Metabolism and polarization regulation of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment

Exosomal long non-coding RNAs in cancer: Interplay, modulation, and therapeutic avenues

In the intricate field of cancer biology, researchers are increasingly intrigued by the emerging role of exosomal long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) due to their multifaceted interactions, complex modulation mechanisms, and potential therapeutic applications. These exosomal lncRNAs, carried within extracellular vesicles, play a vital partin tumorigenesis and disease progression by facilitating communication networks between tumor cells and their local microenvironment, making them an ideal candidates for use in a liquid biopsy approach. However, exosomal lncRNAs remain an understudied area, especially in cancer biology. Therefore this review aims to comprehensively explore the dynamic interplay between exosomal lncRNAs and various cellular components, including interactions with tumor-stroma, immune modulation, and drug resistance mechanisms. Understanding the regulatory functions of exosomal lncRNAs in these processes can potentially unveil novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for cancer. Additionally, the emergence of RNA-based therapeutics presents exciting opportunities for targeting exosomal lncRNAs, offering innovative strategies to combat cancer progression and improve treatment outcomes. Thus, this review provides insights into the current understanding of exosomal lncRNAs in cancer biology, highlighting their crucial roles, regulatory mechanisms, and the evolving landscape of therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, we have also discussed the advantage of exosomes as therapeutic carriers of lncRNAs for the development of personalized targeted therapy for cancer patients.

Co-morbid intersections of cancer and cardiovascular disease and targets for natural drug action: Reprogramming of lipid metabolism

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are major contributors to global morbidity and mortality, and their seemingly separate pathologies are intricately intertwined. In the context of cancer, the cardiovascular disease encompasses not only the side effects arising from anti-tumor treatments but also the metabolic shifts induced by oncological conditions. A growing body of research indicates that lipid metabolic reprogramming serves as a distinctive hallmark of tumors. Furthermore, anomalies in lipid metabolism play a significant role in the development of cardiovascular disease. This study delves into the cardiac implications of lipid metabolic reprogramming within the cancer context, closely examining abnormalities in lipid metabolism present in tumors, cardiac tissue, and immune cells within the microenvironment. Additionally, we examined risk factors such as obesity and anti-tumor therapy. Despite progress, a gap remains in the availability of drugs targeting lipid metabolism modulation for treating tumors and mitigating cardiac risk, with limited advancement seen in prior studies. Here, we present a review of previous research on natural drugs that exhibit both shared and distinct therapeutic effects on tumors and cardiac health by modulating lipid metabolism. Our aim is to provide insights for potential drug development.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy-induced remodeling of human hormonal receptor-positive breast cancer revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing

Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HR+ BC) is known to be relatively insensitive to chemotherapy, and since chemotherapy has remained the major neoadjuvant therapy for HR+ BC, the undetermined mechanism of chemoresistance and how chemotherapy reshapes the immune microenvironment need to be explored by high-throughput technology. By using single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed immunofluorescence staining analysis of HR+ BC samples (paired pre- and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)), the levels of previously unrecognized immune cell subsets, including CD8+ T cells with pronounced expression of T-cell development (LMNA) and cytotoxicity (FGFBP2) markers, CD4+ T cells characterized by proliferation marker (ATP1B3) expression and macrophages characterized by CD52 expression, were found to be increased post-NAC, which were predictive of chemosensitivity and their antitumor function was also validated with in vitro experiments. In terms of immune checkpoint expression of CD8+ T cells, we found their changes were inconsistent post-NAC, that LAG3, VSIR were decreased, and PDCD1, HAVCR2, CTLA4, KLRC1 and BTLA were increased. In addition, we have identified novel genomic and transcriptional patterns of chemoresistant cancer cells, both innate and acquired, and have confirmed their prognostic value with TCGA cohorts. By shedding light on the ecosystem of HR+ BC reshaped by chemotherapy, our results uncover valuable candidates for predicting chemosensitivity and overcoming chemoresistance in HR+ BC.

