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Inhibitor of growth 5 (ING5) has been reported to be involved in the malignant progression of cancers. Ursolic acid (UA) has shown remarkable antitumor effects. However, its antitumor mechanisms regarding of ING5 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Herein, we found that UA significantly suppressed the proliferation, anti-apoptosis, migration and invasion of HCC cells. In addition, ING5 expression in HCC cells treated with UA was obviously downregulated in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, the pro-oncogenic role of ING5 was confirmed in HCC cells. Further investigation revealed that UA exerted antitumor effects on HCC by inhibiting ING5-mediated activation of PI3K/Akt pathway. Notably, UA could also reverse sorafenib resistance of HCC cells by suppressing the ING5-ACC1/ACLY-lipid droplets (LDs) axis. UA abrogated ING5 transcription and downregulated its expression by reducing SRF and YY1 expression and the SRF-YY1 complex formation. Alb/JCPyV T antigen mice were used for in vivo experiments since T antigen upregulated ING5 expression by inhibiting the ubiquitin-mediated degradation and promoting the T antigen-SRF-YY1-ING5 complex-associated transcription. UA suppressed JCPyV T antigen-induced spontaneous HCC through inhibiting ING5-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings suggest that UA has the dual antitumoral functions of inhibiting hepatocellular carcinogenesis and reversing sorafenib resistance of HCC cells through targeting ING5, which could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Sorafenib , Triterpenos , Ácido Ursólico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Triterpenos/farmacología , Triterpenos/uso terapéutico , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Animales , Humanos , Ratones , Proteínas Supresoras de Tumor/metabolismo , Proteínas Supresoras de Tumor/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Compuestos de Fenilurea/uso terapéutico , Compuestos de Fenilurea/farmacología , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismoRESUMEN
Dysregulated calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways are associated with tumor cell death and drug resistance. In non-excitable cells, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, the primary pathway for Ca2+ influx is through stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1)-mediated store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of STIM1-mediated SOCE in processes such as genesis, metastasis, and stem cell self-renewal of HCC. However, it remains unclear whether STIM1-mediated SOCE plays a role in developing acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC patients. In this study, we established acquired sorafenib-resistant (SR) HCC cell lines by intermittently exposing them to increasing concentrations of sorafenib. Our results showed higher levels of STIM1 and stronger SOCE in SR cells compared with parental cells. Deleting STIM1 significantly enhanced sensitivity to sorafenib in SR cells, while overexpressing STIM1 promoted SR by activating SOCE. Mechanistically, STIM1 increased the transcription of SLC7A11 through the SOCE-CaN-NFAT pathway. Subsequently, up-regulated SLC7A11 increased glutathione synthesis, resulting in ferroptosis insensitivity and SR. Furthermore, combining the SOCE inhibitor SKF96365 with sorafenib significantly improved the sensitivity of SR cells to sorafenib both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest a potential strategy to overcome acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC cells.
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Resistance to sorafenib, an effective first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), greatly compromised the prognosis of patients. The extracellular matrix is one of the most abundant components of the tumor microenvironment. Beyond acting as a physical barrier, it remains unclear whether cell interactions and signal transduction mediated by the extracellular matrix contribute to sorafenib resistance. With the analysis of primary HCC organoid RNA-seq data combined with in vivo and in vitro experiments validation, we discovered that fibronectin extra domain A (FN-EDA) derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts played a critical role in sorafenib resistance. Mechanistically, FN-EDA stimulates the up-regulation of the key one-carbon metabolism enzyme SHMT1 in HCC cells via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby countering the oxidative stress induced by sorafenib. Moreover, we reinforced the clinical significance of our discoveries by conducting in vivo assays with an immunodeficiency subcutaneous xenograft tumor model, which was established using primary cancer-associated fibroblasts derived from clinical HCC tissues, and through the analysis of HCC samples obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Our findings suggest that targeting the FN-EDA/SHMT1 pathway could be a potential strategy to improve sorafenib responsiveness in HCC patients.
