Innate and adaptive immune cells in the tumor microenvironment

Identification of immune-related genes and integrated analysis of immune-cell infiltration in melanoma

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to screen out immune-related genes in connection with the prognosis of melanoma, construct a prognosis model and explore the relevant mechanisms.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

1973 genes associated with immune system were derived from the Immport database, and RNA-seq data of melanoma and information of patients were searched from the Xena database. Cox univariate analysis, Lasso analysis and Cox multivariate analysis were used to screen out six genes to construct the model. Then the risk scores were estimated for patients based on our constructed prognosis model. Estimate was used to affirm that the model was about immune infiltration, and CIBERSORT was used to screen out immune cells associated with prognosis. TIDE was applied to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy. Finally, GSE65904 and GSE19234 were used to confirm the effectiveness of the model.

RESULTS

ADCYAP1R1, GPI, NTS might cause poor prognosis while IFITM1, KIR2DL4, LIF were more likely conductive to prognosis of melanoma patients and a model of prognosis was constructed on the basis of these six genes. The effectiveness of the model has been proven by the ROC curve, and the miRNAs targeting the screened genes were found out, suggesting that the immune system might impact on the prognosis of melanoma by T cell CD8+, T cell CD4+ memory and NK cells.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the screened six genes were associated with the prognosis of melanoma, which was conductive to clinical prognostic prediction and individualized treatment strategy.

Pathologic and immunohistochemical prognostic markers in residual triple-negative breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background

The persistence of residual tumour after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in localised triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known to have a negative prognostic value. However, different degrees of expression of some immunohistochemical markers may correlate with different prognoses.

Methods

The expression of biomarkers with a known prognostic value, i.e., cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6), androgen receptor (AR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) proliferation-related nuclear antigen Ki-67, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), protein 53 (p53), forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), and cluster differentiation 8 (CD8), was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 111 samples after NAC in non-metastatic TNBC patients addressed to Georges-François Leclerc Cancer Centre Dijon, France. Clinical and pathological variables were retrospectively collected. Cox regression was used to identify immunohistochemical (IHC) and clinicopathological predictors of event-free survival (EFS) (relapse or death).

Results

Median age was 50.4 years (range 25.6-88.3), 55.9% (n = 62) were non-menopausal, 70 (63.1%) had stage IIA-IIB disease. NAC was mostly sequential anthracycline-taxanes (72.1%), and surgical intervention was principally conservative (51.3%). We found 65.7% ypT1, 47.2% lymph node involvement (ypN+), and 29.4% lymphovascular invasion (LVI). Most residual tumours were EGFR >110 (H-score) (60.5%, n = 66), AR ≥4% (53.2%, n = 58), p53-positive mutated (52.7%, n = 58), CD8 ≥26 (58.1%, n = 61), FOXP3 ≥7 (51.4%, n = 54), more than half in the stroma, and 52.3% (n = 58) HER2 score 0. After a median follow-up of 80.8 months, 48.6% had relapsed. Median EFS was 62.3 months (95% CI, 37.2-not reached (NR)). Factors independently associated with poor EFS were AR-low (p = 0.002), ypN+ (p < 0.001), and LVI (p = 0.001). Factors associated with lower overall survival (OS) were EGFR-low (p = 0.041), Ki-67 high (p = 0.024), and ypN+ (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Post-NAC residual disease in TNBC showed biomarkers specific to a basal-like subtype and markers of lymphocyte infiltration mostly present in the stroma. Prognostic markers for EFS were AR, LVI, and ypN and warrant further validation in a prognostic model.

Galectin-9 in cancer therapy: from immune checkpoint ligand to promising therapeutic target

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a vital member of the galectin family, functioning as a multi-subtype galactose lectin with diverse biological roles. Recent research has revealed that Gal-9's interaction with tumors is an independent factor that influences tumor progression. Furthermore, Gal-9 in the immune microenvironment cross-talks with tumor-associated immune cells, informing the clarification of Gal-9's identity as an immune checkpoint. A thorough investigation into Gal-9's role in various cancer types and its interaction with the immune microenvironment could yield novel strategies for subsequent targeted immunotherapy. This review focuses on the latest advances in understanding the direct and indirect cross-talk between Gal-9 and hematologic malignancies, in addition to solid tumors. In addition, we discuss the prospects of Gal-9 in tumor immunotherapy, including its cross-talk with the ligand TIM-3 and its potential in immune-combination therapy.

Immune characteristics and clinical significance of peripheral blood lymphocytes in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

In the context of breast cancer (BC), the correlation between lymphocytes and clinical outcomes, along with treatment response, has garnered attention. Despite this, few investigations have delved into the interplay among distinct peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) types, immune attributes, and their clinical implications within the BC landscape.

METHODS

The primary objective of this study was to scrutinize the baseline status of PBL subsets in patients with primary BC, track their dynamic changes throughout treatment, and ascertain their interrelation with prognosis. Flow cytometry was employed to analyse PBLs from a cohort of 74 BC patients.

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed that baseline levels of Treg and PD-L1 + T cells were lower in BC patients compared to the reference values. Notably, a disparity in baseline PD-L1 + T cell levels surfaced between patients who underwent adjuvant therapy and those subjected to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Furthermore, a meticulous evaluation of PBL subsets before and after treatment underscored discernible alterations in 324 + T cells and CD19 + CD32 + B cells over the course of therapy. Strikingly, heightened CD4 + T cell levels at baseline were linked to enhanced event-free survival (EFS) (p = 0.02) and a robust response to chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that PBLs may serve as a significant marker to assess the immune status of BC patients, and therapy has the potential to modify patient immune profiles. In addition, peripheral blood CD4 + T cell levels may serve as promising biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in future studies of BC.

Harnessing Nanovaccines for Effective Immunization─A Special Concern on COVID-19: Facts, Fidelity, and Future Prospective

Nanotechnology has emerged as a transformative pathway in vaccine research and delivery. Nanovaccines, encompassing lipid and nonlipid formulations, exhibit considerable advantages over traditional vaccine techniques, including enhanced antigen stability, heightened immunogenicity, targeted distribution, and the potential for codelivery with adjuvants or immune modulators. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements and applications of lipid and non-lipid-based nanovaccines in current vaccination strategies for immunization. The review commences by outlining the fundamental concepts underlying lipid and nonlipid nanovaccine design before delving into the diverse components and production processes employed in their development. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of various nanocarriers is presented, elucidating their distinct physicochemical characteristics and impact on the immune response, along with preclinical and clinical studies. The discussion also highlights how nanotechnology enables the possibility of personalized and combined vaccination techniques, facilitating the creation of tailored nanovaccines to meet the individual patient needs. The ethical aspects concerning the use of nanovaccines, as well as potential safety concerns and public perception, are also addressed. The study underscores the gaps and challenges that must be overcome before adopting nanovaccines in clinical practice. This comprehensive analysis offers vital new insights into lipid and nonlipid nanovaccine status. It emphasizes the significance of continuous research, collaboration among interdisciplinary experts, and regulatory measures to fully unlock the potential of nanotechnology in enhancing immunization and ensuring a healthier, more resilient society.

Deciphering the role of neddylation in tumor microenvironment modulation: common outcome of multiple signaling pathways

Neddylation is a post-translational modification process, similar to ubiquitination, that controls several biological processes. Notably, it is often aberrantly activated in neoplasms and plays a critical role in the intricate dynamics of the tumor microenvironment (TME). This regulatory influence of neddylation permeates extensively and profoundly within the TME, affecting the behavior of tumor cells, immune cells, angiogenesis, and the extracellular matrix. Usually, neddylation promotes tumor progression towards increased malignancy. In this review, we highlight the latest understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms that target neddylation to modulate the TME by affecting various signaling pathways. There is emerging evidence that the targeted disruption of the neddylation modification process, specifically the inhibition of cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) functionality, presents a promising avenue for targeted therapy. MLN4924, a small-molecule inhibitor of the neddylation pathway, precisely targets the neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated protein 8 activating enzyme (NAE). In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the field of neddylation modification therapy, particularly the integration of MLN4924 with chemotherapy or targeted therapy. This combined approach has demonstrated notable success in the treatment of a variety of hematological and solid tumors. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effects of MLN4924 on neddylation and summarized the current therapeutic outcomes of MLN4924 against various tumors. In conclusion, this review provides a comprehensive, up-to-date, and thorough overview of neddylation modifications, and offers insight into the critical importance of this cellular process in tumorigenesis.

