Intervention Mechanism of Biejiajian Wan on Primary Liver Cancer by Regulating lncRNA SNHG5/miRNA-26a-5p/GSK-3β Signal Axis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Biejiajian Wan in the intervention of primary liver cancer based on long non-coding RNA SNHG5 （lncRNA SNHG5）/micro RNA-26a-5p （miRNA-26a-5p）/glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） signal axis. MethodDouble luciferase reporting assay was used to verify the targeted interaction between lncRNA SNHG5 and miRNA-26a-5p， miRNA-26a-5p， and GSK-3β in HepG2 cells. Nude-mouse transplanted tumor model of human HepG2 were established and randomly divided into model group， Biejiajian Wan low-dose group （0.5 g·kg-1）， medium-dose group （1.0 g·kg-1）， and high-dose group （2.0 g·kg-1）， and sorafenib group （100 mg·kg-1）， with 10 mice in each group. The mice were given intragastric administration of normal saline or drug for 28 days， and the tumor volume was measured at different time. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the histological changes of tumors. The nucleic acid levels of lncRNA SNHG5， miRNA-26a-5p， GSK-3β， and β-catenin mPNA in tumor tissue were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The protein expression levels of GSK-3β and β-catenin in tumor tissue were detected by western blot. ResultCompared with the SNHG5-WT （wild type） + miRNA NC （negative control） group， the relative luciferase activities of the SNHG5-WT + miRNA-26a-5p mimic group were decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the GSK-3β-WT + miRNA NC group， the relative luciferase activity of the GSK-3β-WT + miRNA-26a-5p mimic group was decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the tumor volume of Biejiajian Wan low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the cells in the tumor tissue of nude mice in each dose group of Biejiajian Wan were sparsely arranged with necrocytosis， which showed concentration-dependent changes. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of lncRNA SNHG5， GSK-3β， and β-catenin were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression of miRNA-26a-5p was increased in each dose group of Biejiajian Wan （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the protein expression levels of GSK-3β and β-catenin were decreased in each dose group of Biejiajian Wan （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionBiejiajian Wan may affect the necrosis of liver cancer cells through lncRNA SNHG5/miRNA-26a-5p/GSK-3β signal axis and thus play an anti-tumor role. This research will provide more theoretical basis for the clinical application of Biejiajian Wan.

Physical exercise suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by alleviating hypoxia and attenuating cancer stemness through the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Physical exercise, a common non-drug intervention, is an important strategy in cancer treatment, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism remains largely unknown. Due to the importance of hypoxia and cancer stemness in the development of HCC, the present study investigated whether the anti-HCC effect of physical exercise is related to its suppression on hypoxia and cancer stemness.@*METHODS@#A physical exercise intervention of swimming (30 min/d, 5 d/week, for 4 weeks) was administered to BALB/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous human HCC tumor. The anti-HCC effect of swimming was assessed in vivo by tumor weight monitoring, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki67. The expression of stemness transcription factors, including Nanog homeobox (NANOG), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT-4), v-Myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (C-MYC) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), was detected using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A hypoxia probe was used to explore the intratumoral hypoxia status. Western blot was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and proteins related to protein kinase B (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling pathway. The IHC analysis of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), and the immunofluorescence co-location of CD31 and desmin were used to analyze tumor blood perfusion. SMMC-7721 cells were treated with nude mice serum. The inhibition effect on cancer stemness in vitro was detected using suspension sphere experiments and the expression of stemness transcription factors. The hypoxia status was inferred by measuring the protein and mRNA levels of HIF-1α. Further, the expression of proteins related to Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway was detected.@*RESULTS@#Swimming significantly reduced the body weight and tumor weight in nude mice bearing HCC tumor. HE staining and IHC results showed a lower necrotic area ratio as well as fewer PCNA or Ki67 positive cells in mice receiving the swimming intervention. Swimming potently alleviated the intratumoral hypoxia, attenuated the cancer stemness, and inhibited the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Additionally, the desmin+/CD31+ ratio, rather than the number of CD31+ vessels, was significantly increased in swimming-treated mice. In vitro experiments showed that treating cells with the serum from the swimming intervention mice significantly reduced the formation of SMMC-7721 cell suspension sphere, as well as the mRNA expression level of stemness transcription factors. Consistent with the in vivo results, HIF-1α and Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway were also inhibited in cells treated with serum from swimming group.@*CONCLUSION@#Swimming alleviated hypoxia and attenuated cancer stemness in HCC, through suppression of the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. The alleviation of intratumoral hypoxia was related to the increase in blood perfusion in the tumor. Please cite this article as: Xiao CL, Zhong ZP, Lü C, Guo BJ, Chen JJ, Zhao T, Yin ZF, Li B. Physical exercise suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by alleviating hypoxia and attenuating cancer stemness through the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 184-193.

