scholarly journals Eg5 as a Prognostic Biomarker and Potential Therapeutic Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1698
Author(s):  
Yu-Yun Shao ◽  
Nai-Yun Sun ◽  
Yung-Ming Jeng ◽  
Yao-Ming Wu ◽  
Chiun Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Tumor Growth Rate ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Kinesin Eg5 ◽  
Better Than

Background: The kinesin Eg5, a mitosis-associated protein, is overexpressed in many cancers. Here we explored the clinical significance of Eg5 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: HCC tissues from surgical resection were collected. Total RNA was prepared from tumorous and nontumorous parts. Eg5 expression levels were correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). In vitro efficacy of LGI-147, a specific Eg5 inhibitor, was tested in HCC cell lines. In vivo efficacy of Eg5 inhibition was investigated in a xenograft model. Results: A total of 108 HCC samples were included. The patients were divided into three tertile groups with high, medium, and low Eg5 expression levels. OS of patients with low Eg5 expression was better than that of patients with medium and high Eg5 expression (median, 155.6 vs. 75.3 vs. 57.7 months, p = 0.002). DFS of patients with low Eg5 expression was also better than that of patients with medium and high Eg5 expression (median, 126.3 vs. 46.2 vs. 39.4 months, p = 0.001). In multivariate analyses, the associations between Eg5 expression and OS (p < 0.001) or DFS remained (p < 0.001). LGI-147 reduced cell growth via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and induced accumulation of abnormal mitotic cells. In the xenograft model, the tumor growth rate under LGI-147 treatment was significantly slower than under the control. Conclusion: High Eg5 expression was associated with poor HCC prognosis. In vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that Eg5 may be a reasonable therapeutic target for HCC.

scholarly journals Role of Eg5 in Prognosis Prediction and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Yun Shao ◽  
Nai-Yun Sun ◽  
Yung-Ming Jeng ◽  
Yao-Ming Wu ◽  
Chiun Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Tumor Growth Rate ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Kinesin Eg5 ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Background: The kinesin Eg5, a mitosis-associated protein, is overexpressed in many cancers. Here we explored the clinical significance of Eg5 in HCC.Methods: HCC tissues from surgical resection were collected. Total RNA was prepared from tumorous and nontumorous parts. Eg5 expression levels were correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). In vitro efficacy of LGI-147, a specific Eg5 inhibitor, was tested in HCC cell lines. In vivo efficacy of Eg5 inhibition was investigated in a xenograft model.Results: A total of 108 HCC samples were included. The patients were divided into three tertile groups with high, medium, and low Eg5 expression levels. OS of patients with low Eg5 expression was better than that of patients with medium and high Eg5 expression (median, 155.6 vs. 75.3 vs. 57.7 months, p = 0.002). DFS of patients with low Eg5 expression was also better than that of patients with medium and high Eg5 expression (median, 126.3 vs. 46.2 vs. 39.4 months, p = 0.001). In multivariate analyses, the associations between Eg5 expression and OS (p < 0.001) or DFS remained (p < 0.001). LGI-147 reduced cell growth via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and induced accumulation of abnormal mitotic cells. In the xenograft model, the tumor growth rate under LGI-147 treatment was significantly slower than the control.Conclusion: High Eg5 expression was associated with poor HCC prognosis. In vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that Eg5 may be a reasonable therapeutic target for HCC.

scholarly journals PCSK9 promotes tumor growth by inhibiting tumor cell apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi-Zhe Zhang ◽  
Xiao-Dong Zhu ◽  
Long-Hai Feng ◽  
Xiao-Long Li ◽  
Xue-Feng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Apoptosis ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
High Expression ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Mechanistic Study ◽  
Cell Cycle Distribution

