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Jiang S, Tang Y, Wang X, Guo H, Chen L, Hu G, Cui Y, Liang S, Zuo J, Luo Z, Chen X, Wang X. ARHGAP4 promotes colon cancer metastasis through the TGF-β signaling pathway and may be associated with T cell exhaustion. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 722:150172. [PMID: 38805788 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150172] [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: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colon cancer is a prevalent invasive neoplasm in the gastrointestinal system with a high degree of malignancy. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms of its recurrence and metastasis remain elusive.Rho GTPase activating protein 4 (ARHGAP4), a member of the small GTPases protein family, may be closely related to tumor metastasis, and its expression is increased in colon cancer. However, the role of ARHGAP4 in colon cancer metastasis is uncertain. This study investigates the impact of ARHGAP4 on the metastasis of colon cancer cells. Our objective is to determine the role of ARHGAP4 in regulating the invasive behavior of colon cancer cells. METHODS We downloaded colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and performed differential analysis and survival analysis. By using the CIBERSORT algorithm, we evaluated the proportion of infiltrating immune cells in colon cancer. We further analyzed whether ARHGAP4 is associated with T cell exhaustion. Finally, we investigated the impact of ARHGAP4 knockdown on the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells through in vitro cell experiments. Additionally, we utilized western blotting to assess the expression of protein related to the TGF-β signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). RESULTS We found that ARHGAP4 is upregulated in colon cancer. Subsequent survival analysis revealed that the high-expression group had significantly lower survival rates compared to the low-expression group. Immune infiltration analysis showed that ARHGAP4 was not only positively correlated with CD8+ T cells, but also positively correlated with T cell exhaustion markers programmed cell death 1 (PDCD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), and lymphocyte activating 3 (LAG-3). In vitro cell experiments, the knockdown of ARHGAP4 inhibited the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. Among EMT-related proteins, when ARHGAP4 was knocked down, the expression of E-cadherin was increased, while the expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin was decreased. Meanwhile, the expression of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3, which are associated with the TGF-β/Smad pathway, all decreased. CONCLUSION ARHGAP4 promotes colon cancer metastasis through the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and may be associated with T cell exhaustion. It plays an important role in the progression of colon cancer and may serve as a potential target for diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanghong Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China; Digestive Endoscopy Center, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Haiyang Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangbing Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yutong Cui
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiqi Liang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ji Zuo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Zichen Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinrui Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xianfei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China; Digestive Endoscopy Center, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, No.1 South Maoyuan Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, 637000, Sichuan, China.
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Chen H, Wu Y, Wang J, Li Y, Chen Y, Wang X, Lv H, Liu X. Tilianin enhances the antitumor effect of sufentanil on non-small cell lung cancer. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23761. [PMID: 38952040 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23761] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Non-small cell cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cancer in the world, but its effective therapeutic methods are limited. Tilianin and sufentanil alleviate various human tumors. This research aimed to clarify the functions and mechanisms of Tilianin and sufentanil in NSCLC. The functions of Tilianin and sufentanil on NSCLC cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immunity in vitro were examined using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species level analysis, CD8+ T cell percentage analysis, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The molecular mechanism regulated by Tilianin and sufentanil in NSCLC was assessed using Western blot, and immunofluorescence assays. Meanwhile, the roles of Tilianin and sufentanil in NSCLC tumor growth, apoptosis, and immunity in vivo were determined by establishing a tumor xenograft mouse model, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot assays. When sufentanil concentration was proximity 2 nM, the inhibition rate of NSCLC cell viability was 50%. The IC50 for A549 cells was 2.36 nM, and the IC50 for H1299 cells was 2.18 nM. The IC50 of Tilianin for A549 cells was 38.7 μM, and the IC50 of Tilianin for H1299 cells was 44.6 μM. Functionally, 0.5 nM sufentanil and 10 μM Tilianin reduced NSCLC cell (A549 and H1299) viability in a dose-dependent manner. Also, 0.5 nM sufentanil and 10 μM Tilianin enhanced NSCLC cell apoptosis, yet this impact was strengthened after a combination of Tilianin and Sufentanil. Furthermore, 0.5 nM sufentanil and 10 μM Tilianin repressed NSCLC cell mitochondrial dysfunction and immunity, and these impacts were enhanced after a combination of Tilianin and Sufentanil. Mechanistically, 0.5 nM sufentanil and 10 μM Tilianin repressed the NF-κB pathway in NSCLC cells, while this repression was strengthened after a combination of Tilianin and Sufentanil. In vivo experimental data further clarified that 1 µg/kg sufentanil and 10 mg/kg Tilianin reduced NSCLC growth, immunity, and NF-κB pathway-related protein levels, yet these trends were enhanced after a combination of Tilianin and Sufentanil. Tilianin strengthened the antitumor effect of sufentanil in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixia Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Yulin Wu
- Department of Anesthesia Operation Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jiazheng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Yike Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Yongxue Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Xinbo Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Hangyu Lv
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
| | - Xinyan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China