Lipid peroxidation of immune cells in cancer

Growing evidence indicates that cellular metabolism is a critical determinant of immune cell viability and function in antitumor immunity and lipid metabolism is important for immune cell activation and adaptation to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Lipid peroxidation is a process in which oxidants attack lipid-containing carbon-carbon double bonds and is an important part of lipid metabolism. In the past decades, studies have shown that lipid peroxidation participates in signal transduction to control cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, which is essential for cell function execution and human health. More importantly, recent studies have shown that lipid peroxidation affects immune cell function to modulate tumor immunity and antitumor ability. In this review, we briefly overview the effect of lipid peroxidation on the adaptive and innate immune cell activation and function in TME and discuss the effectiveness and sensitivity of the antitumor ability of immune cells by regulating lipid peroxidation.

Transcriptomic insights into UTUC: role of inflammatory fibrosis and potential for personalized treatment

BACKGROUND

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare disease, belonging to the same category of urothelial cancers as bladder cancer (BC). Despite sharing similar non-surgical treatment modalities, UTUC demonstrates a higher metastasis propensity than BC. Furthermore, although both cancers exhibit similar molecular disease emergence mechanisms, sequencing data reveals some differences. Our study investigates the transcriptomic distinctions between UTUC and BC, explores the causes behind UTUC's heightened metastatic tendency, constructs a model for UTUC metastasis and prognosis, and propose personalized treatment strategies for UTUC.

METHODS

In our research, we utilized differential gene expression analysis, interaction networks, and Cox regression to explore the enhanced metastatic propensity of UTUC. We formulated and validated a prognostic risk model using diverse techniques, including cell co-culture, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rt-qPCR), western blotting, and transwell experiments. Our methodological approach also involved survival analysis, risk model construction, and drug screening leveraging the databases of CTRPv2, PRISM and CMap. We used the Masson staining technique for histological assessments. All statistical evaluations were conducted using R software and GraphPad Prism 9, reinforcing the rigorous and comprehensive nature of our research approach.

RESULTS

Screening through inflammatory fibrosis revealed a reduction of extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules regulated by proteoglycans in UTUC compared with BC, making UTUC more metastasis-prone. We demonstrated that SDC1, LUM, VEGFA, WNT7B, and TIMP3, are critical in promoting UTUC metastasis. A risk model based on these five molecules can effectively predict the risk of UTUC metastasis and disease-free survival time. Given UTUC's unique molecular mechanisms distinct from BC, we discovered that UTUC patients could better mitigate the issue of poor prognosis associated with UTUC's easy metastasis through tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) alongside the conventional gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

The poor prognosis of UTUC because of its high metastatic propensity is intimately tied to inflammatory fibrosis induced by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The biological model constructed using the five molecules SDC1, LUM, VEGFA, WNT7B, and TIMP3 can effectively predict patient prognosis. UTUC patients require specialized treatments in addition to conventional regimens, with TKIs exhibiting significant potential.

Tumor-derived GABA promotes lung cancer progression by influencing TAMs polarization and neovascularization

BACKGROUND

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a common neurotransmitter, has been found in various cancers but its origin and its role in the tumor immune microenvironment remains unclear.

METHODS

Here, we reported the expression of glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1, converting glutamate into GABA) in lung cancer tissues based on the publicly available database, and explored the effects and underlying mechanism of GABA on lung cancer progression.

RESULTS

Compared with normal tissues, GAD1 was aberrantly overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) based on TCGA database. Furthermore, the LUAD patients' overall survival was negatively correlated with the GAD1 expression levels. Our work found that a GABAa receptor inhibitor had a therapeutic effect on mouse tumors and significantly reduced tumor size and weight. Further experiments showed that GABA derived from tumor cells promoted tumor progression not by directly affecting cancer cells but by affecting macrophages polarization in the tumor microenvironment. We found that GABA inhibited the NF-κB pathway and STAT3 pathway to prevent macrophages from polarizing towards M1 type, while promoting macrophage M2 polarization by activating the STAT6 pathway. GABA was also found to promote tumor neovascularization by increasing the expression of FGF2 in macrophages.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that GABA affects tumor progression by regulating macrophage polarization, and targeting GABA and its signaling pathway may represent a potential therapy for lung cancer.

Multidimensional comprehensive and integrated analysis of the potential function of TMEM25 in renal clear cell carcinoma with low expression status

BACKGROUND

Transmembrane 25(TMEM25) stands out as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in the realm of cancer, yet its precise mechanism of action within clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gene expression data and clinically relevant information extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene expression omnibus (GEO) databases unveil the expression patterns of TMEM25 within renal clear cell carcinoma, which reveals its prognostic and diagnostic significance. The protein expression data is available via the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Further, qPCR experiments conducted on cells and tissues provide strong evidence of the gene's expression status. Additionally, they explore the correlations between TMEM25 expression and DNA methylation, gene mutations, immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity within this specific tumor context.

RESULTS

At both the RNA and protein levels, TMEM25 displays a noteworthy downregulation in expression, which is consistently linked to an unfavorable prognosis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses confirmed the ability of TMEM25 to diagnose and determine prognosis in ccRCC. Its expression related closely with various immune cell types, immune checkpoints, immune inhibitors, and MHC molecules. Within ccRCC tissues, TMEM25 DNA methylation levels are observed to be elevated, and this upregulation is observed across various conditions. TMEM25 mutations also have an impact on the prognosis of ccRCC patients and the results of drug sensitivity analyses are useful for clinical decision-making.

CONCLUSIONS

TMEM25 in ccRCC could potentially function as a tumor suppressor gene, holding substantial promise as a novel biomarker for diagnosing, treating, and prognosticating ccRCC patients.

Guanosine diphosphate-mannose suppresses homologous recombination repair and potentiates antitumor immunity in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with poor prognosis. TNBCs with high homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) scores benefit from DNA-damaging agents, including platinum drugs and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, whereas those with low HRD scores still lack therapeutic options. Therefore, we sought to exploit metabolic alterations to induce HRD and sensitize DNA-damaging agents in TNBCs with low HRD scores. We systematically analyzed TNBC metabolomics and identified a metabolite, guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-mannose (GDP-M), that impeded homologous recombination repair (HRR). Mechanistically, the low expression of the upstream enzyme GDP-mannose-pyrophosphorylase-A (GMPPA) led to the endogenous up-regulation of GDP-M in TNBC. The accumulation of GDP-M in tumor cells further reduced the interaction between breast cancer susceptibility gene 2 (BRCA2) and ubiquitin-specific peptidase 21 (USP21), which promoted the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of BRCA2 to inhibit HRR. Therapeutically, we illustrated that the supplementation of GDP-M sensitized DNA-damaging agents to impair tumor growth in both in vitro (cancer cell line and patient-derived organoid) and in vivo (xenograft in immunodeficient mouse) models. Moreover, the combination of GDP-M with DNA-damaging agents activated STING-dependent antitumor immunity in immunocompetent syngeneic mouse models. Therefore, GDP-M supplementation combined with PARP inhibition augmented the efficacy of anti-PD-1 antibodies. Together, these findings suggest that GDP-M is a crucial HRD-related metabolite and propose a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBCs with low HRD scores using the combination of GDP-M, PARP inhibitors, and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

A novel PDPN antagonist peptide CY12-RP2 inhibits melanoma growth via Wnt/β-catenin and modulates the immune cells

BACKGROUND

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a highly conserved, mucin-type protein specific to the lymphatic system. Overexpression of PDPN is associated with the progression of various solid tumors, and plays an important roles in the tumor microenvironment by regulating the immune system. However, the role of PDPN-mediated signal activation in the progression of melanoma is still unknown.

METHODS

PDPN expression was first analyzed in 112 human melanoma tissue microarrays and melanoma cell lines. Functional experiments including proliferation, clone formation, migration, and metastasis were utilized to identify the suppressive effects of PDPN. The Ph.D.TM-12 Phage Display Peptide Library was used to obtain a PDPN antagonist peptide, named CY12-RP2. The immunofluorescence, SPR assay, and flow cytometry were used to identify the binding specificity of CY12-RP2 with PDPN in melanoma cells. Functional and mechanistic assays in vivo and in vitro were performed for discriminating the antitumor and immune activation effects of CY12-RP2.

