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Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a life-threatening condition characterized by profound hepatocellular dysfunction for which targeted treatments are urgently needed. Identification of molecular drivers is hampered by the lack of suitable animal models. By performing RNA sequencing in livers from patients with different phenotypes of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), we show that development of AH is characterized by defective activity of liver-enriched transcription factors (LETFs). TGFβ1 is a key upstream transcriptome regulator in AH and induces the use of HNF4α P2 promoter in hepatocytes, which results in defective metabolic and synthetic functions. Gene polymorphisms in LETFs including HNF4α are not associated with the development of AH. In contrast, epigenetic studies show that AH livers have profound changes in DNA methylation state and chromatin remodeling, affecting HNF4α-dependent gene expression. We conclude that targeting TGFβ1 and epigenetic drivers that modulate HNF4α-dependent gene expression could be beneficial to improve hepatocellular function in patients with AH., Alcoholic hepatitis, a common cause of liver failure, lacks effective treatment. Here, the authors show altered hepatic HNF4a isoform expression and hypermethylation of its target genes in patients. HNF4a dysregulation is improved in vitro by TGFb or PPARg modulation suggesting potential therapeutic avenues.

ObjectiveHepatic stellate cells (HSC) transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts is central to fibrogenesis. Epigenetic mechanisms, including histone and DNA methylation, play a key role in this process. Concerted action between histone and DNA-mehyltransferases like G9a and DNMT1 is a common theme in gene expression regulation. We aimed to study the efficacy of CM272, a first-in-class dual and reversible G9a/DNMT1 inhibitor, in halting fibrogenesis.DesignG9a and DNMT1 were analysed in cirrhotic human livers, mouse models of liver fibrosis and cultured mouse HSC. G9a and DNMT1 expression was knocked down or inhibited with CM272 in human HSC (hHSC), and transcriptomic responses to transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) were examined. Glycolytic metabolism and mitochondrial function were analysed with Seahorse-XF technology. Gene expression regulation was analysed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and methylation-specific PCR. Antifibrogenic activity and safety of CM272 were studied in mouse chronic CCl4 administration and bile duct ligation (BDL), and in human precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs) in a new bioreactor technology.ResultsG9a and DNMT1 were detected in stromal cells in areas of active fibrosis in human and mouse livers. G9a and DNMT1 expression was induced during mouse HSC activation, and TGFβ1 triggered their chromatin recruitment in hHSC. G9a/DNMT1 knockdown and CM272 inhibited TGFβ1 fibrogenic responses in hHSC. TGFβ1-mediated profibrogenic metabolic reprogramming was abrogated by CM272, which restored gluconeogenic gene expression and mitochondrial function through on-target epigenetic effects. CM272 inhibited fibrogenesis in mice and PCLSs without toxicity.ConclusionsDual G9a/DNMT1 inhibition by compounds like CM272 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating liver fibrosis.

The liver has an extraordinary regenerative capacity rapidly triggered upon injury or resection. This response is intrinsically adjusted in its initiation and termination, a property termed the "hepatostat". Several molecules have been involved in liver regeneration, and among them bile acids may play a central role. Intrahepatic levels of bile acids rapidly increase after resection. Through the activation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), bile acids regulate their hepatic metabolism and also promote hepatocellular proliferation. FXR is also expressed in enterocytes, where bile acids stimulate the expression of fibroblast growth factor 15/19 (FGF15/19), which is released to the portal blood. Through the activation of FGFR4 on hepatocytes FGF15/19 regulates bile acids synthesis and finely tunes liver regeneration as part of the "hepatostat". Here we review the experimental evidences supporting the relevance of the FXR-FGF15/19-FGFR4 axis in liver regeneration and discuss potential therapeutic applications of FGF15/19 in the prevention of liver failure. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Disease edited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni, Nicholas LaRusso and Peter Jansen.

