Early epigenetic changes precede genetic alterations and drive hepatocarcinogenesis
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE146286 | GEO | 2021/03/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:Hepatocarcinogenesis is a multi-stage process in which precursor lesions progress into early hepatocellular carcinomas (eHCC) by sequential accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations. To decode the molecular events during early stages of liver carcinogenesis, we performed gene expression profiling on cirrhotic (regenerative) and dysplastic nodules (DN) as well as eHCC. Although considerable heterogeneity was observed at the regenerative and dysplastic stages, clear differences were detected between DN and eHCC which included 460 differentially expressed genes. Functional analysis of the significant gene set identified the MYC oncogene as a plausible driver gene for malignant conversion of the dysplastic nodules. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed a remarkable enrichment of MYC up-regulated gene set in eHCC versus dysplasia. Presence of the MYC signature significantly correlated with increased expression of CSN5 as well as with the higher overall transcription rate of genes located in the 8q chromosome region. Furthermore, a classifier constructed from MYC target genes could robustly discriminate eHCC from high- and low-grade dysplastic nodules. In conclusion, our study identified unique expression patterns associated with the transition of high-grade dysplastic nodules to early HCC and demonstrated that activation of the MYC transcription signature is critical for the malignant conversion of pre-neoplastic liver lesions. Samples from forty-nine nodular liver lesions including 24 regenerative (cirrhotic) nodules (CN), 3 low-grade (LGDN), 12 high-grade dysplastic nodules (HGDN) and 10 early hepatocellular carcinomas (Early HCC) were used. The Human Operon V2 oligonucleotide library containing 22K features representing expressed sequences was printed to glass arrays in the Advanced Technology Center (National Cancer Institute, Gaithersburg, MD). The aRNA probes were fragmented and hybridized to the microarray slides following the standard procedures. All samples were hybridized against a common amplified reference RNA pooled from normal liver samples. Experimental duplicates were prepared following a reverse-flour design.
2010-05-15 | E-GEOD-12443 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Common genetic traits are not well defined in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), because necroinflammation lasting long in prior to hepatocarcinogenesis embeds highly heterogenous genetic background in hepatocytes over the liver. We experienced a rare case with chronic hepatitis C, in which multiple liver tumors at different stages in multistep hepatocarcinogenesis were observed at the same time. Under the same genetic and etiological backgrounds, comparisons of expression profiles among dysplastic nodules (DN), well differentiated HCC (WEL), and moderately differentiated HCC (MOD) would provide critical genetic information for the initiation and progression of HCC.
2020-07-24 | GSE153565 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocarcinogenesis is a multi-stage process in which precursor lesions progress into early hepatocellular carcinomas (eHCC) by sequential accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations. To decode the molecular events during early stages of liver carcinogenesis, we performed gene expression profiling on cirrhotic (regenerative) and dysplastic nodules (DN) as well as eHCC. Although considerable heterogeneity was observed at the regenerative and dysplastic stages, clear differences were detected between DN and eHCC which included 460 differentially expressed genes. Functional analysis of the significant gene set identified the MYC oncogene as a plausible driver gene for malignant conversion of the dysplastic nodules. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed a remarkable enrichment of MYC up-regulated gene set in eHCC versus dysplasia. Presence of the MYC signature significantly correlated with increased expression of CSN5 as well as with the higher overall transcription rate of genes located in the 8q chromosome region. Furthermore, a classifier constructed from MYC target genes could robustly discriminate eHCC from high- and low-grade dysplastic nodules. In conclusion, our study identified unique expression patterns associated with the transition of high-grade dysplastic nodules to early HCC and demonstrated that activation of the MYC transcription signature is critical for the malignant conversion of pre-neoplastic liver lesions.
