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Tag: JNK (Page 2 of 3)

JNK-mediated disruption of bile acid homeostasis promotes intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Elisa Manieri, Cintia Folgueira, María Elena Rodríguez, Luis Leiva-Vega, Laura Esteban-Lafuente, Chaobo Chen, Francisco Javier Cubero, Tamera Barrett, Julie Cavanagh-Kyros, Davide Seruggia, Alejandro Rosell, Fátima Sanchez-Cabo, Manuel Jose Gómez, Maria J. Monte, Jose J. G. Marin, Roger J. Davis, Alfonso Mora & Guadalupe Sabio.

Obesity is associated with hepatic steatosis and activation of the cJun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) stress-signaling pathway. Studies in mice demonstrate that JNK deficiency in the liver prevents the development of hepatic steatosis. This observation suggests that inhibition of JNK signaling may represent a possible treatment for hepatic steatosis. However, the long-term consequences of JNK inhibition are poorly understood.

Liver cholangiocarcinoma (Photo: Chaobo Chen).

Here we demonstrate that loss of JNK causes changes in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism that promote cholestasis, bile duct proliferation, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We identify PPARα activation as the molecular mechanism that accounts for this phenotype .

Our analysis has important implications for the long-term use of JNK inhibitors for the treatment of obesity.

Adiponectin accounts for gender differences in hepatocellular carcinoma incidence

Elisa Manieri, Leticia Herrera-Melle, Alfonso Mora, Antonia Tomás-Loba, Luis Leiva-Vega, Delia I. Fernández, Elena Rodríguez, Laura Morán, Lourdes Hernández-Cosido, Jorge L. Torres, Luisa M. Seoane, Francisco Javier Cubero, Miguel Marcos & Guadalupe Sabio.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer type and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. This cancer appears with higher incidence in men and during obesity; however, the specific mechanisms underlying this correlation are unknown.

Adiponectin accounts for gender differences in liver cancer

HCC gender differences are driven by adiponectin (Image: Leticia Herrera-Melle).

Adipose tissue, a key organ in metabolic syndrome, shows evident gender disparities in the production of adipokines. Levels of the important adipokine adiponectin decrease in men during puberty, as well as in the obese state. Here, we show that this decrease in adiponectin levels is responsible for the increased liver cancer risk in males. We found that testosterone activates the protein JNK in mouse and human adipocytes. JNK-mediated inhibition of adiponectin secretion increases liver cancer cell proliferation, since adiponectin protects against liver cancer development through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and p38α.

This study provides insight into adipose tissue to liver crosstalk and its gender relation during cancer development, having the potential to guide strategies for new cancer therapeutics

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