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Xie S, Wang C, Liu X, Li C, Yu J, Ma S, Li Q, Du W. Hepatocellular carcinoma and AIM2: Therapeutic potential through regulation of autophagy and macrophage polarization. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e70002. [PMID: 39222064 PMCID: PMC11367919 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.70002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant challenge to global health. Its pathophysiology involves interconnected processes, including cell proliferation, autophagy, and macrophage polarization. However, the role of Absent in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) in HCC remains elusive. METHODS The expression of AIM2 in Huh-7 and Hep3B cell lines was manipulated and cell proliferation, autophagy, apoptosis, and migration/invasion, together with the polarization of M2 macrophages, were evaluated. The markers of autophagy pathway, LC3B, Beclin-1, and P62, underwent examination through Western blot analysis. An autophagy inhibitor, 3-MA, was used to measured the role of autophagy in HCC. Finally, the effect of AIM2 overexpression on HCC was further evaluated using a subcutaneous tumor model in nude mice. RESULTS Our results established that AIM2 overexpression inhibits HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis and autophagy. Conversely, knockdown of AIM2 engendered opposite effects. AIM2 overexpression was correlated with reduced M2 macrophage polarization. The autophagy inhibitor substantiated AIM2's role in autophagy and identified its downstream impact on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and macrophage polarization. In the in vivo model, overexpression of AIM2 led to the inhibition of HCC tumor growth. CONCLUSION The findings underscore AIM2's crucial function in modulating major biological processes in HCC, pointing to its potential as a therapeutic target. This study inaugurally demonstrated that AIM2 activates autophagy and influences macrophage polarization, playing a role in liver cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Xie
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Cuiyun Wang
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Cheng Li
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Jinhong Yu
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Shumin Ma
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
| | - Wenjun Du
- Department of liver diseases, Shandong public health clinical centerShandong universityJinanShandongChina
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He F, He Z, Wang C. A novel role of AIM2 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Hepatol 2024; 29:101532. [PMID: 39048057 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2024.101532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The absence of melanoma 2 (AIM2) protein triggers the activation of the inflammasome cascade. It is unclear whether AIM2 plays a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses radiofrequency waves to treat tumors. In this study, we investigated if RFA could induce pyroptosis, also called cell inflammatory necrosis, in HCC through AIM2-inflammasome signaling in vivo and in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS BALB/c nude mice were used to generate HepG2 or SMMC-7721 cell-derived tumor xenografts. HCC cells with knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 were created using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and expression vector transfection, respectively, for functional and mechanistic studies. Downstream effects were examined using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, ELISAs, and other molecular assays. RESULTS RFA significantly suppressed tumor growth in HCC cell xenografts. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that RFA could induce pyroptosis. Furthermore, AIM2, NLRP3, caspase-1, γ-H2AX, and DNA-PKc had significantly greater expression levels in liver tissues from mice treated with RFA compared with those of the controls. Additionally, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 expression levels were significantly higher in the HCC cell-derived xenograft mice treated with RFA compared with those without RFA. Notably, a significantly greater effect was achieved in the RFA complete ablation group versus the partial ablation group. Knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 in HCC cells demonstrated that AIM2 exerted a role in RFA-induced pyroptosis. CONCLUSIONS RFA can suppress HCC tumor growth by inducing pyroptosis via AIM2. Therefore, therapeutically intervening with AIM2-mediated inflammasome signaling may help improve RFA treatment outcomes for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifan He
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, No. 138 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Zhongming He
- Interventional Radiology Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, No. 185 Juqian Road, Changhzou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Caoye Wang
- Interventional Radiology Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, No. 185 Juqian Road, Changhzou, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Wan P, Yang G, Cheng Q, Zhang X, Yue Z, Li M, Liu C, Yi Q, Jia Y, Liu J, Xing X, Sun B, Li Y. The role of inflammasome in chronic viral hepatitis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1382029. [PMID: 38817443 PMCID: PMC11137247 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1382029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Infections of hepatotropic viruses cause a wide array of liver diseases including acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and the consequently developed cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among the five classical hepatotropic viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) usually infect human persistently and cause chronic hepatitis, leading to major troubles to humanity. Previous studies have revealed that several types of inflammasomes are involved in the infections of HBV and HCV. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about their roles in hepatitis B and C. NLRP3 inflammasome can be activated and regulated by HBV and HCV. It is found to exert antiviral function or mediates inflammatory response in viral infections depending on different experimental models. Besides NLRP3 inflammasome, IFI16 and AIM2 inflammasomes participate in the pathological process of hepatitis B, and NALP3 inflammasome may sense HCV infection in hepatocytes. The inflammasomes affect the pathological process of viral hepatitis through its downstream secretion of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 or induction of pyroptosis resulting from cleaved gasdermin D (GSDMD). However, the roles of inflammasomes in different stages of viral infection remains mainly unclear. More proper experimental models of viral hepatitis should be developed for specific studies in future, so that we can understand more about the complexity of inflammasome regulation and multifunction of inflammasomes and their downstream effectors during HBV and HCV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Wan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan, China
| | - Ge Yang
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuelong Zhang
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyang Yue
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Moran Li
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunlin Liu
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Yi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaling Jia
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinbiao Liu
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Sino-German Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiwen Xing
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Binlian Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongkui Li
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
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Li L, Kong L, Xu S, Wang C, Gu J, Luo H, Meng Q. FXR overexpression prevents hepatic steatosis through inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome activation in alcoholic liver disease. Hepatol Int 2024; 18:188-205. [PMID: 38183609 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-023-10621-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), a metabolic liver disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption, has attracted increasing attention due to its high prevalence and mortality. Up to date, there is no effective and feasible treatment method for ALD. This study was to investigate whether Farnesoid X receptor (FXR, NR1H4) can alleviate ALD and whether this effect is mediated by inhibiting absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome activation. METHODS The difference in FXR expression between normal subjects and ALD patients was analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet with 5% ethanol (v/v) (EtOH) was adopted to establish the mouse ALD model. Liver histopathological changes and the accumulation of lipid droplets were assessed by H&E and Oil Red O staining. Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence staining were utilized to evaluate the expression levels of related genes and proteins. DCFH-DA staining was adopted to visualize reactive oxidative species (ROS). RESULTS FXR was distinctly downregulated in liver tissues of patients with steatosis compared to normal livers using the GEO database, and in ethanol-induced AML-12 cellular steatosis model. FXR overexpression ameliorated hepatic lipid metabolism disorder and steatosis induced by ethanol by inhibiting the expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis and inducing the expression of genes responsible for lipid metabolism. Besides, FXR overexpression inhibited ethanol-induced AIM2 inflammasome activation and alleviated oxidative stress and ROS production during ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis. However, when FXR was knocked down, the results were completely opposite. CONCLUSIONS FXR attenuated lipid metabolism disorders and lipid degeneration in alcohol-caused liver injury and alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation by inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Lina Kong
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Shuai Xu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Changyuan Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Jiangning Gu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Haifeng Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Qiang Meng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China.
