Downregulation of PRAME Suppresses Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through the Activation of P53 Mediated Pathway

Background/Aims: The expression of PRAME and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the functional role of PRAME in HCC development and exploring the molecular mechanism. Methods: We first detected PRAME expression in 96 human HCC tissue samples and correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of the patients. We then established stable HCC cell lines with PRAME overexpression and knockdown followed by functional analysis in vitro. Further, we examined the relationship between PRAME and p53 pathway in vitro by using Western blotting. Finally, PRAME expression was detected to evaluate its correlation with p-p53 and p53 pathway related apoptotic proteins in xenograft tumor mouse model using immunohistochemistry. Results: PRAME expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in adjacent non-tumor tissues and their expression was positively correlated with alpha fetoprotein levels and tumor size. In addition, PRAME expression was associated with AJCC stage and is a potential biomarker of poor prognosis regarding 5-year overall survival in HCC. In vitro studies, we found that PRAME expression was higher in HCC cell lines than in normal hepatic cell line. Inhibited cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis was observed in PRAME knockdown HCC cells. Futher, increased cell apoptosis was correlated with the proportion of cells in G0/G1 stage, activated p53 mediated apoptosis, and increased cyclin p21 expression. Xenograft analysis in nude mice also found that PRAME knockdown inhibited tumorigenesis while PRAME overexpression had opposite effect. Conclusions: In HCC, PRAME serves as a potential biomarker for poor prognosis and novel therapeutic target in treating this cancer. PRAME is a potential biomarker of poor prognosis in HCC. PRAME surpresses HCC cell death in vitro and in vivo by regulating p53 apoptotic signaling and may serve as a potential therapeutic target in HCC.

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MiR-130a-3p inhibits the viability, proliferation, invasion, and cell cycle, and promotes apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by suppressing BACH2 expression

Bioscience Reports ◽

10.1042/bsr20160576 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Xin Chen ◽

Bo Yue ◽

Changming Zhang ◽

Meihao Qi ◽

Jianhua Qiu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Down Regulation ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism through which miR-130a-3p affects the viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Tissue samples were collected from the hospital department. NPC cell lines were purchased to conduct the in vitro and in vivo assays. A series of biological assays including MTT, Transwell, and wound healing assays were conducted to investigate the effects of miR-130a-3p and BACH2 on NPC cells. MiR-130a-3p was down-regulated in both NPC tissues and cell lines, whereas BACH2 was up-regulated in both tissues and cell lines. MiR-130a-3p overexpression inhibited NPC cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion but promoted cell apoptosis. The converse was true of BACH2, the down-regulation of which could inhibit the corresponding cell abilities and promote apoptosis of NPC cells. The target relationship between miR-130a-3p and BACH2 was confirmed. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway was also influenced by miR-130a-3p down-regulation. In conclusion, miR-130a-3p could bind to BACH2, inhibit NPC cell abilities, and promote cell apoptosis.

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TRIB3 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma growth and predicts poor prognosis

Cancer Biomarkers ◽

10.3233/cbm-201577 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 307-315

Author(s):

Xiao-Jun Wang ◽

Fei-Fei Li ◽

Yi-Jing Zhang ◽

Man Jiang ◽

Wan-Hua Ren

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Xenograft Model ◽

Clinicopathological Characteristics ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Normal Tissues ◽

Related Family ◽

Hcc Cells

BACKGROUND: Tribbles pseudokinase 3 (TRIB3) is a member of the tribbles-related family, which is involved a lot of cellular processes and multiple cancers, such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinomas, and lung cancer. However, the expression pattern and biological function of TRIB3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been completely elucidated. METHODS: The expression of TRIB3 and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated by HCC tissue microarray and qPCR analysis. Lentivirus packaging and transfection were employed to establish cell lines with TRIB3 overexpression or knockdown. The biological functions of TRIB3 in the growth of HCC were determined using MTT and crystal violet assays. Tumor growth was monitored in a xenograft model in vivo. RESULTS: The expression of TRIB3 was upregulated in HCC tissue samples compared to paired normal tissues in 45 patients examined by qPCR assay. TRIB3 expression was significantly correlated with HCC tumor size and prognosis in postoperative patients by analysis of the TRIB3 expression data and HCC clinical features. Forced expression of TRIB3 significantly promoted HCC growth in vitro. In contrast, downregulation of TRIB3 inhibited cell growth in vitro. Moreover, knockdown of TRIB3 suppressed tumorigenesis of HCC cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: TRIB3 promotes growth abilities of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo and predicts poor prognosis of HCC patients, which serves as a prognostic marker and might provide a potential therapeutic candidate for patients with HCC.

