoma patients, which may be associated with subsequent patients’ prognosis. Therefore, the goal of performing GTR for glioblastoma should be achieved when possible since it appears to increase NKA cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Chi Lee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Fu You
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Wei Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Chen Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236027, Taiwan
| | - Ko-Ting Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Cheng Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Wei Erich Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
| | - Abel Po-Hao Huang
- Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10663, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City 100229, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Pham L, Kyritsi K, Zhou T, Ceci L, Baiocchi L, Kennedy L, Chakraborty S, Glaser S, Francis H, Alpini G, Sato K. The Functional Roles of Immune Cells in Primary Liver Cancer. Am J Pathol 2022; 192:826-836. [PMID: 35337836 PMCID: PMC9194651 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Incidence of liver cancer has been increasing in recent years, and the 5-year survival is <20%. HCC and CCA are often accompanied with a dense stroma coupled with infiltrated immune cells, which is referred to as the tumor microenvironment. Populations of specific immune cells, such as high density of CD163+ macrophages and low density of CD8+ T cells, are associated with prognosis and survival rates in both HCC and CCA. Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment can be a therapeutic target for liver cancer treatments. Previous studies have introduced immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors, pulsed dendritic cells, or transduced T cells, to enhance cytotoxicity of immune cells and inhibit tumor growth. This review summarizes current understanding of the roles of immune cells in primary liver cancer covering HCC and CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh Pham
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Science and Mathematics, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Killeen, Texas
| | - Konstantina Kyritsi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Tianhao Zhou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Ludovica Ceci
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Leonardo Baiocchi
- Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Sanjukta Chakraborty
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Keisaku Sato
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Cheng Y, Gong Y, Chen X, Zhang Q, Zhang X, He Y, Pan L, Ni B, Yang F, Xu Y, Zhou L, Yang Y, Chen W. Injectable adhesive hemostatic gel with tumor acidity neutralizer and neutrophil extracellular traps lyase for enhancing adoptive NK cell therapy prevents post-resection recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomaterials 2022; 284:121506. [PMID: 35390709 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Post-resection recurrence remains an intractable problem in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management. Natural killer (NK) cell infusion is considered as a promising cancer therapy, but acidic tumor microenvironment (TME) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) greatly counteract its efficacy. Recently, polymer hydrogels have aroused much interest in tumor combination therapy, since they load and controllably release therapeutic agents with high bioavailability and low systemic toxicity. Therefore, a biocompatible hydrogel with tumor acidity neutralizer and NETs lyase may show promise for enhancing NK infusion to prevent post-resection HCC recurrence. Herein, a dual pH-responsive hydrogel with tumor acidity neutralizer (mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles) and NETs lyase (Deoxyribonuclease I, DNase I) is developed and used in combination with NK cell infusion for preventing post-resection HCC recurrence. The hydrogel can be injected to surgical margin and form an adhesive gel with a rapid hemostasis. Besides, it neutralizes tumor acidity to reduce tumor infiltration of immunosuppressive cells, and releases DNase I in a pH-responsive manner to degrade NETs. Moreover, this combination therapy significantly enhances NK cell infusion to combat post-surgical HCC recurrence without systemic toxicity. This study provides proof of concept that combination of NK cell adoptive therapy and hydrogel-based delivery system can successfully prevent post-resection HCC recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Cheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yihang Gong
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiuxing Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Medical Oncology. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Biotherapy Centre & Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xijian Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yizhan He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Medical Oncology. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Lijie Pan
- Biotherapy Centre & Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Beibei Ni
- Biotherapy Centre & Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Biotherapy Centre & Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Biotherapy Centre & Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Spine Disease Prevention and Treatment, Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Wenjie Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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Abstract
NK cells play a crucial role in host protection during tumorigenesis. Throughout tumor development, however, NK cells become progressively dysfunctional through a combination of dynamic tissue-specific and systemic factors. While a number of immunosuppressive mechanisms present within the tumor microenvironment have been characterized, few studies have contextualized the spatiotemporal dynamics of these mechanisms during disease progression and across anatomical sites. Understanding how NK cell immunosuppression evolves in these contexts will be necessary to optimize NK cell therapy for solid and metastatic cancers. Here, we outline the spatiotemporal determinants of antitumor NK cell regulation, including heterogeneous tumor architecture, temporal disease states, diverse cellular communities, as well as the complex changes in NK cell states produced by the sum of these higher-order elements. Understanding of the signals encountered by NK cells across time and space may reveal new therapeutic targets to harness the full potential of NK cell therapy for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joey H. Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Timothy E. O’Sullivan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
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