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Yue B, Gao Y, Hu Y, Zhan M, Wu Y, Lu L. Harnessing CD8 + T cell dynamics in hepatitis B virus-associated liver diseases: Insights, therapies and future directions. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1731. [PMID: 38935536 PMCID: PMC11210506 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1731] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection playsa significant role in the etiology and progression of liver-relatedpathologies, encompassing chronic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventual hepatocellularcarcinoma (HCC). Notably, HBV infection stands as the primary etiologicalfactor driving the development of HCC. Given the significant contribution ofHBV infection to liver diseases, a comprehensive understanding of immunedynamics in the liver microenvironment, spanning chronic HBV infection,fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC, is essential. In this review, we focused on thefunctional alterations of CD8+ T cells within the pathogenic livermicroenvironment from HBV infection to HCC. We thoroughly reviewed the roles ofhypoxia, acidic pH, metabolic reprogramming, amino acid deficiency, inhibitory checkpointmolecules, immunosuppressive cytokines, and the gut-liver communication in shapingthe dysfunction of CD8+ T cells in the liver microenvironment. Thesefactors significantly impact the clinical prognosis. Furthermore, we comprehensivelyreviewed CD8+ T cell-based therapy strategies for liver diseases,encompassing HBV infection, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC. Strategies includeimmune checkpoint blockades, metabolic T-cell targeting therapy, therapeuticT-cell vaccination, and adoptive transfer of genetically engineered CD8+ T cells, along with the combined usage of programmed cell death protein-1/programmeddeath ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors with mitochondria-targeted antioxidants.Given that targeting CD8+ T cells at various stages of hepatitis Bvirus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV + HCC) shows promise, we reviewedthe ongoing need for research to elucidate the complex interplay between CD8+ T cells and the liver microenvironment in the progression of HBV infection toHCC. We also discussed personalized treatment regimens, combining therapeuticstrategies and harnessing gut microbiota modulation, which holds potential forenhanced clinical benefits. In conclusion, this review delves into the immunedynamics of CD8+ T cells, microenvironment changes, and therapeuticstrategies within the liver during chronic HBV infection, HCC progression, andrelated liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Yue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yuxia Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yi Hu
- Microbiology and Immunology DepartmentSchool of MedicineFaculty of Medical ScienceJinan UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yangzhe Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Ligong Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
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Zhang X, Cui X, Li P, Zhao Y, Ren Y, Zhang H, Zhang S, Li C, Wang X, Shi L, Sun T, Hao J, Yao Z, Chen J, Gao X, Yang J. EGC enhances tumor antigen presentation and CD8 + T cell-mediated antitumor immunity via targeting oncoprotein SND1. Cancer Lett 2024; 592:216934. [PMID: 38710299 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216934] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The Staphylococcal nuclease and Tudor domain containing 1 (SND1) has been identified as an oncoprotein. Our previous study demonstrated that SND1 impedes the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) assembly by hijacking the nascent heavy chain of MHC-I to endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Herein, we aimed to identify inhibitors to block SND1-MHC-I binding, to facilitate the MHC-I presentation and tumor immunotherapy. Our findings validated the importance of the K490-containing sites in SND1-MHC-I complex. Through structure-based virtual screening and docking analysis, (-)-Epigallocatechin (EGC) exhibited the highest docking score to prevent the binding of MHC-I to SND1 by altering the spatial conformation of SND1. Additionally, EGC treatment resulted in increased expression levels of membrane-presented MHC-I in tumor cells. The C57BL/6J murine orthotopic melanoma model validated that EGC increases infiltration and activity of CD8+ T cells in both the tumor and spleen. Furthermore, the combination of EGC with programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody demonstrated a superior antitumor effect. In summary, we identified EGC as a novel inhibitor of SND1-MHC-I interaction, prompting MHC-I presentation to improve CD8+ T cell response within the tumor microenvironment. This discovery presents a promising immunotherapeutic candidate for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoteng Cui
- Laboratory of Neuro-oncology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Peiying Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ren
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shijie Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chufeng Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammation Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinting Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jihui Hao
- Department of Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi Yao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xingjie Gao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Jie Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
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Hu Y, Zhang Y, Shi F, Yang R, Yan J, Han T, Guan L. Reversal of T-cell exhaustion: Mechanisms and synergistic approaches. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 138:112571. [PMID: 38941674 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112571] [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: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
T cells suffer from long-term antigen stimulation and insufficient energy supply, leading to a decline in their effector functions, memory capabilities, and proliferative capacity, ultimately resulting in T cell exhaustion and an inability to perform normal immune functions in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, exploring how to restore these exhausted T cells to a state with effector functions is of great significance. Exhausted T cells exhibit a spectrum of molecular alterations, such as heightened expression of inhibitory receptors, shifts in transcription factor profiles, and modifications across epigenetic, metabolic, and transcriptional landscapes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various strategies to reverse T cell exhaustion, including immune checkpoint blockade, and explores the potential synergistic effects of combining multiple approaches to reverse T cell exhaustion. It offers new insights and methods for achieving more durable and effective reversal of T cell exhaustion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yaqi Zhang
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Fenfen Shi
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ruihan Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jiayu Yan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Tao Han
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China.
