Integration of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing and Bulk RNA Sequencing to Identify an Immunogenic Cell Death-Related 5-Gene Prognostic Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Introduction: Immunogenic cell death (ICD) can enhance the potency of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Nevertheless, it is ambiguous how ICD-related genes (ICDRGs) contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data were used to distinguish malignant cells from normal cells in the HCC tumor microenvironment(TME). Bulk RNA sequencing data was employed to acquire the landscape of the 33 ICDRGs. Unsupervised clustering identified two ICD molecular subtypes. The cellular infiltration characteristics and biological behavior in different subtypes were analyzed by ssGSEA. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two subtypes were determined, based on which patients were classified into three gene clusters. Then, the prognostic model was constructed by Lasso-Cox analysis. Finally, we investigated the expression of risk genes in cancer cell line encyclopedia (CCLE) and validated the function of NKX3-2 in vitro experiments. Results: ICD scores and ICDRGs expression in malignant cells were significantly lower than in normal cells by scRNA-seq analysis. ICD-high subtype was characterized by ICD-related gene overexpression and high levels of immune infiltration abundance and immune checkpoints; Three DEGs-related gene clusters were likewise strongly linked to stromal and immunological activation. In the ICD-related prognostic model consisting of NKX3-2, CHODL, MMP1, NR0B1, and CTSV, the low-risk group patients had a better endpoint and displayed increased susceptibility to immunotherapy and chemotherapeutic drugs like 5-Fluorouracil, afatinib, bortezomib, cediratinib, lapatinib, dasatinib, gefitinib and crizotinib. Moreover, NKX3-2 amplification in HCC samples has been verified by experiments, and its disruption suppressed the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the potential of the ICDRGs risk score as a prognostic indicator to aid in the accurate diagnosis and immunotherapy sensitivity of HCC.

Microinvasion in hepatocellular carcinoma: predictive factor and application for definition of clinical target volume for radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the correlation between microinvasion and various features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to clarify the microinvasion distance from visible HCC lesions to subclinical lesions, so as to provide clinical basis for the expandable boundary of clinical target volume (CTV) from gross tumor volume (GTV) in the radiotherapy of HCC. METHODS: HCC patients underwent hepatectomy of liver cancer in our hospital between July 2019 and November 2021 were enrolled. Data on various features and tumor microinvasion distance were collected. The distribution characteristics of microinvasion distance were analyzed to investigate its potential correlation with various features. Tumor size compared between radiographic and pathologic samples was analyzed to clarify the application of pathologic microinvasion to identify subclinical lesions of radiographic imaging. RESULTS: The average microinvasion distance was 0.6 mm, with 95% patients exhibiting microinvasion distance less than 3.0 mm, and the maximum microinvasion distance was 4.0 mm. A significant correlation was found between microinvasion and liver cirrhosis (P = 0.036), serum albumin level (P = 0.049). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that HCC patients with cirrhosis had a significantly lower risk of microinvasion (OR = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.02 ~ 0.50, P = 0.006). Tumor size was overestimated by 1.6 mm (95%CI=-12.8 ~ 16.0 mm) on radiographic size compared to pathologic size, with a mean %Δsize of 2.96% (95%CI=-0.57%~6.50%). The %Δsize ranged from - 29.03% to 34.78%. CONCLUSIONS: CTV expanding by 5.4 mm from radiographic GTV could include all pathologic microinvasive lesions in the radiotherapy of HCC. Liver cirrhosis was correlated with microinvasion and were independent predictive factor of microinvasion in HCC.

Big data analytics for MerTK genomics reveals its double-edged sword functions in human diseases.