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Cui JZ, Chew ZH, Lim LHK. New insights into nucleic acid sensor AIM2: The potential benefit in targeted therapy for cancer. Pharmacol Res 2024; 200:107079. [PMID: 38272334 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107079] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The AIM2 inflammasome represents a multifaceted oligomeric protein complex within the innate immune system, with the capacity to perceive double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and engage in diverse physiological reactions and disease contexts, including cancer. While originally conceived as a discerning DNA sensor, AIM2 has demonstrated its capability to discern various nucleic acid variations, encompassing RNA and DNA-RNA hybrids. Through its interaction with nucleic acids, AIM2 orchestrates the assembly of a complex involving multiple proteins, aptly named the AIM2 inflammasome, which facilitates the enzymatic cleavage of proinflammatory cytokines, namely pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18. This process, in turn, underpins its pivotal biological role. In this review, we provide a systematic summary and discussion of the latest advancements in AIM2 sensing various types of nucleic acids. Additionally, we discuss the modulation of AIM2 activation, which can cause cell death, including pyroptosis, apoptosis, and autophagic cell death. Finally, we fully illustrate the evidence for the dual role of AIM2 in different cancer types, including both anti-tumorigenic and pro-tumorigenic functions. Considering the above information, we uncover the therapeutic promise of modulating the AIM2 inflammasome in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Zhou Cui
- Translational Immunology Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Immunology Program, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS-Cambridge Immunophenotyping Centre, Life Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Zhi Huan Chew
- Translational Immunology Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Immunology Program, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lina H K Lim
- Translational Immunology Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Immunology Program, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Chiu HW, Lee HL, Lee HH, Lu HW, Lin KYH, Lin YF, Lin CH. AIM2 promotes irradiation resistance, migration ability and PD-L1 expression through STAT1/NF-κB activation in oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 2024; 22:13. [PMID: 38166970 PMCID: PMC10762966 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04825-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radioresistance and lymph node metastasis are common phenotypes of refractory oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). As a result, understanding the mechanism for radioresistance and metastatic progression is urgently needed for the precise management of refractory OSCC. Recently, immunotherapies, e.g. immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), were employed to treat refractory OSCC; however, the lack of predictive biomarkers still limited their therapeutic effectiveness. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)/Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases and RT-PCR analysis were used to determine absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) expression in OSCC samples. Colony-forming assay and trans-well cultivation was established for estimating AIM2 function in modulating the irradiation resistance and migration ability of OSCC cells, respectively. RT-PCR, Western blot and flow-cytometric analyses were performed to examine AIM2 effects on the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Luciferase-based reporter assay and site-directed mutagenesis were employed to determine the transcriptional regulatory activity of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) and NF-κB towards the AIM2-triggered PD-L1 expression. RESULTS Here, we found that AIM2 is extensively upregulated in primary tumors compared to the normal adjacent tissues and acts as a poor prognostic marker in OSCC. AIM2 knockdown mitigated, but overexpression promoted, radioresistance, migration and PD-L1 expression via modulating the activity of STAT1/NF-κB in OSCC cell variants. AIM2 upregulation significantly predicted a favorable response in patients receiving ICI treatments. CONCLUSIONS Our data unveil AIM2 as a critical factor for promoting radioresistance, metastasis and PD-L1 expression and as a potential biomarker for predicting ICI effectiveness on the refractory OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Wen Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Urology and Kidney, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Lun Lee
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsun-Hua Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Vertigo and Balance Impairment Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Wei Lu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Kent Yu-Hsien Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, North Shore Private Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Gynecology, Ryde Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yuan-Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11696, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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Liu W, Peng J, Xiao M, Cai Y, Peng B, Zhang W, Li J, Kang F, Hong Q, Liang Q, Yan Y, Xu Z. The implication of pyroptosis in cancer immunology: Current advances and prospects. Genes Dis 2023; 10:2339-2350. [PMID: 37554215 PMCID: PMC10404888 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.04.019] [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: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a regulated cell death pathway involved in numerous human diseases, especially malignant tumors. Recent studies have identified multiple pyroptosis-associated signaling molecules, like caspases, gasdermin family and inflammasomes. In addition, increasing in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the significant linkage between pyroptosis and immune regulation of cancers. Pyroptosis-associated biomarkers regulate the infiltration of tumor immune cells, such as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, thus strengthening the sensitivity to therapeutic strategies. In this review, we explained the relationship between pyroptosis and cancer immunology and focused on the significance of pyroptosis in immune regulation. We also proposed the future application of pyroptosis-associated biomarkers in basic research and clinical practices to address malignant behaviors. Exploration of the underlying mechanisms and biological functions of pyroptosis is critical for immune response and cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Hospital University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Jinwu Peng
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Muzhang Xiao
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yuan Cai
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Bi Peng
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Wenqin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Jianbo Li
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Fanhua Kang
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Qianhui Hong
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Qiuju Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yuanliang Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Changde Hospital, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
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Sun S, Zhong B, Zeng X, Li J, Chen Q. Transcription factor E4F1 as a regulator of cell life and disease progression. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh1991. [PMID: 37774036 PMCID: PMC10541018 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
E4F transcription factor 1 (E4F1), a member of the GLI-Kruppel family of zinc finger proteins, is now widely recognized as a transcription factor. It plays a critical role in regulating various cell processes, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and necrosis, DNA damage response, and cell metabolism. These processes involve intricate molecular regulatory networks, making E4F1 an important mediator in cell biology. Moreover, E4F1 has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of a range of human diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the major advances in E4F1 research, from its first report to the present, including studies on its protein domains, molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation and biological functions, and implications for human diseases. We also address unresolved questions and potential research directions in this field. This review provides insights into the essential roles of E4F1 in human health and disease and may pave the way for facilitating E4F1 from basic research to clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Bing Zhong
- Upper Airways Research Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xin Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Qianming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
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Wang MD, Xiang H, Hong TY, Mierxiati A, Yan FH, Zhang L, Wang C. Integrated analysis of intratumoral biomarker and tumor-associated macrophage to improve the prognosis prediction in cancer patients. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:593. [PMID: 37370037 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11027-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lack of effective and accurate predictive indicators remains a major bottleneck for the improvement of the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus X (HBx) has been widely suggested as a critical pathogenic protein for HBV-driven liver carcinogenesis, while tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration is also closely related to the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC. However, few studies have determined whether combining HBx expression with TAM populations could increase the accuracy of prognostic prediction for HBV-related HCC. METHODS The study cohort enrolling 251 patients with HBV-related HCC was randomly split into a training and a validation group (ratio 1:1). The expression levels of HBx and TAM marker CD68 in HCC samples were detected by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox regression and Harrell's concordance index (C-index) analysis were conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of these indicators alone or in combination. RESULTS The expression level of HBx was strongly correlated with CD68+ TAM infiltration in HCC tissues. Elevated HBx or CD68 expression indicated poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) after hepatectomy, and both of them were independent risk factors for postoperative survival. Meanwhile, patients with both high HBx and CD68 levels had worst clinical outcomes. Moreover, integrating HBx and CD68 expression with clinical indicators (tumor size and micro-vascular invasion) showed the best prognostic potential with highest C-index value for survival predictivity, and this proposed model also performed better than several conventional classifications of HCC. CONCLUSION Combining the expression of intratumoral HBx, CD68+ TAM population and clinical variables could enable better prognostication for HBV-related HCC after hepatectomy, thus providing novel insights into developing more effective clinical prediction model based on both molecular phenotypes and tumor-immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Da Wang
- Shanghai Health Commission Key Lab of Artificial Intelligence-Based Management of Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Gongli Hospital, Navy Medical University, 219 Miaopu Road, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Hao Xiang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Guizhou, 563000, China
| | - Tian-Yu Hong
- Shanghai Health Commission Key Lab of Artificial Intelligence-Based Management of Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Gongli Hospital, Navy Medical University, 219 Miaopu Road, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Abudurexiti Mierxiati
- Shanghai Health Commission Key Lab of Artificial Intelligence-Based Management of Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Gongli Hospital, Navy Medical University, 219 Miaopu Road, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Fei-Hu Yan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Sichuan, 610000, China.
| | - Chao Wang
- Shanghai Health Commission Key Lab of Artificial Intelligence-Based Management of Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Gongli Hospital, Navy Medical University, 219 Miaopu Road, Shanghai, 200135, China.
- Department of Urinary Surgery, Gongli Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, 200135, China.
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10
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Ren H, Kang N, Yin S, Xu C, Qu T, Dai D. Characteristic of molecular subtypes based on PANoptosis-related genes and experimental verification of hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:204720. [PMID: 37171396 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of liver cancer that originates from liver cells. It is one of the most common types of liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Early detection and treatment can improve the HCC prognosis. Therefore, it is necessary to further improve HCC markers and risk stratification. PANoptosome is a cytoplasmic polymer protein complex that regulates a proinflammatory programmed cell death pathway called "PANoptosis". The role of PANoptosis in HCC remains unclear. In this study, the molecular changes of PANoptosis related genes (PAN-RGs) in HCC were systematically evaluated. We characterized the heterogeneity of HCC by using consensus clustering to identify two distinct subtypes. The two subtypes showed different survival rate, biological function, chemotherapy drug sensitivity and immune microenvironment. After identification of PAN-RG differential expression genes (DEGs), a prognostic model was established by Cox regression analysis using minimum absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO), and its prognostic value was verified by Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Our own specimens were also used to further validate the prognostic significance and possible clinical value of the selected targets. Subsequently, we conducted a preliminary discussion on the reasons for the influence of the model on the prognosis through TME analysis, drug resistance analysis, TMB analysis and other studies. This study provides a new idea for individualized and precise treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Ren
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
| | - Na Kang
- Operating Room, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
| | - Shuan Yin
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
| | - Tengfei Qu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
| | - Dongdong Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong 266071, China
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11
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Liu SW, Song WJ, Ma GK, Wang H, Yang L. Pyroptosis and its role in cancer. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:2386-2395. [PMID: 37123307 PMCID: PMC10130989 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i11.2386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death (PCD) is mediated by specific genes that encode signals. It can balance cell survival and death. Pyroptosis is a type of inflammatory, caspase-dependent PCD mediated by gasdermin proteins, which function in pore formation, cell expansion, and plasma membrane rupture, followed by the release of intracellular contents. Pyroptosis is mediated by caspase-1/3/4/5/11 and is primarily divided into the classical pathway, which is dependent on caspase-1, and the non-classical pathway, which is dependent on caspase-4/5/11. Inflammasomes play a vital role in these processes. The various components of the pyroptosis pathway are related to the occurrence, invasion, and metastasis of tumors. Research on pyroptosis has revealed new options for tumor treatment. This article summarizes the recent research progress on the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis, the relationship between the various components of the pyroptosis pathway and cancer, and the applications and prospects of pyroptosis in anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Wei Liu
- Department of Joint Surgery, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Wen-Jing Song
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Gui-Kai Ma
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Liang Yang
- Department of Joint Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, Liaoning Province, China
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12
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Zheng P, Xiao W, Zhang J, Zheng X, Jiang J. The role of AIM2 in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 245:154454. [PMID: 37060822 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIM2 (absent in melanoma 2) was first discovered as the gene which was not expressed in melanoma cells. It is established that the AIM2 inflammasome function as the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensor, and it plays a crucial role in infectious disorders and cancer. Little is known about the AIM2 expression pattern and its clinical significance in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), understating how AIM2 altered the HCC cells is of high clinical interest. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the AIM2 expression in HCC tissues. Then we constructed the ectopic AIM2-expressed HCC cell line by lentiviral transduction. Biological functional assays were used to analyze the clinical significance of AIM2. RESULTS AIM2 expression was significantly decreased in human HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and the overall survival of HCC patients with higher AIM2 expression was significantly better. Ectopic expression of AIM2 in HCC cells significantly inhibited migration and promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, our study revealed that the notch signaling pathway could be involved in the regulation of AIM2 in the cellular network in HCC cells. AIM2 delayed the tumor progression and correlated with immune cell infiltration. CONCLUSION In this study, we suggested AIM2 played an inhibitory role in regulating the growth and metastasis of HCC, which supported the notion that AIM2 could serve as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Zheng
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou 213003, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China
| | - Wenlu Xiao
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou 213003, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China
| | - Jinping Zhang
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou 213003, China.
| | - Jingting Jiang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou 213003, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China.
