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Wang F, Yue S, Huang Q, Lei T, Li X, Wang C, Yue J, Liu C. Cellular heterogeneity and key subsets of tissue-resident memory T cells in cervical cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:145. [PMID: 39014148 PMCID: PMC11252146 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00637-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs) play a critical role in cancer immunity by offering quick and effective immune responses. However, the cellular heterogeneity of TRMs and their significance in cervical cancer (CC) remain unknown. In this study, we generated and analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from 12,945 TRMs (ITGAE+ CD3D+) and 25,627 non-TRMs (ITGAE- CD3D+), derived from 11 CC tissues and 5 normal cervical tissues. We found that TRMs were more immunoreactive than non-TRMs, and TRMs in CC tissues were more activated than those in normal cervical tissues. Six CD8+ TRM subclusters and one CD4+ TRM subcluster were identified. Among them, CXCL13+ CD8+ TRMs were more abundant in CC tissues than in normal cervical tissues, had both cytotoxic and inhibitory features, and were enriched in pathways related to defense responses to the virus. Meanwhile, PLAC8+ CD8+ TRMs were less abundant in CC tissues than in normal cervical tissues but had highly cytotoxic features. The signature gene set scores of both cell subclusters were positively correlated with the overall survival and progression-free survival of patients with CC following radiotherapy. Of note, the association between HLA-E and NKG2A, either alone or in a complex with CD94, was enriched in CXCL13+ CD8+ TRMs interacting with epithelial cells at CC tissues. The in-depth characterization of TRMs heterogeneity in the microenvironment of CC could have important implications for advancing treatment and improving the prognosis of patients with CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuhao Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University First Hospital, 100034, Beijing, China
| | - Shengqin Yue
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qingyu Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Tianyu Lei
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Jinbo Yue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University First Hospital, 100034, Beijing, China.
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2
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Kumar Kore R, Shirbhate E, Singh V, Mishra A, Veerasamy R, Rajak H. New Investigational Drug's Targeting Various Molecular Pathways for Treatment of Cervical Cancer: Current Status and Future Prospects. Cancer Invest 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38966000 DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2024.2373841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Currently, cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth recorded widespread cancer among women globally. There are still many cases of metastatic or recurring disease discovered, despite the incidence and fatality rates declining due to screening identification and innovative treatment approaches. Palliative chemotherapy continues to be the standard of care for patients who are not contenders for curative therapies like surgery and radiotherapy. This article seeks to provide a thorough and current summary of therapies that have been looked into for the management of CC. The authors emphasize the ongoing trials while reviewing the findings of clinical research. Agents that use biological mechanisms to target different molecular pathways such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), poly ADP-ribosepolymerase (PARP), and epigenetic biological mechanisms epitomize and offer intriguing research prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar Kore
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Ekta Shirbhate
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Vaibhav Singh
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Achal Mishra
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | | | - Harish Rajak
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
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3
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de Sousa C, Eksteen C, Riedemann J, Engelbrecht AM. Highlighting the role of CD44 in cervical cancer progression: immunotherapy's potential in inhibiting metastasis and chemoresistance. Immunol Res 2024:10.1007/s12026-024-09493-6. [PMID: 38816670 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-024-09493-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Cervical cancer affects thousands of women globally with recurring high-risk HPV infections being at the centre of cervical pathology. Oncological treatment strategies are continually challenged by both chemoresistance and metastasis within patients. Although both work hand-in-hand, targeting their individual mechanisms could prove highly beneficial for treatment outcomes. Such targets include the metastatic-promoting stem cell marker, CD44, which is abundant in cervical cancer cells and is common to both chemoresistance and metastatic mechanisms. Seeing that many existing advanced-stage cervical cancer treatment regimes, such as platinum-based chemotherapy regimens, remain limited and are rarely curative, alternative treatment options within the field of immunology are being considered. The use of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy, which targets immune checkpoints, CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1, has shown promise as an alternate standard of care for patients suffering from advanced-stage cervical cancer. Therefore, this review aims to assess whether immune checkpoint inhibition can mitigate the pathological effects of CD44-induced EMT, metastasis, and chemoresistance in cervical cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cayleigh de Sousa
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Mike de Vries Building, C/o Merriman and Bosman Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | - Carla Eksteen
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Mike de Vries Building, C/o Merriman and Bosman Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | | | - Anna-Mart Engelbrecht
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Mike de Vries Building, C/o Merriman and Bosman Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa.
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4
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Konnerth D, Gaasch A, Zinn A, Rogowski P, Rottler M, Walter F, Knoth J, Sturdza A, Oelmann J, Grawe F, Bodensohn R, Belka C, Corradini S. Hematologic Toxicity and Bone Marrow-Sparing Strategies in Chemoradiation for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1842. [PMID: 38791920 PMCID: PMC11120218 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16101842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer typically includes concomitant chemoradiation, a regimen known to induce severe hematologic toxicity (HT). Particularly, pelvic bone marrow dose exposure has been identified as a contributing factor to this hematologic toxicity. Chemotherapy further increases bone marrow suppression, often necessitating treatment interruptions or dose reductions. A systematic search for original articles published between 1 January 2006 and 7 January 2024 that reported on chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer and hematologic toxicities was conducted. Twenty-four articles comprising 1539 patients were included in the final analysis. HT of grade 2 and higher was observed across all studies and frequently exceeded 50%. When correlating active pelvic bone marrow and HT, significant correlations were found for volumes between 10 and 45 Gy and HT of grade 3 and higher. Several dose recommendations for pelvic bone and pelvic bone marrow sparing to reduce HT were established, including V10 < 90-95%, V20 < 65-86.6% and V40 < 22.8-40%. Applying dose constraints to the pelvic bone/bone marrow is a promising approach for reducing HT, and thus reliable implementation of therapy. However, prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to define precise dose constraints and optimize clinical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinah Konnerth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Aurelie Gaasch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Annemarie Zinn
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Rogowski
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Maya Rottler
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Franziska Walter
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Knoth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alina Sturdza
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Oelmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Göttingen University Hospital, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Freba Grawe
- DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Raphael Bodensohn
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Corradini
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
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5
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Lu Q, Kou D, Lou S, Ashrafizadeh M, Aref AR, Canadas I, Tian Y, Niu X, Wang Y, Torabian P, Wang L, Sethi G, Tergaonkar V, Tay F, Yuan Z, Han P. Nanoparticles in tumor microenvironment remodeling and cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:16. [PMID: 38566199 PMCID: PMC10986145 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01535-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development have significantly improved the fight against cancers. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, particularly in the clinical delivery of immunomodulatory compounds. The tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising macrophages, fibroblasts, and immune cells, plays a crucial role in immune response modulation. Nanoparticles, engineered to reshape the TME, have shown promising results in enhancing immunotherapy by facilitating targeted delivery and immune modulation. These nanoparticles can suppress fibroblast activation, promote M1 macrophage polarization, aid dendritic cell maturation, and encourage T cell infiltration. Biomimetic nanoparticles further enhance immunotherapy by increasing the internalization of immunomodulatory agents in immune cells such as dendritic cells. Moreover, exosomes, whether naturally secreted by cells in the body or bioengineered, have been explored to regulate the TME and immune-related cells to affect cancer immunotherapy. Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, activated by pH, redox, and light conditions, exhibit the potential to accelerate immunotherapy. The co-application of nanoparticles with immune checkpoint inhibitors is an emerging strategy to boost anti-tumor immunity. With their ability to induce long-term immunity, nanoarchitectures are promising structures in vaccine development. This review underscores the critical role of nanoparticles in overcoming current challenges and driving the advancement of cancer immunotherapy and TME modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Dongquan Kou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Shenghan Lou
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Xsphera Biosciences, Translational Medicine Group, 6 Tide Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Israel Canadas
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yu Tian
- School of Public Health, Benedictine University, Lisle, USA
| | - Xiaojia Niu
- Department of Urologic Sciences and Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H3Z6, Canada
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Department of Urologic Sciences and Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H3Z6, Canada
| | - Pedram Torabian
- Cumming School of Medicine, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Lingzhi Wang
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 16 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117600, Singapore
| | - Gautam Sethi
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 16 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117600, Singapore.
