scholarly journals Complex Tumor Spheroid Formation and One-Step Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Purification from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissue Promoted by Inorganic Surface Topography

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3233
Author(s):  
Francesco Dituri ◽  
Matteo Centonze ◽  
Erwin J. W. Berenschot ◽  
Niels R. Tas ◽  
Arturo Susarrey-Arce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Drug Efficacy ◽  
Cancer Associated Fibroblasts ◽  
Spheroid Formation ◽  
One Step ◽  
Hcc Cells

In vitro cell models play important roles as testbeds for toxicity studies, drug development, or as replacements in animal experiments. In particular, complex tumor models such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed to predict drug efficacy and facilitate translation into clinical practice. In this work, topographical features of amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) are fabricated and tested for cell culture of primary HCC cells and cell lines. The topographies vary from pyramids to octahedrons to structures named fractals, with increased hierarchy and organized in periodic arrays (square or Hexagonal). The pyramids were found to promote complex 2D/3D tissue formation from primary HCC cells. It was found that the 2D layer was mainly composed of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), while the 3D spheroids were composed of tumor cells enwrapped by a CAF layer. Compared with conventional protocols for 3D cultures, this novel approach mimics the 2D/3D complexity of the original tumor by invading CAFs and a microtumor. Topographies such as octahedrons and fractals exclude tumor cells and allow one-step isolation of CAFs even directly from tumor tissue of patients as the CAFs migrate into the structured substrate. Cell lines form spheroids within a short time. The presented inorganic topographical surfaces stimulate complex spheroid formation while avoiding additional biological scaffolds and allowing direct visualization on the substrate.

LncRNA HCG18 contributes to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via miR-214-3p/CENPM axis

2020 ◽  
Vol 168 (5) ◽  
pp. 535-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuepei Zou ◽  
Zhonghua Sun ◽  
Shuangming Sun
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Messenger Rna ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Hcc Cells ◽  
Proliferation And Migration

Abstract Long non-coding RNA (lnc) HCG18 has been reported to contribute progression of a variety of tumours. However, its roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. In the current study, we intended to uncover the biological functions of HCG18 in HCC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to detect the expression of HCG18, microRNA-214-3p (miR-214-3p) and centromere protein M (CENPM) messenger RNA (mRNA). The role of HCG18 in the growth and migration were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and flow cytometry in vitro and animal experiments in vivo. The results showed that HCG18 was highly expressed in HCC tissues. HCG18 silencing inhibited the proliferation and migration while induced the apoptosis of HCC cells. Besides, miR-214-3p was down-regulated in HCC cells. Further experiments revealed that miR-214-3p could directly bind to HCG18 and exerted an anti-tumour role to counteracted siHCG18-1-mediated influence in HCC cells. Moreover, miR-214-3p could directly interact with CENPM mRNA and down-regulating the expression of CENPM. While HCG18 could up-regulate the expression of CENPM through acting as a sponge of miR-214-3p. Therefore, those results suggested HCG18 functioned as an oncogene to promote the proliferation and migration of HCC cells via miR-214-3p/CENPM axis.

CDK12 inhibition mediates DNA damage and is synergistic with sorafenib treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Gut ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 727-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cun Wang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Cor Lieftink ◽  
Aimee du Chatinier ◽  
Dongmei Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Bioinformatics Analyses ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment ◽  
Hcc Cells

ObjectivesHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and a major leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Several therapeutic options like sorafenib and regorafenib provide only modest survival benefit to patients with HCC. This study aims to identify novel druggable candidate genes for patients with HCC.DesignA non-biased CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) loss-of-function genetic screen targeting all known human kinases was performed to identify vulnerabilities of HCC cells. Whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) and bioinformatics analyses were performed to explore the mechanisms of the action of a cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) inhibitor in HCC cells. Multiple in vitro and in vivo assays were used to study the synergistic effects of the combination of CDK12 inhibition and sorafenib.ResultsWe identify CDK12 as critically required for most HCC cell lines. Suppression of CDK12 using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or its inhibition by the covalent small molecule inhibitor THZ531 leads to robust proliferation inhibition. THZ531 preferentially suppresses the expression of DNA repair-related genes and induces strong DNA damage response in HCC cell lines. The combination of THZ531 and sorafenib shows striking synergy by inducing apoptosis or senescence in HCC cells. The synergy between THZ531 and sorafenib may derive from the notion that THZ531 impairs the adaptive responses of HCC cells induced by sorafenib treatment.ConclusionOur data highlight the potential of CDK12 as a drug target for patients with HCC. The striking synergy of THZ531 and sorafenib suggests a potential combination therapy for this difficult to treat cancer.

