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Du W, Tang Z, Du A, Yang Q, Xu R. Bidirectional crosstalk between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunotherapy: A bibliometric study. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2328403. [PMID: 38502119 PMCID: PMC10956627 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2328403] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has recently attracted considerable attention. However, currently, a thorough analysis of the trends associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immunotherapy is lacking. In this study, we used bibliometric tools to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress in EMT-immunotherapy research. A total of 1,302 articles related to EMT and immunotherapy were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The analysis indicated that in terms of the volume of research, China was the most productive country (49.07%, 639), followed by the United States (16.89%, 220) and Italy (3.6%, 47). The United States was the most influential country according to the frequency of citations and citation burstiness. The results also suggested that Frontiers in Immunotherapy can be considered as the most influential journal with respect to the number of articles and impact factors. "Immune infiltration," "bioinformatics analysis," "traditional Chinese medicine," "gene signature," and "ferroptosis" were found to be emerging keywords in EMT-immunotherapy research. These findings point to potential new directions that can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of immunotherapy and EMT and help develop strategies for improving immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Du
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
| | - Zemin Tang
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
| | - Ashuai Du
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qinglong Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of General Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
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WU PEILING, ZHAO LIFANG, ZHANG HONGYAN, LOU YUEYAN, CHEN DONGFANG, XUE SHAN, LIU XUEQING, JIANG HANDONG. NCAPD2 serves as a potential prognostic biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma and promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle in vitro. Oncol Res 2024; 32:1439-1452. [PMID: 39220139 PMCID: PMC11361896 DOI: 10.32604/or.2024.047490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The pro-oncogenic effects of NCAPD2 have been extensively studied across various tumor types; however, its precise role within the context of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains elusive. This study aims to elucidate the biological functions of NCAPD2 in LUAD and unravel the underlying mechanistic pathways. Methods Utilizing bioinformatics methodologies, we explored the differential expression of NCAPD2 between normal and tumor samples, along with its correlations with clinical-pathological characteristics, survival prognosis, and immune infiltration. Results In the TCGA-LUAD dataset, tumor samples demonstrated significantly elevated levels of NCAPD2 expression compared to normal samples (p < 0.001). Clinically, higher NCAPD2 expression was notably associated with advanced T, N, and M stages, pathologic stage, gender, smoking status, and diminished overall survival (OS). Moreover, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with NCAPD2 were predominantly enriched in pathways related to cell division. Immune infiltration analysis revealed that NCAPD2 expression levels were linked to the infiltration of memory B cells, naïve CD4+ T cells, activated memory CD4+ T cells, and M1 macrophages. In vitro experiments demonstrated that silencing NCAPD2 suppressed LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell cycle progression. Conclusions In summary, NCAPD2 may represent a promising prognostic biomarker and novel therapeutic target for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - HONGYAN ZHANG
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - YUEYAN LOU
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - DONGFANG CHEN
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - SHAN XUE
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - XUEQING LIU
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - HANDONG JIANG
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
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Zeng CM, Shao B, Chen YP, Ding GS. Silencing MFN2 Drives WNT/β-catenin Nucleation to Reduce Sorafenib Sensitivity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Curr Med Sci 2024; 44:789-798. [PMID: 38926329 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-024-2879-x] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mitofusin-2 (MFN2) is a mitochondrial membrane protein that plays a critical role in regulating mitochondrial fusion and cellular metabolism. To further elucidate the impact of MFN2, this study aimed to investigate its significance on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell function and its potential role in mediating chemosensitivity. METHODS This study investigated the effects of silencing and overexpressing MFN2 on the survival, proliferation, invasion and migration abilities, and sorafenib resistance of MHCC97-L HCC cells. Additional experiments were conducted using XAV939 (a β-catenin inhibitor) and HLY78 (a β-catenin activator) to further validate these findings. RESULTS Silencing MFN2 significantly promoted the survival and proliferation of MHCC97-L cells, enhanced their invasion and migration capacities, increased the IC50 of sorafenib, reduced the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells, and decreased the expression of proapoptotic proteins. Additionally, silencing MFN2 markedly induced the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, increased β-catenin acetylation levels and enhanced the expression of the downstream regulatory proteins Snail1 and Vimentin while inhibiting E-cadherin expression. Conversely, overexpressing MFN2 reversed the effects observed in MHCC97-L cells mentioned above. The results confirmed that silencing MFN2 activated the β-catenin/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway and reduced the sensitivity of cells to sorafenib, which could be reversed by XAV939 treatment. Conversely, overexpression of MFN2 inhibited the β-catenin/EMT pathway and increased the sensitivity of cells to sorafenib, which could be altered by HLY78. CONCLUSION Low expression of MFN2 in HCC cells promotes the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, thereby activating the EMT pathway and mediating resistance to sorafenib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chai-Ming Zeng
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory of Geriatrics Diseases, Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Bin Shao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University; Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Yan-Ping Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University; Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Gui-Sheng Ding
- Department of Ultrasonography, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University; Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China.