Advance in the role of chemokines/chemokine receptors in carcinogenesis: Focus on pancreatic cancer

The chemokines/chemokine receptors pathway significantly influences cell migration, particularly in recruiting immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME), impacting tumor progression and treatment outcomes. Emerging research emphasizes the involvement of chemokines in drug resistance across various tumor therapies, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. This review focuses on the role of chemokines/chemokine receptors in pancreatic cancer (PC) development, highlighting their impact on TME remodeling, immunotherapy, and relevant signaling pathways. The unique immunosuppressive microenvironment formed by the interaction of tumor cells, stromal cells and immune cells plays an important role in the tumor proliferation, invasion, migration and therapeutic resistance. Chemokines/chemokine receptors, such as chemokine ligand (CCL) 2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL20, CCL21, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL4, CXCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, CXCL13, CXCL14, CXCL16, CXCL17, and C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand (CX3CL)1, derived mainly from leukocyte cells, cancer-related fibroblasts (CAFs), pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), contribute to PC progression and treatment resistance. Chemokines recruit myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), regulatory T cells (Tregs), and M2 macrophages, inhibiting the anti-tumor activity of immune cells. Simultaneously, they enhance pathways like epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Akt serine/threonine kinase (AKT), extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), etc., elevating the risk of PC metastasis and compromising the efficacy of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. Notably, the CCLx-CCR2 and CXCLx-CXCR2/4 axis emerge as potential therapeutic targets in PC. This review integrates recent findings on chemokines and receptors in PC treatment, offering valuable insights for innovative therapeutic approaches.

Effects of dietary intervention on human diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Diet, serving as a vital source of nutrients, exerts a profound influence on human health and disease progression. Recently, dietary interventions have emerged as promising adjunctive treatment strategies not only for cancer but also for neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. These interventions have demonstrated substantial potential in modulating metabolism, disease trajectory, and therapeutic responses. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of malignant progression, and a deeper understanding of this phenomenon in tumors and its effects on immune regulation is a significant challenge that impedes cancer eradication. Dietary intake, as a key environmental factor, can influence tumor metabolism. Emerging evidence indicates that dietary interventions might affect the nutrient availability in tumors, thereby increasing the efficacy of cancer treatments. However, the intricate interplay between dietary interventions and the pathogenesis of cancer and other diseases is complex. Despite encouraging results, the mechanisms underlying diet-based therapeutic strategies remain largely unexplored, often resulting in underutilization in disease management. In this review, we aim to illuminate the potential effects of various dietary interventions, including calorie restriction, fasting-mimicking diet, ketogenic diet, protein restriction diet, high-salt diet, high-fat diet, and high-fiber diet, on cancer and the aforementioned diseases. We explore the multifaceted impacts of these dietary interventions, encompassing their immunomodulatory effects, other biological impacts, and underlying molecular mechanisms. This review offers valuable insights into the potential application of these dietary interventions as adjunctive therapies in disease management.

Application of metabolomics in oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent malignancy affecting the head and neck region. The prognosis for OSCC patients remains unfavorable due to the absence of precise and efficient early diagnostic techniques. Metabolomics offers a promising approach for identifying distinct metabolites, thereby facilitating early detection and treatment of OSCC.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in metabolic marker identification for early OSCC diagnosis. Additionally, the clinical significance and potential applications of metabolic markers for the management of OSCC are discussed.

RESULTS

This review summarizes metabolic changes during the occurrence and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma and reviews prospects for the clinical application of characteristic, differential metabolites in saliva, serum, and OSCC tissue. In this review, the application of metabolomic technology in OSCC research was summarized, and future research directions were proposed.

CONCLUSION

Metabolomics, detection technology that is the closest to phenotype, can efficiently identify differential metabolites. Combined with statistical data analyses and artificial intelligence technology, it can rapidly screen characteristic biomarkers for early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis evaluations.

