scholarly journals The Associated Ion between the VDR Gene Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Hepatocellular Carcinoma and the Clinicopathological Features in Subjects Infected with HBV

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing Yao ◽  
Huazong Zeng ◽  
Guolei Zhang ◽  
Weimin Zhou ◽  
Qiang Yan ◽  
...  

Aim. To evaluate the possible association between the vitamin D receptor (VDR), single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.Method. 968 chronic HBV infection patients were enrolled, of which 436 patients were diagnosed HCC patients, and 532 were non-HCC patients. The clinicopathological characteristics of HCC were evaluated. The genotypes of VDR gene at FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI were determined.Results. The genotype frequencies of VDR FokI C>T polymorphism were significantly different between HCC and non-HCC groups. HCC patients had a higher prevalence of FokI TT genotype than non-HCC subjects. With FokI CC as reference, the TT carriage had a significantly higher risk for development of HCC after adjustments with age, sex, HBV infection time,α-fetoprotein, smoking status, and alcohol intake. In addition, we also found that the TT genotype carriage of FokI polymorphisms were associated with advanced tumor stage, presence of cirrhosis, and lymph node metastasis. The SNP at BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI did not show positive association with the risk and clinicopathological features of HCC.Conclusion. The FokI C>T polymorphisms may be used as a molecular marker to predict the risk and to evaluate the disease severity of HCC in those infected with HBV.

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1503
Author(s):  
Oscar Wai Ho Yeung ◽  
Xiang Qi ◽  
Li Pang ◽  
Hui Liu ◽  
Kevin Tak Pan Ng ◽  
...  

Background and Aims—Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling orchestrates tumorigenesis and one of the family members, TGF-β receptor type III (TGFβR3), are distinctively under-expressed in numerous malignancies. Currently, the clinical impact of TGFβR3 down-regulation and the underlying mechanism remains unclear in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we aimed to identify the tumor-promoting roles of decreased TGFβR3 expression in HCC progression. Materials and Methods—For clinical analysis, plasma and liver specimens were collected from 100 HCC patients who underwent curative resection for the quantification of TGFβR3 by q-PCR and ELISA. To study the tumor-promoting mechanism of TGFβR3 downregulation, HCC mouse models and TGFβR3 knockout cell lines were applied. Results—Significant downregulation of TGFβR3 and its soluble form (sTGFβR3) were found in HCC tissues and plasma compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.01). Patients with <9.4 ng/mL sTGFβR3 exhibited advanced tumor stage, higher recurrence rate and shorter disease-free survival (p < 0.05). The tumor-suppressive function of sTGFβR3 was further revealed in an orthotopic mouse HCC model, resulting in 2-fold tumor volume reduction. In TGFβR3 knockout hepatocyte and HCC cells, increased complement component C5a was observed and strongly correlated with shorter survival and advanced tumor stage (p < 0.01). Interestingly, C5a activated the tumor-promoting Th-17 response in tumor associated macrophages. Conclusion—TGFβR3 suppressed tumor progression, and decreased expression resulted in poor prognosis in HCC patients through upregulation of tumor-promoting complement C5a.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinghui Zhao ◽  
Zhanzhong Zhao ◽  
Junwei Guo ◽  
Peitang Huang ◽  
Xudong Zhu ◽  
...  

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an independent risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HBV HBx gene is frequently identified as an integrant in the chromosomal DNA of patients with HCC. HBx encodes the X protein (HBx), a putative viral oncoprotein that affects transcriptional regulation of several cellular genes. Therefore, HBx may be an ideal target to impede the progression of HBV infection–related HCC. In this study, integrated HBx was transcriptionally downregulated using an artificial transcription factor (ATF). Two three-fingered Cys2-His2 zinc finger (ZF) motifs that specifically recognized two 9-bp DNA sequences regulating HBx expression were identified from a phage-display library. The ZF domains were linked into a six-fingered protein that specified an 18-bp DNA target in the Enhancer I region upstream of HBx. This DNA-binding domain was fused with a Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) transcriptional repression domain to produce an ATF designed to downregulate HBx integrated into the Hep3B HCC cell line. The ATF significantly repressed HBx in a luciferase reporter assay. Stably expressing the ATF in Hep3B cells resulted in significant growth arrest, whereas stably expressing the ATF in an HCC cell line lacking integrated HBx (HepG2) had virtually no effect. The targeted downregulation of integrated HBx is a promising novel approach to inhibiting the progression of HBV infection–related HCC.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Andrew Douglas Huber