| | - Liping Guan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
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Yang Y, Li S, Peng Q, Guo Y, Gao Y, Gong Y, Lu J, Zhang Y, Shi X. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells promoted tumor cell growth associated with increased interleukin-18 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:762. [PMID: 38874690 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09688-y] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is experiencing a concerning rise in both incidence and mortality rates. Current therapeutic strategies are limited in their effectiveness, largely due to the complex causes of the disease and significant levels of drug resistance. Given the latest developments in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) research, there is a debate over the continued use of stem cell transplantation for treating tumors. Consequently, this study seeks to explore the role of hUC-MSCs in the management of HCC. METHODS AND RESULTS HUC-MSCs increased the number (10.75 ± 1.50) in the DEN/TCPOBOP-induced mice hepatoma model, compared with DMSO group (7.25 ± 1.71). Moreover, the liver index in hUC-MSCs group (0.21 ± 0.06) was greater than that in DMSO group (0.09 ± 0.01). Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis revealed that while hUC-MSCs did not alter Foxp3 expression, they significantly stimulated Ki67 expression, indicative of increased tumor cellular proliferation. Additionally, immunofluorescence (IF) studies showed that hUC-MSCs increased CD8+ T cell counts without affecting macrophage numbers. Notably, granzyme B expression remained nearly undetectable. We observed that serum IL-18 levels were higher in the hUC-MSCs group (109.66 ± 0.38 pg/ml) compared to the DMSO group (91.14 ± 4.37 pg/ml). Conversely, IL-1β levels decreased in the hUC-MSCs group (63.00 ± 0.53 pg/ml) relative to the DMSO group (97.38 ± 9.08 pg/ml). CONCLUSIONS According to this study, hUC-MSCs promoted the growth of liver tumors. Therefore, we proposed that hUC-MSCs are not suitable for treating HCC, as they exhibit clinically prohibited abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanguang Yang
- Laboratory of Integrated Medicine Tumor Immunology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shenghao Li
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Qing Peng
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yinglin Guo
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuting Gao
- Laboratory of Integrated Medicine Tumor Immunology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yi Gong
- Laboratory of Integrated Medicine Tumor Immunology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Junlan Lu
- Laboratory of Integrated Medicine Tumor Immunology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuman Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xinli Shi
- Laboratory of Integrated Medicine Tumor Immunology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030000, China.
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
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Yado S, Dassa B, Zoabi R, Reich-Zeliger S, Friedman N, Geiger B. Molecular mechanisms underlying the modulation of T-cell proliferation and cytotoxicity by immobilized CCL21 and ICAM1. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e009011. [PMID: 38866588 PMCID: PMC11177851 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-009011] [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] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adoptive cancer immunotherapy, using engineered T-cells, expressing chimeric antigen receptor or autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes became, in recent years, a major therapeutic approach for diverse types of cancer. However, despite the transformative potential of adoptive cancer immunotherapy, this field still faces major challenges, manifested by the apparent decline of the cytotoxic capacity of effector CD8+ T cells upon their expansion. To address these challenges, we have developed an ex vivo "synthetic immune niche" (SIN), composed of immobilized CCL21 and ICAM1, which synergistically induce an efficient expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells while retaining, and even enhancing their cytotoxic potency. METHODS To explore the molecular mechanisms through which a CCL21+ICAM1-based SIN modulates the interplay between the proliferation and cytotoxic potency of antigen-activated and CD3/CD28-activated effector CD8+ T cells, we performed integrated analysis of specific differentiation markers via flow cytometry, together with gene expression profiling. RESULTS On day 3, the transcriptomic effect induced by the SIN was largely similar for both dendritic cell (DC)/ovalbumin (OVA)-activated and anti-CD3/CD28-activated cells. Cell proliferation increased and the cells exhibited high killing capacity. On day 4 and on, the proliferation/cytotoxicity phenotypes became radically "activation-specific"; The DC/OVA-activated cells lost their cytotoxic activity, which, in turn, was rescued by the SIN treatment. On longer incubation, the cytotoxic activity further declined, and on day7, could not be rescued by the SIN. SIN stimulation following activation with anti-CD3/CD28 beads induced a major increase in the proliferative phenotype while transiently suppressing their cytotoxicity for 2-3 days and fully regaining their killing activity on day 7. Potential molecular regulatory pathways of the SIN effects were identified, based on transcriptomic and multispectral imaging profiling. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that cell proliferation and cytotoxicity are negatively correlated, and the interplay between them is differentially regulated by the mode of initial activation. The SIN stimulation greatly enhances the cell expansion, following both activation modes, while displaying high survival and cytotoxic potency at specific time points following stimulation, suggesting that it could effectively reinforce adoptive cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofi Yado
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bareket Dassa
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rawan Zoabi
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Nir Friedman
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Benjamin Geiger
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Burgos-Molina AM, Téllez Santana T, Redondo M, Bravo Romero MJ. The Crucial Role of Inflammation and the Immune System in Colorectal Cancer Carcinogenesis: A Comprehensive Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6188. [PMID: 38892375 PMCID: PMC11172443 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116188] [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: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation drives the growth of colorectal cancer through the dysregulation of molecular pathways within the immune system. Infiltration of immune cells, such as macrophages, into tumoral regions results in the release of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6; IL-17; TNF-α), fostering tumor proliferation, survival, and invasion. Tumors employ various mechanisms to evade immune surveillance, effectively 'cloaking' themselves from detection and subsequent attack. A comprehensive understanding of these intricate molecular interactions is paramount for advancing novel strategies aimed at modulating the immune response against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Manuel Burgos-Molina
- Surgery, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, School of Medicine, University of Malaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (A.M.B.-M.); (T.T.S.); (M.J.B.R.)
| | - Teresa Téllez Santana
- Surgery, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, School of Medicine, University of Malaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (A.M.B.-M.); (T.T.S.); (M.J.B.R.)
