Predictive value of transcriptional expression of Krüppel-like factor-6 (KLF6) in head and neck carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy

Krüppel-like Factor 10 as a Prognostic and Predictive Biomarker of Radiotherapy in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

The prognosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor, with a 5-year survival rate of 12%. Although radiotherapy is effective for the locoregional control of PDAC, it does not have survival benefits compared with systemic chemotherapy. Most patients with localized PDAC develop distant metastasis shortly after diagnosis. Upfront chemotherapy has been suggested so that patients with localized PDAC with early distant metastasis do not have to undergo radical local therapy. Several potential tissue markers have been identified for selecting patients who may benefit from local radiotherapy, thereby prolonging their survival. This review summarizes these biomarkers including SMAD4, which is significantly associated with PDAC failure patterns and survival. In particular, Krüppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) is an early response transcription factor of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Unlike TGF-β in advanced cancers, KLF10 loss in two-thirds of patients with PDAC was associated with rapid distant metastasis and radioresistance; thus, KLF10 can serve as a predictive and therapeutic marker for PDAC. For patients with resectable PDAC, a combination of KLF10 and SMAD4 expression in tumor tissues may help select those who may benefit the most from additional radiotherapy. Future trials should consider upfront systemic therapy or include molecular biomarker-enriched patients without early distant metastasis.

Risk stratification and prognosis prediction based on inflammation-related gene signature in lung squamous carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Inflammation is known to have an intricate relationship with tumorigenesis and tumor progression while it is also closely related to tumor immune microenvironment. Whereas the role of inflammation-related genes (IRGs) in lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) is barely understood. Herein, we recognized IRGs associated with overall survival (OS), built an IRGs signature for risk stratification and explored the impact of IRGs on immune infiltration landscape of LUSC patients.

METHODS

The RNA-sequencing and clinicopathological data of LUSC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which were defined as training and validation cohorts. Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were performed to build an IRG signature. CIBERSORT, microenvironment cell populations-counter and tumor immune dysfunction and rejection (TIDE) algorithm were used to perform immune infiltration analysis.

RESULTS

A two-IRG signature consisting of KLF6 and SGMS2 was identified according to the training set, which could categorize patients into two different risk groups with distinct OS. Patients in the low-risk group had more anti-tumor immune cells infiltrated while patient with high-risk had lower TIDE score and higher levels of immune checkpoint molecules expressed. The IRG signature was further identified as an independent prognostic factor of OS. Subsequently, a prognostic nomogram including IRG signature, age, and cancer stage was constructed for predicting individualized OS, whose concordance index values were 0.610 (95% CI: 0.568-0.651) in the training set and 0.652 (95% CI: 0.580-0.724) in validation set. Time-dependent receiver operator characteristic curves revealed that the nomogram had higher prediction accuracy compared with the traditional tumor stage alone.

CONCLUSION

The IRG signature was a predictor for patients with LUSC and might serve as a potential indicator of the efficacy of immunotherapy. The nomogram based on the IRG signature showed a relatively good predictive performance in survival.

Krüppel-like factors in tumors: Key regulators and therapeutic avenues

Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are a group of DNA-binding transcriptional regulators with multiple essential functions in various cellular processes, including proliferation, migration, inflammation, and angiogenesis. The aberrant expression of KLFs is often found in tumor tissues and is essential for tumor development. At the molecular level, KLFs regulate multiple signaling pathways and mediate crosstalk among them. Some KLFs may also be molecular switches for specific biological signals, driving their transition from tumor suppressors to promoters. At the histological level, the abnormal expression of KLFs is closely associated with tumor cell stemness, proliferation, apoptosis, and alterations in the tumor microenvironment. Notably, the role of each KLF in tumors varies according to tumor type and different stages of tumor development rather than being invariant. In this review, we focus on the advances in the molecular biology of KLFs, particularly the regulations of several classical signaling pathways by these factors, and the critical role of KLFs in tumor development. We also highlight their strong potential as molecular targets in tumor therapy and suggest potential directions for clinical translational research.

Immunosuppressive landscape in hepatocellular carcinoma revealed by single-cell sequencing

Background/Aims

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for 75-85% of primary liver cancer cases, is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The purpose of this research was to examine the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in HCC.

Methods

We investigated the HCC TIME by integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk-tissue sequencing data to reveal the landscape of major immune cell types.

Results

Regulatory T(Treg) cells were found to be specifically distributed in the TIME of HCC. Several immune checkpoints, including TNFRSF4, TIGIT and CTLA4, were found to be uniquely overexpressed in Treg cells, and the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway was enriched in Treg cells. We also discovered the presence of two NK-cell subsets with different cytotoxic capacities, one in an activated state with antitumor effects and another with an exhausted status. In addition, memory B cells in HCC were found to exist in a unique state, with high proliferation, low differentiation, and low activity, which was induced by overexpression of PRAP1 and activation of the MIF-CD74 axis.

Conclusions

We revealed the TIME landscape in HCC, highlighting the heterogeneity of major immune cell types and their potential mechanisms in the formation of an immunosuppressive environment. Hence, blocking the formation of the TIME could be a useful therapeutic strategy for HCC.