Advances in post-operative prognostic models for hepatocellular carcinoma / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surgery remains the primary and most successful therapy option for the treatment of early- and mid-stage HCCs, but the high heterogeneity of HCC renders prognostic prediction challenging. The construction of relevant prognostic models helps to stratify the prognosis of surgically treated patients and guide personalized clinical decision-making, thereby improving patient survival rates. Currently, the prognostic assessment of HCC is based on several commonly used staging systems, such as Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM), Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC). Given the insufficiency of these staging systems and the aim to improve the accuracy of prognostic prediction, researchers have incorporated further prognostic factors, such as microvascular infiltration, and proposed some new prognostic models for HCC. To provide insights into the prospects of clinical oncology research, this review describes the commonly used HCC staging systems and new models proposed in recent years.

Research Progress of Pseudogenes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 肿瘤防治研究

Pseudogenes were initially thought to have no function and were called by aliases, such as "junk genes." With the emergence of large-scale genomics projects and more and more experimental studies, pseudogenes have been shown to play an important role in the occurrence and development of solid tumors, especially playing an important regulatory role in the occurrence and develepment of liver cancer, such as regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and immunity of liver cancer cells. Recent studies showed that pseudogenes can act as regulators of oncogenes and tumor suppressors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and can thus serve as prognostic markers and even therapeutic targets for this cancer type. In this review, we systematically summarize the mechanisms and functions of different pseudogenes in HCC and present their future prospects as therapeutic targets.

Effects of Amarogentin on Residual Liver Cancer Stem Cells After Insufficient Thermal Ablation and Related Mechanism / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To observe the effects of amarogentinon liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) after insufficient thermal ablation and its mechanism. Methods A insufficient thermal ablation model of HepG2 cells was established by water bath method.The percentage of CD133-positive LCSCs and the mRNA and protein levels of CD133 were detected by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and Western blot.The insufficient thermal ablation model of HepG2 cells was treated with variable doses of amarogentin for 24 h; the percentage of CD133-positive LCSCs, the proliferation and apoptosis of liver cancer cells, and the mRNA and protein levels of CD133, TBC1D15, and p53were detected by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results The percentage of CD133-positive HepG2 cells and the mRNA and protein levels of CD133 and TBC1D15in the insufficient thermal ablation model were significantly higher than those in the normal HepG2 cells.Amarogentin then markedly decreased the percentage of CD133-positive LCSCs, the proliferation rate of HepG2 cells, and the mRNA and protein levels of CD133 and TBC1D15 in the insufficient thermal ablationresidual model (all P < 0.05);inversely, the apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells and the phosphorylated levels of p53 in the insufficient thermal ablation model were significantly increased (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Amarogentin could reduce the proportion of LCSCs after insufficient thermal ablation, inhibit the proliferation, and promote the apoptosis of LCSCs, which maybe associated with increasing the phosphorylation of p53 and inhibiting the expression of TBC1D15.