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Guo T, Wang Y, Chen D, Cui S, Guo S, Feng Y, Zhu J, Chang L, Zhang J, Gao X, Wei X. Dual-Drug Loaded Nanobubbles Combined with Sonodynamic and Chemotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:7367-7381. [PMID: 39050872 PMCID: PMC11268764 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s460329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Chemotherapy remains the primary therapeutic approach for advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The therapeutic effect of chemotherapy is limited and the toxic side effects are serious. The aim of this study is to develop a nanobubble that is ultrasonically responsive to reduce the toxic side effects of direct chemotherapy. Methods We developed curcumin/doxorubicin-cis-aconitic anhydride-polyethylene glycol nanobubble (C/DCNB) surface modified with acid-sensitive polyethylene glycol (PEG). And it is loaded with curcumin (CUR) and doxorubicin (DOX), as liposomes at the nanoscale for diagnosis and therapy of tumors. Results In this study, the acid-sensitive PEG on the surface layer of nanobubbles serves to stabilize them in the blood circulatory system and in normal tissues, while peeling off in the acidic tumor microenvironment (pH 6.8). C/DCNB can identify tumor sites through contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). And ultrasound-mediated nanobubbles promote permeability of the tumor vascular, thus improving the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects in the tumor, leading to the accumulation of nanobubbles in the tumor. After endocytosis of nanobubbles, drugs are released and curcumin generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) under ultrasound conditions. CUR can enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to DOX by inhibiting the expression of P-glycoprotein. In vitro and vivo experiments demonstrate that C/DCNB can facilitate contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging while simultaneously delivering drugs, enabling both imaging and treatment. Conclusion The combination of C/DCNB and ultrasound provides an effective strategy for improving the efficiency of HCC therapy and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Guo
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dixuan Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sifan Cui
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuyue Guo
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yixing Feng
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jialin Zhu
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Luchen Chang
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiujun Gao
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xi Wei
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Ultrasonography, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China
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Panettieri E, Campisi A, De Rose AM, Mele C, Giuliante F, Vauthey JN, Ardito F. Emerging Prognostic Markers in Patients Undergoing Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Narrative Review. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2183. [PMID: 38927889 PMCID: PMC11201456 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122183] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver resection is potentially curative. Nevertheless, post-operative recurrence is common, occurring in up to 70% of patients. Factors traditionally recognized to predict recurrence and survival after liver resection for HCC include pathologic factors (i.e., microvascular and capsular invasion) and an increase in alpha-fetoprotein level. During the past decade, many new markers have been reported to correlate with prognosis after resection of HCC: liquid biopsy markers, gene signatures, inflammation markers, and other biomarkers, including PIVKA-II, immune checkpoint molecules, and proteins in urinary exosomes. However, not all of these new markers are readily available in clinical practice, and their reproducibility is unclear. Liquid biopsy is a powerful and established tool for predicting long-term outcomes after resection of HCC; the main limitation of liquid biopsy is represented by the cost related to its technical implementation. Numerous patterns of genetic expression capable of predicting survival after curative-intent hepatectomy for HCC have been identified, but published findings regarding these markers are heterogenous. Inflammation markers in the form of prognostic nutritional index and different blood cell ratios seem more easily reproducible and more affordable on a large scale than other emerging markers. To select the most effective treatment for patients with HCC, it is crucial that the scientific community validate new predictive markers for recurrence and survival after resection that are reliable and widely reproducible. More reports from Western countries are necessary to corroborate the evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Panettieri
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Andrea Campisi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Agostino M. De Rose
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Caterina Mele
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Felice Giuliante
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Jean-Nicolas Vauthey
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Francesco Ardito
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
