Targeting the IRE1α-XBP1s axis confers selective vulnerability in hepatocellular carcinoma with activated Wnt signaling.

Liver-specific Ern1 knockout impairs tumor progression in mouse models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanistic role of IRE1α in human HCC remains unclear. In this study, we show that XBP1s, the major downstream effector of IRE1α, is required for HCC cell survival both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, XBP1s transactivates LEF1, a key co-factor of ß-catenin, by binding to its promoter. Moreover, XBP1s physically interacts with LEF1, forming a transcriptional complex that enhances classical Wnt signaling. Consistently, the activities of XBP1s and LEF1 are strongly correlated in human HCC and with disease prognosis. Notably, selective inhibition of XBP1 splicing using an IRE1α inhibitor significantly repressed the viability of tumor explants as well as the growth of tumor xenografts derived from patients with distinct Wnt/LEF1 activities. Finally, machine learning algorithms developed a powerful prognostic signature based on the activities of XBP1s/LEF1. In summary, our study uncovers a key mechanistic role for the IRE1α-XBP1s pathway in human HCC. Targeting this axis could provide a promising therapeutic strategy for HCC with hyperactivated Wnt/LEF1 signaling.

Improved anti-tumor activity of fluorinated camptothecin derivatives 9-fluorocamptothecin and 7-ethyl-9-fluorocamptothecin on hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting topoisomerase I.

Primary liver cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers of the digestive system that lacks effective chemotherapeutic drugs in clinical settings. Camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives have been approved for cancer treatment; however, their application is limited by their systemic toxicity. For lead optimization in new drug discovery stages, fluorination is an effective and robust approach to increase the bioavailability and optimize the pharmacokinetics of candidate compounds, thereby improving their efficacy. To obtain new and highly active CPT derivatives, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated two new fluorinated CPT derivatives, 9-fluorocamptothecin (A1) and 7-ethyl-9-fluorocamptothecin (A2), in this study. In vitro, A1 and A2 exhibited more robust anti-tumor activity than topotecan (TPT) in various cancer cells, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. In vivo, A1 and A2 exhibited greater anti-tumor activity than TPT in both AKT/Met induced primary HCC mouse models and implanted HepG2 cell xenografts. Acute toxicity tests revealed that A1 and A2 were not lethal and did not cause significant body weight loss at high doses. Moreover, A1 and A2 exhibited no significant toxicity in the mouse liver, heart, lung, spleen, kidney, and hematopoietic systems at therapeutic doses. Mechanistically, A1 and A2 blocked HCC cell proliferation by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of Topo I, subsequently inducing DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. In summary, our results indicate that fluorination improves the anti-tumor activity of CPT while decreasing its toxicity and highlight the application potential of fluorination products A1 and A2 in clinical settings.

microRNA-203 functions as a natural Ras inhibitor in hepatocellular carcinoma.

microRNA-203 (miR203) plays an important role in the formation and development of multiple types of cancers. However, its role in hepatic carcinogenesis has not been well studied. Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling is known to be activated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but there is a lack of effective drugs targeting this pathway for HCC treatment. In this study, we investigated the role of miR203 in HCC and the underlying mechanism. We found that miR203 was significantly downregulated in HCC cell lines and patient tissues compared with a hepatocyte cell line (L02) or normal liver tissues. Restoration of miR203 inhibited HCC cell growth and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In primary and xenograft HCC mouse models, miR203 also significantly blocked HCC growth. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that miR203 directly binds to the 3'UTR of NRas mRNA, resulting in decreased expression of NRas and inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. Activation of MAPK signaling by ectopic NRas expression rescued the cell proliferation blocked by miR203. Together, our findings illustrate the fundamental role of miR203 as a natural inhibitor of RAS/MAPK signaling in hepatic carcinogenesis in vitro and in vivo. In light of the critical and universal activation of the MAPK pathway in HCC, miR203 has the potential to serve as a nucleotide drug for the treatment of HCC with activated MAPK signaling.

Coronavirus subverts ER-phagy by hijacking FAM134B and ATL3 into p62 condensates to facilitate viral replication.