Predictive value of Barcelona clinic liver cancer staging system combined with albumin-indocyanine green score in hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To study the predictive value of Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) staging system combined with albumin-indocyanine green (ALICE) score (ALICE-BCLC) in hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma, and compare it with BCLC staging system combined with Child-Pugh score (CP-BCLC).Methods:The clinical data of 311 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomy at Jinhua Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University from April 2012 to June 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 271 males and 40 females, with a median age of 59 years old (range 26 to 92 years old). These patients were divided into two groups based on the ALICE-BCLC: the ALICE-BCLC grade 0 group ( n=63) and the ALICE-BCLC grade A group ( n=248); and another two groups based on the CP-BCLC: the CP-BCLC grade 0 group ( n=58) and the CP-BCLC grade A group ( n=253). The clinical data, including indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min, and albumin were collected and the scores were calculated. Follow-up was conducted by combining outpatient visits with telephone calls. The survival rate was calculated by the life method, and survival curves were drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate Cox regression model was used to determine the main factors affecting prognosis. Weighted Kappa was used to compare consistency of the two staging systems. Results:Multivariate analysis showed that a maximum tumor diameter >5 cm, total bilirubin >18 μmol/L, major hepatectomy, CP-BCLC grade A and ALICE-BCLC grade A to be independent risk factors affecting overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection with curative intent (all P<0.05). The median survival of patients in the CP-BCLC grade 0 group and the CP-BCLC grade A group were 43.0 and 28.0 months, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups ( P=0.017). The median survival of patients in the ALICE-BCLC grade 0 group and the ALICE-BCLC grade A group were 41.4 and 28.1 months, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups ( P=0.035). The weighted Kappa coefficient of ALICE-BCLC and CP-BCLC was 0.949, showing a strong consistency ( P<0.001). Conclusion:ALICE-BCLC showed a good predictive value for prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection, and it had a similar overall prognostic discrimination ability as CP-BCLC.

Cocktail hepatocarcinoma therapy by a super-assembled nano-pill targeting XPO1 and ATR synergistically / 药物分析学报

Intensive cancer treatment with drug combination is widely exploited in the clinic but suffers from inconsistent pharmacokinetics among different therapeutic agents.To overcome it,the emerging nanomedicine offers an unparalleled opportunity for encapsulating multiple drugs in a nano-carrier.Herein,a two-step super-assembled strategy was performed to unify the pharmacokinetics of a pep-tide and a small molecular compound.In this proof-of-concept study,the bioinformatics analysis firstly revealed the potential synergies towards hepatoma therapy for the associative inhibition of exportin 1(XPO1)and ataxia telangiectasia mutated-Rad3-related(ATR),and then a super-assembled nano-pill(gold nano drug carrier loaded AZD6738 and 97-110 amino acids of apoptin(AP)(AA@G))was con-structed through camouflaging AZD6738(ATR small-molecule inhibitor)-binding human serum albumin onto the AP-Au supramolecular nanoparticle.As expected,both in vitro and in vivo experiment results verified that the AA@G possessed extraordinary biocompatibility and enhanced therapeutic effect through inducing cell cycle arrest,promoting DNA damage and inhibiting DNA repair of hepatoma cell.This work not only provides a co-delivery strategy for intensive liver cancer treatment with the clinical translational potential,but develops a common approach to unify the pharmacokinetics of peptide and small-molecular compounds,thereby extending the scope of drugs for developing the advanced com-bination therapy.

Serum metabolomics study on benign liver lesions and hepatic malignancies by central carbon pathway metabolites / 药学实践杂志

Objective To screen potential metabolites and significantly altered metabolic pathways of liver lesions by central carbon pathway metabolites. Methods 32 healthy volunteers (HC), 23 patients with biliary cysts (CYST), 19 patients with biliary stones (Stone), 45 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 50 patients with hilarcholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) were recruited. Their serum samples were collected for UPLC-QQQ-MS analysis and further MPP statistical analysis. Pattern recognition was further used to discovery the differences in metabolome between groups, and to explore the significantly altered metabolic pathway and possible pathogenic mechanism of liver diseases. Results A total of 15, 7, 7, and 3 metabolites and a total of 8, 4, 4, and 1 metabolic pathway that were significantly different in serum between CYST, Stone, HCC, HCCA and healthy controls were identified and enriched through serum metabolomics analysis, respectively. Conclusion According to the above identified differential metabolites and enriched metabolic pathway results, it is shown that liver lesions mainly involved in the energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism & transport, in addition, inositol phosphate metabolism were significantly changed both in CYST, Stone, HCC and HCCA.