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13
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Zou Z, Zhao M, Yang Y, Xie Y, Li Z, Zhou L, Shang R, Zhou P. The role of pyroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023. [PMID: 36864264 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00787-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main histologic type of liver cancer. It accounts for the majority of all diagnoses and deaths due to liver cancer. The induction of tumor cell death is an effective strategy to control tumor development. Pyroptosis is an inflammatory programmed cell death caused by microbial infection, accompanied by activation of inflammasomes and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18). The cleavage of gasdermins (GSDMs) promotes the occurrence of pyroptosis leading to cell swelling, lysis, and death. Accumulating evidence has indicated that pyroptosis influences the progression of HCC by regulating immune-mediated tumor cell death. Currently, some researchers hold the view that inhibition of pyroptosis-related components may prevent the incidence of HCC, but more researchers have the view that activation of pyroptosis exerts a tumor-inhibitory effect. Growing evidence indicates that pyroptosis can prevent or promote tumor development depending on the type of tumor. In this review, pyroptosis pathways and pyroptosis-related components were discussed. Next, the role of pyroptosis and its components in HCC was described. Finally, the therapeutic significance of pyroptosis in HCC was discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimiao Zou
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Minghui Zhao
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Yalong Xie
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Zeyang Li
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Liang Zhou
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Runshi Shang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
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14
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Revamping the innate or innate-like immune cell-based therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: new mechanistic insights and advanced opportunities. MEDICAL ONCOLOGY (NORTHWOOD, LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 40:84. [PMID: 36680649 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-01948-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
A cancerous tumour termed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by inflammation and subsequently followed by end-stage liver disease and necrosis of the liver. The liver's continuous exposure to microorganisms and toxic molecules affects the immune response because normal tissue requires some immune tolerance to be safeguarded from damage. Several innate immune cells are involved in this process of immune system activation which includes dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. The liver is an immunologic organ with vast quantities of innate and innate-like immune cells subjected to several antigens (bacteria, fungal or viral) through the gut-liver axis. Tumour-induced immune system engagement may be encouraged or suppressed through innate immunological systems, which are recognized promoters of liver disease development in pre-HCC conditions such as fibrosis or cirrhosis, ultimately resulting in HCC. Immune-based treatments containing several classes of drugs have transformed the treatment of several types of cancers in recent times. The effectiveness of such immunotherapies relies on intricate interactions between lymphocytes, tumour cells, and neighbouring cells. Even though immunotherapy therapy has already reported to possess potential effect to treat HCC, a clear understanding of the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune cell pathways still need to be clearly understood for better exploitation of the same. The identification of predictive biomarkers, understanding the progression of the disease, and the invention of more efficient combinational treatments are the major challenges in HCC immunotherapy. The functions and therapeutic significance of innate immune cells, which have been widely implicated in HCC, in addition to the interplay between innate and adaptive immune responses during the pathogenesis, have been explored in the current review.
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15
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Kar A, Samanta A, Mukherjee S, Barik S, Biswas A. The HBV web: An insight into molecular interactomes between the hepatitis B virus and its host en route to hepatocellular carcinoma. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28436. [PMID: 36573429 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major aetiology associated with the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver malignancy. Over the past few decades, direct and indirect mechanisms have been identified in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated HCC which include altered signaling pathways, genome integration, mutation-induced genomic instability, chromosomal deletions and rearrangements. Intertwining of the HBV counterparts with the host cellular factors, though well established, needs to be systemized to understand the dynamics of host-HBV crosstalk and its consequences on HCC progression. Existence of a vast array of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interaction databases has led to the uncoiling of the compendia of genes/gene products associated with these interactions. This review covers the existing knowledge about the HBV-host interplay and brings it down under one canopy emphasizing on the HBV-host interactomics; and thereby highlights new strategies for therapeutic advancements against HBV-induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Kar
- Department of Signal Transduction and Biogenic Amines, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Abhisekh Samanta
- Department of Signal Transduction and Biogenic Amines, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Soumyadeep Mukherjee
- Department of In Vitro Carcinogenesis and Cellular Chemotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Subhasis Barik
- Department of In Vitro Carcinogenesis and Cellular Chemotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Avik Biswas
- Department of Signal Transduction and Biogenic Amines, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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16
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Wang Q, Gao S, Shou Y, Jia Y, Wei Z, Liu Y, Shi J, Miao D, Miao Q, Zhao C, Liu C, Yang H, Xu T, Zhang X. AIM2 promotes renal cell carcinoma progression and sunitinib resistance through FOXO3a-ACSL4 axis-regulated ferroptosis. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:1266-1283. [PMID: 36923928 PMCID: PMC10008700 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.79853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a serious threat to people's health due to its rapid progression, and patients easily develop resistance to targeted therapy. The absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a receptor protein that has recently been proposed to play an important role in various diseases. In this study, AIM2 was identified as a new biomarker of RCC and promoted RCC progression and sunitinib resistance in an inflammasome-independent manner. Mechanistically, AIM2 promoted FOXO3a phosphorylation and proteasome degradation, thereby reducing its transcriptional effect on ACSL4 and inhibiting ferroptosis. In summary, AIM2 promoted RCC progression and sunitinib resistance through FOXO3a-ACSL4 axis-regulated ferroptosis, which could provide new ideas and therapeutic targets for RCC diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Su Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Shou
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yujie Jia
- Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhihao Wei
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuenan Liu
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Shi
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Daojia Miao
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi Miao
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuanyi Zhao
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenchen Liu
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongmei Yang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Tianbo Xu
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoping Zhang
- Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Institute of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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17
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Retraction statement:
HBx
‐mediated decrease of
AIM2
contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis. Mol Oncol 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
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18
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Zhou H, Zhang L, Luo W, Hong H, Tang D, Zhou D, Zhou L, Li Y. AIM2 inflammasome activation benefits the therapeutic effect of BCG in bladder carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1050774. [PMID: 36386141 PMCID: PMC9659910 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1050774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A large proportion of bladder cancer (BLCA) patients suffer from malignant progression to life-threatening muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Inflammation is a critical event in cancer development, but little is known about the role of inflammation in BLCA. In this study, the expression of the innate immune sensor AIM2 is much lower in high-grade BLCA and positively correlates with the survival rates of the BLCA patients. A novel AIM2 overexpressed BLCA model is proposed to investigate the impact of AIM2 on BLCA development. Mice inoculated with AIM2-overexpressed cells show tumor growth delay and prolonged survival compared to the control group. Meanwhile, CD11b+ cells significantly infiltrate AIM2-overexpressed tumors, and AIM2-overexpression in 5637 cells enhanced the inflammasome activation. In addition, oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) TTAGGG (A151), an AIM2 inflammasome inhibitor, could abolish the elevation of AIM2-induced cleavage of inflammatory cytokines and pyroptosis. Orthotopic BLCA by AIM2-overexpressed cells exhibits a better response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy. Overall, AIM2 inflammasome activation can inhibit the BLCA tumorigenesis and enhance the therapeutic effect of BCG in BLCA. This study provides new insights into the anti-tumor effect of AIM2 inflammasome activation in BLCA and the immunotherapeutic strategy of BLCA development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houhong Zhou
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Luohu Clinical Medicine School, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weihan Luo
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Luohu Clinical Medicine School, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Huaishan Hong
- Department of Urology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Dongdong Tang
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dewang Zhou
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lingli Zhou
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Lingli Zhou, ; Yuqing Li,
| | - Yuqing Li
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Lingli Zhou, ; Yuqing Li,
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19
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Yang G, Wan P, Zhang Y, Tan Q, Qudus MS, Yue Z, Luo W, Zhang W, Ouyang J, Li Y, Wu J. Innate Immunity, Inflammation, and Intervention in HBV Infection. Viruses 2022; 14:2275. [PMID: 36298831 PMCID: PMC9609328 DOI: 10.3390/v14102275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still one of the most dangerous viral illnesses. HBV infects around 257 million individuals worldwide. Hepatitis B in many individuals ultimately develops hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The innate immunity acts as the first line of defense against HBV infection through activating antiviral genes. Along with the immune responses, pro-inflammatory cytokines are triggered to enhance the antiviral responses, but this may result in acute or chronic liver inflammation, especially when the clearance of virus is unsuccessful. To a degree, the host innate immune and inflammatory responses dominate the HBV infection and liver pathogenesis. Thus, it is crucial to figure out the signaling pathways involved in the activation of antiviral factors and inflammatory cytokines. Here, we review the interplay between HBV and the signal pathways that mediates innate immune responses and inflammation. In addition, we summarize current therapeutic strategies for HBV infection via modulating innate immunity or inflammation. Characterizing the mechanisms that underlie these HBV-host interplays might provide new approaches for the cure of chronic HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Yang
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Pin Wan
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Yaru Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qiaoru Tan
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Muhammad Suhaib Qudus
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhaoyang Yue
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Clinical Research Institute, The First People’s Hospital, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Guangdong Longfan Biological Science and Technology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Jianhua Ouyang
