Differential Gene Expression Profiles in Acute Hepatic Failure Model in Mice Infected with MHV-3 Virus Intervened by Anti-hepatic Failure Compound

Differential gene expression profiles in Balb/cJ mouse model of acute hepatic failure infected with MHV-3 virus intervened by anti-hepatic failure compound （AHFC） and the changes of cytokines regulated by genes were investigated. The Balb/cj mice were divided into AHFC-intervened group and control group randomly. Acute hepatic failure model of Balb/cJ mice infected with MHV-3 virus was established. The survival rate in the two groups was observed. It was found that the survival rate in the AHFC-intervened group and control group was 90% and 50% respectively 48 h after intraperitoneal injection of MHV-3 （P〈0.05）. Before and after the experiment, the cytokines in peripheral blood of the survival mice were determined, and RNA was extracted from survival mouse liver tissue for the analysis of the differential gene expression by a 36 kb mouse oligonuleotide DNA array. In all the genes of microarray there were 332 genes expressed differently in the two groups, in which 234 genes were up-regulated and 78 genes down-regulated. Through clustering analysis, the differential expression of immune related genes, including TNF receptor superfamily, Kctd9, Bcl-2, Fgl2, IL-8, IL-6, IFN-7, TNF-α etc. might be related with the curative effectiveness of AHFC. It was suggested that AHFC can balance the immune state of mouse model of acute hepatic failure infected with MHV-3 virus mainly through regulating the expression of immune related genes, decrease the immune damage and inhibit liver cell apoptosis of mouse acute hepatic failure model obviously so as to increase the survival rate of mouse models of acute hepatic failure.

Construction of a risk score prognosis model based on hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a common cancer with a poor prognosis.Previous studies revealed that the tumor microenvironment(TME)plays an important role in HCC progression,recurrence,and metastasis,leading to poor prognosis.However,the effects of genes involved in TME on the prognosis of HCC patients remain unclear.Here,we investigated the HCC microenvironment to identify prognostic genes for HCC.AIM To identify a robust gene signature associated with the HCC microenvironment to improve prognosis prediction of HCC.METHODS We computed the immune/stromal scores of HCC patients obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas based on the ESTIMATE algorithm.Additionally,a risk score model was established based on Differentially Expressed Genes(DEGs)between high and lowimmune/stromal score patients.RESULTS The risk score model consisting of eight genes was constructed and validated in the HCC patients.The patients were divided into high-or low-risk groups.The genes(Disabled homolog 2,Musculin,C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8,Galectin 3,B-cell-activating transcription factor,Killer cell lectin like receptor B1,Endoglin and adenomatosis polyposis coli tumor suppressor)involved in our risk score model were considered to be potential immunotherapy targets,and they may provide better performance in combination.Functional enrichment analysis showed that the immune response and T cell receptor signaling pathway represented the major function and pathway,respectively,related to the immune-related genes in the DEGs between high-and low-risk groups.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis confirmed the good potency of the risk score prognostic model.Moreover,we validated the risk score model using the International Cancer Genome Consortium and the Gene Expression Omnibus database.A nomogram was established to predict the overall survival of HCC patients.CONCLUSION The risk score model and the nomogram will benefit HCC patients through personalized immunotherapy.