Study on the regularity of traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of postembolization syndrome after TACE based on data mining / 药学实践杂志

Objective To explore the regularity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of postembolization syndrome (PES) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods CNKI, WANFANG and VIP were used as data sources to search the journals and literatures related to TCM treatment from January 2000 to December 2021. Then, relevant TCM formula or Chinese patent medicines preparations were screened out. The Chinese medicinal materials contained were entered into Excel 2019 table database, and the data were analyzed by SPSS Statistics 21.0 and SPSS Modeler 18.0 statistical software. Results 86 qualified prescriptions were included, containing 181 Chinese medicinal materials, with a total frequency of 942 times. Of the 181 Chinese herbs included, there were 28 herbs with frequency ≥10%, with a total frequency of 587. The top 5 Chinese medicinal materials of frequency were licorice, Poria, Atractylodes, Bupleurum and Astragalus. Among the efficacy classifications, tonifying deficiency drugs, heat-clearing drugs and diuretics were most used. In four properties and five tastes, the top three of four properties were warm, flat and cold, and the top three of five tastes were sweet, bitter and pungent. In the classification of meridians, the first three meridians were spleen meridian, lung meridian and liver meridian. 30 association rules were obtained in association rules analysis, 11 common factors were obtained by factor analysis, 6 clustering combinations were obtained by cluster analysis, and 4 commonly used drug combinations were obtained. Conclusion The prescription drugs for the treatment of PES after TACE were mainly tonic drugs, heat-clearing drugs and diuresis and dampness-draining drugs. The treatment methods were mainly invigorating spleen and replenishing qi, clearing heat and dampness and detoxification.

Chinese expert consensus on Co-Ablation System for the treatment of primary liver cancer （2023 edition） / 临床肝胆病杂志

@#Clinically， the recurrence and metastasis of liver cancer after local ablation therapy have been the main factors affecting the long-term survival of patients with liver cancer. As a new generation of composite cryoablation and thermal ablation system， Co-Ablation System creatively integrates the advantages of profound hypothermia cryoablation and thermal ablation， which can maximize the release of tumor antigen while completely destroying liver cancer in situ， thus， the purpose of controlling liver cancer recurrence and metastasis can be achieved. Co-Ablation System treatment is usually carried out through percutaneous puncture under ultrasound or CT guidance. The selection of local anesthesia or general anesthesia is based on the size and location of the liver cancer. Co-Ablation System treatment is mainly suitable for single tumor with diameter <5 cm and multiple tumors（≤3 tumor lesions） with a maximum diameter <3 cm. After ablation， protection of liver function and symptomatic treatment are employed according to patient’s condition. About one month after ablation， MRI or contrast-enhanced CT examination is performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy， then， the patients are followed up regularly. In order to standardize the application of Co-Ablation System in treating liver cancer， the Committee of Minimally Invasive Therapy in Oncology and the Committee of Ablation Therapy in Oncology， Chinese Anti-Cancer Association， have organized domestic experts engaged in liver cancer ablation therapy to make a professional and in-depth discussion and to compose this expert consensus on Co-Ablation System for the treatment of primary liver cancer.

Screening novel inhibitors of squalene epoxidase and their effects on hepatocellular carcinoma / 药学学报

Squalene epoxidase (SQLE) is a potential target for the treatment of liver cancer. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the high expression of SQLE was closely related to the clinical stage and poor prognosis of patients with liver cancer. However, the existing inhibitors against SQLE 195 tyrosine residue (Y195) cannot be used clinically due to severe side effects. In this study, 35 small-molecule compounds targeting SQLE 335 tyrosine residue (Y335) were selected by computer virtual screening. Combined with MTT assay, 3 candidate compounds (19#, 31# and 35#) with significant inhibitory effects on the proliferation of Huh7 cell line were obtained. Further studies showed that these 3 compounds could inhibit the migration of Huh7 cells, reduce the contents of total and free cholesterol, up-regulate the expression of tumor suppressor gene PTEN, and down-regulate the expression of PI3K and AKT proteins. The results showed that the novel inhibitors 19#, 31# and 35# targeting SQLE Y335 could reduce cholesterol content, inhibit the proliferation and migration of Huh7, thus playing an anti-liver cancer role.