- Guangdong Longfan Biological Science and Technology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Yongkui Li
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Longfan Biological Science and Technology, Foshan 528315, China
| | - Jianguo Wu
- Foshan Institute of Medical Microbiology, Foshan 528315, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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20
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Qiu P, Guo Q, Pan K, Chen J, Lin J. A pyroptosis-associated gene risk model for predicting the prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:890242. [PMID: 36276158 PMCID: PMC9582146 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.890242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pyroptosis is a novel identified form of inflammatory cell death that is important in the development and progression of various diseases, including malignancies. However, the relationship between pyroptosis and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still unclear. Therefore, we started to investigate the potential prognostic value of pyroptosis-associated genes in TNBC. METHODS Thirty-three genes associated with pyroptosis were extracted from previous publications, 30 of which were identified in the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) cohort. On the basis of the 30 pyroptosis-related genes, patients with TNBC were divided into three subtypes through unsupervised cluster analysis. The prognostic value of each pyroptosis-associated gene was assessed, and six genes were selected by univariate and LASSO Cox regression analysis to establish a multigene signature. According to the median value of risk score, patients with TNBC in the training and validation cohorts were separated to high- and low-risk sets. The enrichment analysis was conducted on the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the two risk sets using R clusterProfiler package. Moreover, the ESTIMATE score and immune cell infiltration were calculated by the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT methods. After that, the correlation among pyroptosis-associated risk score and the expression of immune checkpoint-associated genes as well as anti-cancer drugs sensitivities were further analyzed. RESULTS In the training and validation cohorts, patients with TNBC in the high-risk set were found in a lower survival rate than those in the low-risk set. Combined with the clinical characteristics, the pyroptosis-related risk score was identified as an independent risk factor for the prognosis of patients with TNBC. The enrichment analysis indicated that the DEGs between the two risk groups were mainly enriched by immune responses and activities. In addition, patients with TNBC in the low-risk set were found to have a higher value of ESTIMATE score and a higher rate of immune cell infiltration. Finally, the expression levels of five genes [programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1); cytotoxic t-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4); lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3); T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT)] associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors were identified to be higher in the low-risk sets. The sensitivities of some anti-cancer drugs commonly used in breast cancer were found closely related to the pyroptosis-associated risk model. CONCLUSION The pyproptosis-associated risk model plays a vital role in the tumor immunity of TNBC and can be applied to be a prognostic predictor of patients with TNBC. Our discovery will provide novel insight for TNBC immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jianqing Lin
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
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21
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Qin Y, Pan L, Qin T, Ruan H, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Li J, Yang J, Li W. Pan-cancer analysis of AIM2 inflammasomes with potential implications for immunotherapy in human cancer: A bulk omics research and single cell sequencing validation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:998266. [PMID: 36248785 PMCID: PMC9559585 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.998266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome is a multi-protein platform that recognizes aberrant cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA(dsDNA) and induces cytokine maturation, release, and pyroptosis. Some studies found that the AIM2 inflammasome was a double-edged sword in many cancers. However, there have been fewer studies on AIM2 inflammasomes in pan-cancer.MethodsGene expression was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to validate the expression of the AIM2. We used the survival curve to explore the prognostic significance of the AIM2 inflammasomes in pan-cancer. Mutations and methylation of AIM2 inflammasome-related genes (AIM2i-RGs) were also comprehensively analyzed. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis was used to calculate the AIM2 inflammasomes score and explore the correlation of the AIM2 inflammasomes score with immune-related genes and immune infiltrations. The function of AIM2 inflammasomes in pan-cancer was analyzed at the single-cell level. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) data was used to assess the activation state of the AIM2 inflammasomes in the tumor microenvironment.ResultsWe found that AIM2i-RGs were aberrantly expressed in tumors and were strongly associated with prognosis. In pan-cancer, the expression of AIM2i-RGs was positively associated with copy number variation and negatively associated with methylation. In AIM2i-RGs, missense mutations were the predominant type of single nucleotide polymorphism. Moreover, we found that the drugs dimethyloxallyl glycine (DMOG) and Z-LNle-CHO may be sensitive to the AIM2 inflammasomes. The AIM2 inflammasomes score was significantly and positively correlated with the tumor immunity score and the stroma score. In most tumors, the AIM2 inflammasomes score was significantly and positively correlated with CD8+ T cell abundance in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, the AIM2 inflammasomes score was significantly correlated with immune checkpoint genes in pan-cancer as well as immune checkpoint therapy-related markers including tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability(MSI), and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion(TIDE). scRNA-seq analysis suggested that AIM2 inflammasomes differ significantly among different cells in the tumor microenvironment. IHC confirmed low expression of AIM2 in colorectal cancer.DiscussionAIM2 inflammasomes may be a new target for future tumor therapy It is likely involved in tumor development, and its high expression may serve as a predictor of tumor immunotherapy efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qin
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Liuxian Pan
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Tianyu Qin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Hanyi Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Yujie Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Jianli Li
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Jianrong Yang
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Li, ; Jianrong Yang,
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Li, ; Jianrong Yang,
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22
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Zheng J, Lin C, Lee H, Chang W, Li L, Su C, Lee K, Chiu H, Lin Y. AIM2 upregulation promotes metastatic progression and PD-L1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Sci 2022; 114:306-320. [PMID: 36104978 PMCID: PMC9807530 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis leading to the dysfunction of invaded organs is the main cause of the reduced survival rates in lung cancer patients. However, the molecular mechanism for lung cancer metastasis remains unclear. Recently, the increased activity of inflammasome appeared to correlate with the metastatic progression and immunosuppressive ability of various cancer types. Our results showed that the mRNA levels of absence in melanoma 2 (AIM2), one of the inflammasome members, are extensively upregulated in primary tumors compared with normal tissues derived from the TCGA lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) database. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that a higher mRNA level of AIM2 refers to a poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Particularly, AIM2 upregulation is closely correlated with smoking history and the absence of EGFR/KRAS/ALK mutations in LUAD. We further showed that the endogenous mRNA levels of AIM2 are causally associated with the metastatic potentials of the tested LUAD cell lines. AIM2 knockdown suppressed but overexpression promoted the migration ability and lung colony-forming ability of tested LUAD cells. In addition, we found that AIM2 upregulation is closely associated with an increased level of immune checkpoint gene set, as well as programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) transcript, in TCGA LUAD samples. AIM2 knockdown predominantly repressed but overexpression enhanced PD-L1 expression via altering the activity of PD-L1 transcriptional regulators NF-κB/STAT1 in LUAD cells. Our results not only provide a possible mechanism underlying the AIM2-promoted metastatic progression and immune evasion of LUAD but also offer a new strategy for combating metastatic/immunosuppressive LUAD via targeting AIM2 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing‐Quan Zheng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityNew Taipei CityTaiwan,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Che‐Hsuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hsun‐Hua Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Medical University HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Dizziness and Balance Disorder Center, Shuang Ho HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Ming Chang
- School of Oral Hygiene, College of Oral MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Li‐Jie Li
- Ph.D. Program of School of Dentistry, College of Oral MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chia‐Yi Su
- Department of PharmacologyUniversity of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Kang‐Yun Lee
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityNew Taipei CityTaiwan,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hui‐Wen Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Department of Medical Research, Shuang Ho HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityNew Taipei CityTaiwan,TMU Research Center of Urology and KidneyTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yuan‐Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan,Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
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23
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Liu H, Yan Y, Lin J, He C, Liao H, Li H, Zhou Z, Wang J, Mao K, Xiao Z. Circular RNA circSFMBT2 downregulation by HBx promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via the miR-665/TIMP3 axis. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 29:788-802. [PMID: 36159591 PMCID: PMC9463182 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is considered as an oncogene in tumorigenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In recent years, the important role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in HCC has been increasingly demonstrated. However, the regulatory mechanisms of HBx on circRNAs remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified that a novel circRNA, circSFMBT2, was markedly downregulated by HBx. Low expression of circSFMBT2 was correlated with poor prognosis and vascular invasion. Functionally, overexpression of circSFMBT2 significantly inhibited HCC metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of circSFMBT2 was to as a sponge of miR-665, which is a negative regulator of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 (TIMP3). However, HBx downregulated circSFMBT2 via the interaction with DExH-box helicase 9 (DHX9), which binds to flanking circRNA-forming introns. In conclusion, circSFMBT2, which is downregulated by HBx, acts as a tumor suppressor to inhibit tumor metastasis through the miR-665/TIMP3 axis. Our study suggests that circSFMBT2 could be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haohan Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Yongcong Yan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Corresponding author Yongcong Yan, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Yanjiang West Road #107, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Jianhong Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Chuanchao He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Hao Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Huoming Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Kai Mao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shenshan Medical Center, Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shanwei 516600, China
- Corresponding author Kai Mao, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Yanjiang West Road #107, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Zhiyu Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shenshan Medical Center, Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shanwei 516600, China
- Corresponding author Zhiyu Xiao, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Yanjiang West Road #107, Guangzhou 510120, China.