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Li S, Liu Z, Chen Q, Chen Y, Ji S. A novel fatty acid metabolism-related signature identifies MUC4 as a novel therapy target for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12476. [PMID: 38816411 PMCID: PMC11139939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62917-z] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid metabolism has been identified as an emerging hallmark of cancer, which was closely associated with cancer prognosis. Whether fatty acid metabolism-related genes (FMGs) signature play a more crucial role in biological behavior of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) prognosis remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to identify a reliable FMGs signature for assisting treatment decisions and prognosis evaluation of ESCC. In the present study, we conducted consensus clustering analysis on 259 publicly available ESCC samples. The clinical information was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, 80 ESCC samples) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE53625, 179 ESCC samples). A consensus clustering arithmetic was used to determine the FMGs molecular subtypes, and survival outcomes and immune features were evaluated among the different subtypes. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was applied to evaluate the reliability of the risk model in training cohort, validation cohort and all cohorts. A nomogram to predict patients' 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival rate was also studied. Finally, CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay were implemented to evaluate the inherent mechanisms of FMGs for tumorigenesis in ESCC. Two subtypes were identified by consensus clustering, of which cluster 2 is preferentially associated with poor prognosis, lower immune cell infiltration. A fatty acid (FA) metabolism-related risk model containing eight genes (FZD10, TACSTD2, MUC4, PDLIM1, PRSS12, BAALC, DNAJA2 and ALOX12B) was established. High-risk group patients displayed worse survival, higher stromal, immune and ESTIMATE scores than in the low-risk group. Moreover, a nomogram revealed good predictive ability of clinical outcomes in ESCC patients. The results of qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the MUC4 and BAALC had high expression level, and FZD10, PDLIM1, TACSTD2, ALOX12B had low expression level in ESCC cells. In vitro, silencing MUC4 remarkably inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Our study fills the gap of FMGs signature in predicting the prognosis of ESCC patients. These findings revealed that cluster subtypes and risk model of FMGs had effects on survival prediction, and were expected to be the potential promising targets for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- Department of Operating Room, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
| | - Zhengcao Liu
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, No.16 Baita Road, Suzhou, 215001, China
| | - Qingqing Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, No.16 Baita Road, Suzhou, 215001, China
| | - Yuetong Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, No.16 Baita Road, Suzhou, 215001, China
| | - Shengjun Ji
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, No.16 Baita Road, Suzhou, 215001, China.
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FENG KUN, PENG HAO, LV QINGPENG, ZHANG YEWEI. PHLDA2 reshapes the immune microenvironment and induces drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Res 2024; 32:1063-1078. [PMID: 38827322 PMCID: PMC11136693 DOI: 10.32604/or.2024.047078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy known for its unfavorable prognosis. The dysregulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) can affect the sensitivity to immunotherapy or chemotherapy, leading to treatment failure. The elucidation of PHLDA2's involvement in HCC is imperative, and the clinical value of PHLDA2 is also underestimated. Here, bioinformatics analysis was performed in multiple cohorts to explore the phenotype and mechanism through which PHLDA2 may affect the progression of HCC. Then, the expression and function of PHLDA2 were examined via the qRT-PCR, Western Blot, and MTT assays. Our findings indicate a substantial upregulation of PHLDA2 in HCC, correlated with a poorer prognosis. The methylation levels of PHLDA2 were found to be lower in HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues. Besides, noteworthy associations were observed between PHLDA2 expression and immune infiltration in HCC. In addition, PHLDA2 upregulation is closely associated with stemness features and immunotherapy or chemotherapy resistance in HCC. In vitro experiments showed that sorafenib or cisplatin significantly up-regulated PHLDA2 mRNA levels, and PHLDA2 knockdown markedly decreased the sensitivity of HCC cells to chemotherapy drugs. Meanwhile, we found that TGF-β induced the expression of PHLDA2 in vitro. The GSEA and in vitro experiment indicated that PHLDA2 may promote the HCC progression via activating the AKT signaling pathway. Our study revealed the novel role of PHLDA2 as an independent prognostic factor, which plays an essential role in TME remodeling and treatment resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- KUN FENG
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - HAO PENG
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - QINGPENG LV
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - YEWEI ZHANG
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
