The Epigenetic-Metabolic Crosstalk in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (IMAGE)
Caption
Metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic regulation form a bidirectional regulatory network that drives hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. HCC cells undergo extensive metabolic alterations, including enhanced glycolysis (Warburg effect), increased fatty acid synthesis, and reprogrammed amino acid metabolism. These metabolic changes generate key metabolites—such as acetyl-CoA, lactate, and S- adenosylmethionine—that serve as substrates or cofactors for epigenetic enzymes. In turn, epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, RNA methylation, histone modification, and non- coding RNA dysregulation, alter the expression of metabolic enzymes, reinforcing the metabolic phenotype. This reciprocal crosstalk between metabolism and epigenetics enhances the malignant characteristics of HCC and contributes to the construction of a tumor-promoting microenvironment.
Credit
Professor Kefei Yuan from Sichuan University, China Image link: https://www.ovid.com/jnls/cmj/fulltext/10.1097/cm9.0000000000004222~crosstalk-between-epigenetic-regulation-and-metabolic
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