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24
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Wan R, Yang G, Liu Q, Fu X, Liu Z, Miao H, Liu H, Huang W. PKIB involved in the metastasis and survival of osteosarcoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:965838. [PMID: 36072791 PMCID: PMC9441607 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.965838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is frequently metastasized at the time of diagnosis in patients. However, the underlying mechanism of osteosarcoma metastasis remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated DNA methylation profiles combined with gene expression profiles of 21 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and 64 patients with non-metastatic osteosarcoma from TARGET database and identified PKIB and AIM2 as hub genes related to the metastasis of osteosarcoma. To verify the effects of PKIB on migration and invasion of osteosarcoma, we performed wound-healing assay and transwell assay. The results showed that PKIB significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, and the Western blot experiments showed that the protein level of E-cad was upregulated and of VIM was downregulated in 143-B cell recombinant expression PKIB. These results indicate that PKIB inhibit the metastasis of osteosarcoma. CCK-8 assay results showed that PKIB promote the proliferation of osteosarcoma. In addition, the Western blot results showed that the phosphorylation level of Akt was upregulated in 143-B cells overexpressing PKIB, indicating that PKIB promotes the proliferation of osteosarcoma probably through signaling pathway that Akt involved in. These results give us clues that PKIB was a potential target for osteosarcoma therapy. Furthermore, combined clinical profiles analysis showed that the expression of AIM2- and PKIB- related risk scores was significantly related to the overall survival of patients with osteosarcoma. Thus, we constructed a nomogram based on AIM2 and PKIB expression–related risk scores for osteosarcoma prognostic assessment to predict the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rate of patients with metastatic osteosarcoma, assisting clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongxue Wan
- Orthopaedic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gu Yang
- Guangdong Innovation Platform for Translation of 3D Printing Application, Southern Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianzhen Liu
- Orthopaedic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiaokang Fu
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengping Liu
- Orthopaedic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Huilai Miao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- The Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Repair in Liver Injury, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- *Correspondence: Huilai Miao, ; Huan Liu, ; Wenhua Huang,
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Huilai Miao, ; Huan Liu, ; Wenhua Huang,
| | - Wenhua Huang
- Orthopaedic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Innovation Platform for Translation of 3D Printing Application, Southern Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Huilai Miao, ; Huan Liu, ; Wenhua Huang,
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25
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Chou WC, Rampanelli E, Li X, Ting JPY. Impact of intracellular innate immune receptors on immunometabolism. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:337-351. [PMID: 34697412 PMCID: PMC8891342 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00780-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunometabolism, which is the metabolic reprogramming of anaerobic glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and metabolite synthesis upon immune cell activation, has gained importance as a regulator of the homeostasis, activation, proliferation, and differentiation of innate and adaptive immune cell subsets that function as key factors in immunity. Metabolic changes in epithelial and other stromal cells in response to different stimulatory signals are also crucial in infection, inflammation, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders. The crosstalk between the PI3K-AKT-mTOR and LKB1-AMPK signaling pathways is critical for modulating both immune and nonimmune cell metabolism. The bidirectional interaction between immune cells and metabolism is a topic of intense study. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), cytokine receptors, and T and B cell receptors have been shown to activate multiple downstream metabolic pathways. However, how intracellular innate immune sensors/receptors intersect with metabolic pathways is less well understood. The goal of this review is to examine the link between immunometabolism and the functions of several intracellular innate immune sensors or receptors, such as nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat-containing receptors (NLRs, or NOD-like receptors), absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2)-like receptors (ALRs), and the cyclic dinucleotide receptor stimulator of interferon genes (STING). We will focus on recent advances and describe the impact of these intracellular innate immune receptors on multiple metabolic pathways. Whenever appropriate, this review will provide a brief contextual connection to pathogenic infections, autoimmune diseases, cancers, metabolic disorders, and/or inflammatory bowel diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chun Chou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Elena Rampanelli
- Amsterdam UMC (University Medical Center, location AMC), Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, AGEM (Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism) Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Xin Li
- Comparative Immunology Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Jenny P-Y Ting
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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26
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Lin YP, Wang PM, Chuang CH, Yong CC, Liu YW, Huang PY, Yao CC, Tsai MC. Metabolic Risks Are Increasing in Non-B Non-C Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study. Front Oncol 2022; 12:816472. [PMID: 35186751 PMCID: PMC8848276 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.816472] [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: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC) may be related to metabolic syndrome, and the incidence of this tumor type is increasing annually. The definition of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) proposed in 2020 may help to more accuratelyassess the association between metabolic syndrome and NBNC-HCC. However, this new concept has not yet been applied in NBNC-HCC research. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with NBNC-HCC and CHB-HCC diagnosed between 2009-13 and 2014-18, focusing on metabolic risk factors and the new concept of MAFLD. Method Patients with BCLC-0/A-HCC who received curative hepatectomy between January 2009 and December 2018 were retrospectively assessed; the associations between clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes of NBNC-HCC and CHB-HCC were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Result Compared to patients diagnosed in 2009-13, the frequency of metabolic disorders in NBNC-HCC was significantly higher in 2014-18 [DM (p=0.049), HTN (p=0.004), BMI (p=0.017) and MAFLD (p=0.003)]; there was no significant change in patients with CHB-HCC. Moreover, CHB-HCC was an independent risk factor for HCC recurrence (HR, 1.339; 95% CI, 1.010-1.775, p=0.043) and death (HR, 1.700; 95% CI, 1.017-2.842, p=0.043) compared to NBNC-HCC. Conclusions Therisk of MAFLD, obesity, DM, and hypertension in patients with early-stage NBNC have significantly increased in recent years, thus metabolic syndrome should be monitored in this special population. Moreover, NBNC-HCC tend to had a better prognosis than CHB-HCC, probably due to their distinct clinicopathological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Po Lin
- School of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ming Wang
- Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Chee-Chen Yong
- Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Wei Liu
- Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Pao-Yuan Huang
- Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chien Yao
- Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chao Tsai
- Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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27
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You H, Qin S, Zhang F, Hu W, Li X, Liu D, Kong F, Pan X, Zheng K, Tang R. Regulation of Pattern-Recognition Receptor Signaling by HBX During Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:829923. [PMID: 35251017 PMCID: PMC8891514 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.829923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As a small DNA virus, hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays a pivotal role in the development of various liver diseases, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Among the molecules encoded by this virus, the HBV X protein (HBX) is a viral transactivator that plays a vital role in HBV replication and virus-associated diseases. Accumulating evidence so far indicates that pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are at the front-line of the host defense responses to restrict the virus by inducing the expression of interferons and various inflammatory factors. However, depending on HBX, the virus can control PRR signaling by modulating the expression and activity of essential molecules involved in the toll-like receptor (TLR), retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptor (RLR), and NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling pathways, to not only facilitate HBV replication, but also promote the development of viral diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the mechanisms that are linked to the regulation of PRR signaling mediated by HBX to inhibit innate immunity, regulation of viral propagation, virus-induced inflammation, and hepatocarcinogenesis. Given the importance of PRRs in the control of HBV replication, we propose that a comprehensive understanding of the modulation of cellular factors involved in PRR signaling induced by the viral protein may open new avenues for the treatment of HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjuan You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Suping Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Fulong Zhang
- Imaging Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Group Suqian Hospital, The Affiliate Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, China
| | - Xiaocui Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Liu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Group Suqian Hospital, The Affiliate Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, China
| | - Fanyun Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiucheng Pan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kuiyang Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Renxian Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Zhang X, Wei X, Wang Y, Wang S, Ji C, Yao L, Song N. Pyroptosis Regulators and Tumor Microenvironment Infiltration Characterization in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 11:774279. [PMID: 35070978 PMCID: PMC8766752 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.774279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is well known that chronic inflammation can promote the occurrence and progression of cancer. As a type of proinflammatory death, pyroptosis can recast a suitable microenvironment to promote tumor growth. However, the potential role of pyroptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. Methods The transcriptome expression profile and mutation profile data of ccRCC with clinical characteristics included in this study were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Consensus clustering was used for clustering. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis were applied to evaluate the biological mechanisms. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was applied for evaluating the proportion of various immune infiltrating cells. The ESTIMATE algorithm was involved to compute the immune microenvironment scores. Results Among the 17 pyroptosis regulators, a total of 15 pyroptosis regulators were differential expressed between tumor and normal tissues, in which 12 of them emerged strong correlations with prognoses. According to the pyroptosis components, the ccRCC patients were divided into four pyroptosis subtypes with different clinical, molecular, and pathway characteristics. Compared with other clusters, cluster B showed the pyroptosis heat phenotype, while cluster D represented the pyroptosis cold phenotype with poor overall survival. In addition, we performed principal component analysis (PCA) on the differential genes between clusters to construct the pyroptosis index. Furthermore, the pyroptosis index was significantly correlated with survival in different tumor mutation statuses and different grades and stages. Besides, the expression of pyroptosis-related regulators was related to the infiltration of immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoints, among which AIM2 was considered as the most significant immune-related pyroptosis regulator. Ultimately, we found that AIM2 was related to the immune activation pathway and was significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues. Conclusion This study revealed that pyroptosis regulators and pyroptosis index played an important role in the development and prognoses of ccRCC. Moreover, AIM2 can be used as a predictor of the response of immunotherapy. Assessing the pyroptosis patterns may help evaluate the tumor status and guide immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiyi Wei
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yichun Wang
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chengjian Ji
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liangyu Yao
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ninghong Song
- The State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Urology, The Affiliated Kezhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Kezhou, China
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29
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Fan X, Jiao L, Jin T. Activation and Immune Regulation Mechanisms of PYHIN Family During Microbial Infection. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:809412. [PMID: 35145495 PMCID: PMC8822057 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.809412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system defenses against pathogen infections via patten-recognition receptors (PRRs). PRRs initiate immune responses by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), including peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharide, and nucleic acids. Several nucleic acid sensors or families have been identified, such as RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), and PYHIN family receptors. In recent years, the PYHIN family cytosolic DNA receptors have increased attention because of their important roles in initiating innate immune responses. The family members in humans include Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), IFN-γ inducible protein 16 (IFI16), interferon-inducible protein X (IFIX), and myeloid cell nuclear differentiation antigen (MNDA). The PYHIN family members are also identified in mice, including AIM2, p202, p203, p204, and p205. Herein, we summarize recent advances in understanding the activation and immune regulation mechanisms of the PYHIN family during microbial infection. Furthermore, structural characterizations of AIM2, IFI16, p202, and p204 provide more accurate insights into the signaling mechanisms of PYHIN family receptors. Overall, the molecular details will facilitate the development of reagents to defense against viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojiao Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lianying Jiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Lianying Jiao,
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai, China
- Tengchuan Jin,
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30
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EMT and Inflammation: Crossroads in HCC. J Gastrointest Cancer 2022; 54:204-212. [PMID: 35020133 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00801-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and is associated with several inflammatory mediators, since 90% of HCCs occur based on chronic hepatitis B or C, alcoholism or increasingly metabolic syndrome-associated inflammation. EMT is a physiological process, with coordinated changes in epithelial gene signatures and is regulated by multiple factors, including cytokines and growth factors such as TGFβ, EGF, and FGF. Recent reports propose a strong association between EMT and inflammation, which is also correlated with tumor aggressiveness and poor outcomes. Cellular heterogeneity results collectively as an outcome of EMT, inflammation, and the tumor microenvironment, and it plays a fundamental role in the progression, complexity of cancer, and chemoresistance. In this review, we highlight recent developments concerning the association of EMT and inflammation in the context of HCC progression. Identifying potential EMT-related biomarkers and understanding EMT regulatory molecules will likely contribute to promising developments in clinical practice and will be a valuable tool for predicting metastasis in general and specifically in HCC.
