DNAJB1-PKAc Kinase Is Expressed in Young Patients with Pediatric Liver Cancers and Enhances Carcinogenic Pathways

Background and Aims: Hepatoblastoma (HBL) and fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLC) are the most common liver malignancies in children and young adults. FLC oncogenesis is associated with the generation of the fusion kinase, DNAJB1-PKAc (J-PKAc). J-PKAc has been found in 90% of FLC patients' tumors but not in other liver cancers. Since previous studies of J-PKAc were performed with adolescent patients, we asked if young children may express J-PKAc and if there are consequences of such expression. Methods: The biobank of the pediatric HBL/HCN-NOS specimens was examined by QRT-PCR, Western blots, RNA-Seq, and immunostaining with fusion-specific antibodies. Results: J-PKAc is expressed in 70% of the HBL/HCN-NOS patients. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that HBL tumors that do not have cells expressing J-PKAc show elevated expression of the membrane attack complex (MAC), which eliminates cells expressing J-PKAc. The fusion-positive HBL/HCN-NOS samples have several signaling pathways that are different from fusion-negative HBLs. Upregulated pathways included genes involved in the G1 to S transition and in liver cancer. Downregulated pathways included over 60 tumor suppressors, the CYP family, and the SLC family. The repression of these genes involves J-PKAc-β-catenin-TCF4-mediated elevation of the HDAC1-Sp5 pathway. The identified upregulated and downregulated pathways are direct targets of the fusion kinase. The J-PKAc kinase is also detected in livers of 1-year-old children with biliary atresia (BA). Conclusions: J-PKAc is expressed in both HBL tumor and BA liver samples, contributing to the development of HBL and creating a transcriptome profiling consistent with the potential development of liver cancer in young patients.