- Research Network on Chronic Diseases, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Av. de Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Málaga Biomedical Research Institute (Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, IBIMA), Calle Doctor Miguel Díaz Recio, 28, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Maximino Redondo
- Surgery, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, School of Medicine, University of Malaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (A.M.B.-M.); (T.T.S.); (M.J.B.R.)
- Research Network on Chronic Diseases, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Av. de Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Málaga Biomedical Research Institute (Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, IBIMA), Calle Doctor Miguel Díaz Recio, 28, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Research Unit, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Spain
| | - María José Bravo Romero
- Surgery, Biochemistry and Immunology Department, School of Medicine, University of Malaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (A.M.B.-M.); (T.T.S.); (M.J.B.R.)
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9
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Liang R, Li P, Yang N, Xiao X, Gong J, Zhang X, Bai Y, Chen Y, Xie Z, Liao Q. Parabacteroides distasonis-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles Enhance Antitumor Immunity Against Colon Tumors by Modulating CXCL10 and CD8 + T Cells. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:1833-1853. [PMID: 38828018 PMCID: PMC11144014 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s457338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Given the potent immunostimulatory effects of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and the significant anti-colon tumor properties of Parabacteroides distasonis (Pd), this study aimed to elucidate the role and potential mechanisms of Pd-derived OMVs (Pd-OMVs) against colon cancer. Methods This study isolated and purified Pd-OMVs from Pd cultures and assessed their characteristics. The effects of Pd-OMVs on CT26 cell uptake, proliferation, and invasion were investigated in vitro. In vivo, a CT26 colon tumor model was used to investigate the anti-colon tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Pd-OMVs. Finally, we evaluated the biosafety of Pd-OMVs. Results Purified Pd-OMVs had a uniform cup-shaped structure with an average size of 165.5 nm and a zeta potential of approximately -9.56 mV, and their proteins were associated with pathways related to immunity and apoptosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CT26 cells internalized the Pd-OMVs, resulting in a significant decrease in their proliferation and invasion abilities. Further in vivo studies confirmed the accumulation of Pd-OMVs in tumor tissues, which significantly inhibited the growth of colon tumors. Mechanistically, Pd-OMVs increased the expression of CXCL10, promoting infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumor tissues and expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Notably, Pd-OMVs demonstrated a high level of biosafety. Conclusion This paper elucidates that Pd-OMVs can exert significant anti-colon tumor effects by upregulating the expression of the chemokine CXCL10, thereby increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumors and enhancing antitumor immune responses. This suggests that Pd-OMVs may be developed as a novel nanoscale potent immunostimulant with great potential for application in tumor immunotherapy. As well as developed as a novel nano-delivery carrier for combination with other antitumor drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyao Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Na Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyi Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Gong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingyuan Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunuan Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanlong Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiongfeng Liao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Li Z, Zhang Q, Li Z, Ren L, Pan D, Gong Q, Gu Z, Cai H, Luo K. Branched glycopolymer prodrug-derived nanoassembly combined with a STING agonist activates an immuno-supportive status to boost anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2194-2209. [PMID: 38799622 PMCID: PMC11121173 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.006] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the great potential of anti-PD-L1 antibodies for immunotherapy, their low response rate due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has hampered their application. To address this issue, we constructed a cell membrane-coated nanosystem (mB4S) to reverse an immunosuppressive microenvironment to an immuno-supportive one for strengthening the anti-tumor effect. In this system, Epirubicin (EPI) as an immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducer was coupled to a branched glycopolymer via hydrazone bonds and diABZI as a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist was encapsulated into mB4S. After internalization of mB4S, EPI was acidic-responsively released to induce ICD, which was characterized by an increased level of calreticulin (CRT) exposure and enhanced ATP secretion. Meanwhile, diABZI effectively activated the STING pathway. Treatment with mB4S in combination with an anti-PD-L1 antibody elicited potent immune responses by increasing the ratio of matured dendritic cells (DCs) and CD8+ T cells, promoting cytokines secretion, up-regulating M1-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and down-regulating immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Therefore, this nanosystem for co-delivery of an ICD inducer and a STING agonist achieved promotion of DCs maturation and CD8+ T cells infiltration, creating an immuno-supportive microenvironment, thus potentiating the therapy effect of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in both 4T1 breast and CT26 colon tumor mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Li
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Qianfeng Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhiqian Li
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Long Ren
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dayi Pan
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao Cai
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kui Luo
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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11
