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Immunotherapeutic Strategies for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC): Current Perspectives and Future Prospects. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081272. [PMID: 36016159 PMCID: PMC9416402 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoantigens are abnormal proteins produced by genetic mutations in somatic cells. Because tumour neoantigens are expressed only in tumour cells and have immunogenicity, they may represent specific targets for precision immunotherapy. With the reduction in sequencing cost, continuous advances in artificial intelligence technology and an increased understanding of tumour immunity, neoantigen vaccines and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) targeting neoantigens have become research hotspots. Approximately 900,000 patients worldwide are diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) each year. Due to its high mutagenicity and abundant lymphocyte infiltration, HNSCC naturally generates a variety of potential new antigen targets that may be used for HNSCC immunotherapies. Currently, the main immunotherapy for HNSCC is use of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs). Neoantigen vaccines and adoptive cell therapy targeting neoantigens are extensions of immunotherapy for HNSCC, and a large number of early clinical trials are underway in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). In this paper, we review recent neoantigen vaccine trials related to the treatment of HNSCC, introduce adoptive cell therapy targeting neoantigens, and propose a potential treatment for HNSCC. The clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and its combination with neoantigen vaccines in the treatment of HNSCC are summarized, and the prospect of using neoantigen to treat HNSCC is discussed and proposed.
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152
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Gong X, Karchin R. Pan-Cancer HLA Gene-Mediated Tumor Immunogenicity and Immune Evasion. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:1272-1283. [PMID: 35533264 PMCID: PMC9357147 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression contributes to the activation of antitumor immunity through interactions with T-cell receptors. Pan-cancer HLA-mediated immunogenicity and immunoediting mechanisms have not been systematically studied previously. In a retrospective analysis of 33 tumor types from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we characterized the differential expression of HLA class I and class II genes across various oncogenic pathways and immune subtypes. While HLA I genes were upregulated in all immunogenically hot tumors, HLA II genes were upregulated in an inflammatory immune subtype associated with best prognosis and were systematically downregulated in specific oncogenic pathways. A subset of immunogenically hot tumors which upregulated HLA class I but not class II genes exploited HLA-mediated escape strategies. Furthermore, with a machine learning model, we demonstrated that HLA gene expression data can be used to predict the immune subtypes of patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade and stratify patient survival. Interestingly, tumors with the highest immune infiltration did not have the best prognosis but showed significantly higher immune exhaustion. IMPLICATIONS Taken together, we highlight the prognostic potential of HLA genes in immunotherapies and suggest that higher tumor immunogenicity mediated by HLA expression may sometimes lead to tumor escape under strong selective pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xutong Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA,Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Rachel Karchin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA,Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA,corresponding author Rachel Karchin, Ph.D., 217A Hackerman Hall, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD USA 21218, ph: +1 410 516 5578, fax: +1 410 516 5294,
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153
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Lamberti MJ, Montico B, Ravo M, Nigro A, Giurato G, Iorio R, Tarallo R, Weisz A, Stellato C, Steffan A, Dolcetti R, Casolaro V, Faè DA, Dal Col J. Integration of miRNA:mRNA Co-Expression Revealed Crucial Mechanisms Modulated in Immunogenic Cancer Cell Death. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081896. [PMID: 36009442 PMCID: PMC9405340 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunogenic cell death (ICD) in cancer represents a functionally unique therapeutic response that can induce tumor-targeting immune responses. ICD is characterized by the exposure and release of numerous damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which confer adjuvanticity to dying cancer cells. The spatiotemporally defined emission of DAMPs during ICD has been well described, whereas the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate ICD hallmarks have not yet been deeply elucidated. Here, we aimed to examine the involvement of miRNAs and their putative targets using well-established in vitro models of ICD. To this end, B cell lymphoma (Mino) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines were exposed to two different ICD inducers, the combination of retinoic acid (RA) and interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and doxorubicin, and to non ICD inducers such as gamma irradiation. Then, miRNA and mRNA profiles were studied by next generation sequencing. Co-expression analysis identified 16 miRNAs differentially modulated in cells undergoing ICD. Integrated miRNA-mRNA functional analysis revealed candidate miRNAs, mRNAs, and modulated pathways associated with Immune System Process (GO Term). Specifically, ICD induced a distinctive transcriptional signature hallmarked by regulation of antigen presentation, a crucial step for proper activation of immune system antitumor response. Interestingly, the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) pathway was upregulated whereas class II (MHC-II) was downregulated. Analysis of MHC-II associated transcripts and HLA-DR surface expression confirmed inhibition of this pathway by ICD on lymphoma cells. miR-4284 and miR-212-3p were the strongest miRNAs upregulated by ICD associated with this event and miR-212-3p overexpression was able to downregulate surface expression of HLA-DR. It is well known that MHC-II expression on tumor cells facilitates the recruitment of CD4+ T cells. However, the interaction between tumor MHC-II and inhibitory coreceptors on tumor-associated lymphocytes could provide an immunosuppressive signal that directly represses effector cytotoxic activity. In this context, MHC-II downregulation by ICD could enhance antitumor immunity. Overall, we found that the miRNA profile was significantly altered during ICD. Several miRNAs are predicted to be involved in the regulation of MHC-I and II pathways, whose implication in ICD is demonstrated herein for the first time, which could eventually modulate tumor recognition and attack by the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Julia Lamberti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
- INBIAS, CONICET-UNRC, Río Cuarto, Córdoba 5800, Argentina
- Correspondence: (M.J.L.); (J.D.C.); Tel.: +54-358-4676437 (M.J.L.); +39-089-965210 (J.D.C.)
| | - Barbara Montico
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, PN, Italy
| | - Maria Ravo
- Genomix Life Srl, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Annunziata Nigro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Tarallo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Cristiana Stellato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Agostino Steffan
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, PN, Italy
| | - Riccardo Dolcetti
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Vincenzo Casolaro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Damiana Antonia Faè
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, PN, Italy
| | - Jessica Dal Col
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.J.L.); (J.D.C.); Tel.: +54-358-4676437 (M.J.L.); +39-089-965210 (J.D.C.)
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Barkley D, Moncada R, Pour M, Liberman DA, Dryg I, Werba G, Wang W, Baron M, Rao A, Xia B, França GS, Weil A, Delair DF, Hajdu C, Lund AW, Osman I, Yanai I. Cancer cell states recur across tumor types and form specific interactions with the tumor microenvironment. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1192-1201. [PMID: 35931863 PMCID: PMC9886402 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01141-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional heterogeneity among malignant cells of a tumor has been studied in individual cancer types and shown to be organized into cancer cell states; however, it remains unclear to what extent these states span tumor types, constituting general features of cancer. Here, we perform a pan-cancer single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis across 15 cancer types and identify a catalog of gene modules whose expression defines recurrent cancer cell states including 'stress', 'interferon response', 'epithelial-mesenchymal transition', 'metal response', 'basal' and 'ciliated'. Spatial transcriptomic analysis linked the interferon response in cancer cells to T cells and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Using mouse models, we further found that induction of the interferon response module varies by tumor location and is diminished upon elimination of lymphocytes. Our work provides a framework for studying how cancer cell states interact with the tumor microenvironment to form organized systems capable of immune evasion, drug resistance and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Barkley
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Maayan Pour
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ian Dryg
- Department of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregor Werba
- Department of Surgery, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Surgery, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maayan Baron
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anjali Rao
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bo Xia
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Alejandro Weil
- Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Cristina Hajdu
- Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amanda W. Lund
- Department of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Department of Surgery, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iman Osman
- Department of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Itai Yanai
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding author:
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155
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Ding J, Zheng Y, Wang G, Zheng J, Chai D. The performance and perspectives of dendritic cell vaccines modified by immune checkpoint inhibitors or stimulants. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188763. [PMID: 35872287 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic dendritic cell (DC) vaccines stimulate the elimination of tumor cells by the immune system. However, while antigen-specific T cell responses induced by DC vaccines are commonly observed, the clinical response rate is relatively poor, necessitating vaccine optimization. There is evidence that the suppression of DC function by immune checkpoints hinders the anti-tumor immune responses mediated by DC vaccines, ultimately leading to the immune escape of the tumor cells. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and immune checkpoint activators (ICAs) has extended the immunotherapeutic range. It is known that both inhibitory and stimulatory checkpoint molecules are expressed by most DC subsets and can thus be used to manipulate the effectiveness of DC vaccines. Such manipulation has been investigated using strategies such as chemotherapy, agonistic or antagonistic antibodies, siRNA, shRNA, CRISPR-Cas9, soluble antibodies, lentiviruses, and adenoviruses to maximize the efficacy of DC vaccines. Thus, a deeper understanding of immune checkpoints may assist in the development of improved DC vaccines. Here, we review the actions of various ICIs or ICAs shown by preclinical studies, as well as their potential application in DC vaccines. New therapeutic interventional strategies for blocking and stimulating immune checkpoint molecules in DCs are also described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiage Ding
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Center of Clinical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China
| | - Yanyan Zheng
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Center of Clinical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China
| | - Gang Wang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Center of Clinical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China.
| | - Junnian Zheng
- Center of Clinical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China.
| | - Dafei Chai
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Center of Clinical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, PR China.
