Affiliation:
1. Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2. Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Abstract
Background:
Liver cancer is increasing due to the rise in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease, but its role in MASH-associated liver cancer is unknown. We hypothesized that an increase in hepatocyte-derived HMGB1 in a mouse model of inactivation of PTEN that causes MASH could promote MASH-induced tumorigenesis.
Methods:
We analyzed publicly available transcriptomics datasets, and to explore the effect of overexpressing HMGB1 in cancer progression, we injected 1.5-month-old Pten
∆Hep mice with adeno-associated virus serotype-8 (AAV8) vectors to overexpress HMGB1-EGFP or EGFP, and sacrificed them at 3, 9 and 11 months of age.
Results:
We found that HMGB1 mRNA increases in human MASH and MASH-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (MASH-HCC) compared to healthy livers. Male and female Pten
∆Hep mice overexpressing HMGB1 showed accelerated liver tumor development at 9 and 11 months, respectively, with increased tumor size and volume, compared to control Pten
∆Hep mice. Moreover, Pten
∆Hep mice overexpressing HMGB1, had increased incidence of mixed HCC-intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). All iCCAs were positive for nuclear YAP and SOX9. Male Pten
∆Hep mice overexpressing HMGB1 showed increased cell proliferation and F4/80+ cells at 3 and 9 months.
Conclusion:
Overexpression of HMGB1 in hepatocytes accelerates liver tumorigenesis in Pten
∆Hep mice, enhancing cell proliferation and F4/80+ cells to drive MASH-induced liver cancer.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)