RATIONALE: MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (MerTK) is a key receptor for the clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) and plays important roles in redox-related human diseases. We will explore MerTK biology in human cells, tissues, and diseases based on big data analytics. METHODS: The human RNA-seq and scRNA-seq data about 42,700 samples were from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus and analyzed by QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) with about 170,000 crossover analysis. MerTK expression was quantified as Log2 (FPKM + 0.1). RESULTS: We found that, in human cells, MerTK is highly expressed in macrophages, monocytes, progenitor cells, alpha-beta T cells, plasma B cells, myeloid cells, and endothelial cells (ECs). In human tissues, MerTK has higher expression in plaque, blood vessels, heart, liver, sensory system, artificial tissue, bone, adrenal gland, central nervous system (CNS), and connective tissue. Compared to normal conditions, MerTK expression in related tissues is altered in many human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and brain disorders. Interestingly, MerTK expression also shows sex differences in many tissues, indicating that MerTK may have different impact on male and female. Finally, based on our proteomics from primary human aortic ECs, we validated the functions of MerTK in several human diseases, such as cancer, aging, kidney failure and heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: Our big data analytics suggest that MerTK may be a promising therapeutic target, but how it should be modulated depends on the disease types and sex differences. For example, MerTK inhibition emerges as a new strategy for cancer therapy due to it counteracts effect on anti-tumor immunity, while MerTK restoration represents a promising treatment for atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction as MerTK is cleaved in these disease conditions.

Anatomical thermal ablation as an alternative to surgical resection for subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To simulate the advantages of anatomical resection, a new strategy of anatomical thermal ablation was proposed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of anatomical thermal ablation (ATA) to treat subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma by comparing it with anatomical resection (AR) and non-anatomical resection (NAR). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled hepatocellular carcinoma patients with subcapsular tumor diameter ≤ 50 mm treated by ATA or surgical resection at our center from October 2015 to December 2018. ATA features ablation of the Glisson capsule, ablation of the liver parenchyma between the tumor and hepatic veins or inferior vena cava and then puncture from the surrounding part to the central part of the tumor. Outcome parameters were compared. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients were grouped into ATA group, 95 patients into AR group and 41 patients into NAR group. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local recurrence rates were 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0% for ATA group, 0.0%, 1.4%, 1.4% for the AR group and 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0% for the NAR group, respectively (P = 0.449). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year progression-free survival rates were 90.6%, 80.9%, and 74.6% for ATA group, 91.5%, 80.2%, and 80.2% for the AR group and 82.9%, 73.8%, and 73.8% for the NAR group, respectively (P = 0.608). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 100.0%, 95.2%, and 95.2% for the ATA group, 96.8%, 95.6%, and 95.6% for the AR group and 97.6%, 95.0%, and 95.0% for the NAR group, respectively (P = 0.970). No difference was found in major complication rate among these groups (P = 0.091). CONCLUSION: For subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma, ATA could be an alternative to surgical resection with its comparable treatment effect and safety.

Emodin inhibits invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulating autophagy-mediated degradation of snail and ß-catenin.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported that emodin extracted from Rheum palmatum L. exerts antiproliferation and antimetastatic effects in a variety of human cancer types. However, the role of emodin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. METHODS: EdU and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate the effects of emodin on proliferation. The mobility capacities of HCC treated with emodin were evaluated using wound healing assay. Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to evaluate anti-migratory and anti-invasive effects of emodin on HCC. Annexin V-FITC/PI was performed to analyze the apoptosis. PI stain was performed to analyze cell cycle. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by emodin in HCC. The impact of emodin on autophagic flux in HepG2 cells was examined by mCherry-GFP-LC3 analysis. Western blot was used to assess the protein expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. RESULTS: We found that emodin inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, emodin inhibited cell proliferation, induced S and G2/M phases arrest, and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion of HepG2 cells were also suppressed by emodin. Enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs involved in cell adhesion, cancer metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, western bolt results show that emodin-induced autophagy promotes Snail and ß-catenin degradation. We also found that blocking autophagic flux after emodin treatment caused EMT reversal. Furthermore, the PI3K agonist Y-P 740 significantly reversed the phosphorylation levels of GSK3ß and mTOR. These results indicated that emodin induced autophagy and inhibited the EMT in part through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways. CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that emodin inhibited cell metastasis in HCC via the crosstalk between autophagy and EMT.