Abstract Background Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), one of the key enzymes in the process of lipid transport, is involved in the disease progression of various types of tumors. This article is to study the role of PCSK9 in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of PCSK9 in tumor specimens from 105 HCC patients who underwent curative resection. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR were used to test the protein and mRNA expression levels in HCC cell lines. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and clone formation assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation ability of different kinds of cells in vitro. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate. A xenograft model was established to study the effect of PCSK9 on HCC growth in vivo. TUNEL and immunofluorescence assays were used to detect cell apoptosis. Results High expression of PCSK9 in tumor tissues was related to microvascular invasion (p = 0.036) and large tumor size (p = 0.001) in HCC patients. Overall survival and disease-free survival after surgery were poor in patients with high expression of PCSK9 (p = 0.035 and p = 0.007, respectively). In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that PCSK9 promoted the growth of HCC by inhibiting cell apoptosis. A mechanistic study revealed that PCSK9 increases FASN expression, thereby inhibiting apoptosis of HCC cells via the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase9/Caspase3 pathway. Conclusions PCSK9 expression level in HCC is an indicator of poor prognosis for patients with HCC. FASN-mediated anti-apoptosis plays an important role in PCSK9-induced HCC progression.

scholarly journals LINC00680 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma stemness behavior and chemoresistance by sponging miR-568 to upregulate AKT3

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gege Shu ◽  
Huizhao Su ◽  
Zhiqian Wang ◽  
Shihui Lai ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Mechanism Study ◽  
Downstream Signaling ◽  
Mouse Xenograft Model ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an extremely poor prognosis due to the development of chemoresistance, coupled with inherently increased stemness properties. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are key regulators for tumor cell stemness and chemosensitivity. Currently the relevance between LINC00680 and tumor progression was still largely unknown, with only one study showing its significance in glioblastoma. The study herein was aimed at identifying the role of LINC00680 in the regulation HCC stemness and chemosensitivity. Methods QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of LINC00680, miR-568 and AKT3 in tissue specimen and cell lines. Gain- or loss-of function assays were applied to access the function of LINC00680 in HCC cells, including cell proliferation and stemness properties. HCC stemness and chemosensitivity were determined by sphere formation, cell viability and colony formation. Luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down assays were performed to examine the interaction between LINC00680 and miR-568 as well as that between miR-568 and AKT3. A nude mouse xenograft model was established for the in vivo study. Results We found that LINC00680 was remarkably upregulated in HCC tissues. Patients with high level of LINC00680 had poorer prognosis. LINC00680 overexpression significantly enhanced HCC cell stemness and decreased in vitro and in vivo chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), whereas LINC00680 knockdown led to opposite results. Mechanism study revealed that LINC00680 regulated HCC stemness and chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568, thereby expediting the expression of AKT3, which further activated its downstream signaling molecules, including mTOR, elF4EBP1, and p70S6K. Conclusion LINC00680 promotes HCC stemness properties and decreases chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568 to activate AKT3, suggesting that LINC00680 might be a potentially important HCC diagnosis marker and therapeutic target.

scholarly journals lncRNA MIR22HG-Derived miR-22-5p Enhances the Radiosensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Increasing Histone Acetylation Through the Inhibition of HDAC2 Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Jin ◽  
Hao Hu ◽  
Siqi Yan ◽  
Long Jin ◽  
Yuliang Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Histone Acetylation ◽  
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Acetylation Level ◽  
Expression Levels

BackgroundWith the development of radiotherapy technology, radiotherapy has been increasingly used to treat primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, due to radioresistance and the intolerance of the adjacent organs to radiation, the effects of radiotherapy are often unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is necessary to study radiosensitization in HCC.MethodA microarray was used to analyze the genes that were significantly associated with radiosensitivity. HCC cells, HepG2 and MHCC97H, were subjected to radiation in vitro. Real-time PCR was performed to determine MIR22HG (microRNA22 host gene) and miR-22-5p expression levels. Western blotting was performed to determine histone expression levels. A histone deacetylase (HDAC) whole cell assay was used to determine the activity of HDAC2. MTT, colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, and wound healing assays were performed to examine the function of MIR22HG and miR-22-5p in cellular radiosensitivity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR was used to confirm that HDAC2 affects the acetylation level of the MIR22HG promoter region. Finally, animal experiments were performed to demonstrate the in vivo effect of MIR22HG on the radiosensitivity of hepatoma.ResultsIrradiation can up-regulate MIR22HG expression and down-regulate HDAC2 expression. Inhibition of HDAC2 expression promotes histone acetylation in the MIR22HG promoter region and up-regulates MIR22HG expression. MIR22HG can increase radiosensitivity via miR-22-5p in HCC.ConclusionInhibition of HDAC2 expression promotes histone acetylation in the MIR22HG promoter region, thereby up-regulating the expression of MIR22HG and promoting the production of miR-22-5p, and ultimately increasing the sensitivity of liver cancer radiotherapy.

