Identification of CD14 as a potential biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma using iTRAQ quantitative proteomics.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors without effective diagnostic biomarkers. This study intended to dynamically analyze serum proteomics in different pathological stages of liver diseases, and discover potential diagnostic biomarkers for early HCC. Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, liver cirrhosis (LC), or HCC together with healthy controls (HC) were enrolled.

Glycosylation patterns and PHA-E-associated glycoprotein profiling associated with early hepatic encephalopathy in Chinese hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) as a severe neuropsychiatric complication is commonly present in the end stage of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). However, widely accepted biomarkers for diagnosing early HE are still absent. Here, we screened glycosylation patterns of serum proteins from Chinese HCC patients with or without early HE by lectin microarray.

Genome-wide screen of ovary-specific DNA methylation in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To compare genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in ovary tissue from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and healthy controls.

Design: Case-control study matched for age and body mass index.

Setting: University-affiliated hospital.

The high expressed serum soluble neural cell adhesion molecule, a high risk factor indicating hepatic encephalopathy in hepatocelular carcinoma patients.

Objective: To investigate whether the expression of serum soluble neural cell adhesion molecule (sNCAM) is associated with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in hepatocelular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Materials And Methods: The Oncomine Cancer Microarray database was used to determine the clinical relevance of NCAM expression in different kinds of human cancers. Sera from 75 HCC cases enrolled in this study were assessed for expression of sNCAM by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Dynamic expression patterns of differential proteins during early invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Tumor cell invasion into the surrounding matrix has been well documented as an early event of metastasis occurrence. However, the dynamic expression patterns of proteins during early invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are largely unknown. Using a three-dimensional HCC invasion culture model established previously, we investigated the dynamic expression patterns of identified proteins during early invasion of HCC.

A specific cholesterol metabolic pathway is established in a subset of HCCs for tumor growth.

The liver plays a central role in cholesterol homeostasis. It exclusively receives and metabolizes oxysterols, which are important metabolites of cholesterol and are more cytotoxic than free cholesterol, from all extrahepatic tissues. Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) impair certain liver functions and cause pathological alterations in many processes including cholesterol metabolism.

Promoter methylation of CYP19A1 gene in Chinese polycystic ovary syndrome patients.

Aims: This study aimed to examine the methylation status of the CYP19A1 promoter region in Chinese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients.

Methods: A case-control study was designed that involved 10 PCOS patients and 10 controls. Ovary tissues obtained from 10 women with PCOS and 10 healthy controls were matched for body mass index and age.

SUOX is a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: To investigate diagnostic and prognostic values of sulfite oxidase (SUOX) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent curative resection.

Methods: We investigated immunohistochemically the expression dynamics of SUOX, aldo-ketoreductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) and CD34 at different stages of HCC. The differential diagnostic performance of three markers or their combinations in high-grade dysplastic nodules (HGDNs) and well-differentiated small HCC (WD-sHCC) were investigated by logistic regression models and validated in an independent testing set.

A novel panel of biomarkers in distinction of small well-differentiated HCC from dysplastic nodules and outcome values.

Background: Differential diagnosis of high-grade dysplastic nodules (HGDN) and well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (WDHCC) represents a challenge to experienced hepatic clinicians, radiologists and hepatopathologists.

Methods: The expression profiles of aminoacylase-1 (ACY1), sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1) and glypican-3 (GPC3) in low-grade dysplastic nodules (LGDN), HGDN and WDHCC were assessed by immunohistochemistry. The differential diagnostic performances of these three markers alone and in combination for HGDN and WDHCC were investigated by logistic regression models (HGDN = 21; WDHCC = 32) and validated in an independent test set (HGDN, n = 21; WDHCC n = 24).

NANOG promotes liver cancer cell invasion by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition through NODAL/SMAD3 signaling pathway.

NANOG is a major transcription factor essential to the stem cell self-renewal and is associated with tumor malignancy, but the NANOG signaling in cancer metastasis is still elusive. In this study, we determined the expression of NANOG in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and investigated its underlying mechanism in the metastasis of HCC. The expression levels of NANOG were examined in tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry.

Genetic variants in STAT4 and HLA-DQ genes confer risk of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

To identify genetic susceptibility loci for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Chinese population, we carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 2,514 chronic HBV carriers (1,161 HCC cases and 1,353 controls) followed by a 2-stage validation among 6 independent populations of chronic HBV carriers (4,319 cases and 4,966 controls). The joint analyses showed that HCC risk was significantly associated with two independent loci: rs7574865 at STAT4, P(meta) = 2.48 × 10(-10), odds ratio (OR) = 1.

[Applicability of the multiplex quantitative antibody array system for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To develop an early and accurate detection method for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on detection of tumor-associated serum markers using a multiplex quantitative antibody array.

Methods: The double-antibody sandwich principle was used to establish an antibody array composed of eight cancer-related serum markers, including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-b1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Serum samples from 160 cases of clinically diagnosed HCC and from 58 cases of liver cirrhosis (LC; controls) were obtained to test the array.

[Identification of metastasis-related osteopontin expression and glycosylation in hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To test expression level and glycosylation level of OPN in HCC cell lines with different metastatic potential and HCC tissues, and investigate the correlation between the glycosylation change and the liver cancer transporting as well as its significance.