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Yu T, Liu Z, Tao Q, Xu X, Li X, Li Y, Chen M, Liu R, Chen D, Wu M, Yu J. Targeting tumor-intrinsic SLC16A3 to enhance anti-PD-1 efficacy via tumor immune microenvironment reprogramming. Cancer Lett 2024; 589:216824. [PMID: 38522774 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216824] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, has revolutionized clinical practice within the last decade. However, primary and secondary resistance to immunotherapy is common in patients with diverse types of cancer. It is well-acknowledged that tumor cells can facilitate the formation of immunosuppressive microenvironments via metabolism reprogramming, and lactic acid, the metabolite of glycolysis, is a significant contributor. SLC16A3 (also named as MCT4) is a transporter mediating lactic acid efflux. In this study, we investigated the role of glycolysis in immunotherapy resistance and aimed to improve the immunotherapy effects via Slc16a3 inhibition. Bioinformatical analysis revealed that the expression of glycolysis-related genes correlated with less CD8+ T cell infiltration and increased myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) enrichment. We found that high glycolytic activity in tumor cells adversely affected the antitumor immune responses and efficacy of immunotherapy and radiotherapy. As the transporter of lactic acid, SLC16A3 is highly expressed in glycolytic B16-F10 (RRID: CVCL_0159) cells, as well as human non-small cell lung carcinoma. We validated that Slc16a3 expression in tumor cells negatively correlated with anti-PD-1 efficiency. Overexpression of Slc16a3 in tumor cells promoted lactic acid production and efflux, and reduced tumor response to anti-PD-1 inhibitors by inhibiting CD8+ T cell function. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of Slc16a3 dramatically reduced the glycolytic activity and lactic acid production in tumor cells, and ameliorated the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TMEs), leading to boosted antitumor effects via anti-PD-1 blockade. Our study therefore demonstrates that tumor cell-intrinsic SLC16A3 may be a potential target to reverse tumor resistance to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute &Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China; Cancer Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Zhaoyun Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Qingxu Tao
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute &Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Xinyang Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Minxin Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Rufei Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Dawei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Department of Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, PR China; Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
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12
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Cheng C, Liang S, Yue K, Wu N, Li Z, Dong T, Dong X, Ling M, Jiang Q, Liu J, Huang XJ. STAT5 is essential for inducing the suppressive subset and attenuate cytotoxicity of Vδ2 + T cells in acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216730. [PMID: 38360140 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216730] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Under the sustained exposure to tumor microenvironment, effector lymphocytes may transform into the suppressive populations. γδ T cells are recognized as a crucial mediator and effector of immune surveillance and thereby a promising candidate for anti-tumor immunotherapy. Emerging clinical studies implicate that some γδ T subsets play an important role in promoting tumor progression. Our previous study identified an abnormal Vδ2+ T cells subset with regulatory features (Reg-Vδ2) in the patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and demonstrated that Reg-Vδ2 cells significantly suppressed the anti-AML effects of effector Vδ2 cells (Eff-Vδ2). The molecular mechanism underlying the subset transformation of Vδ2 cells remains unclear. Here, we found that the expression and activity of STAT5 were significantly induced in Reg-Vδ2 cells compared with Eff-Vδ2 cells, which was consistent with the differences found in primary Vδ2 cells between AML patients and healthy donors. In-vitro experiments further indicated that STAT5 was required for the induction of Reg-Vδ2 cells. The combined immunophenotypical and functional assays showed that blockage of STAT5 alleviated the immunosuppressive effect of Reg-Vδ2 cells on Eff-Vδ2 cells and enhanced the anti-AML capacity of Vδ2 cells from health donors and AML patients. Collectively, these results suggest that STAT5 acts as a critical regulator in the transformation of effector Vδ2 cells into a subset with immunosuppressive characteristics, providing a potential target for the improvement the efficacy of γδ T cells-based immunotherapy to treat AML and other hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Cheng
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China; Research Unit of Key Technique for Diagnosis and Treatments of Hematologic Malignancies, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (2019RU029), Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100035, China
| | - Keli Yue
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Wu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Zongru Li
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Tianhui Dong
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Dong
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Min Ling
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangying Liu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiao-Jun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China; Research Unit of Key Technique for Diagnosis and Treatments of Hematologic Malignancies, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (2019RU029), Beijing, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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13
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Zhang Y, Zuo C, Li Y, Liu L, Yang B, Xia J, Cui J, Xu K, Wu X, Gong W, Liu Y. Single-cell characterization of infiltrating T cells identifies novel targets for gallbladder cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Lett 2024; 586:216675. [PMID: 38280478 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216675] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is among the most common malignancies of biliary tract system due to its limited treatments. The immunotherapeutic targets for T cells are appealing, however, heterogeneity of T cells hinds its further development. We systematically construct T cell atlas by single-cell RNA sequencing; and utilized the identified gene signatures of high_CNV_T cells to predict molecular subtyping towards personalized therapeutic treatments for GBC. We identified 12 T cell subtypes, where exhausted CD8+ T cells, activated/exhausted CD8+ T cells, and regulatory T cells were predominant in tumors. There appeared to be an inverse relationship between Th17 and Treg populations with Th17 levels significantly reduced, whereas Tregs were concomitantly increased. Furthermore, we first established subtyping criterion to identify three subtypes of GBC based on their pro-tumorigenic microenvironments, e.g., the type 1 group shows more M2 macrophages infiltration, while the type 2 group is infiltrated by highly exhausted CD8+ T cells, B cells and Tregs with suppressive activities. Our study provides valuable insights into T cell heterogeneity and suggests that molecular subtyping based on T cells might provide a potential immunotherapeutic strategy to improve GBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijian Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Chunman Zuo
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China; Key Laboratory of Symbolic Computation and knowledge Engineering of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China.
