Overexpression of SMARCE1 is associated with CD8+ T-cell infiltration in early stage ovarian cancer

LINC00887 regulates malignant progression and T-cell chemotaxis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma by activating CD70 via recruitment of SPI1

BACKGROUND

LINC00887 has been mentioned in several articles regarding its involvement in various cancers like nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer and glioma. However, the mechanism of LINC00887 in the malignant progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still unclear. The topic of our study is mainly centered on exploring how LINC00887 exactly affects ccRCC malignant progression.

METHODS

The bioinformatics method predicted the downstream TF and target genes of LINC00887 by the "LncRNA-transcription factor (TF)-Gene" triplet model. RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, and Dual-luciferase reporter assay determined the regulatory relationship between LINC00887 and its downstream genes. The LINC00887 expression and its downstream gene expression in ccRCC cells were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 modulation axis on proliferative transfer, cell stemness and T cell chemotaxis of ccRCC cells was examined in cellular and animal experiments.

RESULTS

Our research demonstrated an upregulation of LINC00887 in ccRCC, which facilitated tumor growth and stemness in vivo. In addition, LINC00887 could upregulate the CD70 expression by recruiting transcriptional factor SPI1. The results of in vitro experiments illustrated that the LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 regulatory axis facilitated ccRCC malignant progression by promoting cell stemness and hindering T-cell chemotaxis.

CONCLUSION

LINC00887, by recruiting SPI1, activated CD70 transcription, thereby propelling malignant progression and cell stemness and suppressing T cell chemotaxis in ccRCC. Based on our findings, we believed that the LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 regulatory axis had the potential to be a critical breakthrough for treating ccRCC.

A combined biomarker panel shows improved sensitivity and specificity for detection of ovarian cancer

Background

Combined biomarkers can improve the sensitivity and specificity of ovarian cancer (OC) diagnosis and effectively predict patient prognosis. This study explored the diagnostic and prognostic values of serum CCL18 and CXCL1 antigens combined with C1D, FXR1, ZNF573, and TM4SF1 autoantibodies in OC.

Methods

CCL18 and CXCL1 monoclonal antibodies and C1D, FXR1, ZNF573, and TM4SF1 antigens were coated with microspheres. Logistic regression was used to construct a serum antigen‐antibody combined detection model; receiver‐operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the model; and the Kaplan‐Meier method and Cox regression models were used for survival analysis to evaluate the prognosis of OC. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype‐Tissue Expression (GTEx) projects and online survival analysis tools were used to evaluate prognostic genes for OC. The CIBERSORT immune score was used to explore the factors influencing prognosis and their relationship with tumor‐infiltrating immune cells.

Results

The levels of each index in the blood samples of patients with OC were higher than those of the other groups. The combined detection model has higher specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of OC, and its diagnostic efficiency is better than that of CA125 alone and diagnosing other malignant tumors. CCL18 and TM4SF1 may be factors affecting the prognosis of OC, and CCL18 may be related to immune‐infiltrating cells.

Conclusions

The serum antigen‐antibody combined detection model established in this study has high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of OC.

Ovarian Cancer: Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome Immune Suppression

Ovarian cancer generally escapes diagnosis until the advanced stages. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most frequently occurring form of this malaise and is a disease which has the highest mortality rate of gynecologic cancers. Over recent years it has been revealed that the course of such cancers can be significantly influenced by the nature of immune cells in tumors at the time of diagnosis and by immune cells induced by therapy. Numerous investigators have since focused on disease biology to identify biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Yet, while over the past decade there have been significant improvements in state-of-the-art surgery for ovarian cancer as frontline therapy, there have been limited advancements in the development of novel curative or management drugs for this disease. This chapter discusses the major elements of immune suppression in HGSOC from a biological viewpoint, mechanisms of overcoming resistance to therapies, and recent therapy aimed at improving patient care and survival.

The Potential Tumor Promotional Role of circVAPA in Retinoblastoma via Regulating miR-615-3p and SMARCE1

Background

Growing evidence reveals that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play roles in cancer development. However, the effects and possible mechanisms of circRNAs in retinoblastoma (RB) are far from clear.

