Deciphering the genetic origin of childhood liver cancer

Hepatoblastoma (HB) represents the most common malignant liver tumor in infancy and is assumed to arise from immature liver progenitor cells by aberrant activation of genes important in embryonic development. The only recurrent genetic alteration described up to now is activating mutation of the beta-catenin gene in approx. 80% of HB cases, the key molecule of the Wnt signaling pathway. However, modeling constitutive Wnt activation in the mouse is not sufficient to drive liver tumorigenesis. To extend the understanding of the genetic basis of HB, whole exome sequencing of 8 HB patients was performed using Illumi…