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Upregulation of musashi1 increases malignancy of hepatocellular carcinoma via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and predicts a poor prognosis

BMC Gastroenterology ◽

10.1186/s12876-019-1150-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Qiuhua Liu ◽

Cuijie Zhou ◽

Bo Zhang

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Signaling Pathway ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Liver Tumors ◽

Clinicopathological Characteristics ◽

Invasion And Migration ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

Hcc Cells

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common human malignant cancer due to a high metastatic capacity and the recurrence rate is also high. This study is aim to investigate the role of musashi1 as a potential biomarker for therapy of HCC. Methods The mRNA and protein expression levels of musashi1 were detected in HCC samples and cell lines. The malignant properties of HCC cells, including proliferation, invasion and migration were measured by overexpressing or knocking down expression of musashi1. Additionally, the correlation between musashi1 and clinicopathological indexes and prognosis were analyzed. The expression of CD44 was measured and the correlation between CD44 and musashi1 was analyzed. Results In vitro cytological experiments demonstrated that musashi1 was elevated in HCC samples and cell lines and this increased expression affected cancer cell viability, migration and invasive capacity by activating of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Analysis of clinicopathological characteristics suggested that up-regulation of musashi1 was related to metastasis potential and a poor prognosis. Besides, there was a positive correlation between CD44 and musashi1 expression. Upregulation of musashi1 in malignant liver tumors may have contributed to the maintenance of stem-cell like characteristics of HCC cells. Conclusions Upregulation of musashi1 could enhance malignant development of HCC cells and thus might be a novel marker for HCC therapy.

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TDO2 Was Downregulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Inhibited Cell Proliferation by Upregulating the Expression of p21 and p27

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2021/4708439 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Chengpeng Yu ◽

Dean Rao ◽

He Zhu ◽

Qiumeng Liu ◽

Wenjie Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

Cell Proliferation ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Kynurenine Pathway ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

In Vivo Flow Cytometry

Background. Tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2) converts tryptophan into kynurenine in the initial limiting step of the kynurenine pathway. During the past decade, the overexpression of TDO2 has been found in various human tumors. However, the role of TDO2 in hepatocellular carcinoma is controversial, and we sought to clarify it in this study. Methods. Western blot analysis and immunochemistry were used to detect the expression of TDO2 in human tissue specimens. The effect of TDO2 on cell proliferation in vitro was assessed using CCK8 and colony formation assays, and a xenograft mouse model was used to detect the effect of TDO2 on tumor growth in vivo. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cell cycle status. Results. Low TDO2 expression was found in HCC and was associated with poor prognosis and adverse clinical outcomes. Conversely, TDO2 could restrain the proliferation of HCC cells in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, TDO2 upregulated the expression of p21 and p27, inducing cell-cycle arrest. Conclusions. The loss of TDO2 expression in HCC was correlated with a poor prognosis and adverse clinical outcomes. At the same time, TDO2 could restrain the growth of HCC in vivo and in vitro. The results indicate that TDO2 is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

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KRT23 Acts as an Oncogene in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating P21 via PI3K/AKT/GSK3β Pathway

10.21203/rs.3.rs-34680/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Dan Guo ◽

Wenhui Ma ◽

Ruhua Wang ◽

Yarui Li ◽

Abu Taiub mohammed Mohiuddin Chowdhury ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Proliferation ◽

Western Blot ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Mutual Effect ◽

Scratch Test ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

Proliferation And Metastasis

Abstract Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cancer worldwide for which diagnosis, treatment and progression are largely unknown. Keratin23 is a potential biomarker forHCC development; however, regulatory mechanisms underlying its expression remain unclear. Inthis research we explored the expression and effect of KRT23 underlying HCC development. Materials and methods:GEPIA was applied to analyze the expression of KRT23 in HCC samples and Kaplan-Merier survival analysis for patients’ prognosis. Next, IHC was further conducted for confirming its expression in HCC tissues. Meanwhile qRT-PCR and western blot analysis were applied to examine the expression of KRT23 on both mRNA and protein level in HCC cell lines compared with immortal hepatocyte LO2. Cell experiments including MTT assay, apoptosis analysis, cell cycle assay and clone formation assay were conducted for cell proliferation while transwell assay and scratch test for metastasis in vitro. Moreover, xenograft tumors in nude mice were further conducted for verification in vivo. As for mechanism in depth, immunofluorescence and western blot were operated to explore the effect of KRT23 on EMT and PI3K/AKT/GSK3βsignaling pathway. Furthermore, Co-immunoprecipitation was applied for interaction between KRT23 and P21. Functional rescue experiments were conducted to further testify their mutual effect.Results:For this research, we discovered the high expression of KRT23 in HCC samples and cell lines. Functionally, KRT23 knockdown reduced cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and vivo. Furthermore, KRT23 participated in EMT progression and interacted with P21 to mediate PI3K/AKT/GSK3βpathway in HCC development.Conclusion:To summarize, KRT23 accelerated HCC proliferation and metastasis by regulating P21 via PI3K/AKT/GSK3βpathway.

