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Guo Z, Liu Y, Ling Q, Xu L, Wang T, Zhu J, Lin Y, Lu X, Qu W, Zhang F, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Jia Z, Zeng P, Wang W, Sun Q, Luo Q, Hu Z, Zheng Z, Jia Y, Li J, Zheng Y, Wang M, Wang S, Han Z, Yu S, Li C, Zhang S, Xiong J, Deng F, Liu Y, Chen H, Wang Y, Li L, Liang W, Schlegel A, Björn N, Liu C, Zheng S, He X. Pre-transplant Use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Retrospective Cohort Study. Am J Transplant 2024:S1600-6135(24)00278-8. [PMID: 38642712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2024.04.007] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a downstaging or bridging therapy for liver transplantation (LT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is rapidly increasing. However, the evidence about the feasibility and safety of pre-LT ICIs therapy is limited and controversial. To this end, a multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted in 11 Chinese centers. The results showed that 83 recipients received pre-LT ICIs therapy during the study period. The median post-LT follow up was 8.1 (interquartile range [IQR] 3.3-14.6) months. During the short follow-up, 23 (27.7%) recipients developed allograft rejection, and 7 of them (30.4%) was diagnosed by liver biopsy. Multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that time interval between the last administration of ICIs therapy and LT (TLAT) ≥ 30 days was an independent protective factor for allograft rejection (OR = 0.096, 95%CI 0.026-0.357; P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that allograft rejection was an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS) (HR = 9.960, 95%CI 1.006-98.610; P = 0.043). We conclude that patients who receive a pre-LT ICIs therapy with a TLAT shorter than 30 days have a much higher risk of allograft rejection than those with a TLAT longer than 30 days. The presence of rejection episodes might be associated with a higher post-LT mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Guo
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China; NHC key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qi Ling
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 311121, China; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Leibo Xu
- Department of Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Tielong Wang
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiaxing Zhu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Yimou Lin
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 311121, China; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Xinjun Lu
- Department of Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Wei Qu
- Liver Transplantation Center, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China; Clinical Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Liver Transplantation Center, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China; Clinical Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China
| | - Zhijun Zhu
- Liver Transplantation Center, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China; Clinical Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Capital Medical University, Beijing100000, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zehua Jia
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan People's Hospital, Zhongshan 528403, China
| | - Qijie Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan People's Hospital, Zhongshan 528403, China
| | - Zemin Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan People's Hospital, Zhongshan 528403, China
| | - Zhouying Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Yingbin Jia
- Department of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Yujian Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery & Liver Transplantation Center, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Mengchao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery & Liver Transplantation Center, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Shaoping Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery & Liver Transplantation Center, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Zemin Han
- Division of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Sheng Yu
- Division of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- Division of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Shuhua Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of General Surgery, Liver transplant center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Jun Xiong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of General Surgery, Liver transplant center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Feiwen Deng
- Liver Surgery Department, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528010, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Liver Surgery Department, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528010, China
| | - Huanwei Chen
- Liver Surgery Department, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528010, China
| | - Yanfeng Wang
- Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Institute of Hepatobiliary Diseases of Wuhan University, Transplant Center of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Technology on Transplantation, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ling Li
- Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Institute of Hepatobiliary Diseases of Wuhan University, Transplant Center of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Technology on Transplantation, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Wenjin Liang
- Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Institute of Hepatobiliary Diseases of Wuhan University, Transplant Center of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Technology on Transplantation, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Andrea Schlegel
- Transplantation Center, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Department of Immunity and Inflammation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Nashan Björn
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 311121, China; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| | - Xiaoshun He
- Organ Transplant Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), Guangzhou 510080, China.
