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?-catenin deficiency in hepatocytes aggravates hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic ?-catenin and MET.

ABSTRACT: Both activating and inactivating mutations in catenin ?1 (ctnnb1), which encodes ?-catenin, have been implicated in liver tumorigenesis in humans and mice, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, we show that deletion of endogenous ?-catenin in hepatocytes aggravated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development driven by an oncogenic version of ?-catenin (CAT) in combination with the hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (MET). Although the mitogenic signaling and cell cycle progression was modestly impaired after CAT/MET transfection, the ?-catenin-deficient livers displayed changes in transcriptomes, increased DNA damage response, expanded Sox9+ cells, and up-regulation of protumorigenic cytokines, including interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor ?1. These events eventually exacerbated CAT/MET-driven hepatocarcinogenesis in ?-catenin-deficient livers, featured by up-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), protein kinase B (Akt), and Wnt/?-catenin signaling and cyclin D1 expression. The resultant mouse tumors showed similar transcriptomes to human HCC samples with concomitant CTNNB1 mutations and MET overexpression. CONCLUSION:These data argue that while dominantly activating mutants of ?-catenin are oncogenic, inhibiting the oncogenic signaling pathway generates a pro-oncogenic microenvironment that may facilitate HCC recurrence following a targeted therapy of the primary tumor. An effective therapeutic strategy must require disruption of the oncogenic signaling in tumor cells and suppression of the secondary tumor-promoting stromal effects in the liver microenvironment. (Hepatology 2018;67:1807-1822).

SUBMITTER: Liang Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5906147 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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β-catenin deficiency in hepatocytes aggravates hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic β-catenin and MET.

Liang Yan Y Feng Yun Y Zong Min M Wei Xu-Fu XF Lee Jin J Feng Yukuan Y Li Hairi H Yang Guang-Shun GS Wu Zhong-Jun ZJ Fu Xiang-Dong XD Feng Gen-Sheng GS

Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) 20180406 5

Both activating and inactivating mutations in catenin β1 (ctnnb1), which encodes β-catenin, have been implicated in liver tumorigenesis in humans and mice, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, we show that deletion of endogenous β-catenin in hepatocytes aggravated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development driven by an oncogenic version of β-catenin (CAT) in combination with the hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (MET). A ...[more]

PMID: 29152756

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Project description:BACKGROUND & AIMS:Shp2 is an SH2-tyrosine phosphatase acting downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Most recent data demonstrated a liver tumor-suppressing role for Shp2, as ablating Shp2 in hepatocytes aggravated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by chemical carcinogens or Pten loss. We further investigated the effect of Shp2 deficiency on liver tumorigenesis driven by classical oncoproteins c-Met (receptor for HGF), ?-catenin and PIK3CA. METHODS:We performed hydrodynamic tail vein injection of two pairs of plasmids expressing c-Met and ?N90-?-catenin (MET/CAT), or c-Met and PIK3CAH1047R (MET/PIK), into WT and Shp2hep-/- mice. We compared liver tumor loads and investigated the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms involved using multidisciplinary approaches. RESULTS:Despite the induction of oxidative and metabolic stresses, Shp2 deletion in hepatocytes suppressed hepatocarcinogenesis driven by overexpression of oncoproteins MET/CAT or MET/PIK. Shp2 loss inhibited proliferative signaling from c-Met, Wnt/?-catenin, Ras/Erk and PI3K/Akt pathways, but triggered cell senescence following exogenous expression of the oncogenes. CONCLUSIONS:Shp2, acting downstream of RTKs, is positively required for hepatocyte-intrinsic tumorigenic signaling from these oncoproteins, even if Shp2 deficiency induces a tumor-promoting hepatic microenvironment. These data suggest a new and more effective therapeutic strategy for HCCs driven by oncogenic RTKs and other upstream molecules, by inhibiting Shp2 and also suppressing any tumor-enhancing stromal factors produced because of Shp2 inhibition. LAY SUMMARY:Primary liver cancer is a malignant disease with poor prognosis, largely because there are limited systemic therapies available. We show here that a cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 is required for liver tumorigenesis. This tumorigenesis is driven by two oncoproteins that are implicated in human liver cancer. This, together with our previous studies, uncovers the complexity of liver tumorigenesis, by elucidating the pro- and anti-tumor effects of Shp2 in mouse models. This data can be used to guide new therapies.

Project description:Background & aimsComplex communications between hepatocytes and Kupffer cells (KCs) are known to drive or suppress hepatocarcinogenesis, with controversial data in the literature. In previous experiments that aimed to decipher hepatocyte/KC interactions, we unexpectedly unveiled a tumor-suppressing effect of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, a widely used inducer of MX dynamin like GTPase 1 (Mx1)-cre expression, which questioned a theory of interleukin 1a/6 cytokine circuit in hepatocyte/KC communication. The goal of this study was to clarify the controversy and decipher unique functions of KCs and non-KC macrophages in liver tumorigenesis.MethodsWe used the C-type lectin domain family 4 member F (Clec4f)-cre system to delete Src-homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 (Shp2)/protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 11 (Ptpn11) in KCs, and a combination of Clec4f-cre and adeno-associated virus-cre to delete Shp2 in KCs and hepatocytes to investigate the effects on hepatocellular carcinoma development and immune cell compositions/activities.ResultsAblating Shp2 in KCs generated a tumor-promoting niche, which was exacerbated further by concurrent removal of Shp2 in both KCs and hepatocytes. Shp2 deficiency induced KC apoptosis and decreased its numbers, which induced compensatory recruitment of bone marrow-derived monocytes into liver. These newly recruited monocytes differentiated into non-KC macrophages with tumor-associated macrophage function, leading to aggravated tumor progression through down-regulation of CD8 T cells. Tumor-associated macrophage blockade by anti-chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) antibody inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma progression, while depletion of all macrophages had a tumor-promoting effect by increasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) and decreasing CD8 T cells.ConclusionsShp2 loss in KCs or hepatocytes generated a protumorigenic microenvironment, which was exacerbated by its removal in both cell types. These results show the complexity of intercellular signaling events in liver tumorigenesis and raises caution on the use of specific Shp2 inhibitor in liver cancer therapy. Transcript profiling: RNA sequencing data are available at Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE222594).

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?-catenin deficiency in hepatocytes aggravates hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic ?-catenin and MET.

Publications

β-catenin deficiency in hepatocytes aggravates hepatocarcinogenesis driven by oncogenic β-catenin and MET.

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