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, 138673, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Franklin Tay
- The Graduate School, Augusta University, 30912, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Zhennan Yuan
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.
| | - Peng Han
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology in Heilongjiang, Harbin, China.
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6
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Wang Y, Xu M, Yao Y, Li Y, Zhang S, Fu Y, Wang X. Extracellular cancer‑associated fibroblasts: A novel subgroup in the cervical cancer microenvironment that exhibits tumor‑promoting roles and prognosis biomarker functions. Oncol Lett 2024; 27:167. [PMID: 38449793 PMCID: PMC10915806 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14300] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor invasion and metastasis are the processes that primarily cause adverse outcomes in patients with cervical cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which participate in cancer progression and metastasis, are novel targets for the treatment of tumors. The present study aimed to assess the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment through single-cell RNA sequencing. After collecting five cervical cancer samples and obtaining the CAF-associated gene sets, the CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment were divided into myofibroblastic CAFs and extracellular (ec)CAFs. The ecCAFs appeared with more robust pro-tumorigenic effects than myCAFs according to enrichment analysis. Subsequently, through combining the ecCAF hub genes and bulk gene expression data for cervical cancer obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Ontology databases, univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were performed to establish a CAF-associated risk signature for patients with cancer. The established risk signature demonstrated a stable and strong prognostic capability in both the training and validation cohorts. Subsequently, the association between the risk signature and clinical data was evaluated, and a nomogram to facilitate clinical application was established. The risk score was demonstrated to be associated with both the tumor immune microenvironment and the therapeutic responses. Moreover, the signature also has predictive value for the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and bladder urothelial carcinoma, which were also associated with human papillomavirus infection. In conclusion, the present study assessed the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment, and a subgroup of CAFs that may be closely associated with tumor progression was defined. Moreover, a signature based on the hub genes of ecCAFs was shown to have biomarker functionality in terms of predicting survival rates, and therefore this CAF subgroup may become a therapeutic target for cervical cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuehan Wang
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Mingxia Xu
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Yeli Yao
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Songfa Zhang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Yunfeng Fu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
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7
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Sitler CA, Tian C, Hamilton CA, Richardson MT, Chan JK, Kapp DS, Leath CA, Casablanca Y, Washington C, Chappell NP, Klopp AH, Shriver CD, Tarney CM, Bateman NW, Conrads TP, Maxwell GL, Phippen NT, Darcy KM. Immuno-Molecular Targeted Therapy Use and Survival Benefit in Patients with Stage IVB Cervical Carcinoma in Commission on Cancer ®-Accredited Facilities in the United States. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1071. [PMID: 38473428 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16051071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate IMT use and survival in real-world stage IVB cervical cancer patients outside randomized clinical trials. METHODS Patients diagnosed with stage IVB cervical cancer during 2013-2019 in the National Cancer Database and treated with chemotherapy (CT) ± external beam radiation (EBRT) ± intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) ± IMT were studied. The adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for risk of death were estimated in patients treated with vs. without IMT after applying propensity score analysis to balance the clinical covariates. RESULTS There were 3164 evaluable patients, including 969 (31%) who were treated with IMT. The use of IMT increased from 11% in 2013 to 46% in 2019. Age, insurance, facility type, sites of distant metastasis, and type of first-line treatment were independently associated with using IMT. In propensity-score-balanced patients, the median survival was 18.6 vs. 13.1 months for with vs. without IMT (p < 0.001). The AHR was 0.72 (95% CI = 0.64-0.80) for adding IMT overall, 0.72 for IMT + CT, 0.66 for IMT + CT + EBRT, and 0.69 for IMT + CT + EBRT + ICBT. IMT-associated survival improvements were suggested in all subgroups by age, race/ethnicity, comorbidity score, facility type, tumor grade, tumor size, and site of metastasis. CONCLUSIONS IMT was associated with a consistent survival benefit in real-world patients with stage IVB cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin A Sitler
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
| | - Chunqiao Tian
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Chad A Hamilton
- Gynecologic Oncology Section, Women's Services and The Ochsner Cancer Institute, Ochsner Health, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
| | - Michael T Richardson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Los Angeles School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - John K Chan
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation, California Pacific Medical Center, Sutter Health, San Francisco, CA 94010, USA
| | - Daniel S Kapp
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Charles A Leath
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL 35249, USA
| | - Yovanni Casablanca
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC 28204, USA
| | - Christina Washington
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Nicole P Chappell
- Gynecologic Oncology Division, GW Medical Faculty Associates, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Ann H Klopp
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Craig D Shriver
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
| | - Christopher M Tarney
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
| | - Nicholas W Bateman
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Thomas P Conrads
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Women's Service Line, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA
| | - George Larry Maxwell
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Women's Service Line, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA
| | - Neil T Phippen
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
| | - Kathleen M Darcy
- Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
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8
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Ubinha ACF, Pedrão PG, Tadini AC, Schmidt RL, dos Santos MH, Andrade CEMDC, Longatto Filho A, dos Reis R. The Role of Pelvic Exenteration in Cervical Cancer: A Review of the Literature. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:817. [PMID: 38398208 PMCID: PMC10886894 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pelvic exenteration represents a radical procedure aimed at achieving complete tumor resection with negative margins. Although it is the only therapeutic option for some cases of advanced tumors, it is associated with several perioperative complications. We believe that careful patient selection is related to better oncologic outcomes and lower complication rates. The objectives of this review are to identify the most current indications for this intervention, suggest criteria for case selection, evaluate recommendations for perioperative care, and review oncologic outcomes and potential associated complications. To this end, an analysis of English language articles in PubMed was performed, searching for topics such as the indication for pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic neoplasms selection of oncologic cases, the impact of tumor size and extent on oncologic outcomes, preoperative and postoperative surgical management, surgical complications, and outcomes of overall survival and recurrence-free survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carla Franco Ubinha
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (R.L.S.); (M.H.d.S.); (C.E.M.d.C.A.); (R.d.R.)
| | - Priscila Grecca Pedrão
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (P.G.P.); (A.L.F.)
| | - Aline Cássia Tadini
- Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata-FACISB, Barretos 14785-002, Brazil;
| | - Ronaldo Luis Schmidt
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (R.L.S.); (M.H.d.S.); (C.E.M.d.C.A.); (R.d.R.)
| | - Marcelo Henrique dos Santos
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (R.L.S.); (M.H.d.S.); (C.E.M.d.C.A.); (R.d.R.)
| | | | - Adhemar Longatto Filho
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (P.G.P.); (A.L.F.)