2009-08-04 | GSE12443 | GEO
Project description:Development of primary liver cancer is a multistage process. Detailed understanding of sequential epigenetic alterations is largely missing. Here, we performed Infinium Human Methylation 450k BeadChips and RNA-Seq analyses for genome-wide methylome and transcriptome profiling of cirrhotic liver (n = 7), low- (n = 4) and high-grade (n = 9) dysplastic lesions, and early (n = 5) and progressed (n = 3) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) synchronously detected in 8 patients with HCC with chronic hepatitis B infection. Integrative analyses of epigenetically driven molecular changes were identified and validated in 2 independent cohorts comprising 887 HCCs. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing was further employed for clonality analyses, indicating multiclonal origin in the majority of investigated HCCs. Alterations in DNA methylation progressively increased from liver cirrhosis (CL) to dysplastic lesions and reached a maximum in early HCCs. Associated early alterations identified by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) involved apoptosis, immune regulation, and stemness pathways, while late changes centered on cell survival, proliferation, and invasion. We further validated 23 putative epidrivers with concomitant expression changes and associated with overall survival. Functionally, Striatin 4 (STRN4) was demonstrated to be epigenetically regulated, and inhibition of STRN4 significantly suppressed tumorigenicity of HCC cell lines. Overall, application of integrative genomic analyses defines epigenetic driver alterations and provides promising targets for potentially novel therapeutic approaches.
| S-EPMC8492348 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered the result of a stepwise carcinogenic process, more often beginning with development of premalignant lesions within a cirrhotic liver, morphologically characterized by low- (LGDN) and high-grade (HGDN) dysplastic nodules. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) represent a large family of small noncoding (snc) RNAs, 23-35 nucleotide-long, first identified in fruitfly germline cells by their ability to interact with PIWI proteins and thereby exert epigenetic and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. The PIWI-piRNAs pathway is active also in human somatic tissues, including stem and cancer cells, where piRNAs and piRNA-like molecules have been shown to influence key cellular processes. We applied small RNA sequencing to search for human liver piRNAs and to profile their expression patterns in cirrhotic nodules (CNs), LGDN, HGDN, early HCC (eHCC) and progressed HCC (pHCC), aiming at identifying possible relationships between these sncRNAs and liver carcinogenesis. Analyzing 54 nodules (14 CN, 8 LGDN, 6 HGDN, 6 eHCC and 20 pHCC) from 17 patients, we identified a 125 piRNA expression signature that clearly discriminates HCC from matched CNs, correlating also to clinicopathological characteristics of HCC. This result was confirmed by functional analysis of predicted piRNA target mRNAs. Interestingly, 24 piRNAs showed specific expression patterns in dysplastic nodules, respect to cirrhotic liver and/or pHCC. These results demonstrate that the piRNA pathway is active in human liver, where it is likely to represent a new player in the molecular events that characterize hepatocellular carcinogenesis, from early stages to pHCC. Furthermore, they suggest that piRNAs might represent new disease biomarkers, potentially useful for differential diagnosis of dysplastic and neoplastic liver lesions.
2016-07-15 | E-MTAB-3973 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoes a stepwise progression from liver cirrhosis (LC) to low-grade dysplastic nodule (LGDN), high-grade dysplastic nodule (HGDN), early HCC (eHCC), and progressed HCC (pHCC). Here, we profiled multi-layered genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic aberrations in the stepwise hepatocarcinogenesis. Initial DNA methylation was observed in eHCC (e.g., DKK3, SALL3, and SOX1) while more extensive methylation was observed in pHCC. In addition, eHCCs showed an initial loss of DNA copy numbers of tumor suppressor genes in the 4q and 13q regions, thereby conferring survival benefits to cancer cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed that HGDNs expressed endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related genes, while eHCC started to express oncogenes. Furthermore, integrative analysis indicated that expression of the serine peptidase inhibitor, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1), played a pivotal role in eHCC development. Significant demethylation of SPINK1 was observed in eHCC compared to HGDN. The study also demonstrated that ER stress may induce SPINK1 demethylation and expression in liver cancer cells. In conclusion, these results reveal the dynamics of multiomic aberrations during malignant conversion of liver cancer, thus providing novel pathobiological insights into hepatocarcinogenesis.