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leads to liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Globally, an estimated 50% of all hepatocellular carcinoma cases are linked to chronic HBV infection. More than 240 million people are chronically infected, and there are 0.5-1 million deaths per year due to HBVrelated liver conditions. HBV treatment options rarely cure infections and are associated with adverse side effects that often outweigh the potential benefits of treatment. New treatments, therefore, are highly desired for HBV therapy. Towards this goal, we have developed novel compounds targeting two viral targets and assessed the mechanisms of action by which these compounds act. We have developed systems for the discovery and evaluation of compounds that inhibit 2 distinct steps in the HBV life cycle. Using these systems, we have developed potent inhibitors of HBV replication that have potential to become clinically used HBV drugs. Furthermore, we have used our methods to evaluate which properties of these compounds are likely to result in better viral inhibition. The work described in this thesis has led to at least 2 new compound groups for potential use as HBV antivirals and provides insight into mechanisms by which potent antivirals can be achieved.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan Deng ◽  
Xiude Fan ◽  
Xiaoyun Wang ◽  
Lu Zeng ◽  
Kun Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractBiomarkers for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a leading cause of HCC. We evaluated whether measurement of serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) could improve diagnosis of HCC in chronic HBV infection. Data from patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis (n = 159), cirrhosis (n = 99) and HCC (n = 107), and healthy controls (n = 151) were analyzed. Serum PTX3 concentration was measured by immunoassay. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was applied to assess diagnostic accuracy. PTX3 levels were significantly higher in HBV patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.001) and in HCC than in chronic hepatitis (P < 0.001) or cirrhosis patients (P < 0.001). PTX3 was an independent risk factor of HCC [odds ratio (OR) 1.617, P < 0.001] and could distinguish HCC in chronic HBV infection [cutoff 9.231 ng/mL, AUC 0.929 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.898–0.953], including α-fetoprotein (AFP) negative [cutoff 8.985 ng/mL, AUC (95%CI) 0.947 (0.908–0.973)] and early-stage HCC [cutoff 9.359 ng/mL, AUC (95%CI) 0.920 (0.885–0.947)]. Combination of PTX3 with AFP improved the discrimination of early HCC from chronic HBV infection [AUC (95%CI) 0.948 (0.918–0.970)]. In short, PTX3 measurement could identify HCC, including AFP-negative and early-stage HCC, in chronic HBV infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 107327482110397
Author(s):  
Hae Lim Lee ◽  
Si Hyun Bae ◽  
Jaejun Lee ◽  
Pil Soo Sung ◽  
Sung Won Lee ◽  
...  

Background and Aims This retrospective study aimed to investigate the impact of positive hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and metabolic disorders on clinical characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in an HBV-endemic area. Methods A total of 1950 consecutive patients newly diagnosed with HCC between 2002 and 2015 were included. Patient records were reviewed. We compared non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC patients with other etiological groups for HCC. In addition, we compared HCC patients with negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and positive anti-HBc to those with negative HBsAg and negative anti-HBc, and to those with HBV. Results The prevalence of non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC increased from 7% in 2002–2011 to 12% in 2012–2015. The proportion of non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC gradually increased with age. Patients with non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC exhibited higher rates of metabolic disorders and preserved liver function. The rate of anti-HBc positivity was similarly high in all HCC etiological groups. The clinical features of HCC patients with negative HBsAg and positive anti-HBc were similar to those with negative HBsAg and negative anti-HBc, but significantly different from those with HBV HCC. Regarding tumor characteristics, patients in the non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC group had more advanced stages of tumors (mUICC stage III–V and BCLC stage C/D). There was no significant difference in overall survival among the patient groups. The presence of anti-HBc did not affect patient survival. Conclusion Patients with non-viral and non-alcoholic HCC had a relatively high prevalence of metabolic disorders and preserved liver function. However, they had advanced tumor stage compared to patients from other etiological groups. Anti-HBc positivity did not affect the clinical characteristics or prognosis of non-HBV HCC patients in this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Xia ◽  
Zheyue Shu ◽  
Ting Ye ◽  
Min Zhang