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156
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Li Z, Ma Z, Xue H, Shen R, Qin K, Zhang Y, Zheng X, Zhang G. Chromatin Separation Regulators Predict the Prognosis and Immune Microenvironment Estimation in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:917150. [PMID: 35873497 PMCID: PMC9305311 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.917150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Abnormal chromosome segregation is identified to be a common hallmark of cancer. However, the specific predictive value of it in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is unclear. Method: The RNA sequencing and the clinical data of LUAD were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TACG) database, and the prognosis-related genes were identified. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) were carried out for functional enrichment analysis of the prognosis genes. The independent prognosis signature was determined to construct the nomogram Cox model. Unsupervised clustering analysis was performed to identify the distinguishing clusters in LUAD-samples based on the expression of chromosome segregation regulators (CSRs). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the enriched biological processes and pathways between different clusters were identified. The immune environment estimation, including immune cell infiltration, HLA family genes, immune checkpoint genes, and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE), was assessed between the clusters. The potential small-molecular chemotherapeutics for the individual treatments were predicted via the connectivity map (CMap) database. Results: A total of 2,416 genes were determined as the prognosis-related genes in LUAD. Chromosome segregation is found to be the main bioprocess enriched by the prognostic genes. A total of 48 CSRs were found to be differentially expressed in LUAD samples and were correlated with the poor outcome in LUAD. Nine CSRs were identified as the independent prognostic signatures to construct the nomogram Cox model. The LUAD-samples were divided into two distinct clusters according to the expression of the 48 CSRs. Cell cycle and chromosome segregation regulated genes were enriched in cluster 1, while metabolism regulated genes were enriched in cluster 2. Patients in cluster 2 had a higher score of immune, stroma, and HLA family components, while those in cluster 1 had higher scores of TIDES and immune checkpoint genes. According to the hub genes highly expressed in cluster 1, 74 small-molecular chemotherapeutics were predicted to be effective for the patients at high risk. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the CSRs were correlated with the poor prognosis and the possible immunotherapy resistance in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoshui Li
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zaiqi Ma
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong Xue
- Heart Center Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruxin Shen
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kun Qin
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xin Zheng
- Cancer Center Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Zheng, ; Guodong Zhang,
| | - Guodong Zhang
- Thoracic Surgery Department, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Zheng, ; Guodong Zhang,
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157
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Vathiotis IA, Trontzas I, Gavrielatou N, Gomatou G, Syrigos NK, Kotteas EA. Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer: Resistance Mechanisms and Future Perspectives. Clin Breast Cancer 2022; 22:642-649. [PMID: 35906130 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Anti-programmed cell death protein 1 immunotherapy has been incorporated in the treatment algorithm of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, clinical trial results for patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease appear less compelling. HR-positive tumors exhibit lower levels of programmed death-ligand 1 expression in comparison with their triple-negative counterparts. Moreover, signaling through estrogen receptor alters the immune microenvironment, rendering such tumors immunologically "cold." To explain differential responses to immune checkpoint blockade, this review interrogates differences between HR-positive and TNBC. Starting from distinct genomic features, we further present disparities concerning the tumor microenvironment and finally, we summarize early-phase clinical trial results on promising novel immunotherapy combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis A Vathiotis
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece; Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
| | - Ioannis Trontzas
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Niki Gavrielatou
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Georgia Gomatou
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Nikolaos K Syrigos
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Elias A Kotteas
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
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158
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Mei J, Jiang G, Chen Y, Xu Y, Wan Y, Chen R, Liu F, Mao W, Zheng M, Xu J. HLA class II molecule HLA-DRA identifies immuno-hot tumors and predicts the therapeutic response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in NSCLC. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:738. [PMID: 35794593 PMCID: PMC9258174 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09840-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) only works well for a certain subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, biomarkers for patient stratification are desired, which can suggest the most beneficial treatment. Methods In this study, three datasets (GSE126044, GSE135222, and GSE136961) of immunotherapy from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed, and seven intersected candidates were extracted as potential biomarkers for ICB followed by validation with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and the in-house cohort data. Results Among these candidates, we found that human leukocyte antigen-DR alpha (HLA-DRA) was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and both tumor and immune cells expressed HLA-DRA. In addition, HLA-DRA was associated with an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) and could predict the response to ICB in NSCLC. Moreover, we validated the predictive value of HLA-DRA in immunotherapy using an in-house cohort. Furthermore, HLA-DRA was related to the features of inflamed TME in not only NSCLC but also in most cancer types. Conclusion Overall, HLA-DRA could be a promising biomarker for guiding ICB in NSCLC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09840-6.
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159
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do Prado Duzanski A, Flórez LMM, Fêo HB, Romagnoli GG, Kaneno R, Rocha NS. Cell-mediated immunity and expression of MHC class I and class II molecules in dogs naturally infected by canine transmissible venereal tumor: Is there complete spontaneous regression outside the experimental CTVT? Res Vet Sci 2022; 145:193-204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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160
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Liu C, Yan W, Shi J, Wang S, Peng A, Chen Y, Huang K. Biological Actions, Implications, and Cautions of Statins Therapy in COVID-19. Front Nutr 2022; 9:927092. [PMID: 35811982 PMCID: PMC9257176 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.927092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed worse prognosis and higher mortality in individuals with obesity. Dyslipidemia is a major link between obesity and COVID-19 severity. Statins as the most common lipid regulating drugs have shown favorable effects in various pathophysiological states. Importantly, accumulating observational studies have suggested that statin use is associated with reduced risk of progressing to severe illness and in-hospital death in COVID-19 patients. Possible explanations underlie these protective impacts include their abilities of reducing cholesterol, suppressing viral entry and replication, anti-inflammation and immunomodulatory effects, as well as anti-thrombosis and anti-oxidative properties. Despite these benefits, statin therapies have side effects that should be considered, such as elevated creatinine kinase, liver enzyme and serum glucose levels, which are already elevated in severe COVID-19. Concerns are also raised whether statins interfere with the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Randomized controlled trials are being conducted worldwide to confirm the values of statin use for COVID-19 treatment. Generally, the results suggest no necessity to discontinue statin use, and no evidence suggesting interference between statins and COVID-19 vaccines. However, concomitant administration of statins and COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid may increase statin exposure and the risk of adverse effects, because most statins are metabolized mainly through CYP3A4 which is potently inhibited by ritonavir, a major component of Paxlovid. Therefore, more clinical/preclinical studies are still warranted to understand the benefits, harms and mechanisms of statin use in the context of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyu Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanyao Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiajian Shi
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shun Wang
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anlin Peng
- Wuhan Third Hospital, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuchen Chen
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yuchen Chen
| | - Kun Huang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Tongji-Rongcheng Center for Biomedicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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161
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Fan T, Kuang G, Long R, Han Y, Wang J. The overall process of metastasis: From initiation to a new tumor. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188750. [PMID: 35728735 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis-a process that involves the migration of cells from the primary site to distant organs-is the leading cause of cancer-associated death. Improved technology and in-depth research on tumors have furthered our understanding of the various mechanisms involved in tumor metastasis. Metastasis is initiated by cancer cells of a specific phenotype, which migrate with the assistance of extracellular components and metastatic traits conferred via epigenetic regulation while modifying their behavior in response to the complex and dynamic human internal environment. In this review, we have summarized the general steps involved in tumor metastasis and their characteristics, incorporating recent studies and topical issues, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, neutrophil extracellular traps, pre-metastatic niche, extracellular vesicles, and dormancy. Several feasible treatment directions have also been summarized. In addition, the correlation between cancer metastasis and lifestyle factors, such as obesity and circadian rhythm, has been illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyue Fan
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Guicheng Kuang
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Runmin Long
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunwei Han
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
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Pejovic T, Abate PV, Ma H, Thiessen J, Corless CL, Peterson A, Allard-Chamard H, Labrie M. Single-Cell Proteomics Analysis of Recurrent Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma and Associated Brain Metastases. Front Oncol 2022; 12:903806. [PMID: 35692807 PMCID: PMC9174542 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.903806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Between 2% and 6% of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients develop brain metastases (brain mets), which are incurable and invariably result in death. This poor outcome is associated with a lack of established guidelines for the detection and treatment of brain mets in EOC patients. In this study, we characterize an unusual case of low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) that metastasized to the brain. Using a spatially oriented single-cell proteomics platform, we compared sequential biopsies of a primary tumor with a peritoneal recurrence and brain mets. We identified several targetable oncogenic pathways and immunosuppressive mechanisms that are amplified in the brain mets and could be involved in the progression of LGSOC to the brain. Furthermore, we were able to identify cell populations that are shared between the primary tumor and the brain mets, suggesting that cells that have a propensity for metastasis to the brain could be identified early during the course of disease. Taken together, our findings further a path for personalized therapeutic decisions in LGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Pejovic
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Pierre-Valérien Abate
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Hongli Ma
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Jaclyn Thiessen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Christopher L Corless
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Abigail Peterson
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Hugues Allard-Chamard
- Service of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marilyne Labrie
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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163
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Li Q, Oduro PK, Guo R, Li R, Leng L, Kong X, Wang Q, Yang L. Oncolytic Viruses: Immunotherapy Drugs for Gastrointestinal Malignant Tumors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:921534. [PMID: 35719333 PMCID: PMC9203847 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.921534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virus therapy has advanced rapidly in recent years. Natural or transgenic viruses can target tumor cells and inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in various ways without interfering with normal cell and tissue function. Oncolytic viruses have a high level of specificity and are relatively safe. Malignant tumors in the digestive system continue to have a high incidence and mortality rate. Although existing treatment methods have achieved some curative effects, they still require further improvement due to side effects and a lack of specificity. Many studies have shown that oncolytic viruses can kill various tumor cells, including malignant tumors in the digestive system. This review discusses how oncolytic virus therapy improves malignant tumors in the digestive system from the point-of-view of basic and clinical studies. Also, the oncolytic virus anti-tumor mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic potential of oncolytic viruses are expounded. In all, we argue that oncolytic viruses might eventually provide therapeutic solutions to malignant tumors in the digestive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbo Li
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Patrick Kwabena Oduro
- Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine & State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Rui Guo
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruiqiao Li
- Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine & State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Ling Leng
- Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine & State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianbin Kong
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Xianbin Kong, ; Qilong Wang, ; Long Yang,
| | - Qilong Wang
- Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine & State Key Laboratory of Component-Based Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Xianbin Kong, ; Qilong Wang, ; Long Yang,
| | - Long Yang
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Xianbin Kong, ; Qilong Wang, ; Long Yang,
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164
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Gil Del Alcazar CR, Trinh A, Alečković M, Rojas Jimenez E, Harper NW, Oliphant MU, Xie S, Krop ED, Lulseged B, Murphy KC, Keenan TE, Van Allen EM, Tolaney SM, Freeman GJ, Dillon DA, Muthuswamy SK, Polyak K. Insights into Immune Escape During Tumor Evolution and Response to Immunotherapy Using a Rat Model of Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2022; 10:680-697. [PMID: 35446942 PMCID: PMC9177779 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-21-0804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are critical for the preclinical validation of cancer immunotherapies. Unfortunately, mouse breast cancer models do not faithfully reproduce the molecular subtypes and immune environment of the human disease. In particular, there are no good murine models of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, the predominant subtype in patients. Here, we show that Nitroso-N-methylurea-induced mammary tumors in outbred Sprague-Dawley rats recapitulate the heterogeneity for mutational profiles, ER expression, and immune evasive mechanisms observed in human breast cancer. We demonstrate the utility of this model for preclinical studies by dissecting mechanisms of response to immunotherapy using combination TGFBR inhibition and PD-L1 blockade. Short-term treatment of early-stage tumors induced durable responses. Gene expression profiling and spatial mapping classified tumors as inflammatory and noninflammatory, and identified IFNγ, T-cell receptor (TCR), and B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, CD74/MHC II, and epithelium-interacting CD8+ T cells as markers of response, whereas the complement system, M2 macrophage phenotype, and translation in mitochondria were associated with resistance. We found that the expression of CD74 correlated with leukocyte fraction and TCR diversity in human breast cancer. We identified a subset of rat ER+ tumors marked by expression of antigen-processing genes that had an active immune environment and responded to treatment. A gene signature characteristic of these tumors predicted disease-free survival in patients with ER+ Luminal A breast cancer and overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving anti-PD-L1 therapy. We demonstrate the usefulness of this preclinical model for immunotherapy and suggest examination to expand immunotherapy to a subset of patients with ER+ disease. See related Spotlight by Roussos Torres, p. 672.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos R. Gil Del Alcazar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anne Trinh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maša Alečković
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ernesto Rojas Jimenez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicholas W. Harper
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael U.J. Oliphant
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shanshan Xie
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ethan D. Krop
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bethlehem Lulseged
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Katherine C. Murphy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tanya E. Keenan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Eliezer M. Van Allen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sara M. Tolaney
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Gordon J. Freeman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deborah A. Dillon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Senthil K. Muthuswamy
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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165
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Gong X, Li N, Sun C, Li Z, Xie H. A Four-Gene Prognostic Signature Based on the TEAD4 Differential Expression Predicts Overall Survival and Immune Microenvironment Estimation in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:874780. [PMID: 35600867 PMCID: PMC9114646 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.874780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: TEA domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) is a member of the transcriptional enhancer factor (TEF) family of transcription factors, which is studied to be linked to the tumorigenesis and progression of various forms of cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the specific function of this gene in the progression of LUAD remains to be explored. Method: A total of 19 genes related to the Hippo pathway were analyzed to identify the significant genes involved in LUAD progression. The TCGA-LUAD data (n = 585) from public databases were mined, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with the differential level of TEAD4 were identified. The univariate Cox regression, zero LASSO regression coefficients, and multivariate Cox regression were performed to identify the independent prognostic signatures. The immune microenvironment estimation in the two subgroups, including immune cell infiltration, HLA family genes, and immune checkpoint genes, was assessed. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and GO were conducted to analyze the functional enrichment of DEGs between the two risk groups. The potential drugs for the high-risk subtypes were forecasted via the mode of action (moa) module of the connectivity map (CMap) database. Results:TEAD4 was found to be significantly correlated with poor prognosis in LUAD-patients. A total of 102 DEGs in TEAD4-high vs. TEAD4-low groups were identified. Among these DEGs, four genes (CPS1, ANLN, RHOV, and KRT6A) were identified as the independent prognostic signature to conduct the Cox risk model. The immune microenvironment estimation indicated a strong relationship between the high TEAD4 expression and immunotherapeutic resistance. The GSEA and GO showed that pathways, including cell cycle regulation, were enriched in the high-risk group, while immune response-related and metabolism biological processes were enriched in the low-risk group. Several small molecular perturbagens targeting CFTR or PLA2G1B, by the mode of action (moa) modules of the glucocorticoid receptor agonist, cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and NFkB pathway inhibitor, were predicted to be suited for the high-risk subtypes based on the high TEAD4 expression. Conclusion: The current study revealed TEAD4 is an immune regulation–related predictor of prognosis and a novel therapeutic target for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Gong
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ning Li
- Cardiovascular Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chen Sun
- Hematology Department, Qingdao Hiser Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhaoshui Li
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hao Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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166
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Sasamoto N, Stewart PA, Wang T, Yoder SJ, Chellappan S, Hecht JL, Fridley BL, Terry KL, Tworoger SS. Lifetime ovulatory years and ovarian cancer gene expression profiles. J Ovarian Res 2022; 15:59. [PMID: 35562768 PMCID: PMC9102743 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-022-00995-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Greater ovulatory years is associated with increased ovarian cancer risk. Although ovulation leads to an acute pro-inflammatory local environment, how long-term exposure to ovulation impacts ovarian carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Thus, we examined the association between gene expression profiles of ovarian tumors and lifetime ovulatory years to enhance understanding of associated biological pathways. METHODS RNA sequencing data was generated on 234 invasive ovarian cancer tumors that were high-grade serous, poorly differentiated, or high-grade endometrioid from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), NHSII, and the New England Case Control Study. We used linear regression to identify differentially expressed genes by estimated ovulatory years, adjusted for birth decade and cohort, overall and stratified by menopausal status at diagnosis. We used false discovery rates (FDR) to account for multiple testing. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) with Cancer Hallmarks, KEGG, and Reactome databases was used to identify biological pathways associated with ovulatory years. RESULTS No individual genes were significantly differentially expressed by ovulatory years (FDR > 0.19). However, GSEA identified several pathways that were significantly associated with ovulatory years, including downregulation of pathways related to inflammation and proliferation (FDR < 1.0 × 10-5). Greater ovulatory years were more strongly associated with downregulation of genes related to proliferation (e.g., E2F targets, FDR = 1.53 × 10-24; G2M checkpoints, FDR = 3.50 × 10-22) among premenopausal versus postmenopausal women at diagnosis. The association of greater ovulatory years with downregulation of genes involved in inflammatory response such as interferon gamma response pathways (FDR = 7.81 × 10-17) was stronger in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide novel insight into the biological pathways that link ovulatory years to ovarian carcinogenesis, which may lead to development of targeted prevention strategies for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Sasamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Paul A Stewart
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Tianyi Wang
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sean J Yoder
- Molecular Genomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Srikumar Chellappan
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan L Hecht
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brooke L Fridley
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Kathryn L Terry
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shelley S Tworoger
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
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167
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Liu D, Hofman P. Expression of NOTCH1, NOTCH4, HLA-DMA and HLA-DRA is synergistically associated with T cell exclusion, immune checkpoint blockade efficacy and recurrence risk in ER-negative breast cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:463-477. [PMID: 35543859 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00677-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Reliable biomarkers to predict the outcome and treatment response of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer (BC) are urgently needed. Since immune-related signaling plays an important role in the tumorigenesis of ER-negative BC, we asked whether Notch genes, alone or in combination with other immune genes, can be used to predict the clinical outcome and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) for this type of cancer. METHODS We analyzed transcriptome data of 6918 BC samples from five independent cohorts, 81 xenograft triple-negative BC tumors that respond differently to ICB treatment and 754 samples of different cancer types from patients treated with ICB agents. RESULTS We found that among four Notch genes, the expression levels of NOTCH1 and NOTCH4 were positively associated with recurrence of ER-negative BC, and that combined expression of these two genes (named Notch14) further enhanced this association, which was comparable with that of the Notch pathway signature. Analysis of 1182 immune-related genes revealed that the expression levels of most HLA genes, particularly HLA-DMA and -DRA, were reversely associated with recurrence in ER-negative BC with low, but not high Notch14 expression. A combined expression signature of NOTCH1, NOTCH4, HLA-DMA and HLA-DRA was more prognostic for ER-negative and triple-negative BCs than previously reported immune-related signatures. Furthermore, we found that the expression levels of these four genes were also synergistically associated with T cell exclusion score, infiltration of specific T cells and ICB efficacy in ER-negative BC, thereby providing a potential molecular mechanism for the synergistic effect of these genes on BC. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that a gene signature composed of NOTCH1, NOTCH4, HLA-DMA and HLA-DRA may serve as a potential promising biomarker for predicting ICB therapy efficacy and recurrence in ER-negative/triple-negative BCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingxie Liu
- Bluewater Biotech LLC, PO Box 1010, New Providence, NJ, 07974, USA.
| | - Paul Hofman
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, CHU Nice, FHU OncoAge, University Côte d'Azur, 06100, Nice, France.
- Team 4, IRCAN, UMR 7284 U10181, FHU OncoAge, Centre Antoine Lacassagne University Côte d'Azur, 06107, Nice, France.
- Hospital-Integrated Biobank (BB-0033-00025), CHU Nice, FHU OncoAge, University Côte d'Azur, 06100, Nice, France.
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168
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Prognostic Risk Signature and Comprehensive Analyses of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Related Genes in Lung Adenocarcinoma. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:6567916. [PMID: 35571564 PMCID: PMC9096573 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6567916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main pathological subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been found to be involved in multiple tumor-related biological processes. At present, a comprehensive analysis of ERS-related genes in LUAD is still lacking. A total of 1034 samples from TCGA and GEO were used to screen differentially expressed genes. Further, Random Forest algorithm was utilized to screen characteristic genes related to prognosis. Then, LASSO Cox regression was used to construct a prognostic signature. Taking the median of signature score as the threshold, patients were separated into high-risk (HR) group and low-risk (LR) group. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), immune cell infiltration, cancer stem cell infiltration, expression of HLA, and immune checkpoints of the two risk groups were analyzed. TIDE score was used to evaluate the response of the two risk groups to immunotherapy. Finally, the gene expression was verified in clinical tissues with RT-qPCR. An eight-gene signature (ADRB2, AGER, CDKN3, GJB2, SFTPC, SLC2A1, SLC6A4, and SSR4) was constructed. TMB and cancer stem cell infiltration were higher in the HR group than the LR group. TIDE score and expression level of HLA were higher in the LR group than the HR group. Expression level of immune checkpoints, including CD28, CD27, IDO2, and others, were higher in the LR group. Multiple drugs approved by FAD, targeting ERS-related genes, were available for the treatment of LUAD. In summary, we established a stable prognostic model based on ERS-related genes to help the classification of LUAD patients and looked for new treatment strategies from aspects of immunity, tumor mutation, and tumor stem cell infiltration.
