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Zhou S, Guo Q, Chen A, Li X, Zou X. Integrated bioinformatics analysis identifies PCSK9 as a prognosticator correlated with lipid metabolism in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. World J Surg Oncol 2024; 22:256. [PMID: 39342295 PMCID: PMC11439283 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-024-03532-0] [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: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is the most frequent kind of pancreatic cancer (PC). Recent studies suggest that lipid metabolism facilitates tumorigenesis, disease progression, and resistance to therapy by promoting lipid synthesis, accumulation, and breakdown. Thus, exploring the lipid metabolism network could unveil novel therapeutic avenues for early detection, precision medicine, and prognostication in PAAD. This project intends to develop new lipid metabolism-related biomarkers for PAAD diagnosis and investigate the link between important genes and immune cell infiltration (ICI). METHODS Tissue samples from 20 PAAD patients and 20 healthy controls were obtained. Analysis were focused on the datasets GSE71729 and GSE16515, which include samples of PAAD (n = 161) and those from healthy human tissue (n = 61), derived from the GEO database. Knockdown of PCSK9 on PC cells were conducted by si-RNA and sh-RNA. Migration and cell functional experiments were performed to assess the role of PCSK9 in cell multiplication. Furthermore, a xenograft mouse model was employed to confirm PCSK9's function in vivo. RESULTS The expression level of Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is significantly elevated in tissues affected by PAAD when compared to normal tissues. Survival analyses indicated that increased PCSK9 levels are inversely related to overall and disease-free survival (DFS). PCSK9's functional annotation associated it with the cell cycle and metabolism, especially energy metabolism. Examination of ICI data determined that PCSK9 expression demonstrated an unambiguous association with the M0 macrophages, T follicular helper cells (Tfh), gamma delta T cells and activated DC, and an inverse relationship with Monocytes, CD8+ T cells, memory B cells, resting CD4+ memory T cells, activated NK cells and resting DC abundance. PCSK9 expression knockdown has the ability to impede PC cells' migration and proliferation. CONCLUSION Our study identified PCSK9 as a critical gene in PAAD. Expression levels of PCSK9 varied between PAAD and normal samples. ROC analysis verified PCSK9's strong capacity to differentiate PC from normal samples. Importantly, PCSK9 expression was considerably elevated in PC cell lines and tissues. Furthermore, PCSK9 stimulates the migration and proliferation of tumor cells in vivo and vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, 210008, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qiyuan Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, 210008, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Aotian Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xihan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Sun S, Ma J, Zuo T, Shi J, Sun L, Meng C, Shu W, Yang Z, Yao H, Zhang Z. Inhibition of PCSK9: A Promising Enhancer for Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0488. [PMID: 39324018 PMCID: PMC11423609 DOI: 10.34133/research.0488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint therapy, such as programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade, has achieved remarkable results in treating various tumors. However, most cancer patients show a low response rate to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, especially those with microsatellite stable/mismatch repair-proficient colorectal cancer subtypes, which indicates an urgent need for new approaches to augment the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Cholesterol metabolism, which involves generating multifunctional metabolites and essential membrane components, is also instrumental in tumor development. In recent years, inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a serine proteinase that regulates cholesterol metabolism, has been demonstrated to be a method enhancing the antitumor effect of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade to some extent. Mechanistically, PCSK9 inhibition can maintain the recycling of major histocompatibility protein class I, promote low-density lipoprotein receptor-mediated T-cell receptor recycling and signaling, and modulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) by affecting the infiltration and exclusion of immune cells. These mechanisms increase the quantity and enhance the antineoplastic effect of cytotoxic T lymphocyte, the main functional immune cells involved in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, in the TME. Therefore, combining PCSK9 inhibition therapy with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy may provide a novel option for improving antitumor effects and may constitute a promising research direction. This review concentrates on the relationship between PCSK9 and cholesterol metabolism, systematically discusses how PCSK9 inhibition potentiates PD-1/PD-L1 blockade for cancer treatment, and highlights the research directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengbo Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Jingxin Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Zuo
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, China
| | - Jinyao Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Liting Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Meng
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlong Shu
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengyang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Hongwei Yao
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongtao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, State Key Lab of Digestive Health, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China
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Zhao Y, Qin C, Lin C, Li Z, Zhao B, Li T, Zhang X, Wang W. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells reshape the immune microenvironment: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189183. [PMID: 39303859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189183] [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: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a digestive system malignancy characterized by challenging early detection, limited treatment alternatives, and generally poor prognosis. Although there have been significant advancements in immunotherapy for hematological malignancies and various solid tumors in recent decades, with impressive outcomes in recent preclinical and clinical trials, the effectiveness of these therapies in treating PDAC continues to be modest. The unique immunological microenvironment of PDAC, especially the abnormal distribution, complex composition, and variable activation states of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, greatly restricts the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Undoubtedly, integrating data from both preclinical models and human studies helps accelerate the identification of reliable molecules and pathways responsive to targeted biological therapies and immunotherapies, thereby continuously optimizing therapeutic combinations. In this review, we delve deeply into how PDAC cells regulate the immune microenvironment through complex signaling networks, affecting the quantity and functional status of immune cells to promote immune escape and tumor progression. Furthermore, we explore the multi-modal immunotherapeutic strategies currently under development, emphasizing the transformation of the immunosuppressive environment into an anti-tumor milieu by targeting specific molecular and cellular pathways, providing insights for the development of novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Cheng Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Chen Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Zeru Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Bangbo Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China
| | - Weibin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100023, PR China; National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100023, PR China.
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Xu Y, Xu Y, Yang Y, Zhang Z, Xiong Q, Zhu Q. Serum PCSK9 is a novel serological biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. PeerJ 2024; 12:e18018. [PMID: 39282119 PMCID: PMC11397121 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18018] [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: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Although CA19-9 is an essential blood biomarker of pancreatic cancer (PC), its sensitivity and specificity are limited for early detection. Methods We analyzed the serum proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (sPCSK9) in PC patients, benign disease groups (BDG), and healthy controls (HC) by ELISA. Results Consistently, sPCSK9 was considerably lower in PC patients than in HC (Z = -2.546, P < 0.05), and sPCSK9 in PC patients was statistically significantly higher than in BDG (Z = -5.457, P < 0.001). sPCSK9 was linked to the invasion of lymph nodes (χ2 = 6.846, P < 0.01). According to ROC curves, combining sPCSK9 with CA19-9 could potentially enhance the diagnostic capability of CA19-9 in early-stage PC patients. Furthermore, the low sPCSK9 group (n = 41) exhibited statistically significantly prolonged overall survival compared to the high sPCSK9 group (n = 15), with median survival times of 27 months (95% CI [17.59-36.41]) and 11 months (95% CI [7.21-14.79]), respectively (P = 0.022). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of CA19-9 for early-stage PC patients could be improved by combining sPCSK9 with CA19-9. Moreover, the higher sPCSK9 group has a significantly shorter overall survival rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongfeng Xu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qunli Xiong
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qing Zhu
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Wang J, Han X, Hao Y, Chen S, Pang B, Zou L, Han X, Wang W, Liu L, Shen M, Jin A. Cbl-b inhibition promotes less differentiated phenotypes of T cells with enhanced cytokine production. Cell Immunol 2024; 403-404:104863. [PMID: 39186873 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2024.104863] [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: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
For adoptive therapy with T cell receptor engineered T (TCR-T) cells, the quantity and quality of the final cell product directly affect their anti-tumor efficacy. The post-transfer efficacy window of TCR-T cells is keen to optimizing attempts during the manufacturing process. Cbl-b is a E3 ubiquitin ligase previously shown with critical negative impact in T cell functions. This study investigated whether strategic inclusion of a commercially available small inhibitor targeting Cbl-b (Cbl-b-IN-1) prior to T cell activation could enhance the quality of the final TCR-T cell product. Examination with both PBMCs and TCR-T cells revealed that Cbl-b-IN-1 treatment promoted TCR expression efficiency, T cell proliferation potential and, specifically, cell survival capability post antigenic stimulation. Cbl-b-IN-1 exposure facilitated T cells in maintaining less differentiated states with enhanced cytokine production. Further, we found that Cbl-b-IN-1 effectively augmented the activation of TCR signaling, shown by increased phosphorylation levels of Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP70) and phospholipase c-γ1 (PLCγ1). In conclusion, our results evidence that the inclusion of Cbl-b inhibitor immediately prior to TCR-T cell activation may enhance their proliferation, survival, and function potentials, presenting an applicable optimization strategy for immunotherapy with adoptive cell transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfan Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - XiaoJian Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Yanan Hao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Siyin Chen
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Lin Zou
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Xiaxia Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Wang Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Meiying Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China; Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - Aishun Jin
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Tumor Immune Regulation and Immune Intervention, Chongqing 400010, China.
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Repp ML, Edwards MD, Burch CS, Rao A, Chinyere IR. PCSK9 Inhibitors and Anthracyclines: The Future of Cardioprotection in Cardio-Oncology. HEARTS 2024; 5:375-388. [PMID: 39268545 PMCID: PMC11391951 DOI: 10.3390/hearts5030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of cardio-oncology is an expanding frontier within cardiovascular medicine, and the need for evidence-based guidelines is apparent. One of the emerging focuses within cardio-oncology is the concomitant use of medications for cardioprotection in the setting of chemotherapy regimens that have known cardiovascular toxicity. While clinical trials focusing on cardioprotection during chemotherapy are sparse, an inaugural trial exploring the prophylactic potential of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) for anthracycline (ANT)-induced cardiotoxicity has recently commenced. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, though less studied in this oncology demographic, have exhibited promise in preclinical studies for conferring cardiac protection during non-ischemic toxic insults. While primarily used to reduce low-density lipoprotein, PCSK9 inhibitors exhibit pleiotropic effects, including the attenuation of inflammation, reactive oxygen species, and endothelial dysfunction. In ANT-induced cardiotoxicity, these same processes are accelerated, resulting in premature termination of treatment, chronic cardiovascular sequelae, heart failure, and/or death. This review serves a dual purpose: firstly, to provide a concise overview of the mechanisms implicated in ANT-induced cardiotoxicity, and, finally, to summarize the existing preclinical data supporting the theoretical possibility of the cardioprotective effects of PCSK9 inhibition in ANT-induced cardiotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Repp
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Mark D Edwards
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Christopher S Burch
- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Amith Rao
- Department of Medicine, Banner University Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Ikeotunye Royal Chinyere
- Department of Medicine, Banner University Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
- Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, Room 6154, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
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Ye D, Zhou S, Dai X, Xu H, Tang Q, Huang H, Bi F. Targeting the MHC-I endosomal-lysosomal trafficking pathway in cancer: From mechanism to immunotherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189161. [PMID: 39096977 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189161] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has achieved broad applicability and durable clinical responses across cancer types. However, the overall response rate remains suboptimal because some patients do not respond or develop drug resistance. The low infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) in the tumor microenvironment due to insufficient antigen presentation is closely related to the innate resistance to ICB. The duration and spatial distribution of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) expression on the cell surface is critical for the efficient presentation of endogenous tumor antigens and subsequent recognition and clearance by CTLs. Tumor cells reduce the surface expression of MHC-I via multiple mechanisms to impair antigen presentation pathways and evade immunity and/or develop resistance to ICB therapy. As an increasing number of studies have focused on membrane MHC-I trafficking and degradation in tumor cells, which may impact the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy. It is necessary to summarize the mechanism regulating membrane MHC-I translocation into the cytoplasm and degradation via the lysosome. We reviewed recent advances in the understanding of endosomal-lysosomal MHC-I transport and highlighted the means exploited by tumor cells to evade detection and clearance by CTLs. We also summarized new therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways to enhance classical ICB treatment and provide new avenues for optimizing cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Ye
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Shuang Zhou
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Xinyu Dai
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Huanji Xu
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Huixi Huang
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China.