Comparison of anatomical thermal ablation and routine thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma≤50 mm: A propensity score matching.

AIM: The present study was to evaluated the clinical value of anatomical thermal ablation to treat hepatocellular carcinoma compared with routine thermal ablation. METHODS: Hepatocellular carcinoma patients with tumor diameter ≤50 mm treated by thermal ablation at our center were retrospectively enrolled from October 2015 to December 2018. Enrolled patients were grouped into the anatomical ablation group and routine ablation group, respectively. To minimize the effects of potential confounders from selection bias, a propensity score matching was carried out. Technical efficacy, recurrence and survivals rates were compared. RESULTS: Altogether 101 patients (119 lesions) were grouped into the anatomical ablation group and 101 patients (131 lesions) into the routine ablation group. The ablation zone volume of the anatomical ablation group was 36.8 (2.5-176.9) ml, significantly larger than that of the routine ablation group (28.5 [28.5 (2.8-184.3) ml] (p = 0.005)). Adjusted with propensity score matching, The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local recurrence rates were 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0% for the anatomical ablation group and 6.9%, 10.1%, and 10.1% for the routine ablation group, respectively (p = 0.013). The cumulative 1-, 2-, and 3-year progression-free survival rates were 93.4%, 82.7%, and 79.0% for the anatomical ablation group, 74.2%, 56.9%, and 51.6% for the routine ablation group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical ablation could be a favorable ablation strategy to improve therapeutic effect of thermal ablation for HCC with visible feeding vessels and reserved liver function.

Oncogenic PAX6 elicits CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance by epigenetically inactivating the LATS2-Hippo signaling pathway.

Intrinsic resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors hinders their clinical utility in cancer treatment. Furthermore, the predictive markers of CDK4/6 inhibitors in gastric cancer (GC) remain incompletely described. Here, we found that PAX6 expression was negatively correlated with the response to palbociclib in vitro and in vivo in GC. We observed that the PAX6 expression level was negatively correlated with the overall survival of GC patients and further showed that PAX6 can promote GC cell proliferation and the cell cycle. The cell cycle is regulated by the interaction of cyclins with their partner serine/threonine cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and the G1/S-phase transition is the main target of CDK4/6 inhibitors. Therefore, we tested whether PAX6 expression was correlated with the GC response to palbociclib. We found that PAX6 hypermethylates the promoter of LATS2 and inactivates the Hippo pathway, which upregulates cyclin D1 (CCND1) expression. This results in a suppressed response to palbociclib in GC. Furthermore, we found that the induction of the Hippo signaling pathway or treatment with a DNA methylation inhibitor could overcome PAX6-induced palbociclib resistance in GC. These findings uncover a tumor promoter function of PAX6 in GC and establish overexpressed PAX6 as a mechanism of resistance to palbociclib.

Occurrence and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human livers with liver cancer.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are anthropogenic compounds that are widely accumulated in human tissues, and the liver is considered a primary target organ for PFASs exposure. The occurrence and distribution of 21 PFASs in liver tissues with tumors (n = 55) and without tumors (n = 55) are investigated in this study. Eleven perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and five perfluorinated sulfonic acids (PFSAs) were detected at high frequencies (45.5%-100 %), while the detection frequencies of five perfluoroalkyl phosphate (PFPAs) were relatively lower (≤29.1 %). PFSAs and PFCAs accounted for up to 82.5%-92.7 % of the total PFASs. Although it was not found to be statistically significant, the concentrations of the total PFASs were slightly higher in the tumor liver samples (mean 64.3, range 5.70-303 ng/g) than those in the non-tumor liver samples (mean 62.7, range 4.08-240 ng/g).The perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), and perfluorobutanesulphonate (PFBS) showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the tumor and non-tumor liver samples, and the different distribution levels of these three PFASs may have been a consequence of oxidative stress. The total concentrations of PFASs in the three age groups were in the decreasing order of middle-aged people (45-60) > old people (>60) > young people (<45). The PFASs in females were generally lower than in males, which may have been related to women's special excretion methods (such as childbirth and breastfeeding). The results should be valuable for further mechanistic studies regarding the toxic effects of PFASs in human livers.