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169
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Neoantigens – the next frontier in precision immunotherapy for B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Blood Rev 2022; 56:100969. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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170
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Chuntova P, Yamamichi A, Chen T, Narayanaswamy R, Ronseaux S, Hudson C, Tron AE, Hyer ML, Montoya M, Mende AL, Nejo T, Downey KM, Diebold D, Lu M, Nicolay B, Okada H. Inhibition of D-2HG leads to upregulation of a proinflammatory gene signature in a novel HLA-A2/HLA-DR1 transgenic mouse model of IDH1R132H-expressing glioma. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e004644. [PMID: 35606087 PMCID: PMC9174833 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term prognosis of WHO grade II, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutated low-grade glioma (LGG) is poor due to high risks of recurrence and malignant transformation into high-grade glioma. Immunotherapy strategies are attractive given the relatively intact immune system of patients with LGG and the slow tumor growth rate. However, accumulation of the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) in IDH-mutated gliomas leads to suppression of inflammatory pathways in the tumor microenvironment, thereby contributing to the 'cold' tumor phenotype. Inhibiting D-2HG production presents an opportunity to generate a robust antitumor response following tumor antigen vaccination and immune checkpoint blockade. METHODS An IDH1R132H glioma model was created in syngeneic HLA-A2/HLA-DR1-transgenic mice, allowing us to evaluate the vaccination with the human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-DR1-restricted, IDH1R132H mutation-derived neoepitope. The effects of an orally available inhibitor of mutant IDH1 and IDH2, AG-881, were evaluated as monotherapy and in combination with the IDH1R132H peptide vaccination or anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade. RESULTS The HLA-A2/HLA-DR1-syngeneic IDH1R132H cell line expressed the IDH1 mutant protein and formed D-2HG producing orthotopic gliomas in vivo. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with AG-881 resulted in a reduction of D-2HG levels in IDH1R132H glioma cells (10 fold) and tumor-associated myeloid cells, which demonstrated high levels of intracellular D-2HG in the IDH1R132H gliomas. AG-881 monotherapy suppressed the progression of IDH1R132H gliomas in a CD4+ and CD8+ cell-dependent manner, enhanced proinflammatory IFNγ-related gene expression, and increased the number of CD4+ tumor-infiltrating T-cells. Prophylactic vaccination with the HLA-DR1-restricted IDH1R132H peptide or tumor-associated HLA-A2-restricted peptides did not enhance survival of tumor-bearing animals; however, vaccination with both HLA-A2-IDH1R132H and DR1-IDH1R132H peptides in combination with the IDH inhibitor significantly prolonged survival. Finally, tumor-bearing mice treated with both AG-881 and a PD-1 blocking antibody demonstrated improved survival when compared with either treatment alone. CONCLUSION The development of effective IDH1R132H-targeting vaccine may be enhanced by integration with HLA class I-restricted cytotoxic T cell epitopes and AG-881. Our HLA-A2/HLA-DR1-syngeneic IDH1R132H glioma model should allow us to evaluate key translational questions related to the development of novel strategies for patients with IDH-mutant glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlina Chuntova
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Akane Yamamichi
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tiffany Chen
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rohini Narayanaswamy
- Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Servier BioInnovation, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sebastien Ronseaux
- Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Cedilla Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine Hudson
- Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Marc L Hyer
- Servier BioInnovation, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Megan Montoya
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Abigail L Mende
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Takahide Nejo
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kira M Downey
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David Diebold
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Min Lu
- Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Servier BioInnovation, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brandon Nicolay
- Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Cedilla Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hideho Okada
- Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
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171
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Identification and Validation of a Gene Signature for Lower-Grade Gliomas Based on Pyroptosis-Related Genes to Predict Survival and Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2022; 2022:8704127. [PMID: 35535221 PMCID: PMC9078805 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8704127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pyroptosis plays a critical role in the immune response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) by mediating the tumor immune microenvironment. However, the impact of pyroptosis-related biomarkers on the prognosis and efficacy of ICIs in patients with lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) is unclear. An unsupervised clustering analysis identified pyroptosis-related subtypes (PRSs) based on the expression profile of 47 pyroptosis-related genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas-LGG cohort. A PRS gene signature was established using univariate Cox regression, random survival forest, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and stepwise multivariable Cox regression analyses. The predictive power of this signature was validated in the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas database. We also investigated the differences between high- and low-risk groups in terms of the tumor immune microenvironment, tumor mutation, and response to target therapy and ICIs. The PRS gene signature comprised eight PRS genes, which independently predicted the prognosis of LGG patients. High-risk patients had a worse overall survival than did the low-risk patients. The high-risk group also displayed a higher proportion of M1 macrophages and CD8+ T cells and higher immune scores, tumor mutational burden, immunophenoscore, IMmuno-PREdictive Score, MHC I association immune score, and T cell-inflamed gene expression profile scores, but lower suppressor cells scores, and were more suitable candidates for ICI treatment. Higher risk scores were more frequent in patients who responded to ICIs using data from the ImmuCellAI website. The presently established PRS gene signature can be validated in melanoma patients treated with real ICI treatment. This signature is valuable in predicting prognosis and ICI treatment of LGG patients, pending further prospective verification.
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172
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Ji ZH, Ren WZ, Yang S, Wang DX, Jiang ZP, Lin C, Jin Y, Tian WT. Identification of immune-related biomarkers associated with tumorigenesis and prognosis in skin cutaneous melanoma. Am J Cancer Res 2022; 12:1727-1739. [PMID: 35530289 PMCID: PMC9077068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is one of the most malignant and aggressive forms of cancer. Investigating the mechanisms of carcinogenesis further could lead to the discovery of prognostic biomarkers that could be used to guide cancer treatment. In this study, we conducted integrative bioinformatics analyses of TCGA database, STRING, cBioPortal, TRRUST, The Human Protein Atlas, and DGIdb to determine which hub genes contributed to tumor progression and the cancer-associated immunology of SKCM. The results show that immune-related 873 differential genes grouped SKCM samples into subtypes. The initial results showed that the optimal number of clusters was two subgroups. Further analysis showed that there were significant differences in survival rate and immune infiltration level between the two subgroups. Subsequently, obtaining the different genes between groups, construct PPI to screen 6 hub genes (HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB5). In total, 6 MHC class II molecules were significantly related to overall survival. We then analyzed the expression of these genes along with their mutation landscapes, transcription factor regulation, and drug regulatory networks. In summary, our study identified 6 MHC class II molecules (HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB5) as important biomarkers in the occurrence and progression of SKCM tumors. Their expression levels are closely related to prognosis and immune infiltration and can help us better understand the tumorigenesis of SKCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Hao Ji
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, First Hospital Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical CollegeChangzhi 046000, Shanxi, China
| | - Wen-Zhi Ren
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
| | - Dong-Xu Wang
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zi-Ping Jiang
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, First Hospital Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chao Lin
- School of Grain Science and Technology, Jilin Business and Technology CollegeChangchun, China
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese MedicineChangchun, China
| | - Wen-Tai Tian
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, First Hospital Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin, China
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173
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Cao R, Zhang W, Zhang H, Wang L, Chen X, Ren X, Cheng B, Xia J. Comprehensive Analysis of the PRDXs Family in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:798483. [PMID: 35350568 PMCID: PMC8957933 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.798483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The peroxidase family of peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) plays a vital role in maintaining the intracellular balance of ROS. However, their function in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been investigated. We therefore explored the value of PRDXs in HNSCC. We found that the expression of PRDX1, PRDX4, and PRDX5 in HNSCC increased while the expression of PRDX2 decreased. Moreover, the high expression of PRDX4/5/6 indicated a poor prognosis. Lower expression of PRDX1/5 was linked to more immune cell infiltration, higher expression of immune-related molecules and a more likely response to anti-PD-1 treatment. Moreover, PRDX5 knockdown inhibited HNSCC cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis and it might promote apoptosis through its antioxidant property. Taken together, our study highlights the potential role of PRDXs in HNSCC. The function of PRDX5 in the development of HNSCC and the formation of the immune microenvironment makes it a promising potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyan Cao
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weilin Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongjian Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixuan Wang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xijuan Chen
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianyue Ren
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Xia
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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174
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Gene signatures in patients with early breast cancer and relapse despite pathologic complete response. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:42. [PMID: 35351903 PMCID: PMC8964729 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00403-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A substantial minority of early breast cancer (EBC) patients relapse despite their tumors achieving pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy. We compared gene expression (BC360; nCounter® platform; NanoString) between primary tumors of patients with post-pCR relapse (N = 14) with: (i) matched recurrent tumors from same patient (intraindividual analysis); and (ii) primary tumors from matched controls with pCR and no relapse (N = 41; interindividual analysis). Intraindividual analysis showed lower estrogen receptor signaling signature expression in recurrent tumors versus primaries (logFC = −0.595; P = 0.022). Recurrent tumors in patients with distant metastases also exhibited reduced expression of immune-related expression parameters. In interindividual analyses, primary tumor major histocompatibility complex class II expression was lower versus controls in patients with any relapse (logFC = −0.819; P = 0.030) or distant relapse (logFC = −1.151; P = 0.013). Primaries with later distant relapse also had greater homologous recombination deficiency than controls (logFC = 0.649; P = 0.026). Although no associations remained statistically significant following adjustment for false discovery rate, our results show that transcriptomic analyses have potential for prognostic value and may help in selecting optimal treatment regimens for EBC at risk of relapse and warrant further investigation.
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175
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Sia J, Neeson PJ, Haynes NM. Basic cancer immunology for radiation oncologists. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2022; 66:508-518. [PMID: 35352493 PMCID: PMC9311072 DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.13406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although the impressive clinical responses seen with modern cancer immunotherapy are currently limited to a subset of patients, the underlying paradigm shift has resulted in now hardly a segment in oncology that has not been touched by the immuno‐oncology revolution. A growing body of data indicates that radiation therapy (RT) can modulate the tumour immune microenvironment and complement cancer immunotherapy via non‐overlapping mechanisms to reinvigorate immunity against cancer. Thus, increasingly RT is viewed as a highly unique partner for immunotherapy across the spectrum of cancer settings, as radiobiology and cancer immunology foreseeably become more intertwined. Considering these developments, this review summarises the key concepts and terminology in immunology for the radiation oncologist, with a focus on the cancer setting and with reference to important recent advances. These concepts will provide a starting point for understanding the strategies that underlie current and emerging immunotherapy trials, as well as the indirect effects of RT by which immune responses against cancer are shaped.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Sia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul J Neeson
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicole M Haynes
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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176
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Regulation of the antigen presentation machinery in cancer and its implication for immune surveillance. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:825-837. [PMID: 35343573 PMCID: PMC9162455 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Evading immune destruction is one of the hallmarks of cancer. A key mechanism of immune evasion deployed by tumour cells is to reduce neoantigen presentation through down-regulation of the antigen presentation machinery. MHC-I and MHC-II proteins are key components of the antigen presentation machinery responsible for neoantigen presentation to CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes, respectively. Their expression in tumour cells is modulated by a complex interplay of genomic, transcriptomic and post translational factors involving multiple intracellular antigen processing pathways. Ongoing research investigates mechanisms invoked by cancer cells to abrogate MHC-I expression and attenuate anti-tumour CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response. The discovery of MHC-II on tumour cells has been less characterized. However, this finding has triggered further interest in utilising tumour-specific MHC-II to harness sustained anti-tumour immunity through the activation of CD4+ T helper cells. Tumour-specific expression of MHC-I and MHC-II has been associated with improved patient survival in most clinical studies. Thus, their reactivation represents an attractive way to unleash anti-tumour immunity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of physiologically conserved or novel mechanisms utilised by tumour cells to reduce MHC-I or MHC-II expression. It outlines current approaches employed at the preclinical and clinical trial interface towards reversing these processes in order to improve response to immunotherapy and survival outcomes for patients with cancer.
