Cancer-associated fibroblasts in nonsmall cell lung cancer: From molecular mechanisms to clinical implications

Unraveling the intricacies of cancer-associated fibroblasts: a comprehensive review on metabolic reprogramming and tumor microenvironment crosstalk

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are crucial component of tumor microenvironment (TME) which undergo significant phenotypic changes and metabolic reprogramming, profoundly impacting tumor growth. This review delves into CAF plasticity, diverse origins, and the molecular mechanisms driving their continuous activation. Emphasis is placed on the intricate bidirectional crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, promoting cancer cell survival, proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion. Metabolic reprogramming, a cancer hallmark, extends beyond cancer cells to CAFs, contributing to the complex metabolic interplay within the TME. The 'reverse Warburg effect' in CAFs mirrors the Warburg effect, involving the export of high-energy substrates to fuel cancer cells, supporting their rapid proliferation. Molecular regulations by key players like p53, Myc, and K-RAS orchestrate this metabolic adaptation. Understanding the metabolic symbiosis between CAFs and tumor cells opens avenues for targeted therapeutic strategies to disrupt this dynamic crosstalk. Unraveling CAF-mediated metabolic reprogramming provides valuable insights for developing novel anticancer therapies. This comprehensive review consolidates current knowledge, shedding light on CAFs' multifaceted roles in the TME and offering potential targets for future therapies.

Knockdown of heat shock protein family D member 1 (HSPD1) in lung cancer cell altered secretome profile and cancer-associated fibroblast induction

The crosstalk between lung cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) is pivotal in cancer progression. Heat shock protein family D member 1 (HSPD1) is a potential prognostic biomarker associated with the tumor microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the role of HSPD1 in CAF activation remains unclear. This study established stable HSPD1-knockdown A549 lung cancer cells using a lentivirus-mediated shRNA transduction. A targeted label-free proteomic analysis identified six significantly altered secretory proteins in the shHSPD1-A549 secretome compared to shControl-A549. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted their involvement in cell-to-cell communication and immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, most altered proteins exhibited positive correlations and significant prognostic impacts on LUAD patient survival. Investigations on the effects of lung cancer secretomes on lung fibroblast WI-38 cells revealed that the shControl-A549 secretome stimulated fibroblast proliferation, migration, and CAF marker expression. These effects were reversed upon the knockdown of HSPD1 in A549 cells. Altogether, our findings illustrate the role of HSPD1 in mediating CAF induction through secretory proteins, potentially contributing to the progression and aggressiveness of lung cancer.

SAFER: sub-hypergraph attention-based neural network for predicting effective responses to dose combinations

Background

The potential benefits of drug combination synergy in cancer medicine are significant, yet the risks must be carefully managed due to the possibility of increased toxicity. Although artificial intelligence applications have demonstrated notable success in predicting drug combination synergy, several key challenges persist: (1) Existing models often predict average synergy values across a restricted range of testing dosages, neglecting crucial dose amounts and the mechanisms of action of the drugs involved. (2) Many graph-based models rely on static protein-protein interactions, failing to adapt to dynamic and context-dependent networks. This limitation constrains the applicability of current methods.

Results

We introduced SAFER, a Sub-hypergraph Attention-based graph model, addressing these issues by incorporating complex relationships among biological knowledge networks and considering dosing effects on subject-specific networks. SAFER outperformed previous models on the benchmark and the independent test set. The analysis of subgraph attention weight for the lung cancer cell line highlighted JAK-STAT signaling pathway, PRDM12, ZNF781, and CDC5L that have been implicated in lung fibrosis.

Conclusions

SAFER presents an interpretable framework designed to identify drug-responsive signals. Tailored for comprehending dose effects on subject-specific molecular contexts, our model uniquely captures dose-level drug combination responses. This capability unlocks previously inaccessible avenues of investigation compared to earlier models. Finally, the SAFER framework can be leveraged by future inquiries to investigate molecular networks that uniquely characterize individual patients.