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Liguo Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Junjie Xia
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Jiangnan Cui
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Keren Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xiangsong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Wei Gong
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Yingbin Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai, 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai, 200127, China; Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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14
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Wang Y, Sun X, Chen C, Ge H, Sun J, Li E, Cai Z, Fu Q, Sun X, Wu J, Ye M, Cao W, Chen Q, Wei X, Han X, Sun K, Yan Q, Huang W, Wu L, Zeng Y, Zhang Q, Liang T. Optimizing hepatocellular carcinoma disease staging systems by incorporating tumor micronecrosis: A multi-institutional retrospective study. Cancer Lett 2024; 585:216654. [PMID: 38272344 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216654] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Tumor micronecrosis is a pathological feature that reflects malignant biological behavior in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, whether micronecrosis can optimize HCC staging systems remains unilluminated. A total of 1632 HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy in four institutions from January 2014 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study. Independent prognostic factors were identified, and optimized staging models were established using a training cohort (n = 934). The performance of optimized staging models was validated using an external cohort consisting of cases from three other institutions (n = 232). In addition, patients from our prospectively collected database (n = 379) tested the application effectiveness of the models. Harrel's c-statistics and the corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) were used to assess the performance of staging models. In most of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) and tumor (T) stages, HCC patients with tumor micronecrosis showed poorer prognosis than those without. Tumor micronecrosis, microvascular invasion, multiple tumors and tumor size >2 cm were independent prognostic-related factors. The BCLC and T staging models incorporating tumor micronecrosis showed better performance than the original systems (c-statistic, 0.712 and 0.711 vs. 0.664 and 0.679; AICc, 2314.8 and 2322.3 vs. 2338.2 and 2338.1; respectively). Furthermore, the external validation cohort confirmed that the optimized staging models had improved efficiency compared with the original ones. Moreover, the prospective cohort demonstrated the applicability of the optimized staging systems. Tumor micronecrosis plays a stage-ascending role in HCC patients. The BCLC and T staging systems incorporating tumor micronecrosis can improve the prognosis stratification efficiency of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, China
| | - Cao Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongbin Ge
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juhui Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of General Surgery, Ningbo Fourth Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Enliang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhixiong Cai
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qihan Fu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuqi Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangchao Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mao Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wanyue Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qitai Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaobao Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Han
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ke Sun
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Yan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, China
| | - Wenyong Huang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Linquan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yongyi Zeng
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China.
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15
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Zhang Z, Song B, Wei H, Liu Y, Zhang W, Yang Y, Sun B. NDRG1 overcomes resistance to immunotherapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma through inhibiting ATG9A-dependent degradation of MHC-1. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 73:101040. [PMID: 38228036 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.101040] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease that is resistant to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies. Emerging evidence suggests that NDRG1 may be an important target for the development of new therapies for PDAC. Herein, we investigated the novel roles of NDRG1 and Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) in the treatment of PDAC ICB resistance. METHODS Enrichment of MHC class I was detected by RNA sequence and verified by RT-qPCR and immunoblotting in NDRG1-knockdown human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The protein degradation mode was found by stimulation with various inhibitors, and the autophagy degradation pathway was found by immunoprecipitation and immunolocalization. The roles of NDRG1 and MHC-I in immunotherapy were investigated by orthotopic solid tumors, histology, immunohistochemistry, multiplex immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. RESULTS Here, we identified a previously undescribed role of NDRG1 in activating major histocompatibility complex class 1 (MHC-1) expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells through lysosomal-autophagy-dependent degradation. In mouse models of PDAC, either tumor cell overexpression or pharmacologic activation of NDRG1 leads to MHC-1 upregulation in tumor cells, which in turn promotes the infiltration and activity of CD8 + T cells, enhances anti-tumor immunity, and overcomes resistance to ICB therapy. Moreover, combination therapy of CA-4 and ICB overcomes the drug resistance of pancreatic cancer to ICB therapy. In PDAC patients, NDRG1 expression correlates with high MHC-1 expression and better survival. CONCLUSION Our results reveal NDRG1 in PDAC cancer cells as a tumor suppressor and suggest that pharmaceutically targeting NDRG1 is a promising way to overcome pancreatic cancer resistance to immunotherapy and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University & Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bojiao Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University & Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Haowei Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University & Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University & Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yuhong Yang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Beicheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University & Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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16
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Sui S, Tian Y, Wang X, Zeng C, Luo OJ, Li Y. Single-cell RNA sequencing gene signatures for classifying and scoring exhausted CD8 + T cells in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13583. [PMID: 38030593 PMCID: PMC10905324 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Songnan Sui
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of EducationInstitute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated HospitalJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Systems Biomedical Sciences, School of MedicineJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of EducationInstitute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated HospitalJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Systems Biomedical Sciences, School of MedicineJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaofang Wang
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical CenterGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Chengwu Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of EducationInstitute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Oscar Junhong Luo
