scholarly journals Hypoxia, Metabolic Reprogramming, and Drug Resistance in Liver Cancer

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1715
Author(s):  
Macus Hao-Ran Bao ◽  
Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Combination Therapies ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Treatment Regimens

Hypoxia, low oxygen (O2) level, is a hallmark of solid cancers, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide. Hypoxia contributes to drug resistance in cancer through various molecular mechanisms. In this review, we particularly focus on the roles of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-mediated metabolic reprogramming in drug resistance in HCC. Combination therapies targeting hypoxia-induced metabolic enzymes to overcome drug resistance will also be summarized. Acquisition of drug resistance is the major cause of unsatisfactory clinical outcomes of existing HCC treatments. Extra efforts to identify novel mechanisms to combat refractory hypoxic HCC are warranted for the development of more effective treatment regimens for HCC patients.

scholarly journals Cancer Cell Metabolism in Hypoxia: Role of HIF-1 as Key Regulator and Therapeutic Target

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5703
Author(s):  
Vittoria Infantino ◽  
Anna Santarsiero ◽  
Paolo Convertini ◽  
Simona Todisco ◽  
Vito Iacobazzi
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Cancer Therapeutics ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Functional Changes

In order to meet the high energy demand, a metabolic reprogramming occurs in cancer cells. Its role is crucial in promoting tumor survival. Among the substrates in demand, oxygen is fundamental for bioenergetics. Nevertheless, tumor microenvironment is frequently characterized by low-oxygen conditions. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a pivotal modulator of the metabolic reprogramming which takes place in hypoxic cancer cells. In the hub of cellular bioenergetics, mitochondria are key players in regulating cellular energy. Therefore, a close crosstalk between mitochondria and HIF-1 underlies the metabolic and functional changes of cancer cells. Noteworthy, HIF-1 represents a promising target for novel cancer therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying the interplay between HIF-1 and energetic metabolism, with a focus on mitochondria, of hypoxic cancer cells.

scholarly journals Hypoxic tumor microenvironment: Implications for cancer therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 245 (13) ◽  
pp. 1073-1086
Author(s):  
Sukanya Roy ◽  
Subhashree Kumaravel ◽  
Ankith Sharma ◽  
Camille L Duran ◽  
Kayla J Bayless ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Metabolic Regulation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Tumor Vasculature ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Therapeutic Resistance ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Cancer Types

Hypoxia or low oxygen concentration in tumor microenvironment has widespread effects ranging from altered angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, tumor metabolism, growth, and therapeutic resistance in different cancer types. A large number of these effects are mediated by the transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor 1⍺ (HIF-1⍺) which is activated by hypoxia. HIF1⍺ induces glycolytic genes and reduces mitochondrial respiration rate in hypoxic tumoral regions through modulation of various cells in tumor microenvironment like cancer-associated fibroblasts. Immune evasion driven by HIF-1⍺ further contributes to enhanced survival of cancer cells. By altering drug target expression, metabolic regulation, and oxygen consumption, hypoxia leads to enhanced growth and survival of cancer cells. Tumor cells in hypoxic conditions thus attain aggressive phenotypes and become resistant to chemo- and radio- therapies resulting in higher mortality. While a number of new therapeutic strategies have succeeded in targeting hypoxia, a significant improvement of these needs a more detailed understanding of the various effects and molecular mechanisms regulated by hypoxia and its effects on modulation of the tumor vasculature. This review focuses on the chief hypoxia-driven molecular mechanisms and their impact on therapeutic resistance in tumors that drive an aggressive phenotype. Impact statement Hypoxia contributes to tumor aggressiveness and promotes growth of many solid tumors that are often resistant to conventional therapies. In order to achieve successful therapeutic strategies targeting different cancer types, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that are induced by hypoxia. Aberrant tumor vasculature and alterations in cellular metabolism and drug resistance due to hypoxia further confound this problem. This review focuses on the implications of hypoxia in an inflammatory TME and its impact on the signaling and metabolic pathways regulating growth and progression of cancer, along with changes in lymphangiogenic and angiogenic mechanisms. Finally, the overarching role of hypoxia in mediating therapeutic resistance in cancers is discussed.

scholarly journals Sequence Analysis and Phylogenetic Studies of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 117693511771224
Author(s):  
Jagadeesha Poyya ◽  
Chandrashekhar G Joshi ◽  
D Jagadeesha Kumar ◽  
HG Nagendra
Keyword(s):  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Hypoxic Condition ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1Α ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Sequence Variations ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
Inhibitory Domain