scholarly journals Downregulation of CRABP2 Inhibit the Tumorigenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Vivo and In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Qingmin Chen ◽  
Ludong Tan ◽  
Zhe Jin ◽  
Yahui Liu ◽  
Ze Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Tumor Stage ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Hcc Cells

Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2 (CRABP2) binds retinoic acid (RA) in the cytoplasm and transports it into the nucleus, allowing for the regulation of specific downstream signal pathway. Abnormal expression of CRABP2 has been detected in the development of several tumors. However, the role of CRABP2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has never been revealed. The current study aimed to investigate the role of CRABP2 in HCC and illuminate the potential molecular mechanisms. The expression of CRABP2 in HCC tissues and cell lines was detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry assays. Our results demonstrated that the expression levels of CRABP2 in HCC tissues were elevated with the tumor stage development, and it was also elevated in HCC cell lines. To evaluate the function of CRABP2, shRNA-knockdown strategy was used in HCC cells. Cell proliferation, metastasis, and apoptosis were analyzed by CCK-8, EdU staining, transwell, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Based on our results, knockdown of CRABP2 by shRNA resulted in the inhibition of tumor proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, followed by increased tumor apoptosis-related protein expression and decreased ERK/VEGF pathway-related proteins expression. CRABP2 silencing in HCC cells also resulted in the failure to develop tumors in vivo. These results provide important insights into the role of CRABP2 in the development and development of HCC. Based on our findings, CRABP2 may be used as a novel diagnostic biomarker, and regulation of CRABP2 in HCC may provide a potential molecular target for the therapy of HCC.

scholarly journals Inhibiting IRE1α-endonuclease activity decreases tumor burden in a mouse model for hepatocellular carcinoma

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataša Pavlović ◽  
Carlemi Calitz ◽  
Kess Thanapirom ◽  
Guiseppe Mazza ◽  
Krista Rombouts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Stellate Cell ◽  
Stellate Cells ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Hcc Cells ◽  
Proliferation And Migration

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver tumor that usually arises in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatic stellate cells are key players in the progression of HCC, as they create a fibrotic micro-environment and produce growth factors and cytokines that enhance tumor cell proliferation and migration. We assessed the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the cross-talk between stellate cells and HCC cells. Mice with a fibrotic HCC were treated with the IRE1α-inhibitor 4μ8C, which reduced tumor burden and collagen deposition. By co-culturing HCC-cells with stellate cells, we found that HCC-cells activate IREα in stellate cells, thereby contributing to their activation. Inhibiting IRE1α blocked stellate cell activation, which then decreased proliferation and migration of tumor cells in different in vitro 2D and 3D co-cultures. In addition, we also observed cell-line-specific direct effects of inhibiting IRE1α in tumor cells.

Effect of a third-generation oncolytic herpes simplex virus on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 321-321
Author(s):  
Richi Nakatake ◽  
Masaki Kaibori ◽  
Yusuke Nakamura ◽  
Hideyuki Matsushima ◽  
Tadayoshi Okumura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Third Generation ◽  
Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Xenograft Models ◽  
Simplex Virus