ER-phagy is a form of autophagy that is mediated by ER-phagy receptors and selectively degrades endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Coronaviruses have been shown to use the ER as a membrane source to establish their double-membrane vesicles (DMVs). However, whether viruses modulate ER-phagy to drive viral DMV formation and its underlying molecular mechanisms remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that coronavirus subverts ER-phagy by hijacking the ER-phagy receptors FAM134B and ATL3 into p62 condensates, resulting in increased viral replication. Mechanistically, we show that viral protein ORF8 binds to and undergoes condensation with p62. FAM134B and ATL3 interact with homodimer of ORF8 and are aggregated into ORF8/p62 liquid droplets, leading to ER-phagy inhibition. ORF8/p62 condensates disrupt ER-phagy to facilitate viral DMV formation and activate ER stress. Together, our data highlight how coronavirus modulates ER-phagy to drive viral replication by hijacking ER-phagy receptors.

Integrating cell interaction with transcription factors to obtain a robust gene panel for prognostic prediction and therapies in cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective: The efficacy of immunotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is blocked by a high degree of tumor heterogeneity. Cell communication contributes to heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment. This study aimed to explore critical cell signaling and biomarkers induced via cell communication during immune exhaustion in CCA. Methods: We constructed empirical Bayes and Markov random field models eLBP to determine transcription factors, interacting genes, and associated signaling pathways involved in cell-cell communication using single-cell RNAseq data. We then analyzed the mechanism of immune exhaustion during CCA progression. Results: We found that VEGFA-positive macrophages with high levels of LGALS9 could interact with HAVCR2 to promote the exhaustion of CD8+ T cells in CCA. Transcription factors SPI1 and IRF1 can upregulate the expression of LGALS9 in VEGFA-positive macrophages. Subsequently, we obtained a panel containing 54 genes through the model, which identified subtype S2 with high expression of immune checkpoint genes that are suitable for immunotherapy. Moreover, we found that patients with subtype S2 with a higher mutation ratio of MUC16 had immune-exhausted genes, such as HAVCR2 and TIGIT. Finally, we constructed a nine-gene eLBP-LASSO-COX risk model, which was designated the tumor microenvironment risk score (TMRS). Conclusion: Cell communication-related genes can be used as important markers for predicting patient prognosis and immunotherapy responses. The TMRS panel is a reliable tool for prognostic prediction and chemotherapeutic decision-making in CCA.

Anti-tumor effects and mechanism of a novel camptothecin derivative YCJ100.

AIMS: In this study, we synthesized a 10-fluorine-substitution derivative of CPT (Camptothecin) YCJ100 and evaluated its antitumor activity and systemic toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Determination of in vitro antitumor activity and mechanism of YCJ100 by the MTT assay, Molecular docking, EdU staining, Cell cycle and apoptosis determination, Western blot analysis and Topoisomerase I activity assay. The antitumor effects of YCJ100 were evaluated in primary HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma), ICC (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) mouse models, and pancreatic cancer xenograft models. KEY FINDINGS: YCJ100 showed superior cytotoxic activity compared to Topotecan in SW480, SW1990, Hep3B, HepG2, A549, A2780, HeLa, and QBC cells. YCJ100 blocked the cell cycle in the G2/M phase, inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HepG2 and SW1990 cells. Mechanistically, YCJ100 inhibited topoisomerase I activity in both a cell-free system and a cellular system, similar to the mechanism of Topotecan. YCJ100 showed significant antitumor activity and was more potent than Topotecan in primary HCC and ICC mouse models, as well as a xenograft mouse model. Additionally, YCJ100 showed only minor toxicity to the mouse hematopoietic system, liver, and kidney. These findings indicate that YCJ100 has high antitumor activity and low systemic toxicity. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings demonstrate that YCJ100, as a Topoisomerase I inhibitor, has in vitro and in vitro antitumor activity. This study provides a new lead compound worthy of further preclinical evaluation and potential clinical development.

Glioma Shapes Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Remodels the Tumor Microenvironment: Links with Clinical Features and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) uniquely distinguishes the brain from other organs, and various brain pathologies, including cancer, can disrupt or breach the BBB. The specific implications of BBB alterations in glioma have not been sufficiently clarified. METHODS: In this study, statistical analysis of the TCGA pan-glioma dataset and four other validation cohorts was used to investigate the infiltration of BBB constituent cells (endothelial cells, pericytes and astrocytes) in the glioma tumor microenvironment (TME). RESULTS: We found that the infiltration proportions of the three BBB constituent cell types were highly collinear, which implied alteration of the BBB. Hence, we developed an index, the BBB score, which is calculated based on the infiltration proportion of BBB constituent cells. Furthermore, we observed that patients with higher BBB scores were more likely to be diagnosed with more malignant entities in the TCGA database according to significant molecular features, such as IDH mutation status and 1p/19q deletion. The BBB score was also strikingly positively correlated with WHO grade in other cohorts. More importantly, a higher BBB score correlated with shorter survival time and unfavorable prognosis in glioma patients. Finally, we showed that TME-related pathways may regulate BBB alterations and that coinhibitory immune checkpoints were enriched in samples with higher BBB scores. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that TME-related pathways may regulate BBB alterations and that coinhibitory immune checkpoints were enriched in samples with higher BBB scores. Assessing BBB alterations may help elucidate the complex role of the glioma TME and suggest new combination treatment strategies.

