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Sara Manzano – Investigadora postdoctoral en el IIS Biodonostia (Grupo de Cáncer de Mama)

Salón de Actos-IIS Biodonostia.

28/10/22

13:30

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers and, among others, inflammation is a key process driving its carcinogenesis. Indeed, chronic inflammation is a well-established factor triggering cirrhosis and, later on, HCC, by promoting tissue remodeling and fibrosis. Oncostatin M (OSM) is a cytokine from the Interleukin-6 family that, through its receptor, OSMR, promotes tumorigenesis, microenvironment remodeling, inflammation and metastasis in different cancer types. Moreover, OSM/OSMR pathway regulates liver development, regeneration and fibrosis, although the mechanistic insights of OSM/OSMR function in HCC have not been clearly defined. Thus, we hypothesized that OSM signaling may modulate HCC onset and development by regulating inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. For that, our group, in collaboration with the Liver Diseases group from Biodonostia, has studied HCC formation in mice lacking OSMR compared to wildtype ones in several models with different inflammatory status. We have complemented our in vivo models with in vitro experiments and patients’ data. As a summary, our research supports that OSMR is a key regulator of HCC-promoting inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting a potential role of OSM/OSMR pathway in the clinic which should be further studied.