Inhibition of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation Suppresses Tumorigenicity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice

Min Jung Kang, Soovin Lee, Usuk Jung, Chanchal Mandal, Heekyung Park, William G. Stetler-Stevenson, Young Sik Kim, Ji Wook Moon, Sun Hwa Park, Jun Seo Oh

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    9 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Transdifferentiation (or activation) of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to myofibroblasts is a key event in liver fibrosis. Activated HSCs in the tumor microenvironment reportedly promote tumor progression. This study analyzed the effect of an inhibitor of HSC activation, retinol-binding protein–albumin domain III fusion protein (R-III), on protumorigenic functions of HSCs. Although conditioned medium collected from activated HSCs enhanced the migration, invasion, and proliferation of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hepa-1c1c7, this effect was not observed in Hepa-1c1c7 cells treated with conditioned medium from R-III–exposed HSCs. In a subcutaneous tumor model, larger tumors with increased vascular density were formed in mice transplanted with Hepa-1c1c7+HSC than in mice transplanted with Hepa-1c1c7 cells alone. Intriguingly, when Hepa-1c1c7+HSC–transplanted mice were injected intravenously with R-III, a reduction in vascular density and extended tumor necrosis were observed. In an orthotopic tumor model, co-transplantation of HSCs enhanced tumor growth, angiogenesis, and regional metastasis accompanied by increased peritumoral lymphatic vessel density, which was abolished by R-III. In vitro study showed that R-III treatment affected the synthesis of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors in activated HSCs, which might be the potential mechanism underlying the R-III effect. These findings suggest that the inhibition of HSC activation abrogates HSC-induced tumor angiogenesis and growth, which represents an attractive therapeutic strategy.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2219-2230
    Number of pages12
    JournalAmerican Journal of Pathology
    Volume191
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2021 Dec

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    Supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) grant NRF-2017M3A9C8031617 (J.O.).

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2021 American Society for Investigative Pathology

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Pathology and Forensic Medicine

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