- Department of Systems Biomedical Sciences, School of MedicineJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yangqiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of EducationInstitute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated HospitalJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
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17
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Huang M, Wang Y, Fang L, Liu C, Feng F, Liu L, Sun C. T cell senescence: a new perspective on immunotherapy in lung cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1338680. [PMID: 38415245 PMCID: PMC10896971 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1338680] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell senescence is an indication of T cell dysfunction. The ability of senescent T cells to respond to cognate antigens is reduced and they are in the late stage of differentiation and proliferation; therefore, they cannot recognize and eliminate tumor cells in a timely and effective manner, leading to the formation of the suppressive tumor microenvironment. Establishing methods to reverse T cell senescence is particularly important for immunotherapy. Aging exacerbates profound changes in the immune system, leading to increased susceptibility to chronic, infectious, and autoimmune diseases. Patients with malignant lung tumors have impaired immune function with a high risk of recurrence, metastasis, and mortality. Immunotherapy based on PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4, and other immune checkpoints is promising for treating lung malignancies. However, T cell senescence can lead to low efficacy or unsuccessful treatment results in some immunotherapies. Efficiently blocking and reversing T cell senescence is a key goal of the enhancement of tumor immunotherapy. This study discusses the characteristics, mechanism, and expression of T cell senescence in malignant lung tumors and the treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Huang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yuetong Wang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Liguang Fang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Fubin Feng
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
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18
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Zhang H, Shi Y, Lin C, He C, Wang S, Li Q, Sun Y, Li M. Overcoming cancer risk in inflammatory bowel disease: new insights into preventive strategies and pathogenesis mechanisms including interactions of immune cells, cancer signaling pathways, and gut microbiota. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1338918. [PMID: 38288125 PMCID: PMC10822953 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1338918] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized primarily by gastrointestinal inflammation, predominantly manifests as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). It is acknowledged that Inflammation plays a significant role in cancer development and patients with IBD have an increased risk of various cancers. The progression from inflammation to carcinogenesis in IBD is a result of the interplay between immune cells, gut microbiota, and carcinogenic signaling pathways in epithelial cells. Long-term chronic inflammation can lead to the accumulation of mutations in epithelial cells and the abnormal activation of carcinogenic signaling pathways. Furthermore, Immune cells play a pivotal role in both the acute and chronic phases of IBD, contributing to the transformation from inflammation to tumorigenesis. And patients with IBD frequently exhibit dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome. Disruption of the gut microbiota and subsequent immune dysregulation are central to the pathogenesis of both IBD and colitis associated colorectal cancer (CAC). The proactive management of inflammation combined with regular endoscopic and tumor screenings represents the most direct and effective strategy to prevent the IBD-associated cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haonan Zhang
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yulu Shi
- Department of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chanchan Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chengcheng He
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanping Wang
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingyuan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingsong Li
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Li C, Bie L, Chen M, Ying J. Therapeutic significance of tumor microenvironment in cholangiocarcinoma: focus on tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:1310-1327. [PMID: 38213535 PMCID: PMC10776604 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00199] [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] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive type of adenocarcinoma distinguished by its invasiveness. Depending on specific anatomical positioning within the biliary tree, CCA can be categorized into intrahepatic CCA (ICCA), perihilar CCA (pCCA) and distal CCA (dCCA). In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the global prevalence of CCA. Unfortunately, many CCA patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, which makes surgical resection impossible. Although systemic chemotherapy is frequently used as the primary treatment for advanced or recurrent CCA, its effectiveness is relatively low. Therefore, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising avenue for advancing cancer treatment research. CCA exhibits a complex immune environment within the stromal tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising a multifaceted immune landscape and a tumor-reactive stroma. A deeper understanding of this complex TME is indispensable for identifying potential therapeutic targets. Thus, targeting tumor immune microenvironment holds promise as an effective therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqun Li
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Gastric Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
- Postgraduate training base Alliance of Wenzhou Medical University (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Bie
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Wuhan No.1 Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Muhua Chen
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Gastric Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jieer Ying
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Gastric Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
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20
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Xiong D, Zhang L, Sun ZJ. Targeting the epigenome to reinvigorate T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Mil Med Res 2023; 10:59. [PMID: 38044445 PMCID: PMC10694991 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-023-00496-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the field of cancer treatment; however, ICI efficacy is constrained by progressive dysfunction of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), which is termed T cell exhaustion. This process is driven by diverse extrinsic factors across heterogeneous tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Simultaneously, tumorigenesis entails robust reshaping of the epigenetic landscape, potentially instigating T cell exhaustion. In this review, we summarize the epigenetic mechanisms governing tumor microenvironmental cues leading to T cell exhaustion, and discuss therapeutic potential of targeting epigenetic regulators for immunotherapies. Finally, we outline conceptual and technical advances in developing potential treatment paradigms involving immunostimulatory agents and epigenetic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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21