The liver displays a remarkable regenerative capacity triggered upon tissue injury or resection. However, liver regeneration can be overwhelmed by excessive parenchymal destruction or diminished by pre-existing conditions hampering repair. Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19, rodent FGF15) is an enterokine that regulates liver bile acid and lipid metabolism, and stimulates hepatocellular protein synthesis and proliferation. FGF19/15 is also important for liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Therefore recombinant FGF19 would be an ideal molecule to stimulate liver regeneration, but its applicability may be curtailed by its short half-life. We developed a chimaeric molecule termed Fibapo in which FGF19 is covalently coupled to apolipoprotein A-I. Fibapo retains FGF19 biological activities but has significantly increased half-life and hepatotropism. Here we evaluated the proregenerative activity of Fibapo in two clinically relevant models where liver regeneration may be impaired: acetaminophen (APAP) poisoning, and PH in aged mice. The only approved therapy for APAP intoxication is N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and no drugs are available to stimulate liver regeneration. We demonstrate that Fibapo reduced liver injury and boosted regeneration in APAPintoxicated mice. Fibapo improved survival of APAP-poisoned mice when given at later time points, when NAC is ineffective. Mechanistically, Fibapo accelerated recovery of hepatic glutathione levels, potentiated cell growth-related pathways and increased functional liver mass. When Fibapo was administered to old mice prior to PH, liver regeneration was markedly increased. The exacerbated injury developing in these mice upon PH was attenuated, and the hepatic biosynthetic capacity was enhanced. Fibapo reversed metabolic and molecular alterations that impede regeneration in aged livers. It reduced liver steatosis and downregulated p21 and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (Hnf4α) levels, whereas it stimulated Foxm1b gene expression. Together our findings indicate that FGF19 variants retaining the metabolic and growth-promoting effects of this enterokine may be valuable for the stimulation of liver regeneration., Work in the authors' laboratory is supported by CIBERehd and Grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) co-financed by 'Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional' (FEDER) 'Una manera de hacer Europa', numbers: FIS PI13/00359, PI13/00385 and PI16/01126. Grants SAF2015-66515-R, SAF201569944-R, SAF 2016-75972 R from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, and the center grant P50AA011999 funded by NIAAA. 'Ramón y Cajal-I3' contract to MUL, Mineco-FPI Fellowship to MB-V. Marie Curie EU contract to MGF-B. Fundación M Torres; Fundación Eugenio Rodríguez Pascual; Fundación Mario Losantos; Fundación Familia Puig-Infante and Fundación Bancaria La CaixaHepacare Project.

A precise equilibrium between cellular differentiation and proliferation is fundamental for tissue homeostasis. Maintaining this balance is particularly important for the liver, a highly differentiated organ with systemic metabolic functions that is endowed with unparalleled regenerative potential. Carcinogenesis in the liver develops as the result of hepatocellular de-differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation. Here, we identified SLU7, which encodes a pre-mRNA splicing regulator that is inhibited in hepatocarcinoma, as a pivotal gene for hepatocellular homeostasis. SLU7 knockdown in human liver cells and mouse liver resulted in profound changes in pre-mRNA splicing and gene expression, leading to impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, refractoriness to key metabolic hormones, and reversion to a fetal-like gene expression pattern. Additionally, loss of SLU7 also increased hepatocellular proliferation and induced a switch to a tumor-like glycolytic phenotype. Slu7 governed the splicing and/or expression of multiple genes essential for hepatocellular differentiation, including serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (Srsf3) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (Hnf4α), and was critical for cAMP-regulated gene transcription. Together, out data indicate that SLU7 is central regulator of hepatocyte identity and quiescence.

SUMMARY Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a molecularly complex tumor that is resistant to standard and targeted therapies, and thus a deadly disease. In this context, the identification of key alterations driving HCC development is therefore essential. The implementation of next-generation sequencing techniques has underscored earlier realizations of the marked dysregulation of pre-mRNA splicing in HCC. Impairments in alternative splicing may lead to the expression of protumorigenic protein isoforms and to the generation of unstable mRNA species. Mechanistically, mutations in key nucleotides are responsible for many of these alterations in different types of tumors. However, changes in the expression of factors involved in the regulation of the splicing machinery are also important determinants in the derangement of pre-mRNA splicing. Here we discuss recent reports on the alteration of splicing factors in HCC, the pathological significance of these changes, and the identification of cell signaling pathways leading to the missplicing of genes in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Resisting death is a central hallmark of cancer cells. Tumors rely on a number of genetic mechanisms to avoid apoptosis, and alterations in mRNA alternative splicing are increasingly recognized to have a role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we identify the splicing regulator SLU7 as an essential factor for the preservation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells viability. Compared with hepatocytes, SLU7 expression is reduced in HCC cells; however, further SLU7 depletion triggered autophagy-related cellular apoptosis in association with the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Remarkably, these responses were not observed in primary human hepatocytes or in the well-differentiated HepaRG cell line. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that SLU7 binds the C13orf25 primary transcript in which the polycistronic oncomir miR-17-92 cluster is encompassed, and is necessary for its processing and expression. SLU7 knockdown altered the splicing of the C13orf25 primary transcript, and markedly reduced the expression of its miR-17, miR-20 and miR-92a constituents. This led to the upregulation of CDKN1A (P21) and BCL2L11 (BIM) expression, two bona fide targets of the miR-17-92 cluster and recognized mediators of its pro-survival and tumorigenic activity. Interestingly, altered splicing of miR-17-92 and downregulation of miR-17 and miR-20 were not observed upon SLU7 knockdown in non-transformed hepatocytes, but was found in other (HeLa, H358) but not in all (Caco2) non-hepatic tumor cells. The functional relevance of miR-17-92 dysregulation upon SLU7 knockdown was established when oxidative stress, autophagy and apoptosis were reversed by co-transfection of HCC cells with a miR-17 mimic. Together, these findings indicate that SLU7 is co-opted by HCC cells and other tumor cell types to maintain survival, and identify this splicing regulator as a new determinant for the expression of the oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster. This novel mechanism may be exploited for the development of antitumoral strategies in cancers displaying such SLU7-miR-17-92 crosstalk.