Neutrophil-to-Apolipoprotein A1 Ratio Predicted Overall Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Transarterial Chemoembolization.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive capability of neutrophil-to-apolipoprotein A1 ratio (NAR) for predicting overall survival (OS) among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated the clinical features of 554 patients with HCC receiving TACE and assessed NAR's predictive value for OS with 222 patients (the discovery cohort) and 332 patients (the validation cohort). The association of NAR with circulation lectin-type oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1-positive (LOX-1+ ) polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) was illustrated. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox regression revealed that lymphocyte count; Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) stage; and NAR were independent prognostic factors in the discovery cohort. The validation cohort confirmed the independent prognostic value of TNM stage and NAR. Patients with low NAR (<2.7) displayed significantly increased OS in the discovery cohort (59.8 months vs. 21 months), the validation group (38.0 months vs. 23.6 months), and the total cohort (44.1 months vs. 22.0 months). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to combine Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score with discretized NAR. C-index illustrated that NAR-integrated CLIP score was the best model compared with NAR and CLIP score. Furthermore, NAR-CLIP presented superior predictive capacity for 10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 50-, and 60-month survival compared with CLIP score by survival receiver-operator characteristic analysis in the discovery cohort, validation cohort, and total cohort. NAR was significantly associated with LOX-1+ PMN-MDSCs by linear regression. CONCLUSION: This study identified NAR as an independent predictor for OS among patients with HCC receiving TACE. NAR reflected circulation LOX-1+ PMN-MDSC level. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The present study identified neutrophil-to-apolipoprotein A1 ratio (NAR) as an independent predictor for overall survival among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving transarterial chemoembolization. NAR reflected circulation level of lectin-type oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1-positive polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Expression and prognostic roles of PRDXs gene family in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: As the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world, the therapeutic effect and 5-year overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not optimistic. Previous researches indicated that the disorder of PRDXs was related to the occurrence and development of cancers. METHODS: In this study, PRDXs were found in various tumor cell lines by CCLE database analysis. The analysis results of UALCAN, HCCDB and Human Protein Atlas databases showed the expression of PRDXs mRNA and protein in HCC tissues was dysregulated. Besides, UALCAN was used to assess the correlations between PRDXs mRNA as well as methylation levels and clinical characterization. RESULTS: High expression of PRDX1 or low expression of PRDX2/3 suggested poor prognosis for HCC patients which was demonstrated by Kaplan-Meier Plotter. The genetic alterations and biological interaction network of PRDXs in HCC samples were obtained from c-Bioportal. In addition, LinkedOmics was employed to analyze PRDXs related differentially expressed genes, and on this basis, enrichment of KEGG pathway and miRNAs targets of PRDXs were conducted. The results indicated that these genes were involved in several canonical pathways and certain amino acid metabolism, some of which may effect on the progression of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the disordered expression of some PRDX family members was associated with the prognosis of HCC patients, suggesting that these PRDX family members may become new molecular targets for the treatment and prognosis prediction of HCC.