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INTRODUCTION: Heterogeneous tissue stiffening promotes tumor progression and resistance, and predicts a poor clinical outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ferroptosis, a congenital tumor suppressive mechanism, mediates the anticancer activity of various tumor suppressors, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, and its induction is currently considered a promising treatment strategy. However, the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness in regulating ferroptosis and ferroptosis-targeted resistance in HCC remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to explore how extracellular matrix stiffness affects ferroptosis and its treatment efficacy in HCC. METHODS: Ferroptosis analysis was confirmed via cell activity, intracellular ferrous irons, and mitochondrial pathology assays. Baseline PD-L2, SMYD3, and SLC7A11 (xCT) were evaluated in 67 sorafenib-treated patients with HCC (46 for non-responder and 21 for responder) from public data. The combined efficacy of shPD-L2, sorafenib, and anti-PD-1 antibody in HCC was investigated in vivo. RESULTS: Here, we revealed that matrix stiffness-induced PD-L2 functions as a suppressor of xCT-mediated ferroptosis to promote cancer growth and sorafenib resistance in patients with HCC. Mechanically, matrix stiffening induced the expression of PD-L2 by activating SMYD3/H3K4me3, which acts as an RNA binding protein to enhance the mRNA stability of FTL and elevate its protein level. Knockdown of PD-L2 significantly promoted xCT-mediated ferroptosis induced by RSL3 or sorafenib on stiff substrate via FTL, whereas its overexpression abolished these upward trends. Notably, PD-L2 deletion in combination with sorafenib and anti-PD-1 antibody significantly sensitized HCC cells and blunted cancer growth in vivo. Additionally, we found the ferroptosis- and immune checkpoint-related prognostic genes that combined PD-L2, SLC7A11 and SYMD3 well predict the clinical efficacy of sorafenib in patients with HCC. CONCLUSION: These findings expand our understanding of the mechanics-dependent PD-L2 role in ferroptosis, cancer progression and resistance, providing a basis for the clinical translation of PD-L2 as a therapeutic target or diagnostic biomarker.
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Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic targets. This study aimed to elucidate the role of endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex subunit 1 (EMC1) in HCC progression and its therapeutic potential. Methods: Publicly available sequencing data and biopsy specimens were analyzed to assess EMC's clinical value and functions in HCC. In vitro experiments validated EMC functions, and multiplex immunofluorescence analysis examined EMC-associated sorafenib resistance mechanisms. EMC1 expression was knocked down in HCC cell lines, followed by cell viability, wound healing, and transwell migration assays. Tumor growth and response to sorafenib treatment were evaluated in mouse models. Metabolomic analysis assessed changes in the TCA cycle. Results: EMC genes were aberrantly expressed in HCC, and high EMC1 expression correlated with poorer survival rates. EMC1 disruption enhanced HCC cells' sensitivity to sorafenib, reducing cell viability, increasing apoptosis, and decreasing tumor size and weight. EMC1 maintained cancer cell stemness and promoted M2 macrophage infiltration. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant changes in the TCA cycle, indicating EMC1's role in HCC metabolic reprogramming. Importantly, EMC1 is highly associated with sorafenib resistance, potentially linked to CTNNB1 mutation or activation. Conclusion: EMC1 plays a critical role in regulating the sorafenib resistance in HCC. Targeting EMC1 may improve HCC treatment efficacy.
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Sorafenib resistance has become a big hurdle for treating advanced HCC; thus, identifying novel targets to overcome sorafenib resistance is of great importance. Thanks to the massive progress in the sequencing and data analysis, high-throughput screening of novel targets in HCC development has been extensively used in recent years. In present study, we harnessed the public dataset and aimed to identify novel targets related to sorafenib resistance in HCC via bioinformatics analysis and in vitro validation. This study examined three GEO datasets (GSE140202, GSE143233, GSE182593) and identified 20 common DEGs. Functional enrichment analysis suggested these DEGs might play a role in regulating drug resistance pathways. PPI network analysis pinpointed 14 hub genes, with EFNB2 showing high connectivity to other genes. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that EFNB2 was up-regulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. EFNB2 suppression sensitized HepG2 and Huh7 sorafenib-resistant cells. Furthermore, EFNB2 knockdown increased caspase-3/-7 activities and hindered EMT in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Conversely, EFNB2 overexpression promoted sorafenib resistance, decreased caspase-3/-7 activity, and enhanced EMT in HCC cells. Overall, this study identified 14 promising genes potentially linked to sorafenib resistance in HCC, with EFNB2 emerging as a potential contributor to this resistance mechanism.