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Huang J, Guo L, Huang X, Yu X, Lin L, Jiang X, Bai Z, Li Z. Multimodal Imaging-Guided Synergistic Photodynamic Therapy Using Carbonized Zn/Co Metal-Organic Framework Loaded with Cytotoxin Against Liver Cancer. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:4163-4180. [PMID: 38751660 PMCID: PMC11095517 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s453275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The study aimed to address the non-specific toxicity of cytotoxins (CTX) in liver cancer treatment and explore their combined application with the photosensitizer Ce6, co-loaded into carbonized Zn/Co bimetallic organic frameworks. The goal was to achieve controlled CTX release and synergistic photodynamic therapy, with a focus on evaluating anti-tumor activity against human liver cancer cell lines (Hep G2). Methods Purified cobra cytotoxin (CTX) and photosensitizer Ce6 were co-loaded into carbonized Zn/Co bimetallic organic frameworks, resulting in RGD-PDA@C-ZIF@(CTX+Ce6). The formulation was designed with surface-functionalization using polydopamine and tumor-penetrating peptide RGD. This approach aimed to facilitate controlled CTX release and enhance the synergistic effect of photodynamic therapy. The accumulation of RGD-PDA@C-ZIF@(CTX+Ce6) at tumor sites was achieved through RGD's active targeting and the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In the acidic tumor microenvironment, the porous structure of the metal-organic framework disintegrated, releasing CTX and Ce6 into tumor cells. Results Experiments demonstrated that RGD-PDA@C-ZIF@(CTX+Ce6) nanoparticles, combined with near-infrared laser irradiation, exhibited optimal anti-tumor effects against human liver cancer cells. The formulation showcased heightened anti-tumor activity without discernible systemic toxicity. Conclusion The study underscores the potential of utilizing metal-organic frameworks as an efficient nanoplatform for co-loading cytotoxins and photodynamic therapy in liver cancer treatment. The developed formulation, RGD-PDA@C-ZIF@(CTX+Ce6), offers a promising avenue for advancing the clinical application of cytotoxins in oncology, providing a solid theoretical foundation for future research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingmei Huang
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lianshan Guo
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiao Huang
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liqiao Lin
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinlin Jiang
- Department of General Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhihao Bai
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengzhao Li
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530007, People’s Republic of China
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Fang C, Xu C, Jia X, Li X, Yin C, Xing X, Li W, Wang Z. Development and validation of a clinical prediction model for the risk of distal metastasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a real-world study. BMC Gastroenterol 2024; 24:1. [PMID: 38166611 PMCID: PMC10759461 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-03084-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant and easily metastatic bile duct tumor with poor prognosis. We aimed at studying the associated risk factors affecting distal metastasis of CCA and using nomogram to guide clinicians in predicting distal metastasis of CCA. METHODS Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 345 patients with CCA were selected from the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital and were divided into distal metastases (N = 21) and non-distal metastases (N = 324). LASSO regression models were used to screen for relevant parameters and to compare basic clinical information between the two groups of patients. Risk factors for distal metastasis were identified based on the results of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The nomogram was established based on the results of multivariate logistic regression, and we drawn the corresponding correlation heat map. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration plots. The utility of the model in clinical applications was illustrated by applying decision curve analysis (DCA), and overall survival(OS) analysis was performed using the method of Kaplan-meier. RESULTS This study identified 4 independent risk factors for distal metastasis of CCA, including CA199, cholesterol, hypertension and margin invasion, and developed the nomogram based on this. The result of validation showed that the model had significant accuracy for diagnosis with the area under ROC (AUC) of 0.882 (95% CI: 0.843-0.914). Calibration plots and DCA showed that the model had high clinical utility. CONCLUSIONS This study established and validated a model of nomogram for predicting distal metastasis in patients with CCA. Based on this, it could guide clinicians to make better decisions and provide more accurate prognosis and treatment for patients with CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Fang
- Pharmacy Department, Clinical Drug Research Center, Qingyang People's Hospital, Qingyang, China
| | - Chan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of MolecularVaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Xiaodong Jia
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Center, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chengliang Yin
- Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Xiaojuan Xing
- Department of Neurology, Qingyang People's Hospital, Qingyang, China.
| | - Wenle Li
- State Key Laboratory of MolecularVaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
| | - Zhenyun Wang
- Urology Department of Qingyang People's Hospital, Qingyang, China.