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Kounatidis D, Tentolouris N, Vallianou NG, Mourouzis I, Karampela I, Stratigou T, Rebelos E, Kouveletsou M, Stamatopoulos V, Tsaroucha E, Dalamaga M. The Pleiotropic Effects of Lipid-Modifying Interventions: Exploring Traditional and Emerging Hypolipidemic Therapies. Metabolites 2024; 14:388. [PMID: 39057711 PMCID: PMC11278853 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14070388] [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: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease poses a significant global health issue, with dyslipidemia standing out as a major risk factor. In recent decades, lipid-lowering therapies have evolved significantly, with statins emerging as the cornerstone treatment. These interventions play a crucial role in both primary and secondary prevention by effectively reducing cardiovascular risk through lipid profile enhancements. Beyond their primary lipid-lowering effects, extensive research indicates that these therapies exhibit pleiotropic actions, offering additional health benefits. These include anti-inflammatory properties, improvements in vascular health and glucose metabolism, and potential implications in cancer management. While statins and ezetimibe have been extensively studied, newer lipid-lowering agents also demonstrate similar pleiotropic effects, even in the absence of direct cardiovascular benefits. This narrative review explores the diverse pleiotropic properties of lipid-modifying therapies, emphasizing their non-lipid effects that contribute to reducing cardiovascular burden and exploring emerging benefits for non-cardiovascular conditions. Mechanistic insights into these actions are discussed alongside their potential therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Kounatidis
- Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.K.); (N.T.); (E.R.); (M.K.)
| | - Nikolaos Tentolouris
- Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.K.); (N.T.); (E.R.); (M.K.)
| | - Natalia G. Vallianou
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece;
| | - Iordanis Mourouzis
- Department of Pharmacology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Irene Karampela
- Second Department of Critical Care, Attikon General University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Theodora Stratigou
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece;
| | - Eleni Rebelos
- Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.K.); (N.T.); (E.R.); (M.K.)
| | - Marina Kouveletsou
- Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (D.K.); (N.T.); (E.R.); (M.K.)
| | | | - Eleni Tsaroucha
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece;
| | - Maria Dalamaga
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
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Xu W, Hu M, Lu X, Lao Y, Ma N, Wang Y, Li J, Chen X, Liu S, Liu J, Zhu W, Yang H. Inhibition of PCSK9 enhances the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects of TCR-T cells and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:3942-3955. [PMID: 39113701 PMCID: PMC11302870 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.93668] [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: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells play important roles in antitumor immunity. However, given that the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor microenvironment confers resistance to T cell-based immunotherapies, novel strategies to boost T cell-mediated antitumor efficacy are urgently needed for the treatment of HCC. Here, we show that high proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type9 (PCSK9) expression was negatively associated with HCC patient's overall survival and markers of CD8+ T cells. Pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 enhanced tumor-specific killing and downregulated PD-1 expression of AFP-specific TCR-T. Inhibition of PCSK9 significantly enhances the anti-HCC efficacy of TCR-T cells and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in vivo. Moreover, PCSK9 inhibitor suppressed HCC growth dependent on CD8+ T cells. Mechanically, pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 promoted low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-mediated activation of mTORC1 signaling in CD8+ T cells. LDLR deficiency was shown to impair cellular mTORC1 signaling and the anti-HCC function of CD8 T cells. On the basis of our findings in this study, we propose a potential metabolic intervention strategy that could be used to enhance the antitumor effects of immunotherapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Minli Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology. Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yueqiong Lao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Na Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Yiyue Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology. Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Xingyuan Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Shiming Liu
- Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology. Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China
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Hsu CY, Abdulrahim MN, Mustafa MA, Omar TM, Balto F, Pineda I, Khudair TT, Ubaid M, Ali MS. The multifaceted role of PCSK9 in cancer pathogenesis, tumor immunity, and immunotherapy. Med Oncol 2024; 41:202. [PMID: 39008137 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02435-0] [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: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a well-known regulator of cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular diseases, has recently garnered attention for its emerging involvement in cancer biology. The multifunctional nature of PCSK9 extends beyond lipid regulation and encompasses a wide range of cellular processes that can influence cancer progression. Studies have revealed that PCSK9 can modulate signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin, thereby influencing cellular proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. Additionally, the interplay between PCSK9 and cholesterol homeostasis may impact membrane dynamics and cellular migration, further influencing tumor aggressiveness. The central role of the immune system in monitoring and controlling cancer is increasingly recognized. Recent research has demonstrated the ability of PCSK9 to modulate immune responses through interactions with immune cells and components of the tumor microenvironment. This includes effects on dendritic cell maturation, T cell activation, and cytokine production, suggesting a role in shaping antitumor immune responses. Moreover, the potential influence of PCSK9 on immune checkpoints such as PD1/PD-L1 lends an additional layer of complexity to its immunomodulatory functions. The growing interest in cancer immunotherapy has prompted exploration into the potential of targeting PCSK9 for therapeutic benefits. Preclinical studies have demonstrated synergistic effects between PCSK9 inhibitors and established immunotherapies, offering a novel avenue for combination treatments. The strategic manipulation of PCSK9 to enhance tumor immunity and improve therapeutic outcomes presents an exciting area for further investigations. Understanding the mechanisms by which PCSK9 influences cancer biology and immunity holds promise for the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the intricate connections between PCSK9, cancer pathogenesis, tumor immunity, and the potential implications for immunotherapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chou-Yi Hsu
- Department of Pharmacy, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan City, 71710, Taiwan.
- Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University Tempe Campus, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
| | | | - Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Imam Jaafar AL-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq
- Department of Pathological Analyzes, College of Applied Sciences, University of Samarra, Samarra, Iraq
| | - Thabit Moath Omar
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technics, Al-Noor University College, Nineveh, Iraq
| | - Franklin Balto
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560069, India
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303012, India
| | - Indira Pineda
- School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Shobhit University, Gangoh, Uttar Pradesh, 247341, India
- Department of Health & Allied Sciences, Arka Jain University, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, 831001, India
| | - Teeba Thamer Khudair
- College of Nursing, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Mohammed Ubaid
- Medical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, Iraq
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11
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Huang TX, Huang HS, Dong SW, Chen JY, Zhang B, Li HH, Zhang TT, Xie Q, Long QY, Yang Y, Huang LY, Zhao P, Bi J, Lu XF, Pan F, Zou C, Fu L. ATP6V0A1-dependent cholesterol absorption in colorectal cancer cells triggers immunosuppressive signaling to inactivate memory CD8 + T cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5680. [PMID: 38971819 PMCID: PMC11227557 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50077-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity shapes anti-tumor immunity through lipid metabolism; however, the mechanisms underlying how colorectal cancer (CRC) cells utilize lipids to suppress anti-tumor immunity remain unclear. Here, we show that tumor cell-intrinsic ATP6V0A1 drives exogenous cholesterol-induced immunosuppression in CRC. ATP6V0A1 facilitates cholesterol absorption in CRC cells through RAB guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (RABGEF1)-dependent endosome maturation, leading to cholesterol accumulation within the endoplasmic reticulum and elevated production of 24-hydroxycholesterol (24-OHC). ATP6V0A1-induced 24-OHC upregulates TGF-β1 by activating the liver X receptor (LXR) signaling. Subsequently, the release of TGF-β1 into the tumor microenvironment by CRC cells activates the SMAD3 pathway in memory CD8+ T cells, ultimately suppressing their anti-tumor activities. Moreover, we identify daclatasvir, a clinically used anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug, as an ATP6V0A1 inhibitor that can effectively enhance the memory CD8+ T cell activity and suppress tumor growth in CRC. These findings shed light on the potential for ATP6V0A1-targeted immunotherapy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tu-Xiong Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui-Si Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Shao-Wei Dong
- Department of Clinical Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518038, Guangdong, China
| | - Jia-Yan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Hua-Hui Li
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Tian-Tian Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiao-Yun Long
- Department of Clinical Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin-Yuan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Pan Zhao
- Department of Clinical Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiong Bi
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Xi-Feng Lu
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Fan Pan
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Chang Zou
- Department of Clinical Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Li Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China.
