TLR4 Signaling via NANOG Cooperates With STAT3 to Activate and Promote Formation of Tumor-initiating Stem-like Cells in Livers of Mice

Obesity and alcohol consumption contribute to steatohepatitis, which increases risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Mice Hepatocytes that express HCV-NS5A in liver upregulate expression of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), and develop liver tumors containing tumor-initiating stem-like cells (TICs) that express NANOG. We investigated whether the TLR4 signals to NANOG to promote development of TICs and tumorigenesis in mice placed on Western diet high in cholesterol and saturated fat (HCFD).

Source: Gastroenterology - November 12, 2015 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Dinesh Babu Uthaya Kumar, Chia-Lin Chen, Jian-Chang Liu, Douglas E. Feldman, Linda S. Sher, Samuel French, Joseph DiNorcia, Samuel W. French, Bita V. Naini, Sunhawit Junrungsee, Vatche Garen Agopian, Ali Zarrinpar, Keigo Machida Source Type: research