Protein expression of hepatocellular carcinoma in a fibrotic liver in mice

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver tumor that arises in patients with cirrhosis. One of the key players in the progression of cirrhosis to HCC is the hepatic stellate cell, which is activated during liver damage. Activated stellate cells play an essential role in the pathogenesis of HCC by creating a fibrotic micro-environment that sustains tumor growth and by producing growth factors and cytokines that enhance tumor cell proliferation and migration. We assessed the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the cross-talk between hepatic stellate cells and HCC-cells. Mice with a fibrotic HCC were treated with the IRE1A-inhibitor 4mu8C. The oncogenic protein expression was assessed using a multiplex proximity extension assay for ninety-two biomarkers in the murine exploratory panel (Olink Bioscience, Uppsala, Sweden) in liver samples from healthy mice, mice with HCC and mice with HCC treated with the IRE1A-inhibitor 4mu8C.