Decoding Epigenetic Mechanisms Driving Immune Evasion in Liver Cancer With Omics Approaches
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Collection of tumor tissue (Fresh or/and archival FFPE), blood samples.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Hepatocarcinoma. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Italy
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
This is a national, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional, non-profit study focused on patients with HCC. The study aims to characterize the expression and function of novel noncoding regulatory transcripts, including those containing TEsin the microenvironment of liver tumors, with emphasis on their role in T cell dysfunction.
Detailed description
We will use TILs, along with other immune, hepatocyte, and stromal cell populations isolated from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue, matched adjacent non-tumoral liver, and peripheral blood samples. Single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics will be employed to define the cellular distribution and molecular profiles of TE-containing transcripts, other noncoding RNAs, and associated gene expression programs within the HCC microenvironment. Functional experiments-including CRISPR-Cas13 or ASO-mediated silencing-will be performed to elucidate the role of the novel regulatory transcripts, including TE-transcripts, in modulating cellular identity within the liver TME. In parallel, epigenetic analyses such as ChIPseq, ATAC-seq, DNA methylation profiling, RADICL-seq, and Hi-C will be conducted to map the regulatory networks and chromatin architecture associated with these transcripts
Interventions
- Genetic Collection of tumor tissue (Fresh or/and archival FFPE), blood samples
NGS, immunofluorescence analyses, transcriptional and immunophenotypic analyzes, scRNAseq, ChIP-seq/ATAC-seq, DNA methylation, single-cell transcriptomic and TCR sequencing
Primary outcome measures
- Characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying T cell dysfunction [Time frame: 5 years]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Analyze the epigenetic transcriptional regulatory mechanisms [Time frame: 5 years]
- Retrospective analysis on FFPE samples [Time frame: 5 years]
Eligibility criteria
- Histological/radiological (LR-4 o 5)diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- Solid tumor fresh tissue availability from HCC biospy or surgical resectionas per standard clinical practice, and/orHCC FFPE archival samples availability.
- Capability of understanding and signing an inform consent form.
- Known hepatits B and C status, including HBeAg (positive or negative), viral load (HBVDNA e HCV-RNA), HCV genotype, whether sustained virological response (SVR)was obtainedand potential antiviral treatments received (including direct antiretroviral therapy(DAA)and interferon). These parameters will be exploited to stratify patients and analyze the impact of the virological status on microenvironmental immunological features, with particular regards to immunesuppression mechanisms.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
Study locations
Italy · 1 center
- ASST GOM Niguarda — Milan
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07432347 · 6605