scholarly journals Potent Activity of Composite Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibition against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Yun Shao ◽  
Yong-Shi Li ◽  
Hung-Wei Hsu ◽  
Hang Lin ◽  
Han-Yu Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Tumor Growth Rate ◽  
Cell Cycle Regulators ◽  
Cyclin Dependent Kinase ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated ◽  
Hcc Cells

Alterations in cell cycle regulators are common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We tested the efficacy of composite inhibition of CDKs 1, 2, 5, and 9 through dinaciclib on HCC. In vitro, dinaciclib exhibited potent antiproliferative activities in HCC cell lines regardless of Rb or c-myc expression levels. Dinaciclib significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of Rb (target of CDKs 1 and 2), ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase (target of CDK5), and RNA polymerase II (target of CDK9) in the HCC cells. In xenograft studies, mice receiving dinaciclib tolerated the treatment well without significant body weight changes and exhibited a significantly slower tumor growth rate than the mice receiving vehicles. RNA interference (RNAi) of CDKs 1 and 9 was more effective in inhibiting the cell proliferation of HCC cells than RNAi of CDKs 2 and 5. Overexpression of CDK9 significantly reduced the efficacy of dinaciclib in HCC cells, but overexpression of CDK1 did not. In conclusion, composite inhibition of CDKs 1, 2, 5, and 9 through dinaciclib exhibited potent in vitro and in vivo activity against HCC. CDK9 inhibition might be the crucial mechanism.

scholarly journals TRIM33 Overexpression Inhibits the Progression of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma In Vivo and In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Yingkun Xu ◽  
Guangzhen Wu ◽  
Jiayao Zhang ◽  
Jianyi Li ◽  
Ningke Ruan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Wnt Signaling Pathway ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Expression Levels

Purpose. To evaluate the expression of tripartite motif-containing 33 (TRIM33) in ccRCC tissues and explore the biological effect of TRIM33 on the progress of ccRCC. Method. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to examine the mRNA expression levels of TRIM33 in ccRCC tissues and its clinical relevance. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to evaluate its expression in ccRCC tissues obtained from our hospital. The correlation between TRIM33 expression and clinicopathological features of the patients was also investigated. The effects of TRIM33 on the proliferation of ccRCC cells were examined using the CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The effects of TRIM33 on the migration and invasion of ccRCC cells were explored through wound healing and transwell assays, along with the use of Wnt signaling pathway agonists in rescue experiments. Western blotting was used to explore the potential mechanism of TRIM33 in renal cancer cells. A xenograft model was used to explore the effect of TRIM33 on tumor growth. Result. Bioinformatics analysis showed that TRIM33 mRNA expression in ccRCC tissues was downregulated, and low TRIM33 expression was related to poor prognosis in ccRCC patients. In agreement with this, low TRIM33 expression was detected in human ccRCC tissues. TRIM33 expression levels were correlated with clinical characteristics, including tumor size and Furman’s grade. Furthermore, TRIM33 overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of 786-O and ACHN cell lines. The rescue experiment showed that the originally inhibited migration and invasion capabilities were restored. TRIM33 overexpression reduced the expression levels of β-catenin, cyclin D1, and c-myc, and inhibited tumor growth in ccRCC cells in vivo. Conclusion. TRIM33 exhibits an abnormally low expression in human ccRCC tissues. TRIM33 may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for ccRCC.

scholarly journals Clinical Utility of Ghrelin-O-Acyltransferase (GOAT) Enzyme as a Diagnostic Tool and Potential Therapeutic Target in Prostate Cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan M. Jiménez-Vacas ◽  
Enrique Gómez-Gómez ◽  
Antonio J. Montero-Hidalgo ◽  
Vicente Herrero-Aguayo ◽  
Fernando L-López ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Grey Zone ◽  
Pathophysiological Role ◽  
Expression Activity ◽  
Du145 Cells