- Medical Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM), Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ricardo dos Reis
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil; (R.L.S.); (M.H.d.S.); (C.E.M.d.C.A.); (R.d.R.)
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9
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Konstantopoulos G, Leventakou D, Saltiel DR, Zervoudi E, Logotheti E, Pettas S, Karagianni K, Daiou A, Hatzistergos KE, Dafou D, Arsenakis M, Kottaridi C. HPV16 E6 Oncogene Contributes to Cancer Immune Evasion by Regulating PD-L1 Expression through a miR-143/HIF-1a Pathway. Viruses 2024; 16:113. [PMID: 38257813 PMCID: PMC10819893 DOI: 10.3390/v16010113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Human Papillomaviruses have been associated with the occurrence of cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer that affects women globally, while 70% of cases are caused by infection with the high-risk types HPV16 and HPV18. The integration of these viruses' oncogenes E6 and E7 into the host's genome affects a multitude of cellular functions and alters the expression of molecules. The aim of this study was to investigate how these oncogenes contribute to the expression of immune system control molecules, using cell lines with integrated HPV16 genome, before and after knocking out E6 viral gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, delivered with a lentiviral vector. The molecules studied are the T-cell inactivating protein PD-L1, its transcription factor HIF-1a and the latter's negative regulator, miR-143. According to our results, in the E6 knock out (E6KO) cell lines an increased expression of miR-143 was recorded, while a decrease in the expression of HIF-1a and PD-L1 was exhibited. These findings indicate that E6 protein probably plays a significant role in enabling cervical cancer cells to evade the immune system, while we propose a molecular pathway in cervical cancer, where PD-L1's expression is regulated by E6 protein through a miR-143/HIF-1a axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Konstantopoulos
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Danai Leventakou
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Despoina-Rozi Saltiel
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Efthalia Zervoudi
- Research Unit—Oncology Unit, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Eirini Logotheti
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Spyros Pettas
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Korina Karagianni
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Angeliki Daiou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Konstantinos E. Hatzistergos
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Dimitra Dafou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Minas Arsenakis
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
| | - Christine Kottaridi
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.K.); (D.-R.S.); (E.L.); (S.P.); (K.K.); (K.E.H.); (D.D.); (M.A.)
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10
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Feng X, Meng X, Tang D, Guo S, Liao Q, Chen J, Xie Q, Liu F, Fang Y, Sun C, Han Y, Ai J, Li K. Reversal of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cervical cancer. CANCER PATHOGENESIS AND THERAPY 2024; 2:38-49. [PMID: 38328710 PMCID: PMC10846320 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpt.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Background Immunotherapy favors patients with tumors; however, only 3-26.3% of patients with cervical cancer benefit from single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors. Combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy has been explored against tumor; however, the combination remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and the effects of platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in cervical cancer to identify the clinical value of combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy. Methods Multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) with 11 markers (cluster of differentiation [CD]3, CD8, CD4, CD11c, CD68, forkhead box P3 [Foxp3], programmed cell death 1 [PD-1], programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 [PD-L1], indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase [IDO], cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A [p16], and cytokeratin [CK]) was performed to evaluate TIME from 108 matched pre- and post-NACT cervical cancer samples. The mechanism of antitumor immunity triggered by NACT was explored using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from four paired samples and subsequently verified in 41 samples using IHC. Results The infiltration rate of the CD8+ T cells in treatment-naive cervical cancer was 0.73%, and those of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and IDO+ cells were 0.87% and 17.15%, respectively. Moreover, immunoreactive T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages were more in the stromal than the intratumor region. NACT increased dendritic, CD3+ T, CD8+ T, and CD4+ T cells and decreased Tregs. The aforementioned alterations occurred predominantly in the stromal region and were primarily in responders. Non-responders primarily showed decreased Tregs and no increase in CD8+ T or dendritic cell infiltration. Furthermore, dendritic cells interacted more closely with CD3+ T cells after NACT, an effect primarily observed in responders. RNA-seq data revealed activation of the antigen receptor-mediated signaling pathway and upregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I and MHC II after chemotherapy, validated using IHC. Conclusions NACT can reduce Tregs, and when tumor cells are effectively killed, antigen presentation is enhanced, subsequently activating antitumor immunity finitely. Our study provides the molecular characteristics and theoretical basis for the simultaneous or sequential combination of platinum-based NACT and immunotherapy for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Feng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Xiaolin Meng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Dihong Tang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital/The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Shuaiqingying Guo
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Qiuyue Liao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Qin Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Fengyuan Liu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Yong Fang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Chaoyang Sun
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Yingyan Han
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Jihui Ai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
| | - Kezhen Li
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China
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11
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Abd Rashid N, Mohamad Najib NH, Abdul Jalil NA, Teoh SL. Essential Oils in Cervical Cancer: Narrative Review on Current Insights and Future Prospects. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2109. [PMID: 38136228 PMCID: PMC10740549 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12122109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a prevalent and often devastating disease affecting women worldwide. Traditional treatment modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have significantly improved survival rates, but they are often accompanied by side effects and challenges that can impact a patient's quality of life. In recent years, the integration of essential oils into the management of cervical cancer has gained attention. This review provides an in-depth exploration of the role of various essential oils in cervical cancer, offering insights into their potential benefits and the existing body of research. The review also delves into future directions and challenges in this emerging field, emphasizing promising research areas and advanced delivery systems. The encapsulation of essential oils with solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsification of essential oils, or the combination of essential oils with conventional treatments showed promising results by increasing the anticancer properties of essential oils. As the use of essential oils in cervical cancer treatment or management evolves, this review aims to provide a comprehensive perspective, balancing the potential of these natural remedies with the challenges and considerations that need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhashima Abd Rashid
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Lincoln University College, Petaling Jaya 47301, Malaysia;
| | - Nor Haliza Mohamad Najib
- Unit of Anatomy, Faculty Medicine & Health Defence, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia;
| | - Nahdia Afiifah Abdul Jalil
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia;
| | - Seong Lin Teoh
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia;
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12
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Cheng Z, Wang H, Yang Z, Li J, Chen X. LMP2 and TAP2 impair tumor growth and metastasis by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and EMT in cervical cancer. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1128. [PMID: 37986152 PMCID: PMC10662702 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11639-y] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The roles of low molecular mass polypeptide 2 (LMP2) and transporter-associated with antigen processing (TAP2) in tumorigenesis are controversial. Here we aimed to explore the effect of LMP2 and TAP2 on the oncogenesis and metastasis of cervical cancer cells. METHODS The expressions of LMP2 and TAP2 in cervical cancer and normal tissues were determined by qPCR. Plate colony formation, cell counting kit-8 analysis and in vivo tumor xenograft assays were used to detect the tumor growth. Wound healing and transwell assays were used to detect the metastasis of cervical cancer. Gelatin zymography and western blotting assays were used to detect the effect of LMP2 and TAP2 on the EMT and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cervical cancer cells. RESULTS In the present study, we reported that LMP2 and TAP2 levels were overexpressed in cervical cancer. Overexpression of LMP2 and TAP2 impaired the proliferation of Hela cells. In vivo studies substantiated that LMP2 and TAP2 antagonized tumor growth. Likewise, LMP2 and TAP2 overexpression decreased the migration and invasion ability of Hela cells by regulating the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanically, LMP2 and TAP2 subverted the protein abundance of Wnt1 and β-catenin, thereby downregulating their downstream targets Cyclin D1 and c-Myc. In addition, Wnt1 overexpression partially rescued the observed consequences of ectopic expression of LMP2 and TAP2 in cervical cancer cells. Taken together, our study revealed that LMP2 and TAP2 suppress the oncogenesis and metastasis of cervical cancer cells by Wnt/β-catenin pathway and altering EMT. CONCLUSION LMP2 and TAP2 may inhibit the oncogenesis and metastasis of cervical cancer cells by inhibiting the process of EMT and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may provide important insight into prospective targets for the treatment of cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyan Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610101, China.