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Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection significantly elevates the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the HBV X protein (HBx) playing a crucial role in cancer progression. Sorafenib, the primary therapy for advanced HCC, shows limited effectiveness in HBV-infected patients due to HBx-related resistance. Numerous studies have explored combination therapies to overcome this resistance. Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), known for its anticancer effects and its inhibition of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), is hypothesized to counteract sorafenib (SF) resistance in HBV-positive HCCs. Our research demonstrates that combining DDC with SF significantly reduces HBx and SOD1 expressions in HBV-positive HCC cells and human tissues. This combination therapy disrupts the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway and promotes apoptosis by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. These cellular changes lead to reduced tumour viability and enhanced sensitivity to SF, as evidenced by the synergistic suppression of tumour growth in xenograft models. Additionally, DDC-mediated suppression of SOD1 further enhances SF sensitivity in HBV-positive HCC cells and xenografted animals, thereby inhibiting cancer progression more effectively. These findings suggest that the DDC-SF combination could serve as a promising strategy for overcoming SF resistance in HBV-related HCC, potentially optimizing therapy outcomes.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Virus de la Hepatitis B , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno , Transducción de Señal , Sorafenib , Superóxido Dismutasa-1 , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/virología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/virología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Superóxido Dismutasa-1/metabolismo , Superóxido Dismutasa-1/genética , Animales , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/metabolismo , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/antagonistas & inhibidores , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones , Virus de la Hepatitis B/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Hepatitis B/complicaciones , Hepatitis B/tratamiento farmacológico , Hepatitis B/virología , Ditiocarba/farmacología , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Desnudos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Transactivadores , Proteínas Reguladoras y Accesorias ViralesRESUMEN
Background: Sorafenib is the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but acquired resistance during the treatment greatly limits its clinical efficiency. Lipid metabolic disorder plays an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis. However, whether and how lipid metabolic reprogramming regulates sorafenib resistance of HCC cells remains vague. Methods: Sorafenib resistant HCC cells were established by continuous induction. UHPLC-MS/MS, proteomics, and flow cytometry were used to assess the lipid metabolism. ChIP and western blot were used to reflect the interaction of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) with glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 3 (GPAT3). Gain- and loss-of function studies were applied to explore the mechanism driving sorafenib resistance of HCC. Flow cytometry and CCK8 in vitro, and tumor size in vivo were used to evaluate the sorafenib sensitivity of HCC cells. Results: Our metabolome data revealed a significant enrichment of triglycerides in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Further analysis using proteomics and genomics techniques demonstrated a significant increase in the expression of GPAT3 in the sorafenib-resistant groups, which was found to be dependent on the activation of STAT3. The restoration of GPAT3 resensitized HCC cells to sorafenib, while overexpression of GPAT3 led to insensitivity to sorafenib. Mechanistically, GPAT3 upregulation increased triglyceride synthesis, which in turn stimulated the NF-κB/Bcl2 signaling pathway, resulting in apoptosis tolerance upon sorafenib treatment. Furthermore, our in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that pan-GPAT inhibitors effectively reversed sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that GPAT3 elevation in HCC cells reprograms triglyceride metabolism which contributes to acquired resistance to sorafenib, which suggests GPAT3 as a potential target for enhancing the sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Factor de Transcripción STAT3 , Sorafenib , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Humanos , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Animales , Factor de Transcripción STAT3/metabolismo , Ratones , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Ratones Desnudos , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Metabolismo de los Lípidos/efectos de los fármacos , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Sorafenib, an anticancer drug, has been shown to induce ferroptosis in cancer cells. However, resistance to sorafenib greatly limits its therapeutic efficacy, and the exact mechanism of resistance is not fully understood. This study investigated the role of N-Acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) in influencing the anticancer activity of sorafenib in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its molecular mechanism. NAT10 expression was significantly upregulated in NPC. Mechanistically, NAT10 promotes proteins of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) expression through ac4C acetylation, inhibiting sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in NPC cells. The combined application of sorafenib and the NAT10 inhibitor remodelin significantly inhibits SLC7A11 expression and promotes ferroptosis in NPC cells. In vivo knockout of NAT10 inhibited the growth of sorafenib-resistant NPC. Our findings suggest that NAT10 inhibition might be a promising therapeutic approach to enhance the anticancer activity of sorafenib.