RESULTS

PDPN was overexpressed in melanoma tissue and cells, and inhibited melanoma cells proliferation, migration, and metastasis by blocking the EMT and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. PDPN antagonistic peptide, CY12-RP2, could specifically bind with PDPN, suppressing melanoma various functions inducing apoptosis in both melanoma cells and 3D spheroids. CY12-RP2 also enhanced the anti-tumor capacity of PBMC, and inhibited melanoma cells growth both in xenografts and allogeneic mice model. Moreover, CY12-RP2 could inhibit melanoma lung metastasis, and abrogated the immunosuppressive effects of PDPN by increasing the proportion of CD3 + CD4 + T cells, CD3 + CD8 + T cells, CD49b + Granzyme B + NK cells, and CD11b + CD86 + M1-like macrophages and the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has demonstrated the important role of PDPN in the progression of melanoma and formation of immunosuppressive environment, and provided a potential approach of treating melanoma using the novel CY12-RP2 peptide. In melanoma, PDPN is overexpressed in the cancer cells, and promotes melanoma cells growth and metastasis through activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Treatment with the PDPN antagonistic peptide CY12-RP2 could not only inhibit the melanoma growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo through Wnt/β-catenin pathway blockade, but also abrogate the immunosuppressive effects of PDPN through modulating immune cells.

The Role of Tumor and Host Microbiome on Immunotherapy Response in Urologic Cancers

Introduction & Objective

The role of the microbiome in the development and treatment of genitourinary malignancies is just starting to be appreciated. Accumulating evidence suggests that the microbiome can modulate immunotherapy through signaling in the highly dynamic tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, much is still unknown about the immuno-oncology-microbiome axis, especially in urologic oncology. The objective of this review is to synthesize our current understanding of the microbiome's role in modulating and predicting immunotherapy response to genitourinary malignancies.

Methods

A literature search for peer-reviewed publications about the microbiome and immunotherapy response in bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer was conducted. All research available in PubMed, Google Scholar, clinicaltrials.gov, and bioRxiv up to September 2023 was analyzed.

Results

Significant differences in urinary microbiota composition have been found in patients with genitourinary cancers compared to healthy controls. Lactic acid-producing bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genera, may have value in augmenting BCG responsiveness to bladder cancer. BCG may also be a dynamic regulator of PD-L1. Thus, the combination of BCG and immune checkpoint inhibitors may be an effective strategy for bladder cancer management. In advanced renal cell carcinoma, studies show that recent antibiotic administration negatively impacts survival outcomes in patients undergoing immunotherapy, while administration of CBM588, a live bacterial product, is associated with improved progression-free survival. Specific bacterial taxa, such as Streptococcus salivarius, have been linked with response to pembrolizumab in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Fecal microbiota transplant has been shown to overcome resistance and reduce toxicity to immunotherapy; it is currently being investigated for both kidney and prostate cancers.

Conclusions

Although the exact mechanism is unclear, several studies identify a symbiotic relationship between microbiota-centered interventions and immunotherapy efficacy. It is possible to improve immunotherapy responsiveness in genitourinary malignancies using the microbiome, but further research with more standardized methodology is warranted.

The BCL-2 inhibitor APG-2575 resets tumor-associated macrophages toward the M1 phenotype, promoting a favorable response to anti-PD-1 therapy via NLRP3 activation

The main challenges in the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are ascribed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the lack of sufficient infiltration of activated CD8+ T cells. Transforming the tumor microenvironment (TME) from "cold" to "hot" and thus more likely to potentiate the effects of ICIs is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. We found that the selective BCL-2 inhibitor APG-2575 can enhance the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy in syngeneic and humanized CD34+ mouse models. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we found that APG-2575 polarized M2-like immunosuppressive macrophages toward the M1-like immunostimulatory phenotype with increased CCL5 and CXCL10 secretion, restoring T-cell function and promoting a favorable immunotherapy response. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that APG-2575 directly binds to NF-κB p65 to activate NLRP3 signaling, thereby mediating macrophage repolarization and the activation of proinflammatory caspases and subsequently increasing CCL5 and CXCL10 chemokine production. As a result, APG-2575-induced macrophage repolarization could remodel the tumor immune microenvironment, thus improving tumor immunosuppression and further enhancing antitumor T-cell immunity. Multiplex immunohistochemistry confirmed that patients with better immunotherapeutic efficacy had higher CD86, p-NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 levels, accompanied by lower CD206 expression on macrophages. Collectively, these data provide evidence that further study on APG-2575 in combination with immunotherapy for tumor treatment is required.

Upregulation of M6A Reader HNRNPA2B1 Associated with Poor Prognosis and Tumor Progression in Lung Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignancy worldwide, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for a substantial proportion of all cases. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent post-transcriptional modification in mRNAs that also plays a role in cancer development. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1) is a reader of m6A modification, which can affect tumor invasion, migration, and proliferation.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to explore the prognostic factors of LUAD based on m6A through bioinformatics analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression levels and prognostic significance of HNRNPA2B1 in LUAD were analyzed on the basis of data extracted from the UALCAN, GEPIA, NCBI-GEO, Human Protein Atlas, STRING, miRDB, TargetScan, PROMO, Starbase, UCSC Xena browser, TIMER, and TISIDB databases. HNRNPA2B1 protein and mRNA levels in several LUAD cell lines were detected by western blotting and qRT-PCR. CCK8, wound-healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of LUAD cells.

RESULTS

HNRNPA2B1 mRNA was found to be significantly overexpressed in LUAD tissues, and its high levels correlated with poor OS and DFS. The genes co-expressed with HNRNPA2B1 were related to mRNA production, cell cycle, and histone binding. To determine the mechanistic basis of HNRNPA2B1 in LUAD, we next predicted the microRNAs and transcription factors that were directly associated with HNRNPA2B1, as well as copy number changes. In addition, it was found that HNRNPA2B1 expression was significantly related to CD4+ T cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, immunomodulators, and chemokines. Besides, knocking down HNRNPA2B1 in the LUAD cells led to a significant reduction in their proliferation, invasion, and migration rates in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Elevated HNRNPA2B1 is a risk factor in LUAD and portends a poor prognosis.

Immunotherapy in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Immunotherapy has revolutionised cancer treatment over the past decade. Long-term durable responses can be achieved in some cancer patient populations that were previously facing terminal disease. In this chapter, we summarise current phase 3 clinical trial evidence for the use of immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancers (oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, oesophago-gastric adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, biliary cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and squamous cell cancer of the anus). We discuss meaningful biomarkers used in clinical trials to select patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy, such as mismatch-repair deficiency (MMRd)/microsatellite instability (MSI) and programmed-death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry (IHC) expression. Clinical questions are arising regarding the role of immunotherapy in the adjuvant/perioperative setting, optimal timing of surgery in patients who respond to immunotherapy, and toxicities specific to patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. We outline the current landscape and future horizon of immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancers, such as strategies to increase effectiveness of checkpoint blockade through combinations with other checkpoint inhibitors, cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted agents, radiotherapy, CAR-T therapy, and cancer vaccines.

Targeting CD47-SIRPα axis for Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma immunotherapy

The interaction between cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) and signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) protects healthy cells from macrophage attack, which is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis. Overexpression of CD47 occurs widely across various tumor cell types and transmits the "don't eat me" signal to macrophages to avoid phagocytosis through binding to SIRPα. Blockade of the CD47-SIRPα axis is therefore a promising approach for cancer treatment. Lymphoma is the most common hematological malignancy and is an area of unmet clinical need. This review mainly described the current strategies targeting the CD47-SIRPα axis, including antibodies, SIRPα Fc fusion proteins, small molecule inhibitors, and peptides both in preclinical studies and clinical trials with Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Isolation of Live Immune Cells from the Tumor Microenvironment by FACS

Isolation of live cells from the tumor microenvironment (TME) has represented a challenge, particularly from metastatic nodules that need to be identified within the entire metastatic tissue. Cherry-niche, an in vivo labelling technique, allows the isolation of all the different cell populations in the TME without needing to visually locate the metastatic cancer cell colonies. Therefore, neighboring TME cells can be isolated even from the early stages of cancer cell seeding and colonization in the metastatic tissue. Here, we show how to use Cherry-niche to identify and isolate neutrophils from the lung metastatic niche. We also provide examples of downstream analyses to characterize freshly isolated neutrophils ex vivo, such as Giemsa staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, and phagocytosis assays. Similar strategies can be used to isolate other immune and non-immune cells from the metastatic TME.