| | - Hongbo Wang
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610101, China
| | - Zewei Yang
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610101, China
| | - Jiaxu Li
- Department of Pathology, Eastern Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610101, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Eastern Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610101, China
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13
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He M, Yasin K, Yu S, Li J, Xia L. Total Flavonoids in Artemisia absinthium L. and Evaluation of Its Anticancer Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16348. [PMID: 38003540 PMCID: PMC10671751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216348] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
To overcome the shortcomings of traditional extraction methods, such as long extraction time and low efficiency, and considering the low content and high complexity of total flavonoids in Artemisia absinthium L., in this experiment, we adopted ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis to improve the yield of total flavonoids, and combined this with molecular docking and network pharmacology to predict its core constituent targets, so as to evaluate its antitumor activity. The content of total flavonoids in Artemisia absinthium L. reached 3.80 ± 0.13%, and the main components included Astragalin, Cynaroside, Ononin, Rutin, Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, Diosmetin, Isorhamnetin, and Luteolin. Cynaroside and Astragalin exert their cervical cancer inhibitory functions by regulating several signaling proteins (e.g., EGFR, STAT3, CCND1, IGFIR, ESR1). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that the anticancer activity of both compounds was associated with the ErbB signaling pathway and FoxO signaling pathway. MTT results showed that total flavonoids of Artemisia absinthium L. and its active components (Cynaroside and Astragalin) significantly inhibited the growth of HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 of 396.0 ± 54.2 μg/mL and 449.0 ± 54.8 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, its active components can mediate apoptosis by inducing the accumulation of ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jinyao Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China; (M.H.); (K.Y.); (S.Y.)
| | - Lijie Xia
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China; (M.H.); (K.Y.); (S.Y.)
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14
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Zhang J, Tian Y. Construction of prognostic risk markers for cervical cancer combined with anoikis-related genes and their clinical significance. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:677-691. [PMID: 37899003 DOI: 10.1071/rd23050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Several studies have demonstrated that anoikis affects the development, metastasis and prognosis of cancer. AIMS This study aimed to identify anoikis-related marker genes in cervical cancer (CC). METHODS Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) combined with Cox regression analysis was used to construct a prognostic model and analyse the independent prognostic ability of riskscore. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and survival curves were used to evaluate and verify the performance and accuracy of the model. The nomogram of CC prognostic model was drawn using riskscore combined with clinical information. We analysed the relationship between prognostic riskscore and immune infiltration level and analysed immunophenoscore. Finally, qRT-PCR assay was used to verify the feature genes. KEY RESULTS By Cox analysis, we found that the prognostic risk model could effectively predict the risk of CC in patients independently of other clinical factors. Both the levels of immune infiltration and the immunophenoscore were significantly lower in high-risk CC patients than those in low-risk patients, revealing that high-risk patients were likely to have bad response to immunotherapy. The qRT-PCR results of the feature genes were consistent with the results of gene expression in the database. CONCLUSIONS The prognostic model constructed, based on anoikis-related genes in CC, could predict the prognosis of CC patients. IMPLICATIONS The model described here can provide effective support for assessing prognostic risk and devising personalised protocols during clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junmei Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology, Northwest Women and Children's Hospital (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Shaanxi Province), Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yanni Tian
- Department of Gynaecology, Northwest Women and Children's Hospital (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Shaanxi Province), Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China
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15
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Yadav A, Yadav S, Alam MA. Immunotherapies landscape and associated inhibitors for the treatment of cervical cancer. Med Oncol 2023; 40:328. [PMID: 37815596 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02188-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth most common form of cancer worldwide. There is a large number of situations that may be examined in the developing world. The risk of contracting HPV (Human Papillomavirus) due to poor sanitation and sexual activity is mostly to blame for the disease's alarming rate of expansion. Immunotherapy is widely regarded as one of the most effective medicines available. The immunotherapy used to treat cervical cancer cells relies on inhibitors that block the immune checkpoint. The poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymer inhibited cervical cancer cells by activating both the programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (CTLA-1) checkpoints, a strategy that has been shown to have impressive effects. Yet, immunotherapy directed towards tumors that have already been invaded by lymphocytes leaves a positive imprint on the healing process. Immunotherapy is used in conjunction with other treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, to provide faster and more effective outcomes. In this combination therapy, several medications such as Pembrolizumab, Durvalumab, Atezolizumab, and so on are employed in clinical trials. Recent developments and future predictions suggest that vaccinations will soon be developed with the dual goal of reducing the patient's susceptibility to illness while simultaneously strengthening their immune system. Many clinical and preclinical studies are now investigating the effectiveness of immunotherapy in slowing the progression of cervical cancer. The field of immunotherapy is expected to witness more progress toward improving outcomes. Immunotherapies landscape and associated inhibitors for the treatment of Cervical Cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agrima Yadav
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shikha Yadav
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Plot No. 2, Sector 17-A, Yamuna Expressway, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India.
| | - Md Aftab Alam
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
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16
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Yin S, Cui H, Qin S, Yu S. Manipulating TGF-β signaling to optimize immunotherapy for cervical cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115355. [PMID: 37647692 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a serious threat to women's health globally. Therefore, identifying key molecules associated with cervical cancer progression is essential for drug development, disease monitoring, and precision therapy. Recently, TGF-β (transforming growth factor-beta) has been identified as a promising target for cervical cancer treatment. For advanced cervical cancer, TGF-β participates in tumor development by improving metastasis, stemness, drug resistance, and immune evasion. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that TGF-β blockade effectively improves the therapeutic effects, especially immunotherapy. Currently, agents targeting TGF-β and immune checkpoints such as PD-L1 have been developed and tested in clinical studies. These bispecific antibodies might have the potential as therapeutic agents for cervical cancer treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuping Yin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changxing People's Hospital of Zhejiang Huzhou, Changxing 313100, China
| | - Han Cui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changxing People's Hospital of Zhejiang Huzhou, Changxing 313100, China
| | - Shuang Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Shengnan Yu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 400042 Chongqing, China.