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Zheng J, Liu C, Shi J, Wen K, Wang X. AIM2 inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration, and promotes the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 2021; 25:53. [PMID: 34913077 PMCID: PMC8711022 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a primary bone tumor that mainly occurs in children and adolescents. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) has been demonstrated to be involved in regulating the occurrence and development of cancer, exerting oncogenic and pro-cancer effects; however, its role in osteosarcoma is poorly understood. The present study aimed to explore the function and molecular mechanism of AIM2 in the progression of osteosarcoma. In the present study, AIM2 expression was predicted using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia database and examined in several osteosarcoma cell lines using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Following AIM2 overexpression, cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and TUNEL staining assays. The expression levels of proteins related to apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were determined by western blotting. Additionally, cell invasion and migration were assessed using Transwell and wound healing assays. After addition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002 or activator 740Y-P, cell function analysis was performed. The results demonstrated that AIM2 was expressed at low levels in osteosarcoma cell lines. AIM2 overexpression inhibited proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT, and promoted apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. Furthermore, the levels of phosphorylated (p)-PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR were markedly downregulated following AIM2 overexpression. Furthermore, LY294002 treatment had the same effects as AIM2 upregulation on osteosarcoma cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration and EMT. By contrast, 740Y-P reversed the effects of AIM2 overexpression on the behavior of osteosarcoma cells. Overall, the findings of the present study demonstrated that AIM2 may inhibit the progression of osteosarcoma by inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and suggested that AIM2 may be a promising marker for the treatment of osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Zheng
- Department of Orthopedic Traumatology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, P.R. China
| | - Changhao Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhangye People's Hospital Affiliated to Hexi University, Zhangye, Gansu 734000, P.R. China
| | - Jiandang Shi
- Department of Spine Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, P.R. China
| | - Kun Wen
- Department of Orthopedics, Ningxia Gemflower Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750006, P.R. China
| | - Xiangxin Wang
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750001, P.R. China
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32
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Hong Y, Lee SO, Oh C, Kang K, Ryoo J, Kim D, Ahn K. USP21 Deubiquitinase Regulates AIM2 Inflammasome Activation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:1926-1936. [PMID: 34470856 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Innate immune sensing of cytosolic DNA via absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a key mechanism leading to inflammatory responses. As aberrant immune responses by dysregulated AIM2 are associated with autoinflammatory diseases, activation of the AIM2 inflammasome should be tightly controlled. In this study, we discovered that ubiquitination and deubiquitination of AIM2 are critical events that regulate AIM2 inflammasome activation. In resting human macrophage cells, AIM2 is constitutively ubiquitinated and undergoes proteasomal degradation to avoid autoinflammation. Upon DNA stimulation, USP21 binds to AIM2 and deubiquitinates it, thereby increasing its protein stability. In addition to the role of USP21 in regulating AIM2 turnover, we uncovered that USP21-mediated deubiquitination of AIM2 is required for the assembly of the AIM2 inflammasome. Depletion of USP21 does not affect the DNA-binding ability of AIM2 but inhibits the formation of the AIM2-ASC complex. Our findings establish that fine-tuning of AIM2 by the ubiquitin system is important for regulating AIM2 inflammasome activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Hong
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
| | - Seong-Ok Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
| | - Changhoon Oh
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
| | - Kwonyoon Kang
- College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongmin Ryoo
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyoung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
| | - Kwangseog Ahn
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; .,Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
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Pyroptosis Patterns Characterized by Distinct Tumor Microenvironment Infiltration Landscapes in Gastric Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101535. [PMID: 34680930 PMCID: PMC8535973 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential role of pyroptosis in tumor microenvironment (TME) reprogramming and immunotherapy has received increasing attention. As most studies have concentrated on a single TME cell type or a single pyroptosis regulator (PR), the overall TME cell-infiltrating characteristics mediated by the integrated roles of multiple PRs have not been comprehensively recognized. METHODS This study curated 33 PRs and conducted consensus clustering to identify distinct pyroptosis patterns in gastric cancer (GC) patients. A single-sample gene set enrichment analysis algorithm was used to quantify the infiltration density of TME immune cells and the enrichment scores of well-defined biological signatures. The pyroptosis patterns of individuals were quantified using a principal component analysis algorithm called the pyroptosis score (PS). RESULTS Three distinct pyroptosis patterns with significant survival differences were identified from 1422 GC samples; these patterns were closely associated with three TME cell-infiltrating landscapes-namely, the immune-inflamed, immune-excluded, and immune-desert phenotypes. The PS model generated on the basis of the pyroptosis pattern-related signature genes could accurately predict the TME status, existing molecular subtypes, genetic variation, therapeutic response, and clinical outcome; among which, a relatively high PS was highly consistent with immune activation, molecular subtypes with survival advantages, high tumor mutation burden, high microsatellite instability, and other favorable characteristics. In particular, from the Cancer Genome Atlas database, the PS model exhibited significant prognostic relevance in a pan-cancer analysis, and patients with a relatively high PS exhibited durable therapeutic advantages and better prognostic benefits in anti-PD1/L1 therapy. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that pyroptosis is prominently correlated with TME diversity and complexity, and quantification of the pyroptosis patterns of individuals will enhance our cognition of TME infiltration landscapes and help in formulating more effective immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Knorr J, Wree A, Feldstein AE. Pyroptosis in Steatohepatitis and Liver Diseases. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167271. [PMID: 34592216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of regulated cell death, which functions in the clearance of intracellularly replicating pathogens by cell lysis in order to induce further immune response. Since the discovery of the gasdermin (GSDM) family, pyroptosis has attracted attention in a wide range of inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases. Due to the cleavage of GSDMs by different caspases, the amino-terminal GSDM fragments form membrane pores essential for pyroptosis that facilitate the release of inflammatory cytokines by loss of ionic gradient and membrane rupture. In this review, we address the key molecular and cellular processes that induce pyroptosis in the liver and its significance in the pathogenesis of common liver diseases in different human and experimental mice studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Knorr
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow Clinic, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Wree
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow Clinic, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), California and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Ariel E Feldstein
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), California and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States.
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35
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Zhu H, Zhao M, Chang C, Chan V, Lu Q, Wu H. The complex role of AIM2 in autoimmune diseases and cancers. Immun Inflamm Dis 2021; 9:649-665. [PMID: 34014039 PMCID: PMC8342223 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a novel member of interferon (IFN)-inducible PYHIN proteins. In innate immune cells, AIM2 servers as a cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA sensor, playing a crucial role in the initiation of the innate immune response as a component of the inflammasome. AIM2 expression is increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis, and primary Sjogren's syndrome, indicating that AIM2 might be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Meanwhile, AIM2 also plays an antitumorigenesis role in an inflammasome independent-manner. In melanoma, AIM2 is initially identified as a tumor suppressor factor. However, AIM2 is also found to contribute to lung tumorigenesis via the inflammasome-dependent release of interleukin 1β and regulation of mitochondrial dynamics. Additionally, AIM2 reciprocally dampening the cGAS-STING pathway causes immunosuppression of macrophages and evasion of antitumor immunity during antibody treatment. To summarize the complicated effect and role of AIM2 in autoimmune diseases and cancers, herein, we provide an overview of the emerging research progress on the function and regulatory pathway of AIM2 in innate and adaptive immune cells, as well as tumor cells, and discuss its pathogenic role in autoimmune diseases, such as SLE, psoriasis, primary Sjogren's syndrome, and cancers, such as melanomas, non-small-cell lung cancer, colon cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, renal carcinoma, and so on, hopefully providing potential therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical EpigenomicsThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical EpigenomicsThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Christopher Chang
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical ImmunologyUniversity of California at Davis School of MedicineDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Vera Chan
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of MedicineThe University of Hong KongHong KongChina
| | - Qianjin Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical EpigenomicsThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaChina
- Institute of DermatologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeNanjingChina
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical EpigenomicsThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaChina
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36
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Pietropaolo V, Prezioso C, Moens U. Role of Virus-Induced Host Cell Epigenetic Changes in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158346. [PMID: 34361112 PMCID: PMC8346956 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor viruses human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) account for approximately 15% of all human cancers. Although the oncoproteins of these tumor viruses display no sequence similarity to one another, they use the same mechanisms to convey cancer hallmarks on the infected cell. Perturbed gene expression is one of the underlying mechanisms to induce cancer hallmarks. Epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin remodeling, microRNA, long noncoding RNA, and circular RNA affect gene expression without introducing changes in the DNA sequence. Increasing evidence demonstrates that oncoviruses cause epigenetic modifications, which play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. In this review, recent advances in the role of host cell epigenetic changes in virus-induced cancers are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Pietropaolo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (U.M.)
| | - Carla Prezioso
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- IRCSS San Raffaele Roma, Microbiology of Chronic Neuro-Degenerative Pathologies, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Ugo Moens
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø—The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (U.M.)