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177
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Cui Y, Liu Y, Mu L, Li Y, Wu G. Transcriptional Expressions of ALDH1A1/B1 as Independent Indicators for the Survival of Thyroid Cancer Patients. Front Oncol 2022; 12:821958. [PMID: 35280765 PMCID: PMC8905520 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.821958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 1 is an important enzyme involved in the regulation of several cellular mechanisms via aldehyde detoxification. High ALDH1 levels were correlated with tumorigenesis and stemness maintenance in cancer. Methods We used UALCAN, Human Protein Atlas, Kaplan–Meier plotter, TISIDB, TIMER, and KOBAS databases to investigate the expression and role of ALDH1 in thyroid cancer progression. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the expression of the target genes in thyroid cancer cell lines and cancer tissues. Results Expression of ALDH1A1/B1 was significantly decreased based on individual cancer stages and tumor histology, and high levels of ALDH1A1/B1 were associated with poor overall survival in thyroid cancer patients. Moreover, ALDH1A1/B1 expression was negatively correlated with immune-stimulating genes, major histocompatibility complex, chemokines, and receptors. Conclusions These results suggest that ALDH1A1/B1 might serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for thyroid cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cui
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Lan Mu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
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178
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Cheng R, Xu Z, Luo M, Wang P, Cao H, Jin X, Zhou W, Xiao L, Jiang Q. Identification of alternative splicing-derived cancer neoantigens for mRNA vaccine development. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:bbab553. [PMID: 35279714 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have shown great potential for anti-tumor therapy due to the advantages in safety, efficacy and industrial production. However, it remains a challenge to identify suitable cancer neoantigens that can be targeted for mRNA vaccines. Abnormal alternative splicing occurs in a variety of tumors, which may result in the translation of abnormal transcripts into tumor-specific proteins. High-throughput technologies make it possible for systematic characterization of alternative splicing as a source of suitable target neoantigens for mRNA vaccine development. Here, we summarized difficulties and challenges for identifying alternative splicing-derived cancer neoantigens from RNA-seq data and proposed a conceptual framework for designing personalized mRNA vaccines based on alternative splicing-derived cancer neoantigens. In addition, several points were presented to spark further discussion toward improving the identification of alternative splicing-derived cancer neoantigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Cheng
- Harbin Institute of Technology, China
| | | | - Meng Luo
- Harbin Institute of Technology, China
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179
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Thirmanne HN, Wu F, Janssens DH, Swanger J, Diab A, Feldman H, Amezquita RA, Gottardo R, Paddison PJ, Henikoff S, Clurman BE. Global and context-specific transcriptional consequences of oncogenic Fbw7 mutations. eLife 2022; 11:74338. [PMID: 35225231 PMCID: PMC8926403 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Fbw7 ubiquitin ligase targets many proteins for proteasomal degradation, which include oncogenic transcription factors (TFs) (e.g., c-Myc, c-Jun, and Notch). Fbw7 is a tumor suppressor and tumors often contain mutations in FBXW7, the gene that encodes Fbw7. The complexity of its substrate network has obscured the mechanisms of Fbw7-associated tumorigenesis, yet this understanding is needed for developing therapies. We used an integrated approach employing RNA-Seq and high-resolution mapping (cleavage under target and release using nuclease) of histone modifications and TF occupancy (c-Jun and c-Myc) to examine the combinatorial effects of misregulated Fbw7 substrates in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells with engineered tumor-associated FBXW7 null or missense mutations. Both Fbw7 mutations caused widespread transcriptional changes associated with active chromatin and altered TF occupancy: some were common to both Fbw7 mutant cell lines, whereas others were mutation specific. We identified loci where both Jun and Myc were coregulated by Fbw7, suggesting that substrates may have synergistic effects. One coregulated gene was CIITA, the master regulator of MHC Class II gene expression. Fbw7 loss increased MHC Class II expression and Fbw7 mutations were correlated with increased CIITA expression in TCGA colorectal tumors and cell lines, which may have immunotherapeutic implications for Fbw7-associated cancers. Analogous studies in neural stem cells in which FBXW7 had been acutely deleted closely mirrored the results in CRC cells. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed Fbw7-associated pathways that were conserved across both cell types that may reflect fundamental Fbw7 functions. These analyses provide a framework for understanding normal and neoplastic context-specific Fbw7 functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Feinan Wu
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Resource, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Derek H Janssens
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Jherek Swanger
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Ahmed Diab
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Heather Feldman
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Robert A Amezquita
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Patrick J Paddison
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Steven Henikoff
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Bruce E Clurman
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
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180
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Bento L, Vögler O, Sas-Barbeito A, Muncunill J, Ros T, Martínez J, Quintero-Duarte A, Ramos R, Asensio VJ, Fernández-Rodríguez C, Salar A, Navarro A, del Campo R, Ibarra J, Alemany R, Gutiérrez A. Screening for Prognostic microRNAs Associated with Treatment Failure in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14041065. [PMID: 35205813 PMCID: PMC8870558 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14041065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Around 30–40% of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma suffer early relapse after standard chemotherapy, but today no prediction whether a patient belongs to this group is possible. MicroRNA are small nucleotide sequences that regulate cellular functions via post-transcriptional modification of gene expression and can serve as prognostic biomarkers. A novel two-step strategy first used a small patient discovery group to identify possible microRNA candidates by comparing their levels in chemosensitive and chemoresistant patients via microarray. Overexpression of these microRNA was then analyzed in a large patient cohort and, as a result, three new microRNA biomarkers with prognostic potential could be identified. Early identification of those patients being at risk of failure with standard therapy is a prerequisite to develop more efficient treatments and a step towards precision medicine. Abstract Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treatment with R-CHOP regimen produces 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival of around 60–70%. Our objective was to discover prognostic biomarkers allowing early detection of the remaining 30–40% with poor long-term outcome. For this purpose, we applied a novel strategy: from a cohort of DLBCL patients, treated with standard therapy, a discovery group of 12 patients with poor prognosis (advanced stage III–IV, R-IPI > 2) was formed, consisting of six chemoresistant (refractory/early relapse < 12 months) and six chemosensitive (complete remission > 3 years) subjects. By using microarray assays, the most differentially expressed miRNAs were defined as an initial set of prognostic miRNA candidates. Their expression was then analyzed in a validation cohort of 68 patients and the three miRNAs with the most significant impact on event-free and overall survival were selected. In the DLBCL cell line U-2932 the transfection with miR-1244 and miR-193b-5p, but not miR-1231, blocked the effect of CHOP on cell viability. A subsequent gene set enrichment analysis in patients revealed the implication of the first two miRNAs in cell cycle control and chemoresistance-related pathways, whereas the last one was involved in immunological processes. In conclusion, this novel strategy identified three promising prognostic markers for DLBCL patients at high risk of failure with standard therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leyre Bento
- Department of Hematology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (L.B.); (T.R.); (J.M.)
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
| | - Oliver Vögler
- Group of Advanced Therapies and Biomarkers in Clinical Oncology, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IdISBa-IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain;
- Group of Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Adriana Sas-Barbeito
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
- Group of Advanced Therapies and Biomarkers in Clinical Oncology, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IdISBa-IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain;
| | - Josep Muncunill
- Group of Genomics-Bioinformatics Platform, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain;
| | - Teresa Ros
- Department of Hematology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (L.B.); (T.R.); (J.M.)
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
| | - Jordi Martínez
- Department of Hematology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (L.B.); (T.R.); (J.M.)
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
| | - Adriana Quintero-Duarte
- Department of Pathology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (A.Q.-D.); (R.R.)
| | - Rafael Ramos
- Department of Pathology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (A.Q.-D.); (R.R.)
| | - Víctor Jose Asensio
- Molecular Diagnosis and Clinical Genetics Unit (GENIB), Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain;
- Group of Health Genomics, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain
| | - Concepción Fernández-Rodríguez
- Department of Pathology, Hospital del Mar-IMIM, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
- Group of Applied Clinical Research in Hematology, Cancer Research Program-IMIM, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
- Molecular Oncology and Embryology Laboratory, Human Anatomy Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Antonio Salar
- Group of Applied Clinical Research in Hematology, Cancer Research Program-IMIM, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
- Department of Hematology, Hospital del Mar-IMIM, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alfons Navarro
- Molecular Oncology and Embryology Laboratory, Human Anatomy Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Raquel del Campo
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
- Department of Hematology, Son Llàtzer University Hospital, 07198 Palma, Spain
| | - Javier Ibarra
- Department of Pathology, Son Llàtzer University Hospital, 07198 Palma, Spain;
| | - Regina Alemany
- Group of Advanced Therapies and Biomarkers in Clinical Oncology, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IdISBa-IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain;
- Group of Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.A.); (A.G.)
| | - Antonio Gutiérrez
- Department of Hematology, Son Espases University Hospital, 07120 Palma, Spain; (L.B.); (T.R.); (J.M.)
- Group of Clinic and Biology of Hematological Neoplasms, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07010 Palma, Spain; (A.S.-B.); (R.d.C.)
- Correspondence: (R.A.); (A.G.)