Inhibitor of PD-1/PD-L1: a new approach may be beneficial for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a globally prevalent, progressive disease with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Because of its irreversible disease progression, IPF affects the quality and length of life of patients and imposes a significant burden on their families and social healthcare services. The use of the antifibrotic drugs pirfenidone and nintedanib can slow the progression of the disease to some extent, but it does not have a reverse effect on the prognosis. The option of lung transplantion is also limited owing to contraindications to transplantation, possible complications after transplantation, and the risk of death. Therefore, the discovery of new, effective treatment methods is an urgent need. Over recent years, various studies have been undertaken to investigate the relationship between interstitial pneumonia and lung cancer, suggesting that some immune checkpoints in IPF are similar to those in tumors. Immune checkpoints are a class of immunosuppressive molecules that are essential for maintaining autoimmune tolerance and regulating the duration and magnitude of immune responses in peripheral tissues. They can prevent normal tissues from being damaged and destroyed by the immune response. While current studies have focused on PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, PD-1/PD-L1 may be the only effective immune checkpoint IPF treatment. This review discusses the application of PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint in IPF, with the aim of finding a new direction for IPF treatment.

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

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

Helicobacter pylori-induced fibroblast-derived Serpin E1 promotes gastric cancer growth and peritoneal dissemination through p38 MAPK/VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis

BACKGROUND

Fibroblasts, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), represent the predominant stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment and have an important function in tumorigenesis by interacting with tumor cells. However, their interaction remains elusive in an inflammatory tumor microenvironment induced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

METHODS

The expression of Serpin family E member 1 (Serpin E1) was measured in fibroblasts with or without H. pylori infection, and primary gastric cancer (GC) cells. Serpin E1 knockdown and overexpression fibroblasts were generated using Serpin E1 siRNA or lentivirus carrying Serpin E1. Co-culture models of fibroblasts and GC cells or human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were established with direct contact or the Transwell system. In vitro functional experiments and in vivo tumorigenesis assay were employed to study the malignant behaviors of GC cells interacting with fibroblasts. ELISA was used for quantifying the levels of Serpin E1 and VEGFA in the culture supernatant. The tube formation capacity of HUVECs was assessed using a tube formation assay. Recombinant human Serpin E1 (recSerpin E1), anti-Serpin E1 antibody, and a MAPK pathway inhibitor were utilized to treat HUVECs for elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms.

RESULTS

Serpin E1 was predominantly expressed in gastric CAFs. H. pylori infection significantly enhanced the expression and secretion of Serpin E1 by CAFs. Both fibroblast-derived Serpin E1 and recSerpin E1 enhanced the growth, invasion, and migration of GC cells, along with increased VEGFA expression and tube formation in HUVECs. Furthermore, the co-inoculation of GC cells and fibroblasts overexpressing Serpin E1 triggered the expression of Serpin E1 in cancer cells, which facilitated together xenograft tumor growth and peritoneal dissemination of GC cells in nude mice, with an increased expression of Ki67, Serpin E1, CD31 and/or VEGFA. These processes may be mediated by Serpin E1-induced migration and p38 MAPK/VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis of HUVECs.

CONCLUSION

H. pylori infection induces Serpin E1 expression in fibroblasts, subsequently triggering its expression in GC cells through their interaction. Serpin E1 derived from these cells promotes the migration and p38 MAPK/VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis of HUVECs, thereby facilitating GC growth and peritoneal metastasis. Targeting Serpin E1 signaling is a potential therapy strategy for H. pylori-induced GC.

Musashi-2 in cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes non-small cell lung cancer metastasis through paracrine IL-6-driven epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, is predominantly associated with advanced/metastatic disease. The interaction between tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in tumor microenvironment is known to be essential for regulating tumor progression and metastasis, but the underlying mechanisms, particularly the role of RNA-binding protein Musashi-2 (MSI2) in CAFs in promoting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invasiveness and metastatic spread, remain obscure.

METHODS

Genomic and proteomic database analyses were performed to evaluate the potential clinical significance of MSI2 in NSCLC tumor and stromal clinical specimens. Molecular approaches were used to modify MSI2 in CAFs and determine its functional role in NSCLC cell motility in vitro using 2D and 3D models, and in metastasis in a xenograft mouse model using live-cell imaging.