321 Background: Multimodality therapies are used to manage patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although advanced HCC is incurable. The third-generation oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) T-01 replicates efficiently and selectively in tumor cells, kills tumor cells without damaging the surrounding normal tissues, and induces host immune responses specific to tumor cells. Here we investigated the antitumor effects of T-01 on HCC. Methods: The cytopathic activities of T-01 were tested at different multiplicities of infection in 14 human and one murine hepatoma cell lines in vitro. In mouse various xenograft models, HuH-7, KYN-2, PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 human cells and Hepa1-6 murine cells were used to investigate the in vivo efficacy of T-01. Results: T-01 was cytotoxic to 13 cell lines (in vitro), including 10 human HCCs, two human hepatoblastomas, and one murine hepatoma. In mouse xenograft models of subcutaneous, orthotopic, and peritoneal tumor metastasis in athymic mice (BALB/c nu/nu), the growth of tumors formed by the HCC cell lines HuH-7, KYN-2, and PLC/PRF/5 as well as those formed by the hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2 was inhibited by T-01 compared with that of mock-inoculated tumors. In a bilateral Hepa1-6 subcutaneous tumor model in C57BL/6 mice, the growth of tumors inoculated with T-01 was inhibited and, in the contralateral tumors without T-01, T-01 also significantly reduced tumor growth compared with mock-infected tumors. T-01 infection significantly enhanced antitumor efficacy via T cell-mediated immune responses. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that a third-generation oncolytic HSV-1 may serve as a novel treatment for patients with HCC.

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

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.

scholarly journals LncRNA HOXD-AS1 functions as a ceRNA to promote hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis in zebrafish xenograft models

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Xiaolu Wang ◽  
Feng Qin ◽  
Shaochang Jia
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Noncoding Rna ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Cerna Network ◽  
Xenograft Models ◽  
Proliferation And Invasion ◽  
Hcc Cells

Abstract Background: A few studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOXD cluster antisense RNA 1 (HOXD-AS1) plays an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), but there is little in vivo evidence. This study aims to explore the zebrafish HCC xenograft as an in vivo metastasis model to verify the ceRNA network of HOXD-AS1. Methods: The quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was used to assess the expression level of HOXD-AS1 in HCC cell lines. Knockdown of HOXD-AS1 or miR-130a-3p was performed by transfecting small interfering RNA (siRNA) or microRNA (miRNA) inhibitor, respectively. The proliferation and invasion of HCC cells in vitro were analyzed by CCK-8 and transwell assays. The growth and metastasis of HCC cells in vivo were assessed by zebrafish xenograft models.Results: We verified that HOXD-AS1 was overexpressed in all tested HCC cell lines than the normal hepatic cells. Silence of HOXD-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in Hep3B and Huh7 HCC cell lines in vitro. In zebrafish xenograft models, knockdown of HOXD-AS1 also reduced the growth and metastasis of the two HCC cells. Moreover, downregulation of miR-130a-3p not only increased the HCC metastasis, but also rescued the metastasis which inhibited by silence of HOXD-AS1 in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the metastasis role of the HOXD-AS1/miR-130a-3p ceRNA network in HCC cells in vitro and in vivo, and these findings suggest that zebrafish xenograft model could be used for ceRNA mechanism verification in tumor metastasis.

miR-1229-3p as a Prognostic Predictor Facilitates Cell Viability, Migration, and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 759-766
Author(s):  
Chunhong Zhang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Honghai Li ◽  
Yan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Viability ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Predictive Marker ◽  
Positive Lymph Node ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Hcc Cells

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most prevalent human malignancies with high mortality. Increasing studies have revealed microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancers. The current study investigated the expression levels of miR-1229-3p and its potential role in HCC. This study enrolled 121 HCC patients. The expression of miR-1229-3p was measured using RT-qPCR in HCC tissue samples and cell lines. The association of miR-1229-3p expression with clinical parameters and patients’ prognosis was analyzed by χ2 test, Kaplan–Meier, and multivariate Cox regression analyses, respectively. The functions of miR-1229-3p in HCC cells were explored by CCK-8 assay, Transwell migration, and invasion assays. miR-1229-3p was upregulated in HCC tissue samples and cell lines. The upregulation of miR-1229-3p was related to positive lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stages and predicted with patients’ poor prognosis. Overexpression of miR-1229-3p facilitated cell viability and metastasis of HCC cells while knockdown of miR-1229-3p suppressed cell viability and metastasis of HCC cells in vitro. miR-1229-3p may function as an oncogenic role in HCC via promoting cell viability and metastasis. Moreover, miR-1229-3p may be a predictive marker for tumor development and prognosis of HCC patients.

scholarly journals Dioscorea Zingiberensis New Saponin Inhibits the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Suppressing the Expression of Long Non-coding RNA TCONS-00026762