Ganodermanontriol regulates tumor-associated M2 macrophage polarization in gastric cancer

AIM

We focused on investigating the role and mechanism of ganodermanontriol (GAN) in regulating the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages in the gastric cancer microenvironment.

METHODS

M2 polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages was induced by IL-4 or co-culture with MFC, and the expression levels of M1 macrophage markers (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β) and M2 macrophage markers (IL-10, TGF-β, Arg-1) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbed assay (ELISA). The protein expression was assayed by Western-Blotting. For in vitro experiments, a tumor-bearing mouse model was established, with which the CD206 level was detected by histochemistry, and the binding mode between GAN and STAT6 was simulated through molecular dynamics.

RESULTS

Both IL-4 and MFC could induce the M2 polarization of macrophages. GAN could inhibit such polarization, which produced unobvious effects on M1 markers, but could suppress the levels of M2 markers. GAN could inhibit the phosphorylated expression of STAT6, and M2 macrophages treated by it had a weakened ability to promote malignant behavior of MFC. According to the results of in vitro experiments, GAN could inhibit tumor growth, suppress the tissue infiltration of CD206 cells, and inhibit the phosphorylated expression of STAT6.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that GAN can inhibit the M2 macrophage polarization in gastric cancer microenvironment, whose mechanism of action is associated with the regulation of STAT6 phosphorylation.

An individualized stemness-related signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy responses for gastric cancer using single-cell and bulk tissue transcriptomes

BACKGROUND

Currently, many stemness-related signatures have been developed for gastric cancer (GC) to predict prognosis and immunotherapy outcomes. However, due to batch effects, these signatures cannot accurately analyze patients one by one, rendering them impractical in real clinical scenarios. Therefore, we aimed to develop an individualized and clinically applicable signature based on GC stemness.

METHODS

Malignant epithelial cells from single-cell RNA-Seq data of GC were used to identify stemness-related signature genes based on the CytoTRACE score. Using two bulk tissue datasets as training data, the enrichment scores of the signature genes were applied to classify samples into two subtypes. Then, using the identified subtypes as criteria, we developed an individualized stemness-related signature based on the within-sample relative expression orderings of genes.

RESULTS

We identified 175 stemness-related signature genes, which exhibited significantly higher AUCell scores in poorly differentiated GCs compared to differentiated GCs. In training datasets, GC samples were classified into two subtypes with significantly different survival times and genomic characteristics. Utilizing the two subtypes, an individualized signature was constructed containing 47 gene pairs. In four independent testing datasets, GC samples classified as high risk exhibited significantly shorter survival times, higher infiltration of M2 macrophages, and lower immune responses compared to low-risk samples. Moreover, the potential therapeutic targets and corresponding drugs were identified for the high-risk group, such as CD248 targeted by ontuxizumab.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed an individualized stemness-related signature, which can accurately predict the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy for each GC sample.

Oxidative stress is involved in immunosuppression and macrophage regulation in glioblastoma

Oxidative stress dually affected cancer progression, while its effect on glioblastomas remained unclear. Herein, we clustered the multicenter glioblastoma cohorts based on the oxidative-stress-responsive genes (OSS) expression. We found that cluster 2 with high OSS levels suffered a worse prognosis. Functional analyses and immune-related analyses results exhibited that M2-like pro-tumoral macrophages and neutrophils were enriched in cluster 2, while Natural killer cells' infiltration was decreased. The increased M2-like pro-tumoral macrophages in cluster 2 was confirmed by immunofluorescence. An integrated single-cell analysis validated the malignant features of cluster 2 neoplastic cells and discovered their crosstalk with M2-like pro-tumoral macrophages. Moreover, we observed that SOD3 knockdown might decrease the M2-like pro-tumoral transformation of macrophage in vitro and in vivo. Comprehensively, we revealed oxidative stress' prognostic and immunosuppressive potential in glioblastoma and discovered SOD3's potential role in regulating macrophage M2-like pro-tumoral transformation.