Anoikis-related CTNND1 is associated with immuno-suppressive tumor microenvironment and predicts unfavorable immunotherapeutic outcome in non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Immunotherapy has greatly changed the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Anoikis is a programmed cell death process associated with cancer. However, the correlation between anoikis-related genes and the tumor microenvironment (TME) features and immunotherapeutic outcome in NSCLC has not been fully explored. Methods: The bulk and single-cell transcriptome data of NSCLC were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. The distribution of anoikis-related genes on different cell types at the single-cell level was analyzed, and these genes specifically expressed by tumor cells and immunotherapy-related were further extracted. Next, the candidate gene CTNND1 was identified and its correlations with the TME features and immunotherapeutic outcome in NSCLC were explored in multiple public cohorts. Finally, an in-house cohort was used to determine the CTNND1 expression and immuno-correlation in NSCLC. Results: At single-cell atlas, we found that anoikis-related genes expressed specifically in tumor cells of NSCLC. By intersecting anoikis-related genes, immunotherapy-associated genes, and the genes expressed in tumor cells, we obtained a special biomarker CTNND1. In addition, cell-cell communication analysis revealed that CTNND1+ tumor cells communicated with immune subpopulations frequently. Moreover, we found that high expression of CTNND1 was related to immuno-suppressive status of NSCLC. The expression of CTNND1 and its immuno-correlation were also validated, and the results showed that CTNND1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and tumors with high CTNND1 expression accompanied with low CD8+ T cells infiltration. Conclusions: Overall, our study reported that CTNND1 can be considered as a novel biomarker for the predication of immunotherapeutic responses and a potential target for NSCLC therapy.

Lectins as a promising therapeutic agent for breast cancer: A review

Efficient treatment of cancer has been a subject of research by scientists for many years. Current treatments for cancer, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery have been used in traditional combination therapy, but they have major setbacks like non-specificity, non-responsiveness in certain cancer types towards treatment, tumor recurrence, etc. Epidemiological data has shown that breast cancer accounts for 14% of cancer cases occurring in Indian women. In recent years, scientists have started to focus on the use of natural compounds like lectins obtained from various sources to counter the side effects of traditional therapy. Lectins like Sambucus nigra Agglutinin, Maackia amurensis lectin, Okra lectins, Haliclona caerulea lectin, Sclerotium rolfsii lectin, etc., have been discovered to have both diagnostic and therapeutic potential for breast cancer patients. Lectins have been found to have inhibitory effects on various cancer cell activities such as neo-angiogenesis, causing cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and inducing apoptosis. The major idea behind the use of lectins in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics is their capability to bind to glycosylated proteins that are expressed on the cell surface. This review focuses on an exploration of the roles of post-translational modification in cancer cells, especially glycosylation, and the potential of lectins in cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.

The Expression and Prognostic Value of Co-stimulatory Molecules in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (CcRcc)

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was one of the most common malignant cancers in the urinary system. Clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common pathological type, accounting for approximately 80% of RCC. The lack of accurate and effective prognosis prediction methods has been a weak link in ccRCC treatment. Co-stimulatory molecules played the main role in increasing anti-tumor immune response, which determined the prognosis of patients. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to explore the prognostic value of co-stimulatory molecules genes in ccRCC patients.

METHODS

The TCGA database was used to get gene expression and clinical characteristics of patients with ccRCC. A total of 60 co-stimulatory molecule genes were also obtained from TCGAccRCC, including 13 genes of the B7/ CD28 co-stimulatory molecules family and 47 genes of the TNF family. In the TCGA cohort, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model was used to generate a multigene signature. R and Perl programming languages were used for data processing and drawing. Real-time PCR was used to verify the expression of differentially expressed genes.

RESULTS

The study's initial dataset included 539 ccRCC samples and 72 normal samples. The 13 samples have been eliminated. According to FDR<0.05, there were differences in the expression of 55 co-stimulatory molecule genes in ccRCC and normal tissues. LASSO Cox regression analysis results indicated that 13 risk genes were optimally used to construct a prognostic model of ccRCC. The patients were divided into a high-risk group and a low-risk group. Those in the high-risk group had significantly lower OS (Overall Survival rate) than patients in the low-risk group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the predictive value of the prognosis model of ccRCC (AUC>0.7). There are substantial differences in immune cell infiltration between high and low-risk groups. Functional analysis revealed that immune-related pathways were enriched, and immune status was different between the two risk groups. Real-time PCR results for genes were consistent with TCGA DEGs.

CONCLUSION

By stratifying patients with all independent risk factors, the prognostic score model developed in this study may improve the accuracy of prognosis prediction for patients with ccRCC.

Cell Death Pathway Regulation by Functional Nanomedicines for Robust Antitumor Immunity

Cancer immunotherapy has become a mainstream cancer treatment over traditional therapeutic modes. Cancer cells can undergo programmed cell death including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, apoptosis and cuproptosis which are find to have intrinsic relationships with host antitumor immune response. However, direct use of cell death inducers or regulators may bring about severe side effects that can also be rapidly excreted and degraded with low therapeutic efficacy. Nanomaterials are able to carry them for long circulation time, high tumor accumulation and controlled release to achieve satisfactory therapeutic effect. Nowadays, a large number of studies have focused on nanomedicines-based strategies through modulating cell death modalities to potentiate antitumor immunity. Herein, immune cell types and their function are first summarized, and state-of-the-art research progresses in nanomedicines mediated cell death pathways (e.g., ferroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, apoptosis and cuproptosis) with immune response provocation are highlighted. Subsequently, the conclusion and outlook of potential research focus are discussed.

Comprehensive Analysis Identifies Hyaluronan Mediated Motility Receptor and Cell Division Cycle 25C as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, but its pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the potential biomarkers underlying the diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.

METHODS

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) followed by pathway enrichment analysis, analysis of infiltrating immune cells, survival analysis, and methylation analysis were applied to identify the potential hub genes underlying the prognosis of HNSCC. The expression of hub genes was validated by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

A total of 10,274 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Through WGCNA, the yellow module (R2 = 0.33, P = 2e-14) was confirmed to be the most significantly associated with the histological grade of HNSCC, and the "Cell Cycle" proved to be the most enriched signaling pathway. Based on the results of survival analysis and immune cell infiltration, 10 hub genes (HMMR, CENPK, AURKA, CDC25C, FEN1, CKS1B, MAJIN, PCLAF, SPC25, and STAG3) were identified. Eight of these (excluding MAJIN and STAG3) were confirmed by performing survival analysis using another dataset (GSE41613). Further, we identified 4 methylation loci in 3 hub genes (cg15122828 and cg20554926 in HMMR, cg12519992 in CDC25C, and cg2655739 in KIAA0101/PCLAF) as being significantly related to survival. Finally, we demonstrated the high mRNA and protein expression of HMMR and CDC25C in HNSCC patients.

CONCLUSION

Two real hub genes (HMMR and CDC25C) and 3 methylation loci were identified that could potentially serve as prognostic and therapeutic targets for HNSCC, which is significant for studying the pathological mechanisms underlying HNSCC and for developing novel therapies for this disease.

Elucidating the molecular role of MUC5B in progressive lung adenocarcinoma: Prospects for early diagnosis

Gel-forming mucin MUC5B is significantly deregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), however, its role in tumor progression is not yet clearly understood. Here, we used an integrated computational-pipeline-initiated with gene expression analysis followed by network, functional-enrichment, O-linked glycosylation analyses, mutational profiling, and immune cell infiltration estimation to functionally characterize MUC5B gene in LUAD. Thereafter, clinical biomarker validation was supported by the overall survival (OA) and comparative expression profiling across clinical stages using computational algorithms. The gene expression profile of LUAD identified MUC5B to be significantly up-regulated (logFC: 2.36; p-value: 0.01). Network analysis on LUAD interactome screened MUC5B-related genes, having key enrichment in immune suppression and O-linked glycosylation with serine-threonine-rich tandem repeats being highly glycosylated. Furthermore, positive correlation of mutant MUC5B with immune cells in tumor microenvironment (TME) such as cancer-associated fibroblasts and myeloid-derived suppressor cells indicates TME-mediated tumor progression. The positive correlation with immune inhibitors suggested the enhanced tumor proliferation mediated by MUC5B. Structural stability due to genetic alterations identified overall rigid N-H-backbone dynamics (S2 : 0.756), indicating an overall stable mutant protein. Moreover, the low median OA (<50 months) with a hazard ratio of 1.4 and clinical profile of MUC5B gene showed high median expression corresponding to lymph node (N2) and tumor (T3) stages. Our study concludes by highlighting the functional role of O-glycosylated and mutant MUC5B in promoting LUAD by immune suppression. Further, clinical gene expression validation of MUC5B suggests its potential role as a diagnostic biomarker for LUAD metastasis.