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2
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Hu Y, Zhang X, Li Q, Zhou Q, Fang D, Lu Y. An immune and epigenetics-related scoring model and drug candidate prediction for hepatic carcinogenesis via dynamic network biomarker analysis and connectivity mapping. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4619-4633. [PMID: 37817777 PMCID: PMC10561057 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.030] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with high mortality. This study aimed to build a prognostic signature for HCC patients based on immune-related genes (IRGs) and epigenetics-related genes (EPGs). RNA-seq data from Gene Expression Omnibus were used for dynamic network biomarker (DNB) analysis to identify 56 candidate IRG-EPG-DNBs and their first-neighbor genes. These genes were screened using LASSO-Cox regression analysis to finally obtain five candidate genes-RNF2, YBX1, EZH2, CAD, and PSMD1-which constituted the prognostic signature panel. According to this panel, patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas and International Cancer Genome Consortium were divided into high- and low-risk groups. The prognosis, clinicopathological features, and immune cell infiltration significantly differed between the two risk groups. The prognostic ability of the signature panel and expression profiling were further validated using online databases. We used an independent cohort of patients to validate the expression profiles of the five genes using reverse transcription-PCR. CMap and CellMiner predicted four small molecule drug-protein pairs based on the five prognostic genes. Of them, two market drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (AT-13387 and KU-55933) have emerged as candidates for HCC study. This new signature panel may serve as a potential prognostic marker, engendering the possibility of novel personalized therapy with classification of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Hu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xingli Zhang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qingya Li
- Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Henan 450046, China
| | - Qianmei Zhou
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dongdong Fang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yiyu Lu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
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3
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Wassmer CH, El Hajji S, Papazarkadas X, Compagnon P, Tabrizian P, Lacotte S, Toso C. Immunotherapy and Liver Transplantation: A Narrative Review of Basic and Clinical Data. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4574. [PMID: 37760542 PMCID: PMC10526934 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved the management of patients with intermediate- and advanced-stage HCC, even making some of them potential candidates for liver transplantation. However, acute rejection has been observed after ICI therapy, challenging its safety in transplant settings. We summarize the key basic impact of immune checkpoints on HCC and liver transplantation. We analyze the available case reports and case series on the use of ICI therapy prior to and after liver transplantation. A three-month washout period is desirable between ICI therapy and liver transplantation to reduce the risk of acute rejection. Whenever possible, ICIs should be avoided after liver transplantation, and especially so early after a transplant. Globally, more robust prospective data in the field are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles-Henri Wassmer
- Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.E.H.); (X.P.); (S.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Sofia El Hajji
- Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.E.H.); (X.P.); (S.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Xenofon Papazarkadas
- Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.E.H.); (X.P.); (S.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Philippe Compagnon
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland;
| | - Parissa Tabrizian
- Mount Sinai Liver Cancer Program, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10019, USA;
| | - Stéphanie Lacotte
- Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.E.H.); (X.P.); (S.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Christian Toso
- Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.E.H.); (X.P.); (S.L.); (C.T.)
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Jiang J, Huang H, Chen R, Lin Y, Ling Q. Immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation, can we harness the power of immune checkpoint inhibitors? Front Immunol 2023; 14:1092401. [PMID: 36875077 PMCID: PMC9978931 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1092401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death globally and liver transplantation (LT) can serve as the best curative treatment option. However, HCC recurrence after LT remains the major obstacle to the long-term survival of recipients. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of many cancers and provided a new treatment strategy for post-LT HCC recurrence. Evidence has been accumulated with the real-world application of ICIs in patients with post-LT HCC recurrence. Notably, the use of these agents as immunity boosters in recipients treated with immunosuppressors is still controversial. In this review, we summarized the immunotherapy for post-LT HCC recurrence and conducted an efficacy and safety evaluation based on the current experience of ICIs for post-LT HCC recurrence. In addition, we further discussed the potential mechanism of ICIs and immunosuppressive agents in regulating the balance between immune immunosuppression and lasting anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Jiang
- Department of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haitao Huang
- Department of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruihan Chen
- Department of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yimou Lin
- Department of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Ling
- Department of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Kayali S, Pasta A, Plaz Torres MC, Jaffe A, Strazzabosco M, Marenco S, Giannini EG. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in malignancies after liver transplantation: A systematic review and pooled analysis. Liver Int 2023; 43:8-17. [PMID: 36102312 PMCID: PMC10087158 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Treatment of de novo malignancies and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in liver transplant recipients (LT) is an attractive strategy that is infrequently pursued because of the lack of strong evidence regarding their safety and efficacy. In this systematic review with pooled analysis, we aimed to assess safety and efficacy of ICI therapy following LT. METHODS We performed a systematic search of case reports and series published until January 2022. We included 31 publications reporting a total of 52 patients treated with ICIs after LT and assessed in a pooled analysis the risk of graft rejection and the outcome of ICI therapy. RESULTS Acute graft rejection occurred in 15 patients (28.8%) and 7 patients (13.4% of the total cohort) died because of graft loss. Rejection was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (17.2 months, confidence interval [CI] 12.1-22.2 vs. 3.5 months, CI 1.6-5.4, p < 0.001). Disease control rate was 44.2% (n = 23), and in these patients, OS was longer than in non-responders (26.4 months, CI 20.8-32.0 vs. 3.4 months, CI 2.1-4.7, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Observational, off-label experience suggests that treatment with ICI for advanced malignancies in LT recipients might not be discarded a priori. This notwithstanding, ICI treatment in these patients is associated with a substantial risk of graft rejection and mortality. Prospective studies are needed to provide adequate safety and efficacy figures of ICI treatment in this fragile population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Kayali
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Pasta
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Corina Plaz Torres
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ariel Jaffe
- Liver Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Smilow Cancer Hospital and Liver Cancer Program, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mario Strazzabosco
- Liver Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Smilow Cancer Hospital and Liver Cancer Program, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Simona Marenco
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Edoardo G Giannini
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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Cao W, Lu J, Li S, Song F, Xu J. Transcriptomic analysis of graft liver provides insight into the immune response of rat liver transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:947437. [DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.947437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAs an “immune-privileged organ”, the liver has higher rates of both spontaneous tolerance and operational tolerance after being transplanted compared with other solid organs. Also, a large number of patients still need to take long-term immunosuppression regimens. Liver transplantation (LT) rejection involves varieties of pathophysiological processes and cell types, and a deeper understanding of LT immune response is urgently needed.MethodsHomogenic and allogeneic rat LT models were established, and recipient tissue was collected on postoperative day 7. The degree of LT rejection was evaluated by liver pathological changes and liver function. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by transcriptome sequencing and confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The functional properties of DEGs were characterized by the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome pathway analyses. The cells infiltrating the graft and recipient spleen and peripheral blood were evaluated by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry.ResultA total of 1,465 DEGs were screened, including 1,177 up-regulated genes and 288 down-regulated genes. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that DEGs were involved in several immunobiological processes, including T cell activation, Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and other immune processes. Reactome results showed that PD-1 signaling was enriched. Further research confirmed that mRNA expression of multiple immune cell markers increased and markers of T cell exhaustion significantly changed. Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of Treg decreased, and that of PD-1+CD4+ T cells and PD-1+CD8+ T cells increased in the allogeneic group.ConclusionUsing an omic approach, we revealed that the development of LT rejection involved multiple immune cells, activation of various immune pathways, and specific alterations of immune checkpoints, which would benefit risk assessment in the clinic and understanding of pathogenesis regarding LT tolerance. Further clinical validations are warranted for our findings.