Methods: The level of OPN expression in liver cancer tissue(6 cases of non-metastasis and 7 cases of metastasis)as well as HCC cell lines with different metastatic potential (L02, Hep3B, MHCC97L, MHCC97H, HCCLM3, HCCLM6)was identified by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot, and then OPN was purified from HCC tissues by immunoprecipitation, followed by glycosylation detection of OPN from non-metastatic and metastatic HCC tissues by multiple lectin blot. Data were analyzed by t-test and variance analysis.

[Relationship between CD44 expression or glycosylation and hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis].

Objective: To explore the relationship of CD44 expression or glycosylation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis.

Methods: IHC, Quantum dots detection, RT-PCR, Western blot, Cellular immune fluorescence and MS-PCR were used to identify CD44 expression in HCC samples and a series of human HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials. Lectin array was used to reveal the relationship of CD44v6 glycosylation and human HCC metastasis.

[The effects of stathmin on cell proliferation and tumor-related genes expressions in HCCLM3 cells].

To explore the biological function and possible underlying mechanism of stathmin gene during hepatocarcinogenesis. Three pairs of chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting on stathmin were transfected into HCCLM3 by LipofectamineTM 2000. After confirming the interfering effects of stathmin siRNAs through reverse transcription PCR and Western blotting, the HCCLM3 cells proliferation and apoptosis were detected by cell count kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry analysis, and the expressions of tumor-related genes (c-myc, c-fos, p53, etc) were observed by real-time PCR.

iTRAQ-2DLC-ESI-MS/MS based identification of a new set of immunohistochemical biomarkers for classification of dysplastic nodules and small hepatocellular carcinoma.

The study aims to develop novel clinical immunohistochemical biomarkers for distinguishing small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) from dysplastic nodules (DN). iTRAQ-2DLC-ESI-MS/MS technique was used to screen immunohistochemical biomarkers between precancerous lesions (liver cirrhosis and DN) and sHCC. A total of 1951 proteins were quantified, including 52 proteins upregulated in sHCC and 95 proteins downregulated in sHCC by at least 1.

Comparison of alternative extraction methods for secretome profiling in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Secreted proteins are important sources for early detection and diagnosis of disease, and as such have received considerable attention. The extraction of low concentration proteins from large volumes of culture media, which are rich in salts and other compounds that interfere with most proteomics techniques, presents a problem for secretome studies. Ultrafiltration, precipitation, and dialysis are three major extraction methods that can be used to overcome this problem.

Induced pluripotent cancer cells: progress and application.

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are a group of pluripotent stem cells artificially derived from non-pluripotent cells typically by a forced expression of specific transcription factors. Generation of cancer-specific iPS cells, also called induced pluripotent cancer (iPC) cells, provides valuable experimental platform to model oncogenesis and holds great potential in the fields of drug screening. However, iPC cells are harder to achieve than normal iPS cells probably because of the special genetic and epigenetic states of cancer cells.

[Effects of AKR1B10 gene silence on the growth and gene expression of HCC cell line MHCC97H].

Objective: To explore the biological function and possible underlying mechanism of aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) gene during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Methods: A pair of chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting on AKR1B10 was transfected into liver cancer cell line MHCC97H by LipofectamineTM 2000. After confirming the interfering effects of AKR1B10-siRNAs through Quant SYBR Green polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), Western blot and enzymatic activity assay, the capabilities of proliferation and apoptosis of the transfected cells were observed by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis, and the expressions of a group of tumor-related gene such as c-myc, c-fos, N-ras were observed through Real-time PCR.

Array-based profiling of the differential methylation status of CpG islands in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

Alterations in the DNA methylation status particularly in CpG islands are involved in the initiation and progression of many types of human cancer. A number of DNA methylation alterations have been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a systematic analysis is required to elucidate the relationship between differential DNA methylation status and the characteristics and progression of HCC.

[Comparison of the serum proteomes of pathological stages during hepatocarcinogenesis].

Objective: To compare the 2-DE profiles for serum proteins of different pathological stages during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Methods: Sera from hepatocellular carcinoma patients, cirrhosis patients, chronic hepatitis patients and healthy controls were collected. After sonication, albumin and immunoglobulin (IgG) depletion, and desalination, sera were subjected to 2-DE, the differential protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS.

[Differentially expressed proteins in the precancerous stage of rat hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine].

Objective: To screen the differentially expressed proteins especially at the precancerous stage of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocarcinogenesis by comparative proteome research.

Methods: Rats were divided into normal and DEN groups and sacrificed periodically. The liver samples were stained with gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and HE to distinguish the preneoplastic lesion (pre-HCC) from the normal and HCC tissues.

Lectin-based glycoproteomics to explore and analyze hepatocellular carcinoma-related glycoprotein markers.

More and more new diagnostic biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been found in association with advances in the standardization of 2-DE coupled with MS analysis. However, the diagnosis of HCC is still detected in the late stages of the disease, when treatment options are limited and prognosis is poor. The glycosylation of proteins is known to change in tumor cells during the development of HCC as the result of alterations in the levels of glycosyltransferases, such as increased fucosylation of Golgi Protein 73 and alpha-fetoprotein.