Therapeutic Supramolecular Polymers: Designs and Applications

The self-assembly of low-molecular-weight building motifs into supramolecular polymers has unlocked a new realm of materials with distinct properties and tremendous potential for advancing medical practices. Leveraging the reversible and dynamic nature of non-covalent interactions, these supramolecular polymers exhibit inherent responsiveness to their microenvironment, physiological cues, and biomolecular signals, making them uniquely suited for diverse biomedical applications. In this review, we intend to explore the principles of design, synthesis methodologies, and strategic developments that underlie the creation of supramolecular polymers as carriers for therapeutics, contributing to the treatment and prevention of a spectrum of human diseases. We delve into the principles underlying monomer design, emphasizing the pivotal role of non-covalent interactions, directionality, and reversibility. Moreover, we explore the intricate balance between thermodynamics and kinetics in supramolecular polymerization, illuminating strategies for achieving controlled sizes and distributions. Categorically, we examine their exciting biomedical applications: individual polymers as discrete carriers for therapeutics, delving into their interactions with cells, and in vivo dynamics; and supramolecular polymeric hydrogels as injectable depots, with a focus on their roles in cancer immunotherapy, sustained drug release, and regenerative medicine. As the field continues to burgeon, harnessing the unique attributes of therapeutic supramolecular polymers holds the promise of transformative impacts across the biomedical landscape.

Leveraging an immune cell signature to improve the survival and immunotherapy response of lung adenocarcinoma

Background: Immune cells play a critical role in the prognosis of cancer. However, the function of different immune cell types in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the development of a prognostic signature based on immune cell types have not been comprehensively investigated. Methods: We collected and included a total of 2499 LUAD patients and performed calculations to determine the penetration level of 24 immune cells. This examination was conducted using the macro-gene-based approach provided by ImmuCellAI. We performed a meta-analysis using Lasso-Cox analysis to establish the immune cell pair score (ICPS). We conducted a survival analysis to measure differences in survival across ICPS-risk groups. Wilcox test was used to measure the difference in expression level. Spearman correlation analysis was used for the relevance assessment. Results: We collected a total of 24 immune cell types to construct cell pairs. Utilizing 17 immune cell pairs, we constructed and validated the ICPS, which plays a critical role in stratifying survival and dynamically monitoring the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Additionally, we identified several candidate drugs that target ICPS. Conclusions: The ICPS shows promise as a valuable tool for identifying suitable candidates for immunotherapy among patients. Our comprehensive assessment of immune cell interactions in LUAD contributes to a deeper understanding of infiltration patterns and functions, thereby guiding the development of more efficacious immunotherapy strategies.

Engineering Versatile Nanomedicines for Ultrasonic Tumor Immunotherapy

Due to the specific advantages of ultrasound (US) in therapeutic disease treatments, the unique therapeutic US technology has emerged. In addition to featuring a low-invasive targeted cancer-cell killing effect, the therapeutic US technology has been demonstrated to modulate the tumor immune landscape, amplify the therapeutic effect of other antitumor therapies, and induce immunosensitization of tumors to immunotherapy, shedding new light on the cancer treatment. Tremendous advances in nanotechnology are also expected to bring unprecedented benefits to enhancing the antitumor efficiency and immunological effects of therapeutic US, as well as therapeutic US-derived bimodal and multimodal synergistic therapies. This comprehensive review summarizes the immunological effects induced by different therapeutic US technologies, including ultrasound-mediated micro-/nanobubble destruction (UTMD/UTND), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and focused ultrasound (FUS), as well as the main underlying mechanisms involved. It is also discussed that the recent research progress of engineering intelligent nanoplatform in improving the antitumor efficiency of therapeutic US technologies. Finally, focusing on clinical translation, the key issues and challenges currently faced are summarized, and the prospects for promoting the clinical translation of these emerging nanomaterials and ultrasonic immunotherapy in the future are proposed.

Development of a Novel Lipid Metabolism-related Gene Prognostic Signature for Patients with Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to explore the expression profiles of lipid metabolism-related genes in patients with Colorectal Cancer (CRC).

METHODS

The lipid metabolism statuses of CRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed. Risk characteristics were constructed by univariate Cox regression and minimum Absolute contraction and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression. A histogram was constructed based on factors such as age, sex, TNM stage, T stage, N stage, and risk score to provide a visual tool for clinicians to predict the probability of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS for CRC patients. By determining Area Under Curve (AUC) values, the time-dependent Receiver Operating characteristic Curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the efficiency of our model in predicting prognosis.

RESULTS

A novel risk signal based on lipid metabolism-related genes was constructed to predict the survival of CRC patients. Risk characteristics were shown to be an independent prognostic factor in CRC patients (p <0.001). There were significant differences in the abundance and immune characteristics of tumor-filtering immune cells between high-risk and low-risk groups. The nomogram had a high potential for clinical application and the ROC AUC value was 0.827. Moreover, ROC analysis demonstrated that the nomogram model was more accurate to predict the survival of CRC patients than age, gender, stage and risk score.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we demonstrated a lipid metabolism-related genes prognosis biomarker associated with the tumor immune micro-environment in patients with CRC.

Organ specific microenvironmental MR1 expression in cutaneous melanoma

The microenvironment is an important regulator of intertumoral trafficking and activity of immune cells. Understanding how the immune system can be tailored to maintain anti-tumor killing responses in metastatic disease remains an important goal. Thus, immune mediated eradication of metastasis requires the consideration of organ specific microenvironmental cues. Using a xenograft model of melanoma metastasis in adult zebrafish, we perturbed the dynamic balance between the infiltrating immune cells in the metastatic setting using a suite of different transgenic zebrafish. We employed intravital imaging coupled with metabolism imaging (FLIM) to visualize and map the organ specific metabolism with near simultaneity in multiple metastatic lesions. Of all the MHC complexes examined for brain and skeletal metastases, we determined that there is an organ specific expression of mhc1uba (human ortholog, MR1) for both the melanoma cells and the resident and infiltrating immune cells. Specifically, immune clusters did not express mhc1uba in brain metastatic lesions in immune competent fish. Finally, the differential immune response drove organ specific metabolism where tumor glycolysis was increased in brain metastases compared to skeletal and parental lines as measured using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). As MR1 belongs to the MHC class I molecules and is a target of immunotherapeutic drugs, we believe that our data presents an opportunity to understand the relationship between organ specific tumor metabolism and drug efficacy in the metastatic setting.

Prognostic value and immune regulatory role of dynamin 1-like in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with poor treatment outcomes worldwide. Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), which is encoded by the dynamin 1-like (DNM1L) gene, acts as a regulator of mitochondrial fission and plays crucial roles in tumor initiation and progression. However, the clinical value and immune regulation of DNM1L in LUAD have not been explored.

Methods

We comprehensively analyzed the expression of DNM1L in the LUAD cohort of the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and the University of The ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN) databases. Kaplan-Meier plotter, in addition to the PrognoScan database, was used to estimate the correlation between DNM1L expression and survival outcome of LUAD patients. The association between the immune tumor microenvironment (TME) and DNM1L expression in LUAD was evaluated based on the Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER)2.0 database. Finally, the functions of DNM1L were validated in vitro experiments, including reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot, wound healing assays, and transwell assays.

Results

DNM1L was overexpressed in LUAD compared to healthy control tissues and was regarded as an independent prognostic factor. Overexpression of DNM1L was significantly related to clinical variables and poor survival outcomes of LUAD patients. Moreover, DNM1L expression was positively associated with the expression of key genes involved in the regulation of immune cell subsets, including T helper (Th)2 cells, Th cells, B cells, CD8 T cells, dendritic cells, and mast cells. In contrast, DNM1L was negatively correlated with the infiltrating levels of myeloid dendritic cells and B cells. Furthermore, DNM1L may play a role in regulating immune cell infiltration and have prognostic value in LUAD patients. Finally, the in vitro experiments showed that increased DNM1L significantly promoted the proliferation and migration of LUAD cells.

Conclusions

This study suggested that DNM1L may play an important role in regulating the proliferation and migration of LUAD cells as well as the infiltration of tumor-related immune cells, which suggests DNM1L was a potential therapeutic target in LUAD. Further studies are however warranted to define its exact mechanism of action and potential therapeutic significance in LUAD patients.

