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  • Liver cancer development dr...
    Bakiri, Latifa; Hasenfuss, Sebastian C; Guío-Carrión, Ana; Thomsen, Martin K; Hasselblatt, Peter; Wagner, Erwin F

    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, 04/2024, Letnik: 121, Številka: 18
    Journal Article

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death. HCC incidence is on the rise, while treatment options remain limited. Thus, a better understanding of the molecular pathways involved in HCC development has become a priority to guide future therapies. While previous studies implicated the Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) (Fos/Jun) transcription factor family members c-Fos and c-Jun in HCC formation, the contribution of Fos-related antigens (Fra-) 1 and 2 is unknown. Here, we show that hepatocyte-restricted expression of a single chain c-Jun~Fra-2 protein, which functionally mimics the c-Jun/Fra-2 AP-1 dimer, results in spontaneous HCC formation in c-Jun~Fra-2 mice. Several hallmarks of human HCC, such as cell cycle dysregulation and the expression of HCC markers are observed in liver tumors arising in c-Jun~Fra-2 mice. Tumorigenesis occurs in the context of mild inflammation, low-grade fibrosis, and Pparγ-driven dyslipidemia. Subsequent analyses revealed increased expression of c-Myc, evidently under direct regulation by AP-1 through a conserved distal 3' enhancer. Importantly, c-Jun~Fra-2-induced tumors revert upon switching off transgene expression, suggesting oncogene addiction to the c-Jun~Fra-2 transgene. Tumors escaping reversion maintained c-Myc and c-Myc target gene expression, likely due to increased c-Fos. Interfering with c-Myc in established tumors using the Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal motif inhibitor JQ-1 diminished liver tumor growth in c-Jun~Fra-2 mutant mice. Thus, our data establish c-Jun~Fra-2 mice as a model to study liver tumorigenesis and identify the c-Jun/Fra-2-Myc interaction as a potential target to improve HCC patient stratification and/or therapy.