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181
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Fang X, Guo Z, Liang J, Wen J, Liu Y, Guan X, Li H. Neoantigens and their potential applications in tumor immunotherapy. Oncol Lett 2022; 23:88. [PMID: 35126730 PMCID: PMC8805178 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of malignant tumors is increasing, the majority of which are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The traditional treatment method for malignant tumors is surgery, coupled with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. However, these therapeutic strategies are frequently accompanied with adverse side effects. Over recent decades, tumor immunotherapy shown promise in demonstrating notable efficacy for the treatment of cancer. With the development of sequencing technology and bioinformatics algorithms, neoantigens have become compelling targets for cancer immunotherapy due to high levels of immunogenicity. In addition, neoantigen-based vaccines have demonstrated potential for cancer therapy, primarily by augmenting T-cell responses. Neoantigens have also been shown to be effective in immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Therefore, neoantigens may serve to be predictive biomarkers and synergistic treatment targets in cancer immunotherapy. The aim of the present review was to provide an overview of the recent progress in the classification, screening and clinical application of neoantigens for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhu Fang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Zhiliang Guo
- Department of Orthopedic, The 80th Group Army Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Weifang, Shandong 261021, P.R. China
| | - Jinqing Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Jiao Wen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Xiumei Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
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182
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Transcription of the Envelope Protein by 1-L Protein–RNA Recognition Code Leads to Genes/Proteins That Are Relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 Life Cycle and Pathogenesis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:791-816. [PMID: 35723340 PMCID: PMC8928949 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44020055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The theoretical protein–RNA recognition code was used in this study to research the compatibility of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein (E) with mRNAs in the human transcriptome. According to a review of the literature, the spectrum of identified genes showed that the virus post-transcriptionally promotes or represses the genes involved in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. The identified genes/proteins are also involved in adaptive immunity, in the function of the cilia and wound healing (EMT and MET) in the pulmonary epithelial tissue, in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and in type 2 diabetes. For example, the E-protein promotes BHLHE40, which switches off the IL-10 inflammatory “brake” and inhibits antiviral THαβ cells. In the viral cycle, E supports the COPII-SCAP-SREBP-HSP90α transport complex by the lowering of cholesterol in the ER and by the repression of insulin signaling, which explains the positive effect of HSP90 inhibitors in COVID-19 (geldanamycin), and E also supports importin α/β-mediated transport to the nucleus, which explains the positive effect of ivermectin, a blocker of importins α/β. In summary, transcription of the envelope protein by the 1-L protein–RNA recognition code leads to genes/proteins that are relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle and pathogenesis.
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183
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Darragh LB, Karam SD. Amateur antigen-presenting cells in the tumor microenvironment. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:153-164. [PMID: 34570920 PMCID: PMC9899420 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Presentation of tumor antigens is a critical step in producing a robust antitumor immune response. Classically tumor antigens are thought to be presented to both CD8 and CD4 T cells by professional antigen-presenting cells (pAPCs) like dendritic cells using major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) I and II. But recent evidence suggests that in the tumor microenvironment (TME) cells other than pAPCs are capable of presenting tumor antigens on both MHC I and II. The evidence currently available on tumor antigen presentation by epithelial cells, vascular endothelial cells (VECs), fibroblasts, and cancer cells is reviewed herein. We refer to these cell types in the TME as "amateur" APCs (aAPCs). These aAPCs greatly outnumber pAPCs in the TME and could, potentially, play a significant role in priming an antitumor immune response. This new evidence supports a different perspective on antigen presentation and suggests new approaches that can be taken in designing immunotherapies to increase T cell priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel B. Darragh
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver–Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sana D. Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver–Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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184
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Yang C, Feng H, Dai C. Development and validation of an immune‐related prognosis signature associated with hypoxia and ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Med 2022; 11:2329-2341. [PMID: 35092175 PMCID: PMC9160815 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hypoxia and ferroptosis are crucial in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and they both affect the immune status of the tumor microenvironment. Previous studies have also shown a link between hypoxia and ferroptosis. Patients and methods In all, 814 HCC cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases were used as the discovery cohort, and 230 HCC cases from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database were used as the validation cohort. Hypoxia subtypes and ferroptosis subtypes were identified by consensus cluster analysis according to 174 hypoxia‐related genes and 193 ferroptosis‐related genes. The prognostic signature was constructed using the Cox and LASSO regression analyses, and two risk groups were identified. A comprehensive analysis of the clinical and immune characteristics between the two risk groups was further performed. Results Two hypoxia subtypes and two ferroptosis subtypes were distinguished and verified; subsequently, a five‐gene prognostic signature was constructed and the risk score could be acquired by the following formula: risk score = 0.0604*Expression (CA9)−0.0714*Expression (ANXA10) + 0.1501*Expression (CDC20)−0.0853*Expression (CYP7A1) + 0.0530*Expression (SPP1). Compared with the low‐risk group, the high‐risk group had a worse prognosis. The high‐risk group also showed a higher level of immune infiltration than the low‐risk group, and immune checkpoints were generally upregulated in the high‐risk group. The antigen presentation ability of the low‐risk group was poor, which may be related to the immune escape mechanism. Drug sensitivity analysis indicated that the high‐ and low‐risk groups were sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs, respectively. Conclusion The hypoxia‐, ferroptosis‐, and immune‐associated prognostic signature we constructed could stratify patients with HCC and guide precise treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun‐Bo Yang
- Department of General Surgery Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Han‐Xin Feng
- Department of General Surgery Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Chao‐Liu Dai
- Department of General Surgery Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang Liaoning China
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185
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Balakrishnan CK, Tye GJ, Balasubramaniam SD, Kaur G. CD74 and HLA-DRA in Cervical Carcinogenesis: Potential Targets for Antitumour Therapy. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58020190. [PMID: 35208514 PMCID: PMC8877221 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Abnormal expressions of CD74 and human leukocyte antigen-DR alpha (HLA-DRA) have been reported in various cancers, though their roles in cervical cancer remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the gene and protein expressions of CD74 and HLA-DRA in the progression from normal cervix to precancerous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and finally to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Materials and Methods: The gene expression profiles of CD74 and HLA-DRA were determined in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, with three samples each from normal cervixes, human papillomavirus type 16/18-positive, low-grade CIN (LGCIN), high-grade CIN (HGCIN), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using Human Transcriptome Array 2.0. Immunohistochemical expression of the proteins was semi-quantitatively assessed in another cohort of tissue microarray samples comprising 7 normal cervix cases, 10 LGCIN, 10 HGCIN, and 95 SCC. Results: The transcriptomics profile and proteins’ expression demonstrated similar trends of upregulation of CD74 and HLA-DRA from normal cervix to CIN and highest in SCC. There was a significant difference in both proteins’ expression between the histological groups (p = 0.0001). CD74 and HLA-DRA expressions were significantly associated with CIN grade (p = 0.001 and p = 0.030, respectively) but not with the subjects’ age or SCC stage. Further analysis revealed a positive correlation between CD74 and HLA-DRA proteins. Conclusions: CD74 appears to promote cervical carcinogenesis via oncogenic signalling mechanisms and may serve as a potential antitumour target. Additionally, the upregulation of HLA-DRA, often associated with stronger immunogenicity, could be a promising biomarker for developing immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol K. Balakrishnan
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; (C.K.B.); (G.J.T.); (S.D.B.)
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; (C.K.B.); (G.J.T.); (S.D.B.)
| | - Shandra Devi Balasubramaniam
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; (C.K.B.); (G.J.T.); (S.D.B.)
- Unit of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, AIMST University, Bedong 08100, Semeling, Malaysia
| | - Gurjeet Kaur
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; (C.K.B.); (G.J.T.); (S.D.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +604-6534865
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186
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Sholl LM. Biomarkers of response to checkpoint inhibitors beyond PD-L1 in lung cancer. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:66-74. [PMID: 34608245 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00932-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy, including use of checkpoint inhibitors against PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4, forms the backbone of oncologic management for the majority of non-small cell lung carcinoma patients. However, response to these therapies varies widely, from patients who have complete resolution of metastatic disease and long-term remission, to those who rapidly progress and succumb to their cancer despite use of the newest checkpoint inhibitors. While PD-L1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry serves as the principle predictive biomarker for immunotherapy response, neither the sensitivity nor the specificity of this approach is optimal, and clinical PD-L1 testing is plagued by concerns around result reproducibility and confusion born from the proliferation of different companion diagnostic assays. At the same time, insights into tumor and host immune-specific factors that inform both prognosis and response prediction are beginning to define better immunotherapy biomarkers. Beyond immune checkpoint expression status, common themes in analyses of immunotherapy response prediction include cancer neoantigen production, the state of the antigen presentation pathway in both tumor and antigen presenting cells, the admixture of effector and suppressor immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and the genomic drivers and comutations that can influence the all of these variables. This review will address the state of PD-L1 testing in lung cancer, the role for tumor mutation burden as a predictive biomarker, the evolving status of human leukocyte antigen/major histocompatibility complex expression as a marker of antigen presentation, approaches to tumor immune cell quantitation including by multiplex immunofluorescence, and the importance of tumor genomic profiling to ascertain oncogenic driver (EGFR, ALK, KRAS, MET, etc.) and co-mutation (STK11, KEAP1, SMARCA4) status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynette M Sholl
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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187
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Yang L, Gu X, Yu J, Ge S, Fan X. Oncolytic Virotherapy: From Bench to Bedside. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:790150. [PMID: 34901031 PMCID: PMC8662562 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.790150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic viruses are naturally occurring or genetically engineered viruses that can replicate preferentially in tumor cells and inhibit tumor growth. These viruses have been considered an effective anticancer strategy in recent years. They mainly function by direct oncolysis, inducing an anticancer immune response and expressing exogenous effector genes. Their multifunctional characteristics indicate good application prospects as cancer therapeutics, especially in combination with other therapies, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the utility of oncolytic viruses in cancer therapeutics. Here, we review the characteristics, antitumor mechanisms, clinical applications, deficiencies and associated solutions, and future prospects of oncolytic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludi Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
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188
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T cell receptor (TCR) signaling in health and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:412. [PMID: 34897277 PMCID: PMC8666445 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00823-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Interaction of the T cell receptor (TCR) with an MHC-antigenic peptide complex results in changes at the molecular and cellular levels in T cells. The outside environmental cues are translated into various signal transduction pathways within the cell, which mediate the activation of various genes with the help of specific transcription factors. These signaling networks propagate with the help of various effector enzymes, such as kinases, phosphatases, and phospholipases. Integration of these disparate signal transduction pathways is done with the help of adaptor proteins that are non-enzymatic in function and that serve as a scaffold for various protein-protein interactions. This process aids in connecting the proximal to distal signaling pathways, thereby contributing to the full activation of T cells. This review provides a comprehensive snapshot of the various molecules involved in regulating T cell receptor signaling, covering both enzymes and adaptors, and will discuss their role in human disease.