Systemic Administration with Bacteria-Inspired Nanosystems for Targeted Oncolytic Therapy and Antitumor Immunomodulation

Malignant tumors represent a formidable global health challenge, compelling the pursuit of innovative treatment modalities. Oncolytic therapy has emerged as a promising frontier in antitumor strategies. However, both natural agents (such as oncolytic bacteria or viruses) and synthetic oncolytic peptides confront formidable obstacles in clinical trials, which include the delicate equilibrium between safety and efficacy, the imperative for systemic administration with targeted therapy, and the need to counteract oncolysis-induced immunosuppression. To overcome these dilemmas, we have developed biomimetic nanoengineering to create oncolytic bacteria-inspired nanosystems (OBNs), spanning from hierarchical structural biomimicry to advanced bioactive biomimicry. Our OBNs harbor inherent oncolytic potential, including functionalized oligosaccharides mimicking bacterial cell walls for optimal blood circulation and tumor targeting, tumor acidity-switchable decoration for tumor-specific oncolysis, stereospecific tryptophan-rich peptides for robust oncolytic activity, encapsulated tumor immunomodulators for enhanced immunotherapy, and innate multimodal imaging potential for biological tracing. This work elucidates the efficacy and mechanisms of OBNs, encompassing primary tumor suppression, metastasis prevention, and recurrence inhibition. Systemic administration of d-chiral OBNs has demonstrated superior oncolytic efficacy, surpassing intratumoral injections of clinical-grade oncolytic peptides. This work heralds an era in biomimetic engineering on oncolytic agents, promising the revolutionization of contemporary oncolytic therapy paradigms for clinical translation.

The role of intestinal flora on tumorigenesis, progression, and the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in colorectal cancer

Intestinal flora affects the maturation of the host immune system, serves as a biomarker and efficacy predictor in the immunotherapy of several cancers, and has an important role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies have shown satisfactory results in MSI-H/dMMR CRC but performed poorly in patients with MSS/pMMR CRC. In recent years an increasing number of studies have shown that intestinal flora has an important impact on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody efficacy in CRC patients. Preclinical and clinical evidence have suggested that anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody efficacy can be improved by altering the composition of the intestinal flora in CRC. Herein, we summarize the studies related to the influence of intestinal flora on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody efficacy in CRC and discuss the potential underlying mechanism(s). We have focused on the impact of the intestinal flora on the efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in CRC and how to better utilize the intestinal flora as an adjuvant to improve the efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. In addition, we have provided a basis for the potential of the intestinal flora as a new treatment modality and indicator for determining patient prognosis.

Experimental validation and pan-cancer analysis identified COL10A1 as a novel oncogene and potential therapeutic target in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Type X collagen (COL10) is a homologous trimeric non-fibrillar collagen found in the extracellular matrix of human tissues, and it exhibits a distinctive white appearance. Type X collagen α1 chain (COL10A1) is a specific cleaved fragment of type X collagen. However, the expression, prognostic significance, clinicopathological attributes and immune-related associations of COL10A1 in prostate cancer as well as in pan-cancer contexts remain poorly understood.

METHODS

Using bioinformatic analysis of data from the most recent databases (TCGA, GTEx and GEO databases), we have extensively elucidated the role played by COL10A1 in terms of its expression patterns, prognostic implications, and immune efficacy across a pan-cancer spectrum. Subsequently, the biological functions of COL10A1 in prostate cancer were elucidated by experimental validation.

RESULTS

Our findings have confirmed that COL10A1 was highly expressed in most cancers and was associated with poorer prognosis in cancer patients. Immune correlation analysis of COL10A1 in various cancers showed its significant correlation with Tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune cell infiltration. In addition, knockdown of COL10A1 in prostate cancer resulted in a substantial reduction in the proliferation, migration, and invasive potential of prostate cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Our pan-cancer analysis of COL10A1 gene provided novel insights into its pivotal role in cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic implications, underscoring its potential significance in prognosis and immunotherapeutic interventions for cancer, particularly prostate cancer.

Understanding the value of brain donation for research to donors, next-of-kin and clinicians: A systematic review

PURPOSE

Post-mortem brain donation affords the opportunity to characterise disease by exploring global neuropathological changes. Such opportunities are essential to progress knowledge of CNS tumours such as Glioblastoma. A comprehensive understanding of the experience of consenting to brain donation is crucial to maximising consent rates while providing patient-centred care. This review aimed to synthesise the reported facilitators and barriers according to potential donors, next-of-kin (NOK) and clinician respondents.

DESIGN

Database searches included Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Science and Scopus. Search terms focused on motivations, attitudes and psychosocial experiences of brain donation. Exclusions included organ transplantation and brain death. All studies were assessed for quality and validity using tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. To determine perceptions of benefit and harm, a method guided by the thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke was employed to reflexively assess and identify common themes and experiences.

RESULTS

40 studies (15 qualitative, 25 quantitative) were included involving participants with paediatric cancer, neurodegenerative and psychological diseases. Perceptions of benefit included benefit to future generations, aiding scientific research, avoidance of waste, improved treatments and the belief that donation will bring consolation or aid in the grieving process. Perceptions of harm included a perceived conflict with religious beliefs, disfigurement to the donor, emotional distress at the time of autopsy and discord or objections within the family.

CONCLUSION

Brain donation can afford a sense of purpose, meaning and empowerment for donors and their loved ones. Careful strategies are required to mitigate or reduce potential harms during the consent process.

Spatial modelling of the tumor microenvironment from multiplex immunofluorescence images: methods and applications

Spatial modelling methods have gained prominence with developments in high throughput imaging platforms. Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) provides the scope to examine interactions between tumor and immune compartment at single cell resolution using a panel of antibodies that can be chosen based on the cancer type or the clinical interest of the study. The markers can be used to identify the phenotypes and to examine cellular interactions at global and local scales. Several translational studies rely on key understanding of the tumor microenvironment (TME) to identify drivers of immune response in immunotherapy based clinical trials. To improve the success of ongoing trials, a number of retrospective approaches can be adopted to understand differences in response, recurrence and progression by examining the patient's TME from tissue samples obtained at baseline and at various time points along the treatment. The multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) technique provides insight on patient specific cell populations and their relative spatial distribution as qualitative measures of a favorable treatment outcome. Spatial analysis of these images provides an understanding of the intratumoral heterogeneity and clustering among cell populations in the TME. A number of mathematical models, which establish clustering as a measure of deviation from complete spatial randomness, can be applied to the mIF images represented as spatial point patterns. These mathematical models, developed for landscape ecology and geographic information studies, can be applied to the TME after careful consideration of the tumor type (cold vs. hot) and the tumor immune landscape. The spatial modelling of mIF images can show observable engagement of T cells expressing immune checkpoint molecules and this can then be correlated with single-cell RNA sequencing data.

Systems immunology spanning tumors, lymph nodes, and periphery

The immune system defines a complex network of tissues and cell types that orchestrate responses across the body in a dynamic manner. The local and systemic interactions between immune and cancer cells contribute to disease progression. Lymphocytes are activated in lymph nodes, traffic through the periphery, and impact cancer progression through their interactions with tumor cells. As a result, therapeutic response and resistance are mediated across tissues, and a comprehensive understanding of lymphocyte dynamics requires a systems-level approach. In this review, we highlight experimental and computational methods that can leverage the study of leukocyte trafficking through an immunomics lens and reveal how adaptive immunity shapes cancer.

The multifaceted roles of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in cancer: therapeutic strategies and persisting obstacles

Pyroptosis is a novel regulated cell death (RCD) mode associated with inflammation and innate immunity. Gasdermin E (GSDME), a crucial component of the gasdermin (GSDM) family proteins, has the ability to convert caspase-3-mediated apoptosis to pyroptosis of cancer cells and activate anti-tumor immunity. Accumulating evidence indicates that GSDME methylation holds tremendous potential as a biomarker for early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of tumors. In fact, GSDME-mediated pyroptosis performs a dual role in anti-tumor therapy. On the one side, pyroptotic cell death in tumors caused by GSDME contributes to inflammatory cytokines release, which transform the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) from a 'cold' to a 'hot' state and significantly improve anti-tumor immunotherapy. However, due to GSDME is expressed in nearly all body tissues and immune cells, it can exacerbate chemotherapy toxicity and partially block immune response. How to achieve a balance between the two sides is a crucial research topic. Meanwhile, the potential functions of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) therapy, and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) therapy have not yet been fully understood, and how to improve clinical outcomes persists obscure. In this review, we systematically summarize the latest research regarding the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis and discuss the role of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in anti-tumor immunity and its potential applications in cancer treatment.