Background & Aims: Bile acids (BA) are increasingly recognized as important modulators of liver regeneration. Increased enterohepatic BA flux has been proposed to generate specific signals that activate hepatocyte proliferation after partial hepatectomy (PH). We have investigated the role of the BA membrane transporter Mrp3 (Abcc3), which is expressed in the liver and gut, in the hepatic growth response elicited by BA and in liver regeneration after PH. Methods: Liver growth and regeneration, and the expression of growth-related genes, were studied in and Mrp3(-/-) mice fed a cholic acid (CA) supplemented diet and after 2/3 PH. Activation of the BA receptor FXR was measured in mice after in vivo transduction of the liver with a FXR-Luciferase reporter plasmid. BA levels were measured in portal serum and liver tissue by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Liver growth elicited by CA feeding was significantly reduced in Mrp3(-/-) mice. These animals showed reduced FXR activation in the liver after CA administration and decreased portal serum levels of BA. Liver regeneration after PH was significantly delayed in Mrp3-deficient mice. Proliferation-related gene expression and peak DNA synthesis in Mrp3(-/-) mice occurred later than in wild types, coinciding with a retarded elevation in intra-hepatic BA levels. Conclusions: Lack of Abcc3 expression markedly impairs liver growth in response to BA and after PH. Our data suggest that Mrp3 plays a non-redundant role in the regulation of BA flux during liver regeneration. (C) 2011 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The identification of molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the transformed phenotype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells is essential for the elucidation of therapeutic strategies. Here, we show that human HCC cells display an autocrine loop mediated by connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) that promotes DNA synthesis and cell survival. Expression of CTGF was stimulated by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands and was dependent on the expression of the transcriptional coactivator, Yes-associated protein (YAP). We identified elements in the CTGF gene proximal promoter that bound YAP-enclosing complexes and were responsible for basal and EGFR-stimulated CTGF expression. We also demonstrate that YAP expression can be up-regulated through EGFR activation not only in HCC cells, but also in primary human hepatocytes. CTGF contributed to HCC cell dedifferentiation, expression of inflammation-related genes involved in carcinogenesis, resistance toward doxorubicin, and in vivo HCC cell growth. Importantly, CTGF down-regulated tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor 2 expression and was involved in the reduced sensitivity of these cells toward TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Conclusion: We have identified autocrine CTGF as a novel determinant of HCC cells' neoplastic behavior. Expression of CTGF can be stimulated through the EGFR-signaling system in HCC cells in a novel cross-talk with the oncoprotein YAP. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first study that identifies a signaling mechanism triggering YAP gene expression in healthy and transformed liver parenchymal cells. (HEPATOLOGY 2011)

Hepatocarcinogenesis is a complex multistep process in which many different molecular pathways have been implicated. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is refractory to conventional chemotherapeutic agents, and the new targeted therapies are meeting with limited success. Interreceptor crosstalk and the positive feedback between different signaling systems are emerging as mechanisms of targeted therapy resistance. The identification of such interactions is therefore of particular relevance to improve therapeutic efficacy. Among the different signaling pathways activated in hepatocarcinogenesis the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) system plays a prominent role, being recognized as a "signaling hub" where different extracellular growth and survival signals converge. EGFR can be transactivated in response to multiple heterologous ligands through the physical interaction with multiple receptors, the activity of intracellular kinases or the shedding of EGFR-ligands. In this article we review the crosstalk between the EGFR and other signaling pathways that could be relevant to liver cancer development and treatment.