Protective Functions of ZO-2/Tjp2 Expressed in Hepatocytes and Cholangiocytes Against Liver Injury and Cholestasis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Liver tight junctions (TJs) establish tissue barriers that isolate bile from the blood circulation. TJP2/ZO-2-inactivating mutations cause progressive cholestatic liver disease in humans. Because the underlying mechanisms remain elusive, we characterized mice with liver-specific inactivation of Tjp2. METHODS: Tjp2 was deleted in hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, or both. Effects on the liver were assessed by biochemical analyses of plasma, liver, and bile and by electron microscopy, histology, and immunostaining. TJ barrier permeability was evaluated using fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (4 kDa). Cholic acid (CA) diet was used to assess susceptibility to liver injury. RESULTS: Liver-specific deletion of Tjp2 resulted in lower Cldn1 protein levels, minor changes to the TJ, dilated canaliculi, lower microvilli density, and aberrant radixin and bile salt export pump (BSEP) distribution, without an overt increase in TJ permeability. Hepatic Tjp2-defcient mice presented with mild progressive cholestasis with lower expression levels of bile acid transporter Abcb11/Bsep and detoxification enzyme Cyp2b10. A CA diet tolerated by control mice caused severe cholestasis and liver necrosis in Tjp2-deficient animals. 1,4-Bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene ameliorated CA-induced injury by enhancing Cyp2b10 expression, and ursodeoxycholic acid provided partial improvement. Inactivating Tjp2 separately in hepatocytes or cholangiocytes showed only mild CA-induced liver injury. CONCLUSION: Tjp2 is required for normal cortical distribution of radixin, canalicular volume regulation, and microvilli density. Its inactivation deregulated expression of Cldn1 and key bile acid transporters and detoxification enzymes. The mice provide a novel animal model for cholestatic liver disease caused by TJP2-inactivating mutations in humans.

Intratumoral CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells induce immune tolerance and predict tumor recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma.

CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells generated through splenic extramedullary erythropoiesis have recently been found to suppress anti-infection and tumor immunity in neonates and adults with malignances. However, their role in tumor microenvironment has not been investigated. In the present study, we found that the number of CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells was significantly elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues compared to that in paratumor region and circulation. Additionally, they were more abundant in HCC tissues compared to some immune suppressive cells as well as CD45-CD71+ erythroid cells. CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells suppressed T cells through generation of reactive oxygen species, IL-10, and TGF-ß in a paracrine and cell-cell contact manner, and their suppressive effect was stronger than that of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The abundance of CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells in tumor tissue, as illustrated via immunofluorescence, predicted disease-free survival and overall survival, and its prognostic value was better than that of Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score. This study demonstrated that accumulation of intratumoral CD45+CD71+ erythroid cells in HCC tissues could play a superior immunosuppressive role in tumor microenvironment and may serve as a valuable biomarker to predict recurrence of HCC.

SAMHD1-mediated dNTP degradation is required for efficient DNA repair during antibody class switch recombination.

Sterile alpha motif and histidine-aspartic acid domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1), a dNTP triphosphohydrolase, regulates the levels of cellular dNTPs through their hydrolysis. SAMHD1 protects cells from invading viruses that depend on dNTPs to replicate and is frequently mutated in cancers and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome, a hereditary autoimmune encephalopathy. We discovered that SAMHD1 localizes at the immunoglobulin (Ig) switch region, and serves as a novel DNA repair regulator of Ig class switch recombination (CSR). Depletion of SAMHD1 impaired not only CSR but also IgH/c-Myc translocation. Consistently, we could inhibit these two processes by elevating the cellular nucleotide pool. A high frequency of nucleotide insertion at the break-point junctions is a notable feature in SAMHD1 deficiency during activation-induced cytidine deaminase-mediated genomic instability. Interestingly, CSR induced by staggered but not blunt, double-stranded DNA breaks was impaired by SAMHD1 depletion, which was accompanied by enhanced nucleotide insertions at recombination junctions. We propose that SAMHD1-mediated dNTP balance regulates dNTP-sensitive DNA end-processing enzyme and promotes CSR and aberrant genomic rearrangements by suppressing the insertional DNA repair pathway.

Inhibition of cyclin E1 sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to regorafenib by mcl-1 suppression.

