Hepatogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis: Alignment of the main signaling pathways. Issue 11 (29th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shokouhian, Bahare; Aboulkheyr Es, Hamidreza; Negahdari, Babak; Tamimi, Atena; Shahdoust, Maryam; Shpichka, Anastasia; Timashev, Peter; Hassan, Moustapha; Vosough, Massoud
• Is Part Of: Journal of cellular physiology. Volume 237:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 3984
• Page End: 4000
• Publication Date: 2022-08-29
• Subjects: cancer and development -- differentiation deviation -- hepatocellular carcinoma -- signal transduction; Physiology -- Periodicals; Cell physiology -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30862
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9541

Abstract

Abstract: Development is a symphony of cells differentiation in which different signaling pathways are orchestrated at specific times and periods to form mature and functional cells from undifferentiated cells. The similarity of the gene expression profile in malignant and undifferentiated cells is an interesting topic that has been proposed for many years and gave rise to the differentiation‐therapy concept, which appears a rational insight and should be reconsidered. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as the sixth common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, is one of the health‐threatening complications in communities where hepatotropic viruses are endemic. Sedentary lifestyle and high intake of calories are other risk factors. HCC is a complex condition in which various dimensions must be addressed, including heterogeneity of cells in the tumor mass, high invasiveness, and underlying diseases that limit the treatment options. Under these restrictions, recognizing, and targeting common signaling pathways during liver development and HCC could expedite to a rational therapeutic approach, reprograming malignant cells to well‐differentiated ones in a functional state. Accordingly, in this review, we highlighted the commonalities of signaling pathways in hepatogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis, and comprised an update on the current status of targeting these pathways in laboratory studies and clinical trials.