Recent data suggested that plasma Ghrelin O-Acyl Transferase enzyme (GOAT) levels could represent a new diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we aimed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic/aggressiveness capacity of GOAT in urine, as well as to interrogate its putative pathophysiological role in PCa. We analysed urine/plasma levels of GOAT in a cohort of 993 patients. In vitro (i.e., cell-proliferation) and in vivo (tumor-growth in a xenograft-model) approaches were performed in response to the modulation of GOAT expression/activity in PCa cells. Our results demonstrate that plasma and urine GOAT levels were significantly elevated in PCa patients compared to controls. Remarkably, GOAT significantly outperformed PSA in the diagnosis of PCa and significant PCa in patients with PSA levels ranging from 3 to 10 ng/mL (the so-called PSA grey-zone). Additionally, urine GOAT levels were associated to clinical (e.g., Gleason-score, PSA levels) and molecular (e.g., CDK2/CDK6/CDKN2A expression) aggressiveness parameters. Indeed, GOAT overexpression increased, while its silencing/blockade decreased cell-proliferation in PCa cells. Moreover, xenograft tumors derived from GOAT-overexpressing PCa (DU145) cells were significantly higher than those derived from the mock-overexpressing cells. Altogether, our results demonstrate that GOAT could be used as a diagnostic and aggressiveness marker in urine and a therapeutic target in PCa.

HEG1 indicates poor prognosis and promotes hepatocellular carcinoma invasion, metastasis, and EMT by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling

2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (14) ◽  
pp. 1645-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-rong Zhao ◽  
Ji-long Wang ◽  
Cong Xu ◽  
Yi-ming Li ◽  
Bo Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Heart Development ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Intrahepatic Metastasis ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract Heart development protein with EGF-like domains 1 (HEG1) plays critical roles in embryo development and angiogenesis, which are closely related to tumor progression. However, the role of HEG1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. In the present study, we explored the clinical significance, biological function and regulatory mechanisms of HEG1 in HCC and found that HEG1 is significantly up-regulated in HCC cell lines and primary tumor samples. Additionally, high HEG1 expression is correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features. Patients with high HEG1 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those with low HEG1 expression, which indicated that HEG1 is an independent factor for poor prognosis. Lentivirus-mediated HEG1 overexpression significantly promotes HCC cell migration, invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and promotes intrahepatic metastasis, lung metastasis and EMT in vivo. Opposing results are observed when HEG1 is silenced. Mechanistically, HEG1 promotes β-catenin expression and maintains its stability, leading to intracellular β-catenin accumulation, β-catenin nuclear translocation and Wnt signaling activation. Loss- and gain-of-function assays further confirmed that β-catenin is essential for HEG1-mediated promotion of HCC invasion, metastasis and EMT. In conclusion, HEG1 indicates poor prognosis; plays important roles in HCC invasion, metastasis and EMT by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling; and can serve as a potentially valuable prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

scholarly journals Targeting TRIM54/Axin1/β-Catenin Axis Prohibits Proliferation and Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinrong Zhu ◽  
Yongqi Wu ◽  
Shaoxi Lao ◽  
Jianfei Shen ◽  
Yijian Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Prognostic Factor ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Proliferation And Metastasis ◽  
Oncogenic Gene ◽  
Sustained Activation

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that dysregulation of ubiquitin-mediated degradation of oncogene or suppressors plays an important role in several diseases. However, the function and molecular mechanisms of ubiquitin ligases underlying hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. In the current study, we show that overexpression of TRIM54 was associated with HCC progression. TRIM54 overexpression facilitates proliferation and lung metastasis; however, inhibition of TRIM54 significantly suppressed HCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, we demonstrated that TRIM54 directly interacts with Axis inhibition proteins 1 (Axin1) and induces E3 ligase-dependent proteasomal turnover of Axin1 and substantially induces sustained activation of wnt/β-catenin in HCC cell lines. Furthermore, we showed that inhibition of the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via small molecule inhibitors significantly suppressed TRIM54-induced proliferation. Our data suggest that TRIM54 might function as an oncogenic gene and targeting the TRIM54/Axin1/β-catenin axis signaling may be a promising prognostic factor and a valuable therapeutic target for HCC.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document