The role of tumor-associated macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma progression: A narrative review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, with complex etiology and mechanism, and a high mortality rate. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important part of the HCC tumor microenvironment. Studies in recent years have shown that TAMs are involved in multiple stages of HCC and are related to treatment and prognosis in HCC. The specific mechanisms between TAMs and HCC are gradually being revealed. This paper reviews recent advances in the mechanisms associated with TAMs in HCC, concentrating on an overview of effects of TAMs on drug resistance in HCC and the signaling pathways linked with HCC, providing clues for the treatment and prognosis determination of HCC.

The role of LSM1 in breast cancer: Shaping metabolism and tumor-associated macrophage infiltration

LSM1 is part of the cytoplasmic protein complex Lsm1-7-Pat1 and is likely involved in pre-mRNA degradation by aiding U4/U6 snRNP formation. More research is needed to uncover LSM1's potential in breast cancer (BRCA) clinical pathology, the tumor immune microenvironment, and precision oncology. We discovered LSM1 as a diagnostic marker for advanced BRCA with poor survival, using a multi-omics approach. We studied LSM1 expression across BRCA regions and its link to immune cells through various methods, including spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA-sequencing. We also examined how silencing LSM1 affects mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in the tumor environment. These findings were confirmed using 54 BRCA patient biopsies and tissue microarrays. Immunofluorescence and bioinformatics assessed LSM1's connection to clinicopathological features and prognosis. This study uncovers gene patterns linked to breast cancer, with LSM1 linked to macrophage energy processes. Silencing LSM1 in breast cancer cells disrupts mitochondria and energy metabolism. Spatial analysis aligns with previous results, showing LSM1's connection to macrophages. Biopsies confirm LSM1 elevation in advanced breast cancer with increased macrophage presence. To summarize, LSM1 changes may drive BRCA progression, making it a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker. It also influences energy metabolism and the tumor's immune environment during metastasis, showing promise for precision medicine and drug screening in BRCA.

Engineered Macrophages Tune Intratumoral Cytokines through Precisely Controlled Self-Pyroptosis to Enhance Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy

Engineered macrophages are a promising tool for drug delivery and immunotherapy in cancer treatment. However, simultaneous targeted enrichment and controllable immunological activation of these macrophages at the tumor site remains challenging. As a solution, macrophages loaded with an advanced nanoparticle encapsulating CpG-conjugated magnetic nanoclusters (MNC) with indocyanine green (ICG) and nigericin (NIG) (MNC-ICG-NIG@SiO2 (MINS)), utilizing Se─Se bond-modified SiO2 , are designed and applied in bladder cancer, which is typically managed surgically, followed by Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) adjuvant instillation therapy. Upon intravenous administration, BCG-mediated tumor-localized inflammation leads to targeted accumulation of MINS@MΦ. MINS@MΦ accumulates within the tumor tissue and is immunologically activated through laser irradiation, leading to ICG-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species, Se─Se bond cleavage, and subsequent NIG release to induce self-pyroptosis. Consequently, MINS@MΦ releases Fe2+ ions and CpG, thus promoting the M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages and secretion of appropriate antitumor cytokines. However, without intervention, MINS@MΦ undergoes apoptosis in the bloodstream after 48 h without eliciting any immune response. Therefore, this innovative approach optimizes and enhances the efficacy of BCG immunotherapy by precisely modulating the cytokines for effective bladder cancer treatment without inducing a systemic inflammatory response.