MiRNA signatures in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a prevalent cancerous tumor that affects the head and neck region. Recent studies have provided compelling evidence indicating the significant involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development and progression of NPC. This review aims to present a comprehensive summary of the current knowledge regarding miRNA signatures in NPC, encompassing their expression patterns, molecular mechanisms, and potential therapeutic implications. Initially, the article outlines the aberrant expression of miRNAs in NPC and elucidates their roles in tumor initiation, invasion, and metastasis. Subsequently, the underlying molecular mechanisms of miRNA-mediated regulation of NPC-associated signaling pathways are discussed. Additionally, the review highlights the potential clinical applications of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as their therapeutic potential in NPC treatment. In conclusion, this review underscores the critical involvement of miRNAs in NPC pathogenesis and underscores their promise as novel therapeutic targets for combating this devastating disease.

m6A methylation modification and immune cell infiltration: implications for targeting the catalytic subunit m6A-METTL complex in gastrointestinal cancer immunotherapy

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation modification is a ubiquitous RNA modification involved in the regulation of various cellular processes, including regulation of RNA stability, metabolism, splicing and translation. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are some of the world's most common and fatal cancers. Emerging evidence has shown that m6A modification is dynamically regulated by a complex network of enzymes and that the catalytic subunit m6A-METTL complex (MAC)-METTL3/14, a core component of m6A methyltransferases, participates in the development and progression of GI cancers. Furthermore, it has been shown that METTL3/14 modulates immune cell infiltration in an m6A-dependent manner in TIME (Tumor immune microenvironment), thereby altering the response of cancer cells to ICIs (Immune checkpoint inhibitors). Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating GI cancers. Moreover, targeting the expression of METTL3/14 and its downstream genes may improve patient response to immunotherapy. Therefore, understanding the role of MAC in the pathogenesis of GI cancers and its impact on immune cell infiltration may provide new insights into the development of effective therapeutic strategies for GI cancers.

Comprehensive Single-Cell Immune Profiling Defines the Patient Multiple Myeloma Microenvironment Following Oncolytic Virus Therapy in a Phase Ib Trial

PURPOSE

Our preclinical studies showed that the oncolytic reovirus formulation pelareorep (PELA) has significant immunomodulatory anti-myeloma activity. We conducted an investigator-initiated clinical trial to evaluate PELA in combination with dexamethasone (Dex) and bortezomib (BZ) and define the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) in patients with multiple myeloma treated with this regimen.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (n = 14) were enrolled in a phase Ib clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02514382) of three escalating PELA doses administered on Days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16. Patients received 40 mg Dex and 1.5 mg/m2 BZ on Days 1, 8, and 15. Cycles were repeated every 28 days. Pre- and posttreatment bone marrow specimens (IHC, n = 9; imaging mass cytometry, n = 6) and peripheral blood samples were collected for analysis (flow cytometry, n = 5; T-cell receptor clonality, n = 7; cytokine assay, n = 7).

RESULTS

PELA/BZ/Dex was well-tolerated in all patients. Treatment-emergent toxicities were transient, and no dose-limiting toxicities occurred. Six (55%) of 11 response-evaluable patients showed decreased paraprotein. Treatment increased T and natural killer cell activation, inflammatory cytokine release, and programmed death-ligand 1 expression in bone marrow. Compared with nonresponders, responders had higher reovirus protein levels, increased cytotoxic T-cell infiltration posttreatment, cytotoxic T cells in significantly closer proximity to multiple myeloma cells, and larger populations of a novel immune-primed multiple myeloma phenotype (CD138+ IDO1+HLA-ABCHigh), indicating immunomodulation.

CONCLUSIONS

PELA/BZ/Dex is well-tolerated and associated with anti-multiple myeloma activity in a subset of responding patients, characterized by immune reprogramming and TiME changes, warranting further investigation of PELA as an immunomodulator.

Preclinical evaluation of the efficacy of an antibody to human SIRPα for cancer immunotherapy in humanized mouse models

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are abundant in the tumor microenvironment and are considered potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. To examine the antitumor effects of agents targeting human TAMs in vivo, we here established preclinical tumor xenograft models based on immunodeficient mice that express multiple human cytokines and have been reconstituted with a human immune system by transplantation of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HIS-MITRG mice). HIS-MITRG mice supported the growth of both human cell line (Raji)- and patient-derived B cell lymphoma as well as the infiltration of human macrophages into their tumors. We examined the potential antitumor action of an antibody to human SIRPα (SE12C3) that inhibits the interaction of CD47 on tumor cells with SIRPα on human macrophages and thereby promotes Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis of the former cells by the latter. Treatment with the combination of rituximab (antibody to human CD20) and SE12C3 inhibited Raji tumor growth in HIS-MITRG mice to a markedly greater extent than did rituximab monotherapy. This enhanced antitumor effect was dependent on human macrophages and attributable to enhanced rituximab-dependent phagocytosis of lymphoma cells by human macrophages. Treatment with rituximab and SE12C3 also induced reprogramming of human TAMs toward a proinflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, the combination treatment essentially prevented the growth of patient-derived diffuse large B cell lymphoma in HIS-MITRG mice. Our findings thus support the study of HIS-MITRG mice as a model for the preclinical evaluation in vivo of potential therapeutics, such as antibodies to human SIRPα, that target human TAMs.

Machine learning and experiments identifies SPINK1 as a candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Machine learning techniques have been widely used in predicting disease prognosis, including cancer prognosis. One of the major challenges in cancer prognosis is to accurately classify cancer types and stages to optimize early screening and detection, and machine learning techniques have proven to be very useful in this regard. In this study, we aimed at identifying critical genes for diagnosis and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients using machine learning. The HCC expression dataset was downloaded from GSE65372 datasets and TCGA datasets. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between 39 HCC and 15 normal samples. For the purpose of locating potential biomarkers, the LASSO and the SVM-RFE assays were performed. The ssGSEA method was used to analyze the TCGA to determine whether there was an association between SPINK1 and tumor immune infiltrates. RT-PCR was applied to examine the expression of SPINK1 in HCC specimens and cells. A series of functional assays were applied to examine the function of SPINK1 knockdown on the proliferation of HCC cells. In this study, 103 DEGs were obtained. Based on LASSO and SVM-RFE analysis, we identified nine critical diagnostic genes, including C10orf113, SPINK1, CNTLN, NRG3, HIST1H2AI, GPRIN3, SCTR, C2orf40 and PITX1. Importantly, we confirmed SPINK1 as a prognostic gene in HCC. Multivariate analysis confirmed that SPINK1 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survivals of HCC patients. We also found that SPINK1 level was positively associated with Macrophages, B cells, TFH, T cells, Th2 cells, iDC, NK CD56bright cells, Th1 cells, aDC, while negatively associated with Tcm and Eosinophils. Finally, we demonstrated that SPINK1 expression was distinctly increased in HCC specimens and cells. Functionally, silence of SPINK1 distinctly suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells via regulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The evidence provided suggested that SPINK1 may possess oncogenic properties by inducing dysregulated immune infiltration in HCC. Additionally, SPINK1 was identified as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Dissecting cellular states of infiltrating microenvironment cells in melanoma by integrating single-cell and bulk transcriptome analysis

BACKGROUND

Cellular states of different immune cells can affect the activity of the whole immune microenvironment.

METHODS

Here, leveraging reference profiles of microenvironment cell states that were constructed based on single-cell RNA-seq data of melanoma, we dissected the composition of microenvironment cell states across 463 skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) bulk samples through CIBERSORT-based deconvolution of gene expression profiles and revealed high heterogeneity of their distribution. Correspondence analysis on the estimated cellular fractions of melanoma bulk samples was performed to identify immune phenotypes. Based on the publicly available clinical survival and therapy data, we analyzed the relationship between immune phenotypes and clinical outcomes of melanoma.

RESULTS

By analysis of the relationships among those cell states, we further identified three distinct tumor microenvironment immune phenotypes: "immune hot/active", "immune cold-suppressive" and "immune cold-exhausted". They were characterized by markedly different patterns of cell states: most notably the CD8 T Cytotoxic state, CD8 T Mixed state, B non-regulatory state and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), depicting distinct types of antitumor immune response (or immune activity). These phenotypes had prognostic significance for progression-free survival and implications in response to immune therapy in an independent cohort of anti-PD1 treated melanoma patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed strategy of leveraging single-cell data to dissect the composition of microenvironment cell states in individual bulk tumors can also extend to other cancer types, and our results highlight the importance of microenvironment cell states for the understanding of tumor immunity.

