Cancer cells produce liver metastasis via gap formation in sinusoidal endothelial cells through proinflammatory paracrine mechanisms.

Intracellular gap (iGap) formation in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) is caused by the destruction of fenestrae and appears under pathological conditions; nevertheless, their role in metastasis of cancer cells to the liver remained unexplored. We elucidated that hepatotoxin-damaged and fibrotic livers gave rise to LSECs-iGap formation, which was positively correlated with increased numbers of metastatic liver foci after intrasplenic injection of Hepa1-6 cells. Hepa1-6 cells induced interleukin-23-dependent tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion by LSECs and triggered LSECs-iGap formation, toward which their processes protruded to transmigrate into the liver parenchyma. TNF-α triggered depolymerization of F-actin and induced matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), intracellular adhesion molecule 1, and CXCL expression in LSECs. Blocking MMP9 activity by doxycycline or an MMP2/9 inhibitor eliminated LSECs-iGap formation and attenuated liver metastasis of Hepa1-6 cells. Overall, this study revealed that cancer cells induced LSEC-iGap formation via proinflammatory paracrine mechanisms and proposed MMP9 as a favorable target for blocking cancer cell metastasis to the liver.

Soluble Immune Checkpoint Protein CD27 Is a Novel Prognostic Biomarker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Hepatitis C Virus-Sustained Virological Response Patients.

Factors affecting the probability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development even after sustained virological response (SVR) following anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy remain unelucidated. This study characterized the role of 16 soluble (s) immune checkpoint proteins in 168 HCV-SVR patients, with 47 developing HCC at the study end point. At baseline, high concentrations of 10 immune checkpoint proteins were found in the sera of the HCC group. At the study end point, levels of sCD27, sCD28, sCD40, and sCD86 in the HCC group, which were depleted following SVR, returned to higher levels than those in the non-HCC group. More importantly, patients with baseline levels of sCD27 ≥ 4104 pg/mL, sCD28 ≥ 1530 pg/mL, and sCD40 ≥ 688 pg/mL predicted a significantly greater HCC cumulative rate. Although sCD27 was elevated in patient sera, its membrane-bound form, mCD27, accumulated in the tumor and peritumor area, mainly localized in T cells. Interestingly, T-cell activation time dependently induced sCD27. Furthermore, CD70, the ligand of CD27, was robustly expressed in HCC area in which CD70 promoter methylation analysis indicated the hypomethylation compared with the nontumor pairs. Recombinant human CD27 treatment induced the proliferation of CD70-bearing HepG2 cells via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, but not NF-κB or p38 pathway. In conclusion, these data indicate that baseline sCD27, sCD28, and sCD40 levels could be used as HCC prognostic markers in HCV-SVR patients. sCD27 likely promotes HepG2 cell growth via the CD27-CD70 axis.

Cytoglobin attenuates pancreatic cancer growth via scavenging reactive oxygen species.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly challenging malignancy with extremely poor prognosis. Cytoglobin (CYGB), a hemeprotein involved in liver fibrosis and cancer development, is expressed in pericytes of all organs. Here, we examined the role of CYGB in the development of pancreatic cancer. CYGB expression appeared predominately in the area surrounding adenocarcinoma and negatively correlated with tumor size in patients with pancreatic cancer. Directly injecting 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene into the pancreatic tail in wild-type mice resulted in time-dependent induction of severe pancreatitis, fibrosis, and oxidative damage, which was rescued by Cygb overexpression in transgenic mice. Pancreatic cancer incidence was 93% in wild-type mice but only 55% in transgenic mice. Enhanced CYGB expression in human pancreatic stellate cells in vitro reduced cellular collagen synthesis, inhibited cell activation, increased expression of antioxidant-related genes, and increased CYGB secretion into the medium. Cygb-overexpressing or recombinant human CYGB (rhCYGB) -treated MIA PaCa-2 cancer cells exhibited dose-dependent cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, diminished cell migration, and reduction in colony formation. RNA sequencing in rhCYGB-treated MIA PaCa-2 cells revealed downregulation of cell cycle and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. An increase in MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation and reactive oxygen species production by H2O2 challenge was blocked by rhCYGB treatment or Cygb overexpression. PANC-1, OCUP-A2, and BxPC-3 cancer cells showed similar responses to rhCYGB. Known antioxidants N-acetyl cysteine and glutathione also inhibited cancer cell growth. These results demonstrate that CYGB suppresses pancreatic stellate cell activation, pancreatic fibrosis, and tumor growth, suggesting its potential therapeutic application against pancreatic cancer.