Methods

circVAPA expression pattern was identified by RT-qPCR. circVAPA induced effects on RB cells were tested by CCK-8, clone forming, flow cytometry and transwell assays. Bioinformatics assay, rescue experiments and dual-luciferase tests were applied for mechanism exploration. Additionally, mouse models were established for in vivo assays.

Results

circVAPA was upregulated in human RB specimen and RB cell lines, and was correlated with poor outcomes of Rb patients. Knockdown of circVAPA could suppress the malignant phenotypes of RB. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that miR-615-3p could reverse the circVAPA induced effects on RB cells, and the downstream oncogene SMARCE1 was positively regulated by circVAPA via miR-615-3p. Further, in vivo analysis confirmed the findings.

Conclusion

In summary, circVAPA promoted RB proliferation and metastasis by sponging miR-615-3p, thereby upregulating SMARCE1. CircVAPA was a potential biomarker for Rb therapy.

11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1: a new marker for predicting response to immune-checkpoint blockade therapy in non-small-cell lung carcinoma

Background

Understanding the status of intratumoural immune microenvironment is necessary to ensure the efficacy of immune-checkpoint (IC) blockade therapy. Cortisol plays pivotal roles in glucocorticoid interactions in the immune system. We examined the correlation between intratumourally synthesised cortisol through 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) 1 and the immune microenvironment in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

Methods

We correlated 11βHSD1 immunoreactivity in 125 cases of NSCLC with the amount of intratumoural immune cells present, and 11βHSD1 immunoreactivity with the efficacy of IC blockade therapy in 18 specimens of NSCLC patients. In vitro studies were performed to validate the immunohistochemical examination.

Results

11βHSD1 immunoreactivity showed a significant inverse correlation with the number of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD3- or CD8-positive T cells. 11βHSD1 immunoreactivity tended to be inversely correlated with the clinical efficacy of the IC blockade therapy. In vitro studies revealed that 11βHSD1 promoted the intratumoural synthesis of cortisol. This resulted in a decrease in cytokines and in the inhibition of monocyte migration.

Conclusions

Our study is the first report clarifying the inhibitory effects of intratumourally synthesised cortisol through 11βHSD1 on immune cell migration. We propose that the response to IC blockade therapy in NSCLC may be predicted by 11βHSD1.

The roles of mutated SWI/SNF complexes in the initiation and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and its regulatory effect on the immune system: A review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver malignancy with a high global prevalence and a dismal prognosis. Studies are urgently needed to examine the molecular pathogenesis and biological characteristics of HCC. Chromatin remodelling, an integral component of the DNA damage response, protects against DNA damage‐induced genome instability and tumorigenesis by triggering the signalling events that activate the interconnected DNA repair pathways. The SWI/SNF complexes are one of the most extensively investigated adenosine triphosphate‐dependent chromatin remodelling complexes, and mutations in genes encoding SWI/SNF subunits are frequently observed in various human cancers, including HCC. The mutated SWI/SNF complex subunits exert dual functions by accelerating or inhibiting HCC initiation and progression. Furthermore, the abnormal SWI/SNF complexes influence the transcription of interferon‐stimulated genes, as well as the differentiation, activation and recruitment of several immune cell types. In addition, they exhibit synergistic effects with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of diverse tumour types. Therefore, understanding the mutations and deficiencies of the SMI/SNF complexes, together with the associated functional mechanisms, may provide a novel strategy to treat HCC through targeting the related genes or modulating the tumour microenvironment.

