Project description:The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poor due to the high incidence of intrahepatic metastasis. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of intrahepatic metastasis in HCC via extracellular vesicles (EVs).
Project description:Background and aims: Primary liver cancers (LCs), including HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), are derived from a common developmental lineage, conferring a molecular spectrum between them. To elucidate the molecular spectrum, we performed an integrative analysis of transcriptome profiles associated with patients' radiopathologic features. Approach and results: We identified four LC subtypes (LC1-LC4) from RNA-sequencing profiles, revealing intermediate subtypes between HCC and iCCA. LC1 is a typical HCC characterized by active bile acid metabolism, telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations, and high uptake of gadoxetic acid in MRI. LC2 is an iCCA-like HCC characterized by expression of the progenitor cell-like trait, tumor protein p53 mutations, and rim arterial-phase hyperenhancement in MRI. LC3 is an HCC-like iCCA, mainly small duct (SD) type, associated with HCC-related etiologic factors. LC4 is further subclassified into LC4-SD and LC4-large duct iCCAs according to the pathological features, which exhibited distinct genetic variations (e.g., KRAS , isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 mutation, and FGF receptor 2 fusion), stromal type, and prognostic outcomes. Conclusions: Our integrated view of the molecular spectrum of LCs can identify subtypes associated with transcriptomic, genomic, and radiopathologic features, providing mechanistic insights into heterogeneous LC progression.
Project description:Using the highly sensitive cricRNA array, we screened functional circRNAs in the human highly/low invasive HCC tissues, and the function of differentially expressed circRANs were analyzed by bioinformatics. The results revealed that circASH2 inhibits HCC metastasis by circASH2/YBX1/hnRNPs/TPM4 axis.
Project description:We compared transcriptomic profiles of 23 ICC tumor specimens to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specimens using Affymetrix mRNA array and the miRNA array platforms to search for unique gene signatures linked to patient prognosis. ICC and HCC share common stem-like molecular characteristics and stem-like tumor features associated with poor prognosis. Gene expression profiling of 16 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), 7 mixed type of combined HCC and ICC (CHC), 2 Hepatic Adenoma, 5 Focal Nodular Hyperplasia, and 7 Non-Tumor Tissues were performed.
Project description:BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high mortality rate due to the lack of effective treatments and drugs. Arsenic trioxide (As2O3, ATO, arsenious acid), which has been proved to successfully treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), was recently reported to show therapeutic potential in solid tumors including liver cancer. Although the mechanistic effects of ATO in APL are established, its anticancer mechanism of action in HCC is still unclear. METHODS: We established an HCC subcutaneous xenograft and intrahepatic metastasis mouse model. In CSC models, tumorspheres and the flow cytometry analysis of CSC markers together with limiting dilution and serial transplantation were used. We compared mRNA expression profiles of the ATO-treated and control cells with mRNA microarray. The expression of target molecule or a clinical correlation was analyzed by immunohistochemistry staining in tissues from ATO-treated mouse and 76 HCC patients. We generated five stable minichromosome maintenance protein 7 (MCM7)-knockdown and two stable MCM7-overexpression HCC cell lines. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, immunoprecipitation (IP) assays, the dual luciferase reporter assays, a green biarsenical labeling reagent (FlAsH-EDT2) and a “competing endogenous RNA” (ceRNA) analysis were used. RESULTS: ATO could inhibit the liver tumor-initiating capacity and distant metastasis and prolongs survival in mice. We then screened and found that ATO downregulates the overexpression of MCM7 which is correlated with the progression and prognosis in HCC patients. Knockdown of MCM7 expression recapitulates the inhibition function of ATO on self-renewal of cancer stem cells (CSCs), while overexpression of MCM7 abolishes the inhibition function of ATO on tumorsphere formation. Most importantly, we revealed that ATO directly binds to the MCM7 protein and disturbs the interaction between serum response factor (SRF) and MCM7, resulting in downregulation of MCM7 transcription. A ceRNA analysis also indicated the alterations of endogenous MCM7-associated gene networks involved in stemness-related signaling pathways and cell differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Here, for the first time, we report that ATO inhibits liver CSCs through blocking the interaction between SRF/MCM7 and suppressing MCM7 autoregulation activity.
Project description:We compared transcriptomic profiles of ICC tumor specimens to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specimens using Affymetrix mRNA array and the miRNA array platforms to search for unique gene signatures linked to patient prognosis. ICC and HCC share common stem-like molecular characteristics and stem-like tumor features associated with poor prognosis. Gene expression profiling of 16 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), 7 mixed type of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHC), 2 Hepatic adenoma, 3 focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), 5 non-tumor liver tissues, and 2 CCA cell lines were performed.