Transabdominal pericardial anastomosis of suprahepatic vena cava and right atrium in liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari syndrome complicated with liver cancer: a case report with surgical video / 器官移植

Objective To summarize clinical experience of transabdominal pericardial anastomosis of suprahepatic vena cava of the donor and right atrium of the recipient in liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) complicated with liver cancer. Methods Clinical data of a BCS patient complicated with liver cancer undergoing transabdominal pericardial anastomosis of suprahepatic vena cava and right atrium in liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. Results The hepatic vein and suprahepatic vena cava were partially occluded in the patient. Liver transplantation was completed by transabdominal pericardial anastomosis of suprahepatic vena cava and right atrium with beating-heart. In addition, due to pathological changes of the recipient's hepatic artery, splenic artery of the recipient was cut off, distal ligation was performed, and the proximal end was reversed and anastomosed with the common hepatic artery of the donor liver, and the reconstruction of hepatic artery was completed. The surgery was successfully performed. At approximately postoperative 1 week, the function of the liver allograft was gradually restored to normal, and no major complications occurred. The patient was discharged at postoperative 25 d. No signs of BCS recurrence was reported after 8-month follow-up. Conclusions It is safe and feasible to treat BCS by liver transplantation with transabdominal pericardial anastomosis of suprahepatic vena cava and right atrium. BCS patients complicated with liver cancer obtain favorable prognosis.

Effect of Compound Phyllanthus urinaria Ⅱ on Growth and Expression of miR-122 and IGF-1R of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hep3B Cells in Nude Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effects and mechanism of the compound Phyllanthus urinaria Ⅱ （CPU Ⅱ）on the growth of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B2.1-7 （Short for Hep3R） cells in nude mice. MethodAfter the establishment of a xenograft model of hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells in mice， the model mice were randomly divided into a model group， a high-dose CPU Ⅱ group （57.5 g·kg-1）， a low-dose CPU Ⅱ group （28.75 g·kg-1）， and a 5-fluorouracil （5-FU） group （0.025 g·kg-1）， with eight mice in each group. The mice in the high- and low-dose CPU Ⅱ groups were treated with drugs by gavage， once per day， and those in the model group were treated with the same volume of normal saline. The mice in the 5-FU group were treated by 5-FU by intraperitoneal injection， once every other day. After 28 days of administration， mice were sacrificed， and transplanted tumors were collected. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） of tumor tissues. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling （TUNEL） was used to detect cell apoptosis of tumor tissues. The mRNA expression of miR-122 and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor （IGF-1R） in tumor tissues was detected by Real-time quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR）. The protein expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α （C/EBPα）， hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α （HNF-4α）， and IGF-1R in tumor tissues was detected by Western blot. ResultThe tumor suppression rates of the high- and low-dose CPU Ⅱ groups and the 5-FU group were 74.90%， 63.62%， and 64.15%， respectively. Compared with the model group， the CPU Ⅱ groups and the 5-FU group showed reduced weight （P<0.01） and volume of tumors （P<0.01）， decreased PCNA positive cells， shallow staining， increased apoptosis cells of transplanted tumor tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased expression of mRNA expression of miR-122 （P<0.01）， down-regulated mRNA expression of IGF-1R （P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein expression of C/EBPα and HNF-4α in nude mouse transplanted tumor tissues （P<0.01）. The expression of IGF-1R protein in the high-dose CPU Ⅱ group was down-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with the low-dose CPU Ⅱ group， the high-dose CPU Ⅱ group showed increased apoptotic cells （P<0.01）， up-regulated mRNA expression of miR-122 （P<0.01）， and increased expression of C/EBPα and HNF-4α proteins （P<0.01）. ConclusionCPU Ⅱ has an obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells in nude mice. The mechanism of action is related to enhancing the expression of transcription factors HNF-4α and C/EBPα， thereby promoting the expression of miR-122 and inhibiting the expression of its target gene IGF-1R.

