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ObjectiveLarge-scale genome sequencing efforts of human tumours identified epigenetic modifiers as one of the most frequently mutated gene class in human cancer. However, how these mutations drive tumour development and tumour progression are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the function of the histone demethylase KDM6A in gastrointestinal cancers, such as liver cancer and pancreatic cancer.DesignGenetic alterations as well as expression analyses of KDM6A were performed in patients with liver cancer. Genetic mouse models of liver and pancreatic cancer coupled with Kdm6a-deficiency were investigated, transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling was performed, and in vivo and in vitro drug treatments were conducted.ResultsKDM6A expression was lost in 30% of patients with liver cancer. Kdm6a deletion significantly accelerated tumour development in murine liver and pancreatic cancer models. Kdm6a-deficient tumours showed hyperactivation of mTORC1 signalling, whereas endogenous Kdm6a re-expression by inducible RNA-interference in established Kdm6a-deficient tumours diminished mTORC1 activity resulting in attenuated tumour progression. Genome-wide transcriptional and epigenetic profiling revealed direct binding of Kdm6a to crucial negative regulators of mTORC1, such as Deptor, and subsequent transcriptional activation by epigenetic remodelling. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo genetic epistasis experiments illustrated a crucial function of Deptor and mTORC1 in Kdm6a-dependent tumour suppression. Importantly, KDM6A expression in human tumours correlates with mTORC1 activity and KDM6A-deficient tumours exhibit increased sensitivity to mTORC1 inhibition.ConclusionKDM6A is an important tumour suppressor in gastrointestinal cancers and acts as an epigenetic toggle for mTORC1 signalling. Patients with KDM6A-deficient tumours could benefit of targeted therapy focusing on mTORC1 inhibition.
Objective: In the rat, the pancreatic islet transplantation model is an established method to induce hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), due to insulin-mediated metabolic and molecular alterations like increased glycolysis and de novo lipogenesis and the oncogenic AKT/mTOR pathway including upregulation of the transcription factor Carbohydrate-response element-binding protein (ChREBP). ChREBP could therefore represent an essential oncogenic co-factor during hormonally induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods: Pancreatic islet transplantation was implemented in diabetic C57Bl/6J (wild type, WT) and ChREBP-knockout (KO) mice for 6 and 12 months. Liver tissue was examined using histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and Western blot analysis. Finally, we performed NGS-based transcriptome analysis between WT and KO liver tumor tissues. Results: Three hepatocellular carcinomas were detectable after 6 and 12 months in diabetic transplanted WT mice, but only one in a KO mouse after 12 months. Pre-neoplastic clear cell foci (CCF) were also present in liver acini downstream of the islets in WT and KO mice. In KO tumors, glycolysis, de novo lipogenesis and AKT/mTOR signalling were strongly downregulated compared to WT lesions. Extrafocal liver tissue of diabetic, transplanted KO mice revealed less glycogen storage and proliferative activity than WT mice. From transcriptome analysis, we identified a set of transcripts pertaining to metabolic, oncogenic and immunogenic pathways that are differentially expressed between tumors of WT and KO mice. Of 315 metabolism-associated genes, we observed 199 genes that displayed upregulation in the tumor of WT mice, whereas 116 transcripts showed their downregulated expression in KO mice tumor. Conclusions: The pancreatic islet transplantation model is a suitable method to study hormonally induced hepatocarcinogenesis also in mice, allowing combination with gene knockout models. Our data indicate that deletion of ChREBP delays insulin-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, suggesting a combined oncogenic and lipogenic function of ChREBP along AKT/mTOR-mediated proliferation of hepatocytes and induction of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Das hepatozelluläre Karzinom stellt weltweit einen der am häufigsten auftretenden malignen Tumoren