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7
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Hu B, Qu C, Qi WJ, Liu CH, Xiu DR. Development and verification of the glycolysis-associated and immune-related prognosis signature for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:955673. [PMID: 36267406 PMCID: PMC9576873 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.955673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) refers to the malignant tumor associated with a high mortality rate. This work focused on identifying a robust tumor glycolysis-immune-related gene signature to facilitate the prognosis prediction of HCC cases. Methods: This work adopted t-SNE algorithms for predicting glycolysis status in accordance with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-derived cohort transcriptome profiles. In addition, the Cox regression model was utilized together with LASSO to identify prognosis-related genes (PRGs). In addition, the results were externally validated with the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort. Results: Accordingly, the glycolysis-immune-related gene signature, which consisted of seven genes, PSRC1, CHORDC1, KPNA2, CDCA8, G6PD, NEIL3, and EZH2, was constructed based on TCGA-HCC patients. Under a range of circumstances, low-risk patients had extended overall survival (OS) compared with high-risk patients. Additionally, the developed gene signature acted as the independent factor, which was significantly associated with clinical stage, grade, portal vein invasion, and intrahepatic vein invasion among HCC cases. In addition, as revealed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the model showed high efficiency. Moreover, the different glycolysis and immune statuses between the two groups were further revealed by functional analysis. Conclusion: Our as-constructed prognosis prediction model contributes to HCC risk stratification.
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Huang AC, Dodge JL, Yao FY, Mehta N. National Experience on Waitlist Outcomes for Down-Staging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: High Dropout Rate in All-Comers. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 21:1581-1589. [PMID: 36038129 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2022.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) grants priority listing for liver transplant for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after successful down-staging to Milan criteria. We evaluated the national experience on down-staging by comparing 2 down-staging groups: tumor burden meeting UNOS down-staging (UNOS-DS) inclusion criteria, and all-comers (AC)-DS with initial tumor burden beyond UNOS-DS criteria vs patients always within Milan criteria. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of the UNOS database of 23,398 patients listed for liver transplant who had submitted a hepatocellular carcinoma Model for End-Stage Liver Disease exception application from 2010 to 2019, classified as always within Milan (n = 20,579), UNOS-DS (n = 2151), and AC-DS (n = 668). RESULTS The 2-year cumulative probabilities of dropout were 19% for Milan, 25% for UNOS-DS (P < .001), and 30% for AC-DS (P < .001). In multivariate analysis of the down-staging groups, factors predicting dropout included Model for End-Stage Liver Disease at listing (hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; P < .001) and initial total tumor diameter (HR, 1.04; P = .002). Compared with α-fetoprotein (AFP) level ≤20 ng/mL, AFP levels of 21 to 100, 101 to 1000, and greater than 1000 ng/mL were associated with a higher risk of dropout (HRs, 1.63, 2.06, and 4.58, respectively; P < .001). A subset of all-comers with AFP levels greater than 100 ng/mL had a 2-year probability of dropout of 52% vs 26% for all others beyond Milan criteria (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS All-comers had a significantly higher risk for waitlist dropout compared with the UNOS-DS and Milan groups after initial successful down-staging to Milan criteria. In particular, the subgroup of AC-DS with an AFP level greater than 100 ng/mL had a greater than 50% probability of dropout in the next 2 years. These observations suggest a high likelihood of failure when expanding the indications for down-staging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annsa C Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Jennifer L Dodge
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Francis Y Yao
- Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Neil Mehta
- Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
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Wu J, Huang J, Zhu J, He Z, Chen M, Gao S, Liang D, Yu X, Lu C. Immune checkpoint inhibitors increase the risk of kidney transplant rejection: a real-world pharmacovigilance study. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2022; 22:231-235. [PMID: 35929998 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2022.2110234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kidney transplant recipients with cancer are at higher risk of kidney transplant rejection (KTR), and the safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is unclear. The present study investigates the relationship between ICIs and KTR using data from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Case reports of KTR inducted by ICIs in FAERS from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2021, were collected, and a disproportionate analysis was performed to assess the correlation between ICIs and KTR. RESULTS A total of 99 cases of ICI-related KTR were reported in the FAERS database. Most of them were male patients (n=63, 84.0%), and more than half of patients suffered from malignant melanoma (n=46, 52.9%). The median onset time after the medication was 22 days, the withdrawal rates of ICIs were 78.0%, and the overall death rate was 29.3%. In general, there was a significant relevance between ICIs and KTR (ROR=3.92[3.21-4.79] IC025=1.56), of which PD-1 was the most prominent (n=81 ROR=5.26[4.22-6.57] IC025=1.86). CONCLUSIONS ICIs may increase the risk of KTR in organ transplant recipients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University.,Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | | | - Jianhong Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | - Zhichao He
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | | | - Siyuan Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | - Dan Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | - Xiaoxia Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation
| | - Chengyu Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University
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10