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189
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Immune Regulatory Processes of the Tumor Microenvironment under Malignant Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413311. [PMID: 34948104 PMCID: PMC8706102 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a critical regulator of tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. Since immune cells represent a large fraction of the TME, they play a key role in mediating pro- and anti-tumor immune responses. Immune escape, which suppresses anti-tumor immunity, enables tumor cells to maintain their proliferation and growth. Numerous mechanisms, which have been intensively studied in recent years, are involved in this process and based on these findings, novel immunotherapies have been successfully developed. Here, we review the composition of the TME and the mechanisms by which immune evasive processes are regulated. In detail, we describe membrane-bound and soluble factors, their regulation, and their impact on immune cell activation in the TME. Furthermore, we give an overview of the tumor/antigen presentation and how it is influenced under malignant conditions. Finally, we summarize novel TME-targeting agents, which are already in clinical trials for different tumor entities.
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190
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Xu B, Liu F, Gao Y, Sun J, Li Y, Lin Y, Liu X, Wen Y, Yi S, Dang J, Tu P, Wang Y. High Expression of IKZF2 in Malignant T Cells Promotes Disease Progression in Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma. Acta Derm Venereol 2021; 101:adv00613. [PMID: 34853863 PMCID: PMC9472098 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v101.570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphoma is a generally indolent disease derived from skin-homing mature T cells. However, in advanced stages, cutaneous T cell lymphoma may manifest aggressive clinical behaviour and lead to a poor prognosis. The mechanism of disease progression in cutaneous T cell lymphoma remains unknown. This study, based on a large clinical cohort, found that IKZF2, an essential transcription factor during T cell development and differentiation, showed stage-dependent overexpression in the malignant T cells in mycosis fungoides lesions. IKZF2 is specifically over-expressed in advanced-stage mycosis fungoides lesions, and correlates with poor prognosis. Mechanistically, overexpression of IKZF2 promotes cutaneous T cell lymphoma progression via inhibiting malignant cell apoptosis and may contribute to tumour immune escape by downregulating major histocompatibility complex II molecules and up-regulating the production of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 by malignant T cells. These results demonstrate the important role of IKZF2 in high-risk cutaneous T cell lymphoma and pave the way for future targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yang Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Peking University First Hospital, No.8 Xishiku Street, Xi Cheng District, Beijing 100034, China.
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191
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Yang Y, Zhou T, Chen X, Li J, Pan J, He X, Lin L, Shi YR, Feng W, Xiong J, Yang K, Yu Q, Zhang Q, Hu D, Sun Y, Hu G, Li P, Shen L, Lin Q, Zhang B, Qu X, Zou J, Zhang L, Fang W, Zhao Y. Efficacy, safety, and biomarker analysis of Camrelizumab in Previously Treated Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (CAPTAIN study). J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e003790. [PMID: 34933967 PMCID: PMC8693086 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of camrelizumab, an antiprogrammed cell death-1 antibody, in pretreated recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to explore predictive biomarkers. METHODS Patients with recurrent (not amenable to locally curative treatment) or metastatic NPC who had failed at least two lines of chemotherapy were eligible to receive camrelizumab (200 mg intravenously every 2 weeks) for 2 years or until disease progression, intolerable adverse events, withdrawal of consents, or investigator decision. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Other immune-related biomarkers including major histocompatibility complex class I and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) were assessed by multiplex immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS Between August 14, 2018, and December 30, 2019, a total of 156 patients were enrolled. The IRC-assessed ORR was 28.2% (95% CI 21.3% to 36.0%). The median progression-free survival was 3.7 months (95% CI 2.0 to 4.1) per IRC, and the median overall survival was 17.4 months (95% CI 15.2 to 21.9). The ORRs were 35.2% (95% CI 25.3% to 46.1%) vs 19.4% (95% CI 10.4% to 31.4%) in patients with tumor PD-L1 expression of ≥10% and<10%, respectively. Patients with durable clinical benefit (DCB), which was defined as complete response, partial response or stable disease of ≥18 weeks, had higher density of MHC-II+ cell in stroma than patients without DCB (median 868.1 (IQR 413.4-2854.0) cells/mm2 vs median 552.4 (IQR 258.4 to 1242.1) cells/mm2). MHC-II+ cell density did not correlate with PD-L1 expression, and a composite of high stromal MHC-II+ cell density and tumor PD-L1 expression further enriched patients who could benefit from camrelizumab. CONCLUSIONS Camrelizumab had clinically meaningful antitumor activity in patients with recurrent or metastatic NPC. The composition of both MHC-II+ cell density and PD-L1 expression could result in better patient selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Yang
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaozhong Chen
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingao Li
- Department of Head and Neck Radiotherapy, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jianji Pan
- Department of Head and Neck Radiation Oncology, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaohui He
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lizhu Lin
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying-Rui Shi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weineng Feng
- Department of Head, Neck and Thoracic Oncology, Foshan First People's Hospital, Foshan, China
| | - Jianping Xiong
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Kunyu Yang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Union Hospital Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qitao Yu
- Department of Respiratory Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Qunling Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Desheng Hu
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor Radiotherapy, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Radiotherapy, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Guangyuan Hu
- Department of Comprehensive Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangfang Shen
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qin Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ben Zhang
- Clinical Research & Development, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Qu
- Clinical Research & Development, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjun Zou
- Clinical Research & Development, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Fang
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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192
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Li YR, Zhou Y, Kim YJ, Zhu Y, Ma F, Yu J, Wang YC, Chen X, Li Z, Zeng S, Wang X, Lee D, Ku J, Tsao T, Hardoy C, Huang J, Cheng D, Montel-Hagen A, Seet CS, Crooks GM, Larson SM, Sasine JP, Wang X, Pellegrini M, Ribas A, Kohn DB, Witte O, Wang P, Yang L. Development of allogeneic HSC-engineered iNKT cells for off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy. Cell Rep Med 2021; 2:100449. [PMID: 34841295 PMCID: PMC8607011 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based immunotherapy has become the new-generation cancer medicine, and "off-the-shelf" cell products that can be manufactured at large scale and distributed readily to treat patients are necessary. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are ideal cell carriers for developing allogeneic cell therapy because they are powerful immune cells targeting cancers without graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) risk. However, healthy donor blood contains extremely low numbers of endogenous iNKT cells. Here, by combining hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene engineering and in vitro differentiation, we generate human allogeneic HSC-engineered iNKT (AlloHSC-iNKT) cells at high yield and purity; these cells closely resemble endogenous iNKT cells, effectively target tumor cells using multiple mechanisms, and exhibit high safety and low immunogenicity. These cells can be further engineered with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to enhance tumor targeting or/and gene edited to ablate surface human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules and further reduce immunogenicity. Collectively, these preclinical studies demonstrate the feasibility and cancer therapy potential of AlloHSC-iNKT cell products and lay a foundation for their translational and clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yu Jeong Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yanni Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Feiyang Ma
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Letters and Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jiaji Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yu-Chen Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xianhui Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Samuel Zeng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Derek Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Josh Ku
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tasha Tsao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christian Hardoy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Donghui Cheng
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Amélie Montel-Hagen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christopher S. Seet
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Gay M. Crooks
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sarah M. Larson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Joshua P. Sasine
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Letters and Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Donald B. Kohn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Owen Witte
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Pin Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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193
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Shang BB, Chen J, Wang ZG, Liu H. Significant correlation between HSPA4 and prognosis and immune regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12315. [PMID: 34754620 PMCID: PMC8555498 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-associated tumor involved in immune tolerance and evasion in the immune microenvironment. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are involved in the occurrence, progression, and immune regulation of tumors. Therefore, HSPs have been considered potential therapeutic targets. Here, we aimed to elucidate the value of HSP family A (Hsp70) member 4 (HSPA4) in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of HCC, and its relationship with immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoints. Gene mutation, DNA methylation, and the pathway involved in HCC were also analyzed. Methods The gene expression omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were used to compare HSPA4 expression, and the results were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples. R package was used to analyze the correlation between HSPA4 and cancer stage, and to establish receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of diagnosis, time-dependent survival ROC curve, and a nomogram model. cBioPortal and MethSurv were used to identify genetic alterations and DNA methylation, and their effect on prognosis. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) was used to analyze immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoints. The STRING database was used to analyze protein-protein interaction network information. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to investigate the functions of HSPA4 and its functional partner genes. Results Overexpression of HSPA4 was identified in 25 cancers. Overexpression of HSPA4 considerably correlated with cancer stage and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in HCC. Patients with higher HSPA4 expression showed poorer prognosis. HSPA4 expression can accurately identify tumor from normal tissue (AUC = 0.957). The area under 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival ROCs were above 0.6. The HSPA4 genetic alteration rate was 1.3%. Among the 14 DNA methylation CpG sites, seven were related to the prognosis of HCC. HSPA4 was positively related to immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints (PD-1 and CTLA-4) in HCC. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed HSPA4 enrichment in antigen processing and presentation together with HSPA8 and HSP90AA1. We verified the value of HSPA4 in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of HCC. HSPA4 may not only participate in the occurrence and progression but also the immune regulation of HCC. Therefore, HSPA4 can be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jun Chen
- Laboratory Animal Center, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Wang
- Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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194
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Targeting lysosomes in human disease: from basic research to clinical applications. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:379. [PMID: 34744168 PMCID: PMC8572923 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00778-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, accumulating evidence has elucidated the role of lysosomes in dynamically regulating cellular and organismal homeostasis. Lysosomal changes and dysfunction have been correlated with the development of numerous diseases. In this review, we interpreted the key biological functions of lysosomes in four areas: cellular metabolism, cell proliferation and differentiation, immunity, and cell death. More importantly, we actively sought to determine the characteristic changes and dysfunction of lysosomes in cells affected by these diseases, the causes of these changes and dysfunction, and their significance to the development and treatment of human disease. Furthermore, we outlined currently available targeting strategies: (1) targeting lysosomal acidification; (2) targeting lysosomal cathepsins; (3) targeting lysosomal membrane permeability and integrity; (4) targeting lysosomal calcium signaling; (5) targeting mTOR signaling; and (6) emerging potential targeting strategies. Moreover, we systematically summarized the corresponding drugs and their application in clinical trials. By integrating basic research with clinical findings, we discussed the current opportunities and challenges of targeting lysosomes in human disease.