RESULTS

MSI2, both gene and protein, is upregulated in NSCLC tissues and is associated with poor prognosis and high metastatic risk in patients. Interestingly, MSI2 is also upregulated in NSCLC stroma and activated fibroblasts, including CAFs. Depletion of MSI2 in CAFs by CRISPR-Cas9 strongly inhibits NSCLC cell migration and invasion in vitro, and attenuates local and distant metastatic spread of NSCLC cells in vivo. The crosstalk between CAFs and NSCLC cells occurs via paracrine signaling, which is regulated by MSI2 in CAFs via IL-6. The secreted IL-6 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in NSCLC cells, which drives metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal for the first time that MSI2 in CAFs is important in CAF-mediated NSCLC cell invasiveness and metastasis via IL-6 paracrine signaling. Therefore, targeting the MSI2/IL-6 axis in CAFs could be effective in combating NSCLC metastasis.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma correlate with tumor aggressiveness

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the predominant type of lung cancer in the U.S. and exhibits a broad variety of behaviors ranging from indolent to aggressive. Identification of the biological determinants of LUAD behavior at early stages can improve existing diagnostic and treatment strategies. Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and cancer-associated fibroblasts play a crucial role in the regulation of cancer aggressiveness and there is a growing need to investigate their role in the determination of LUAD behavior at early stages. We analyzed tissue samples isolated from patients with LUAD at early stages and used imaging-based biomarkers to predict LUAD behavior. Single-cell RNA sequencing and histological assessment showed that aggressive LUADs are characterized by a decreased number of ADH1B+ CAFs in comparison to indolent tumors. ADH1B+ CAF enrichment is associated with distinct ECM and immune cell signatures in early-stage LUADs. Also, we found a positive correlation between the gene expression of ADH1B+ CAF markers in early-stage LUADs and better survival. We performed TCGA dataset analysis to validate our findings. Identified associations can be used for the development of the predictive model of LUAD aggressiveness and novel therapeutic approaches.

Integrating single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) stands as a prominent contributor to morbidity and mortality among males on a global scale. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are considered to be closely connected to tumour growth, invasion, and metastasis. We explored the role and characteristics of CAFs in PCa through bioinformatics analysis and built a CAFs-based risk model to predict prognostic treatment and treatment response in PCa patients. First, we downloaded the scRNA-seq data for PCa from the GEO. We extracted bulk RNA-seq data for PCa from the TCGA and GEO and adopted "ComBat" to remove batch effects. Then, we created a Seurat object for the scRNA-seq data using the package "Seurat" in R and identified CAF clusters based on the CAF-related genes (CAFRGs). Based on CAFRGs, a prognostic model was constructed by univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analyses. And the model was validated internally and externally by Kaplan-Meier analysis, respectively. We further performed GO and KEGG analyses of DEGs between risk groups. Besides, we investigated differences in somatic mutations between different risk groups. We explored differences in the immune microenvironment landscape and ICG expression levels in the different groups. Finally, we predicted the response to immunotherapy and the sensitivity of antitumour drugs between the different groups. We screened 4 CAF clusters and identified 463 CAFRGs in PCa scRNA-seq. We constructed a model containing 10 prognostic CAFRGs by univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analysis. Somatic mutation analysis revealed that TTN and TP53 were significantly more mutated in the high-risk group. Finally, we screened 31 chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted therapeutic drugs for PCa. In conclusion, we identified four clusters based on CAFs and constructed a new CAFs-based prognostic signature that could predict PCa patient prognosis and response to immunotherapy and might suggest meaningful clinical options for the treatment of PCa.

Therapeutic effect of trace elements on multiple myeloma and mechanisms of cancer process

In the human body, trace elements and other micronutrients play a vital role in growth, health and immune system function. The trace elements are Iron, Manganese, Copper, Iodine, Zinc, Cobalt, Fluoride, and Selenium. Estimating the serum levels of trace elements in hematologic malignancy patients can determine the severity of the tumor. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematopoietic malignancy and is characterized by plasma cell clonal expansion in bone marrow. Despite the advances in treatment methods, myeloma remains largely incurable. In addition to conventional medicine, treatment is moving toward less expensive noninvasive alternatives. One of the alternative treatments is the use of dietary supplements. In this review, we focused on the effect of three trace elements including iron, zinc and selenium on important mechanisms such as the immune system, oxidative and antioxidant factors and cell cycle. Using some trace minerals in combination with approved drugs can increase patients' recovery speed. Trace elements can be used as not only a preventive but also a therapeutic tool, especially in reducing inflammation in hematological cancers such as multiple myeloma. We hope that the prospect of the correct use of trace element supplements in the future could be promising for the treatment of diseases.