Design and synthesis of novel 7-ethyl-10-fluoro-20-O-(cinnamic acid ester)-camptothecin derivatives as potential high selectivity and low toxicity topoisomerase I inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma.

A series of new 7-ethyl-10-fluoro-20-O-(cinnamic acid ester)-camptothecin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against four human tumor cell lines including HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), SW480 (colorectal cancer), A2780 (ovarian cancer), and Hucct1 (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma). The results of cytotoxic activities in vitro showed that most of the camptothecin derivatives harbor promising cytotoxic activity against tested tumor cell lines. Among them, compound XJS-11 exhibited broad-spectrum inhibitory activities against HepG2, SW480, A2780, and Hucct1 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.03, 0.09, 0.22, and 0.32 µM, respectively. Further investigation demonstrated that compound XJS-11 exhibited more effective growth inhibition against a variety of human hepatoma cells (Sk-hep-1, Hep3B and Huh7) and lower cytotoxicity against immortalized normal human liver cell line L02 than the positive control topotecan. Especially, XJS-11 showed higher selective toxicity in two kinds of human hepatoma cells and immortalized normal human liver cell line (IC50(L-02)/IC50(HepG2) = 113.20; IC50(L-02)/IC50(Hep3B) = 85.60) than topotecan (IC50(L-02)/IC50(HepG2) = 9.45; IC50(L-02)/IC50(Hep3B) = 8.52). Mechanistically, XJS-11 induced cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis in HepG2 and Hep3B cells by inhibiting Top I activity in a manner similar to that of topotecan. Meanwhile, XJS-11 could attenuate the tumor growth in both xenograft and primary HCC mouse models. In addition, the acute toxicity assay showed that XJS-11 did not cause lethality or significant body weight loss with a single intraperitoneal dose at 100 mg/kg or with an intraperitoneal dose at 25 mg/kg for 7 days. Moreover, unlike topotecan, XJS-11 had no apparent toxicity to the mouse liver, kidney, and hemopoietic system of the C57BL/6 mice. Taken together, XJS-11 merits further development as a new generation of the camptothecin-derived drug candidate.

Cellular heterogeneity and transcriptomic profiles during intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma initiation and progression.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is not fully investigated, and how stromal cells contribute to ICC formation is poorly understood. We aimed to uncover ICC origin, cellular heterogeneity, and critical modulators during ICC initiation/progression, and to decipher how fibroblast and endothelial cells in the stromal compartment favor ICC progression. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) using AKT/Notch intracellular domain-induced mouse ICC tissues at early, middle, and late stages. We analyzed the transcriptomic landscape, cellular classification and evolution, and intercellular communication during ICC initiation/progression. We confirmed the findings using quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence, and gene knockout/knockdown analysis. We identified stress-responding and proliferating subpopulations in late-stage mouse ICC tissues and validated them using human scRNA-seq data sets. By integrating weighted correlation network analysis and protein-protein interaction through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, we identified zinc finger, MIZ-type containing 1 (Zmiz1) and Y box protein 1 (Ybx1) as core transcription factors required by stress-responding and proliferating ICC cells, respectively. Knockout of either one led to the blockade of ICC initiation/progression. Using two other ICC mouse models (YAP/AKT, KRAS/p19) and human ICC scRNA-seq data sets, we confirmed the orchestrating roles of Zmiz1 and Ybx1 in ICC occurrence and development. In addition, hes family bHLH transcription factor 1, cofilin 1, and inhibitor of DNA binding 1 were identified as driver genes for ICC. Moreover, periportal liver sinusoidal endothelial cells could differentiate into tip endothelial cells to promote ICC development, and this was Dll4-Notch4-Efnb2 signaling-dependent. CONCLUSIONS: Stress-responding and ICC proliferating subtypes were identified, and Zmiz1 and Ybx1 were revealed as core transcription factors in these subtypes. Fibroblast-endothelial cell interaction promotes ICC development.