Background/Aims The modulation of the hepatic acute-phase reaction (APR) that occurs during inflammation and liver regeneration is important for allowing normal hepatocellular proliferation and the restoration of homeostasis. Activation of acute-phase protein (APP) gene expression by interleukin-6 (IL-6)-type cytokines is thought to be counteracted by growth factors released during hepatic inflammation and regeneration. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand amphiregulin (AR) is readily induced by inflammatory signals and plays a nonredundant protective role during liver injury. In this paper, we investigated the role of AR as a modulator of liver APP gene expression. Methods Expression of APP genes was measured in the livers of AR +/+ and AR −/− mice during inflammation and regeneration and in cultured liver cells treated with AR and oncostatin M (OSM). Crosstalk between AR and OSM signalling was studied. Results APP genes were overexpressed in the livers of AR −/− mice during inflammation and hepatocellular regeneration. In cultured AR-null hepatocytes and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells after AR knockdown, APP gene expression is enhanced. AR counteracts OSM-triggered signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signalling in hepatocytes and attenuates APP gene transcription. Conclusions Our data support the relevance of EGFR-mediated signalling in the modulation of cytokine-activated pathways. We have identified AR as a key regulator of hepatic APP gene expression during inflammation and liver regeneration.

Epidemiological studies have established that many tumours occur in association with persistent inflammation. One clear example of inflammation-related cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC slowly unfolds on a background of chronic inflammation triggered by exposure to infectious agents (hepatotropic viruses), toxic compounds (ethanol), or metabolic impairment. The molecular links that connect inflammation and cancer are not completely known, but evidence gathered over the past few years is beginning to define the precise mechanisms. A central role for cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1 (α and β) in liver cancer has been established in experimental models. Besides these inflammatory mediators, mounting evidence points to the dysregulation of specific growth and survival-related pathways in HCC development. Among them is the pathway governed by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which can be bound and activated by a broad family of ligands. Of special relevance is the fact that the EGFR engages in extensive crosstalk with other signaling pathways, serving as a “signaling hub” for an increasing list of growth factors, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators. In this review, we summarize the most recent evidences supporting a role for the EGFR system in inflammation-related cell signaling, with special emphasis in liver inflammation and HCC. The molecular dissection of the pathways connecting the inflammatory reaction and neoplasia will facilitate the development of novel and more effective antitumor strategies.

A connection between inflammation and cancer has been long suspected. Epidemiological studies have established that many tumors occur in association with chronic infectious diseases, and it is also known that persistent inflammation in the absence of infections increases the risk and accelerates the development of cancer. One clear example of inflammation-related cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a type tumor that slowly unfolds on a background of chronic inflammation mainly triggered by exposure to infectious agents (hepatotropic viruses) or to toxic compounds (ethanol). The molecular links that connect inflammation and cancer are not completely known, but evidences gathered over the past few years are beginning to define the precise mechanisms. In this article we review the most compelling evidences on the role of transcription factors such as NF-kappaB and STAT3, cytokines like IL-6 and IL-1alpha, ligands of the EGF receptor and other inflammatory mediators in cancer development, with special emphasis in HCC. The molecular dissection of the pathways connecting the inflammatory reaction and neoplasia will pave the way for better therapies to treat cancers.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in tissue repair after acute injury, but also participate in cancer by promoting a protumorigenic microenvironment. Previously, we reported on a key role for MMP10 in mouse liver regeneration. Herein, we investigated MMP10 expression and function in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced mouse hepatocarcinogenesis. MMP10 was induced in human and murine HCC tissues and cells. MMP10-deficient mice showed less HCC incidence, smaller histological lesions, reduced tumor vascularization, and less lung metastases. Importantly, expression of the protumorigenic, C-X-C chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4), was reduced in DEN-induced MMP10-deficient mice livers. Human HCC cells stably expressing MMP10 had increased CXCR4 expression and migratory capacity. Pharmacological inhibition of CXCR4 significantly reduced MMP10-stimulated HCC cell migration. Furthermore, MMP10 expression in HCC cells was induced by hypoxia and the CXCR4 ligand, stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF1), through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway, involving an activator protein 1 site in MMP10 gene promoter. Conclusion: MMP10 contributes to HCC development, participating in tumor angiogenesis, growth, and dissemination. We identified a new reciprocal crosstalk between MMP10 and the CXCR4/SDF1 axis contributing to HCC progression and metastasis. To our knowledge, this is the first report addressing the role of a MMP in hepatocarcinogenesis in the corresponding genetic mouse model. (Hepatology 2015;62:166-178)