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HCC (Hepatocellular carcinoma) is the most common malignant tumor; however, the molecular pathogenesis of these tumors is not well understood. Sorafenib, an approved treatment for HCC, inhibits angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation. However, only ~30% of patients are sensitive to sorafenib and most show disease progression, indicating resistance to sorafenib. The present study used machine learning to investigate several mechanisms related to sorafenib resistance in liver cancer cells. This revealed that unphosphorylated interferon-stimulated genes (U-ISGs) were upregulated in sorafenib-resistant liver cancer cells, and the unphosphorylated ISGF3 (U-ISGF3; unphosphorylated STAT1, unphosphorylated STAT2 and IRF9) complex was increased in sorafenib-resistant liver cancer cells. Further study revealed that the knockdown of the U-ISGF3 complex downregulated U-ISGs. In addition, inhibition of the U-ISGF3 complex downregulated cell viability in sorafenib-resistant liver cancer cells. These results suggest that U-ISGF3 induced sorafenib resistance in liver cancer cells. Also, this mechanism may also be relevant to patients with sorafenib resistance.
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OBJECTIVE: Mitofusin-2 (MFN2) is a mitochondrial membrane protein that plays a critical role in regulating mitochondrial fusion and cellular metabolism. To further elucidate the impact of MFN2, this study aimed to investigate its significance on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell function and its potential role in mediating chemosensitivity. METHODS: This study investigated the effects of silencing and overexpressing MFN2 on the survival, proliferation, invasion and migration abilities, and sorafenib resistance of MHCC97-L HCC cells. Additional experiments were conducted using XAV939 (a ß-catenin inhibitor) and HLY78 (a ß-catenin activator) to further validate these findings. RESULTS: Silencing MFN2 significantly promoted the survival and proliferation of MHCC97-L cells, enhanced their invasion and migration capacities, increased the IC50 of sorafenib, reduced the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells, and decreased the expression of proapoptotic proteins. Additionally, silencing MFN2 markedly induced the nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, increased ß-catenin acetylation levels and enhanced the expression of the downstream regulatory proteins Snail1 and Vimentin while inhibiting E-cadherin expression. Conversely, overexpressing MFN2 reversed the effects observed in MHCC97-L cells mentioned above. The results confirmed that silencing MFN2 activated the ß-catenin/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway and reduced the sensitivity of cells to sorafenib, which could be reversed by XAV939 treatment. Conversely, overexpression of MFN2 inhibited the ß-catenin/EMT pathway and increased the sensitivity of cells to sorafenib, which could be altered by HLY78. CONCLUSION: Low expression of MFN2 in HCC cells promotes the nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, thereby activating the EMT pathway and mediating resistance to sorafenib.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Movimiento Celular , Proliferación Celular , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , GTP Fosfohidrolasas , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Sorafenib , Vía de Señalización Wnt , beta Catenina , Humanos , Sorafenib/farmacología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/genética , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , beta Catenina/metabolismo , beta Catenina/genética , Vía de Señalización Wnt/efectos de los fármacos , Vía de Señalización Wnt/genética , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Movimiento Celular/genética , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/genética , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Silenciador del Gen , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Proteínas Mitocondriales/genética , Proteínas Mitocondriales/metabolismo , Transición Epitelial-Mesenquimal/efectos de los fármacos , Transición Epitelial-Mesenquimal/genética , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Apoptosis/genética , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main histological subtype of primary liver cancer and remains one of the most common solid malignancies globally. Ferroptosis was recently defined as an iron-catalyzed form of regulated necrosis. Because cancer cells exhibit higher iron requirements than noncancer cells, treatment with ferroptosis-inducing compounds may be a feasible strategy for cancer therapy. However, cancer cells develop acquired resistance to evade ferroptosis, and the mechanisms responsible for ferroptosis resistance are not fully clarified. In the current study, we reported that DDX39B was downregulated during sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Exogenous introduction of DDX39B ensured the survival of HCC cells upon exposure to sorafenib, while the opposite phenomenon was observed in DDX39B-silenced HCC cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that DDX39B increased GPX4 levels by promoting the splicing and cytoplasmic translocation of GPX4 pre-mRNA, which was sufficient to detoxify sorafenib-triggered excess lipid ROS production, lipid peroxidation accumulation, ferrous iron levels, and mitochondrial damage. Inhibition of DDX39B ATPase activity by CCT018159 repressed the splicing and cytoplasmic export of GPX4 pre-mRNA and synergistically assisted sorafenib-induced ferroptotic cell death in HCC cells. Taken together, our data uncover a novel role for DDX39B in ferroptosis resistance by modulating the maturation of GPX4 mRNA via a posttranscriptional approach and suggest that DDX39B inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance the sensitivity and vulnerability of HCC cells to sorafenib.