Mechanism of Shenqi Yiliu Prescription Combined with Cisplatin on H22 Liver Cancer-bearing Mice Based on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD Pyroptosis Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the anti-tumor effect and mechanism of Shenqi Yiliu prescription in the intervention of pyroptosis. MethodTen male BALB/c mice were randomly selected and assigned to the blank group. The remaining 40 mice underwent the induction of the liver cancer xenograft model. After 5 days of modeling， 40 surviving mice were randomly divided into model group， cisplatin group ［2.5×10-3 g·kg-1·（3 d）-1］， Shenqi Yiliu prescription group （27 g·kg-1·d-1）， and a combination group （Shenqi Yiliu prescription group + cisplatin）. The mice in the blank group and the model group were treated with an equal volume of normal saline for 10 days. The general conditions of mice in each group were observed. After the intervention， the tumor weight of the mice was weighed and the tumor inhibition rate was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in tumor tissues. The levels of mouse liver function indicators， including alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） were detected. The TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay was used to detect DNA damage in mouse tumor tissue cells. Immunohistochemistry （IHC）， immunofluorescence （IF）， and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1 （Caspase-1）， and gasdermin D （GSDMD） in tumor tissues. The levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and interleukin-18 （IL-18） in tumor tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultCompared with the mice in the blank group， those in the model group were in a poor mental state， sleepy， and lazy， and their fur color was dull， with increased levels of serum ALT and AST in liver function tests （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the groups with drug intervention showed improved mental state， inhibited tumor growth to varying degrees， and decreased tumor weight， and the tumor inhibition rate in the combination group was the highest （P<0.01）. HE staining showed that the pathological and morphological lesions of the tumor tissues in the model group were significant， while those in all groups with drug intervention were improved to a certain extent. The karyolysis and nuclear rupture in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group and the combination group were more significant. In the liver function test， the serum ALT and AST levels of mice in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group and the combination group decreased （P<0.01）， and the inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 in each group with drug intervention decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Among them， the declining trend of IL-1β and IL-18 in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group was the most significant （P<0.01）. TUNEL staining showed that the positive TUNEL staining in each group with drug intervention decreased after intervention （P<0.05， P<0.01）， especially the cisplatin group and Shenqi Yiliu prescription group （P<0.01）. Western blot， IHC， and IF found that the protein expression levels of NLRP3， Caspase-1， and GSDMD in each group with drug intervention decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the mice in the cisplatin group， those in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group and the combination group had better mental state and regular tumor morphology， and the tumor weight of the mice in the combination group decreased （P<0.05）. The levels of ALT and AST in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group decreased （P<0.05）， and the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group and the combination group decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， especially in the combination group （P<0.01）. The results of IHC showed that the expression of GSDMD protein in the tumor tissues of mice in the combination group was reduced （P<0.01）. IF detection showed that the expression of NLRP3 in the tumor tissues of the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group was reduced （P<0.01）. The results of Western blot showed that the expression level of NLRP3 protein in the Shenqi Yiliu prescription group and the combination group decreased （P<0.01）， and the expression level of Caspase-1 protein in the combination group decreased （P<0.01）. The decrease in GSDMD protein expression was not significant， and the difference was not statistically significant. ConclusionShenqi Yiliu prescription combined with cisplatin has an obvious anti-tumor effect， which may be achieved by down-regulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD inflammatory pyroptosis pathway to inhibit cell pyroptosis， and relieve the inflammatory response in mice with liver cancer.

