Identification of the possible therapeutic targets in the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor pathway in a cohort of Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma complicating chronic hepatitis C type 4

Abstract

Background: Molecular targeted drugs are the first line of treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its chemo and radio resistant nature. HCC has several well documented etiologic factors that drive hepatocarcinogenesis through different molecular pathways. Currently, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of HCC. Therefore, we included a unified cohort of HCV-genotype 4 related HCCs to study the expression levels of genes involved in the Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF1R) pathway, which is known to be involved in all aspects of cancer growth and progression.
 Aim: Determine the gene expression patterns of IGF1R pathway genes in a cohort of Egyptian HCV-related HCCs. Correlate them with different patient/tumor characteristics. Determine the activity status of involved pathways.
 Methods: Total RNA was extracted from 32 Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues of human HCV-related HCCs and six healthy liver donors as controls. qRT-PCR using RT2 Profiler PCR Array for Human Insulin Signaling Pathway was done to determine significantly up and downregulated genes with identification of most frequently coregulated genes. Followed by correlation of gene expression with different patient/tumor characteristics. Finally, Canonical pathway analysis was performed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software.
 Results: Six genes; AEBP1, AKT2, C-FOS, PIK3R1, PRKCI, SHC1 were significantly overexpressed. Thirteen genes; ADRB3, CEBPA, DUSP14, ERCC1, FRS3, IGF2, INS, IRS1, JUN, MTOR, PIK3R2, PPP1CA, RPS6KA1 and VEGFAwere significantly under expressed. Several differentially expressed genes were related to different tumor / patient characteristics. Nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species production pathway was significantly activated in the present cohort, while the growth hormone signaling pathway was inactive
 Conclusion: The gene expression patterns identified in this study may serve as possible therapeutic targets in HCV-related HCCs. The most frequently coregulated genes may serve to guide combined molecular targeted therapies. The IGF1R pathway showed evidence of inactivity in the present cohort of HCV-related HCCs, so targeting this pathway in therapy may not be effective.

Hsa_circ_0002111/miR-557/DUSP14 axis mediates euthyrox-resistance in papillary thyroid cancer

“…future study, it would be interesting to see the relationship of miR-557 with the overall survival rate of PTC, especially those with euthyrox-resistance. DUSP14 is found to be expressed in epithelial cells (The Human Protein Atlas), and an unfavorable prognostic marker for renal cancer, and also found to have high expression in various cancers, with highest expression in TC (21)(22)(23)(24). Its expression pattern is not known in euthyrox-resistant PTC; as we predicted from the mechanism we found through in vitro cell line experiments, it could show a high expression level versus the unresistant PTC.…”