Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a rapidly growing cancer in the US, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Texas has a higher incidence rate of liver cancer compared to the national average, likely due to the high prevalence of risk factors such as viral infections, excessive alcohol consumption, and fatty liver, as well as a large population of Hispanics and African Americans who are at higher risk. In addition, rural areas of Texas face challenges with delayed diagnosis and treatment due to a shortage of healthcare professionals and facilities. Conventional treatments for liver cancer often have low efficacy and severe side effects, necessitating...

Read More

Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a rapidly growing cancer in the US, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Texas has a higher incidence rate of liver cancer compared to the national average, likely due to the high prevalence of risk factors such as viral infections, excessive alcohol consumption, and fatty liver, as well as a large population of Hispanics and African Americans who are at higher risk. In addition, rural areas of Texas face challenges with delayed diagnosis and treatment due to a shortage of healthcare professionals and facilities. Conventional treatments for liver cancer often have low efficacy and severe side effects, necessitating the exploration of innovative approaches. Our research group has focused on studying the tumor suppressor gene Osr1 in liver cancer and found that lower levels of Osr1 promoted liver cancer development. However, using a virus to deliver an additional Osr1 gene to the liver inhibited liver cancer development in a mouse model. Based on these findings, we propose to test gene therapy for liver cancer by introducing Osr1 to cancerous liver cells in three different mouse models with liver cancer, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. AAV vectors are efficient in infecting hepatocytes in the liver and have shown success in clinical trials for other liver disorders. Our hypothesis is that AAV8L-mediated Osr1 overexpression can impede the development of HCC from fatty liver and suppress the growth of HCC tumors. We will evaluate the potential of AAV8L-delivered Osr1 gene therapy in inhibiting fatty liver progression to HCC, suppressing tumor growth, and improving overall survival in mouse models. If successful, this gene therapy could become a promising treatment option for liver cancer and potentially improve patient outcomes. Further translational studies and human clinical trials may be warranted if our findings are promising.

Read Less