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miR-22-3p/PGC1β Suppresses Breast Cancer Cell Tumorigenesis via PPARγ

PPAR Research ◽

10.1155/2021/6661828 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Xuehui Wang ◽

Zhilu Yao ◽

Lin Fang

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Therapeutic Target ◽

Opposite Effect ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

And Migration ◽

Proliferation And Migration

In this study, we found that miR-22-3p expression was decreased in breast cancer (BC) cell lines and tissues. Overexpression of miR-22-3p inhibited the proliferation and migration of BC cells in vitro and in vivo, while depletion of miR-22-3p exhibited the opposite effect. Importantly, miR-22-3p could directly target PGC1β and finally regulate the PPARγ pathway in BC. In conclusion, miR-22-3p/PGC1β suppresses BC cell tumorigenesis via PPARγ, which may become a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.

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Scorpion inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Experimental Biology and Medicine ◽

10.1177/1535370218762514 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 243 (7) ◽

pp. 645-654 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yi-Quan Yan ◽

Juan Xie ◽

Jing-Fu Wang ◽

Zhao-Feng Shi ◽

Xiang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Unfavorable Clinical Outcome ◽

Metastasis Models ◽

Tumor Growth And Metastasis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant diseases worldwide. The unfavorable clinical outcome and poor prognosis are due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis after treatments. Some scholars of traditional Chinese medicine suggested that endogenous wind-evil had played an important role in metastasis of malignant tumor. Therefore, the drug of dispelling wind-evil could be used to prevent cancer metastasis and improve the poor prognosis. So we wondered whether Scorpion, one of the most important wind calming drugs, has antitumor effect especially in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis of HCC in this research. We found that Scorpion-medicated serum could inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, and decrease migration and invasion capacity of Hepa1-6 cells in vitro. Meanwhile, we observed that water decoction of Scorpion restrained tumor growth and metastasis in nude mouse of HCC metastasis models. Further experiments showed that Scorpion could suppress EMT, which is characterized by increased epithelial marker E-cadherin expression and decreased mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and Snail expression following Scorpion treatment both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested that the Scorpion could inhibit Hepa1-6 cells’ invasion and metastasis in part by reversing EMT and providing a possible potential approach for preventing HCC metastasis. Impact statement The unfavorable clinical outcome and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis after treatments. Here we found Scorpion, one of the most important wind calming drugs, has antitumor effect. Scorpion-medicated serum inhibited the proliferation, induced apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion capacity of Hepa1-6 cells in vitro. Water decoction of Scorpion restrained tumor growth and metastasis in nude mouse of HCC metastasis models. Further experiments showed that Scorpion could suppress EMT of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggested that the Scorpion could inhibit Hepa1-6 cells’ invasion and metastasis in part by reversing EMT and providing a possible potential approach for preventing HCC metastasis.

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Long Non-Coding RNA PVT1/miR-150/ HIG2 Axis Regulates the Proliferation, Invasion and the Balance of Iron Metabolism of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000493445 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 1403-1419 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Yunxiuxiu Xu ◽

Xinxi Luo ◽

Wenguang He ◽

Guangcheng Chen ◽

Yanshan Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Proliferation ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Iron Metabolism ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Non Coding Rna ◽