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12
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Cai Q, Peng M. Identification of CNKSR1 as a biomarker for "cold" tumor microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma: An integrative analysis based on a novel workflow. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29126. [PMID: 38628722 PMCID: PMC11019179 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29126] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Therapies targeting PD1/PD-L1 pathway have revolutionized the treatment of lung cancer. However, anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapies have proven beneficial for only a select group of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients and generally do not work for immuno-cold tumors characterized by a lack of immune cell infiltration. Identifying novel biomarkers is vital to broad therapeutic options for LUAD patients with no response to anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapies. Methods Our study has developed a novel strategy to identify a promising biomarker that addresses the limitations of anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in treating immunological cold tumors. We exacted LUAD RNA-seq data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA). Using several machine learning methods, we identified the candidate biomarker. Based on the expression level of PD-L1 and the identified biomarker, samples were categorized into four groups. We further used ESTIMATE, ssGSEA, and CIBERSORT algorithms to calculate the immune infiltration level of each group. The results were validated in three independent bulk datasets and one scRNA-seq dataset. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assessments were performed in clinical samples to further evaluate the coexpression of CNKSR1 and PD-L1, and to compare CD8 + T cell infiltration among groups. Results After comprehensive analyses, CNKSR1 was identified as a novel promising biomarker for immuno-cold LUAD. CNKSR1 mRNA expression levels exhibited a negative correlation with both PD-L1 mRNA expression and the extent of immune cell infiltration in LUAD. Besides, in contrast to the significant association between the expression of PD-L1 and the majority of other well-established or widely studied immune checkpoint molecules, a mutually exclusive expression pattern is observed between CNKSR1 and these molecules. The aforementioned results were consistent in validation datasets. The prognostic model built based on the CNKSR1 coexpression module also showed robust predictive performance. Additionally, IHC assessments have confirmed that the coexpression of CNKSR1 and PD-L1 is rare in LUAD samples. Notably, LUADs in the high-CNKSR1 group, characterized by high CNKSR1 but low PD- L1 expression, demonstrated reduced infiltration of CD8+ T cells. Conclusions In summary, CNKSR1 emerges as a promising biomarker for immune-cold LUADs, and the study into CNKSR1 modulating T-cell infiltration may lead to the identification of compensatory molecules to enhance the effectiveness of current immunotherapy for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qidong Cai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precision Therapy, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Mou Peng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precision Therapy, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Department of Urology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
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13
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Chang H, Chen H, Ma T, Ma K, Li Y, Suo L, Liang X, Jia K, Ma J, Li J, Sun D. Multi-omics pan-cancer study of SPTBN2 and its value as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9764. [PMID: 38684762 PMCID: PMC11059406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60780-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SPTBN2 is a protein-coding gene that is closely related to the development of malignant tumors. However, its prognostic value and biological function in pan-cancer, especially pancreatic cancer (PAAD), have not been reported. In the present study, a novel exploration of the value and potential mechanism of SPTBN2 in PAAD was conducted using multi-omics in the background of pan-cancer. Via various database analysis, up-regulated expression of SPTBN2 was detected in most of the tumor tissues examined. Overexpression of SPTBN2 in PAAD and kidney renal clear cell cancer patients potentially affected overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval. In PAAD, SPTBN2 can be used as an independent factor affecting prognosis. Mutations and amplification of SPTBN2 were detected, with abnormal methylation of SPTBN2 affecting its expression and the survival outcome of PAAD patients. Immunoassay results demonstrate that SPTBN2 was a potential biomarker for predicting therapeutic response in PAAD, and may influence the immunotherapy efficacy of PAAD by regulating levels of CD8 + T cells and neutrophil infiltration. Results from an enrichment analysis indicated that SPTBN2 may regulate the development of PAAD via immune pathways. Thus, SPTBN2 is a potential prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy target based on its crucial role in the development of PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Chang
- Division of Cholelithiasis Minimally Invasive Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, 116001, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Taiheng Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Kexin Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Yi Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Lida Suo
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Xiangnan Liang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Kunyu Jia
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Jiahong Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Jing Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Deguang Sun
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China.
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14
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Zou J, Mai C, Lin Z, Zhou J, Lai G. Targeting metabolism of breast cancer and its implications in T cell immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1381970. [PMID: 38680483 PMCID: PMC11045902 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1381970] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a prominent health issue amongst women around the world. Immunotherapies including tumor targeted antibodies, adoptive T cell therapy, vaccines, and immune checkpoint blockers have rejuvenated the clinical management of breast cancer, but the prognosis of patients remains dismal. Metabolic reprogramming and immune escape are two important mechanisms supporting the progression of breast cancer. The deprivation uptake of nutrients (such as glucose, amino acid, and lipid) by breast cancer cells has a significant impact on tumor growth and microenvironment remodeling. In recent years, in-depth researches on the mechanism of metabolic reprogramming and immune escape have been extensively conducted, and targeting metabolic reprogramming has been proposed as a new therapeutic strategy for breast cancer. This article reviews the abnormal metabolism of breast cancer cells and its impact on the anti-tumor activity of T cells, and further explores the possibility of targeting metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialuo Zou
- Department of Breast Disease Comprehensive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Cunjun Mai
- Department of Breast Disease Comprehensive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhiqin Lin
- Department of Breast Disease Comprehensive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Immunology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Guie Lai
- Department of Breast Disease Comprehensive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
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15
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Wang H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Shi T, Zhang Y, Song X, Liu B, Wang Y, Wei J. Targeting PCSK9 to upregulate MHC-II on the surface of tumor cells in tumor immunotherapy. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:445. [PMID: 38600469 PMCID: PMC11007992 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), the last member of the proprotein convertase family, functions as a classic regulator of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by interacting with low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Recent studies have shown that PCSK9 can affect the occurrence and development of tumors and can be used as a novel therapeutic target. However, a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of PCSK9 has yet to be conducted. METHODS The potential oncogenic effects of PCSK9 in 33 types of tumors were explored based on the datasets of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. In addition, the immune regulatory role of PCSK9 inhibition was evaluated via in vitro cell coculture and the tumor-bearing mouse model. Finally, the antitumor efficacy of targeted PCSK9 combined with OVA-II vaccines was verified. RESULTS Our results indicated that PCSK9 was highly expressed in most tumor types and was significantly correlated with late disease stage and poor prognosis. Additionally, PCSK9 may regulate the tumor immune matrix score, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and major histocompatibility complex expression. Notably, we first found that dendritic cell (DC) infiltration and major histocompatibility complex-II (MHC-II) expression could be upregulated by PCSK9 inhibition and improve CD8+ T cell activation in the tumor immune microenvironment, thereby achieving potent tumor control. Combining PCSK9 inhibitors could enhance the efficacies of OVA-II tumor vaccine monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Conclusively, our pan-cancer analysis provided a more comprehensive understanding of the oncogenic and immunoregulatory roles of PCSK9 and demonstrated that targeting PCSK9 could increase the efficacy of long peptide vaccines by upregulating DC infiltration and MHC-II expression on the surface of tumor cells. This study reveals the critical oncogenic and immunoregulatory roles of PCSK9 in various tumors and shows the promise of PCSK9 as a potent immunotherapy target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanbing Wang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Yipeng Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Tao Shi
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueru Song
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jia Wei
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, No. 321, Zhongshan Road, 210008, Nanjing, China.
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16
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Fang S, Zheng L, Shu GF, Xiaoxiao C, Guo X, Ding Y, Yang W, Chen J, Zhao Z, Tu J, Chen M, Ji JS. Multiple Immunomodulatory Strategies Based on Targeted Regulation of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 and Immune Homeostasis against Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ACS NANO 2024; 18:8811-8826. [PMID: 38466366 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is the most promising systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the outcome remains poor. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a role in altering cell-surface protein levels, potentially undermining the efficacy of immunotherapy against tumors. This highlights its potential as a target for antitumor therapy. Herein, CaCO3-based nanoparticles coencapsulated with DOX, an immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducer, and evolocumab was developed to enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapy. The obtained DOX/evolocumab-loaded CaCO3 nanoparticle (named DECP) exhibits a good capacity of acid neutralization and causes ICD of cancer cells. In addition, DECP is able to evaluate the cell-surface level of MHC-I, a biomarker that correlates positively with patients' overall survival. Upon intravenous injection, DECP accumulates within the tumor site, leading to growth inhibition of hepa1-6 bearing subcutaneous tumors. Specifically, DECP treatment causes augmented ratios of matured dendritic cells, tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and natural killing cells, while concurrently depleting Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Peritumoral delivery of DECP enhances the immune response of distant tumors and exhibits antitumor effects when combined with intravenous αPD-L1 therapy in a bilateral tumor model. This study presents CaCO3-based nanoparticles with multiple immunomodulatory strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PCSK9 inhibition and modulating immune homeostasis in the unfavorable TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiji Fang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Liyun Zheng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
- Department of radiology, Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Gao-Feng Shu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine of Lishui, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Chen Xiaoxiao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Xiaoju Guo
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
- Department of radiology, Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Yiming Ding
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Wenjing Yang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Jiale Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Zhongwei Zhao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Jianfei Tu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Minjiang Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Jian-Song Ji
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Imaging and Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui 323000, China
- Clinical College of The Affiliated Central Hospital, School of Medcine, Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China
- Department of radiology, Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Lishui 323000, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine of Lishui, Lishui 323000, China
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17
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Jiang W, Jin WL, Xu AM. Cholesterol metabolism in tumor microenvironment: cancer hallmarks and therapeutic opportunities. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:2044-2071. [PMID: 38617549 PMCID: PMC11008265 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.92274] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is crucial for cell survival and growth, and dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis has been linked to the development of cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME) facilitates tumor cell survival and growth, and crosstalk between cholesterol metabolism and the TME contributes to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Targeting cholesterol metabolism has demonstrated significant antitumor effects in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we discuss the regulatory mechanisms of cholesterol homeostasis and the impact of its dysregulation on the hallmarks of cancer. We also describe how cholesterol metabolism reprograms the TME across seven specialized microenvironments. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of targeting cholesterol metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for tumors. This approach not only exerts antitumor effects in monotherapy and combination therapy but also mitigates the adverse effects associated with conventional tumor therapy. Finally, we outline the unresolved questions and suggest potential avenues for future investigations on cholesterol metabolism in relation to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - A-Man Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
- Anhui Public Health Clinical Center, Hefei 230022, P. R. China
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18
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Gao Y, Kennelly JP, Xiao X, Whang E, Ferrari A, Bedard AH, Mack JJ, Nguyen AH, Weston T, Uchiyama LF, Lee MS, Young SG, Bensinger SJ, Tontonoz P. T cell cholesterol transport is a metabolic checkpoint that links intestinal immune responses to dietary lipid absorption. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584164. [PMID: 38559079 PMCID: PMC10979874 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The intrinsic pathways that control membrane organization in immune cells and the impact of such pathways on cellular function are not well defined. Here we report that the non-vesicular cholesterol transporter Aster-A links plasma membrane (PM) cholesterol availability in T cells to immune signaling and systemic metabolism. Aster-A is recruited to the PM during T-cell receptor (TCR) activation, where it facilitates the removal of newly generated "accessible" membrane cholesterol. Loss of Aster-A leads to excess PM cholesterol accumulation, resulting in enhanced TCR nano-clustering and signaling, and Th17 cytokine production. Finally, we show that the mucosal Th17 response is restrained by PM cholesterol remodeling. Ablation of Aster-A in T cells leads to enhanced IL-22 production, reduced intestinal fatty acid absorption, and resistance to diet-induced obesity. These findings delineate a multi-tiered regulatory scheme linking immune cell lipid flux to nutrient absorption and systemic physiology.