Capacity of extracellular globins to reduce liver fibrosis via scavenging reactive oxygen species and promoting MMP-1 secretion.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary cell type in liver fibrosis, a significant global health care burden. Cytoglobin (CYGB), a globin family member expressed in HSCs, inhibits HSC activation and reduces collagen production. We studied the antifibrotic properties of globin family members hemoglobin (HB), myoglobin (MB), and neuroglobin (NGB) in comparison with CYGB. APPROACH & RESULTS: We characterized the biological activities of globins in cultured human HSCs (HHSteCs) and their effects on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced cirrhosis in mice. All globins demonstrated greater antioxidant capacity than glutathione in cell-free systems. Cellular fractionation revealed endocytosis of extracellular MB, NGB, and CYGB, but not HB; endocytosed globins localized to intracellular membranous, cytoplasmic, and cytoskeletal fractions. MB, NGB, and CYGB, but not HB, scavenged reactive oxygen species generated spontaneously or stimulated by H2O2 or transforming growth factor ß1 in HHSteCs and reduced collagen 1A1 production via suppressing COL1A1 promoter activity. Disulfide bond-mutant NGB displayed decreased heme and superoxide scavenging activity and reduced collagen inhibitory capacity. RNA sequencing of MB- and NGB-treated HHSteCs revealed downregulation of extracellular matrix-encoding and fibrosis-related genes and HSC deactivation markers. Upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 was observed following MB and NGB treatment, and MMP-1 knockdown partially reversed globin-mediated effects on secreted collagen. Importantly, administration of MB, NGB, and CYGB suppressed CCl4-induced mouse liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings revealed unexpected roles for MB and NGB in deactivating HSCs and inhibiting liver fibrosis development, suggesting that globin therapy may represent a new strategy for combating fibrotic liver disease.

Hexa Histidine-Tagged Recombinant Human Cytoglobin Deactivates Hepatic Stellate Cells and Inhibits Liver Fibrosis by Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antifibrotic therapy remains an unmet medical need in human chronic liver disease. We report the antifibrotic properties of cytoglobin (CYGB), a respiratory protein expressed in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main cell type involved in liver fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Cygb-deficient mice that had bile duct ligation-induced liver cholestasis or choline-deficient amino acid-defined diet-induced steatohepatitis significantly exacerbated liver damage, fibrosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. All of these manifestations were attenuated in Cygb-overexpressing mice. We produced hexa histidine-tagged recombinant human CYGB (His-CYGB), traced its biodistribution, and assessed its function in HSCs or in mice with advanced liver cirrhosis using thioacetamide (TAA) or 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC). In cultured HSCs, extracellular His-CYGB was endocytosed and accumulated in endosomes through a clathrin-mediated pathway. His-CYGB significantly impeded ROS formation spontaneously or in the presence of ROS inducers in HSCs, thus leading to the attenuation of collagen type 1 alpha 1 production and α-smooth muscle actin expression. Replacement the iron center of the heme group with cobalt nullified the effect of His-CYGB. In addition, His-CYGB induced interferon-ß secretion by HSCs that partly contributed to its antifibrotic function. Momelotinib incompletely reversed the effect of His-CYGB. Intravenously injected His-CYGB markedly suppressed liver inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative cell damage in mice administered TAA or DDC mice without adverse effects. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed the down-regulation of inflammation- and fibrosis-related genes and the up-regulation of antioxidant genes in both cell culture and liver tissues. The injected His-CYGB predominantly localized to HSCs but not to macrophages, suggesting specific targeting effects. His-CYGB exhibited no toxicity in chimeric mice with humanized livers. CONCLUSIONS: His-CYGB could have antifibrotic clinical applications for human chronic liver diseases.