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Vulasala SSR, Onteddu NK, Kumar SP, Lall C, Bhosale P, Virarkar MK. Advances and effectiveness of the immunotherapy after liver transplantation. World J Gastrointest Surg 2022; 14:629-631. [PMID: 35979423 PMCID: PMC9258234 DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v14.i6.629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transplant recipients usually have increased chances of graft rejection and graft vs host disease, requiring chronic immunosuppressive therapy. Nonetheless, long-term immunosuppression risks malignancies such as skin cancer, lymphoma, and Kaposi sarcoma. However, there are very few studies that included solid organ transplant recipients while studying the efficacy of immunotherapy. “Immunotherapy after liver transplantation: Where are we now?” is a study, where the authors described the mechanism of action and outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors specific to liver transplant recipients. The authors reported the graft rejection rates and the factors contributing to the rejection in the liver transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Swarupa R Vulasala
- Department of Radiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States
| | - Nirmal K Onteddu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Flowers Hospital, Dothan, AL 36305, United States
| | - Sindhu P Kumar
- Department of Radiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States
| | - Chandana Lall
- Department of Radiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States
| | - Priya Bhosale
- Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Mayur K Virarkar
- Department of Radiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States
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11
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Azhie A, Grant RC, Herman M, Wang L, Knox JJ, Bhat M. Phase II clinical trial of cabozantinib for the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation. Future Oncol 2022; 18:2173-2191. [PMID: 35287469 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-1635] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops in 15-20% of liver transplant recipients, and it tends to be more aggressive due to underlying immunosuppression. The multikinase inhibitor cabozantinib has been shown to be effective for the treatment of advanced HCC. However, there is no study evaluating this medication in patients with recurrent HCC. Adult patients with measurable biopsy-proven recurrent HCC are eligible for enrollment provided they are not amenable to curative treatments and no prior treatment with cabozantinib. In this study, 60 mg once daily cabozantinib will be administered orally. Participants will receive study treatment as long as they continue to experience clinical benefit or until there is unacceptable toxicity. Tumor measurements will be repeated every 8 weeks to evaluate response. The primary end point of this study will be the disease control rate at 4 months after treatment. The secondary end points will be overall survival, progression-free survival and safety profile of cabozantinib. Furthermore, potential biomarkers will be evaluated to identify their role in tumor progression. The total duration of this trial is expected to be 3 years. We anticipate that this trial will show the effectiveness and safety of cabozantinib in the treatment of post-liver transplant recurrent HCC. Cabozantinib is expected to be an effective treatment due to its activity against many protein kinases, including MET and AXL which are not inhibited by sorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Azhie
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Robert C Grant
- Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Michael Herman
- Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Oakville, Ontario, L6M 0L8, Canada
| | - Lisa Wang
- Biostatistics Division, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Jennifer J Knox
- Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Mamatha Bhat
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
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12
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Zhang G, Su L, Lv X, Yang Q. A novel tumor doubling time-related immune gene signature for prognosis prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:522. [PMID: 34627241 PMCID: PMC8502295 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02227-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a global health issue of wide concern due to its high prevalence and poor therapeutic efficacy. Both tumor doubling time (TDT) and immune status are closely related to the prognosis of HCC patients. However, the association between TDT-related genes (TDTRGs) and immune-related genes (IRGs) and the value of their combination in predicting the prognosis of HCC patients remains unclear. The current study aimed to discover reliable biomarkers for anticipating the future prognosis of HCC patients based on the relationship between TDTRGs and IRGs. Methods Tumor doubling time-related genes (TDTRGs) were acquired from GSE54236 by using Pearson correlation test and immune-related genes (IRGs) were available from ImmPort. Prognostic TDTRGs and IRGs in TCGA-LIHC dataset were determined to create a prognostic model by the LASSO-Cox regression and stepwise Cox regression analysis. International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and another cohort of individual clinical samples acted as external validations. Additionally, significant impacts of the signature on HCC immune microenvironment and reaction to immune checkpoint inhibitors were observed. Results Among the 68 overlapping genes identified as TDTRG and IRG, a total of 29 genes had significant prognostic relevance and were further selected by performing a LASSO-Cox regression model based on the minimum value of λ. Subsequently, a prognostic three-gene signature including HECT domain and ankyrin repeat containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (HACE1), C-type lectin domain family 1 member B (CLEC1B), and Collectin sub-family member 12 (COLEC12) was finally identified by stepwise Cox proportional modeling. The signature exhibited superior accuracy in forecasting the survival outcomes of HCC patients in TCGA, ICGC and the independent clinical cohorts. Patients in high-risk subgroup had significantly increased levels of immune checkpoint molecules including PD-L1, CD276, CTLA4, CXCR4, IL1A, PD-L2, TGFB1, OX40 and CD137, and are therefore more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment. Finally, we first found that overexpression of CLEC1B inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of HuH7 cells. Conclusions In summary, the prognostic signature based on TDTRGs and IRGs could effectively help clinicians classify HCC patients for prognosis prediction and individualized immunotherapies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02227-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genhao Zhang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Lisa Su
- Department of Genetic and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xianping Lv
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiankun Yang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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13