Effect of multi-target protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor Ponatinib on proliferation,adhesion and migration ability of human liver cancer cell line SK-Hep-1 / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To investigate the effect of a multi-target protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor,Ponatinib,on proliferation,homogeneity adhesion and migration ability of human liver cancer cell line SK-Hep-1.Methods SK-Hep-1 cells were cultured routinely and added with 24 tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as Ponatinib respectively,and the effect of Ponatinib on the survival and proliferation of SK-Hep-1 cells was detected by MTT assay.SK-Hep-1 cells were cultured routinely until the fusion degree reached 90%,then added with 0.1,0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L Ponatinib respectively,and the control group(without Ponatinib) was set up.The effect of Ponatinib on adhesion ability of SK-Hep-1 cells was detected by cell slow aggregation assay and dissociation assay,while the effect on migration ability by scratch test,and the effect on E-cadherin protein expression in SK-Hep-1 cells by Western blot.Results All 24 tyrosine kinase inhibitors inhibited SK-Hep-1 cells,among which Ponatinib showed the strongest inhibitory effect with a IC_(50) of(0.288±0.044) μmol/L.Compared with the control group,the number of cell mass(t=16.143,44.002 and 44.853 respectively,each P <0.001) and N_(TC)/N_(TE) [ratio of single cell number(N) after digestion by trypsin containing EDTA(TE) and CaCl_2(TC)](t=4.276,10.625 and 27.571 respectively,each P <0.05) decreased significantly and E-cadherin protein expression increased significantly(t=-3.757,-4.561and-6.922 respectively,each P <0.05) in 0.1,0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L Ponatinib groups;Scratch migration rate significantly decreased in 0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L Ponatinib groups(t=6.272～16.733 respectively,each P <0.01),while there was no significant difference in 0.1 μmol/L Ponatinib group(t=0.473 and 0.872 respectively,each P> 0.05) after 24 h and 48 h of scratch.Conclusion Ponatinib inhibited proliferation and migration of SK-Hep-1 cells and promoted cell adhesion.

Changes in the disease burden of liver cancer caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in China 1990-2019 / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To describe and analyze the disease burden and its changing trend of liver cancer caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in China from 1990 to 2019, and to provide reference for reducing the morbidity and mortality of liver cancer in China. Methods Based on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD2019) study, different gender and age groups were selected. The morbidity, mortality, and disability adjusted life year (DALY) rate were used to analyze the disease burden of liver cancer caused by NASH in China from 1990 to 2019. The time trend was analyzed by using the Joinpoint regression model, and the annual percent of change (APC) and annual average percentage change (AAPC) of morbidity, mortality and DALY rate were calculated. Results Compared with 1990, the incidence rate, mortality rate and DALY rate of liver cancer caused by NASH in 2019 decreased by 4.05%, 12% and 25.79%, respectively. Age-standardized morbidity, standardized mortality and standardized DALY rates decreased by 49.50%, 54.72% and 58.45%, respectively. In 2019, the incidence rate, mortality data and DALY rate of liver cancer caused by NASH increased with age, and the highest mortality rate was among people over 85 years old. The average annual change percentage (AAPC) of age-standardized incidence rate, standardized mortality rate and standardized DALY rate of liver cancer caused by NASH from 1990 to 2019 were -2.65% ［95% CI（-3.09%，-2.21 %），P<0.001］, -2.86%［95% CI（-3.34%，-2.38 %），P<0.001］, and -2.91%［95% CI（-3.23%，-2.58%），P<0.001］，respectively. The AAPC of all indexes in males was higher than that in females. Conclusion From 1990 to 2019, the disease burden of liver cancer caused by NASH in China showed an overall downward trend. The AAPC of all indexes in males is higher than that in females, and the elderly population is a high-risk group.

Frontiers in liver transplantation for liver cancer: sarcopenia / 中华器官移植杂志

Liver cancer patients scheduled for liver transplantation (LT) are frequently accompanied by liver cirrhosis.Within a state of long-term malnutrition and inflammatory stress, they are prone to sarcopenia with a poor efficacy of LT.Influenced by such multiple factors as surgery, infections and metabolic disorders, there is an elevated risk of exacerbation or a new onset of sarcopenia after LT.Therefore meticulous managements of sarcopenia are required throughout all aspects and periods of LT.A refined recipient stratification system of sarcopenia can accurately predict the efficacy of LT and its evaluating system has been becoming more precise, diverse and intelligent.Currently basic researches of sarcopenia have remained in infancy and its interactions with the related organs have become a novel research field.Sarcopenia has become an emerging challenge of LT for liver cancer.Further mechanistic explorations of sarcopenia are warranted and clinical precision managements should be further optimized.