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19
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Zhang T, Huo H, Zhang Y, Tao J, Yang J, Rong X, Yang Y. Th17 cells: A new target in kidney disease research. Int Rev Immunol 2024; 43:263-279. [PMID: 38439681 DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2024.2321901] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Type 17 T helper (Th17) cells, which are a subtype of CD4+ T helper cells, secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, and GM-CSF, which play crucial roles in immune defence and protection against fungal and extracellular pathogen invasion. However, dysfunction of Th17 cell immunity mediates inflammatory responses and exacerbates tissue damage. This pathological process initiated by Th17 cells is common in kidney diseases associated with renal injury, such as glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, IgA nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, diabetic kidney disease and acute kidney injury. Therefore, targeting Th17 cells to treat kidney diseases has been a hot topic in recent years. This article reviews the mechanisms of Th17 cell-mediated inflammation and autoimmune responses in kidney diseases and discusses the related clinical drugs that modulate Th17 cell fate in kidney disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Huo
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinghui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Tao
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junzheng Yang
- Guangdong Nephrotic Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, The R&D Center of Drug for Renal Diseases, Consun Pharmaceutical Group, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianglu Rong
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiqi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Raynor JL, Chi H. Nutrients: Signal 4 in T cell immunity. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20221839. [PMID: 38411744 PMCID: PMC10899091 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20221839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells are integral in mediating adaptive immunity to infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Upon immune challenge, T cells exit from a quiescent state, followed by clonal expansion and effector differentiation. These processes are shaped by three established immune signals, namely antigen stimulation (Signal 1), costimulation (Signal 2), and cytokines (Signal 3). Emerging findings reveal that nutrients, including glucose, amino acids, and lipids, are crucial regulators of T cell responses and interplay with Signals 1-3, highlighting nutrients as Signal 4 to license T cell immunity. Here, we first summarize the functional importance of Signal 4 and the underlying mechanisms of nutrient transport, sensing, and signaling in orchestrating T cell activation and quiescence exit. We also discuss the roles of nutrients in programming T cell differentiation and functional fitness and how nutrients can be targeted to improve disease therapy. Understanding how T cells respond to Signal 4 nutrients in microenvironments will provide insights into context-dependent functions of adaptive immunity and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana L Raynor
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hongbo Chi
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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21
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Qin L, Shi L, Wang Y, Yu H, Du Z, Chen M, Cai Y, Cao Y, Deng S, Wang J, Cheng D, Heng Y, Xu J, Cai K, Wu K. Fumarate Hydratase Enhances the Therapeutic Effect of PD-1 Antibody in Colorectal Cancer by Regulating PCSK9. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:713. [PMID: 38398104 PMCID: PMC10887080 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the notable achievements of programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibodies in treating various cancers, the overall efficacy remains limited in the majority of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. Metabolism reprogramming of tumors inhibits the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, leading to down-regulation of fumarate hydratase (FH), which is related to poor prognosis in CRC patients. By establishing a tumor-bearing mouse model of CRC with Fh1 expression deficiency, we confirmed that the therapeutic effect of PD-1 antibodies alone was suboptimal in mice with low Fh1 expression, which was improved by combination with a protein invertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor. Mechanistically, FH binds to Ras-related nucleoprotein (RAN), which inhibits the nuclear import of the PCSK9 transcription factor SREBF1/2, thus reducing the expression of PCSK9. This leads to increased clonal expansion of CD8+ T cells while the number of Tregs remains unchanged, and the expression of PD-L1 does not change significantly, thus enhancing the immunotherapy response. On the contrary, the expression of PCSK9 increased in CRC cells with low FH expression, which antagonized the effects of immunotherapy. Overall, CRC patients with low FH expression may benefit from combinatorial therapy with PD-1 antibodies and PCSK9 inhibitors to enhance the curative effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Qin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University, Shihezi 832008, China; (Y.H.); (J.X.)
| | - Liang Shi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China;
| | - Haixin Yu
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Cancer Center, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (H.Y.); (Z.D.); (Y.C.)
| | - Zhouyuan Du
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Cancer Center, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (H.Y.); (Z.D.); (Y.C.)
| | - Mian Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Yuxuan Cai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Yinghao Cao
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Cancer Center, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (H.Y.); (Z.D.); (Y.C.)
| | - Shenghe Deng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Denglong Cheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Yixin Heng
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University, Shihezi 832008, China; (Y.H.); (J.X.)
| | - Jiaxin Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University, Shihezi 832008, China; (Y.H.); (J.X.)
| | - Kailin Cai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
| | - Ke Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (L.Q.); (L.S.); (M.C.); (Y.C.); (S.D.); (J.W.); (D.C.)
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22
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Bao X, Liang Y, Chang H, Cai T, Feng B, Gordon K, Zhu Y, Shi H, He Y, Xie L. Targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9): from bench to bedside. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:13. [PMID: 38185721 PMCID: PMC10772138 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01690-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has evolved as a pivotal enzyme in lipid metabolism and a revolutionary therapeutic target for hypercholesterolemia and its related cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This comprehensive review delineates the intricate roles and wide-ranging implications of PCSK9, extending beyond CVD to emphasize its significance in diverse physiological and pathological states, including liver diseases, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and notably, cancer. Our exploration offers insights into the interaction between PCSK9 and low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs), elucidating its substantial impact on cholesterol homeostasis and cardiovascular health. It also details the evolution of PCSK9-targeted therapies, translating foundational bench discoveries into bedside applications for optimized patient care. The advent and clinical approval of innovative PCSK9 inhibitory therapies (PCSK9-iTs), including three monoclonal antibodies (Evolocumab, Alirocumab, and Tafolecimab) and one small interfering RNA (siRNA, Inclisiran), have marked a significant breakthrough in cardiovascular medicine. These therapies have demonstrated unparalleled efficacy in mitigating hypercholesterolemia, reducing cardiovascular risks, and have showcased profound value in clinical applications, offering novel therapeutic avenues and a promising future in personalized medicine for cardiovascular disorders. Furthermore, emerging research, inclusive of our findings, unveils PCSK9's potential role as a pivotal indicator for cancer prognosis and its prospective application as a transformative target for cancer treatment. This review also highlights PCSK9's aberrant expression in various cancer forms, its association with cancer prognosis, and its crucial roles in carcinogenesis and cancer immunity. In conclusion, this synthesized review integrates existing knowledge and novel insights on PCSK9, providing a holistic perspective on its transformative impact in reshaping therapeutic paradigms across various disorders. It emphasizes the clinical value and effect of PCSK9-iT, underscoring its potential in advancing the landscape of biomedical research and its capabilities in heralding new eras in personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhui Bao
- Institute of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Center for Clinical Research, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Cell-based Immunotherapy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Yongjun Liang
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanman Chang
- Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tianji Cai
- Department of Sociology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Baijie Feng
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Konstantin Gordon
- Medical Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
- A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Yuekun Zhu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hailian Shi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, Shanghai, China
| | - Yundong He
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liyi Xie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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23
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Xu P, Gao G, Yang C, Wang D, Chen Y, Yao S, Huang Z, Bian Z. Overexpression of LINC00853 enhances tumorigenesis and metastasis of gastric cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 253:155065. [PMID: 38171082 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.155065] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a rising global health issue, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. The pathogenesis of GC is highly complex and involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, identifying new genes and pathways that contribute to the development and progression of GC is essential for improving diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently emerged as a promising area of research in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying various cancers, including GC. These RNA molecules are longer than 200 nucleotides and do not code proteins. Although initially considered "junk DNA", lncRNAs have been demonstrated to play significant roles in various biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, as well as in the pathogenesis of various cancers. In this study, we screened clinical specimens for a novel lncRNA, LINC00853, which showed high expression in GC tissues and promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments confirmed its ability to facilitate the growth and metastasis of GC. These results suggest that LINC00853 plays a crucial role in the development and progression of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Xu
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Ge Gao
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Chunyu Yang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Duo Wang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Surui Yao
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Zhaohui Huang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Zehua Bian
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, China; Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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24
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Hassandokht Mashhadi M, Taheri F, Irani S, Mesbah Mousavi A, Mehri A, Javid H. Current Understanding of PCSK9 and Its Relevance to Cancer Prognosis and Immune Therapy: A Review. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 19:1-9. [PMID: 38864086 PMCID: PMC11164309 DOI: 10.30699/ijp.2023.1999459.3093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The effectiveness of immunotherapy for most cancer patients remains low, with approximately 10-30% of those treated surviving. Thus, much effort is being put into finding new ways to improve immune checkpoint therapy. Our review concludes that inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which plays a critical role in regulating cholesterol metabolism, can cause movement of T cells toward tumors, with increased sensitivity to immune checkpoint therapies. We searched PubMed, NCBI, Scopus, and Google Scholar for the published articles without limitations on publication dates. We used the following terms: "PCSK9", "Cancer", "Immune Checkpoint", and "Cancer Prognosis" in the title and/or abstract. Our search initially revealed 600 records on the subject and stored them in the used databases under EndNote X8 management software. A total of 161 articles were selected and through a careful review, 76 were included in our research. We concluded that PCSK9 reduces the number of LDL receptors (LDL-R) on the cell surface, which is linked to its ability to regulate cholesterol levels in the body. Also, we discuss how suppressing PCSK9 leads to the MHC-1 accumulation on the surface of cancer cells, which results in T lymphocyte invasion. Finally, we believe that inhibiting PCSK9 may be an effective strategy for improving cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fahime Taheri
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sadaf Irani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Arshiya Mesbah Mousavi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ali Mehri
- Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Javid
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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25
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Zhang X, Song W, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Hao S, Ni T. The Role of Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming in Tumor Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17422. [PMID: 38139250 PMCID: PMC10743965 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The occurrence and development of tumors require the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells, namely the alteration of flux in an autonomous manner via various metabolic pathways to meet increased bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands. Tumor cells consume large quantities of nutrients and produce related metabolites via their metabolism; this leads to the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) to better support tumor growth. During TME remodeling, the immune cell metabolism and antitumor immune activity are affected. This further leads to the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance and therefore to abnormal proliferation. This review summarizes the regulatory functions associated with the abnormal biosynthesis and activity of metabolic signaling molecules during the process of tumor metabolic reprogramming. In addition, we provide a comprehensive description of the competition between immune cells and tumor cells for nutrients in the TME, as well as the metabolites required for tumor metabolism, the metabolic signaling pathways involved, and the functionality of the immune cells. Finally, we summarize current research targeted at the development of tumor immunotherapy. We aim to provide new concepts for future investigations of the mechanisms underlying the metabolic reprogramming of tumors and explore the association of these mechanisms with tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Shuailin Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.)