Background/Aims: The differential oxygenation of periportal and perivenous hepatocytes has been demonstrated as a major determinant in the zonated expression of certain metabolic pathways in the liver. We have searched for novel genes whose expression could be modulated by hypoxia in cultured rat hepatocytes. Methods: Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were incubated under normoxic (21% oxygen) or hypoxic (3% oxygen) conditions for 6 h. Differences in gene expression under both conditions were analyzed using the technique of differential display by means of PCR. Results: We have identified the enzyme argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) as being downregulated by hypoxia. ASL is a cytosolic protein which participates in urea metabolism. ASL expression was time-dependently reduced in hypoxia. Hypoxia modulated the responses of this gene to the two main hormonal signals which induce ASL mRNA: glucocorticoids and cAMP. ASL mRNA levels decreased in response to ATP-reducing agents. CoCl 2 mimicked the effect of hypoxia, suggesting the implication of a hemoprotein in this response. Hypoxia did not affect ASL mRNA stability, indicating that this effect occurs at the transcriptional level. Conclusions: Our observations suggest that differences in oxygen levels across the hepatic parenchyma could participate in the zonated expression of ASL.

Background & Aims Upon tissue injury, the liver mounts a potent reparative and regenerative response. A role for proteases, including serine and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in this process is increasingly recognized. We have evaluated the expression and function of MMP10 (stromelysin-2) in liver wound healing and regeneration. Methods The hepatic expression of MMP10 was examined in two murine models: liver regeneration after two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) and bile duct ligation (BDL). MMP10 was detected in liver tissues by qPCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The effect of growth factors and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonists on MMP10 expression was studied in cultured parenchymal and biliary epithelial cells and macrophages respectively. The role of MMP10 was evaluated by comparing the response of Mmp10+/+ and Mmp10−/− mice to PH and BDL. The intrahepatic turnover of the extracellular matrix proteins fibrin (ogen) and fibronectin was examined. Results MMP10 mRNA was readily induced after PH and BDL. MMP10 protein was detected in hepatocytes, cholangiocytes and macrophages. In cultured liver epithelial cells, MMP10 expression was additively induced by transforming growth factor-β and epidermal growth factor receptor ligands. TLR4 ligands also stimulated MMP10 expression in macrophages. Lack of MMP10 resulted in increased liver injury upon PH and BDL. Resolution of necrotic areas was impaired, and Mmp10−/− mice showed increased fibrogenesis and defective turnover of fibrin (ogen) and fibronectin. Conclusions MMP10 expression is induced during mouse liver injury and participates in the hepatic wound healing response. The profibrinolytic activity of MMP10 may be essential in this novel hepatoprotective role.