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) belong to the basic helix loop helix–PER ARNT SIM (bHLH-PAS) family of transcription factors that induce metabolic reprogramming under hypoxic condition. The phylogenetic studies of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) sequences across different organisms/species may leave a clue on the evolutionary relationships and its probable correlation to tumorigenesis and adaptation to low oxygen environments. In this study, we have aimed at the evolutionary investigation of the protein HIF-1α across different species to decipher their sequence variations/mutations and look into the probable causes and abnormal behaviour of this molecule under exotic conditions. In total, 16 homologous sequences for HIF-1α were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Sequence identity was performed using the Needle program. Multiple aligned sequences were used to construct the phylogeny using the neighbour-joining method. Most of the changes were observed in oxygen-dependent degradation domain and inhibitory domain. Sixteen sequences were clustered into 5 groups. The phylogenetic analysis clearly highlighted the variations that were observed at the sequence level. Comparisons of the HIF-1α sequence among cancer-prone and cancer-resistant animals enable us to find out the probable clues towards potential risk factors in the development of cancer.

scholarly journals Epigenetic regulation of ferroptosis via ETS1/miR-23a-3p/ACSL4 axis mediates sorafenib resistance in human hepatocellular carcinoma

2022 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanjun Lu ◽  
Yau-Tuen Chan ◽  
Hor-Yue Tan ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Bioinformatics Analyses ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment ◽  
Hcc Cells

Abstract Background Drug resistance to sorafenib greatly limited the benefits of treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in the development of drug resistance. The key miRNA regulators related to the clinical outcome of sorafenib treatment and their molecular mechanisms remain to be identified. Methods The clinical significance of miRNA-related epigenetic changes in sorafenib-resistant HCC was evaluated by analyzing publicly available databases and in-house human HCC tissues. The biological functions of miR-23a-3p were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were conducted to identify the mechanisms that regulating miR-23a-3p. Luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were used to validate the binding relationship of miR-23a-3p and its targets. Results We found that miR-23a-3p was the most prominent miRNA in HCC, which was overexpressed in sorafenib non-responders and indicated poor survival and HCC relapse. Sorafenib-resistant cells exhibited increased miR-23a-3p transcription in an ETS Proto-Oncogene 1 (ETS1)-dependent manner. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of miR-23a-3p improved sorafenib response in HCC cells as well as orthotopic HCC tumours. Proteomics analysis suggested that sorafenib-induced ferroptosis was the key pathway suppressed by miR-23a-3p with reduced cellular iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. MiR-23a-3p directly targeted the 3′-untranslated regions (UTR) of ACSL4, the key positive regulator of ferroptosis. The miR-23a-3p inhibitor rescued ACSL4 expression and induced ferrotoptic cell death in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. The co-delivery of ACSL4 siRNA and miR-23a-3p inhibitor abolished sorafenib response. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that ETS1/miR-23a-3p/ACSL4 axis contributes to sorafenib resistance in HCC through regulating ferroptosis. Our findings suggest that miR-23a-3p could be a potential target to improve sorafenib responsiveness in HCC patients.

Tuberculosis: An Update on Pathophysiology, Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Resistance, Newer Anti-TB Drugs, Treatment Regimens and Host-Di-rected Therapies

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pobitra Borah ◽  
Pran Kishore Deb ◽  
Katharigatta N. Venugopala ◽  
Nizar A. Al-Shar’i ◽  
Vinayak Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Pathogenic Potential ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Latent Tb ◽  
Clinical Advances ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Molecular Interventions

Abstract: The human tuberculosis (TB) is primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that inhabits inside and amidst immune cells of the host with adapted physiology to regulate interdependent cellular functions with intact pathogenic potential. The complexity of this disease is attributed to various factors such as the reactivation of latent TB form after prolonged persistence, disease progression specifically in immunocompromised patients, advent of multi- and extensively-drug resistant (MDR and XDR) Mtb strains, adverse effects of tailor-made regimens, and drug-drug interactions among anti-TB drugs and anti-HIV therapies. Thus there is a compelling demand for newer anti-TB drugs or regimens to overcome these obstacles. Considerable multifaceted transformations in the current TB methodologies and molecular interventions underpinning host-pathogen interactions and drug resistance mechanisms may assist to overcome the emerging drug re-sistance. Evidently, recent scientific and clinical advances have revolutionised the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of all forms of the disease. This review sheds light on the current understanding of the pathogenesis of TB disease, molecular mechanisms of drug-resistance, progress on the development of novel or repurposed anti-TB drugs and regimens, host-directed therapies, with particular emphasis on underlying knowledge gaps and prospective for futuristic TB control pro-grams.

