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Tan Q, Chi Y, Su M, Zhou J, Zhou D, Zheng F, Man X, Sun S, Huang J, Li H. Potential predictive value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) mutations for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced triple-negative breast cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1125970. [PMID: 37007962 PMCID: PMC10060982 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1125970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In recent years, tumor immunotherapy has become a viable treatment option for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Among these, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated good efficacy in advanced TNBC patients with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive expression. However, only 63% of PD-L1-positive individuals showed any benefit from ICIs. Therefore, finding new predictive biomarkers will aid in identifying patients who are likely to benefit from ICIs. In this study, we used liquid biopsies and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to dynamically detect changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood of patients with advanced TNBC treated with ICIs and focused on its potential predictive value.Methods: From May 2018 to October 2020, patients with advanced TNBC treated with ICIs at Shandong Cancer Hospital were included prospectively. Patient blood samples were obtained at the pretreatment baseline, first response evaluation, and disease progression timepoints. Furthermore, 457 cancer-related genes were evaluated by NGS, and patients’ ctDNA mutations, gene mutation rates, and other indicators were determined and coupled with clinical data for statistical analysis.Results: A total of 11 TNBC patients were included in this study. The overall objective response rate (ORR) was 27.3%, with a 6.1-month median progression-free survival (PFS) (95% confidence interval: 3.877–8.323 months). Of the 11 baseline blood samples, 48 mutations were found, with the most common mutation types being frame shift indels, synonymous single-nucleotide variations (SNVs), frame indel missenses, splicing, and stop gains. Additionally, univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that advanced TNBC patients with one of 12 mutant genes (CYP2D6 deletion and GNAS, BCL2L1, H3F3C, LAG3, FGF23, CCND2, SESN1, SNHG16, MYC, HLA-E, and MCL1 gain) had a shorter PFS with ICI treatment (p < 0.05). To some extent, dynamic changes of ctDNA might indicate the efficacy of ICIs.Conclusion: Our data indicate that ICI efficacy in patients with advanced TNBC may be predicted by 12 mutant ctDNA genes. Additionally, dynamic alterations in peripheral blood ctDNA might be used to track the effectiveness of ICI therapy in those with advanced TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaorui Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yajing Chi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mu Su
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | | | - Dongdong Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Fangchao Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaochu Man
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shujuan Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Huihui Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence: Huihui Li,
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Liu Y, Cui DX, Pan Y, Yu SH, Zheng LW, Wan M. Metabolic-epigenetic nexus in regulation of stem cell fate. World J Stem Cells 2022; 14:490-502. [PMID: 36157525 PMCID: PMC9350619 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i7.490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell fate determination is one of the central questions in stem cell biology, and although its regulation has been studied at genomic and proteomic levels, a variety of biological activities in cells occur at the metabolic level. Metabolomics studies have established the metabolome during stem cell differentiation and have revealed the role of metabolites in stem cell fate determination. While metabolism is considered to play a biological regulatory role as an energy source, recent studies have suggested the nexus between metabolism and epigenetics because several metabolites function as cofactors and substrates in epigenetic mechanisms, including histone modification, DNA methylation, and microRNAs. Additionally, the epigenetic modification is sensitive to the dynamic metabolites and consequently leads to changes in transcription. The nexus between metabolism and epigenetics proposes a novel stem cell-based therapeutic strategy through manipulating metabolites. In the present review, we summarize the possible nexus between metabolic and epigenetic regulation in stem cell fate determination, and discuss the potential preventive and therapeutic strategies via targeting metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Di-Xin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yue Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Si-Han Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Li-Wei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Mian Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
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Yang L, Zhu Y, Kong D, Gong J, Yu W, Liang Y, Nie Y, Teng CB. EGF suppresses the expression of miR-124a in pancreatic β cell lines via ETS2 activation through the MEK and PI3K signaling pathways. Int J Biol Sci 2019; 15:2561-2575. [PMID: 31754329 PMCID: PMC6854373 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.34985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is characterized by pancreatic β cell dysfunction. Previous studies have indicated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) and microRNA-124a (miR-124a) play opposite roles in insulin biosynthesis and secretion by beta cells. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that EGF could inhibit miR-124a expression in beta cell lines through downstream signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) cascades. Further, the transcription factor ETS2, a member of the ETS (E26 transformation-specific) family, was identified to be responsible for the EGF-mediated suppression of miR-124a expression, which was dependent on ETS2 phosphorylation at threonine 72. Activation of ETS2 decreased miR-124a promoter transcriptional activity through the putative conserved binding sites AGGAANA/TN in three miR-124a promoters located in different chromosomes. Of note, ETS2 played a positive role in regulating beta cell function-related genes, including miR-124a targets, Forkhead box a2 (FOXA2) and Neurogenic differentiation 1 (NEUROD1), which may have partly been through the inhibition of miR-124 expression. Knockdown and overexpression of ETS2 led to the prevention and promotion of insulin biosynthesis respectively, while barely affecting the secretion ability. These results suggest that EGF may induce the activation of ETS2 to inhibit miR-124a expression to maintain proper beta cell functions and that ETS2, as a novel regulator of insulin production, is a potential therapeutic target for diabetes mellitus treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuansen Zhu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Delin Kong
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiawei Gong
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wen Yu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yang Liang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuzhe Nie
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chun-Bo Teng
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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