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17
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Kobori T, Ito Y, Doukuni R, Urashima Y, Ito T, Obata T. Radixin modulates the plasma membrane localization of CD47 in human uterine cervical adenocarcinoma cells. J Reprod Immunol 2023; 158:103982. [PMID: 37364502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2023.103982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite the dramatic success of immune checkpoint blockers in treating numerous cancer cell types, current therapeutic modalities provide clinical benefits to a subset of patients with cervical cancers. CD47 is commonly overexpressed in a broad variety of cancer cells, correlates with poor clinical prognosis, and acts as a dominant macrophage checkpoint by interacting with receptors expressed on macrophages. It allows cancer cells to escape from the innate immune system and hence is a potential therapeutic target for developing novel macrophage checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. As the intracellular scaffold proteins, ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) family proteins post-translationally regulate the cellular membrane localization of numerous transmembrane proteins, by crosslinking them with the actin cytoskeleton. We demonstrated that radixin modulates the plasma membrane localization and functionality of CD47 in HeLa cells. Immunofluorescence analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assay using anti-CD47 antibody showed the colocalization of CD47 and all three ERM families in the plasma membrane, and the molecular interactions between CD47 and all three ERM. Interestingly, gene silencing of only radixin, reduced the CD47 plasma membrane localization and functionality by means of flow cytometry and phagocytosis assay but had little influence on its mRNA expression. Together, in HeLa cells radixin may function as a principal scaffold protein responsible for the CD47 plasma membrane localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro Kobori
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan
| | - Yui Ito
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan
| | - Rina Doukuni
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan
| | - Yoko Urashima
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan
| | - Takuya Ito
- Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan
| | - Tokio Obata
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan.
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18
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Sausen DG, Shechter O, Gallo ES, Dahari H, Borenstein R. Herpes Simplex Virus, Human Papillomavirus, and Cervical Cancer: Overview, Relationship, and Treatment Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3692. [PMID: 37509353 PMCID: PMC10378257 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a significant body of research examining the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer, with a particular emphasis on the oncogenic proteins E5, E6, and E7. What is less well explored, however, is the relationship between cervical cancer and herpes simplex virus (HSV). To date, studies examining the role of HSV in cervical cancer pathogenesis have yielded mixed results. While several experiments have determined that HPV/HSV-2 coinfection results in a higher risk of developing cervical cancer, others have questioned the validity of this association. However, clarifying the potential role of HSV in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer may have significant implications for both the prevention and treatment of this disease. Should this relationship be clarified, treating and preventing HSV could open another avenue with which to prevent cervical cancer. The importance of this is highlighted by the fact that, despite the creation of an effective vaccine against HPV, cervical cancer still impacts 604,000 women and is responsible for 342,000 deaths annually. This review provides an overview of HSV and HPV infections and then delves into the possible links between HPV, HSV, and cervical cancer. It concludes with a summary of preventive measures against and recent treatment advances in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Sausen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23501, USA; (D.G.S.); (O.S.)
| | - Oren Shechter
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23501, USA; (D.G.S.); (O.S.)
| | - Elisa S. Gallo
- Division of Dermatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel
| | - Harel Dahari
- The Program for Experimental and Theoretical Modeling, Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA;
| | - Ronen Borenstein
- The Program for Experimental and Theoretical Modeling, Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA;
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Tian R, Li H, Ren S, Li S, Fang R, Liu Y. circRNA THBS1 silencing inhibits the malignant biological behavior of cervical cancer cells via the regulation of miR-543/HMGB2 axis. Open Med (Wars) 2023; 18:20230709. [PMID: 37465349 PMCID: PMC10350892 DOI: 10.1515/med-2023-0709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNA) THBS1 has been shown to exist as an oncogene in non-small-cell lung cancer, but its role in cervical cancer is still unclear. Our experiment aimed to uncover the functions and specific mechanism of circRNA THBS1 in cervical cancer cells. Levels of circRNA THBS1 and miR-543 in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines were assessed by RT-qPCR. starBase and dual luciferase reporter gene assay were applied for investigating the correlation between miR-543 and circRNA THBS1/HMGB2. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, the levels of HMGB2, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in HeLa cells were determined by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Our data revealed that circRNA THBS1 was significantly upregulated and miR-543 was low expressed in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. circRNA THBS1 interacted with miR-543 and negatively regulated miR-543 expression in HeLa cells. Silencing of circRNA THBS1 remarkably suppressed HeLa cells' viability, accelerated cells' apoptosis, and inhibited the EMT of HeLa cells, while these changes were reversed by miR-543 inhibitor. Moreover, miR-543 affected HeLa cells by targeting HMGB2. In conclusion, circRNA THBS1 silencing inhibited the malignant biological behaviors of cervical cancer cells via the regulation of miR-543/HMGB2 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tian
- Gynecology Department, Shanghai Mengchao Cancer Hospital, Shanghai201800, China
| | - Huixin Li
- Gynecology Department, Shanghai Mengchao Cancer Hospital, Shanghai201800, China
| | - Songjie Ren
- Gynecology Department, Shanghai Mengchao Cancer Hospital, Shanghai201800, China
| | - Shukui Li
- Urinary Surgery, Renhe Hospital, Baoshan District, Shanghai200431, China
| | - Run Fang
- Urinary Surgery, Shanghai Mengchao Cancer Hospital, Shanghai201800, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Lin’an District First People’s Hospital, 548 Yijin Street, Lin’an District, Hangzhou311300, China
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20
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Li T, Wang X, Qin S, Chen B, Yi M, Zhou J. Targeting PARP for the optimal immunotherapy efficiency in gynecologic malignancies. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114712. [PMID: 37075667 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114712] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Gynecologic cancer, which includes ovarian, cervical, endometrial, vulvar, and vaginal cancer, is a major health concern for women all over the world. Despite the availability of various treatment options, many patients eventually progress to advanced stages and face high mortality rates. PARPi (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor) and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) have both shown significant efficacy in the treatment of advanced and metastatic gynecologic cancer. However, both treatments have limitations, including inevitable resistance and a narrow therapeutic window, making PARPi and ICI combination therapy a promising approach to treating gynecologic malignancies. Preclinical and clinical trials have looked into the combination therapy of PARPi and ICI. PARPi improves ICI efficacy by inducing DNA damage and increasing tumor immunogenicity, resulting in a stronger immune response against cancer cells. ICI, conversly, can increase PARPi sensitivity by priming and activating immune cells, consequently prompting immune cytotoxic effect. Several clinical trials in gynecologic cancer patients have investigated the combination therapy of PARPi and ICI. When compared to monotherapy, the combination of PARPi and ICI increased progression-free survival and overall survival in ovarian cancer patients. The combination therapy has also been studied in other types of gynecologic cancer, including endometrial and cervical cancer, with promising results. Finally, the combination therapeutic strategy of PARPi and ICI is a promising approach in the treatment of gynecologic cancer, particularly advanced and metastatic stages. Preclinical studies and clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy in improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinrun Wang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bingxin Chen
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ming Yi
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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21