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Qiu Y, Ye W, Wang C, Zang J. Prognostic significance and immunoinfiltration analysis of genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and energy metabolism in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:13312-13328. [PMID: 38015710 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205242] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aberrant energy metabolism are pivotal biological processes in tumor progression, significantly impacting tumor prognosis. However, the relationship between EMT, energy metabolism, and the immune microenvironment in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) remains inadequately understood. METHODS Bladder cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas were categorized into two groups via clustering analysis to elucidate disparities in expression, prognostic significance, and immune infiltration of genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism between these groups. Key genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism in BLCA were identified through Cox multifactorial regression analysis, immune infiltration analysis, etc. Subsequently, their prognostic significance in BLCA was validated. RESULTS Cluster analysis revealed significant differences in the expression of genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism between the two groups. Group 2 exhibited significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared to Group 1. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) emerged as the most critical gene associated with EMT, energy metabolism, prognosis, and immune infiltration in BLCA. Immunohistochemical assays demonstrated differential expression of CSPG4 in bladder tumors and normal bladder tissues, with high CSPG4 expression correlating with a poorer BLCA prognosis. Furthermore, CSPG4 exhibited an association with the immune checkpoint molecule programmed death-1 (PD1) in BLCA. CONCLUSIONS EMT and energy metabolism exert pivotal influences on the immune microenvironment in BLCA. CSPG4 holds promise as a prognostic biomarker for patients with BLCA, offering valuable insights into potential immunotherapeutic strategies for this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Qiu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Zang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
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Shi Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, Niu K, Mao X, Feng K, Zhang Y. N6-methyladenosine with immune infiltration and PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: novel perspective to personalized diagnosis and treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1153802. [PMID: 37469973 PMCID: PMC10352105 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1153802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence elucidated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) dysregulation participated in regulating RNA maturation, stability, and translation. This study aimed to demystify the crosstalk between m6A regulators and the immune microenvironment, providing a potential therapeutic target for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Totals of 371 HCC and 50 normal patients were included in this study. GSE121248 and GSE40367 datasets were used to validate the expression of HNRNPC. The R package "ConsensusClusterPlus" was performed to screen consensus clustering types based on the expression of m6A regulators in HCC. The R package "pheatmap", "immunedeconv", "survival", "survminer" and "RMS" were applied to investigate the expression, immunity, overall survival, and clinical application in different clusters and expression groups. Comprehensive analysis of HNRNPC in pan-cancer was conducted by TIMER2 database. Besides, HNRNPC mRNA and protein expression were verified by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis. Results Most of m6A regulators were over-expressed excerpt for ZC3H13 in HCC. Three independent clusters were screened based on m6A regulators expression, and the cluster 2 had a favorable prognosis in HCC. Then, the cluster 2 was positively expression in macrophage, hematopoietic stem cell, endothelial cell, and stroma score, while negatively in T cell CD4+ memory and mast cell. We identified HNRNPC was an independent prognostic factor in HCC, and nomogram performed superior application value for clinical decision making. Moreover, PD-L1 was significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues, cluster 1, and cluster 3, and we found PD-L1 expression was positively correlated with HNRNPC. Patients with HCC in high-expression groups was associated with tumor-promoting cells. Besides, HNRNPC was correlated with prognosis, TMB, and immune checkpoints in cancers. Particularly, the experiments confirmed that HNRNPC was positively expression in HCC cells and tissues. Conclusion The m6A regulators play irreplaceable roles in prognosis and immune infiltration in HCC, and the relationship of HNRNPC and PD-L1 possesses a promising direction for therapeutic targets of immunotherapy response. Exploration of m6A regulators pattern could be build the prognostic stratification of individual patients and move toward to personalized treatment.
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An EMT-based gene signature enhances the clinical understanding and prognostic prediction of patients with ovarian cancers. J Ovarian Res 2023; 16:51. [PMID: 36907877 PMCID: PMC10009944 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-023-01132-2] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common gynecological cancers with malignant metastasis and poor prognosis. Current evidence substantiates that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical mechanism that drives OC progression. In this study, we aspire to identify pivotal EMT-related genes (EMTG) in OC development, and establish an EMT gene-based model for prognosis prediction. METHODS We constructed the risk score model by screening EMT genes via univariate/LASSO/step multivariate Cox regressions in the OC cohort from TCGA database. The efficacy of the EMTG model was tested in external GEO cohort, and quantified by the nomogram. Moreover, the immune infiltration and chemotherapy sensitivity were analyzed in different risk score groups. RESULTS We established a 11-EMTGs risk score model to predict the prognosis of OC patients. Based on the model, OC patients were split into high- and low- risk score groups, and the high-risk score group had an inevitably poor survival. The predictive power of the model was verified by external OC cohort. The nomogram showed that the model was an independent factor for prognosis prediction. Moreover, immune infiltration analysis revealed the immunosuppressive microenvironment in the high-risk score group. Finally, the EMTG model can be used to predict the sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that EMTG model was a powerful tool for prognostic prediction of OC patients. Our work not only provide a novel insight into the etiology of OC tumorigenesis, but also can be used in the clinical decisions on OC treatment.