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37
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Lei Y, Xu X, Liu H, Chen L, Zhou H, Jiang J, Yang Y, Wu B. HBx induces hepatocellular carcinogenesis through ARRB1-mediated autophagy to drive the G 1/S cycle. Autophagy 2021; 17:4423-4441. [PMID: 33866937 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1917948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is involved in the process of hepatocellular carcinoma via the activation of various oncogenes. Our previous study indicated that ARBB1 (arrestin beta 1) promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis (HCC). However, the role of ARRB1 in HBx-related HCC remains unclear. Herein, we identified that ARRB1 was upregulated by HBx in vivo and in vitro. Arrb1 deficiency suppressed HBx-induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis in several mouse models. Furthermore, knockdown of ARRB1 blocked HBx-induced macroautophagic/autophagic flux and disrupted the formation of autophagosomes. ARRB1 interacted with HBx, and the autophagic core protein MAP1LC3/LC3, a scaffolding protein, was essential for complete autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine or interference of ATG5 or ATG7 attenuated HBx-induced cell cycle acceleration and the subsequent proliferative response via the induction of G1/S arrest. The absence of autophagy abolished the phosphorylation of CDK2 and the activity of the CDK2-CCNE1 complex. Our results demonstrate that ARRB1 plays a critical role in HBV-related HCC via modulating autophagy and the CDKN1B-CDK2-CCNE1-E2F1 axis and indicate that ARRB1 may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Lei
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xuan Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lingjun Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Haoxiong Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yidong Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
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Absent in melanoma 2 suppresses gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration via inactivation of AKT signaling pathway. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8235. [PMID: 33859277 PMCID: PMC8050218 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87744-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and poses a great threat to public health. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), a member of the pyrin-HIN family proteins, plays various roles across different types of cancers. However, the possible role of AIM2 in GC, as well as the underling mechanisms, are equivocal and need to be further explored. Herein, we identified that AIM2 expression was significantly down-regulated in GC tissues. Furthermore, loss of AIM2 was significantly associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis (LNM) and tumor, node, metastases (TNM) staging, as well as poor prognosis in GC patients. Knockdown of AIM2 in GC cells significantly promoted cellular proliferation and migration, whereas AIM2 overexpression did the opposite. Mechanistically, we discovered that AIM2 regulates the AKT signaling pathway. In fact, the enhanced proliferation and migration ability induced by AIM2 knockdown was partially impaired in cells treated with the AKT inhibitor. Overall, our findings suggests that AIM2 is an independent prognostic marker and highlights a new entry point for targeting the AIM2/AKT signaling axis for GC treatment.
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Ju X, Yang Z, Zhang H, Wang Q. Role of pyroptosis in cancer cells and clinical applications. Biochimie 2021; 185:78-86. [PMID: 33746064 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy drugs usually inhibit tumor cell growth through the apoptosis pathway. However, tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs by evading apoptosis. It is necessary to find new ways to inhibit tumor growth through other types of death. Pyroptosis is a recently identified inflammatory cell death that plays an important role in a variety of diseases, including cancer. In this review, we will systematically review recent progress in the pyroptosis signaling pathway, the role of inflammasomes in cancer in the context of pyroptosis, the role of gasdermin proteins in cancer and the role of pyroptosis in tumor immunity. We will also discuss the application of the pyroptosis pathway in clinical studies. Finally, we hope to provide new strategies for pyroptosis in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Ju
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Zhilong Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Lishui District People's Hospital, Zhongda Hospital Lishui Branch, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Heng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Lishui District People's Hospital, Zhongda Hospital Lishui Branch, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Qiang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China.
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Roca Suarez AA, Testoni B, Baumert TF, Lupberger J. Nucleic Acid-Induced Signaling in Chronic Viral Liver Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 11:624034. [PMID: 33613561 PMCID: PMC7892431 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.624034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark for the development and progression of chronic liver diseases is the persistent dysregulation of signaling pathways related to inflammatory responses, which eventually promotes the development of hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The two major etiological agents associated with these complications in immunocompetent patients are hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), accounting for almost 1.4 million liver disease-associated deaths worldwide. Although both differ significantly from the point of their genomes and viral life cycles, they exert not only individual but also common strategies to divert innate antiviral defenses. Multiple virus-modulated pathways implicated in stress and inflammation illustrate how chronic viral hepatitis persistently tweaks host signaling processes with important consequences for liver pathogenesis. The following review aims to summarize the molecular events implicated in the sensing of viral nucleic acids, the mechanisms employed by HBV and HCV to counter these measures and how the dysregulation of these cellular pathways drives the development of chronic liver disease and the progression toward HCC.
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MESH Headings
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- DNA, Viral/immunology
- Hepacivirus/immunology
- Hepatitis B virus/immunology
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/immunology
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/mortality
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/pathology
- Hepatitis C, Chronic/immunology
- Hepatitis C, Chronic/mortality
- Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/mortality
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- RNA, Viral/immunology
- Signal Transduction/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Andres Roca Suarez
- INSERM, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
| | - Barbara Testoni
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
| | - Thomas F. Baumert
- INSERM, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, Pôle Hépato-digestif, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Joachim Lupberger
- INSERM, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Wu Y, Li X, Chen M, Liu Z, Zhang X, Zheng S, Xu X. Phosphorylation of PED/PEA-15 at Ser116 and phosphorylation of p27 at Thr187 indicates a poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:177. [PMID: 33574916 PMCID: PMC7816284 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12438] [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: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a deadly cancer with a high rate of recurrence and metastasis. Phosphoprotein enriched in diabetes/phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes-15 (PED/PEA-15) is a protein involved in the metabolism of glucose that regulates numerous cellular processes, including cell division, apoptosis and migration in numerous types of cancer. However, PED/PEA-15 may act as a tumor-promotor or a tumor-suppressor depending on its phosphorylation status. In the present study, the association between the phosphorylation of PED/PEA-15 at Ser116 [PED/PEA-15(S116)], the phosphorylation of P27 at Thr187 [P-p27(T187)] and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with HCC was assessed. The levels of PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) were determined using immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis in resected liver tumor tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues obtained from 60 patients with HCC as well as normal liver tissues from 12 patients with benign lesions. The association between the expression levels of these two markers and the clinicopathological features of patients with HCC was explored. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, the prognostic value of PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) expression levels was determined. The results demonstrated that the levels of PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) proteins were remarkably higher in the HCC group compared with those in the adjacent and normal tissue groups (both P<0.05). In addition, a moderate positive correlation was observed between the levels of PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) (r=0.434; P<0.05). The levels of these two proteins were associated with the Edmondson grade, Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage, vascular invasion and tumor multiplicity (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the Kaplan-Meier analysis results demonstrated that patients with HCC that presented with positive expression of PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) exhibited a dismal prognosis compared with that in patients with negative expression regarding the overall survival (OS), as well as disease-free survival (both P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that the TNM stage (P<0.05), vascular invasion (P<0.05), PED/PEA-15(S116) levels (P<0.001) and P-p27(T187) levels (P<0.05) were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with HCC. In conclusion the results of the present study demonstrated that PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) levels were upregulated in HCC tissues compared with those in the adjacent and normal tissues; PED/PEA-15(S116) and P-p27(T187) expression may serve as an indicator of a poor prognosis in patients with HCC, suggesting that these proteins may be prospective therapeutic targets for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Wu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Yinzhou Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Xianpeng Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Yinzhou Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Mingliang Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Yinzhou Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Zhikun Liu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Xuanyu Zhang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
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Xu M, Wang J, Li H, Zhang Z, Cheng Z. AIM2 inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration through suppression of Gli1. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 13:1017-1031. [PMID: 33291082 PMCID: PMC7835022 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), as a member of the pyrin-HIN family proteins, plays contentious roles in different types of cancers. In the present work, we provide evidence that AIM2 was commonly downregulated in human CRC and loss of AIM2 significantly correlated with tumor size, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis (LNM) and TNM (Tumor, Node, Metastases) stage in patients suffering from CRC. AIM2 knockdown promoted CRC cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progress, whereas AIM2 overexpression did the opposite. AIM2 inhibited glioma-associated oncogene-1 (Gli1) expression through Smoothened homolog (SMO)-independent pathway and regulated CRC cell proliferation and migration in a Gli1-dependent manner. Moreover, AIM2 could modulate Protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and the increased Gli1 expression and EMT progress induced by AIM2 depletion was reversed after incubation with AKT inhibitor Ly294002 in CRC cells. In conclusion, our results define AIM2 as a novel regulator of Gli1 in CRC cell growth and metastasis, and suggest that the AIM2/AKT/mTOR/Gli1 signaling axis may serve as a potential target for treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglin Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Haoran Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zhengrong Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zhengwu Cheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241000, China
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Lozano-Ruiz B, González-Navajas JM. The Emerging Relevance of AIM2 in Liver Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186535. [PMID: 32906750 PMCID: PMC7555176 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a cytosolic receptor that recognizes double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and triggers the activation of the inflammasome cascade. Activation of the inflammasome results in the maturation of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-18, and a form of cell death known as pyroptosis. Owing to the conserved nature of its ligand, AIM2 is important during immune recognition of multiple pathogens. Additionally, AIM2 is also capable of recognizing host DNA during cellular damage or stress, thereby contributing to sterile inflammatory diseases. Inflammation, either in response to pathogens or due to sterile cellular damage, is at the center of the most prevalent and life-threatening liver diseases. Therefore, during the last 15 years, the study of inflammasome activation in the liver has emerged as a new research area in hepatology. Here, we discuss the known functions of AIM2 in the pathogenesis of different hepatic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatitis B, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Lozano-Ruiz
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain;
- Department of Pharmacology, Paediatrics and Organic Chemistry, University Miguel Hernández (UMH), 03550 San Juan, Alicante, Spain
| | - José M. González-Navajas
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain;