2019-09-18 | GSE99036 | GEO
Project description:BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common complication of chronic viral hepatitis. In support of this notion, we have reported that hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes critically contribute to inducing chronic liver cell injury that exerts high carcinogenic potential in a hepatitis B virus (HBV) Tg mouse model. The dynamics of the molecular signatures responsible for hepatocellular carcinogenesis are not fully understood. The current study was designed to determine the serial changes in gene expression profiles in a model of chronic immune-mediated hepatitis. METHODS: Three-month-old HBV Tg mice were immunologically reconstituted with bone marrow cells and splenocytes from syngeneic nonTg donors. Liver tissues were obtained every three months until 18 months at which time all mice developed multiple liver tumors. Nitrative DNA lesions and hepatocyte turnover were assessed immunohistochemically. Gene expression profiles were generated by extracting total RNA from the tissues and analyzing by microarray. RESULTS: The nitrative DNA lesions and the regenerative proliferation of hepatocytes were increased during the progression of chronic liver disease. In a gene expression profile analysis of liver samples, the chemokine- and T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated pathways were enhanced during chronic hepatitis, and the EGF- and VEGF-mediated pathways were induced in HCC. Among these molecules, the protein levels of STAT3 were greatly enhanced in all hepatocyte nuclei and further elevated in the cytoplasm in HCC tissue samples at 18 months, and the levels of phosphorylated TP53 (p-p53-Ser 6 and -Ser 15) were increased in liver tissues. CONCLUSIONS: HBV-specific immune responses caused unique molecular signatures in the liver tissues of chronic hepatitis and triggered subsequent carcinogenic gene expression profiles in a mouse model. The results suggest a plausible molecular basis responsible for HBV-induced immune pathogenesis of HCC.
2017-08-29 | GSE103205 | GEO
Project description:<p>Despite the growing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to increased hepatitis C virus infection and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in Western populations, the genetic determinants of this cancer have yet to be established. A minority (15-20%) of HCC occurs in livers without cirrhosis or other chronic disease. Because the liver is functionally preserved in these patients and surgical resection of the tumor may be performed safely, and because of the scarcity of livers available for transplantation, non-cirrhotic patients undergo surgical resection for HCC treatment. These resected tumors present investigatory opportunities in two ways: First, they provide tumor specimen which have not been treated with chemotherapy and embolization. Second, the absence of cirrhosis may provide an unconfounded background from which to investigate the genetic tumorigenesis of HCC. In livers with cirrhosis, genetic instability is prevalent as assessed by assays for microsatellite instability, loss of heterozygosity and aberrant DNA methylation. In contrast, in livers without cirrhosis, the non-tumor tissue surrounding HCC have been found to have fewer genetic aberrations. It has been postulated that the pathologic process of cirrhosis may result in the accumulation of many "passenger"; as well as "driver" mutations, and that the examination of the HCC cancer genome may be facilitated in non-cirrhotic livers because of the absence of an accumulated background noise of mutations.</p>
| phs001106 | dbGaP
Project description:We found that concomitant deletion of Trp53 and overexpression of c-MET (c-MET/sgp53) in the mouse liver led to HCC formation in vivo. Subsequently, a stably passaged cell line derived from a c-MET/sgp53 HCC were generated. We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of the c-MET/sgp53 HCC cell line. Wild-type FVB/N mouse liver were used as control.
2023-07-30 | GSE229764 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Altered DNA methylation landscapes are ubiquitous features of cancer. Interpretation of epigenetic aberrations in HCC is confounded by effects of multiple etiologic drivers and underlying cirrhosis in most cases. We globally profiled the DNA methylome of 34 normal livers and 122 primary liver disease tissues arising in the setting of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) viral infection, alcoholism (EtOH), and other causes to examine how these environmental agents impact DNA methylation in a manner that contributes to liver disease. Our results demonstrate that each etiologic factor leaves unique and overlapping signatures on the DNA methylome. CpGs aberrantly methylated in cirrhosis-HCV and conserved in HCC were enriched for cancer driver genes, suggesting a pathogenic role for HCV-induced methylation changes. Additionally, large genomic regions displaying stepwise hypermethylation or hypomethylation during disease progression were identified. HCC-HCV/EtOH methylomes overlap highly with cryptogenic HCC, suggesting shared epigenetically deregulated pathways for hepatic carcinogenesis. Finally, overlapping methylation abnormalities between primary and cultured tumors unveil highly conserved epigenetic signatures in HCC. Taken together, this study characterizes progressive liver DNA methylome changes under exposure to detrimental environmental agents and illuminates possible biomarkers for early detection of HCC. 156 primary tissues and 25 cultured normal and HCC cell lines
2014-09-16 | E-GEOD-60753 | biostudies-arrayexpress