Yang Zhongyuan, Chen Wenjiao, Liu Yunhui, Niu Yuxin
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonostic Infectious Disease, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
Department of Dermatology, Wuhan Hankou Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Infect Agent Cancer. 2025 Feb 6;20(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s13027-024-00630-2.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with approximately 800,000 deaths worldwide each year. Owing to the atypical early symptoms and characteristics of HCC, over 80% of HCC patients cannot receive curative treatment. The treatment of HCC is facing a bottleneck, and new treatment methods are urgently needed. Since the pathogenesis of HCC is not yet clear, identifying the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets related to it is crucial. Centromeres are considered special deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences with highly repetitive sequences that are physically connected to the spindle during cell division, ensuring equal division of genetic material between daughter cells. The numerous proteins that aggregate on this sequence during cell division are called centromere proteins (CENPs). Currently, numerous studies have shown that CENPs are abnormally expressed in tumor cells and are associated with patient prognosis. The abnormal expression of CENPs is a key cause of chromosomal instability. Furthermore, chromosomal instability is a common characteristic of the majority of tumors. Chromosomal instability can lead to uncontrolled and sustained division and proliferation of malignant tumors. Therapeutic plans targeting CENPs play important roles in the treatment of HCC. For example, small ribonucleic acid (RNA) can silence CENP expression and prevent the occurrence and development of liver cancer. In recent years, studies of HCC-targeting CENPs have gradually increased but are still relatively novel, requiring further systematic elaboration. In this review, we provide a detailed introduction to the characteristics of CENPs and discuss their roles in HCC. In addition, we discuss their application prospects in future clinical practice.
肝细胞癌（HCC）是全球癌症相关死亡的第四大主要原因，每年全球约有80万人死亡。由于HCC的早期症状不典型以及其特点，超过80%的HCC患者无法接受根治性治疗。HCC的治疗正面临瓶颈，迫切需要新的治疗方法。由于HCC的发病机制尚不清楚，因此确定与之相关的分子机制和治疗靶点至关重要。着丝粒被认为是具有高度重复序列的特殊脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）序列，在细胞分裂过程中与纺锤体物理连接，确保遗传物质在子细胞之间平均分配。在细胞分裂过程中聚集在该序列上的众多蛋白质被称为着丝粒蛋白（CENPs）。目前，大量研究表明CENPs在肿瘤细胞中异常表达，并与患者预后相关。CENPs的异常表达是染色体不稳定的关键原因。此外，染色体不稳定是大多数肿瘤的共同特征。染色体不稳定可导致恶性肿瘤不受控制地持续分裂和增殖。针对CENPs的治疗方案在HCC的治疗中发挥着重要作用。例如，小核糖核酸（RNA）可以使CENP表达沉默，预防肝癌的发生和发展。近年来，针对HCC的CENPs研究逐渐增多，但仍然相对新颖，需要进一步系统阐述。在这篇综述中，我们详细介绍了CENPs的特点，并讨论了它们在HCC中的作用。此外，我们还讨论了它们在未来临床实践中的应用前景。