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Hong MH. Nephrotoxicity of cancer therapeutic drugs: Focusing on novel agents. Kidney Res Clin Pract 2021; 40:344-354. [PMID: 34233435 PMCID: PMC8476309 DOI: 10.23876/j.krcp.21.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney injury caused by anticancer agents is a common problem that can interfere with and affect the dose intensity of anticancer therapy, thus restricting patient survival. Recent advances in targeted and immunotherapeutic agents have transformed the landscape of medical oncology, and these agents have been widely employed in clinical practice. While typically associated with favorable toxicity profiles, several novel anticancer drugs present distinctive nephrotoxicities. It remains urgent to closely monitor renal injuries associated with these agents, and medical practitioners should be familiar with general principles for managing nephrotoxicity associated with novel cancer drugs. This review provides an in-depth investigation of the literature and guidelines regarding the prevalence, clinical presentations, mechanisms, and management of nephrotoxicity for each drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Hee Hong
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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14
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D'Alessio A, Cammarota A, Prete MG, Pressiani T, Rimassa L. The evolving treatment paradigm of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: putting all the pieces back together. Curr Opin Oncol 2021; 33:386-394. [PMID: 33867478 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The therapeutic landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become notably complex in recent years. With this review, we aimed to put the most recent findings in perspective and tried to delineate the rapidly changing treatment algorithm. RECENT FINDINGS The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab has become the new first-line standard of care treatment for unresectable HCC after the positive results of the phase 3 IMbrave150 study. Nivolumab monotherapy failed to demonstrate advantage versus sorafenib in the CheckMate 459 trial, while two different therapeutic strategies (sintilimab and bevacizumab biosimilar and donafenib) outperformed sorafenib in two phase 2/3 studies conducted in the Chinese population. Several immunotherapy combinations are currently under study in large phase 3 trials after promising results in earlier phase studies. About further lines of treatment, the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab was approved for sorafenib-pretreated patients after the positive results of the phase 1/2 CheckMate 040 study and apatinib was proven effective in the Chinese population in a phase 2/3 study, while pembrolizumab as monotherapy did not show statistically significant superiority when compared with placebo in the KEYNOTE-240 study. SUMMARY Because of the growing complexity of advanced HCC treatment, the implementation of predictive biomarkers of response is eagerly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio D'Alessio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Cammarota
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Giuseppina Prete
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Pressiani
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
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15
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Rzeniewicz K, Larkin J, Menzies AM, Turajlic S. Immunotherapy use outside clinical trial populations: never say never? Ann Oncol 2021; 32:866-880. [PMID: 33771665 PMCID: PMC9246438 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.03.199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on favourable outcomes in clinical trials, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), most notably programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, are now widely used across multiple cancer types. However, due to their strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, clinical studies often do not address challenges presented by non-trial populations. DESIGN This review summarises available data on the efficacy and safety of ICIs in trial-ineligible patients, including those with autoimmune disease, chronic viral infections, organ transplants, organ dysfunction, poor performance status, and brain metastases, as well as the elderly, children, and those who are pregnant. In addition, we review data concerning other real-world challenges with ICIs, including timing of therapy switch, relationships to radiotherapy or surgery, re-treatment after an immune-related toxicity, vaccinations in patients on ICIs, and current experience around ICI and coronavirus disease-19. Where possible, we provide recommendations to aid the often-difficult decision-making process in those settings. CONCLUSIONS Data suggest that ICIs are often active and have an acceptable safety profile in the populations described above, with the exception of PD-1 inhibitors in solid organ transplant recipients. Decisions about whether to treat with ICIs should be personalised and require multidisciplinary input and careful counselling of patients with respect to potential risks and benefits. Clinical judgements need to be carefully weighed, considering factors such as underlying cancer type, feasibility of alternative treatment options, or activity in trial-eligible patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Rzeniewicz
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK; Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - J Larkin
- Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - A M Menzies
- Melanoma Institute Australia and The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, Sydney, Australia
| | - S Turajlic
- Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Renal and Skin Units, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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16
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Hafezi M, Lin M, Chia A, Chua A, Ho ZZ, Fam R, Tan D, Aw J, Pavesi A, Krishnamoorthy TL, Chow WC, Chen W, Zhang Q, Wai LE, Koh S, Tan AT, Bertoletti A. Immunosuppressive Drug-Resistant Armored T-Cell Receptor T Cells for Immune Therapy of HCC in Liver Transplant Patients. Hepatology 2021; 74:200-213. [PMID: 33249625 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS HBV-specific T-cell receptor (HBV-TCR) engineered T cells have the potential for treating HCC relapses after liver transplantation, but their efficacy can be hampered by the concomitant immunosuppressive treatment required to prevent graft rejection. Our aim is to molecularly engineer TCR-T cells that could retain their polyfunctionality in such patients while minimizing the associated risk of organ rejection. APPROACH AND RESULTS We first analyzed how immunosuppressive drugs can interfere with the in vivo function of TCR-T cells in liver transplanted patients with HBV-HCC recurrence receiving HBV-TCR T cells and in vitro in the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of immunosuppressive tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Immunosuppressive Drug Resistant Armored TCR-T cells of desired specificity (HBV or Epstein-Barr virus) were then engineered by concomitantly electroporating mRNA encoding specific TCRs and mutated variants of calcineurin B (CnB) and inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), and their function was assessed through intracellular cytokine staining and cytotoxicity assays in the presence of TAC and MMF. Liver transplanted HBV-HCC patients receiving different immunosuppressant drugs exhibited varying levels of activated (CD39+ Ki67+ ) peripheral blood mononuclear cells after HBV-TCR T-cell infusions that positively correlate with clinical efficacy. In vitro experiments with TAC and MMF showed a potent inhibition of TCR-T cell polyfunctionality. This inhibition can be effectively negated by the transient overexpression of mutated variants of CnB and IMPDH. Importantly, the resistance only lasted for 3-5 days, after which sensitivity was restored. CONCLUSIONS We engineered TCR-T cells of desired specificities that transiently escape the immunosuppressive effects of TAC and MMF. This finding has important clinical applications for the treatment of HBV-HCC relapses and other pathologies occurring in organ transplanted patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Hafezi