Overcoming immune suppression with epigenetic modification in ovarian cancer

The impressive successes of immunotherapy have yet to be reliably translated to treatment of ovarian cancer, which may be a consequence of the unique barriers to T cell migration and tumor engagement in the peritoneal cavity and omentum. Epigenetic alterations contribute to establishment of these barriers and other mechanisms of immune subversion; therefore, epigenetic modifying agents represent an opportunity to mount effective antitumor immune responses by disrupting this finely tuned tumor epigenetic framework. Here, we discuss how epigenetic modifiers might permit and stimulate de novo antitumor immune responses in ovarian cancer, focusing largely on 2 common classes, DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors. Specifically, increasing T and NK cell trafficking to the tumor microenvironment as well as induction of altered tumor cell phenotypes that promote immune engagement and cytotoxicity may provide a platform upon which to elaborate existing immunotherapeutic strategies. Indeed, promising combination of epigenetic modifying agents with checkpoint blockade antibodies or cellular therapies in preclinical models has led to a burgeoning number of clinical trials. Therefore, rather than implementation as a monotherapy, epigenetic modifiers may well be best suited as adjuvants in combinatorial strategies, potentiating antitumor immune responses and unleashing the promise of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco alter expression of different sets of miRNAs in oral keratinocytes

Carcinogenic effect of tobacco in oral cancer is through chewing and/or smoking. Significant differences exist in development of oral cancer between tobacco users and non-users. However, molecular alterations induced by different forms of tobacco are yet to be fully elucidated. We developed cellular models of chronic exposure to chewing tobacco and cigarette smoke using immortalized oral keratinocytes. Chronic exposure to tobacco resulted in increased cell scattering and invasiveness in immortalized oral keratinocytes. miRNA sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2500 resulted in the identification of 10 significantly dysregulated miRNAs (4 fold; p ≤ 0.05) in chewing tobacco treated cells and 6 in cigarette smoke exposed cells. We integrated this data with global proteomic data and identified 36 protein targets that showed inverse expression pattern in chewing tobacco treated cells and 16 protein targets that showed inverse expression in smoke exposed cells. In addition, we identified 6 novel miRNAs in chewing tobacco treated cells and 18 novel miRNAs in smoke exposed cells. Integrative analysis of dysregulated miRNAs and their targets indicates that signaling mechanisms leading to oncogenic transformation are distinct between both forms of tobacco. Our study demonstrates alterations in miRNA expression in oral cells in response to two frequently used forms of tobacco.

Immune Cell Population in Ovarian Tumor Microenvironment

Ovarian cancer, the third most common with highest mortality rates gynecological malignancy among women in China, is characterized by a unique tumor immune microenvironment. Immune-cell population infiltrated into the tumor tissue among patients with ovarian cancer are associated positively or negatively with antitumor activity. The imbalance between immune activation and immune suppression can result in oncogenesis and cancer progression. Therefore, intense investigation of the immunologic mechanism of ovarian cancer is urgently needed, and a comprehensive understanding of the network in which immune cells interact with the microenvironment, tumor cells and each other will greatly promote the development of more effective immunotherapies for ovarian cancer. In this review, we will focus on the main immune-cell population in ovarian tumor microenvironment, discuss their role in tumor progression and try to give the readers a new perspective in finding more promising therapeutic targets for cancers.

Tumor suppression effect of Solanum nigrum polysaccharide fraction on Breast cancer via immunomodulation

A polysaccharide fraction from Solanum nigrum, SN-ppF3 was shown previously to have an immunomodulatory activity where it could possibly be used to enhance the host immune response in fighting cancer. The non-toxic SN-ppF3 was fed orally to breast tumor bearing-mice with concentrations of 250 and 500mg/kg for 10days. During the treatment period, size of the tumor and weight of the mice were monitored. At the end of the treatment, blood, tumor, spleen and thymus were harvested for physiological and immunological analyses. After the treatment, the tumor volume and tumor weight were significantly inhibited by 65% and 40%, respectively. Based on the histological observation, the treatment of SN-ppF3 resulted in the disruption of tumor cells morphology. The increase in infiltrating T cells, NK cells and macrophages were observed in tumor tissues of the treated mice, which partly explained the higher apoptosis tumor cells observed in the treated mice. Moreover, the level of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-4 were elevated, while the level of IL-6 was decreased significantly, in serum of the treated mice. These results suggested that tumor suppression mechanisms observed in SN-ppF3-treated mice were most probably due through enhancing the host immune response.

Biological markers of prognosis, response to therapy and outcome in ovarian carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is among the most common types of cancer and is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies in western countries. Cancer biomarkers have a potential for improving the management of OvCa patients at every point from screening and detection, diagnosis, prognosis, follow up, response to therapy and outcome.

