Hepatic Stellate Cell: A Potential Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Mengna       Wu; Huajie       Miao; Rong       Fu; Jie       Zhang; Wenjie       Zheng
doi:10.2174/1874467213666200224102820
Abstract

Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, in which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority. Despite the progression in treatment, the prognosis remains extremely poor for HCC patients. The mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis are complex, of which fibrosis is acknowledged as the pre-cancerous stage of HCC. Approximately, 80-90% of HCC develops in the fibrotic or cirrhotic livers. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main effector cells of liver fibrosis, could secret various biological contents to maintain the liver inflammation. By decades, HSCs are increasingly correlated with HCC in the tumor microenvironment.
In this review, we summarized the underlying mechanisms that HSCs participated in the genesis and progression of HCC. HSCs secrete various bioactive contents and regulate tumor-related pathways, subsequently contribute to metastasis, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, chemoresistance and cancer stemness. The study indicates that HSC plays vital roles in HCC progression, suggesting it as a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment.
Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, fibrosis, hepatic stellate cell, molecular targets, therapeutics, biomarkers.
Graphical Abstract

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DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874467213666200224102820	Print ISSN 1874-4672
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1874-4702
Current Molecular Pharmacology

Hepatic Stellate Cell: A Potential Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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