Extracellular vesicles and co-isolated endogenous retroviruses from murine cancer cells differentially affect dendritic cells

Cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) and non-vesicular extracellular (nano)particles (NVEPs or ENPs) that may play a role in intercellular communication. Tumor-derived EVs have been proposed to induce immune priming of antigen presenting cells or to be immuno-suppressive agents. We suspect that such disparate functions are due to variable compositions in EV subtypes and ENPs. We aimed to characterize the array of secreted EVs and ENPs of murine tumor cell lines. Unexpectedly, we identified virus-like particles (VLPs) from endogenous murine leukemia virus in preparations of EVs produced by many tumor cells. We established a protocol to separate small EVs from VLPs and ENPs. We compared their protein composition and analyzed their functional interaction with target dendritic cells. ENPs were poorly captured and did not affect dendritic cells. Small EVs specifically induced dendritic cell death. A mixed large/dense EV/VLP preparation was most efficient to induce dendritic cell maturation and antigen presentation. Our results call for systematic re-evaluation of the respective proportions and functions of non-viral EVs and VLPs produced by murine tumors and their contribution to tumor progression.

Life-Threatening Endocrinological Immune-Related Adverse Events of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

Malignant neoplasms are currently one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, posing a major public health challenge. However, recent advances in research in cancer biology and immunity have led to the development of immunotherapy, which is now used on an everyday basis in cancer treatment in addition to surgical treatment, classical cytostatics, and radiotherapy. The efficacy of immunotherapy has promoted the great popularity of this treatment among patients, as well as significant research interest. The increasing number of patients being treated with immunotherapy not only reassures physicians of the efficacy of this technique but also shows the wide spectrum of side effects of this therapy, which has not been considered before. Immune-related adverse events may affect many systems and organs, such as digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, skin, or endocrine organs. Most complications have a mild or moderate course, but there are life-threatening manifestations that are essential to be aware of because if they are not properly diagnosed and treated on time, they can have fatal consequences. The purpose of this paper was to present the results of a literature review on the current state of knowledge on life-threatening endocrine side effects (such as adrenal crisis, thyroid storm, myxoedema crisis, diabetic ketoacidosis, and severe hypocalcaemia) of immune checkpoint inhibitors to provide information on symptoms, diagnostics, and management strategies.

Integrative analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA seq to reveal the prognostic model and tumor microenvironment remodeling mechanisms of cuproptosis-related genes in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Recently, there has been a great deal interest in cuproptosis, a form of programmed cell death that is mediated by copper. The specific mechanism through which cuproptosis-related genes impact the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown.

METHODS

Here, we combined bulk RNA-seq with scRNA-seq to investigate the CRGs functions within CRC. A number of 61 cuproptosis-related genes were chosen for further investigation. Nine prognostic CRGs were identified by Lasso-Cox. The RiskScore was created and the patients have been separated into two different groups, low- and high-RiskScore group. The CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE, MCP-counter, TIDE, and IPS have been employed to score the TME, and GSVA and GSEA were utilized to evaluate the pathway within the both groups. Further, we used cell communication analysis to explore the tumor microenvironment remodeling mechanisms of the COX17 and DLAT based on scRNA-seq. Finally, we used IHC and qPCR to validate the expression of COX17 and DLAT.

RESULTS

AOC3, CCS, CDKN2A, COX11, COX17, COX19, DLD, DLAT, and PDHB have been recognized as prognostic CRGs in CRC. The high-risk group exhibited the worst prognosis, an immune-deficient phenotype, and were more resistant to ICB treatment. Further, scRNA-seq analysis revealed that elevated expression of COX17 in CD4-CXCL13Tfh could contribute to the immune evasion while DLAT had the opposite effect, reversing T cell exhaustion and inducing pyroptosis to boost CD8-GZMKT infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

The current investigation has developed a prognostic framework utilizing cuproptosis-related genes that is highly effective in predicting prognosis, TME type, and response to immunotherapy in CRC patients. Furthermore, our study reveals a novel finding that elevated levels of COX17 expression within CD4-CXCL13 T cells in CRC mediates T cell exhaustion and Treg infiltration, while DLAT has been found to facilitate the anti-tumor immunity activation through the T cell exhaustion reversal and the induction of pyroptosis.

Association of WHSC1/NSD2 and T-cell infiltration with prostate cancer metastasis and prognosis

Progress in immunotherapy for prostate cancer (PCa) lags that for other cancers, mainly because of limited immune infiltration in PCa. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of NSD2 as an immunotherapeutic target in PCa. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression pattern of NSD2 in 34 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 36 cases of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and 57 cases of PCa, including 19 cases of metastatic castration-resistant prostatic cancer (mCRPC). Single-cell RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to correlate NSD2 with certain downstream pathways. Furthermore, the Immuno-Oncology-Biological-Research (IOBR) software package was used to analyze the potential roles of NSD2 in the tumor microenvironment. We found that the positive expression rate of NSD2 increased progressively in BPH, PIN and PCa. mCRPC had the highest staining intensity for NSD2. High NSD2 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration level of CD4+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and negatively correlated with that of CD8+ TILs. Importantly, a new immune classification based on NSD2 expression and CD4+ TILs and CD8+ TILs was successfully used to stratify PCa patients based on OS.PSA and CD4+ TILs are independent risk factors for PCa bone metastasis. This study demonstrates a novel role for NSD2 in defining immune infiltrate on in PCa and highlights the great potential for its application in immunotherapy response evaluation for prostate malignancies.

The Heart of the Matter: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Immune-Related Adverse Events on the Cardiovascular System

Cancer remains a prominent global cause of mortality, second only to cardiovascular disease. The past decades have witnessed substantial advancements in anti-cancer therapies, resulting in improved outcomes. Among these advancements, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising breakthrough, leveraging the immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. Despite the remarkable potential of immunotherapy, concerns have arisen regarding associations with adverse cardiovascular events. This review examines the complex interplay between immunotherapy and cardiovascular toxicity and provides an overview of immunotherapy mechanisms, clinical perspectives, and potential biomarkers for adverse events, while delving into the intricate immune responses and evasion mechanisms displayed by cancer cells. The focus extends to the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer therapy, including CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1 targeting antibodies. This review underscores the multifaceted challenges of managing immunotherapy-related cardiovascular toxicity. Risk factors for immune-related adverse events and major adverse cardiac events are explored, encompassing pharmacological, treatment-related, autoimmune, cardiovascular, tumor-related, social, genetic, and immune-related factors. The review also advocates for enhanced medical education and risk assessment tools to identify high-risk patients for preventive measures. Baseline cardiovascular evaluations, potential prophylactic strategies, and monitoring of emerging toxicity symptoms are discussed, along with the potential of adjunct anti-inflammatory therapies.

Revisiting the concept of neoadjuvant and induction therapy in head and neck cancer with the advent of immunotherapy

The treatment of locally advanced (LA) Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is based on surgery followed by (chemo)radiation or on curative (chemo)radiation, depending on site and stage. Despite optimal locoregional treatment, about 50% of patients recur, with a huge impact on prognosis and substantial morbidity. The advent of immunotherapy (IT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) changed the paradigm of systemic treatment for recurrent/metastatic (RM) disease, showing activity, efficacy, and safety in both platinum-resistant and platinum-naïve patients. Such data led clinicians to design clinical trials to investigate early administration of IT even in the neoadjuvant or window of opportunity setting. In this review, we examine the published and ongoing trials investigating IT in the neoadjuvant setting for LA HNSCC. We address the current challenges of this treatment modality: optimal patient selection for neoadjuvant IT; choosing the appropriate systemic approach to enhance response without compromising tolerability; determining the ideal study endpoint, with a focus on major pathological response as a potential surrogate for overall survival; evaluating treatment response through imaging, considering the discordance between radiological and pathological assessments; and the influence of neoadjuvant IT response on locoregional treatment de-escalation strategies.

A prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma by five genes associated with chemotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the most common subtypes of lung cancer. Finding prognostic biomarkers is helpful in stratifying LUAD patients with different prognosis.

METHODS

We explored the correlation of LUAD prognosis and genes associated with chemotherapy in LUAD and obtained data of LUAD patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Drug sensitivity data were acquired from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database. Differential and enrichment analyses were used to screen the target genes utilizing limma and "clusterProfiler" packages. Then univariate and LASSO Cox analyses were used to select the prognosis-related genes. Survival analysis was used to estimate the overall survival (OS) of different groups.

RESULTS

Twenty-three differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between LUAD samples and healthy samples, and BTK, FGFR2, PIM2, CHEK1, and CDK1 were selected to construct a prognostic signature. The OS of patients in the high-risk group (risk score higher than 0.69) was worse than that in the low-risk group (risk score lower than 0.69).

CONCLUSION

The risk score model constructed by five genes is a potential prognostic biomarker for LUAD patients.