Targeting tumor-associated macrophage: an adjuvant strategy for lung cancer therapy

The emergence of immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment landscape for various types of cancer. Nevertheless, lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide due to the development of resistance in most patients. As one of the most abundant groups of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial and complex roles in the development of lung cancer, including the regulation of immunosuppressive TME remodeling, metabolic reprogramming, neoangiogenesis, metastasis, and promotion of tumoral neurogenesis. Hence, relevant strategies for lung cancer therapy, such as inhibition of macrophage recruitment, TAM reprograming, depletion of TAMs, and engineering of TAMs for drug delivery, have been developed. Based on the satisfactory treatment effect of TAM-targeted therapy, recent studies also investigated its synergistic effect with current therapies for lung cancer, including immunotherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) treatment, or photodynamic therapy. Thus, in this article, we summarized the key mechanisms of TAMs contributing to lung cancer progression and elaborated on the novel therapeutic strategies against TAMs. We also discussed the therapeutic potential of TAM targeting as adjuvant therapy in the current treatment of lung cancer, particularly highlighting the TAM-centered strategies for improving the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) treatment.

Potential Associations between Vascular Biology and Hodgkin's Lymphoma: An Overview

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a lymphatic neoplasm typically found in the cervical lymph nodes. The disease is multifactorial, and in recent years, the relationships between various vascular molecules have been explored in the field of vascular biology. The connection between vascular biology and HL is intricate and the roles of several pathways remain unclear. This review summarizes the cellular and molecular relationships between vascular biology and HL. Proteins associated with various functions in vascular biology, including cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-13, and IL-21), chemokines (CXCL10, CXCL12, and CCL21), adhesion molecules (ELAM-1/VCAM-1), and growth factors (BDNF/NT-3, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α), have been linked to tumor activity. Notable tumor activities include the induction of paracrine activation of NF-kB-dependent pathways, upregulation of adhesion molecule regulation, genome amplification, and effective loss of antigen presentation mediated by MHC-II. Preclinical study models, primarily those using cell culture, have been optimized for HL. Animal models, particularly mice, are also used as alternatives to complex biological systems, with studies primarily focusing on the physiopathogenic evaluation of the disease. These biomolecules warrant further study because they may shed light on obscure pathways and serve as targets for prevention and/or treatment interventions.

Inflammatory cytokine-regulated LNCPTCTS suppresses thyroid cancer progression via enhancing Snail nuclear export

Lymph node metastases are commonly observed in diverse malignancies where they promote cancer progression and poor outcomes, although the molecular basis is incompletely understood. Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent endocrine neoplasm characterized by high frequency of lymph node metastases. Here, we uncover an inflammatory cytokines-controlled epigenetic program during thyroid cancer progression. LNCPTCTS acts as a novel tumor suppressive lncRNA with remarkably decreased expression in thyroid cancer specimens, especially in metastatic lymph nodes. Inflammatory cytokines TNFα or CXCL10, which are released from tumor microenvironment (TME), impair binding capabilities of the transcription factor (TF) EGR1 to the LNCPTCTS promoter and reduce the lncRNA expression in cells. Notably, LNCPTCTS binds to eEF1A2 protein and facilitates the interaction between eEF1A2 and Snail, which promotes Snail nucleus export via the RanGTP-Exp5-aa-tRNA-eEF1A2 complex. Loss of LNCPTCTS in tumors leads to accumulation of Snail in the nucleus, suppressed transcription of E-cadherin and PEBP1, reduced E-cadherin and PEBP1 protein levels, and activated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and MAPK signaling. Our results reveal what we believe to be a novel paradigm between TME and epigenetic reprogram in cancer cells which drives lymph node metastases, therefore illuminating the suitability of LNCPTCTS as a targetable vulnerability in thyroid cancer.

FABP4 in macrophages facilitates obesity-associated pancreatic cancer progression via the NLRP3/IL-1β axis

Obesity is an essential risk factor for pancreatic cancer (PC). Macrophage-induced inflammation plays a pivotal role in obesity-associated carcinogenesis and disease progression; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found that fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) overexpressed in serum of obese patients and was associated with poor overall survival. In vivo and in vitro experiments have revealed that FABP4 induces macrophage-related inflammation to promote cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis under obese conditions. Mechanistically, FABP4 participates in transferring saturated fatty acid to induce macrophages pyroptosis in a caspase-1/GSDMD-dependent manner and mediates NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3)/IL-1β axis in macrophages, which further regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition signals to promote the migration, invasion, and metastasis of PC cells. Our results suggest that FABP4 in macrophages is a crucial regulator of the NLRP3/IL-1β axis to promote the progression of PC under obese conditions, which could act as a promising molecular target for treating of PC patients with obesity.

