Background and aims:Inflammatory factors play significant roles in the development and occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the tumor-protective functions of growth differentiation factors(GDFs)in HCC a...Background and aims:Inflammatory factors play significant roles in the development and occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the tumor-protective functions of growth differentiation factors(GDFs)in HCC are yet to be clarified.In this study,we aimed to evaluate the expression levels of 10 GDFs in tumor and paratumor tissues from patients with HCC and perform in vitro and in vivo experiments to elucidate the role of GDF7 in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of HCC.Methods:The gene expression of 10 GDFs was compared between HCC and paratumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and patient-derived tissues.A tumor microarray containing 108 HCC tissue samples was used to explore the prognostic value of GDF7 expression.Loss-of-function experiments were also performed in vitro and in vivo to investigate the role of GDF7 in HCC.Results:The mRNA and protein levels of GDF7 were significantly lower in HCC tumors than in paratumors(P<0.001).KaplaneMeier analysis showed that decreased GDF7 expression in HCC was associated with worse overall survival(5-year rate:61.8%vs.27.5%,P<0.001)and increased recurrence risk(P<0.001).Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that low GDF7 expression,the presence of microvascular invasion,and elevated alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)levels were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence and poor survival.Downregulation of GDF7 also increased the tumor growth in HCC cells and in an HCC xenograft model.GDF7 knockdown promoted migration and invasion via epithelial emesenchymal transition.Meanwhile,a negative correlation between JunB proto-oncogene(JUNB)and GDF7 was observed in HCC tissues.Modulating JUNB levels altered GDF7 protein expression.Conclusions:GDF7 is a potential biomarker for predicting superior outcomes in patients with HCC.GDF7 amplification is a potential therapeutic option for HCC.展开更多
Background and aims:Cytokeratin 19-positive(CK19t)hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an aggressive subtype with poor outcomes.The initiation and development of CK19t HCC in the background of liver cirrhosis remains uncle...Background and aims:Cytokeratin 19-positive(CK19t)hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an aggressive subtype with poor outcomes.The initiation and development of CK19t HCC in the background of liver cirrhosis remains unclear.This study investigated the role of the cirrhosis-related gene C-C motif chemokine ligand 16(CCL16)in the development of CK19t HCC.Methods:Datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO),The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and International Cancer Genome Consortium(ICGC)were analyzed to screen and validate the genes associated with CK19t HCC.A total of 102 HCC patients were included for tissue microarray analysis.Gain-of-function experiments were conducted to investigate the biological functions of CCL16.CIBERSORT was used to investigate the correlation of CCL16 and immune infiltration.Results:GEO dataset analysis showed that CK19t HCC had lower expression of CCL16.In both TCGA dataset and our HCC cohort,CCL16 expression was negatively correlated with CK19 expression(P<0.05)and its expression was higher in para-tumor than tumor tissues(P<0.001).Moreover,low CCL16 expression was related to advanced stage and poor overall survival(P<0.05).CCL16 overexpression downregulated CK19 expression and impacted the sphere formation ability of HCC cells.Overexpression of CCL16 inhibited the cell proliferation,migration,and invasion of HCC cell lines.Immune analysis showed HCC with high CCL16 expression had more infiltration of mast cells.HCC patients with both low CCL16 expression and low mast cells had the worst prognosis(P<0.001).Conclusion:Our data indicated that CCL16 downregulated the expression of CK19 and inhibited the malignant phenotype of HCC.展开更多
基金the National Key Research and Development Programof China(No.2021YFA1100500)the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.92159202)+4 种基金the Key Research&Development Plan of Zhejiang Province(No.2021C03118)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82303387 and No.82300742)the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(No.LQ23H160048 and No.LQ22H160052)the Health Science&Technology Plan of Zhejiang Province(No.2022RC060)supported by the Construction Fund of Medical Key Disciplines of Hangzhou(No.OO20200093).
文摘Background and aims:Inflammatory factors play significant roles in the development and occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the tumor-protective functions of growth differentiation factors(GDFs)in HCC are yet to be clarified.In this study,we aimed to evaluate the expression levels of 10 GDFs in tumor and paratumor tissues from patients with HCC and perform in vitro and in vivo experiments to elucidate the role of GDF7 in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of HCC.Methods:The gene expression of 10 GDFs was compared between HCC and paratumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and patient-derived tissues.A tumor microarray containing 108 HCC tissue samples was used to explore the prognostic value of GDF7 expression.Loss-of-function experiments were also performed in vitro and in vivo to investigate the role of GDF7 in HCC.Results:The mRNA and protein levels of GDF7 were significantly lower in HCC tumors than in paratumors(P<0.001).KaplaneMeier analysis showed that decreased GDF7 expression in HCC was associated with worse overall survival(5-year rate:61.8%vs.27.5%,P<0.001)and increased recurrence risk(P<0.001).Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that low GDF7 expression,the presence of microvascular invasion,and elevated alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)levels were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence and poor survival.Downregulation of GDF7 also increased the tumor growth in HCC cells and in an HCC xenograft model.GDF7 knockdown promoted migration and invasion via epithelial emesenchymal transition.Meanwhile,a negative correlation between JunB proto-oncogene(JUNB)and GDF7 was observed in HCC tissues.Modulating JUNB levels altered GDF7 protein expression.Conclusions:GDF7 is a potential biomarker for predicting superior outcomes in patients with HCC.GDF7 amplification is a potential therapeutic option for HCC.
基金supported by the Key Research&Development Plan of Zhejiang Province(No.2024C03051)the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.92159202)+3 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFA1100500)the National Science&Technology Major Project of China(No.2017ZX10203205)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82303387)the Health Science&Technology Plan of Zhejiang Province(No.2022RC060).
文摘Background and aims:Cytokeratin 19-positive(CK19t)hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an aggressive subtype with poor outcomes.The initiation and development of CK19t HCC in the background of liver cirrhosis remains unclear.This study investigated the role of the cirrhosis-related gene C-C motif chemokine ligand 16(CCL16)in the development of CK19t HCC.Methods:Datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO),The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and International Cancer Genome Consortium(ICGC)were analyzed to screen and validate the genes associated with CK19t HCC.A total of 102 HCC patients were included for tissue microarray analysis.Gain-of-function experiments were conducted to investigate the biological functions of CCL16.CIBERSORT was used to investigate the correlation of CCL16 and immune infiltration.Results:GEO dataset analysis showed that CK19t HCC had lower expression of CCL16.In both TCGA dataset and our HCC cohort,CCL16 expression was negatively correlated with CK19 expression(P<0.05)and its expression was higher in para-tumor than tumor tissues(P<0.001).Moreover,low CCL16 expression was related to advanced stage and poor overall survival(P<0.05).CCL16 overexpression downregulated CK19 expression and impacted the sphere formation ability of HCC cells.Overexpression of CCL16 inhibited the cell proliferation,migration,and invasion of HCC cell lines.Immune analysis showed HCC with high CCL16 expression had more infiltration of mast cells.HCC patients with both low CCL16 expression and low mast cells had the worst prognosis(P<0.001).Conclusion:Our data indicated that CCL16 downregulated the expression of CK19 and inhibited the malignant phenotype of HCC.