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Zhao J, Zhang X, Li Y, Yu J, Chen Z, Niu Y, Ran S, Wang S, Ye W, Luo Z, Li X, Hao Y, Zong J, Xia C, Xia J, Wu J. Interorgan communication with the liver: novel mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1314123. [PMID: 38155961 PMCID: PMC10754533 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1314123] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is a multifunctional organ that plays crucial roles in numerous physiological processes, such as production of bile and proteins for blood plasma, regulation of blood levels of amino acids, processing of hemoglobin, clearance of metabolic waste, maintenance of glucose, etc. Therefore, the liver is essential for the homeostasis of organisms. With the development of research on the liver, there is growing concern about its effect on immune cells of innate and adaptive immunity. For example, the liver regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and effector functions of immune cells through various secreted proteins (also known as "hepatokines"). As a result, the liver is identified as an important regulator of the immune system. Furthermore, many diseases resulting from immune disorders are thought to be related to the dysfunction of the liver, including systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and heart failure. Thus, the liver plays a role in remote immune regulation and is intricately linked with systemic immunity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the liver remote regulation of the body's innate and adaptive immunity regarding to main areas: immune-related molecules secreted by the liver and the liver-resident cells. Additionally, we assessed the influence of the liver on various facets of systemic immune-related diseases, offering insights into the clinical application of target therapies for liver immune regulation, as well as future developmental trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiulu Zhao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jizhang Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhang Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuqing Niu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuan Ran
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Weicong Ye
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zilong Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaohan Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanglin Hao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Junjie Zong
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengkun Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiahong Xia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Shuwen H, Yinhang W, Jing Z, Qiang Y, Yizhen J, Quan Q, Yin J, Jiang L, Xi Y. Cholesterol induction in CD8 + T cell exhaustion in colorectal cancer via the regulation of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:4441-4456. [PMID: 37919522 PMCID: PMC10991466 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03555-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypercholesterolemia is one of the risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Cholesterol can participate in the regulation of human T cell function and affect the occurrence and development of CRC. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the pathogenesis of CRC immune escape mediated by CD8+ T cell exhaustion induced by cholesterol. METHODS CRC samples (n = 217) and healthy individuals (n = 98) were recruited to analyze the relationship between peripheral blood cholesterol levels and the clinical features of CRC. An animal model of CRC with hypercholesterolemia was established. Intraperitoneal intervention with endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) inhibitors in hypercholesterolemic CRC mice was performed. CD69, PD1, TIM-3, and CTLA-4 on CD8+ T cells of spleens from C57BL/6 J mice were detected by flow cytometry. CD8+ T cells were cocultured with MC38 cells (mouse colon cancer cell line). The proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasive ability of MC38 cells were detected by CCK-8 assay, Annexin-V APC/7-AAD double staining, scratch assay and transwell assay, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ER structure of CD8+ T cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of ERS and mitophagy-related proteins. Mitochondrial function and energy metabolism were measured. Immunoprecipitation was used to detect the interaction of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact site (ERMC) proteins. Immunofluorescence colocalization was used to detect the expression and intracellular localization of ERMC-related molecules. RESULTS Peripheral blood cholesterol-related indices, including Tc, low density lipoproteins (LDL) and Apo(a), were all increased, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) was decreased in CRCs. The proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of MC38 cells were enhanced, and the proportion of tumor cell apoptosis was decreased in the high cholesterol group. The expression of IL-2 and TNF-α was decreased, while IFN-γ was increased in the high cholesterol group. It indicated high cholesterol could induce exhaustion of CD8+ T cells, leading to CRC immune escape. Hypercholesterolemia damaged the ER structure of CD8+ T cells and increased the expression of ER stress molecules (CHOP and GRP78), lead to CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The expression of mitophagy-related proteins (BNIP3, PINK and Parkin) in exhausted CD8+ T cells increased at high cholesterol levels, causing mitochondrial energy disturbance. High cholesterol enhanced the colocalization of Fis1/Bap31, MFN2/cox4/HSP90B1, VAPB/PTPIP51, VDAC1/IPR3/GRP75 in ERMCs, indicated that high cholesterol promoted the intermolecular interaction between ER and mitochondrial membranes in CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSION High cholesterol regulated the ERS-ERMC-mitophagy axis to induce the exhaustion of CD8+ T cells in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Shuwen
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wu Yinhang
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuang Jing
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Qiang
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Yizhen
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Quan
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Yin
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Liu Jiang
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Xi
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, No. 1558, Sanhuan North Road, Wuxing District, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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Luo Q, Tang Z, Wu P, Chen Z, Fang Z, Luo F. A bibliometric analysis of PCSK9 inhibitors from 2007 to 2022. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1218968. [PMID: 38093957 PMCID: PMC10716461 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1218968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Since the approval of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibodies for marketing in 2015, PCSK9 inhibitors have attracted significant interest in the field of cardiovascular endocrinology. A large number of clinical trials have confirmed the efficacy and safety of PCSK9 inhibitors in reducing cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular events. No bibliometric analysis of PCSK9 inhibitors has been performed as of yet. This study aims to analyze the research trends and hotspots of PCSK9 inhibitors through bibliometric analysis. Methods We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for PCSK9 inhibitor-related publications from 2007 to 2022. Data visualization analysis was performed using CiteSpace software. Microsoft Excel and Graphpad software were used for the drawing of some tables and figures. Results A total of 1072 pieces of literature were retrieved between 2007 and 2022. The number of publications concerning PCSK9 inhibitors is growing annually. The top five countries with the most articles published were the United States, England, Canada, Italy, and France. Harvard University, Amgen, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Imperial College London are the five institutions with the highest output. The Journal of Clinical Lipidology is the most popular journal in this field. The most frequently cited journal is the New England Journal of Medicine. As for authors, Sabatine MS and Giugliano RP from Brigham & Women's Hospital have the highest number of published articles. Amgen is the funding agency for most of the research. According to keyword analysis, "low density lipoprotein", "familial hypercholesterolemia", "PCSK9 inhibitor", "PCSK9", and "efficacy" are the five keywords with the highest frequency of co-occurrence. Conclusion The past 15 years have witnessed a rapid and fruitful development of PCSK9 inhibitors. The research trend and focus for PCSK9 inhibitors are from the mechanism of reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to related clinical trials. Developed countries such as the United States have contributed prominently in this area. Coronary artery and inflammation are currently at the forefront of research in the field and are in an explosion period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenchu Tang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Tumor Models and Individualized Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Panyun Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhangling Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenfei Fang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fei Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Wu H, Wu Z, Ye D, Li H, Dai Y, Wang Z, Bao J, Xu Y, He X, Wang X, Dai X. Prognostic value analysis of cholesterol and cholesterol homeostasis related genes in breast cancer by Mendelian randomization and multi-omics machine learning. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1246880. [PMID: 38023262 PMCID: PMC10661325 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1246880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The high incidence of breast cancer (BC) prompted us to explore more factors that might affect its occurrence, development, treatment, and also recurrence. Dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism has been widely observed in BC; however, the detailed role of how cholesterol metabolism affects chemo-sensitivity, and immune response, as well as the clinical outcome of BC is unknown. Methods With Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, the potential causal relationship between genetic variants of cholesterol and BC risk was assessed first. Then we analyzed 73 cholesterol homeostasis-related genes (CHGs) in BC samples and their expression patterns in the TCGA cohort with consensus clustering analysis, aiming to figure out the relationship between cholesterol homeostasis and BC prognosis. Based on the CHG analysis, we established a CAG_score used for predicting therapeutic response and overall survival (OS) of BC patients. Furthermore, a machine learning method was adopted to accurately predict the prognosis of BC patients by comparing multi-omics differences of different risk groups. Results We observed that the alterations in plasma cholesterol appear to be correlative with the venture of BC (MR Egger, OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.35-0.84, p<0.006). The expression patterns of CHGs were classified into two distinct groups(C1 and C2). Notably, the C1 group exhibited a favorable prognosis characterized by a suppressed immune response and enhanced cholesterol metabolism in comparison to the C2 group. In addition, high CHG score were accompanied by high performance of tumor angiogenesis genes. Interestingly, the expression of vascular genes (CDH5, CLDN5, TIE1, JAM2, TEK) is lower in patients with high expression of CHGs, which means that these patients have poorer vascular stability. The CAG_score exhibits robust predictive capability for the immune microenvironment characteristics and prognosis of patients(AUC=0.79). It can also optimize the administration of various first-line drugs, including AKT inhibitors VIII Imatinib, Crizotinib, Saracatinib, Erlotinib, Dasatinib, Rapamycin, Roscovitine and Shikonin in BC patients. Finally, we employed machine learning techniques to construct a multi-omics prediction model(Risklight),with an area under the feature curve (AUC) of up to 0.89. Conclusion With the help of CAG_score and Risklight, we reveal the signature of cholesterol homeostasis-related genes for angiogenesis, immune responses, and the therapeutic response in breast cancer, which contributes to precision medicine and improved prognosis of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haodong Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Burns and Skin Repair Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ruian, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhixuan Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Burns and Skin Repair Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ruian, Zhejiang, China
| | - Daijiao Ye
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hongfeng Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yinwei Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ziqiong Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jingxia Bao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yiying Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei He
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaowu Wang
- Department of Burns and Skin Repair Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ruian, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuanxuan Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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Wang YI, Hao YN, Shen MY, Han XJ, Wang YM, Chen SY, Wang JF, Wang W, Li TT, Jin AS. The Expression of LDL-R in CD8 + T Cells Serves as an Early Assessment Parameter for the Production of TCR-T Cells. In Vivo 2023; 37:2480-2489. [PMID: 37905663 PMCID: PMC10621427 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13355] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The quantity and the phenotypes of desired T cell receptor engineered T (TCR-T) cells in the final cell product determine their in vivo anti-tumor efficacy. Optimization of key steps in the TCR-T cell production process, such as T cell activation, has been shown to improve cell quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using a modified TCR (mTCR) derived from mice transducing PBMCs, we assessed the proportions of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) and mTCR expressing cells under the various activation conditions of CD3/CD28-Dynabeads or OKT3 via flow cytometry. RESULTS We demonstrate that the proportion of T cells expressing LDL-R post activation is positively correlated with the percentage of mTCR+CD8+ T cells with their less differentiated subtypes in the final product. In addition, we show that shifting the CD3/CD28-Dynabeads activation duration from a typical 48 h to 24 h can significantly increase the production of the desired mTCR+CD8+ T cells. Importantly, the percentages of TCR-T cells with less-differentiated phenotypes, namely mTCR central memory T cells (TCM), were found to be preserved with markedly higher efficiency when T cell activation was optimized. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the proportion of LDL-R+ T cells may serve as an early assessment parameter for evaluating TCR-T cell quality, possibly facilitating the functional and economical improvement of current adoptive therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y I Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Nan Hao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Mei-Ying Shen