Tumor Metabolism-Rewriting Nanomedicines for Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has become an established therapeutic paradigm in oncologic therapy, but its therapeutic efficacy remains unsatisfactory in the majority of cancer patients. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the metabolically hostile tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by acidity, deprivation of oxygen and nutrients, and accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites, promotes the dysfunction of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and thereby compromises the effectiveness of immunotherapy. This indicates the potential role of tumor metabolic intervention in the reinvigoration of antitumor immunity. With the merits of multiple drug codelivery, cell and organelle-specific targeting, controlled drug release, and multimodal therapy, tumor metabolism-rewriting nanomedicines have recently emerged as an attractive strategy to strengthen antitumor immune responses. This review summarizes the current progress in the development of multifunctional tumor metabolism-rewriting nanomedicines for evoking antitumor immunity. A special focus is placed on how these nanomedicines reinvigorate innate or adaptive antitumor immunity by regulating glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism at the tumor site. Finally, the prospects and challenges in this emerging field are discussed.

Transcription Factor GLI1 Induces IL-6-Mediated Inflammatory Response and Facilitates the Progression of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma

Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is a neuroendocrine tumor whose pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated the role of glioma-associated oncogene family zinc finger 1 (GLI1), a transcription factor in the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway, in ACP. We discovered that GLI1 regulates the expression of IL-6, thereby triggering inflammatory responses in ACP and influencing the tumor's progression. Analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database chip GSE68015, we found that GLI1 is overexpressed in ACP, correlating positively with the spite of ACP and inflammation markers. Knockdown of GLI1 significantly inhibited the levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in ACP cells, as well as cell proliferation and migration. We further identified a binding site between GLI1 and the promoter region of IL-6, demonstrating that GLI1 can enhance the expression of IL-6. These findings were verified in vivo, where activation of the SHH pathway significantly promoted GLI1 and IL-6 expressions in nude mice, inducing inflammation and tumor growth. Conversely, GLI1 knockdown markedly suppressed these processes. Our study uncovers a potential molecular mechanism for the occurrence of inflammatory responses and tumor progression in ACP.

The Role of the Piezo1 Mechanosensitive Channel in Heart Failure

Mechanotransduction (MT) is inseparable from the pathobiology of heart failure (HF). However, the effects of mechanical forces on HF remain unclear. This review briefly describes how Piezo1 functions in HF-affected cells, including endothelial cells (ECs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), cardiomyocytes (CMs), and immune cells. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel that has been extensively studied in recent years. Piezo1 responds to different mechanical forces and converts them into intracellular signals. The pathways that modulate the Piezo1 switch have also been briefly described. Experimental drugs that specifically activate Piezo1-like proteins, such as Yoda1, Jedi1, and Jedi2, are available for clinical studies to treat Piezo1-related diseases. The only mechanosensitive ion-channel-specific inhibitor available is GsMTx4, which can turn off Piezo1 by modulating the local membrane tension. Ultrasound waves can modulate Piezo1 switching in vitro with the assistance of microbubbles. This review provides new possible targets for heart failure therapy by exploring the cellular functions of Piezo1 that are involved in the progression of the disease. Modulation of Piezo1 activity may, therefore, effectively delay the progression of heart failure.