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Meiyin Lin
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Adeline Chia
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Royce Fam
- Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Damien Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joey Aw
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Wan Cheng Chow
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wenjie Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guandong, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guandong, China
| | - Lu-En Wai
- Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sarene Koh
- Lion TCR Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anthony T Tan
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Antonio Bertoletti
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science and Technology, Singapore, Singapore
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17
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Chen GH, Wang GB, Huang F, Qin R, Yu XJ, Wu RL, Hou LJ, Ye ZH, Zhang XH, Zhao HC. Pretransplant use of toripalimab for hepatocellular carcinoma resulting in fatal acute hepatic necrosis in the immediate postoperative period. Transpl Immunol 2021; 66:101386. [PMID: 33744409 DOI: 10.1016/j.trim.2021.101386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly used in the treatment of various solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For liver transplant recipients, the safety of using immune checkpoint inhibitors before or after transplantation remains to be further explored. Former reports were mainly about posttransplant use of immune checkpoint inhibitors resulting in allograft rejection. Here we present one HCC patient who received toripalimab (an immune checkpoint inhibitor currently in phase 3 clinical trial for HCC) therapy before undergoing liver transplantation. He finally suffered fatal acute hepatic necrosis which is likely to be related to the acute immune rejection caused by the pretransplant use of toripalimab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Hou Chen
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Guo-Bin Wang
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Fan Huang
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Rong Qin
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Yu
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Ruo-Lin Wu
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Liu-Jin Hou
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Zheng-Hui Ye
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Xing-Hua Zhang
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Hong-Chuan Zhao
- Organ Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
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18
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Bittner A, Radke J, Eurich D, Wiener E, Denker S, Anagnostopoulos I, Na IK, Heppner FL, Bullinger L, Schmitt CA. Cerebral EBV-positive PTLD controlled by PD-1 checkpoint blockade in a liver transplant patient. Leuk Lymphoma 2021; 62:2026-2029. [PMID: 33612072 DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2021.1889537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aitomi Bittner
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josefine Radke
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dennis Eurich
- Department of Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Edzard Wiener
- Institute of Neuroradiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophy Denker
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Il-Kang Na
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Berlin, Germany.,Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Berlin, Germany.,BIH Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank L Heppner
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence, NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Bullinger
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Berlin, Germany.,Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clemens A Schmitt
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Berlin, Germany.,Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kepler University Hospital, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
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19
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Kondo T, Kawachi S, Nakatsugawa M, Takeda A, Kikawada N, Aihara Y, Okimura A, Hirano H, Ogawa Y, Tsukahara K. Nivolumab for recurrent/metastatic hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in a liver transplant recipient. Auris Nasus Larynx 2021; 49:721-726. [PMID: 33612350 DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Nivolumab administration to patients with organ transplantation history requires careful management. Herein, we report the case of a living-donor liver-transplant recipient, a 52-year-old man, with recurrent and metastatic hypopharyngeal cancer treated with nivolumab. He was diagnosed with T2N2bM0 stage IVA hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. While using oral immunosuppressants (cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil), the patient underwent right neck dissection followed by radiotherapy as an initial treatment. Three months after radiotherapy, positron emission tomography scans revealed multiple bone metastases. We administered two courses of the EXTREME regimen, comprising cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and cetuximab, as the first-line treatment for distal metastasis, but the patient presented with progressive disease. The patient was administered nivolumab as the second-line treatment. The programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression level in a biopsy specimen of the primary hypopharyngeal tumor and resected specimen of the cervical lymph node metastasis was 40% and 10%, respectively. PD-L1 expression was not detected in hepatocytes of the liver biopsy sample obtained before nivolumab introduction. The patient received four courses of nivolumab 240 mg. Although liver dysfunction was alleviated by adjusting the dose of the hepatoprotective agent and cyclosporine, the progressive disease status persisted after completing nivolumab courses. The patient died of hypopharyngeal cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahito Kondo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan.