Anti-liver Cancer Mechanisms of Biejiajian Wan and Clinical Research： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Biejiajian Wan， a classical formula for liver diseases， originated from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber. It has been applied in clinical settings for more than 2 000 years. According to modern pharmacological studies， it has anti-tumor， anti-fibrosis， and immunity-enhancing effects and thus is widely used for the treatment of liver fibrosis， hepatitis， liver injury， and other diseases. In recent years， accumulating evidence has proven the efficacy of this formula in the treatment of malignant tumors， especially liver cancer. This paper summarizes relevant papers in the last 20 years and summed up the anti-liver cancer mechanisms of Biejiajian Wan as regulating biological behaviors of liver cancer cells， anti-precancerosis， inhibiting tumor angiogenesis， modulating signaling pathways， suppressing activity of relevant enzymes， and regulating immunity. Moreover， this prescription can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of liver cancer cells， promote apoptosis of cells， suppress tumor angiogenesis， and boost immunity. In addition， it regulates Wnt/β-catenin， interleukin-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （IL-6/STAT3）， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription （JAK-STAT）， Delta-like ligand 4-Notch （DLL4-Notch）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Rho-associated kinase （Rho/ROCK）， transforming growth factor-β/Smad （TGF-β/Smad）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase-3β （PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β）， and other signaling pathways. Thus， Biejiajian Wan is confirmed to have anti-liver cancer effect based on the molecular mechanisms. According to the summary of Biejiajian Wan in anti-liver cancer treatment， Biejiajian Wan alone or in combination with other drugs can significantly alleviate the symptoms， reduce adverse reactions， prolong the survival time with definite efficacy. Thus， it is safe with no adverse reactions in long-term use， which should be further promoted in clinical application. This paper analyzed Biejiajian Wan in the treatment of liver cancer based on the molecular mechanisms and clinical studies， summarized the limitations in current research， and put forward suggestions， which can lay a basis for the future in-depth research on and clinical application of Biejiajian Wan and development of anti-tumor drugs.

Minutes of seminar on 2023 multi-center cooperation project of liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer in China / 器官移植

Led by Zheng Shusen, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) from Zhejiang University, the first multi-center cooperation project of liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer in China, gathering 28 liver transplantation centers nationwide, was launched in Shanghai. All participating experts conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions regarding four topics including inclusion criteria of liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer, the risk assessment and prognostic evaluation of liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer, perioperative medication of liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer, and the implementation details of multi-center cooperation project. Questionnaires were distributed to reach consensus and pinpoint the directions, aiming to carry out high-quality and standardized clinical researches on liver transplantation for metastatic liver cancer in China.

Clinical Effect of Fangfeng Tongshengsan on Post-chemoembolization Syndrome with Primary Liver Cancer or Postoperative Liver Metastases of Colorectal Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of the Fangfeng Tongshengsan on post-chemoembolization syndrome with primary liver cancer or postoperative liver metastases of colorectal cancer. MethodSeventy-two patients suffered from post-chemoembolization syndrome after transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization were randomly divided into 2 groups， including a Fangfeng Tongshengsan group and a control group， with 36 patients in each group. The patients in Fangfeng Tongshengsan group orally took the decoction for consecutive 7 d. The patients in the control group were physically cooled down with alcohol rub bath and ice pack for consecutive 7 d. Furthermore， the difference of fever， Karnofsky performance status （KPS）， pain in the liver region， nausea vomiting， constipation， and liver function between these two groups were observed. ResultCompared with the control group， Fangfeng Tongshengsan significantly relieved fever， reduced the body temperature （P<0.05）， and shortened the duration of fever （P<0.05）， indicating that Fangfeng Tongshengsan remarkably improved the KPS （P<0.05）. Meanwhile， Fangfeng Tongshengsan obviously alleviated nausea， vomiting， and constipation status and shortened the duration time compared with the control group （P<0.05）. In addition， the parameters of liver function including alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， γ-glutamyl transpeptidase （GGT）， and total bilirubin （TBIL） were significantly decreased in the Fangfeng Tongshengsan group （P<0.05）， which indicated that Fangfeng Tongshengsan alleviated liver dysfunction of patients with post-chemoembolization syndrome. ConclusionFangfeng Tongshengsan can be used to treat post-chemoembolization syndrome with primary liver cancer and postoperative liver metastases of colorectal cancer.