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Antineoplásicos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box , Ferroptosis , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Fosfolípido Hidroperóxido Glutatión Peroxidasa , Precursores del ARN , Sorafenib , Ferroptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Ferroptosis/fisiología , Sorafenib/farmacología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , Fosfolípido Hidroperóxido Glutatión Peroxidasa/metabolismo , Fosfolípido Hidroperóxido Glutatión Peroxidasa/genética , Precursores del ARN/metabolismo , Precursores del ARN/genética , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Animales , Ratones , Empalme del ARN/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Desnudos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Masculino , Citoplasma/metabolismo , Citoplasma/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Introduction: Sorafenib, an FDA-approved drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, encounters resistance in many patients. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance is crucial for devising alternative strategies to overcome it. Aim: This study aimed to investigate sorafenib resistance mechanisms using a diverse panel of HCC cell lines. Methods: HCC cell lines were subjected to continuous sorafenib treatment, and stable cell lines (Huh 7.5 and Huh 7PX) exhibiting sustained growth in its presence were isolated. The investigation of drug resistance mechanisms involved a comparative analysis of drug-targeted signal transduction pathways (EGFR/RAF/MEK/ERK/Cyclin D), sorafenib uptake, and membrane expression of the drug uptake transporter. Results: HCC cell lines (Huh 7.5 and Huh 7PX) with a higher IC50 (10µM) displayed a more frequent development of sorafenib resistance compared to those with a lower IC50 (2-4.8µM), indicating a potential impact of IC50 variation on initial treatment response. Our findings reveal that activated overexpression of Raf1 kinases and impaired sorafenib uptake, mediated by reduced membrane expression of organic cation transporter-1 (OCT1), contribute to sorafenib resistance in HCC cultures. Stable expression of the drug transporter OCT1 through cDNA transfection or adenoviral delivery of OCT1 mRNA increased sorafenib uptake and successfully overcame sorafenib resistance. Additionally, consistent with sorafenib resistance in HCC cultures, cirrhotic liver-associated human HCC tumors often exhibited impaired membrane expression of OCT1 and OCT3. Conclusion: Intrinsic differences among HCC cell clones, affecting sorafenib sensitivity at the expression level of Raf kinases, drug uptake, and OCT1 transporters, were identified. This study underscores the potential of HCC tumor targeted OCT1 expression to enhance sorafenib treatment response.
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Although sorafenib is the first-line therapeutic agent for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the development of drug resistance in HCC cells limits its clinical efficacy. However, the key factors involved in mediating the sorafenib resistance of HCC cells and the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. In this study, we generated sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines, and our data demonstrate that HLA-F locus-adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10), a ubiquitin-like protein, is markedly upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and that reducing the expression of FAT10 in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells increases sensitivity to sorafenib. Mechanistically, FAT10 stabilizes the expression of the PTEN-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4 that causes downregulation of PTEN, thereby inducing AKT-mediated autophagy and promoting the resistance of HCC cells to sorafenib. Moreover, we screened the small molecule Compound 7695-0983, which increases the sensitivity of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells to sorafenib by inhibiting the expression of FAT10 to inhibit NEDD4-PTEN/AKT axis-mediated autophagy. Collectively, our preclinical findings identify FAT10 as a key factor in the sorafenib resistance of HCC cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism. This study provides new mechanistic insight for the exploitation of novel sorafenib-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-targeted drugs for treating advanced HCC.