| | - Shigeyuki Kawachi
- Department of Digestive and Transplantation Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Munehide Nakatsugawa
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Atsuo Takeda
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Naiue Kikawada
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Yusuke Aihara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Akira Okimura
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Hirano
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Yasuo Ogawa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, 1163 Tatemachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0998, Japan
| | - Kiyoaki Tsukahara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
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Braun M, Fuchs V, Kian W, Roisman L, Peled N, Rosenberg E, Friedel L. Nivolumab Induced Hepatocanalicular Cholestasis and Liver Rejection in a Patient With Lung Cancer and Liver Transplant. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 15:e149-e150. [PMID: 32854914 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2020.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marius Braun
- Liver Disease Institute, Bellinson Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
| | - Vered Fuchs
- The Legacy Heritage Oncology Center & Dr. Larry Norton Institute, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Waleed Kian
- The Legacy Heritage Oncology Center & Dr. Larry Norton Institute, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Laila Roisman
- The Legacy Heritage Oncology Center & Dr. Larry Norton Institute, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Nir Peled
- The Legacy Heritage Oncology Center & Dr. Larry Norton Institute, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| | - Eli Rosenberg
- Internal Medicine A Ward, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ludmila Friedel
- Department of Pathology, Bellinson and Hasharon Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
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21
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Hu B, Yang XB, Sang XT. Development and Verification of the Hypoxia-Related and Immune-Associated Prognosis Signature for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2020; 7:315-330. [PMID: 33204664 PMCID: PMC7667586 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s272109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been widely suggested that the association of hypoxia with the immune status within the microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of great clinical significance. The present work was carried out aiming to establish the hypoxia-related and immune-associated gene signature to stratify the risks in HCC. Patients and Methods The ssGSEA and t-SNE algorithms were utilized to estimate the immune and hypoxia statuses, respectively, using the TCGA database-derived cohort transcriptome profiles. Different immune groups are distinguished according to the ssGSEA scores, while the hypoxia-high and -low groups are inferred based on the distinct overall survival (OS) of the two groups of patients. Moreover, prognostic genes were identified using the Cox regression model in combination with the LASSO approach, which were later used to establish the hypoxia-related and immune-associated gene signature. At the same time, an ICGC cohort was used for external validation. Results A total of 13 genes, namely, HAVCR1, PSRC1, CCNJL, PDSS1, MEX3A, EID3, EPO, PLOD2, KPNA2, CDCA8, ADAMTS5, SLC1A7 and PIGZ, were discovered by the LASSO approach for constructing a gene signature to stratify the risk of HCC. Those low-risk cases showed superior prognosis (OS) to the high-risk counterparts (p<0.05). Moreover, it was suggested by multivariate analysis that our constructed hypoxia-related and immune-associated prognosis signature might be used as the independent factor for prognosis prediction (p<0.001). Patients in high-risk groups had severe hypoxia, higher immune checkpoint expression such as PD-L1, and different immunocyte infiltration states (eg, higher infiltration of regulatory T cells in the high-risk group) compared with those low-risk patients. Conclusion Our as-constructed hypoxia-related and immune-associated prognosis signature can be used as an approach to stratify the risk of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Bo Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Ting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, People's Republic of China
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22
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Hu B, Yang XB, Sang XT. Molecular subtypes based on immune-related genes predict the prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 90:107164. [PMID: 33172741 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy exhibiting the highest lethality. The present study aimed to identify different immune-related clusters in HCC and a robust tumor gene signature to facilitate the prognosis prediction for HCC patients. METHODS For the 375 HCC cases collected from the dataset of Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), their overall survival (OS) and immune-related genes (IRGs) expression patterns were collected. Thereafter, consensus clustering was employed for grouping and functional enrichment, whereas the ESTIMATE algorithm and the CIBERSORT algorithm were used in subsequent assessment. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted to verify the protein expression of model genes in HCC and adjacent tissues. RESULTS According to consensus clustering with 93-survival related IRGs, a total of five subgroups were found. These five clusters had different prognoses, immune statuses, and expression of immune checkpoints. Afterwards, 11 genes were enrolled for constructing the OS-related prediction model for TCGA HCC cases, which was then validated using the database of International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). The protein expression of LCN2, S100A10, FABP6, PLXNA1, KITLG and OXTR were enhanced in HCC tissues relative to that in normal hepatic tissues, while the protein expression of S100A1, CCL26, CMTM4, IL1RN and RARG were reduced in HCC compared with normal tissues. In addition, different immunocyte infiltration levels between low- and high- groups were further examined. CONCLUSIONS According to our results, the IRGs-based classifications assist in explaining the HCC heterogeneity, which may help to develop the more efficient individualized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xin-Ting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
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23
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Downstaging to Liver Transplant: Success Involves Choosing the Right Patient. Clin Liver Dis 2020; 24:665-679. [PMID: 33012452 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a rising indication for liver transplantation in the United States. Downstaging, defined as the reduction of tumor burden using local-regional therapy into Milan criteria, opens an avenue to access cure through transplant for patients who traditionally would not qualify. Approaching the selection of downstaging candidates through an assessment of hepatic function, staying within a modest expansion of tumor burden, and incorporation of serologic/imaging markers for tumor biology provide the best chance for successful downstaging. Following well-defined downstaging protocols with built-in failure criteria ensures excellent post-transplant outcomes.