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Gultekin M, Beduk Esen CS, Ates Ozdemir D, Yildirim S, Yuce D, Usubutun A, Yildiz F. Stromal or intraepithelial tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes: which one has more prognostic significance in cervical cancer? Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 307:969-980. [PMID: 35840843 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06687-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the effect of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) on treatment results in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma who underwent definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS Pathological specimens were evaluated from 96 cervical cancer patients who were treated with definitive or adjuvant RT/CRT between April 2001 and January 2020. The percentage of intraepithelial TILs (iTILs) and stromal TILs (sTILs) were calculated, and immunohistochemistry was used for identifying lymphocyte lineage with CD4, CD8, and CD20 antibodies and macrophages with CD68 antibody. Prognostic values of TILs/TAMs on oncological outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS Thirty patients had early-stage disease and 66 patients had advanced-stage disease. Sixty-three and 33 patients received adjuvant RT and definitive CRT, respectively. Low number of sCD20 positive cells was associated with large tumor size and parametrial invasion. In multivariate analysis, low percentage of sTILs and advanced-stage disease were independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and distant metastasis-free survival; low number of sCD4 positive cells was also an independent poor prognostic factor for DFS. Low percentage of sTILs and low number of sCD8 positive cells was correlated with high rates of distant metastasis (p = 0.038 and p = 0.025, respectively). CONCLUSION sTILs have superior predictive value than iTILs in terms of prognosis. Stromal compartment should be investigated as a routine practice in TIL studies in cervical cancer. Intensifying the treatment in cervical cancer patients with low number of sTILs should be studied in further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Gultekin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Deniz Ates Ozdemir
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Selma Yildirim
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Yuce
- Department of Preventive Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Alp Usubutun
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ferah Yildiz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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Xing X, Tian Y, Jin X. Immune infiltration and a necroptosis-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. Front Genet 2023; 13:1061107. [PMID: 36685937 PMCID: PMC9852722 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1061107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cervical cancer (CC), the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, has high morbidity and mortality. Necroptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that plays an important role in cancer development, progression, and metastasis. However, the expression of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in CC and their relationship with CC prognosis remain unclear. Therefore, we screened the signature NRGs in CC and constructed a risk prognostic model. Methods: We downloaded gene data and clinical information of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We performed functional enrichment analysis on the differentially expressed NRGs (DENRGs). We constructed prognostic models and evaluated them by Cox and LASSO regressions for DENRGs, and validated them using the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset. We used the obtained risk score to classify patients into high- and low-risk groups. We employed the ESTIMATE and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms to explore the relationship between the risk score and the clinical phenotype and the tumor immune microenvironment. Results: With LASSO regression, we established a prognostic model of CC including 16 signature DENRGs (TMP3, CHMP4C, EEF1A1, FASN, TNF, S100A10, IL1A, H1.2, SLC25A5, GLTP, IFNG, H2AC13, TUBB4B, AKNA, TYK2, and H1.5). The risk score was associated with poor prognosis in CC. Survival was lower in the high-risk group than the low-risk group. The nomogram based on the risk score, T stage, and N stage showed good prognostic predictive power. We found significant differences in immune scores, immune infiltration analysis, and immune checkpoints between the high- and low-risk groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We screened for DENRGs based on the TCGA database by using bioinformatics methods, and constructed prognostic models based on the signature DENRGs, which we confirmed as possibly having important biological functions in CC. Our study provides a new perspective on CC prognosis and immunity, and offers a series of new targets for future treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Xing
- The First Clinical Medical College, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,Department of Assisted Reproduction, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yanan Tian
- Postgraduate Union Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University, Xiangyang No 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, China,Key Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases of Xiangyang City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, China
| | - Xuan Jin
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,*Correspondence: Xuan Jin,
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23
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Jiang G, Wu Q, Li B. Evaluation of immunotherapy efficacy in gynecologic cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1061761. [PMID: 36793735 PMCID: PMC9922993 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1061761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Various immunotherapies have demonstrated remarkable success over the past few decades, and have been approved for the treatment of different cancer types. However, patient responses to immunotherapy are variable, and approximately 50% of cases are refractory to these agents. Tumor biomarker-based stratification of cases may therefore help identify subpopulations that are sensitive/resistant to immunotherapy; it may also improve prediction of response in various cancers including gynecologic cancer. These biomarkers include the tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, mismatch repair deficiency, T cell-inflamed gene expression profile, programmed cell death protein 1 ligand 1, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and numerous other genomic alterations. Future directions in the treatment of gynecologic cancer include the utilization of these biomarkers to select ideal candidates. This review focused on recent advances in the predictive ability of molecular biomarkers in patients with gynecologic cancer who undergo immunotherapy. The most recent developments in combined immunotherapy and targeted therapy strategies and novel immune interventions against gynecologic cancers have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genyi Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianhua Wu
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bilan Li
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Xiang S, Wei M, Zhao L, Lin A, Xiong Z. Integrated Analyses of the Expression and Prognostic Value of EPHB6 in Cervical Cancer and Its Correlation with Immune Infiltrates. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2023; 2023:2258906. [PMID: 37101747 PMCID: PMC10125771 DOI: 10.1155/2023/2258906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Among women, cervical cancer (CC) ranks as the third most frequent form of carcinoma and the fourth greatest cancer-related cause of deaths. There is increasing evidence that points to the dysregulation of EPH receptor B6 (EPHB6) in various cancers. On the other hand, neither the expression nor the function of EPHB6 in CC has been researched. In the first part of this investigation, we analyzed the data from the TCGA and discovered that the level of EPHB6 was much lower in CC tissues than in normal cervical tissues. ROC assays revealed that high EPHB6 expression had an AUC value of 0.835 for CC. The survival study revealed that both the overall and disease-specific survivals in this condition were considerably lower among patients who had a low EPHB6 level compared to those who had a high EPHB6 level. It is important to note that the multivariate COX regression analysis indicated that the expression of EPHB6 was an independent predictive factor. In addition to this, the C-indexes and calibration plots of a nomogram derived from multivariate assays revealed an accurate prediction performance among patients with CC. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that the expression of EPHB6 was positively associated with the levels of Tcm, TReg, B cells, T cells, iDC, T helper cells, cytotoxic cells, and DC, while negatively associated with NK CD56bright cells and neutrophils. In summary, the downregulation of EPHB6 was strongly linked to a more aggressive clinical development of CC, suggesting its potential utility as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Xiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Gynaecology, The First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New District, Chongqing, China
| | - Mei Wei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Gynaecology, The First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New District, Chongqing, China
| | - Limei Zhao
- Department of Gynaecology, The First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New District, Chongqing, China
| | - Anping Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengai Xiong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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25
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Jiang S, Zhou Y, Ye M, Li X, Zhang L, Yang Y. Construction of an immune-related ceRNA network in cervical cancer based on HPV E6 splicing. Front Oncol 2022; 12:979884. [PMID: 36591476 PMCID: PMC9796994 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.979884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The unspliced human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 plays an important role in tumor progression and immune regulation. Improved immunotherapy implementation might benefit from a better knowledge of HPV E6 splicing-related immune gene expressions and immunocyte infiltration in cervical cancer. This study aimed to identify the potential therapeutic and prognostic roles of unspliced/spliced E6 ratio (E6 ratio) in cervical cancer. Methods Data from the TCGA were used to analyze the E6 condition and clinical information. Nomogram and K-M analysis were used to analyze assess the prognostic significance, IOBR was used to investigate immunological infiltrates. Functions and pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs were investigated through GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis, respectively. A core module was taken from the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and used to build a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. QT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of genes. CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing and migration assays were used to detect cell functions. Results Our study found that HPV E6 ratio had significantly correlation with overall survival. In cervical cancer, a high E6 ratio was adversely linked with infiltrating levels of aDC, M1 macrophages, monocytes, NKT, and Tgd. High E6 ratio phenotypes were shown to be implicated in immune response regulation, cell adhesion, and Wnt signaling pathways, according to functional enrichment analysis. Subsequently, we constructed an immune-related ceRNA network based on E6 splicing in cervical cancer, including three lncRNA (LINC00943, LIFR-AS1, DANT2, and RASSF8-AS1), four miRNA (miR-205-5p, miR-181d-5p, miR-222-3p, and miR-221-3p), and seven mRNA (FGFR1, PRLR, CXCL2, ISG20, ISG15, SDC1, and NR2F2). Among them, CXCL2, SDC1, and miR-221-3p were associated with survival and immune cell infiltration. Conclusions These data imply that a high E6 ratio in cervical cancer contributes to the immune-related ceRNA network, resulting in a low amount of infiltrating effector immune cells and tumor growth. As a result, the E6 ratio might be employed as a biomarker in cervical cancer to determine prognosis and treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senwei Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minjuan Ye
