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Intracellular accumulation of IFN-λ4 contributes to protection from liver cirrhosis by inducing ER stress and enhancing IRF1 signaling

ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cirrhosis are major risk factors for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Genetic polymorphisms in the IFNL3/IFNL4 locus have been associated both with poor clearance of HCV and protection from liver fibrosis, an early stage of cirrhosis. Here, we aimed to address the genetic and functional relationships between IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms, cirrhosis, and HCC risk. We evaluated associations between IFNL4 genotype (presence of rs368234815-dG or rs12979860-T alleles) with cirrhosis and HCC risk in patients with chronic HCV - 2,931 from Taiwan and 3,566 from Japan, and with gene expression and somatic mutations in 370 HCC tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Functional analyses were performed in primary human hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells and a panel of hepatoma HepG2 cell lines with gene-edited IFNLR1 and inducible expression of IFN-λ3 or IFN-λ4. We detected associations between IFNL4 genotype and decreased risk of cirrhosis (OR=0.66, 95%CI=0.46-0.93, P=0.018, in Taiwan), but increased risk of HCC in patients without HCV clearance (OR=1.28, 95%CI=1.07-1.52, P=0.0058, in Japan). IFNL4 genotype was also associated with reduced cell proliferation and enrichment of CTNNB1 mutations in HCC tumors in TCGA. Reduced proliferation in hepatic cells was contributed by intracellular accumulation of IFN-λ4 leading to induction of ER stress and enhanced IRF1 signaling. The strong anti-proliferative effects of IFN-λ4 in hepatic cells could explain the association of IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms with decreased cirrhosis. However, by sustaining persistent HCV infection, IFN-λ4 may contribute to the development of CTNNB1 mutations and increased risk of HCC in patients without viral clearance.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE145038 | GEO | 2021/09/15

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:OBJECTIVE: The number of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis is increasing, leading to a rising risk of complications and death. Prognostic stratification in patients with early-stage cirrhosis is still challenging. We aimed to develop and validate a clinically useful prognostic index based on genomic and clinical variables to identify patients at high risk of disease progression. DESIGN: We developed a prognostic index, comprised of a 186-gene signature validated in our previous genome-wide profiling study, bilirubin (>1?mg/dL) and platelet count (<100?000/mm3), in an Italian HCV cirrhosis cohort (training cohort, n=216, median follow-up 10?years). The gene signature test was implemented using a digital transcript counting (nCounter) assay specifically developed for clinical use and the prognostic index was evaluated using archived specimens from an independent cohort of HCV-related cirrhosis in the USA (validation cohort, n=145, median follow-up 8?years). RESULTS: In the training cohort, the prognostic index was associated with hepatic decompensation (HR=2.71, p=0.003), overall death (HR=6.00, p<0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR=3.31, p=0.001) and progression of Child-Turcotte-Pugh class (HR=6.70, p<0.001). The patients in the validation cohort were stratified into high-risk (16%), intermediate-risk (42%) or low-risk (42%) groups by the prognostic index. The high-risk group had a significantly increased risk of hepatic decompensation (HR=7.36, p<0.001), overall death (HR=3.57, p=0.002), liver-related death (HR=6.49, p<0.001) and all liver-related adverse events (HR=4.98, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A genomic and clinical prognostic index readily available for clinical use was successfully validated, warranting further clinical evaluation for prognostic prediction and clinical trial stratification and enrichment for preventive interventions. 145 liver tissue needle biopsy specimens from U.S. HCV cirrhosis cohort patients with histologically proven cirrhosis lacking evidence and a history of hepatic decompensation or HCC.

Project description:OBJECTIVE: The number of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis is increasing, leading to a rising risk of complications and death. Prognostic stratification in patients with early-stage cirrhosis is still challenging. We aimed to develop and validate a clinically useful prognostic index based on genomic and clinical variables to identify patients at high risk of disease progression. DESIGN: We developed a prognostic index, comprised of a 186-gene signature validated in our previous genome-wide profiling study, bilirubin (>1 mg/dL) and platelet count (<100 000/mm3), in an Italian HCV cirrhosis cohort (training cohort, n=216, median follow-up 10 years). The gene signature test was implemented using a digital transcript counting (nCounter) assay specifically developed for clinical use and the prognostic index was evaluated using archived specimens from an independent cohort of HCV-related cirrhosis in the USA (validation cohort, n=145, median follow-up 8 years). RESULTS: In the training cohort, the prognostic index was associated with hepatic decompensation (HR=2.71, p=0.003), overall death (HR=6.00, p<0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR=3.31, p=0.001) and progression of Child-Turcotte-Pugh class (HR=6.70, p<0.001). The patients in the validation cohort were stratified into high-risk (16%), intermediate-risk (42%) or low-risk (42%) groups by the prognostic index. The high-risk group had a significantly increased risk of hepatic decompensation (HR=7.36, p<0.001), overall death (HR=3.57, p=0.002), liver-related death (HR=6.49, p<0.001) and all liver-related adverse events (HR=4.98, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A genomic and clinical prognostic index readily available for clinical use was successfully validated, warranting further clinical evaluation for prognostic prediction and clinical trial stratification and enrichment for preventive interventions. 90 liver tissue needle biopsy specimens from patients with histologically proven cirrhosis lacking evidence and a history of hepatic decompensation or HCC.

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Intracellular accumulation of IFN-λ4 contributes to protection from liver cirrhosis by inducing ER stress and enhancing IRF1 signaling

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