BACKGROUND: To clarify the effects of cylcin E1 expression on HCC tumor progression, we studied the expression of cyclin E1 and inhibitory efficacy of regorafenib and sorafenib in HCC cells, and investigated a potential therapy that combines regorafenib treatment with cyclin E1 inhibition. METHODS: Western blotting for caspase-3 and Hoechst 33225 staining was used to measure the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins under drug treatment. RESULTS: Our results showed that enhanced expression of cyclin E1 after transfection compromised apoptosis in HCC cells induced by regorafenib or sorafenib. Conversely, down-regulation of cyclin E1 gene expression or inhibition of cyclin E1 by the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors dinaciclib (DIN) or flavopiridol sensitized HCC cells to regorafenib and sorafenib by inducing apoptosis. The expression of Mcl-1, which is modulated by STAT3, plays a key role in regulating the therapeutic effects of CDK inhibitors. Xenograft experiments conducted to test the efficacy of regorafenib combined with DIN showed dramatic tumor inhibitory effects due to induction of apoptosis. Our results suggested that the level of cyclin E1 expression in HCCs may be used as a pharmacodynamic biomarker to assess the antitumor effects of regorafenib or sorafenib. CONCLUSIONS: Combining regorafenib and CDK inhibitors may enhance the clinical efficiency of the treatment of HCCs.

HOXA-AS2 Promotes Proliferation and Induces Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via the miR-520c-3p/GPC3 Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Previous studies have demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may play critical roles in cancer biology, including Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HOXA cluster antisense RNA2 (HOXA-AS2) lncRNA plays an important role in carcinogenesis, however, the underlying role of HOXA-AS2 in HCC remains unknown. The present study examined the effects of HOXA-AS2 on the progression of HCC, and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect HOXA-AS2 expression in HCC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, the effects of HOXA-AS2 silencing and overexpression on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed in HCC in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatics online programs predicted and luciferase reporter assay were used to validate the association of HOXA-AS2 and miR-520c-3p in HCC cells. RESULTS: We observed that HOXA-AS2 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. In vitro experiments revealed that HOXA-AS2 knockdown significantly inhibited HCC cells proliferation by causing G1 arrest and promoting apoptosis, whereas HOXA-AS2 overexpression promoted cell growth. Further functional assays indicated that HOXA-AS2 significantly promoted HCC cell migration and invasion by promoting EMT. Bioinformatics online programs predicted that HOXA-AS2 sponge miR-520c-3p at 3'-UTR with complementary binding sites, which was validated using luciferase reporter assay. HOXA-AS2 could negatively regulate the expression of miR-520c-3p in HCC cells. MiR-520c-3p was down-regulated and inversely correlated with HOXA-AS2 expression in HCC tissues. miR-520c-3p suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and migration in HCC cells, and enforced expression of miR-520c-3p attenuated the oncogenic effects of HOXA-AS2 in HCC cells. By bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay, we found that miR-223-3p directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of Glypican-3 (GPC3), one of the key players in HCC. GPC3 was up-regulated in HCC tissues, and was negatively correlated with miR-520c-3p expression and positively correlated with HOXA-AS2 expression. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results suggested that the HOXA-AS2/miR-520c-3p/GPC3 axis may play an important role in the regulation of PTC progression, which could serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Measurement of Serum and Hepatic Eicosanoids by Liquid Chromatography Tandem-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in a Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) with Delivery of c-Met and Activated ß-Catenin by Hepatocyte Hydrodynamic Injection.

BACKGROUND Most forms of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), are associated with varying degrees of chronic inflammation. The association between the expression of eicosanoids, which are bioactive lipid mediators of inflammation, and HCC remains unknown. The aim of this study was to measure serum and hepatic eicosanoids in a mouse model of HCC with the delivery of c-Met and activated b-catenin by hepatocyte hydrodynamic injection. MATERIAL AND METHODS The HCC mouse model, and normal control mice, were used in this study with co-delivery of human c-Met combined with activated ß-catenin into hepatocytes through hydrodynamic injection. Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was used to measure serum and hepatic eicosanoid levels. RESULTS The combined activation of c-Met and ß-catenin was induced in the HCC mouse model. LC-MS/MS showed that a total of 13 eicosanoids in serum and 12 eicosanoids in liver tissue were significantly increased in the HCC mice, when compared with control mice. CONCLUSIONS In a mouse model of HCC, co-activation of the c-Met and ß-catenin signaling pathway resulted in increased levels of serum and hepatic eicosanoids.