mit limitierten therapeutischen Optionen dar. Ein besseres Verständnis der Tumorigenese durch tierexperimentell gewonnene Erkenntnisse kann zur Entwicklung zielgerichteter Medikamente beitragen. Ein langjährig etabliertes Modell zur Erzeugung hepatozellulärer Karzinome im Tierexperiment ist die tägliche orale Gabe von N-Nitrosomorpholin (NNM). Die chemische Hepatokarzinogenese durch NNM führt abhängig von Dosis und Dauer in der Rattenleber zur Entstehung von Präneoplasien, hepatozellulären Adenomen und Karzinomen. Zu diesem Prozess trägt der Transforming Growth Factor alpha (TGF-alpha) über die Aktivierung des transmembranären Epidermal Growth Factor Rezeptors (EGFR) im Sinne einer Proliferationsaktivierung der Hepatozyten bei. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Methode der chemischen Hepatokarzinogenese in Kombination mit der oralen Gabe des Tyrosinkinaseinhibitors Gefitinib, der selektiv die intrazelluläre Tyrosinkinase des EGFR blockiert und somit zu einer Unterbrechung der Signalkaskade in der Zelle führt, angewandt. Die Tiere erhielten NNM über einen Zeitraum von entweder drei oder sechs Monaten. Es sollte überprüft werden, ob sich durch die parallele Applikation von Gefitinib über zwei Wochen oder drei Monate die Entwicklung von Präneoplasien, Adenomen und Karzinomen beeinflussen lässt. Es entwickelten sich in allen über drei Monate mit NNM behandelten Tieren klarzellige und auch gemischtzellige präneoplastische Leberherde. Die Gruppe, die gleichzeitig über drei Monate Gefitinib erhielt, entwickelte statistisch signifikant weniger präneoplastische Leberherde. Die Tiere der über sechs Monate mit NNM behandelten Gruppen wiesen neben klarzelligen und gemischtzelligen Herden auch basophile Präneoplasien sowie hepatozelluläre Adenome und Karzinome auf. Die Anzahl der hepatozellulären Adenome und Karzinome war in den Gruppen, die neben NNM über sechs Monate auch über drei Monate Gefitinib erhielten, statistisch signifikant geringer. Die ebenfalls statistisch signifikante geringere Proliferation in dieser Gruppe zeigt, dass sich die Progression einmal initiierter Herde verlangsamen lässt. Mit diesen Ergebnissen korrelierte bei den Gruppen beider Zeiträume die Verminderung der immunhistochemischen Expression von EGFR und TGF-alpha der Präneoplasien. Gleichzeitig beleuchtet diese Arbeit, dass TGF-alpha und EGFR in der Entstehung früher präneoplastischer Herde sowie späterer Adenome und Karzinome eine wichtige Rolle spielen.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly form of liver malignancy with limited treatment
options. Amplification and/or overexpression of c-MYC is one of the most frequent genetic events
in human HCC. The mammalian target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) is a major functional
axis regulating various aspects of cellular growth and metabolism. Recently, we demonstrated that
mTORC1 is necessary for c-Myc driven hepatocarcinogenesis as well as for HCC cell growth in vitro.
Among the pivotal downstream effectors of mTORC1, upregulation of Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) and
its mediated de novo lipogenesis is a hallmark of human HCC. Here, we investigated the importance
of FASN on c-Myc-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis using in vitro and in vivo approaches. In mouse
and human HCC cells, we found that FASN suppression by either gene silencing or soluble inhibitors
more effectively suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in the presence of high c-MYC
expression. In c-Myc/Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1) mouse liver tumor lesions, FASN expression
was markedly upregulated. Most importantly, genetic ablation of Fasn profoundly delayed (without
abolishing) c-Myc/MCL1 induced HCC formation. Liver tumors developing in c-Myc/MCL1 mice
depleted of Fasn showed a reduction in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis when compared
with corresponding lesions from c-Myc/MCL1 mice with an intact Fasn gene. In human HCC samples,
a significant correlation between the levels of c-MYC transcriptional activity and the expression
of FASN mRNA was detected. Altogether, our study indicates that FASN is an important effector
downstream of mTORC1 in c-MYC induced HCC. Targeting FASN may be helpful for the treatment
of human HCC, at least in the tumor subset displaying c-MYC amplification or activation.