- Department of Endocrine Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Jian Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Ming Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Si-Yin Chen
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Fan Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Wang Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Li
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China;
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Ai-Shun Jin
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China;
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research of Tumor Immunology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
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Jin J, Zhao Q, Wei Z, Chen K, Su Y, Hu X, Peng X. Glycolysis-cholesterol metabolic axis in immuno-oncology microenvironment: emerging role in immune cells and immunosuppressive signaling. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:189. [PMID: 37828561 PMCID: PMC10571292 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01138-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell proliferation and function require nutrients, energy, and biosynthesis activity to duplicate repertoires for each daughter. It is therefore not surprising that tumor microenvironment (TME) metabolic reprogramming primarily orchestrates the interaction between tumor and immune cells. Tumor metabolic reprogramming affords bioenergetic, signaling intermediates, and biosynthesis requirements for both malignant and immune cells. Different immune cell subsets are recruited into the TME, and these manifestations have distinct effects on tumor progression and therapeutic outcomes, especially the mutual contribution of glycolysis and cholesterol metabolism. In particularly, glycolysis-cholesterol metabolic axis interconnection plays a critical role in the TME modulation, and their changes in tumor metabolism appear to be a double-edged sword in regulating various immune cell responses and immunotherapy efficacy. Hence, we discussed the signature manifestation of the glycolysis-cholesterol metabolic axis and its pivotal role in tumor immune regulation. We also highlight how hypothetical combinations of immunotherapy and glycolysis/cholesterol-related metabolic interventions unleash the potential of anti-tumor immunotherapies, as well as developing more effective personalized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jin
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qijie Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigong Wei
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Keliang Chen
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yonglin Su
- Department of Rehabilitation, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaolin Hu
- Department of Nursing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xingchen Peng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
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Sun C, Zhu G, Shen C, Huang S, Li R, Li J, Ma Z, Wang Z. Identification and validation of PCSK9 as a prognostic and immune-related influencing factor in tumorigenesis: a pan-cancer analysis. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1134063. [PMID: 37860186 PMCID: PMC10584329 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1134063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 (PCSK9) has been primarily studied in the cardiovascular field however, its role in cancer pathophysiology remains incompletely defined. Recently, a pivotal role for PCSK9 in cancer immunotherapy was proposed based on the finding that PCSK9 inhibition was associated with enhancing the antigen presentation efficacy of target programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Herein, we provide results of a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of PCSK9 that assessed its prognostic and immunological functions in cancer. Methods Using a variety of available online cancer-related databases including TIMER, cBioPortal, and GEPIA, we identified the abnormal expression of PCSK9 and its potential clinical associations in diverse cancer types including liver, brain and lung. We also validated its role in progression-free survival (PFS) and immune infiltration in neuroblastoma. Results Overall, the pan-cancer survival analysis revealed an association between dysregulated PCSK9 and poor clinical outcomes in various cancer types. Specifically, PCSK9 was extensively genetically altered across most cancer types and was consistently found in different tumor types and substages when compared with adjacent normal tissues. Thus, aberrant DNA methylation may be responsible for PCSK9 expression in many cancer types. Focusing on liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), we found that PCSK9 expression correlated with clinicopathological characteristics following stratified prognostic analyses. PCSK9 expression was significantly associated with immune infiltrate since specific markers of CD8+ T cells, macrophage polarization, and exhausted T cells exhibited different PCSK9-related immune infiltration patterns in LIHC and lung squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, PCSK9 was connected with resistance of drugs such as erlotinib and docetaxel. Finally, we validated PCSK9 expression in clinical neuroblastoma samples and concluded that PCSK9 appeared to correlate with a poor PFS and natural killer cell infiltration in neuroblastoma patients. Conclusion PCSK9 could serve as a robust prognostic pan-cancer biomarker given its correlation with immune infiltrates in different cancer types, thus potentially highlighting a new direction for targeted clinical therapy of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoji Zhu
- Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Conghuan Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shungen Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ruidong Li
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyu Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengxin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Cai H, Zheng R, Wu N, Hu J, Wang R, Chi J, Zhang W, Zhao L, Cheng H, Chen A, Li S, Xu L. Chimeric Peptide Engineered Nanomedicine for Synergistic Suppression of Tumor Growth and Therapy-Induced Hyperlipidemia by mTOR and PCSK9 Inhibition. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2377. [PMID: 37896137 PMCID: PMC10610039 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced side effects restrain anti-tumor efficiency, with hyperlipidemia being the most common accompanying disease to cause treatment failure. In this work, a chimeric peptide-engineered nanomedicine (designated as PRS) was fabricated for the synergistic suppression of tumor growth and therapy-induced hyperlipidemia. Within this nanomedicine, the tumor matrix-targeting peptide palmitic-K(palmitic)CREKA can self-assemble into a nano-micelle to encapsulate Rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) and SBC-115076 (PCSK9 inhibitor). This PRS nanomedicine exhibits a uniform nano-distribution with good stability which enhances intracellular drug delivery and tumor-targeting delivery. Also, PRS was found to synergistically inhibit tumor cell proliferation by interrupting the mTOR pathway and reducing Rapamycin-induced hyperlipidemia by increasing the production of LDLR. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrate the superiority of PRS for systematic suppression of tumor growth and the reduction of hyperlipidemia without initiating any other toxic side effects. This work proposes a sophisticated strategy to inhibit tumor growth and also provides new insights for cooperative management of chemotherapy-induced side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Cai
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
- Graduate School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Rongrong Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China; (R.Z.); (L.Z.)
| | - Ningxia Wu
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
- Graduate School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiaman Hu
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (W.Z.); (A.C.)
| | - Ruixin Wang
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
| | - Jianing Chi
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (W.Z.); (A.C.)
| | - Linping Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China; (R.Z.); (L.Z.)
| | - Hong Cheng
- Biomaterials Research Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China;
| | - Ali Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (W.Z.); (A.C.)
| | - Shiying Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China; (R.Z.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China; (H.C.); (N.W.); (J.H.); (R.W.); (J.C.)
- Graduate School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Laubach K, Turan T, Mathew R, Wilsbacher J, Engelhardt J, Samayoa J. Tumor-intrinsic metabolic reprogramming and how it drives resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:611-641. [PMID: 37842241 PMCID: PMC10571065 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2023.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The development of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies has been instrumental in advancing the field of immunotherapy. Despite the prominence of these treatments, many patients exhibit primary or acquired resistance, rendering them ineffective. For example, anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1)/anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) treatments are widely utilized across a range of cancer indications, but the response rate is only 10%-30%. As such, it is necessary for researchers to identify targets and develop drugs that can be used in combination with existing ICB therapies to overcome resistance. The intersection of cancer, metabolism, and the immune system has gained considerable traction in recent years as a way to comprehensively study the mechanisms that drive oncogenesis, immune evasion, and immunotherapy resistance. As a result, new research is continuously emerging in support of targeting metabolic pathways as an adjuvant to ICB to boost patient response and overcome resistance. Due to the plethora of studies in recent years highlighting this notion, this review will integrate the relevant articles that demonstrate how tumor-derived alterations in energy, amino acid, and lipid metabolism dysregulate anti-tumor immune responses and drive resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra Laubach
- Computational Oncology, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
- Immuno-Oncology, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Tolga Turan
- Computational Oncology, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Rebecca Mathew
- Immuno-Oncology, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | - Josue Samayoa
- Computational Oncology, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Xiao M, Xu J, Wang W, Zhang B, Liu J, Li J, Xu H, Zhao Y, Yu X, Shi S. Functional significance of cholesterol metabolism in cancer: from threat to treatment. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:1982-1995. [PMID: 37653037 PMCID: PMC10545798 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01079-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is an essential structural component of membranes that contributes to membrane integrity and fluidity. Cholesterol homeostasis plays a critical role in the maintenance of cellular activities. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that cholesterol is a major determinant by modulating cell signaling events governing the hallmarks of cancer. Numerous studies have shown the functional significance of cholesterol metabolism in tumorigenesis, cancer progression and metastasis through its regulatory effects on the immune response, ferroptosis, autophagy, cell stemness, and the DNA damage response. Here, we summarize recent literature describing cholesterol metabolism in cancer cells, including the cholesterol metabolism pathways and the mutual regulatory mechanisms involved in cancer progression and cholesterol metabolism. We also discuss various drugs targeting cholesterol metabolism to suggest new strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Xiao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jialin Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hang Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Center Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Center Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Bazioti V, Halmos B, Westerterp M. T-cell Cholesterol Accumulation, Aging, and Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2023; 25:527-534. [PMID: 37395922 PMCID: PMC10471657 DOI: 10.1007/s11883-023-01125-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The majority of leukocytes in advanced human atherosclerotic plaques are T-cells. T-cell subsets exert pro- or anti-atherogenic effects largely via the cytokines they secrete. Tregulatory cells (Tregs) are anti-inflammatory, but may lose these properties during atherosclerosis, proposed to be downstream of cholesterol accumulation. Aged T-cells also accumulate cholesterol. The effects of T-cell cholesterol accumulation on T-cell fate and atherosclerosis are not uniform. RECENT FINDINGS T-cell cholesterol accumulation enhances differentiation into pro-atherogenic cytotoxic T-cells and boosts their killing capacity, depending on the localization and extent of cholesterol accumulation. Excessive cholesterol accumulation induces T-cell exhaustion or T-cell apoptosis, the latter decreasing atherosclerosis but impairing T-cell functionality in terms of killing capacity and proliferation. This may explain the compromised T-cell functionality in aged T-cells and T-cells from CVD patients. The extent of T-cell cholesterol accumulation and its cellular localization determine T-cell fate and downstream effects on atherosclerosis and T-cell functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venetia Bazioti
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713AV, The Netherlands
- Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Benedek Halmos
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713AV, The Netherlands
| | - Marit Westerterp
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713AV, The Netherlands.