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195
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Chen L, Zhang M, Wang X, Liu Y, Bian J, Yan D, Yin W. Cardiac steroid ouabain transcriptionally increases human leukocyte antigen DR expression on monocytes. Steroids 2021; 175:108915. [PMID: 34508735 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2021.108915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening disease characterized by acute multiple organ dysfunction and immunosuppression that is also called as immunoparalysis. Increasing evidence suggests that immunoparalysis largely contributes to the high mortality of sepsis, but the effective remedies are lacking. As an important antigen presentation molecule, human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) is remarkably down-regulated in sepsis-induced immunoparalysis, therefore, re-stimulation of HLA-DR expression is expected to be useful in reversing immunoparalysis. We previously described that ouabain, as a Na+, K+-ATPase ligand, is able to counteract immunoparalysis by regulating TH1 cytokines expression. Here, we expanded the finding that ouabain not only prevents LPS-induced down-regulation of HLA-DR on monocytes, but also transcriptionally activates HLA-DR α/β expression mediated by CIITA4, IRF1, c-Src, and Stat1 phosphorylation. Since ouabain can improve sepsis-induced immunoparalysis by multiple mechanisms, we propose that ouabain may be a promising agent in septic therapy that deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Chen
- State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Manli Zhang
- State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiya Wang
- State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjian Liu
- State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinjun Bian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dong Yan
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, China.
| | - Wu Yin
- State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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196
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Yi X, Liao Y, Wen B, Li K, Dou Y, Savage SR, Zhang B. caAtlas: An immunopeptidome atlas of human cancer. iScience 2021; 24:103107. [PMID: 34622160 PMCID: PMC8479791 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive characterization of tumor antigens is essential for the design of cancer immunotherapies, and mass spectrometry (MS)-based immunopeptidomics enables high-throughput identification of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-bound peptide antigens in vivo. Here we construct an immunopeptidome atlas of human cancer through an extensive collection of 43 published immunopeptidomic datasets and standardized analysis of 81.6 million MS/MS spectra using an open search engine. Our analysis greatly expands the current knowledge of MHC-bound antigens, including an unprecedented characterization of post-translationally modified antigens and their cancer-association. We also perform systematic analysis of cancer-testis antigens, cancer-associated antigens, and neoantigens. We make all these data together with annotated MS/MS spectra supporting identification of each antigen in an easily browsable web portal named cancer antigen atlas (caAtlas). caAtlas provides a central resource for the selection and prioritization of MHC-bound peptides for in vitro HLA binding assay and immunogenicity testing, which will pave the way to eventual development of cancer immunotherapies. Extensive collection of 43 immunopeptidomic datasets with 1018 samples Standardized and rigorous identification of HLA-bound peptides, including PTM peptides Comprehensive annotation of CT antigens and cancer-associated antigens User-friendly data dissemination through the caAtlas web portal
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinpei Yi
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuxing Liao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bo Wen
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kai Li
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yongchao Dou
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sara R Savage
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bing Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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197
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Desaulniers D, Vasseur P, Jacobs A, Aguila MC, Ertych N, Jacobs MN. Integration of Epigenetic Mechanisms into Non-Genotoxic Carcinogenicity Hazard Assessment: Focus on DNA Methylation and Histone Modifications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10969. [PMID: 34681626 PMCID: PMC8535778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222010969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics involves a series of mechanisms that entail histone and DNA covalent modifications and non-coding RNAs, and that collectively contribute to programing cell functions and differentiation. Epigenetic anomalies and DNA mutations are co-drivers of cellular dysfunctions, including carcinogenesis. Alterations of the epigenetic system occur in cancers whether the initial carcinogenic events are from genotoxic (GTxC) or non-genotoxic (NGTxC) carcinogens. NGTxC are not inherently DNA reactive, they do not have a unifying mode of action and as yet there are no regulatory test guidelines addressing mechanisms of NGTxC. To fil this gap, the Test Guideline Programme of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is developing a framework for an integrated approach for the testing and assessment (IATA) of NGTxC and is considering assays that address key events of cancer hallmarks. Here, with the intent of better understanding the applicability of epigenetic assays in chemical carcinogenicity assessment, we focus on DNA methylation and histone modifications and review: (1) epigenetic mechanisms contributing to carcinogenesis, (2) epigenetic mechanisms altered following exposure to arsenic, nickel, or phenobarbital in order to identify common carcinogen-specific mechanisms, (3) characteristics of a series of epigenetic assay types, and (4) epigenetic assay validation needs in the context of chemical hazard assessment. As a key component of numerous NGTxC mechanisms of action, epigenetic assays included in IATA assay combinations can contribute to improved chemical carcinogen identification for the better protection of public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Desaulniers
- Environmental Health Sciences and Research Bureau, Hazard Identification Division, Health Canada, AL:2203B, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Paule Vasseur
- CNRS, LIEC, Université de Lorraine, 57070 Metz, France;
| | - Abigail Jacobs
- Independent at the Time of Publication, Previously US Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD 20852, USA;
| | - M. Cecilia Aguila
- Toxicology Team, Division of Human Food Safety, Center for Veterinary Medicine, US Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD 20852, USA;
| | - Norman Ertych
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Diedersdorfer Weg 1, 12277 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Miriam N. Jacobs
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton OX11 0RQ, UK;
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198
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Truong LH, Pauklin S. Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment and Cellular Composition: Current Understandings and Therapeutic Approaches. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5028. [PMID: 34638513 PMCID: PMC8507722 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13195028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal human solid tumors, despite great efforts in improving therapeutics over the past few decades. In PDAC, the distinct characteristic of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is the main barrier for developing effective treatments. PDAC TME is characterized by a dense stroma, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells populations that crosstalk to the subpopulations of neoplastic cells that include cancer stem cells (CSCs). The heterogeneity in TME is also exhibited in the diversity and dynamics of acellular components, including the Extracellular matrix (ECM), cytokines, growth factors, and secreted ligands to signaling pathways. These contribute to drug resistance, metastasis, and relapse in PDAC. However, clinical trials targeting TME components have often reported unexpected results and still have not benefited patients. The failures in those trials and various efforts to understand the PDAC biology demonstrate the highly heterogeneous and multi-faceted TME compositions and the complexity of their interplay within TME. Hence, further functional and mechanistic insight is needed. In this review, we will present a current understanding of PDAC biology with a focus on the heterogeneity in TME and crosstalk among its components. We also discuss clinical challenges and the arising therapeutic opportunities in PDAC research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK;
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199
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Poncette L, Bluhm J, Blankenstein T. The role of CD4 T cells in rejection of solid tumors. Curr Opin Immunol 2021; 74:18-24. [PMID: 34619457 PMCID: PMC8933281 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Versatility of CD4 T cells enables different attack modes towards cancer cells. Cooperation of CD4 and CD8 T cells renders anti-tumor responses most efficient. Integrating CD4 T cells in cancer therapy will improve clinical outcome.
The focus in cancer immunotherapy has mainly been on CD8 T cells, as they can directly recognize cancer cells. CD4 T cells have largely been neglected, because most cancers lack MHC II expression and cannot directly be recognized by CD4 T cells. Yet, tumor antigens can be captured and cross-presented by MHC II-expressing tumor stromal cells. Recent data suggest that CD4 T cells act as a swiss army knife against tumors. They can kill cancer cells, if they express MHC II, induce tumoricidal macrophages, induces cellular senescence of cancer cells, destroy the tumor vasculature through cytokine release and help CD8 T cells in the effector phase. We foresee a great future for CD4 T cells in the clinic, grafted with tumor antigen specificity by T cell receptor gene transfer, either alone or in combination with engineered CD8 T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Poncette
- T-knife GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Bluhm
- T-knife GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Blankenstein
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
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200
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Prampolini C, Almadori G, Bonvissuto D, Barba M, Giraldi L, Boccia S, Paludetti G, Galli J, Parolini O, Settimi S, Cadoni G. Immunohistochemical detection of "ex novo" HLA-DR in tumor cells determines clinical outcome in laryngeal cancer patients. HLA 2021; 98:517-524. [PMID: 34605215 DOI: 10.1111/tan.14441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
There are controversial results about the role of "ex novo" HLA-DR expression by tumor cells and its correlation with the oncological outcomes. Unfortunately, little is known about HLA-DR expression in laryngeal cancer tumor cells. The main purpose of this retrospective study is to strengthen the usefulness of studying "ex novo" HLA-DR expression on tumor cells from primary laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients and investigate its correlation with clinical outcome. We analyzed HLA-DR expression by immunohistochemical analysis in 56 patients with LSCC. The "ex novo" HLA-DR expression on laryngeal cancer tumor cells, assessing non-neoplastic LSCC - adjacent tissue, and the association of HLA-DR expression (HLA-DR+) with clinical outcomes were investigated. HLA-DR+ tumor cells were detected in 18/56 LSCC patients (32.1%). All specimens of non-neoplastic laryngeal carcinoma-adjacent tissue resulted HLA-DR negative (HLA-DR-). A statistically significant association was observed between HLA-DR + and well differentiated tumors (G1) (p<0.001). The Kaplan-Meier method showed how HLA-DR+ is significantly associated with both a better disease specific survival (HLA-DR+=100% vs. HLA-DR-=77.4%; p=0.047) and a better relapse free survival (HLA-DR+=100% vs. HLA-DR-=72.3%; p=0.021). Cox regression univariate analysis for death of disease confirmed a higher HR for HLA-DR absence on the surface of epithelial tumor cell [HR:37.489; 95% CI:0.750-18730.776; p=0.253] and for high-grade (G3) tumors [HR:18.601; 95% CI:3.613-95.764; p<0.0001]. Our results confirm that MHC class II HLA-DR expression is activated in a sub-set of LSCC patients. Evaluation of HLA-DR expression in LSCC could be useful for prognosis and future approaches towards personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Prampolini
- Department of Head-Neck and Sensory Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Almadori
- Department of Head-Neck and Sensory Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Aging, Neurologic, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Bonvissuto
- Department of Neurosciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Barba
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Biobank for Personalized Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Giraldi
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Hygiene and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Boccia
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Hygiene and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Paludetti
- Department of Head-Neck and Sensory Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Aging, Neurologic, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Jacopo Galli
- Department of Head-Neck and Sensory Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Aging, Neurologic, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Parolini
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Biobank for Personalized Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Settimi
- Department of Aging, Neurologic, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriella Cadoni
- Department of Head-Neck and Sensory Organs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Aging, Neurologic, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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