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Introduction: Sorafenib is currently the first-line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, sorafenib resistance remains a huge challenge in the clinic. Therefore, it is urgent to elucidate the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance for developing novel treatment strategies for advanced HCC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of interleukin-22 (IL-22) in sorafenib resistance in HCC. Methods: The in vitro experiments using HCC cell lines and in vivo studies with a nude mouse model were used. Calcium staining, chromatin immunoprecipitation, lactate dehydrogenase release and luciferase reporter assays were employed to explore the expression and roles of IL-22, STAT3 and CD155 in sorafenib resistance. Results: Our clinical results demonstrated a significant correlation between elevated IL-22 expression and poor prognosis in HCC. Analysis of transcriptomic data from the phase-3 STORM-trial (BIOSTORM) suggested that STAT3 signaling activation and natural killer (NK) cell infiltration may associate sorafenib responses. STAT3 signaling could be activated by IL-22 administration in HCC cells, and then enhanced sorafenib resistance in HCC cells by promoting cell proliferation and reducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Further, we found IL-22/STAT3 axis can transcriptionally upregulate CD155 expression in HCC cells, which could significantly reduce NK cell-mediated HCC cell lysis in a co-culture system. Conclusions: Collectively, IL-22 could contribute to sorafenib resistance in HCC by activating STAT3/CD155 signaling axis to decrease the sensitivities of tumor cells to sorafenib-mediated direct cytotoxicity and NK cell-mediated lysis. These findings deepen the understanding of how sorafenib resistance develops in HCC in terms of IL-22/STAT3 signaling pathway, and provide potential targets to overcome sorafenib resistance in patients with advanced HCC.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Animales , Ratones , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Interleucina-22 , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Transducción de Señal , Factor de Transcripción STAT3/metabolismoRESUMEN
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of tumors, leading to resistance and poor prognosis. Activation of STAT3 signaling is frequently detected in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but potent and less toxic STAT3 inhibitors have not been discovered. Here, based on antisense technology, we designed a series of stabilized modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting STAT3 mRNA (STAT3 ASOs). Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the STAT3 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells. STAT3 ASOs significantly inhibited the proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion of cancer cells by specifically perturbing STAT3 signaling. Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the tumor burden in an HCC xenograft model. Moreover, aberrant STAT3 signaling activation is one of multiple signaling pathways involved in sorafenib resistance in HCC. STAT3 ASOs effectively sensitized resistant HCC cell lines to sorafenib in vitro and improved the inhibitory potency of sorafenib in a resistant HCC xenograft model. The developed STAT3 ASOs enrich the tools capable of targeting STAT3 and modulating STAT3 activity, serve as a promising strategy for treating HCC and other STAT3-addicted tumors, and alleviate the acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC patients. A series of novel STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide were designed and showed potent anti-cancer efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by targeting STAT3 signaling. Moreover, the selected STAT3 ASOs enhance sorafenib sensitivity in resistant cell model and xenograft model.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Proliferación Celular , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Factor de Transcripción STAT3 , Sorafenib , Factor de Transcripción STAT3/metabolismo , Factor de Transcripción STAT3/antagonistas & inhibidores , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Animales , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Ratones Desnudos , Oligonucleótidos Antisentido/farmacología , Oligonucleótidos Antisentido/uso terapéutico , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Oligonucleótidos/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Sorafenib resistance is one of the main causes of poor prognosis in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as suppressors or oncogenic factors during tumor progression and drug resistance. Here, to identify therapeutic targets for HCC, the biological mechanisms of abnormally expressed lncRNAs were examined in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Specifically, we established sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines (Huh7-S and SMMC7721-S), which displayed an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed to established differential lncRNA expression profiles for sorafenib-resistant cells. Through this analysis, we identified LINC00540 as significantly up-regulated in sorafenib-resistant cells and a candidate lncRNA for further mechanistic investigation. Functionally, LINC00540 knockdown promoted sorafenib sensitivity and suppressed migration, invasion, EMT and the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells, whereas overexpression of LINC00540 resulted in the opposite effects in parental cells. LINC00540 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by competitively binding to miR-4677-3p , thereby promoting AKR1C2 expression. This is the first study that demonstrates a role for LINC00540 in enhancing sorafenib resistance, migration and invasion of HCC cells through the LINC00540/miR-4677-3p/AKR1C2 axis, suggesting that LINC00540 may represent a potential therapeutic target and prognosis biomarker for HCC.