scholarly journals Metabolic reprogramming by HIF-1 promotes the survival of bone marrow–derived angiogenic cells in ischemic tissue

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (18) ◽  
pp. 4988-4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Rey ◽  
Weibo Luo ◽  
Larissa A. Shimoda ◽  
Gregg L. Semenza
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Marrow Cell ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Lactate Production ◽  
Limb Ischemia ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Ischemic Tissue

Abstract A major obstacle to using bone marrow cell-based therapies for ischemic cardiovascular disease is that transplanted cells must survive in an ischemic microenvironment characterized by low oxygen, glucose, and pH. We demonstrate that treatment of bone marrow-derived angiogenic cells (BMDACs) with dimethyloxalylglycine, an α-ketoglutarate antagonist that induces hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) activity, results in metabolic reprogramming of these cells, with increased glucose uptake, decreased O2 consumption, increased lactate production, decreased reactive oxygen species, and increased intracellular pH. These effects are dependent on HIF-1, which transactivates target genes encoding metabolic enzymes and membrane transporters. Dimethyloxalylglycine-treated BMDACs have a significant survival advantage under conditions of low O2 and low pH ex vivo and in ischemic tissue. Combined HIF-1α-based gene and cell therapy reduced tissue necrosis even when BMDAC donors and ischemic recipient mice were 17 months old, suggesting that this approach may have therapeutic utility in elderly patients with critical limb ischemia.

scholarly journals Hypoxia regulates the mitochondrial activity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through HIF/HEY1/PINK1 pathway

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Kung-Chun Chiu ◽  
Aki Pui-Wah Tse ◽  
Cheuk-Ting Law ◽  
Iris Ming-Jing Xu ◽  
Derek Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Mitochondrial Biogenesis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Notch Pathway ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Chip Sequencing

AbstractHypoxia is commonly found in cancers. Hypoxia, due to the lack of oxygen (O2) as the electron recipient, causes inefficient electron transfer through the electron transport chain at the mitochondria leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which could create irreversible cellular damages. Through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) which elicits various molecular events, cells are able to overcome low O2. Knowledge about the new molecular mechanisms governed by HIF-1 is important for new therapeutic interventions targeting hypoxic tumors. Using hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a model, we revealed that the HIF-1 and the Notch signaling pathways cross-talk to control mitochondrial biogenesis of cancer cells to maintain REDOX balance. From transcriptome sequencing, we found that HEY1, a transcriptional repressor, in the NOTCH pathway was consistently induced by hypoxia in HCC cell lines. We identified a strong hypoxia response element (HRE) in HEY1 by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays. Transcriptome and ChIP sequencing further identified PINK1, a gene essential for mitochondrial biogenesis, as a novel transcriptional target of HEY1. HCC cells with HEY1 knockdown re-expressed PINK1. HEY1 and PINK1 expressions inversely correlated in human HCC samples. Overexpression of HEY1 and under-expression of PINK1 were detected in human HCC and associated with poor clinical outcomes. Functionally, we found that overexpression of HEY1 or knockdown of PINK1 consistently reduced mitochondrial cristae, mitochondrial mass, oxidative stress level, and increased HCC growth.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization and Response of Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain (PHD) Genes to Hypoxia Stress in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Animals ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Li ◽  
Meidong Zhang ◽  
Chen Ling ◽  
Hang Sha ◽  
Guiwei Zou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Silver Carp ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Hypoxic Condition ◽  
Early Response ◽  
Prolyl Hydroxylase ◽  
Alpha Subunit ◽  
Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain

As an economically and ecologically important freshwater fish, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) is sensitive to low oxygen tension. Prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) proteins are critical regulators of adaptive responses to hypoxia for their function of regulating the hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha subunit (HIF-1α) stability via hydroxylation reaction. In the present study, three PHD genes were cloned from H. molitrix by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The total length of HmPHD1, HmPHD2, and HmPHD3 were 2981, 1954, and 1847 base pair (bp), and contained 1449, 1080, and 738 bp open reading frames (ORFs) that encoded 482, 359, and 245 amino acids (aa), respectively. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that HmPHD1, HmPHD2, and HmPHD3 had the conserved prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit homolog domains at their C-termini. Meanwhile, the evaluation of phylogeny revealed PHD2 and PHD3 of H. molitrix were more closely related as they belonged to sister clades, whereas the clade of PHD1 was relatively distant from these two. The transcripts of PHD genes are ubiquitously distributed in H. molitrix tissues, with the highest expressional level of HmPHD1 and HmPHD3 in liver, and HmPHD2 in muscle. After acute hypoxic treatment for 0.5 h, PHD genes of H. molitrix were induced mainly in liver and brain, and different from HmPHD1 and HmPHD2, the expression of HmPHD3 showed no overt tissue specificity. Furthermore, under continued hypoxic condition, PHD genes exhibited an obviously rapid but gradually attenuated response from 3 h to 24 h, and upon reoxygenation, the transcriptional expression of PHD genes showed a decreasing trend in most of the tissues. These results indicate that the PHD genes of H. molitrix are involved in the early response to hypoxic stress, and they show tissue-specific transcript expression when performing physiological regulation functions. This study is of great relevance for advancing our understanding of how PHD genes are regulated when addressing the hypoxic challenge and provides a reference for the subsequent research of the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia adaptation in silver carp.

scholarly journals Exosomal MiR-1290 Promotes Angiogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Targeting SMEK1

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Qiong Wang ◽  
Guanwen Wang ◽  
Lianjie Niu ◽  
Shaorong Zhao ◽  
Jianjun Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Blood Vessel ◽  
Tumor Angiogenesis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Primary Liver Cancer ◽  
Human Endothelial Cells ◽  
Direct Target

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, relies on the formation of new blood vessel for growth and frequent intrahepatic and extrahepatic metastasis. Therefore, it is important to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis of HCC. Recently, microRNAs have been shown to modulate angiogenic processes by modulating the expression of critical angiogenic factors. However, the potential roles of tumor-derived exosomal microRNAs in regulating tumor angiogenesis remain to be elucidated. In this study, our miRNome sequencing demonstrated that miR-1290 was overexpressed in HCC patient serum-derived exosomes, and we found that delivery of miR-1290 into human endothelial cells enhanced their angiogenic ability. Our results further revealed that SMEK1 is a direct target of miR-1290 in endothelial cells. MiR-1290 exerted its proangiogenic function, at least in part, by alleviating the inhibition of VEGFR2 phosphorylation done by SMEK1. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that miR-1290 is overexpressed in HCC and promotes tumor angiogenesis via exosomal secretion, implicating its potential role as a therapeutic target for HCC.

scholarly journals CASK Silence Enhances Chemosensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through activating Apoptosis, Inducing JNK/c-Jun-Mediated Autophagic Cell Death and Decreasing ABCG2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
BiSha Ding ◽  
Chang Bao ◽  
Luqi Jin ◽  
Liang Xu ◽  
Zhijun Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Autophagic Cell Death ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment

Abstract Background: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients usually fail to be treated because of drug resistance, including sorafenib. Methods: The expression and prognostic role of calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) in HCC were assessed by combination of bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation. The effects of CASK in regulating proliferation, apoptosis and drug resistance of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo were investigated using gain- or loss-of-function strategies by performing lots of specific methods including Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK8), colony formation assay, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescent confocal laser microscopy and tumor xenograft experiments, immunohistochemistry staining. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for CASK’s functions in HCC were also explored. Results: Currently, we discovered that CASK was positively associated with sorafenib resistance of HCC in vitro and in vivo, and was significantly related with poor prognosis in HCC. Moreover, inhibition of CASK can increase the effect of sorafenib partially by promoting apoptosis and autophagy, while CASK overexpression presented the opposite results. Besides, all the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) of LC3B reversed CASK knockout-induced effects with sorafenib treatment, suggesting that both apoptosis and autophagy were involved in CASK-mediated above functions and autophagy played a pro-death role in this research. Intriguingly, similar results were observed in vivo. In molecular level, CASK knockout activated the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, and treatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125 or transiently transfected with si-JNK significantly attenuated CASK knockout-mediated autophagic cell death. Besides, knockout of CASK dramatically inhibited the expression of ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) and reversed of multidrug-resistance (MDR) of HCC. Conclusions: Collectively, all these results together indicated that CASK might be a promising biomarker for HCC patients and a potential therapeutic target for relieving drug resistance of HCC.

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