AREAS COVERED

The literature search has indicated a number of candidate biomarkers have recently emerged that could facilitate the molecular definition of OvCa, providing information about prognosis and predicting response to therapy. These potentially promising biomarkers include immune cells and their products, tumor-derived exosomes, nucleic acids and epigenetic biomarkers. Expert commentary: Although most of the biomarkers available today require prospective validation, the development of noninvasive liquid biopsy-based monitoring promises to improve their utility for evaluations of prognosis, response to therapy and outcome in OvCa.

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in ovarian cancer

Several improvements in ovarian cancer treatment have been achieved in recent years, both in surgery and in combination chemotherapy with targeting. However, ovarian tumors remain the women's cancers with highest mortality rates. In this scenario, a pivotal role has been endorsed to the immunological environment and to the immunological mechanisms involved in ovarian cancer behavior. Recent evidence suggests a loss of the critical balance between immune-activating and immune-suppressing mechanisms when oncogenesis and cancer progression occur. Ovarian cancer generates a mechanism to escape the immune system by producing a highly suppressive environment. Immune-activated tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in ovarian tumor tissue testify that the immune system is the trigger in this neoplasm. The TIL mileau has been demonstrated to be associated with better prognosis, more chemosensitivity, and more cases of optimal residual tumor achieved during primary cytoreduction. Nowadays, scientists are focusing attention on new immunologically effective tumor biomarkers in order to optimize selection of patients for recruitment in clinical trials and to identify relationships of these biomarkers with responses to immunotherapeutics. Assessing this point of view, TILs might be considered as a potent predictive immunotherapy biomarker.

Functional relevance for type 1 diabetes mellitus-associated genetic variants by using integrative analyses

AIM

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM) is an autoimmune disease. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses have successfully identified numerous type 1 DM-associated susceptibility loci, the underlying mechanisms for these susceptibility loci are currently largely unclear.

METHODS

Based on publicly available datasets, we performed integrative analyses (i.e., integrated gene relationships among implicated loci, differential gene expression analysis, functional prediction and functional annotation clustering analysis) and combined with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) results to further explore function mechanisms underlying the associations between genetic variants and type 1 DM.

RESULTS

Among a total of 183 type 1 DM-associated SNPs, eQTL analysis showed that 17 SNPs with cis-regulated eQTL effects on 9 genes. All the 9 eQTL genes enrich in immune-related pathways or Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Functional prediction analysis identified 5 SNPs located in transcription factor (TF) binding sites. Of the 9 eQTL genes, 6 (TAP2, HLA-DOB, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DRB5 and CTSH) were differentially expressed in type 1 DM-associated related cells. Especially, rs3825932 in CTSH has integrative functional evidence supporting the association with type 1 DM.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that integrative analyses can yield important functional information to link genetic variants and type 1 DM.

Overexpression of GPC6 and TMEM132D in Early Stage Ovarian Cancer Correlates with CD8+ T-Lymphocyte Infiltration and Increased Patient Survival

Infiltration of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in ovarian cancer is a favorable prognostic factor. Employing a differential expression approach, we have recently identified a number of genes associated with CD8+ T-cell infiltration in early stage ovarian tumors. In the present study, we validated by qPCR the expression of two genes encoding the transmembrane proteins GPC6 and TMEM132D in a cohort of early stage ovarian cancer patients. The expression of both genes correlated positively with the mRNA levels of CD8A, a marker of T-lymphocyte infiltration [Pearson coefficient: 0.427 (p = 0.0067) and 0.861 (p < 0.0001), resp.]. GPC6 and TMEM132D expression was also documented in a variety of ovarian cancer cell lines. Importantly, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high mRNA levels of GPC6 and/or TMEM132D correlated significantly with increased overall survival of early stage ovarian cancer patients (p = 0.032). Thus, GPC6 and TMEM132D may serve as predictors of CD8+ T-lymphocyte infiltration and as favorable prognostic markers in early stage ovarian cancer with important consequences for diagnosis, prognosis, and tumor immunobattling.