Design and synthesis of Aza-boeravinone derivatives as potential novel topoisomerase I inhibitors.

Based on the structural skeleton of natural products boeravinones, two types of 6H-chromeno[3,4-b]quinoline derivatives were designed and synthesized by nitrogen atom substitution strategy. Then, their cytotoxic activities were evaluated against six human tumor cell lines including HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), A2780 (ovarian cancer), Hela (cervical cancer), HCT116 (colorectal cancer), SW1990 (pancreatic cancer), and MCF7 (breast cancer). The results showed that compounds ZML-8 and ZML-14 exhibited robust inhibitory activities against HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 0.58 and 1.94 µM, respectively. In addition, ZML-8 and ZML-14 showed higher selectivity against HepG2 and L-02 cells than Topotecan. Mechanistically, ZML-8 and ZML-14 not only induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and cell apoptosis, but also dose-dependently inhibited topoisomerase I activity and induced DNA damage in HepG2 cells. Molecular docking showed that ZML-8 and ZML-14 could interact with topoisomerase I-DNA complex with a similar binding mode to Topotecan. Inhibitory activities of these two compounds on topoisomerase I were then confirmed in both cell-free systems and in whole-cell lysates. Taken together, compounds ZML-8 and ZML-14 merit further development as a new generation of non-camptothecin topoisomerase I inhibitors for the treatment of cancer.

Resveratrol Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Hepatic Lipotoxicity by Upregulating Bmi-1 Expression.

Resveratrol (RES), a natural polyphenol phytoalexin, has been reported to attenuate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, its roles on protection of liver from lipotoxicity and underlying mechanism are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the impacts of RES on alleviating hepatic lipotoxicity and corresponding molecular mechanism. Impacts of RES on oleic acid (OA)-induced lipotoxicity were assessed in L02 cells and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. In L02 cells, lipotoxicity was assessed by detection of apoptosis, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and ROS-related signaling. In mice, lipotoxicity was evaluated by detecting hepatic function, serum enzyme activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. We found that RES reduced OA-induced apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS generation, and DNA damage in L02 cells. RES also decreased expression of cleaved caspase-3 and p53 and increased expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Importantly, RES protected mice from high-fat diet-induced hepatic lipotoxicity, demonstrated by reduced ROS levels and lipid peroxidation. Mechanically, B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 (Bmi-1) expression and antioxidative superoxide dismutase were increased after RES treatment. Further mechanistic analysis indicated that protection effects of RES against OA-induced lipotoxicity were abrogated by Bmi-1 small interference RNA (siRNA) in L02 cells. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Results from clinical studies about the effect of RES on NAFLD are inconsistent and inconclusive. This study confirms the protective role of RES as an anti-ROS agent and its ability to alleviate DNA damage through a pathway involving p53/p21 signaling. Further mechanistic analysis indicated that protection effects of RES were relative with Bmi-1. This is the first study on the role of Bmi-1 in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the target of resveratrol against NAFLD.

Integrating bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cellular heterogeneity and immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Efficacy of immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is blocked by its high degree of inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. However, the correlation between tumor heterogeneity and immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC has not been well addressed. Here, we endeavored to dissect inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity in HCC and uncover how they contribute to the immunosuppressive microenvironment. We performed consensus molecular subtyping with non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering to stratify the inter-heterogeneity profile of HCC tumors. We grouped HCC tumors from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) patients into three subtypes (S1, S2 and S3), where S1 was characterized as a 'hot tumor' profile with high expression level of T cell genes and rate of immune scores. S2 was characterized as a 'cold tumor' profile with the highest tumor purity score, and S3 as an 'immunosuppressed tumor' profile with the poorest prognosis and a high expression level of immunosuppressive genes such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4, TIGIT, and PDCD1. Moreover, we combined weighted gene co-expression network analysis and single-cell regulatory network inference and clustering (SCENIC) in the single-cell dataset of the S3-like subtype (CS3) and identified a transcription factor, BATF, which could upregulate immunosuppressive genes. Finally, we identified a cell interaction network in which a myeloid-derived suppressor cell-like macrophage subtype could promote the formation of immunosuppressive T-cells.

