{"title":"Mitochondrial alterations and signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Tsung-Hsien Chen, Shu-Hsien Lin, Ming-Yang Lee, Hsiang-Chen Wang, Kun-Feng Tsai, Chu-Kuang Chou","doi":"10.1007/s10555-025-10251-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer worldwide. Its primary risk factors are chronic liver diseases such as metabolic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and hepatitis B and C viral infections. These conditions contribute to a specific microenvironment in liver tumors which affects mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are energy producers in cells and are responsible for maintaining normal functions by controlling mitochondrial redox homeostasis, metabolism, bioenergetics, and cell death pathways. HCC involves abnormal mitochondrial functions, such as accumulation of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, hypoxia, impairment of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response, irregularities in mitochondrial dynamic fusion/fission mechanisms, and mitophagy. Cell death mechanisms, such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis, contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis and play a significant role in chemoresistance. The relationship between mitochondrial dynamics and HCC is thus noteworthy. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in mitochondrial alterations and signatures in HCC and attempt to elucidate its molecular biology. Here, we provide an overview of the mitochondrial processes involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and offer new insights into the molecular pathology of the disease. This may help guide future research focused on improving patient outcomes using innovative therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9489,"journal":{"name":"Cancer and Metastasis Reviews","volume":"44 1","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11836208/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cancer and Metastasis Reviews","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-025-10251-9","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer worldwide. Its primary risk factors are chronic liver diseases such as metabolic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and hepatitis B and C viral infections. These conditions contribute to a specific microenvironment in liver tumors which affects mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are energy producers in cells and are responsible for maintaining normal functions by controlling mitochondrial redox homeostasis, metabolism, bioenergetics, and cell death pathways. HCC involves abnormal mitochondrial functions, such as accumulation of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, hypoxia, impairment of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response, irregularities in mitochondrial dynamic fusion/fission mechanisms, and mitophagy. Cell death mechanisms, such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis, contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis and play a significant role in chemoresistance. The relationship between mitochondrial dynamics and HCC is thus noteworthy. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in mitochondrial alterations and signatures in HCC and attempt to elucidate its molecular biology. Here, we provide an overview of the mitochondrial processes involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and offer new insights into the molecular pathology of the disease. This may help guide future research focused on improving patient outcomes using innovative therapies.
期刊介绍:
Contemporary biomedical research is on the threshold of an era in which physiological and pathological processes can be analyzed in increasingly precise and mechanistic terms.The transformation of biology from a largely descriptive, phenomenological discipline to one in which the regulatory principles can be understood and manipulated with predictability brings a new dimension to the study of cancer and the search for effective therapeutic modalities for this disease. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews provides a forum for critical review and discussion of these challenging developments.
A major function of the journal is to review some of the more important and interesting recent developments in the biology and treatment of malignant disease, as well as to highlight new and promising directions, be they technological or conceptual. Contributors are encouraged to review their personal work and be speculative.