As one of the most common malignant tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth major cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. In 90% of cases, HCC develops in the context of liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important etiology for cirrhosis and HCC, accounting for 53% of all HCC cases. To understand the underlying mechanisms of the dynamic chain reactions from normal to HBV infection, from HBV infection to liver cirrhosis, from liver cirrhosis to HCC, we analyzed the blood lncRNA expression profiles from 38 healthy control samples, 45 chronic hepatitis B patients, 46 liver cirrhosis patients, and 46 HCC patients. Advanced machine-learning methods including Monte Carlo feature selection, incremental feature selection (IFS), and support vector machine (SVM) were applied to discover the signature associated with HCC progression and construct the prediction model. One hundred seventy-one key HCC progression-associated lncRNAs were identified and their overall accuracy was 0.823 as evaluated with leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV). The accuracies of the lncRNA signature for healthy control, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and HCC were 0.895, 0.711, 0.870, and 0.826, respectively. The 171-lncRNA signature is not only useful for early detection and intervention of HCC, but also helpful for understanding the multistage tumorigenic processes of HCC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenkai Ni ◽  
Saiyan Bian ◽  
Mengqi Zhu ◽  
Qianqian Song ◽  
Jianping Zhang ◽  
...  

PurposeUbiquitin-specific proteases (USPs), as a sub-family of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), are responsible for the elimination of ubiquitin-triggered modification. USPs are recently correlated with various malignancies. However, the expression features and clinical significance of USPs have not been systematically investigated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsGenomic alterations and expression profiles of USPs were investigated in CbioPortal and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) dataset. Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyses were conducted to establish a risk signature for HCC prognosis in TCGA LIHC cohort. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and univariate/multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the risk signature in TCGA LIHC and international cancer genome consortium (ICGC) cohorts. Furthermore, we explored the alterations of the signature genes during hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression in GSE89377. In addition, the expression feature of USP39 was further explored in HCC tissues by performing western blotting and immunohistochemistry.ResultsGenomic alterations and overexpression of USPs were observed in HCC tissues. The consensus analysis indicated that the USPs-overexpressed sub-Cluster was correlated with aggressive characteristics and poor prognosis. Cox regression with LASSO algorithm identified a risk signature formed by eight USPs for HCC prognosis. High-risk group stratified by the signature score was correlated with advanced tumor stage and poor survival HCC patients in TCGA LIHC cohort. In addition, the 8-USPs based signature could also robustly predict overall survival of HCC patients in ICGC(LIRI-JP) cohort. Furthermore, gene sets enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that the high-risk score was associated with tumor-related pathways. According to the observation in GSE89377, USP39 expression was dynamically increased with hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression. The overexpression of USP39 was further determined in a local HCC cohort and correlated with poor prognosis. The co-concurrence analysis suggested that USP39 might promote HCC by regulating cell-cycle- and proliferation- related genes.ConclusionThe current study provided a USPs-based signature, highlighting its robust prognostic significance and targeted value for HCC treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-474
Author(s):  
Xinying Li ◽  
Jingmei Li ◽  
Jiao Yang

Liprin-?1 is one of the broadly-expressed liprin family members. Dysregulation of liprin-?1 has been implicated in several types of human cancers. However, the expression of liprin-?1 and its clinicopathological significance in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive. We evaluated the protein expression of liprin-?1 in HCC and non-tumor liver tissues by immunohistochemistry, and investigated the relationship between liprin-?1 expression and the clinicopathological attributes of HCC. We found that liprin-?1 expression was significantly higher in HCC than in non-tumor liver tissues. Further analysis showed that higher levels of liprin-?1 in HCC were significantly associated with the advanced clinical stage. Interestingly, liprin-?1 was not detected in cholangiocellular carcinoma specimens. These findings suggest that an elevated expression of liprin-?1 may be involved in HCC progression, providing the rationale that upregulation of liprin-?1 may serve as a novel biomarker for human HCC.


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