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24
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Hu B, Yang XB, Sang XT. Construction of a lipid metabolism-related and immune-associated prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Med 2020; 9:7646-7662. [PMID: 32813933 PMCID: PMC7571839 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies. We aimed to identify a robust lipid metabolism-related signature associated with the HCC microenvironment to improve the prognostic prediction of HCC patients. METHODS We analyzed the gene expression profiles of lipid metabolism from Molecular Signatures Database and information of patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed for functional annotation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to verify the expression of model genes in HCC and adjacent tissues. RESULTS As a result, a lipid metabolism-related signature consisting of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 6 (ACSL6), lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1, phospholipase A2 group 1B, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), and sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 4 (SMPD4) was identified among HCC patients. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1, PLA2G1B, and SMPD4 were proved significantly high expression while ACSL6 and LCAT were remarkably low expression in our 15 pairs of matched HCC and normal tissues by qRT-PCR. Under different conditions, the overall survival (OS) of patients in low-risk group was prolonged than that in high-risk group. Moreover, the as-constructed signature was an independent factor, which was remarkably associated with gender, histologic grade, and platelet level of HCC patients. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the good potency of the model. Functional enrichment analysis further revealed that lower fatty acid (FA) oxidation and higher infiltration of immunocytes were detected in patients from the high-risk group compared with those in the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the lipid metabolism-related signature shows prognostic significance for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Ting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Hu B, Lin JZ, Yang XB, Sang XT. The roles of mutated SWI/SNF complexes in the initiation and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and its regulatory effect on the immune system: A review. Cell Prolif 2020; 53:e12791. [PMID: 32162380 PMCID: PMC7162795 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver malignancy with a high global prevalence and a dismal prognosis. Studies are urgently needed to examine the molecular pathogenesis and biological characteristics of HCC. Chromatin remodelling, an integral component of the DNA damage response, protects against DNA damage‐induced genome instability and tumorigenesis by triggering the signalling events that activate the interconnected DNA repair pathways. The SWI/SNF complexes are one of the most extensively investigated adenosine triphosphate‐dependent chromatin remodelling complexes, and mutations in genes encoding SWI/SNF subunits are frequently observed in various human cancers, including HCC. The mutated SWI/SNF complex subunits exert dual functions by accelerating or inhibiting HCC initiation and progression. Furthermore, the abnormal SWI/SNF complexes influence the transcription of interferon‐stimulated genes, as well as the differentiation, activation and recruitment of several immune cell types. In addition, they exhibit synergistic effects with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of diverse tumour types. Therefore, understanding the mutations and deficiencies of the SMI/SNF complexes, together with the associated functional mechanisms, may provide a novel strategy to treat HCC through targeting the related genes or modulating the tumour microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Zhen Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Ting Sang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Advances in resection and transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2020; 72:262-276. [PMID: 31954491 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
It would be impossible to summarise all of the significant developments in the surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even just over the past year, in a manuscript of this scope. Thus, we have selected topics for discussion that are the subject of current controversy and have attempted to present balanced points of view. Hepatic resection and transplantation are both mature modalities, and for the most part technical advances and improvements in candidate selection are incremental. The ability to readily cure hepatitis C stands out as the most impactful development in the field over recent years, especially in Western countries where hepatitis C has long been the chief aetiology underlying HCC and a predictor of poor outcomes after surgery, but its full implications remain to be clarified. The rising incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related HCC and what it means with regard to surgical HCC management is an area of great current interest. With advancing technology, non-surgical locoregional treatments are gaining increasing application as potentially curative therapies. In addition, the advances in molecular and genomic assessment of HCC hold promise for personalising treatment and prognostication. The possible role of immunotherapy as an adjuvant to resection is being aggressively investigated. While liver surgery maintains an important role, the care of patients with HCC is more and more a team effort and needs to take place in the context of a well-integrated interdisciplinary programme to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
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