Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis

Summary: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive tumor associated with risk factors, such as chronic infection, gallstones, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Our study explores the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and long noncoding RNA HEGBC in GBC progression. We found that...

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Main Authors: Lei Yuan, Yumeng Zhang, Jianguo Xu, Feng Liu, Yingchao Liang, Beili Wang, Meihong Wu, Zhiyuan Fan, Liang Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007667
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author Lei Yuan
Yumeng Zhang
Jianguo Xu
Feng Liu
Yingchao Liang
Beili Wang
Meihong Wu
Zhiyuan Fan
Liang Yang
author_facet Lei Yuan
Yumeng Zhang
Jianguo Xu
Feng Liu
Yingchao Liang
Beili Wang
Meihong Wu
Zhiyuan Fan
Liang Yang
author_sort Lei Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive tumor associated with risk factors, such as chronic infection, gallstones, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Our study explores the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and long noncoding RNA HEGBC in GBC progression. We found that PAHs activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which enhances HEGBC expression and promotes GBC cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, AhR binds to the HEGBC promoter, establishing a positive feedback loop that further activates AhR transcription. Moreover, CYP1A1 was identified as a key downstream effector of PAHs-AhR/HEGBC-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of GBC cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide the integrative view of a molecular mechanism loop for regulating the malignant progression of GBC centered by PAHs/AhR/HEGBC, which represents a promising strategy for the treatment of GBC.
format Article
id doaj-art-c46cbd811a834e5d8ec6fb4d4beea4ad
institution OA Journals
issn 2589-0042
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series iScience
spelling doaj-art-c46cbd811a834e5d8ec6fb4d4beea4ad2025-08-20T01:48:50ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-05-0128511250510.1016/j.isci.2025.112505Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axisLei Yuan0Yumeng Zhang1Jianguo Xu2Feng Liu3Yingchao Liang4Beili Wang5Meihong Wu6Zhiyuan Fan7Liang Yang8Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Quzhou People’s Hospital, 100 Minjiang Main Road, Quzhou, Zhejiang 324000, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 201204, ChinaDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Scientific Research, Novel-Intel Biotech (Nanjing) Co., Ltd, Nanjing 211899, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 201204, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 201204, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; Corresponding authorDepartment of Breast Surgery, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 201204, China; Corresponding authorDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Quzhou People’s Hospital, 100 Minjiang Main Road, Quzhou, Zhejiang 324000, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 201204, China; Corresponding authorSummary: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive tumor associated with risk factors, such as chronic infection, gallstones, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Our study explores the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and long noncoding RNA HEGBC in GBC progression. We found that PAHs activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which enhances HEGBC expression and promotes GBC cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, AhR binds to the HEGBC promoter, establishing a positive feedback loop that further activates AhR transcription. Moreover, CYP1A1 was identified as a key downstream effector of PAHs-AhR/HEGBC-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of GBC cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide the integrative view of a molecular mechanism loop for regulating the malignant progression of GBC centered by PAHs/AhR/HEGBC, which represents a promising strategy for the treatment of GBC.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007667biological sciencescancer systems biologyhealth sciencesinternal medicinemedical specialtymedicine
spellingShingle Lei Yuan
Yumeng Zhang
Jianguo Xu
Feng Liu
Yingchao Liang
Beili Wang
Meihong Wu
Zhiyuan Fan
Liang Yang
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
iScience
biological sciences
cancer systems biology
health sciences
internal medicine
medical specialty
medicine
title Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
title_full Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
title_fullStr Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
title_full_unstemmed Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
title_short Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-HEGBC positive feedback axis
title_sort polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons promote tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer via aryl hydrocarbon receptor hegbc positive feedback axis
topic biological sciences
cancer systems biology
health sciences
internal medicine
medical specialty
medicine
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007667
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