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing Liu ◽  
Pingsheng Zhou ◽  
Keqing He ◽  
Zhili Wen ◽  
Yong Gao
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Hcc Cells

Background: The etiology and carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are associated with various risk factors. Saponins extracted from Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright exhibit antitumor activity against HCC. This study aimed to investigate the effect and the underlying mechanism of Dioscorea Zingiberensis new saponin (ZnS) on HCC.Methods: Human HCC cell lines, Huh7 and SMMC-7721, were treated with different concentrations of ZnS. Cell apoptosis was determined via flow cytometry assay. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in ZnS-treated SMMC-7721 cells were determined through RNA-sequence. The role of lncRNA TCONS-00026762 in HCC was investigated gain of function analysis, along with cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion in HCC cells. A subcutaneous xenograft of SMMC-7721 cell lines was established to study the effects of TCONS-00026762 in vivo. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was detected in vivo and in vitro via western blotting.Results: ZnS inhibited the proliferation of HCC cell in a dose-dependent manner. ZnS could induce apoptosis in HCC cells. Illumina sequencing results showed that 493 DElncRNAs were identified in ZnS-treated SMMC-7721 cells. TCONS-00026762 expression was down-regulated in the ZnS-treated SMMC-7721 cells. TCONS-00026762 inhibited the effect of ZnS on the proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion of HCC cells. ZnS inhibited the tumor growth, while, TCONS-00026762 promoted tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, ZnS and TCONS-00026762 regulated cell apoptotic pathways.Conclusion: ZnS significantly inhibits the viability, apoptosis, invasion, and tumorigenicity of HCC cells by regulating the expression of TCONS-00026,762. Our findings provide novel insights into the potential role of lncRNA in HCC therapy.

scholarly journals Linc-SCRG1 accelerates progression of hepatocellular carcinoma as a ceRNA of miR26a to derepress SKP2

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Jie Hu ◽  
Cui Zhou ◽  
Xin Luo ◽  
Sheng-Zheng Luo ◽  
Zheng-Hong Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Colony Formation ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Hcc Cells ◽  
Proliferation And Migration

Abstract Background Increasing evidence has demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have regulatory functions in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The link between lincSCRG1 and HCC remains unclear. Methods To explore the lincSCRG1 regulation axis, bioinformatics, RIP and luciferase reporter assay were performed. The expressions of lincSCRG1-miR26a-SKP2 were detected in HCC tissues and cell lines through qPCR and western blot. The functions of HCC cells were investigated through in vitro assays (MTT, colony formation, transwell and flow cytometry) and the inner effect of lincSCRG1-miR26a in vivo was evaluated by xenografts and liver metatstatic nude mice models. Results LincSCRG1 was found to be strongly elevated in human HCC tissues and cell lines. MiR26a and S phase kinase-related protein 2 (SKP2) were predicted as the target miRNA for lincSCRG1 and the target gene for miR26a with direct binding sites, respectively. LincSCRG1 was verified as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) via negative regulation of miR26a and derepression of SKP2 in HCC cells. Both overexpression of lincSCRG1 (ov-lincSCRG1) and inhibition of miR26a (in-miR26a) obviously stimulated cellular viability, colony formation, migration and proliferation of S phase cells and also significantly increased the protein levels of cyclinD1, CDK4, MMP2/3/9, Vimentin, and N-cadherin or inhibited the protein level of E-cadherin of HCC cells, while knockdown of lincSCRG1 (sh-lincSCRG1) and upregulation of miR26a (mi-miR26a) had the opposite effects on HCC cells. Cotransfection of in-miR26a or overexpression of SKP2 (ov-SKP2) with sh-lincSCRG1 could rescue the anticancer functions of sh-lincSCRG1, including suppressing proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Additionally, sh-lincSCRG1 could effectively inhibit the growth of subcutaneous xenograft tumours and lung metastasis, while the anticancer effect of sh-lincSCRG1 could be reversed by cotransfection of in-miR26a. Conclusions LincSCRG1 acts as a ceRNA of miR26a to restrict its ability to derepress SKP2, thereby inducing the proliferation and migration of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Depletion of lincSCRG1 could be used as a potential therapeutic approach in HCC.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document