ß-Catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Deregulated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling is one of the main genetic alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comprehensive genomic analyses have revealed that gain-of-function mutation of CTNNB1, which encodes ß-catenin, and loss-of-function mutation of AXIN1 occur in approximately 35% of human HCC samples. Human HCCs with activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway demonstrate unique gene expression patterns and pathological features. Activated Wnt/ß-catenin synergizes with multiple signaling cascades to drive HCC formation, and it functions through its downstream effectors. Therefore, strategies targeting Wnt/ß-catenin have been pursued as possible therapeutics against HCC. Here, we review the genetic alterations and oncogenic roles of aberrant Wnt/ß-catenin signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, we discuss the implication of this pathway in HCC diagnosis, classification, and personalized treatment.

Kinsenoside attenuates liver fibro-inflammation by suppressing dendritic cells via the PI3K-AKT-FoxO1 pathway.

Kinsenoside (KD) exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Dendritic cells (DCs) are critical regulators of the pathologic inflammatory milieu in liver fibrosis (LF). Herein, we explored whether and how KD repressed development of LF via DC regulation and verified the pathway involved in the process. Given our analysis, both KD and adoptive transfer of KD-conditioned DCs conspicuously reduced hepatic histopathological damage, proinflammatory cytokine release and extracellular matrix deposition in CCl4-induced LF mice. Of note, KD restrained the LF-driven rise in CD86, MHC-II, and CCR7 levels and, simultaneously, upregulated PD-L1 expression on DCs specifically, which blocked CD8+T cell activation. Additionally, KD reduced DC glycolysis, maintained DCs immature, accompanied by IL-12 decrease in DCs. Inhibiting DC function by KD disturbed the communication of DCs and HSCs with the expression or secretion of α-SMA and Col-I declined in the liver. Mechanistically, KD suppressed the phosphorylation of PI3K-AKT driven by LF or PI3K agonist, followed by enhanced nuclear transport of FoxO1 and upregulated interaction of FoxO1 with the PD-L1 promoter in DCs. PI3K inhibitor or si-IL-12 acting on DC could relieve LF, HSC activation and diminish the effect of KD. In conclusion, KD suppressed DC maturation with promoted PD-L1 expression via PI3K-AKT-FoxO1 and decreased IL-12 secretion, which blocked activation of CD8+T cells and HSCs, thereby alleviating liver injury and fibro-inflammation in LF.

Nitric oxide-releasing micelles with intelligent targeting for enhanced anti-tumor effect of cisplatin in hypoxia.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor metastasis and drug resistance, leading to low efficiency of cancer chemotherapy. The development of targeted agents or multi-target therapies regulating hypoxic microenvironment is an important approach to overcome drug resistance and metastasis. METHODS: In this study, chitosan oligosaccharide (COS)-coated and sialic acid (SA) receptor-targeted nano-micelles were prepared using film dispersion method to co-deliver cisplatin (CDDP) and nitric oxide (NO) (denoted as CTP/CDDP). In addition, we explored the mechanisms by which NO reversed CDDP resistance as well as enhanced anti-metastatic efficacy in hypoxic cancer cells. RESULTS: Because of the different affinities of COS and SA to phenylboronic acid (PBA) under different pH regimes, CTP/CDDP micelles with intelligent targeting property increased cellular uptake of CDDP and enhanced cytotoxicity to tumors, but reduced systemic toxicity to normal organs or tissues. In addition, CTP/CDDP showed stimulus-responsive release in TME. In terms of anti-tumor mechanism, CTP/CDDP reduced CDDP efflux and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of tumor by down-regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), glutathione (GSH), multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression, thus reversing drug resistance and metastasis of hypoxic tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: The designed micelles significantly enhanced anti-tumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested that CTP/CDDP represented a promising strategy to treat resistance and metastatic tumors.

Design and synthesis of novel 20(S)-α-aminophosphonate derivatives of camptothecin as potent antitumor agents.

29 novel 20(S)-aminophosphonate derivatives of camptothecin were synthesized via a FeCl3 - catalyzed one-pot reaction. All of these compounds displayed similar or superior cytotoxic activity in comparison with that of Irinotecan against Hep3B, MCF-7, A-549, MDA-MB-231, KB, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) KB-vin cell lines. Out of them, compound B07 exhibited significant cytotoxicity and 10-fold improvement in activity compared to Irinotecan. Mechanistically, B07 not only induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in Hep3B and MCF-7 cells, but also inhibited Topoisomerase I activity in the cell and cell-free system in a manner similar to that of Irinotecan. In both xenograft and primary HCC mouse models, B07 showed significant anti-tumor activity and was more potent than Irinotecan. Additionally, the acute toxicity assay showed that B07 had no apparent toxicity to the mouse liver, kidney, and hemopoietic system of the FVB/N mice. Therefore, these findings indicate that compound B07 could be a potential Topoisomerase I poison drug candidate for further clinical trial.