- Department of Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomao Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University (Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Yunnan Cancer Center), Kunming, China
| | - Yuebo Yang
- Department of Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yuebo Yang,
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Liu B, Dong C, Chen Q, Fan Z, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Cui T, Liu F. Circ_0007534 as new emerging target in cancer: Biological functions and molecular interactions. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1031802. [PMID: 36505874 PMCID: PMC9730518 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1031802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNAs), an important member of the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) family, are widely expressed in a variety of biological cells. Owing to their stable structures, sequence conservations, and cell- or tissue-specific expressions, these RNA have become a popular subject of scientific research. With the development of sequencing methods, it has been revealed that circRNAs exert their biological function by sponging microRNAs (miRNAs), regulating transcription, or binding to proteins. Humans have historically been significantly impacted by various types of cancer. Studies have shown that circRNAs are abnormally expressed in various cancers and are involved in the occurrence and development of malignant tumors, such as tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. As one of its star molecules, circ_0007534 is upregulated in colorectal, cervical, and pancreatic cancers; is closely related to the occurrence, development, and prognosis of tumors; and is expected to become a novel tumor marker and therapeutic target. This article briefly reviews the expression and mechanism of circ_0007534 in malignant tumors based on the domestic and foreign literature.
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27
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Shen X, Wang C, Li M, Wang S, Zhao Y, Liu Z, Zhu G. Identification of CD8+ T cell infiltration-related genes and their prognostic values in cervical cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1031643. [PMID: 36387234 PMCID: PMC9659851 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1031643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a female-specific cancer with relatively high morbidity and mortality. As known to all, immune cell infiltrations in the cancer microenvironment are closely related to the cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Here we revealed that the CD8+ T cell infiltration was significantly upregulated in cervical cancer versus normal cervix uteri samples. Through univariate and multivariate cox analyses, we discovered that the CD8+ T cell infiltration was the only independent beneficial factor for the prognosis of cervical cancer. To explore the genes associated with the CD8+ T cell infiltration in cervical cancer, we performed the WGCNA analysis on the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of cervical cancer versus normal cervix uteri tissues. As a result, 231 DEGs were found to be associated with CD8+ T cell infiltration in cervical cancer. Subsequently, with the Cytoscape analysis, we identified 105 hub genes out of the 231 DEGs. To further explore the genes that might be responsible for the prognosis of cervical cancer, we performed a univariate cox analysis followed by a LASSO assay on the 105 hub genes and located four genes (IGSF6, TLR10, FCRL3, and IFI30) finally. The four genes could be applied to the prediction of the prognosis of cervical cancer, and relatively higher expression of these four genes predicted a better prognosis. These findings contributed to our understanding of the prognostic values of CD8+ T cell infiltration and its associated genes in cervical cancer and thus might benefit future immune-related therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Chunguang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Meng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Sufen Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Zhongxian Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Guoping Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
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28
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Tisotumab vedotin-tftv in previously treated recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer: a profile of its use in the USA. DRUGS & THERAPY PERSPECTIVES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40267-022-00939-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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29
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Reşit Çakmak, Başaran E, Boğa M, Erdoğan Ö, Çınar E, Çevik Ö. Schiff Base Derivatives of 4-Aminoantipyrine as Promising Molecules: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Biological Activities. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162022020182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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30
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Mutlu L, Tymon-Rosario J, Harold J, Menderes G. Targeted treatment options for the management of metastatic/persistent and recurrent cervical cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2022; 22:633-645. [PMID: 35533682 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2022.2075348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cervical cancer is the overall fourth most common malignancy and the fourth most common cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Despite vaccination and screening programs, many women continue to present with advanced stage cervical cancer, wherein the treatment options have been limited. AREAS COVERED In this review, immunotherapy and the potential targeted therapies that have demonstrated promise in the treatment of persistent, recurrent, and metastatic cervical cancer are discussed. EXPERT OPINION Our global goal in the gynecologic oncology community is to eliminate cervical cancer, by increasing the uptake of preventive vaccination and screening programs. For unfortunate patients who present with metastatic, persistent, and recurrent cervical cancer, pembrolizumab with chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab is the new first line therapy for PD-L1 positive patients. For this patient population as a second line therapy, tisotumab vedotin (i.e. ADC) has shown significant efficacy in Phase II trials, leading to FDA approval. Combination regimens inclusive of immune checkpoint inhibitors, DNA damage repair inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates are potential breakthrough treatment strategies and are currently being investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levent Mutlu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale University, School of Medicine
| | - Joan Tymon-Rosario
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale University, School of Medicine
| | - Justin Harold
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale University, School of Medicine
| | - Gulden Menderes
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale University, School of Medicine
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Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:456. [PMID: 35473606 PMCID: PMC9044629 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09582-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Incidence of cervical cancer has been reduced by organized screening while for vaginal and vulvar cancers no systematic screening has been implemented. All these cancers are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. We wanted to analyze incidence trends and relative survival in these cancers with specific questions about the possible covariation of incidence, survival changes coinciding with incidence changes and the role of treatment in survival. We used nationwide cancer registry data for Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE) to address these questions. Methods We use the NORDCAN database for the analyses: incidence data were available from 1943 in DK, 1953 in FI and NO and 1960 in SE, through 2016. Survival data were available from 1967 through 2016. World standard population was used in age standardization. Results In each country the incidence of cervical cancer declined subsequent to rolling out of screening activities. The attained plateau incidence was lowest at 4/100,000 in FI and highest at 10/100,000 in DK and NO. The incidence of vaginal and vulvar cancer remained relatively constant at about 2/100,000. Relative 1-year survival in cervical cancer improved in all countries from low 80%s to high 80%s in the 50-year period, and 5-year survival improved also but at 20% units lower level. Survival gains were found only in patients diagnosed before age 60 years. Survival in vaginal and vulvar cancer followed the same patterns but at a few % units lower level. Conclusion Cervical cancer screening appeared to have reached its limits in the Nordic countries by year 2000. Novel treatments, such as immunotherapy, would be needed to improve survival until HPV vaccination will reach population coverage and boost the global fight against these cancers.
