'Liver let die':oxidative DNA damage and hepatotropic viruses

Chronic infections by the hepatotropic viruses hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are major risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is estimated that more than 700 000 individuals per year die from HCC, and around 80 % of HCC is attributable to HBV or HCV infection. Despite the clear clinical importance of virus-associated HCC, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Oxidative stress, in particular DNA lesions associated with oxidative damage, play a major contributory role in carcinogenesis, and are strongly linked to the development of many cancers, including HCC. A large body of evidence demonstrates that both HBV and HCV induce hepatic oxidative stress, with increased oxidative DNA damage being observed both in infected individuals and in murine models of infection. Here, we review the impact of HBV and HCV on the incidence and repair of oxidative DNA damage. We begin by giving a brief overview of oxidative stress and the repair of DNA lesions induced by oxidative stress. We then review in detail the evidence surrounding the mechanisms by which both viruses stimulate oxidative stress, before focusing on how the viral proteins themselves may perturb the cellular response to oxidative DNA damage, impacting upon genome stability and thus hepatocarcinogenesis.</jats:p

Steatosis and liver cancer in transgenic mice expressing the structural and nonstructural proteins of hepatitis C virus

Background and Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether expression of hepatitis C virus proteins alters hepatic morphology or function in the absence of inflammation. Methods: Transgenic C57BL/6 mice with liver-specific expression of RNA encoding the complete viral polyprotein (FL-N transgene) or viral structural proteins (S-N transgene) were compared with nontransgenic littermates for altered liver morphology and function. Results: FL-N transcripts were detectable only by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and S-N transcripts were identified in Northern blots. The abundance of viral proteins was sufficient for detection only in S-N transgenic animals. There was no inflammation in transgenic livers, but mice expressing either transgene developed age-related hepatic steatosis that was more severe in males. Apoptotic or proliferating hepatocytes were not significantly increased. Hepatocellular adenoma or carcinoma developed in older male animals expressing either transgene, but their incidence reached statistical significance only in FL-N animals. Neither was ever observed in age-matched nontransgenic mice. Conclusions: Constitutive expression of viral proteins leads to common pathologic features of hepatitis C in the absence of specific anti-viral immune responses. Expression of the structural proteins enhances a low background of steatosis in C57BL/6 mice, while additional low level expression of nonstructural proteins increases the risk of cancer

The endogenous retrovirus ENS-1 provides active binding sites for transcription factors in embryonic stem cells that specify extra embryonic tissue

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Long terminal repeats (LTR) from endogenous retroviruses (ERV) are source of binding sites for transcription factors which affect the host regulatory networks in different cell types, including pluripotent cells. The embryonic epiblast is made of pluripotent cells that are subjected to opposite transcriptional regulatory networks to give rise to distinct embryonic and extraembryonic lineages. To assess the transcriptional contribution of ERV to early developmental processes, we have characterized <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>the regulation of ENS-1, a host adopted and developmentally regulated ERV that is expressed in chick embryonic stem cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that <it>Ens-1 </it>LTR activity is controlled by two transcriptional pathways that drive pluripotent cells to alternative developmental fates. Indeed, both Nanog that maintains pluripotency and Gata4 that induces differentiation toward extraembryonic endoderm independently activate the LTR. Ets coactivators are required to support Gata factors' activity thus preventing inappropriate activation before epigenetic silencing occurs during differentiation. Consistent with their expression patterns during chick embryonic development, Gata4, Nanog and Ets1 are recruited on the LTR in embryonic stem cells; in the epiblast the complementary expression of Nanog and Gata/Ets correlates with the <it>Ens-1 </it>gene expression pattern; and Ens-1 transcripts are also detected in the hypoblast, an extraembryonic tissue expressing Gata4 and Ets2, but not Nanog. Accordingly, over expression of Gata4 in embryos induces an ectopic expression of <it>Ens-1</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results show that <it>Ens-1 </it>LTR have co-opted conditions required for the emergence of extraembryonic tissues from pluripotent epiblasts cells. By providing pluripotent cells with intact binding sites for Gata, Nanog, or both, <it>Ens-1 </it>LTR may promote distinct transcriptional networks in embryonic stem cells subpopulations and prime the separation between embryonic and extraembryonic fates.</p

Plan de préparation à une pandémie mondiale dans les animaleries de laboratoire : l’exemple du Covid-19