Targeting ROCK1/2 blocks cell division and induces mitotic catastrophe in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Rho-Associated kinases ROCK1 and ROCK2 have been extensively investigated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. However, their roles are not fully understood in carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether ROCK1 or ROCK2 is required for the survival and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and underlying mechanism. METHODS: ROCKs expression was determined in human HCC tissue and cell lines using qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Cell growth and proliferation were assayed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and EdU incorporation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis analysis were performed using flow cytometry. HCC cell division or mitosis was observed using a confocal microscope and a time relapse fluorescence microscope. Inhibitory role of targeting ROCK1/2 on HCC was assayed in both xenograft and primary HCC mouse models. RESULTS: Both ROCK1 and ROCK2 are over-expressed in human HCC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of ROCK1 or ROCK2 inhibited HCC cell growth. Pharmacological inactivation of ROCK1/2 with Fasudil further blocked the growth and survival of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, Fasudil induces cell cycle arrest in HCC cells, but not apoptosis. Instead, Fasudil treatment led to mitotic catastrophe in HCC cells, characterized with the multipolar and asymmetric mitosis, and disassociated stress fibers. Knockdown of cofilin restored the cell morphology and division, and reduced the mitotic catastrophe induced by Fasudil. CONCLUSIONS: Both ROCK1 and ROCK2 are required for HCC cell division and growth. Targeting ROCK1 or ROCK2 rather than both can serve as a potential approach for HCC treatment and may reduce the side effects.

Bmi1 drives the formation and development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma independent of Ink4A/Arf repression.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are the most prevalent types of primary liver cancer. Compared with HCC, for which several drugs have been approved, ICC is associated with shorter survival, and no drug has been approved for this type. Previously, we reported that Bmi1 drives HCC and is required for HCC development and growth. However, whether Bmi1 plays a critical role in ICC is not clear, although it reportedly is highly expressed in ICC. Therefore, we investigated its role in ICC. Here, we report that Bmi1 promotes ICC initiation and progression independent of the Ink4A/Arf pathway, a canonical downstream pathway of Bmi1. We found that Bmi1 is overexpressed in human ICC. Co-expression of Bmi1 and NRas induced ICC formation in mice. Knockdown or inactivation of Bmi1 inhibited ICC growth in vitro. Liver-specific knockout or inactivation of Bmi1 remarkably suppressed ICC tumor formation and development in vivo. Mechanistically, no correlation between Bmi1 and Ink4A/Arf levels was found in mouse and human ICC tissues. Together, our data indicate that Bmi1 functions as an oncogene independent of repression of the Ink4A/Arf locus in ICC and that it can serve as a target for ICC treatment.

Erratum to: The Role of CARD9 in Metabolic Diseases.

The article "The Role of CARD9 in Metabolic Diseases", written by Cheng TIAN, Ya-li TUO, Yi LU, Chuan-rui XU, Ming XIANG, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal on May 2020 without open access. With the author(s)' decision to opt for Open Choice, the copyright of the article is changed to © The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.The original article has been corrected.

Bmal1 integrates mitochondrial metabolism and macrophage activation.

Metabolic pathways and inflammatory processes are under circadian regulation. Rhythmic immune cell recruitment is known to impact infection outcomes, but whether the circadian clock modulates immunometabolism remains unclear. We find that the molecular clock Bmal1 is induced by inflammatory stimulants, including Ifn-γ/lipopolysaccharide (M1) and tumor-conditioned medium, to maintain mitochondrial metabolism under metabolically stressed conditions in mouse macrophages. Upon M1 stimulation, myeloid-specific Bmal1 knockout (M-BKO) renders macrophages unable to sustain mitochondrial function, enhancing succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-mediated mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species as well as Hif-1α-dependent metabolic reprogramming and inflammatory damage. In tumor-associated macrophages, aberrant Hif-1α activation and metabolic dysregulation by M-BKO contribute to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Consequently, M-BKO increases melanoma tumor burden, whereas administering the SDH inhibitor dimethyl malonate suppresses tumor growth. Therefore, Bmal1 functions as a metabolic checkpoint that integrates macrophage mitochondrial metabolism, redox homeostasis and effector functions. This Bmal1-Hif-1α regulatory loop may provide therapeutic opportunities for inflammatory diseases and immunotherapy.