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The stress-regulated transcription factor CHOP promotes hepatic inflammatory gene expression, fibrosis, and oncogenesis
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The stress-regulated transcription factor CHOP promotes hepatic inflammatory gene expression, fibrosis, and oncogenesis

Diane DeZwaan-McCabe, Jesse D Riordan, Angela M Arensdorf, Michael S Icardi, Adam J Dupuy and D Thomas Rutkowski
PLoS genetics, Vol.9(12), pp.e1003937-e1003937
2013
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003937
PMCID: PMC3868529
PMID: 24367269
url
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003937View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Viral hepatitis, obesity, and alcoholism all represent major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although these conditions also lead to integrated stress response (ISR) or unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, the extent to which these stress pathways influence the pathogenesis of HCC has not been tested. Here we provide multiple lines of evidence demonstrating that the ISR-regulated transcription factor CHOP promotes liver cancer. We show that CHOP expression is up-regulated in liver tumors in human HCC and two mouse models thereof. Chop-null mice are resistant to chemical hepatocarcinogenesis, and these mice exhibit attenuation of both apoptosis and cellular proliferation. Chop-null mice are also resistant to fibrosis, which is a key risk factor for HCC. Global gene expression profiling suggests that deletion of CHOP reduces the levels of basal inflammatory signaling in the liver. Our results are consistent with a model whereby CHOP contributes to hepatic carcinogenesis by promoting inflammation, fibrosis, cell death, and compensatory proliferation. They implicate CHOP as a common contributing factor in the development of HCC in a variety of chronic liver diseases.
Inflammation - pathology Transcription Factor CHOP - genetics Liver - pathology Cell Proliferation Humans Fibrosis - metabolism Carcinogenesis - metabolism Liver Neoplasms - etiology Inflammation - metabolism Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - genetics Liver Neoplasms - pathology Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - etiology Transcription Factor CHOP - biosynthesis Fibrosis - genetics Liver Neoplasms - genetics Unfolded Protein Response - genetics Stress, Physiological - genetics Liver - metabolism Carcinogenesis - genetics Gene Expression Regulation Animals Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology Inflammation - genetics Mice Fibrosis - pathology

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