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Burmeister CA, Khan SF, Schäfer G, Mbatani N, Adams T, Moodley J, Prince S. Cervical cancer therapies: current challenges and future perspectives. Tumour Virus Res 2022; 13:200238. [PMID: 35460940 PMCID: PMC9062473 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvr.2022.200238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common female cancer worldwide and results in over 300 000 deaths globally. The causative agent of cervical cancer is persistent infection with high-risk subtypes of the human papillomavirus and the E5, E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins cooperate with host factors to induce and maintain the malignant phenotype. Cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease and early-stage detection is associated with significantly improved survival rates. Indeed, in high-income countries with established vaccination and screening programs it is a rare disease. However, the disease is a killer for women in low- and middle-income countries who, due to limited resources, often present with advanced and untreatable disease. Treatment options include surgical interventions, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy either alone or in combination. This review describes the initiation and progression of cervical cancer and discusses in depth the advantages and challenges faced by current cervical cancer therapies, followed by a discussion of promising and efficacious new therapies to treat cervical cancer including immunotherapies, targeted therapies, combination therapies, and genetic treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly A Burmeister
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Saif F Khan
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Georgia Schäfer
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa; Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa; Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa
| | - Nomonde Mbatani
- South African Medical Research Council Gynaecology Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Cape Town,Observatory. Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tracey Adams
- South African Medical Research Council Gynaecology Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Cape Town,Observatory. Cape Town, South Africa; UCT Global Surgery, Department of Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Moodley
- Women's Health Research Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town; Observatory, Cape, Town, South Africa; Cancer Research Initiative, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town; Observatory, Cape, Town, South Africa; South African Medical Research Council Gynaecology Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sharon Prince
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
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Turinetto M, Valsecchi AA, Tuninetti V, Scotto G, Borella F, Valabrega G. Immunotherapy for Cervical Cancer: Are We Ready for Prime Time? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073559. [PMID: 35408919 PMCID: PMC8999051 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis of invasive cervical cancer (CC) remains poor, with a treatment approach that has remained the same for several decades. Lately, a better understanding of the interactions between the disease and the host immune system has allowed researchers to focus on the employment of immune therapy in various clinical settings. The most advanced strategy is immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with numerous phase II and III trials recently concluded with very encouraging results, assessing single agent therapy, combinations with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Apart from ICIs, several other compounds have gained the spotlight. Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) due to their highly selective tumoricidal effect and manageable adverse effect profile have received the FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy designation in 2019. The antibody drug conjugate (ADC) Tisotumab-Vedotin has shown activity in metastatic CC relapsed after at least one line of chemotherapy, with a phase III trial currently actively enrolling patients. Moreover, the deeper understanding of the ever-changing immune landscape of CC carcinogenesis has resulted in the development of active therapeutic vaccines. This review highlights the different immunotherapeutic strategies being explored reflects on what role immunotherapy might have in therapeutic algorithms of CC and addresses the role of predictive biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Turinetto
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Ordine Mauriziano Hospital, 10128 Turin, Italy; (A.A.V.); (V.T.); (G.S.); (G.V.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna A. Valsecchi
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Ordine Mauriziano Hospital, 10128 Turin, Italy; (A.A.V.); (V.T.); (G.S.); (G.V.)
| | - Valentina Tuninetti
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Ordine Mauriziano Hospital, 10128 Turin, Italy; (A.A.V.); (V.T.); (G.S.); (G.V.)
| | - Giulia Scotto
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Ordine Mauriziano Hospital, 10128 Turin, Italy; (A.A.V.); (V.T.); (G.S.); (G.V.)
| | - Fulvio Borella
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1, Department of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10100 Turin, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Valabrega
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Ordine Mauriziano Hospital, 10128 Turin, Italy; (A.A.V.); (V.T.); (G.S.); (G.V.)
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Yu S, Li X, Zhang J, Wu S. Development of a Novel Immune Infiltration-Based Gene Signature to Predict Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response of Patients With Cervical Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:709493. [PMID: 34539641 PMCID: PMC8446628 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.709493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Predictive models could indicate the clinical outcome of patients with carcinoma. Cervical cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed female malignancies. Herein, we proposed an immune infiltration-related gene signature that predicts prognosis of patients with cervical cancer and depicts the immune landscape as well. We utilized the transcriptome data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and estimated the infiltration level of 28 immune cell types. We screened out four immune cell types conducive to patient survival and recognized their shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Four core genes (CHIT1, GTSF1L, PLA2G2D, and GNG8) that composed the ultimate signature were identified via univariate and multivariate Cox regression. The optimal model we built up could distinguish patients with cervical cancer into high-score and low-score subgroups. These two subgroups showed disparity in aspects of patient survival, immune infiltration landscape, and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, we found that GTSF1L was decreased gradually along with the severity of cervical lesions, and its potential role in immune contexture and clinical practice were also demonstrated. Our results suggested that the Immunoscore based on four immune-related genes could serve as a supplementary criterion to effectively foresee the survival outcome, tumor infiltration status, and immunotherapy efficacy of cervical cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihui Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiawen Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sufang Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Tanaka C, Kobori T, Tameishi M, Urashima Y, Ito T, Obata T. Ezrin Modulates the Cell Surface Expression of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 in Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells. Molecules 2021; 26:5648. [PMID: 34577118 PMCID: PMC8469114 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26185648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells employ programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), an immune checkpoint protein that binds to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and is highly expressed in various cancers, including cervical carcinoma, to abolish T-cell-mediated immunosurveillance. Despite a key role of PD-L1 in various cancer cell types, the regulatory mechanism for PD-L1 expression is largely unknown. Understanding this mechanism could provide a novel strategy for cervical cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the influence of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) family scaffold proteins, crosslinking the actin cytoskeleton and certain plasma membrane proteins, on the expression of PD-L1 in HeLa cells. Our results showed that all proteins were expressed at mRNA and protein levels and that all ERM proteins were highly colocalized with PD-L1 in the plasma membrane. Interestingly, immunoprecipitation assay results demonstrated that PD-L1 interacted with ERM as well as actin cytoskeleton proteins. Furthermore, gene silencing of ezrin, but not radixin and moesin, remarkably decreased the protein expression of PD-L1 without affecting its mRNA expression. In conclusion, ezrin may function as a scaffold protein for PD-L1; regulate PD-L1 protein expression, possibly via post-translational modification in HeLa cells; and serve as a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer, improving the current immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Tanaka
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan; (C.T.); (M.T.); (Y.U.)
| | - Takuro Kobori
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan; (C.T.); (M.T.); (Y.U.)
| | - Mayuka Tameishi
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan; (C.T.); (M.T.); (Y.U.)
| | - Yoko Urashima
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan; (C.T.); (M.T.); (Y.U.)
| | - Takuya Ito
- Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan;
| | - Tokio Obata
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi 584-8540, Osaka, Japan; (C.T.); (M.T.); (Y.U.)
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