- Department of Pharmacology, Paediatrics and Organic Chemistry, University Miguel Hernández (UMH), 03550 San Juan, Alicante, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center for Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology in Elche (IDiBE), University Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-(965)-913-928
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44
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Wang H, Xiang Y, Li X, Liu S, Liu L. High lymphocyte‑to‑monocyte ratio is associated with low α‑fetoprotein expression in patients with hepatitis B virus‑associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Med Rep 2020; 22:2673-2684. [PMID: 32945410 PMCID: PMC7453599 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11387] [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: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The association of the peripheral lymphocyte‑to‑monocyte ratio (LMR) with α‑fetoprotein (AFP) status in patients with AFP‑positive and AFP‑negative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated in detail. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between the LMR and AFP status in these patients. The samples were obtained from patients with a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, who were negative for non‑HBV hepatitis viruses and who did not suffer from autoimmune hepatitis. These patients were retrospectively reviewed and the differences of test indicators in the AFP‑negative and AFP‑positive groups were assessed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression levels of CD4, CD8 and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‑1), and ELISAs were used to analyze the expression levels of interleukin (IL)‑10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1. In addition, luciferase reporter assays were used to assess binding of the IL‑10 promoter to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene. Receiver operating characteristic curve and Spearman correlation analyses demonstrated that the AFP‑negative HCC group exhibited a higher LMR, lower D‑dimer and lower fibrin degradation products compared with the AFP‑positive HCC group. The cut‑off value of the LMR was 2.01 for AFP detection, with a sensitivity of 68.6% and a specificity of 75%. The high LMR noted in the AFP‑negative HCC group was accompanied by a lower proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD8‑PD‑1 expression compared with the corresponding levels of these parameters in the AFP‑positive HCC group. Furthermore, the high levels of IL‑10 and low levels of TGF‑β1 were expressed in the AFP‑positive HCC group. The data indicated that the IL‑10‑592 promoter exhibited a potent induction of luciferase activity in 293T cells cotransfected with a GR‑overexpressing vector compared with the control cells. However, the relative luciferase activity was not altered following a mutation or polymorphism in the IL‑10 gene. These results suggested that a high LMR was indicative of low AFP expression in HBV‑associated HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Yu Xiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Shuang Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Linxiu Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
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Kumari P, Russo AJ, Shivcharan S, Rathinam VA. AIM2 in health and disease: Inflammasome and beyond. Immunol Rev 2020; 297:83-95. [PMID: 32713036 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid sensing is a critical mechanism by which the immune system monitors for pathogen invasion. A set of germline-encoded innate immune receptors detect microbial DNA in various compartments of the cell, such as endosomes, the cytosol, and the nucleus. Sensing of microbial DNA through these receptors stimulates, in most cases, interferon regulatory factor-dependent type I IFN synthesis followed by JAK/STAT-dependent interferon-stimulated gene expression. In contrast, the detection of DNA in the cytosol by AIM2 assembles a macromolecular complex called the inflammasome, which unleashes the proteolytic activity of a cysteine protease caspase-1. Caspase-1 cleaves and activates the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18 and a pore-forming protein, gasdermin D, which triggers pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death. Research over the past decade has revealed that AIM2 plays essential roles not only in host defense against pathogens but also in inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity, and cancer in inflammasome-dependent and inflammasome-independent manners. This review discusses the latest advancements in our understanding of AIM2 biology and its functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja Kumari
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ashley J Russo
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sonia Shivcharan
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Vijay A Rathinam
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
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Wang B, Bhattacharya M, Roy S, Tian Y, Yin Q. Immunobiology and structural biology of AIM2 inflammasome. Mol Aspects Med 2020; 76:100869. [PMID: 32660715 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2020.100869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a cytoplasmic sensor that upon recognizing double-stranded DNA assembles with apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and procaspase-1 to form the multi-protein complex AIM2 inflammasome. Double-stranded DNA from bacterial, viral, or host cellular origins triggers AIM2 inflammasome assembly and activation, ultimately resulting in secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and pyroptotic cell death in order to eliminate microbial infection. Many pathogens therefore evade or suppress AIM2 inflammasome to establish infection. On the other hand, AIM2 activation is tightly controlled by multiple cellular factors to prevent autoinflammation. Extensive structural studies have captured the molecular details of multiple steps in AIM2 inflammasome assembly. The structures collectively revealed a nucleated polymerization mechanism that not only pervades each step of AIM2 inflammasome assembly, but also underlies assembly of other inflammasomes and complexes in immune signaling. In this article, we briefly review the identification of AIM2 as a cytoplasmic DNA sensor, summarize the importance of AIM2 inflammasome in infections and diseases, and discuss the molecular mechanisms of AIM2 assembly, activation, and regulation using recent cellular, biochemical, and structural results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Wang
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA
| | - Madhurima Bhattacharya
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA
| | - Sayantan Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA
| | - Qian Yin
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA; Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, USA.
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CCL19 suppresses gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the CCL19/CCR7/AIM2 pathway. Hum Cell 2020; 33:1120-1132. [PMID: 32564199 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-020-00375-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) has been reported to be an important inflammasome component that exerts tumor suppression in several tumors. However, whether CCL19/CCR7/AIM2 is involved in the progression of GC still remains unclear. Quantitative real-time and ELISA assay were used to determine the expressions of AIM2, CCL19 and CCR7 in GC tissues and cell lines. CCK-8, Edu staining, flow cytometry, Transwell assay, and tumorigenesis in nude mice were used to explore the function of AIM2 and CCL19 in vitro and in vivo. Apoptosis and inflammation-related biomarkers were detected by Western blot and ELISA assay. H&E staining was used to assess the histological changes in the subcutaneous tumor model. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to evaluate the expression of Ki-67. We found that expression levels of AIM2, CCL19 and CCR7 were obviously lower in early GC tissues than those in progressive GC tissues. In vitro assays revealed that CCL19 treatment could enhance the suppressive effects of AIM2 overexpression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through CCR7. An in vivo assay also demonstrated that silencing of AIM2 reversed the suppressive effects of CCL19 on tumor growth. Collectively, CCL19 overexpression significantly inhibited GC cell proliferation and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo by up-regulating the CCR7/AIM2 pathway. Thus, CCL19 activated CCR7/AIM2 signaling pathway and it may be a potential therapeutic approach for GC therapy.
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48
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Comparison of clinical features and outcomes between HBV-related and non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma. Infect Agent Cancer 2020; 15:11. [PMID: 32082414 PMCID: PMC7023697 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-020-0273-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the difference between hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) and non-HBV non-HCV hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC) patients based on clinical features and prognosis. Methods A total of 175 patients with HCC were enrolled. Patients’ characteristics were extracted from medical records. Among them, 107 patients were positive for HBsAg and negative for HCV-Ab while 68 patients were negative for HBsAg and HCV-Ab. Results The patients in the NBNC-HCC group were significantly older than those in the HBV-HCC group (P = 0.045). Moreover, vascular invasion was found in 23.4% of HBV-HCC patients, which was significantly higher than that in the NBNC-HCC patients with 10.3% (P = 0.029). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that HBV-HCC patients had significantly worse outcomes in terms of overall survival (P = 0.036). Compared with the NBNC-HCC patients, the HBV-HCC patients had a significantly worse disease-free survival (P = 0.0018). The multivariate analysis results indicated that TNM stage (HR = 1.541, 95%CI 1.072–2.412, P = 0.002) and HBV infection (HR = 1.087, 95%CI 1.012–1.655, P = 0.042) were independent risk variables for overall survival. While vascular invasion (HR = 1.562, 95%CI 1.013–2.815, P = 0.042) and HBV infection (HR = 1.650, 95%CI 1.017–2.676, P = 0.037) were independent risk factors associated with disease-free survival. Conclusion Our data revealed that HBV-HCC is more common in young males with vascular invasion, while NBNC-HCC occurs mostly in elderly patients, and overall survival rate is significantly better than that of HBV-HCC. Our study therefore provides evidence that patients with HBV-HCC require closer follow-up due to their poor prognosis.
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Hossain MG, Akter S, Ohsaki E, Ueda K. Impact of the Interaction of Hepatitis B Virus with Mitochondria and Associated Proteins. Viruses 2020; 12:v12020175. [PMID: 32033216 PMCID: PMC7077294 DOI: 10.3390/v12020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Around 350 million people are living with hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can lead to death due to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Various antiviral drugs/nucleot(s)ide analogues are currently used to reduce or arrest the replication of this virus. However, many studies have reported that nucleot(s)ide analogue-resistant HBV is circulating. Cellular signaling pathways could be one of the targets against the viral replication. Several studies reported that viral proteins interacted with mitochondrial proteins and localized in the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell. And a recent study showed that mitochondrial turnover induced by thyroid hormones protected hepatocytes from hepatocarcinogenesis mediated by HBV. Strong downregulation of numerous cellular signaling pathways has also been reported to be accompanied by profound mitochondrial alteration, as confirmed by transcriptome profiling of HBV-specific CD8 T cells from chronic and acute HBV patients. In this review, we summarize the ongoing research into mitochondrial proteins and/or signaling involved with HBV proteins, which will continue to provide insight into the relationship between mitochondria and HBV and ultimately lead to advances in viral pathobiology and mitochondria-targeted antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Golzar Hossain
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
- Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh
- Correspondence: (M.G.H.); (K.U.)
| | - Sharmin Akter
- Department of Physiology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh;
| | - Eriko Ohsaki
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Keiji Ueda
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
- Correspondence: (M.G.H.); (K.U.)
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Chen SL, Liu LL, Wang CH, Lu SX, Yang X, He YF, Zhang CZ, Yun JP. Loss of RDM1 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma progression via p53 and Ras/Raf/ERK pathways. Mol Oncol 2019; 14:373-386. [PMID: 31670863 PMCID: PMC6998392 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with its ineffective therapeutic options and poor prognosis, represents a global threat. In the present study, we show that RAD52 motif 1 (RDM1), a key regulator of DNA double‐strand break repair and recombination, is downregulated in HCC tissues and suppresses tumor growth. In clinical HCC samples, low expression of RDM1 correlates with larger tumor size, poor tumor differentiation, and unfavorable survival. In vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that knockdown of RDM1 increases HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell population at G2/M phase, whereas RDM1 overexpression results in the opposite phenotypes. Mechanistically, RDM1 binds to the tumor suppressor p53 and enhances its protein stability. In the presence of p53, RDM1 suppresses the phosphorylation of Raf and ERK. Overexpression of p53 or treatment with ERK inhibitor significantly abolishes cell proliferation induced by the depletion of RDM1. In addition, overexpression of methyltransferase‐like 3 markedly induces N6‐methyladenosine modification of RDM1 mRNA and represses its expression. Taken together, our study indicates that RDM1 functions as a tumor suppressor and may be a potential prognostic and therapeutic factor for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chun-Hua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Xun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang-Fan He
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chris Zhiyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Protein Research of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing-Ping Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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