Objective Cholestasis is associated with increased liver injury and morbidity after partial hepatectomy (PH), yet bile acids (BAs) are emerging as important mediators of liver regeneration. Fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15, human FGF19) is a BA-induced ileum-derived enterokine that governs BA metabolism. We evaluated the relevance of Fgf15 in the preservation of BA homeostasis after PH and its potential role in the regenerative process. Design Liver regeneration after PH was studied in Fgf15 −/− and Fgf15 +/+ mice. The effects of the BA sequestrant cholestyramine and adenovirally delivered Fgf15 were examined in this model. The role of Fgf15 in BA-induced liver growth was tested in Fgf15 −/− mice upon cholic acid (CA) feeding. The direct mitogenic effect of Fgf15 was evaluated in cultured mouse hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Results Fgf15 −/− mice showed marked liver injury and mortality after PH accompanied by persistently elevated intrahepatic BA levels. Cholestyramine feeding and adenovirally delivered Fgf15 reduced BA levels and significantly prevented this lethal outcome. Fgf15 also reduced mortality after extensive hepatectomy in Fgf15 +/+ animals. Liver growth elicited by CA feeding was significantly diminished in Fgf15 −/− mice. Proliferation of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes was also noticeably reduced in CA-fed Fgf15 −/− mice. Fgf15 induced intracellular signalling and proliferation of cultured hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Conclusions Fgf15 is necessary to maintain BA homeostasis and prevent liver injury during liver regeneration. Moreover, Fgf15 is an essential mediator of the liver growth-promoting effects of BA. Preoperative administration of this enterokine to patients undergoing liver resection might be useful to reduce damage and foster regeneration.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent liver tumor and a deadly disease with limited therapeutic options. Dysregulation of cell signaling pathways is a common denominator in tumorigenesis, including hepatocarcinogenesis. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling system is commonly activated in HCC, and is currently being evaluated as a therapeutic target in combination therapies. We and others have identified a central role for the EGFR ligand amphiregulin (AR) in the proliferation, survival and drug resistance of HCC cells. AR expression is frequently up-regulated in HCC tissues and cells through mechanisms not completely known. Here we identify the ß-catenin signaling pathway as a novel mechanism leading to transcriptional activation of the AR gene in human HCC cells. Activation of ß-catenin signaling, or expression of the T41A ß-catenin active mutant, led to the induction of AR expression involving three specific ß-catenin-Tcf responsive elements in its proximal promoter. We demonstrate that HCC cells expressing the T41A ß-catenin active mutant show enhanced proliferation that is dependent in part on AR expression and EGFR signaling. We also demonstrate here a novel cross-talk of the EGFR system with fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19). FGF19 is a recently identified driver gene in hepatocarcinogenesis and an activator of ß-catenin signaling in HCC and colon cancer cells. We show that FGF19 induced AR gene expression through the ß-catenin pathway in human HCC cells. Importantly, AR up-regulation and EGFR signaling participated in the induction of cyclin D1 and cell proliferation elicited by FGF19. Finally, we demonstrate a positive correlation between FGF19 and AR expression in human HCC tissues, therefore supporting in clinical samples our experimental observations. These findings identify the AR/EGFR system as a key mediator of FGF19 responses in HCC cells involving ß-catenin signaling, and suggest that combined targeting of FGF19 and AR/EGFR may enhance therapeutic efficacy.

Notwithstanding numerous evidences implicating toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the localization and level of TLR4 expression in the liver of patients with hepatitis C have never been investigated. We aimed to evaluate, by means of immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR (rt-PCR), hepatic TLR4 expression in patients with chronic HCV infection. Fifty patients who had undergone liver biopsy and 11 patients transplanted because of chronic HCV infection, and 12 controls free of liver disease, were included in the study. Each case was analyzed by immunohistochemistry for TLR4, α-smooth muscle actin and cytokeratin-7 (CK-7), and a subgroup of patients and all controls by rt-PCR for TLR4. Immunohistochemistry for α-smooth muscle actin was used to derive a score of activation of hepatic stellate cells and portal/septal myofibroblasts, while immunohistochemistry for CK-7 was used to evaluate and count hepatic progenitor cells, interlobular bile ducts and intermediate hepatocytes. In patients, the parenchymal elements responsible for the highest TLR4 level of expression were hepatic progenitor cells and biliary epithelial cells of interlobular bile ducts. Double-labeling experiments between anti-TLR4 and anti-CK7, anti-CD133, anti-CD44, anti-neural cell adhesion molecule, anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule and anti-sex determining region Y-box 9, confirmed these findings. TLR4-positive hepatic progenitor cells and interlobular bile ducts were significantly correlated with the stage of liver disease (P

Background and Aims: avb6 integrin is markedly upregulated in liver fibrosis and human cholangiocarcinoma (CC), and its genetic and pharmaceutical inhibition revealed potent antifibrotic activity in experimental liver fibrosis. Whether avb6 integrin inhibition may interfere with cholangiocarcinogenesis is unknown. Methods: To induce experimental CC, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with thioacetamide (TAA) for 22 weeks, followed by specific non-peptidic avb6 integrin inhibitor EMD527040 at 60mg/kg/day i.p. after 9 weeks of TAA. Besides mortality and tumor incidence, expression of avb6 integrin was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. In vitro, 3D culture cell invasion assay was used to evaluate cholangiocarcinoma TFK-1 cells spheroid formation and invasive capacities. Human liver specimens of patients with cirrhosis, cholangiocarcinoma and normal liver tissues were analyzed by EMT RT ProfilerTM PCR Array (Qiagen). Results: TAA administration in rats induced CC in 80% of animals with no mortality, and an upregulation of avb6 integrin by 15-fold. Treatment with EMD527040 reduced the incidence of CC by 50%, and caused a significant down-regulation of avb6 mRNA expression. In vitro, 10mM EMD527040 completely prevented spheroid formation of cholangiocarcinoma cells TFK-1 in 3D system cultivation, whereas no matrix invasion with this cell type was observed. Microarrays in human CC samples detected a significant upregulation of 4 genes related to EMT: COL1A2, COL3A1, KRT19 and VCAN (p < 0.05), while there was a significant 5-fold downregulation of the EGFR, ESR1, F11R, IL1RN, NUDT13, PPPDE2 and WNT11 genes. Conclusions: Pharmaceutical targeting of avb6 integrin reduces tumor burden in an experimental model of CC, possibly by inhibiting tumor dissemination.

Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is an essential enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), the most important biological methyl donor. Liver MAT I/III is the product of the MAT1A gene. Hepatic MAT I/III activity and MAT1A expression are compromised under pathological conditions such as alcoholic liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis, and this gene is silenced upon neoplastic transformation of the liver. In the present work, we evaluated whether MAT1A expression could be targeted by the polycyclic arylhydrocarbon (PAH) 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) in rat liver and cultured hepatocytes. MAT1A mRNA levels were reduced by 50% following in vivo administration of 3-MC to adult male rats (100 mg/kg, p.o., 4 days' treatment). This effect was reproduced in a time- and dose-dependent fashion in cultured rat hepatocytes, and was accompanied by the induction of cytochrome P450 1A1 gene expression. This action of 3-MC was mimicked by other PAHs such as benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[e]pyrene, but not by the model arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activator 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. 3-MC inhibited transcription driven by a MAT1A promoter-reporter construct transfected into rat hepatocytes, but MAT1A mRNA stability was not affected. We recently showed that liver MAT1A expression is induced by AdoMet in cultured hepatocytes. Here, we observed that exogenously added AdoMet prevented the negative effects of 3-MC on MAT1A expression. Taken together, our data demonstrate that liver MAT1A gene expression is targeted by PAHs, independently of AhR activation. The effect of AdoMet may be part of the protective action of this molecule in liver damage.

Pre-mRNA splicing is an essential step in the process of gene expression in eukaryotes and consists of the removal of introns and the linking of exons to generate mature mRNAs. This is a highly regulated mechanism that allows the alternative usage of exons, the retention of intronic sequences and the generation of exonic se- quences of variable length. Most human genes undergo splicing events, and disruptions of this process have been associated with a variety of diseases, including cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a molecularly heterogeneous type of tumor that usually develops in a cirrhotic liver. Alterations in pre-mRNA splicing of some genes have been observed in liver cancer, and although still scarce, the available data suggest that splicing de- fects may have a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Here we briefly review the general mechanisms that regulate pre-mRNA splicing, and discuss some examples that illustrate how this process is impaired in liver tumori- genesis, and may contribute to HCC development. We believe that a more thorough examination of pre-mRNA splicing is still needed to accurately draw the molecular portrait of liver cancer. This will surely contribute to a better understanding of the disease and to the develop- ment of new effective therapies.

Background & Aims Inactivation of the product of the tumor suppressor gene TP73 does not usually occur by mutation but rather through expression of truncated isoforms that have dominant-negative effects on p73 and p53. The truncated oncogenic isoform ΔEx2p73 is expressed in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) and is produced through the alternative splicing of p73 pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA); however, the underlying mechanisms regulating this process are unknown. Methods We used human normal and diseased liver tissue samples, as well as human HCC cell lines, to examine the association between activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by its ligand amphiregulin (AR) and the alternative splicing of p73 pre-mRNA into the tumorigenic isoform ΔEx2p73, via c-Jun N-terminal-kinase-1-mediated signaling. Results ΔEx2p73 was expressed in a subset of premalignant cirrhotic livers and in otherwise healthy livers that harbored a primary tumor, as well as in HCC tissues. ΔEx2p73 expression was correlated with that of the EGFR ligand AR, which was previously shown to have a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Autocrine activation of the EGFR by AR triggered c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 activity and inhibited the expression of the splicing regulator Slu7, leading to the accumulation of ΔEx2p73 transcripts in HCC cells. Conclusions This study provided a mechanism for the generation of protumorigenic ΔEx2p73 during liver tumorigenesis, via activation of EGFR signaling by AR and c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 activity, leading to inhibition of the splicing regulator Slu7.