LIBO LIANG¹, XINYI WANG^2,3,4, YUPING ZENG^2,3,4, HAO CHEN^2,3,4, WEN ZHOU¹, HONGYING MU^2,3,4, GA LIAO^5,6,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.6, pp. 1405-1421, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.056708 - 29 May 2025

Abstract Objectives: Exosomal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) might facilitate epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in liver cancer after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), thereby enhancing tumor cell invasiveness and migration. This study investigated the prognostic role of plasma exosomal long noncoding RNA-plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (lncRNA-PVT1) in TACE treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Plasma exosomal lncRNA-PVT1 was evaluated via qPCR before and after TACE. Hepatoma cell behavior was investigated in different HCC cell lines. A lncRNA-PVT1 plasmid was synthesized and overexpressed, and si-lncRNA PVT1 was transfected into poorly invasive cells to reveal its influence on cell characteristics. The lncRNA-PVT1–FoxM1 interaction… More > Graphic Abstract

Ayda Baghery Saghchy Khorasani¹, Mahda Delshad², Mohammad-Javad Sanaei^2,3, Atieh Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi², Ali Pirsalehi⁴, Davood Bashash^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.4, pp. 539-562, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.059970 - 30 April 2025

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. The phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is critically involved in HCC pathogenesis, stimulating uncontrolled cell proliferation, survival, and tumor progression. The overactivation of this pathway is strongly linked to poor prognosis, making it a crucial target for therapeutic intervention. The oncogenic roles of PI3K/AKT/mTOR components in HCC have been highlighted, noting that class I PI3K deregulation, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) upregulation, and mTOR overexpression could be associated… More >

WENYING ZHENG^1,#, YANYAN SHANG^1,#, KAI DU¹, AILING LUO¹, LIJUN PEI¹, MEIQI LI¹, GUOPING ZHANG^2,*, MIN DENG^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.5, pp. 1121-1133, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.060958 - 18 April 2025

Abstract Background: Alterations in splicing factors contribute to aberrant alternative splicing (AS), which subsequently promotes tumor progression. The splicing factor polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) has been shown to facilitate cancer progression by modulating oncogenic variants. However, its specific role and underlying mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain to be elucidated. Methods: PTBP1 expression was evaluated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Subsequently, cells were transfected with vectors designed for PTBP1 overexpression or downregulation. The biological function of PTBP1 was assessed in vitro and in vivo using MTS assays, colony formation assays, transwell assays, xenograft formation, tail… More > Graphic Abstract

BIAO WU^1,#, XIANLIN GUO^2,#, ZHISHI WU¹, LIANG CHEN^1,*, SUQING ZHANG^3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.4, pp. 975-988, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.058085 - 19 March 2025

Abstract Objectives: Although Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is an important oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, its nuclear localization prevents it from being considered a potential therapeutic target. Recently, studies have reported that coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) also plays a critical role in HCC development; however its mechanism of action is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of COPB2 and YAP1 in the progression of HCC and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: COPB2 and YAP1 expression in HCC tissues were first analyzed by database searches and immunohistochemistry. Nomogram and artificial… More >

DONG JIANG¹, ZHI QI³, ZHIYING XU^2,*, YIRAN LI^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 709-722, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.050125 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent liver malignancy. This study examined the roles of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and cytochrome b5 domain containing 2 (CYB5D2) in HCC etiology and their prognostic biomarker potential. Methods: Key modules and prognostic genes were identified by analyzing the GSE101685 dataset by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. The expression levels of CYB5D2 and TGF-β in HCC cell lines were quantified using Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB) assays. Effects of CYB5D2 overexpression on cell proliferation,… More >

KE TIAN¹, ZHIPENG LI², XIANGYU ZHAI^2,3, HUAXIN ZHOU², HUI YAO^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 617-630, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.049772 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Primary liver cancer poses a significant global health burden, with projections indicating a surpassing of one million cases by 2025. Cuproptosis, a copper-dependent mechanism of cell death, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis, progression, and prognosis of various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Purpose: This study aimed to develop a prognostic model for HCC based on cuproptosis-related genes, utilizing clinical data and gene expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Materials and Methods: Clinical features and gene expression data of HCC patients were collected from publicly available More >

GAMALELDIN I. HARISA^1,*, RIYAD F. ALZHRANI¹, ABDULRAHMAN A. ALLUHAIDAN¹, SULTAN M. ALAMRI¹, AHMED H. BAKHEIT², HANADI H. ASIRI², SABRY M. ATTIA³

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.2, pp. 477-492, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.053337 - 16 January 2025

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a health problem due to multi-drug resistance (MDR). Codelivery of multiple oncotherapy in one cargo as chimeric cancer therapy (CCT) is suggested as a solution for MDR. This study aims to engineer chitosan-coated nanostructure lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with gefitinib (GF) and simvastatin (SV) as CCT for HCC. Methods: Both GF and SV-loaded nanostructure lipids carriers (GFSVNLC) and chitosan-capped GF and SV-loaded nanostructure lipids carriers (CGFSVNLC) formulations were assembled by top-down techniques. Moreover, particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), and polydispersity index (PDI) were measured by Zetasizer. The biosafety of… More > Graphic Abstract

SHUO YU, MIN WANG, XU LI, XINGJUN GUO, RENYI QIN^*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.2, pp. 369-380, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.046774 - 16 January 2025

Abstract Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a pivotal role in the development and advancement of various cancer types. However, the involvement of circ-PAN3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well understood. To shed light on this, we conducted a comprehensive study through biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics techniques to investigate the role of circ-PAN3 and its associated pathway in the progression of HCC. Methods: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and colony formation assay were utilized to evaluate cell proliferation; Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were adopted for assessing mRNA and protein expression;… More >

HAIYING PANG^1,#, FENGBO WU^1,#, YU ZHANG¹, NAN ZHANG², CHUNTING WANG¹, QIU LI¹, GU HE^1,*, PENG ZHANG^3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.2, pp. 443-464, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.043948 - 16 January 2025

Abstract Background: EMP2 is a tumor-associated membrane protein belonging to the GAS-3/PMP22 gene family. EMP2 expression demonstrates significant tissue specificity and heterogeneity in various human tissues and tumor tissues, where it may play a role in either promoting or inhibiting tumor growth. This study aimed to investigate the expression level, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of EMP2 in liver cancer. Methods: we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of EMPs family genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and normal liver tissues based on the TCGA database and immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays. Subsequently, we constructed HCC cell… More > Graphic Abstract

YUEZHOU ZHANG^1,#, ZHAO ZHANG^2,#, JINXIN DONG¹, CHANGAN LIU^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.1, pp. 83-102, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.055866 - 20 December 2024

Abstract Background: Aberrant expression of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) has been linked to a variety of diseases, including hematological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and multiple types of cancer. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (HNRNPC), a member belonging to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) family, plays a pivotal role in nucleic acid metabolism. Previous studies have underscored the significance of HNRNPC in tumorigenesis; however, its specific role in malignant tumor progression remains inadequately characterized. Methods: We leveraged publicly available databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), to explore the potential involvement of HNRNPC across various cancers. Additionally, we performed experimental… More > Graphic Abstract