Coping ethically with drastic changes such as those occurring in times of pandemics is a very difficult challenge for animal facilities and researchers using animals for scientific purposes. It is quite impossible in fact to deal with such situations without a dedicated contingency plan. Any disaster plan will not do because, fortunately, pandemics are rare events and, as such, they are not included in all plans. We present here different avenues to cope with the drastic changes that may occur in the case on a pandemic, focusing on each and every action to optimize the minimal conservation of models and, at the same time, for ensuring continuous high standards of animal welfare. The proposed approach is a graduated one, considering research, researchers, animal caretakers, supply chain and logistics.Faire face de façon éthique aux changements drastiques tels que ceux imposés par une pandémie est un défi très complexe pour les animaleries et les chercheurs utilisant des animaux à des fins scientifiques. Il est en effet tout à fait impossible de faire face à de telles situations sans un plan d’urgence spécifique. Un plan générique de gestion des catastrophes ne peut pas suffire car, heureusement, les pandémies sont des événements rares et, à ce titre, elles ne sont généralement pas prévues dans ces plans. Nous présentons ici différents outils pour faire face aux changements drastiques qui peuvent survenir dans le cas d’une pandémie, en nous concentrant sur l’optimisation de la conservation des modèles de recherche tout en garantissant des normes élevées et continues de bien-être animal. L’approche proposée est graduée, en tenant compte de la recherche, des chercheurs, des techniciens animaliers, de la chaîne d’approvisionnement et de la logistique.Gonin Patrick, Delis Philippe, Lerat Hervé. Plan de préparation à une pandémie mondiale dans les animaleries de laboratoire : l’exemple du Covid-19. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 173, 2020. pp. 92-97

Downregulation of Gadd45beta expression by hepatitis C virus leads to defective cell cycle arrest

Members of the Gadd45 family play central roles in the cellular response to genotoxic stress, and have been implicated in several human cancers including hepatocellular carcinomas. Chronic infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major risk factor for the onset and development of primary hepatocellular tumors, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we demonstrate a novel link between diminished Gadd45β expression and HCV infection. Inhibited Gadd45β expression was observed in both non-tumoral and tumoral tissues from infected individuals, and in cell lines harboring an HCV replicon and the infectious HCV strain JFH1. Decreased Gadd45β expression was confirmed in vivo in a transgenic murine model expressing the entire HCV open reading frame. Mechanistically, hypermethylation of the Gadd45β promoter in the presence of HCV is responsible for this defect. Diminished Gadd45β expression leads to aberrant cell cycle arrest and diminished DNA excision repair. Together, these results provide a novel insight into the mechanisms involved in HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinomas, showing that reduced Gadd45β expression may play a contributory role to this process, and providing evidence that HCV may interfere with epigenetic gene expression by altering promoter methylation

Morphological changes in intracellular lipid droplets induced by different hepatitis C virus genotype core sequences and relationship with steatosis.

International audienceHepatocellular steatosis is common in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Steatosis can be considered as a true cytopathic lesion induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3, suggesting that one or more viral proteins produced during genotype 3 infection are involved in the steatogenic process, while the same proteins produced during infection by other genotypes are not. We examined in vitro interactions between lipid droplets and full-length core protein isolated from patients with HCV genotype 3a infection, with and without steatosis, and from steatosis-free patients infected by HCV genotype 1b. We also examined morphological changes in the lipid droplets according to the HCV genotype and the presence of steatosis in vivo. Core protein processing by signal peptide peptidase was not affected by sequence differences between the variants. We showed that the core protein of both HCV genotypes 1b and 3a binds tightly to the surface of intracellular lipid droplets. However, cells transfected with genotype 3a contain more neutral lipids in lipid droplets, and more large lipid droplets, than cells transfected with genotype 1b sequences. This suggests that HCV core protein-lipid droplet interaction could play a role in virus-induced steatosis. Importantly, we found no genetic or functional differences between genotype 3a core proteins from patients with and without HCV-induced steatosis. CONCLUSION: This suggests that other viral proteins and/or host factors are involved in the development of hepatocellular steatosis in patients infected by HCV genotype 3a

Targeting Akt in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Tumor Microenvironment

International audienceHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its incidence is rising. HCC develops almost exclusively on the background of chronic liver inflammation, which can be caused by chronic alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, or an unhealthy diet. The key role of chronic inflammation in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis, including in the deregulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, has been demonstrated. The inhibition of Akt (also known as Protein Kinase B) directly affects cancer cells, but this therapeutic strategy also exhibits indirect anti-tumor activity mediated by the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, as demonstrated by using Akt inhibitors AZD5363, MK-2206, or ARQ 092. Moreover, the isoforms of Akt converge and diverge in their designated roles, but the currently available Akt inhibitors fail to display an isoform specificity. Thus, selective Akt inhibition needs to be better explored in the context of HCC and its possible combination with immunotherapy. This review presents a compact overview of the current knowledge concerning the role of Akt in HCC and the effect of Akt inhibition on the HCC and liver tumor microenvironment