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Gao B, Wang Y, Lu S. Construction and validation of a novel signature based on epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma by comprehensive analysis of the tumor microenvironment. Funct Integr Genomics 2022; 23:6. [PMID: 36536232 PMCID: PMC9763151 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-022-00933-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has yielded encouraging results in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the relationship between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immunotherapy for HCC has not been adequately explained. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed a bulk RNA sequence dataset of 365 HCC patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Subsequently, we constructed a prognostic signature based on 6 EMT-related genes and divided 365 HCC patients into high- and low-risk groups. The predictive efficacy of the signature was well validated in different clinical subgroups and in two independent external datasets. We further explored the relationship between prognostic signature and immunotherapy response in terms of immune cell infiltration, somatic mutations, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), immune checkpoint-associated gene expression, single-nucleotide variants (SNV) neoantigens, cancer testicular antigens (CTA) scores, and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) scores. We validated the predictive efficacy of prognostic signature for immunotherapy response using external independent immunotherapy data. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate EMT-related gene overexpression in HCC tissue samples. Prognostic signature was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of HCC patients and has shown superiority in predicting patient survival compared to other clinical factors. Compared with the low-risk group, the proportion of Activated_CD4_T_cell, Type_2_T_helper_cel, and macrophages were higher in the tumor microenvironment of HCC patients in the high-risk group, while the Activated_CD8_T_cell and CD56bright_natural_killer_cell proportions were lower. The prognostic signature was positively correlated with TMB scores, MSI scores, SNV neoantigens scores, expression levels of immune checkpoint-related genes, and TIDE scores, and patients in the high-risk group were more suitable for immunotherapy. qRT-PCR confirms overexpression of 6 EMT-related genes in HCC tissues for the construction of prognostic signature. Our novel prognostic signature can effectively predict the prognosis and immunotherapy response of HCC patients. In the future, it will be an effective tool for physicians to screen suitable immunotherapy populations and improve response rates and overall survival (OS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Gao
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300300, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300300, China
| | - Shichun Lu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 10058, China. .,Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Beijing, 10058, China. .,Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery PLA, Beijing, 10058, China.
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A Novel Risk Model for lncRNAs Associated with Oxidative Stress Predicts Prognosis of Bladder Cancer. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:8408328. [PMID: 36268283 PMCID: PMC9578793 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8408328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Background Oxidative stress (OS) reactions are closely related to the development and progression of bladder cancer (BCa). This project aimed to identify new potential biomarkers to predict the prognosis of BCa and improve immunotherapy. Methods We downloaded transcriptomic information and clinical data on BCa from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Screening for OS genes was statistically different between tumor and adjacent normal tissue. A coexpression analysis between lncRNAs and differentially expressed OS genes was performed to identify OS-related lncRNAs. Then, differentially expressed oxidative stress lncRNAs (DEOSlncRNAs) between tumors and normal tissues were identified. Univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to select the lncRNAs for risk assessment. LASSO analysis was conducted to establish a prognostic model. The prognostic risk model could accurately predict BCa patient prognosis and reveal a close correlation with clinicopathological features. We analyzed the principal component analysis (PCA), immune microenvironment, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) in the risk groups. Results We constructed a model containing eight DEOSlncRNAs (AC021321.1, AC068196.1, AC008750.1, SETBP1-DT, AL590617.2, THUMPD3-AS1, AC112721.1, and NR4A1AS). The prognostic risk model showed better results in predicting the prognosis of BCa patients and was strongly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. We found great agreement between the calibration plots and prognostic predictions in this model. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUCs) at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.792, 0.804, and 0.843, respectively. This model also showed good predictive ability regarding the tumor microenvironment and tumor mutation burden. In addition, the high-risk group was more sensitive to eight therapeutic agents, and the low-risk group was more responsive to five therapeutic agents. Sixteen immune checkpoints were significantly different between the two risk groups. Conclusion Our eight DEOSlncRNA risk models provide new insights into predicting prognosis and clinical progression in BCa patients.
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