RESUMEN
As the most prevalent epitranscriptomic modification, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) shows important roles in a variety of diseases through regulating the processing, stability and translation of target RNAs. However, the potential contributions of m6A to RNA functions are unclear. Here, we identified a functional and prognosis-related m6A-modified RNA SREBF2-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression of SREBF2-AS1 and SREBF2 in HCC tissues and cells was measured by RT-qPCR. m6A modification level of SREBF2-AS1 was measured by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation assay. The roles of SREBF2-AS1 in HCC progression and sorafenib resistance were investigated by proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell viability assays. The regulatory mechanisms of SREBF2-AS1 on SREBF2 were investigated by Chromatin isolation by RNA purification, RNA immunoprecipitation, CUT&RUN, and bisulfite DNA sequencing assays. Our findings showed that the expression of SREBF2-AS1 was increased in HCC tissues and cells, and positively correlated with poor survival of HCC patients. m6A modification level of SREBF2-AS1 was also increased in HCC and positively correlated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. METTL3 and METTL14-induced m6A modification upregulated SREBF2-AS1 expression through increasing SREBF2-AS1 transcript stability. Functional assays showed that only m6A-modified, but not non-modified SREBF2-AS1 promoted HCC progression and sorafenib resistance. Mechanistic investigations revealed that m6A-modified SREBF2-AS1 bound and recruited m6A reader FXR1 and DNA 5-methylcytosine dioxygenase TET1 to SREBF2 promoter, leading to DNA demethylation at SREBF2 promoter and the upregulation of SREBF2 transcription. Functional rescue assays showed that SREBF2 was the critical mediator of the oncogenic roles of SREBF2-AS1 in HCC. Together, this study showed that m6A-modified SREBF2-AS1 exerted oncogenic roles in HCC through inducing DNA demethylation and transcriptional activation of SREBF2, and suggested m6A-modified SREBF2-AS1 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.
Asunto(s)
Adenosina/análogos & derivados , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , MicroARNs , Proteína 2 de Unión a Elementos Reguladores de Esteroles , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Sorafenib/farmacología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Desmetilación del ADN , Línea Celular Tumoral , MicroARNs/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/metabolismo , Oxigenasas de Función Mixta/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas/metabolismo , Metiltransferasas/genética , Metiltransferasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most malignant cancer worldwide. Sorafenib (SRF) is a common therapeutic drug used for patients with advanced HCC. Nevertheless, drug resistance frequently occurs in patients treated with sorafenib. Glycyrrhizic acid (GRA) is a natural compound that is identified to exhibit anti-cancer effects. In this work, we aimed to investigate the effects of GRA on SRF-resistant HCC cells and the potential regulatory mechanisms. METHODS: We established SRF-resistant HCC cell lines and administrated GRA treatment. We performed CCK-8 and colony formation experiments to detect cell proliferation. The accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iron levels were measured to evaluate ferroptosis. The protein levels of ferroptosis suppressor glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and SLC7A11, and the activation of AKT and mTOR were measured with western blotting assay. RESULTS: GRA treatment notably suppressed the viability and proliferation of SRF-resistant HCC cells. SRF-resistant HCC cells exhibited repressed ferroptosis level activated AKT/mTOR cascade, and GRA treatment reversed these effects. Inhibition of ferroptosis and activation of mTOR reversed the anti-proliferation effects of GRA on SRF-resistant HCC cells. CONCLUSION: Treatment with GRA could effectively reverse the SRF resistance of HCC cells via inducing ferroptosis and inactivating the AKT/mTOR cascade.
Asunto(s)
Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Proliferación Celular , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Ferroptosis , Ácido Glicirrínico , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Transducción de Señal , Sorafenib , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Sorafenib/farmacología , Sorafenib/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Ferroptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/metabolismo , Ácido Glicirrínico/farmacología , Ácido Glicirrínico/uso terapéutico , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-akt/metabolismo , Fosfolípido Hidroperóxido Glutatión Peroxidasa/metabolismoRESUMEN
Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from cancer cell is an important regulatory molecule that mediates the formation of tumor drug resistance, but function and mechanisms of exosomal miRNA in sorafenib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been studied. We detected the level and prognosis of miR-93 in HCC by using TCGA HCC database. For confirming the extracted exosome, transmission electron microscopy was used. Cy3-labeled miR-93 and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to prove that exosomal miR-93 derived from HCC cell can be transferred to sensitive HCC cells. CCK8, EdU, and flow cytometer assay were used to confirm the function of exosomal miR-93 in sorafenib resistance of HCC. Bioinformatics software and luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the direct targeting relationship between PTEN and miR-93. Western blot was used to validate downstream pathways. We found that miR-93 is overexpressed and a prognostic risk factor for the HCC patients. miR-93 was overexpressed in sorafenib resistant HCC cells compared with sensitive cells, and miR-93 contributed to sorafenib resistance of HCC cells through targeting PTEN. miR-93 was enriched in exosomes that secreted from sorafenib resistant cells, and these exosomal miR-93 promote the spread of sorafenib resistant through targeting PTEN to reactivate PI3K/AKT pathway. Therefore, miR-93 can act as a potential therapeutic target for advanced patients with acquired sorafenib resistance.