Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive human cancer with increasing incidence worldwide. Multiple efforts have been made to explore pharmaceutical therapies to treat HCC, such as targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immune based therapies and combination of chemotherapy. However, limitations exist in current strategies including chemoresistance for instance. Tumor initiation and progression is driven by reprogramming of metabolism, in particular during HCC development. Recently, metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), a reappraisal of new nomenclature for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), indicates growing appreciation of metabolism in the pathogenesis of liver disease, including HCC, thereby suggesting new strategies by targeting abnormal metabolism for HCC treatment. In this review, we introduce directions by highlighting the metabolic targets in glucose, fatty acid, amino acid and glutamine metabolism, which are suitable for HCC pharmaceutical intervention. We also summarize and discuss current pharmaceutical agents and studies targeting deregulated metabolism during HCC treatment. Furthermore, opportunities and challenges in the discovery and development of HCC therapy targeting metabolism are discussed.

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a secreted glycoprotein originally purified from mouse kidney cells infected with simian virus 40 and plays a key role in the control of cellular homeostasis during inflammation and the response to cellular stress or injury, and it is considered a potential biomarker for rheumatic diseases, cancer, liver diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Studies have shown that LCN2 is expressed in hepatic parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells and is secreted into the bloodstream, and it is closely associated with the development and progression of acute liver injury, liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. This article summarizes the animal experiments and clinical studies on the association of LCN2 with the pathogenesis of liver diseases, in order to provide new ideas and therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the treatment status of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in China.Methods:Data of chronic phase (CP) and accelerated phase (AP) CML patients diagnosed from January 2006 to December 2022 from 77 centers, ≥18 years old, and receiving initial imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib or flumatinib-therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China with complete data were retrospectively interrogated. The choice of initial TKI, current TKI medications, treatment switch and reasons, treatment responses and outcomes as well as the variables associated with them were analyzed.Results:6 893 patients in CP ( n=6 453, 93.6%) or AP ( n=440, 6.4%) receiving initial imatinib ( n=4 906, 71.2%), nilotinib ( n=1 157, 16.8%), dasatinib ( n=298, 4.3%) or flumatinib ( n=532, 7.2%) -therapy. With the median follow-up of 43 ( IQR 22-75) months, 1 581 (22.9%) patients switched TKI due to resistance ( n=1 055, 15.3%), intolerance ( n=248, 3.6%), pursuit of better efficacy ( n=168, 2.4%), economic or other reasons ( n=110, 1.6%). The frequency of switching TKI in AP patients was significantly-higher than that in CP patients (44.1% vs 21.5%, P<0.001), and more AP patients switched TKI due to resistance than CP patients (75.3% vs 66.1%, P=0.011). Multi-variable analyses showed that male, lower HGB concentration and ELTS intermediate/high-risk cohort were associated with lower cytogenetic and molecular responses rate and poor outcomes in CP patients; higher WBC count and initial the second-generation TKI treatment, the higher response rates; Ph + ACA at diagnosis, poor PFS. However, Sokal intermediate/high-risk cohort was only significantly-associated with lower CCyR and MMR rates and the poor PFS. Lower HGB concentration and larger spleen size were significantly-associated with the lower cytogenetic and molecular response rates in AP patients; initial the second-generation TKI treatment, the higher treatment response rates; lower PLT count, higher blasts and Ph + ACA, poorer TFS; Ph + ACA, poorer OS. Conclusion:At present, the vast majority of newly-diagnosed CML-CP or AP patients could benefit from TKI treatment in the long term with the good treatment responses and survival outcomes.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is the most common form of acute leukaemia in adults, with increasing incidence with age and a generally poor prognosis. Almost 20% of AML patients express mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (mIDH2), which leads to the accumulation of the carcinogenic metabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), resulting in poor prognosis. Thus, global institutions have been working to develop mIDH2 inhibitors. SH1573 is a novel mIDH2 inhibitor that we independently designed and synthesised. We have conducted a comprehensive study on its pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and safety. First, SH1573 exhibited a strong selective inhibition of mIDH2 R140Q protein, which could effectively reduce the production of 2-HG in cell lines, serum and tumors of an animal model. It could also promote the differentiation of mutant AML cell lines and granulocytes in PDX models. Then, it was confirmed that SH1573 possessed characteristics of high bioavailability, good metabolic stability and wide tissue distribution. Finally, toxicological data showed that SH1573 had no effects on the respiratory system, cardiovascular system and nervous system, and was genetically safe. This research successfully promoted the approval of SH1573 for clinical trials (CTR20200247). All experiments demonstrated that, as a potential drug against mIDH2 R140Q acute myeloid leukaemia, SH1573 was effective and safe.