Lipopolysaccharide promotes angiogenesis in mice model of HCC by stimulating hepatic stellate cell activation via TLR4 pathway.

Angiogenesis plays a key role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could promote HCC angiogenesis and the role of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) in this process. In vivo orthotopic HCC model and the effect of LPS on HSC in vitro were studied. Our results demonstrated that LPS-induced HSC activation during the promotion of HCC growth and angiogenesis in mice. The LPS-TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) pathway in HSC is responsible for HCC angiogenesis. LPS-induced secretion of pro-angiogenic factors from HSC could promote endothelial cell migration and tubulogenesis. This study suggests that LPS acts with HSC in tumor stroma and promotes the secretion of pro-angiogenic factors that increase angiogenesis in HCC.

Myc Regulates Chromatin Decompaction and Nuclear Architecture during B Cell Activation.

50 years ago, Vincent Allfrey and colleagues discovered that lymphocyte activation triggers massive acetylation of chromatin. However, the molecular mechanisms driving epigenetic accessibility are still unknown. We here show that stimulated lymphocytes decondense chromatin by three differentially regulated steps. First, chromatin is repositioned away from the nuclear periphery in response to global acetylation. Second, histone nanodomain clusters decompact into mononucleosome fibers through a mechanism that requires Myc and continual energy input. Single-molecule imaging shows that this step lowers transcription factor residence time and non-specific collisions during sampling for DNA targets. Third, chromatin interactions shift from long range to predominantly short range, and CTCF-mediated loops and contact domains double in numbers. This architectural change facilitates cognate promoter-enhancer contacts and also requires Myc and continual ATP production. Our results thus define the nature and transcriptional impact of chromatin decondensation and reveal an unexpected role for Myc in the establishment of nuclear topology in mammalian cells.

Importance of activated hepatic stellate cells and angiopoietin-1 in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Previous studies have determined that activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by increasing angiogenesis in cancerous tissues. In addition, angiopoietin 1 (Ang­1) has been reported to be involved in tumor growth and metastasis via the promotion of angiogenesis. It remains unclear whether aHSCs and Ang­1 are involved in the angiogenesis in HCC. A total of 25 HCC and tumor­adjacent tissues, and 21 normal liver tissues were used in the present study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of Ang­1 and α smooth muscle actin (α­SMA). The expression of CD34 was also analyzed using IHC to evaluate the microvessel density (MVD). The protein expression levels of Ang­1 were evaluated using western blot analysis. The association between aHSC, Ang­1 and angiogenesis was determined using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The present study determined that the expression of α­SMA, Ang­1 and MVD (CD34) was significantly higher in the HCC tissues when compared with tumor­adjacent tissues and normal liver tissues. Spearman's rank analysis identified a positive correlation between the expression of α­SMA, Ang­1 and CD34. This suggests that α­SMA­positive aHSCs promoted angiogenesis by expressing Ang­1, resulting in the proliferation and metastasis of HCC.

Tight Junction Protein 1 Modulates Proteasome Capacity and Proteasome Inhibitor Sensitivity in Multiple Myeloma via EGFR/JAK1/STAT3 Signaling.

Proteasome inhibitors have revolutionized outcomes in multiple myeloma, but they are used empirically, and primary and secondary resistance are emerging problems. We have identified TJP1 as a determinant of plasma cell proteasome inhibitor susceptibility. TJP1 suppressed expression of the catalytically active immunoproteasome subunits LMP7 and LMP2, decreased proteasome activity, and enhanced proteasome inhibitor sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. This occurred through TJP1-mediated suppression of EGFR/JAK1/STAT3 signaling, which modulated LMP7 and LMP2 levels. In the clinic, high TJP1 expression in patient myeloma cells was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of responding to bortezomib and a longer response duration, supporting the use of TJP1 as a biomarker to identify patients most likely to benefit from proteasome inhibitors.