Anlotinib prove to be a potential therapy for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis complicated with lung adenocarcinoma

Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic interstitial fibrosis lung disease with high mortality, which is often complicated with lung cancer. The incidence of IPF complicated with lung cancer is getting higher and higher. At present, there is no consensus on the management and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis patients with lung cancer. There is an urgent need to develop preclinical drug evaluation methods for IPF with lung cancer and potential therapeutic drugs for IPF with lung cancer. The pathogenic mechanism of IPF is similar to that of lung cancer, and the multi-effect drugs with anticancer and anti-fibrosis will have potential value in the treatment of IPF complicated with lung cancer. In this study, we established an animal model of IPF complicated with lung cancer in situ to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the antiangiogenic drug anlotinib. The pharmacodynamic results in vivo showed that anlotinib could significantly improve the lung function of IPF-LC mice, reduce the content of collagen in lung tissue, increase the survival rate of mice, and inhibit the growth of lung tumor in mice. The results of Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis of lung tissue showed that anlotinib significantly inhibited the expression of fibrosis marker protein α-SMA, Collagen I and Fibronectin and tumor proliferation marker protein PCNA in mouse lung tissue, and down-regulated the content of serum tumor marker CEA. Through transcriptome analysis, we found that anlotinib regulates MAPK signal pathway, PARP signal pathway and coagulation cascade signal pathway in lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, which all play an important role in lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, there is crosstalk between the signal pathway participated by the target of anlotinib and MAPK, JAK/STAT and mTOR signal pathway. In summary, anlotinib will be a candidate for IPF-LC treatment.

A 3D culture system for evaluating the combined effects of cisplatin and anti-fibrotic drugs on the growth and invasion of lung cancer cells co-cultured with fibroblasts

Fibrosis and fibroblast activation usually occur in the tissues surrounding a malignant tumor; therefore, anti-fibrotic drugs are used in addition to chemotherapy. A reliable technique for evaluating the combined effects of anti-fibrotic drugs and anticancer drugs would be beneficial for the development of an appropriate treatment strategy. In this study, we manufactured a three-dimensional (3D) co-culture system of fibroblasts and lung cancer cell spheroids in Matrigel supplemented with fibrin (fibrin/Matrigel) that simulated the tissue microenvironment around a solid tumor. We compared the efficacy of an anticancer drug (cisplatin) with or without pretreatments of two anti-fibrotic drugs, nintedanib and pirfenidone, on the growth and invasion of cancer cells co-cultured with fibroblasts. The results showed that the addition of nintedanib improved cisplatin's effects on suppressing the growth of cancer cell spheroids and the invasion of cancer cells. In contrast, pirfenidone did not enhance the anticancer activity of cisplatin. Nintedanib also showed higher efficacy than pirfenidone in reducing the expression of four genes in fibroblasts associated with cell adhesion, invasion, and extracellular matrix degradation. This study demonstrated that the 3D co-cultures in fibrin/Matrigel would be useful for assessing the effects of drug combinations on tumor growth and invasion.

Cell Proteomic Footprinting: Advances in the Quality of Cellular and Cell-Derived Cancer Vaccines

In omics sciences, many compounds are measured simultaneously in a sample in a single run. Such analytical performance opens up prospects for improving cellular cancer vaccines and other cell-based immunotherapeutics. This article provides an overview of proteomics technology, known as cell proteomic footprinting. The molecular phenotype of cells is highly variable, and their antigenic profile is affected by many factors, including cell isolation from the tissue, cell cultivation conditions, and storage procedures. This makes the therapeutic properties of cells, including those used in vaccines, unpredictable. Cell proteomic footprinting makes it possible to obtain controlled cell products. Namely, this technology facilitates the cell authentication and quality control of cells regarding their molecular phenotype, which is directly connected with the antigenic properties of cell products. Protocols for cell proteomic footprinting with their crucial moments, footprint processing, and recommendations for the implementation of this technology are described in this paper. The provided footprints in this paper and program source code for their processing contribute to the fast implementation of this technology in the development and manufacturing of cell-based immunotherapeutics.