Sox13 and M2-like leukemia-associated macrophages contribute to endogenous IL-34 caused accelerated progression of acute myeloid leukemia

Interleukin 34 (IL-34) mainly plays physiologic and pathologic roles through the sophisticated multi-ligand signaling system, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, CSF-1)/IL-34-CSF-1R axis, which exhibits functional redundancy, tissue-restriction and diversity. This axis is vital for the survival, differentiation and function of monocytic lineage cells and plays pathologic roles in a broad range of diseases. However, the role of IL-34 in leukemia has not been established. Here MLL-AF9 induced mouse acute myeloid leukemia (AML) model overexpressing IL-34 (MA9-IL-34) was used to explore its role in AML. MA9-IL-34 mice exhibited accelerated disease progression and short survival time with significant subcutaneous infiltration of AML cells. MA9-IL-34 cells showed increased proliferation. In vitro colony forming assays and limiting dilution transplantation experiments demonstrated that MA9-IL-34 cells had elevated leukemia stem cell (LSC) levels. Gene expression microarray analysis revealed a panel of differential expressed genes including Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 13 (Sox13). Furthermore, a positive correlation between the expressions of IL-34 and Sox13 was detected human datasets. Knockdown of Sox13 rescued the enhanced proliferation, high LSC level and subcutaneous infiltration in MA9-IL-34 cells. Moreover, more leukemia-associated macrophages (LAMs) were detected in MA9-IL-34 microenvironment. Additionally, those LAMs showed M2-like phenotype since they expressed high level of M2-associated genes and had attenuated phagocytic potential, suggesting that LAMs should also contribute to IL-34 caused adverse phenotypes. Therefore, our findings uncover the intrinsic and microenvironmental mechanisms of IL-34 in AML and broadens the knowledge of M-CSF/IL-34-CSF-1R axis in malignancies.

The role of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment and tumor metabolism

The complexity and plasticity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) make it difficult to fully understand the intratumoral regulation of different cell types and their activities. Macrophages play a crucial role in the signaling dynamics of the TME. Among the different subtypes of macrophages, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are often associated with poor prognosis, although some subtypes of TAMs can at the same time improve treatment responsiveness and lead to favorable clinical outcomes. TAMs are key regulators of cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor metabolism, and importantly immunosuppression in the TME by modulating various chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors. TAMs have been identified as a key contributor to resistance to chemotherapy and cancer immunotherapy. In this review article, we aim to discuss the mechanisms by which TAMs regulate innate and adaptive immune signaling in the TME and summarize recent preclinical research on the development of therapeutics targeting TAMs and tumor metabolism.

Redox signaling in drug-tolerant persister cells as an emerging therapeutic target

Drug-tolerant persister (DTP) cells have attracted significant interest, given their predominant role in treatment failure. In this respect, DTP cells reportedly survive after anticancer drug exposure, and their DNA repair mechanisms are altered to enhance adaptive mutation, accounting for the emergence of drug-resistant mutations. DTP cells resume proliferation upon treatment withdrawal and are responsible for cancer relapse. Current evidence suggests that DTP cells mediate redox signaling-mediated cellular homeostasis by developing various adaptive mechanisms, especially metabolic reprogramming that promotes mitochondrial oxidative respiration and a robust antioxidant process. There is an increasing consensus that disrupting redox homeostasis by intervening with redox signaling is theoretically a promising therapeutic strategy for targeting these sinister cells. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of DTP cells and the underlying mechanisms involved in redox signaling, aiming to provide a unique perspective on potential therapeutic applications based on their vulnerabilities to redox regulation.

Managing the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma: the outlook for osteosarcoma treatment

Osteosarcoma, with poor survival after metastasis, is considered the most common primary bone cancer in adolescents. Notwithstanding the efforts of researchers, its five-year survival rate has only shown limited improvement, suggesting that existing therapeutic strategies are insufficient to meet clinical needs. Notably, immunotherapy has shown certain advantages over traditional tumor treatments in inhibiting metastasis. Therefore, managing the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma can provide novel and valuable insight into the multifaceted mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity and progression of the disease. Additionally, given the advances in nanomedicine, there exist many advanced nanoplatforms for enhanced osteosarcoma immunotherapy with satisfactory physiochemical characteristics. Here, we review the classification, characteristics, and functions of the key components of the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma. This review also emphasizes the application, progress, and prospects of osteosarcoma immunotherapy and discusses several nanomedicine-based options to enhance the efficiency of osteosarcoma treatment. Furthermore, we examine the disadvantages of standard treatments and present future perspectives for osteosarcoma immunotherapy.