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Hu C, Wu H, Zhu Q, Cao N, Wang H. Cholesterol metabolism in T-cell aging: Accomplices or victims. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23136. [PMID: 37584624 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300515r] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Aging has a significant impact on the function and metabolism of T cells. Cholesterol, the most important sterol in mammals, is known as the "gold of the body" because it maintains membrane fluidity, rigidity, and signal transduction while also serving as a precursor of oxysterols, bile acids, and steroid hormones. Cholesterol homeostasis is primarily controlled by uptake, biosynthesis, efflux, and regulatory mechanisms. Previous studies have suggested that there are reciprocal interactions between cholesterol metabolism and T lymphocytes. Here, we will summarize the most recent advances in the effects of cholesterol and its derivatives on T-cell aging. We will furthermore discuss interventions that might be used to help older individuals with immune deficiencies or diminishing immune competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cexun Hu
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Yueyang Maternal and Child Health-Care Hospital, Yueyang, P.R. China
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P.R. China
| | - Hongliang Wu
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Yueyang Maternal and Child Health-Care Hospital, Yueyang, P.R. China
| | - Qun Zhu
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Yueyang Maternal and Child Health-Care Hospital, Yueyang, P.R. China
| | - Na Cao
- Department of Hematology, Yueyang People's Hospital, Yueyang, P. R. China
- Yueyang Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University, Yueyang, P.R. China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P.R. China
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P.R. China
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Hummelgaard S, Vilstrup JP, Gustafsen C, Glerup S, Weyer K. Targeting PCSK9 to tackle cardiovascular disease. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 249:108480. [PMID: 37331523 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Lowering blood cholesterol levels efficiently reduces the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), including coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the main cause of death worldwide. CAD is caused by plaque formation, comprising cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin/type 9 (PCSK9) was discovered in the early 2000s and later identified as a key regulator of cholesterol metabolism. PCSK9 induces lysosomal degradation of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor in the liver, which is responsible for clearing LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) from the circulation. Accordingly, gain-of-function PCSK9 mutations are causative of familial hypercholesterolemia, a severe condition with extremely high plasma cholesterol levels and increased ASCVD risk, whereas loss-of-function PCSK9 mutations are associated with very low LDL-C levels and protection against CAD. Since the discovery of PCSK9, extensive investigations in developing PCSK9 targeting therapies have been performed. The combined delineation of clear biology, genetic risk variants, and PCSK9 crystal structures have been major drivers in developing antagonistic molecules. Today, two antibody-based PCSK9 inhibitors have successfully progressed to clinical application and shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol levels and mitigating the risk of ASCVD events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, without any major adverse effects. A third siRNA-based inhibitor has been FDA-approved but awaits cardiovascular outcome data. In this review, we outline the PCSK9 biology, focusing on the structure and nonsynonymous mutations reported in the PCSK9 gene and elaborate on PCSK9-lowering strategies under development. Finally, we discuss future perspectives with PCSK9 inhibition in other severe disorders beyond cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Simon Glerup
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Draupnir Bio, INCUBA Skejby, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kathrin Weyer
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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Péč MJ, Benko J, Jurica J, Péčová M, Samec M, Hurtová T, Bolek T, Galajda P, Péč M, Samoš M, Mokáň M. The Anti-Thrombotic Effects of PCSK9 Inhibitors. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1197. [PMID: 37765005 PMCID: PMC10534645 DOI: 10.3390/ph16091197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the primary process that underlies cardiovascular disease. The connection between LDL cholesterol and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques is established by solid evidence. PCSK9 inhibitors have proven to be a valuable and practical resource for lowering the LDL cholesterol of many patients in recent years. Their inhibitory effect on atherosclerosis progression seems to be driven not just by lipid metabolism modification but also by LDL-independent mechanisms. We review the effect of PCSK9 inhibitors on various mechanisms involving platelet activation, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and the resultant clot formation. The main effectors of PCSK9 activation of platelets are CD36 receptors, lipoprotein(a), oxidised LDL particles, tissue factor, and factor VIII. Many more molecules are under investigation, and this area of research is growing rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jozef Péč
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
| | - Jakub Benko
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
- Department of Cardiology, Teaching Hospital Nitra, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Jakub Jurica
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
| | - Monika Péčová
- Oncology Centre, Teaching Hospital Martin, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
- Department of Hematology and Transfusiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Marek Samec
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Tatiana Hurtová
- Department of Infectology and Travel Medicine, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
- Department of Dermatovenerology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Bolek
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
| | - Peter Galajda
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
| | - Martin Péč
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Matej Samoš
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
- Division of Acute and Interventional Cardiology, Department of Cardiology and Angiology II, Mid-Slovakian Institute of Heart and Vessel Diseases (SÚSCCH, a.s.) in Banská Bystrica, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Marián Mokáň
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 59 Martin, Slovakia; (M.J.P.)
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Ricco N, Kron SJ. Statins in Cancer Prevention and Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3948. [PMID: 37568764 PMCID: PMC10417177 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Statins, a class of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors best known for their cholesterol-reducing and cardiovascular protective activity, have also demonstrated promise in cancer prevention and treatment. This review focuses on their potential applications in head and neck cancer (HNC), a common malignancy for which established treatment often fails despite incurring debilitating adverse effects. Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that statins may enhance HNC sensitivity to radiation and other conventional therapies while protecting normal tissue, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined, likely involving both cholesterol-dependent and -independent effects on diverse cancer-related pathways. This review brings together recent discoveries concerning the anticancer activity of statins relevant to HNC, highlighting their anti-inflammatory activity and impacts on DNA-damage response. We also explore molecular targets and mechanisms and discuss the potential to integrate statins into conventional HNC treatment regimens to improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ricco
- Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08195 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Stephen J. Kron
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Chen L, Wang Y, Hu Q, Liu Y, Qi X, Tang Z, Hu H, Lin N, Zeng S, Yu L. Unveiling tumor immune evasion mechanisms: abnormal expression of transporters on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1225948. [PMID: 37545500 PMCID: PMC10401443 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1225948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a crucial driving factor for tumor progression and it can hinder the body's immune response by altering the metabolic activity of immune cells. Both tumor and immune cells maintain their proliferative characteristics and physiological functions through transporter-mediated regulation of nutrient acquisition and metabolite efflux. Transporters also play an important role in modulating immune responses in the TME. In this review, we outline the metabolic characteristics of the TME and systematically elaborate on the effects of abundant metabolites on immune cell function and transporter expression. We also discuss the mechanism of tumor immune escape due to transporter dysfunction. Finally, we introduce some transporter-targeted antitumor therapeutic strategies, with the aim of providing new insights into the development of antitumor drugs and rational drug usage for clinical cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Chen
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuchen Wang
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingqing Hu
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Jinhua, China
| | - Yuxi Liu
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuchen Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhihua Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shaoxing People’s Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China
| | - Haihong Hu
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nengming Lin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Su Zeng
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lushan Yu
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Shaoxing People’s Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Yang QC, Wang S, Liu YT, Song A, Wu ZZ, Wan SC, Li HM, Sun ZJ. Targeting PCSK9 reduces cancer cell stemness and enhances antitumor immunity in head and neck cancer. iScience 2023; 26:106916. [PMID: 37305703 PMCID: PMC10250824 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in regulating cholesterol homeostasis and T cell antitumor immunity. However, the expression, function, and therapeutic value of PCSK9 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain largely unexplored. Here, we found that the expression of PCSK9 was upregulated in HNSCC tissues, and higher PCSK9 expression indicated poorer prognosis in HNSCC patients. We further found that pharmacological inhibition or siRNA downregulating PCSK9 expression suppressed the stemness-like phenotype of cancer cells in an LDLR-dependent manner. Moreover, PCSK9 inhibition enhanced the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and reduced the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in a 4MOSC1 syngeneic tumor-bearing mouse model, and it also enhanced the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Together, these results indicated that PCSK9, a traditional hypercholesterolemia target, may be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target to enhance ICB therapy in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Chao Yang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan-Tong Liu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - An Song
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-Zhong Wu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shu-Cheng Wan
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui-Min Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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43
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Oza PP, Kashfi K. The evolving landscape of PCSK9 inhibition in cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 949:175721. [PMID: 37059376 PMCID: PMC10229316 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a disease with a significant global burden in terms of premature mortality, loss of productivity, healthcare expenditures, and impact on mental health. Recent decades have seen numerous advances in cancer research and treatment options. Recently, a new role of cholesterol-lowering PCSK9 inhibitor therapy has come to light in the context of cancer. PCSK9 is an enzyme that induces the degradation of low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs), which are responsible for clearing cholesterol from the serum. Thus, PCSK9 inhibition is currently used to treat hypercholesterolemia, as it can upregulate LDLRs and enable cholesterol reduction through these receptors. The cholesterol-lowering effects of PCSK9 inhibitors have been suggested as a potential mechanism to combat cancer, as cancer cells have been found to increasingly rely on cholesterol for their growth needs. Additionally, PCSK9 inhibition has demonstrated the potential to induce cancer cell apoptosis through several pathways, increase the efficacy of a class of existing anticancer therapies, and boost the host immune response to cancer. A role in managing cancer- or cancer treatment-related development of dyslipidemia and life-threatening sepsis has also been suggested. This review examines the current evidence regarding the effects of PCSK9 inhibition in the context of different cancers and cancer-associated complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palak P Oza
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Khosrow Kashfi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10031, USA; Graduate Program in Biology, City University of New York Graduate Center, New York, 10091, USA.
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Ma M, Hou C, Liu J. Effect of PCSK9 on atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and its mechanisms: Focus on immune regulation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1148486. [PMID: 36970356 PMCID: PMC10036592 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1148486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a basic pathological characteristic of many cardiovascular diseases, and if not effectively treated, patients with such disease may progress to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs) and even heart failure. The level of plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is significantly higher in patients with ASCVDs than in the healthy population, suggesting that it may be a promising new target for the treatment of ASCVDs. PCSK9 produced by the liver and released into circulation inhibits the clearance of plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), mainly by downregulating the level of LDL-C receptor (LDLR) on the surface of hepatocytes, leading to upregulated LDL-C in plasma. Numerous studies have revealed that PCSK9 may cause poor prognosis of ASCVDs by activating the inflammatory response and promoting the process of thrombosis and cell death independent of its lipid-regulatory function, yet the underlying mechanisms still need to be further clarified. In patients with ASCVDs who are intolerant to statins or whose plasma LDL-C levels fail to descend to the target value after treatment with high-dose statins, PCSK9 inhibitors often improve their clinical outcomes. Here, we summarize the biological characteristics and functional mechanisms of PCSK9, highlighting its immunoregulatory function. We also discuss the effects of PCSK9 on common ASCVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglu Ma
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Early Prediction and Intervention of Acute Myocardial Infarction, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chang Hou
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Early Prediction and Intervention of Acute Myocardial Infarction, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Early Prediction and Intervention of Acute Myocardial Infarction, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Correspondence: Jian Liu
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Spatial transcriptomics reveals niche-specific enrichment and vulnerabilities of radial glial stem-like cells in malignant gliomas. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1028. [PMID: 36823172 PMCID: PMC9950149 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36707-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffuse midline glioma-H3K27M mutant (DMG) and glioblastoma (GBM) are the most lethal brain tumors that primarily occur in pediatric and adult patients, respectively. Both tumors exhibit significant heterogeneity, shaped by distinct genetic/epigenetic drivers, transcriptional programs including RNA splicing, and microenvironmental cues in glioma niches. However, the spatial organization of cellular states and niche-specific regulatory programs remain to be investigated. Here, we perform a spatial profiling of DMG and GBM combining short- and long-read spatial transcriptomics, and single-cell transcriptomic datasets. We identify clinically relevant transcriptional programs, RNA isoform diversity, and multi-cellular ecosystems across different glioma niches. We find that while the tumor core enriches for oligodendrocyte precursor-like cells, radial glial stem-like (RG-like) cells are enriched in the neuron-rich invasive niche in both DMG and GBM. Further, we identify niche-specific regulatory programs for RG-like cells, and functionally confirm that FAM20C mediates invasive growth of RG-like cells in a neuron-rich microenvironment in a human neural stem cell derived orthotopic DMG model. Together, our results provide a blueprint for understanding the spatial architecture and niche-specific vulnerabilities of DMG and GBM.