Long Non Coding Rna

Background/Aims: To investigate the biological roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) PVT1 in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: qRT-PCR was performed to measure the expression of miRNA and mRNA. Western blot was performed to measure the protein expression. CCK-8 assay was performed to determine cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was performed to detect cell apoptosis. Wounding-healing assay and Transwell assay was performed to detect cell migration and invasion. Dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the target relationship. Quantichrom iron assay was performed to check uptake level of cellular iron. Results: PVT1 expression was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Function studies revealed that PVT1 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, PVT1 could directly bind to microRNA (miR)-150 and down-regulate miR-150 expression. Hypoxia-inducible protein 2 (HIG2) was found to be one target gene of miR-150, and PVT1 knockdown could inhibit the expression of HIG2 through up-regulating miR-150 expression. In addition, the expression of miR-150 was down-regulated, while the expression of HIG2 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, inhibition of miR-150 could partly reverse the biological effects of PVT1 knockdown on proliferation, motility, apoptosis and iron metabolism in vitro, which might be associated with dysregulation of HIG2. In vivo results showed that PVT1 knockdown suppressed tumorigenesis and iron metabolism disorder by regulating the expression of miR-150 and HIG2. Conclusion: Taken together, the present study demonstrates that PVT1/miR-150/HIG2 axis may lead to a better understanding of HCC pathogenesis and provide potential therapeutic targets for HCC.

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RA190, a Proteasome Subunit ADRM1 Inhibitor, Suppresses Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Inducing NF-KB-Mediated Cell Apoptosis

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000490210 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 1152-1166 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Guang-Yang Yu ◽

Xuan Wang ◽

Su-Su Zheng ◽

Xiao-Mei Gao ◽

Qing-An Jia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Lines ◽

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Specific Inhibitor ◽

New Drugs ◽

Proteasome Subunit ◽

Therapeutic Benefits ◽

Pdx Models

Background/Aims: Effective drug treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is currently lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new targets and new drugs that can prolong patient survival. Recently targeting the ubiquitin proteasome pathway has become an attractive anti-cancer strategy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of and identify the potential mechanisms involved in targeting the proteasome subunit ADRM1 for ICC. Methods: The expression of ADRM1 and its prognostic value in ICC was analyzed using GEO and TCGA datasets, tumor tissues, and tumor tissue arrays. The effects of RA190 on the proliferation and survival of both established ICC cell lines and primary ICC cells were examined in vitro. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were performed. The in vivo anti-tumor effect of RA190 on ICC was validated in subcutaneous xenograft and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Results: ADRM1 levels were significantly higher in ICC tissues than in normal bile duct tissues. ICC patients with high ADRM1 levels had worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.383, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.357 to 4.188) and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.710, 95% CI =1.045 to 2.796). ADRM1 knockdown significantly inhibited ICC growth in vitro and in vivo. The specific inhibitor RA190 targeting ADRM1 suppressed proliferation and reduced cell vitality of ICC cell lines and primary ICC cells significantly in vitro. Furthermore, RA190 significantly inhibited the proteasome by inactivating ADRM1, and the consequent accumulation of ADRM1 substrates decreased the activating levels of NF-κB to aggravate cell apoptosis. The therapeutic benefits of RA190 treatment were further demonstrated in both subcutaneous implantation and PDX models. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that up-regulated ADRM1 was involved in ICC progression and suggest the potential clinical application of ADRM1 inhibitors (e.g., RA190 and KDT-11) for ICC treatment.

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Radiosensitisation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Vandetanib

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers12071878 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 1878 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sami Znati ◽

Rebecca Carter ◽

Marcos Vasquez ◽

Adam Westhorpe ◽

Hassan Shahbakhti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Combination Therapy ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Radiation Treatment ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

New Combination ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Syngeneic Mouse Model

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in incidence worldwide and requires new approaches to therapy. The combination of anti-angiogenic drug therapy and radiotherapy is one promising new approach. The anti-angiogenic drug vandetanib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and RET proto-oncogene with radio-enhancement potential. To explore the benefit of combined vandetanib and radiotherapy treatment for HCC, we studied outcomes following combined treatment in pre-clinical models. Methods: Vandetanib and radiation treatment were combined in HCC cell lines grown in vitro and in vivo. In addition to 2D migration and clonogenic assays, the combination was studied in 3D spheroids and a syngeneic mouse model of HCC. Results: Vandetanib IC 50 s were measured in 20 cell lines and the drug was found to significantly enhance radiation cell kill and to inhibit both cell migration and invasion in vitro. In vivo, combination therapy significantly reduced cancer growth and improved overall survival, an effect that persisted for the duration of vandetanib treatment. Conclusion: In 2D and 3D studies in vitro and in a syngeneic model in vivo, the combination of vandetanib plus radiotherapy was more efficacious than either treatment alone. This new combination therapy for HCC merits evaluation in clinical trials.

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