Decoding Roles of Exosomal lncRNAs in Tumor-Immune Regulation and Therapeutic Potential

Exosomes are nanovesicles secreted into biofluids by various cell types and have been implicated in different physiological and pathological processes. Interestingly, a plethora of studies emphasized the mediating role of exosomes in the bidirectional communication between donor and recipient cells. Among the various cargoes of exosomes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as crucial regulators between cancer cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that can interfere with innate and adaptive immune responses to affect the therapeutic efficiency. Recently, a few major studies have focused on the exosomal lncRNA-mediated interaction between cancer cells and immune cells infiltrated into TME. Nevertheless, a dearth of studies pertains to the immune regulating role of exosomal lncRNAs in cancer and is still in the early stages. Comprehensive mechanisms of exosomal lncRNAs in tumor immunity are not well understood. Herein, we provide an overview of the immunomodulatory function of exosomal lncRNAs in cancer and treatment resistance. In addition, we also summarize the potential therapeutic strategies toward exosomal lncRNAs in TME.

A comprehensive study based on exosome-related immunosuppression genes and tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Exosomes play an important role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the mechanisms of tumor immune escape in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is known that immunosuppressive genes, involved in the processes of tumor immunosuppression, are associated with cancer progression. This study aimed to explore the prognostic values of exosome-related immunosuppression genes (ERIGs) in HCC.

METHODS

The RNA-seq transcriptome data of 374 HCC patients were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The TCGA cohort was randomly divided into the training cohort and validation cohort in a 1:1 ratio. WGCNA analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were used to identify ERIGs. The Lasso regression method was used to construct a 5-ERIG signature. The prognostic value of our signature was examined in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (FAHWMU) cohort.

RESULTS

Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen prognostic ERIGs. Subsequently, these prognostic ERIGs were included in Lasso regression analyses to identify 5 key ERIGs (ASAP1, IARS1, GTF3C2, TPD5L2 and SLC52A2) and construct a 5-ERIG signature. The patients in the low-risk group had better prognosis than those in the high-risk group. Univariate and multivariate cox regression revealed that risk score was an independent prognostic risk factor of HCC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that this signature was highly associated with TME-related pathways. Subsequent analyses revealed the potential role of the signature in regulating the TME in HCC. In addition, a lower immunotherapy score was found in patients with high risk-score. Of note, this signature was confirmed to have a good performance in predicting HCC prognosis in the FAHWMU cohort. Moreover, knockdown of 5 ERIGs of this signature contributed to the suppression the Hep3B cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

We generated a novel prognostic 5-ERIG signature to accurately predict the prognosis of patients with HCC, and this signature may serve as an indicator of immunotherapy for HCC.

The Interface of Tumour-Associated Macrophages with Dying Cancer Cells in Immuno-Oncology

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) are essential players in the tumour microenvironment (TME) and modulate various pro-tumorigenic functions such as immunosuppression, angiogenesis, cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, along with resistance to anti-cancer therapies. TAMs also mediate important anti-tumour functions and can clear dying cancer cells via efferocytosis. Thus, not surprisingly, TAMs exhibit heterogeneous activities and functional plasticity depending on the type and context of cancer cell death that they are faced with. This ultimately governs both the pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic activity of TAMs, making the interface between TAMs and dying cancer cells very important for modulating cancer growth and the efficacy of chemo-radiotherapy or immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the interface of TAMs with cancer cell death from the perspectives of cell death pathways, TME-driven variations, TAM heterogeneity and cell-death-inducing anti-cancer therapies. We believe that a better understanding of how dying cancer cells influence TAMs can lead to improved combinatorial anti-cancer therapies, especially in combination with TAM-targeting immunotherapies.