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Gu Y, Lin X, Dong Y, Wood G, Seidah NG, Werstuck G, Major P, Bonert M, Kapoor A, Tang D. PCSK9 facilitates melanoma pathogenesis via a network regulating tumor immunity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2023; 42:2. [PMID: 36588164 PMCID: PMC9806914 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02584-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND PCSK9 regulates cholesterol homeostasis and promotes tumorigenesis. However, the relevance of these two actions and the mechanisms underlying PCSK9's oncogenic roles in melanoma and other cancers remain unclear. METHODS PCSK9's association with melanoma was analysed using the TCGA dataset. Empty vector (EV), PCSK9, gain-of-function (D374Y), and loss-of-function (Q152H) PCSK9 mutant were stably-expressed in murine melanoma B16 cells and studied for impact on B16 cell-derived oncogenesis in vitro and in vivo using syngeneic C57BL/6 and Pcsk9-/- mice. Intratumoral accumulation of cholesterol was determined. RNA-seq was performed on individual tumor types. Differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) were derived from the comparisons of B16 PCSK9, B16 D374Y, or B16 Q152H tumors to B16 EV allografts and analysed for pathway alterations. RESULTS PCSK9 expression and its network negatively correlated with the survival probability of patients with melanoma. PCSK9 promoted B16 cell proliferation, migration, and growth in soft agar in vitro, formation of tumors in C57BL/6 mice in vivo, and accumulation of intratumoral cholesterol in a manner reflecting its regulation of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR): Q152H, EV, PCSK9, and D374Y. Tumor-associated T cells, CD8 + T cells, and NK cells were significantly increased in D374Y tumors along with upregulations of multiple immune checkpoints, IFNγ, and 143 genes associated with T cell dysfunction. Overlap of 36 genes between the D374Y DEGs and the PCSK9 DEGs predicted poor prognosis of melanoma and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. CYTH4, DENND1C, AOAH, TBC1D10C, EPSTI1, GIMAP7, and FASL (FAS ligand) were novel predictors of ICB therapy and displayed high level of correlations with multiple immune checkpoints in melanoma and across 30 human cancers. We observed FAS ligand being among the most robust biomarkers of ICB treatment and constructed two novel and effective multigene panels predicting response to ICB therapy. The profiles of allografts produced by B16 EV, PCSK9, D374Y, and Q152H remained comparable in C57BL/6 and Pcsk9-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS Tumor-derived PCSK9 plays a critical role in melanoma pathogenesis. PCSK9's oncogenic actions are associated with intratumoral cholesterol accumulation. PCSK9 systemically affects the immune system, contributing to melanoma immune evasion. Novel biomarkers derived from the PCSK9-network effectively predicted ICB therapy responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Gu
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), T3310, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
| | - Xiaozeng Lin
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), T3310, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
| | - Ying Dong
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), T3310, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
| | - Geoffrey Wood
- grid.34429.380000 0004 1936 8198Department of Pathology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Nabil G. Seidah
- grid.511547.30000 0001 2106 1695Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7 Canada
| | - Geoff Werstuck
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Pierre Major
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Michael Bonert
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Anil Kapoor
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), T3310, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
| | - Damu Tang
- grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), T3310, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, G344, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
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Zou Y, Yu X, Zhou C, Zhu C, Yuan Y. Adverse effects of low serum lipoprotein cholesterol on the immune microenvironment in gastric cancer: a case‒control study. Lipids Health Dis 2022; 21:150. [PMID: 36585674 PMCID: PMC9805280 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-022-01766-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholesterol is crucial for tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remodeling. Serum lipoprotein cholesterol is closely associated with gastric cancer (GC) progression, but whether it affects TIME remodeling is unknown. METHODS GC patients with differential serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were collected. After balancing the baseline, immunohistochemical staining was performed on serial whole-tissue sections to detect B-cell and T-cell subsets, macrophages, and PD-L1. Features of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and the extra-TLS zone, including TLS distribution and maturation, immune cell density, and PD-L1 expression, were measured by annotating TLSs or regions of interest (ROIs) in the extra-TLS zone. RESULTS A total of 9,192 TLSs and over 300 ROIs from 61 patients were measured. Compared to HDL-normal patients, HDL-low patients had a decreased secondary-TLS fraction or density but an elevated NK-cell density in the extra-TLS zone. Compared to LDL-normal patients, LDL-low patients had a higher ratio of PD-1 + T follicular helper cells to CD20 + B cells in TLSs, a higher ratio of PD-1 + T cells to CD8 + T cells and increased PD-1 + T-cell density in the extra-TLS zone. Different correlations were found in groups with differential HDL or LDL levels. Cell dynamics in the immune response were weaker in patients with low lipoprotein cholesterol. TLS parameters reached their peak earlier than those of the extra-TLS zone along with tumor progression. CONCLUSION Low serum lipoprotein cholesterol caused adverse effects on antitumor immunity in GC. Lipid management or immunometabolic drugs deserve more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zou
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yu
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenqi Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chunpeng Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Alannan M, Seidah NG, Merched AJ. PCSK9 in Liver Cancers at the Crossroads between Lipid Metabolism and Immunity. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244132. [PMID: 36552895 PMCID: PMC9777286 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic rewiring and defective immune responses are considered to be the main driving forces sustaining cell growth and oncogenesis in many cancers. The atypical enzyme, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), is produced by the liver in large amounts and plays a major role in lipid metabolism via the control of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and other cell surface receptors. In this context, many clinical studies have clearly demonstrated the high efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors in treating hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. Recent data implicated PCSK9 in the degradation of major histocompatibility complex I (MHC-I) receptors and the immune system as well as in other physiological activities. This review highlights the complex crosstalk between PCSK9, lipid metabolism and immunosuppression and underlines the latest advances in understanding the involvement of this convertase in other critical functions. We present a comprehensive assessment of the different strategies targeting PCSK9 and show how these approaches could be extended to future therapeutic options to treat cancers with a main focus on the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak Alannan
- Bordeaux Institute of Oncology (BRIC), INSERM U1312, University of Bordeaux, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Nabil G. Seidah
- Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, IRCM, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Aksam J. Merched
- Bordeaux Institute of Oncology (BRIC), INSERM U1312, University of Bordeaux, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
- Correspondence:
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Ju SH, Ku BJ. Effects of rosuvastatin/ezetimibe on senescence of CD8+ T-cell in type 2 diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia: A study protocol. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e31691. [PMID: 36451471 PMCID: PMC9704954 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000031691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A decade ago, systemic inflammation became widely recognized as an etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and complications thereof. Senescent CD8 + T cells of T2DM patients exhibit increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced expression of cytotoxic molecules, contributing to systemic inflammation. Recently, many anti-inflammatory roles played by statins and ezetimibe (cholesterol-lowering drugs) have been reported. We will explore the effects of statin/ezetimibe therapy on CD8 + T cell senescence in patients with T2DM and hypercholesterolemia. METHODS This 2-group, parallel, randomized, controlled clinical trial will recruit 108 subjects with T2DM and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels ≥100 mg/dL and randomly assign them to rosuvastatin/ezetimibe and rosuvastatin groups at a 1:1 ratio. Blood samples will be drawn at baseline and after 12 weeks of medication. The primary outcomes will be the LDL-C-lowering effects after 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes will be changes in the senescent (CD28 - CD57+) CD8 + T cell proportions; the levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, cytotoxic molecules, interleukin-1, transforming growth factor-β, fasting glucose, and HbA1c; and biochemical indices of kidney, liver, and muscle function. Symptoms and signs of predictable adverse events (myopathy and hepatitis) will be routinely monitored. DISCUSSION We will evaluate the effects of statin/ezetimibe on CD8 + T cell senescence. Statin/ezetimibe may exert a beneficial immunomodulatory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hyeon Ju
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bon Jeong Ku
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- * Correspondence: Bon Jeong Ku, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 282 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea (e-mail: )
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50
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Bonacina F, Moregola A, Svecla M, Coe D, Uboldi P, Fraire S, Beretta S, Beretta G, Pellegatta F, Catapano AL, Marelli-Berg FM, Norata GD. The low-density lipoprotein receptor-mTORC1 axis coordinates CD8+ T cell activation. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:213488. [PMID: 36129440 PMCID: PMC9499829 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202202011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of T cells relies on the availability of intracellular cholesterol for an effective response after stimulation. We investigated the contribution of cholesterol derived from extracellular uptake by the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor in the immunometabolic response of T cells. By combining proteomics, gene expression profiling, and immunophenotyping, we described a unique role for cholesterol provided by the LDLR pathway in CD8+ T cell activation. mRNA and protein expression of LDLR was significantly increased in activated CD8+ compared to CD4+ WT T cells, and this resulted in a significant reduction of proliferation and cytokine production (IFNγ, Granzyme B, and Perforin) of CD8+ but not CD4+ T cells from Ldlr -/- mice after in vitro and in vivo stimulation. This effect was the consequence of altered cholesterol routing to the lysosome resulting in a lower mTORC1 activation. Similarly, CD8+ T cells from humans affected by familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) carrying a mutation on the LDLR gene showed reduced activation after an immune challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Bonacina
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Moregola
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Monika Svecla
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - David Coe
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK
- Centre for Inflammation and Therapeutic Innovation, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK
| | - Patrizia Uboldi
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Fraire
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Beretta
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giangiacomo Beretta
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Pellegatta
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Multimedica, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberico Luigi Catapano
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Multimedica, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica M Marelli-Berg
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK
- Centre for Inflammation and Therapeutic Innovation, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK
| | - Giuseppe Danilo Norata
- Department of Excellence of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Centro SISA per lo Studio dell'Aterosclerosi, Ospedale Bassini, Cinisello Balsamo, Italy
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