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Sun Y, Liu L, Fu Y, Liu Y, Gao X, Xia X, Zhu D, Wang X, Zhou X. Metabolic reprogramming involves in transition of activated/resting CD4 + memory T cells and prognosis of gastric cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1275461. [PMID: 38090588 PMCID: PMC10711070 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275461] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known on how metabolic reprogramming potentially prompts transition of activated and resting CD4+ memory T cells infiltration in tumor microenvironment of gastric cancer (GC). The study aimed to evaluate their interactions and develop a risk model for predicting prognosis in GC. Methods Expression profiles were obtained from TCGA and GEO databases. An immunotherapeutic IMvigor210 cohort was also enrolled. CIBERSORT algorithm was used to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells. The ssGSEA method was performed to assess levels of 114 metabolism pathways. Prognosis and correlation analysis were conducted to identify metabolism pathways and genes correlated with activated CD4+ memory T cells ratio (AR) and prognosis. An AR-related metabolism gene (ARMG) risk model was constructed and validated in different cohorts. Flow cytometry was applied to validate the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on CD4+ memory T cells. Results Since significantly inverse prognostic value and negative correlation of resting and activated CD4+ memory T cells, high AR level was associated with favorable overall survival (OS) in GC. Meanwhile, 15 metabolism pathways including retinoic acid metabolism pathway were significantly correlated with AR and prognosis. The ARMG risk model could classify GC patients with different outcomes, treatment responses, genomic and immune landscape. The prognostic value of the model was also confirmed in the additional validation, immunotherapy and pan-cancer cohorts. Functional analyses revealed that the ARMG model was positively correlated with pro-tumorigenic pathways. In vitro experiments showed that ATRA could inhibit levels of activated CD4+ memory T cells and AR. Conclusion Our study showed that metabolic reprogramming including retinoic acid metabolism could contribute to transition of activated and resting CD4+ memory T cells, and affect prognosis of GC patients. The ARMG risk model could serve as a new tool for GC patients by accurately predicting prognosis and response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Shunde Women and Children’s Hospital (Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Fu
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- Department of Translational Medicine, Beijing GenePlus Genomics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen GenePlus Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuefeng Xia
- Department of Translational Medicine, Beijing GenePlus Genomics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Dajian Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shunde Women and Children’s Hospital (Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Xiaping Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Oncology Center, The Affiliated Jiangsu Shengze Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
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22
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Tang H, Zhao J, Liu J. Comprehensive analysis of the expression of the IGF2BPs gene family in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Association with prognostic value and tumor immunity. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20659. [PMID: 37842569 PMCID: PMC10568114 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20659] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a predominant type of cancer found in the head and neck region, characterized by a high incidence and unfavorable prognosis. The IGF2BPs gene family, which belongs to the RNA-binding protein class, has been critically implicated in several cancers, and its involvement in HNSCC necessitates further exploration. Objective To explore the clinical significance and potential biological functions of the IGF2BPs gene family in HNSCC. Methods A bioinformatic methodology was employed to examine the expression profile, diagnostic and prognostic significance, and biological mechanisms of the IGF2BPs gene family in HNSCC, with a particular emphasis on its involvement in the immune function of HNSCC. This was followed by in vitro investigations to unravel the biological roles of the IGF2BPs gene family in HNSCC. Results This investigation has demonstrated that, in contrast with normal control tissue, HNSCC has a substantial elevation in the expression level of the IGF2BPs gene family. Patients with a high level of IGF2BPs gene family expression demonstrated higher prediction accuracy for HNSCC. Furthermore, patients with HNSCC and elevated IGF2BPs gene family expression levels exhibited poor survival outcomes. The IGF2BPs gene family displayed a significant association with a variety of immune infiltrating cells and immune genes in HNSCC. Studies conducted in vitro have confirmed that IGF2BP2 silencing suppressed the migration, proliferation, and invasion of HNSCC cells. Conclusions It has been determined that the IGF2BPs gene family plays a crucial part in the onset and progression of HNSCC, and its association with tumor immunity has been established. The IGF2BPs gene family holds promising potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Tang
- Shenzhen Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518001, China
| | - Jianjiang Zhao
- Shenzhen Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518001, China
| | - Jingpeng Liu
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, China
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23
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Wang J, Zhang T, Li P, Gai J, Chen S, Espinoza G, Kung HC, Zhang R, Fujiwara K, Fu J, Yu J, Zheng L. Engineered TCR T-cell therapy targeting mass spectrometry-identified natural epitope in PDAC. Cancer Lett 2023; 573:216366. [PMID: 37640197 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216366] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Tumor antigens are crucial targets for T-cell-based therapy to induce tumor-specific rejection. However, identifying pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)-specific T-cell epitopes has been challenging. Using advanced mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, we previously identified cancer-associated, class I MHC-bound epitopes shared by multiple PDAC patients with different HLA-A types. Here, we investigated one of these epitopes, LAMC2203-211, a naturally occurring nonmutated epitope on the LAMC2 protein. Following stimulation with the LAMC2203-211 peptide, we cloned T-cell receptors (TCRs) and transduced them into the Jurkat human T-cell line using a lentiviral vector. We found that Jurkat cells expressing LAMC2203-211-specific TCRs resulted in potent, LAMC2 specific, in vitro cytotoxic effects on PDAC cells. Furthermore, in mice that harbored either subcutaneously or orthotopically implanted tumors originating from both HLA-A allele-matched and unmatched PDAC patients, tumor growth was suppressed in a LAMC2-dependent manner following the infusion of LAMC2-targeting T cells. We have therefore developed a LAMC2-specific TCR-based T-cell therapy strategy likely suitable for many PDAC patients. This is the first study to adopt MS analysis to identify natural CD8+ T-cell epitopes in PDAC that could potentially serve as targets for PDAC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxin Wang
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tengyi Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Pan Li
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jessica Gai
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Sophia Chen
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Gigi Espinoza
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Heng-Chung Kung
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kenji Fujiwara
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Surgery, Kimura Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Juan Fu
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Jun Yu
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; The Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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Pawłowska A, Rekowska A, Kuryło W, Pańczyszyn A, Kotarski J, Wertel I. Current Understanding on Why Ovarian Cancer Is Resistant to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10859. [PMID: 37446039 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The standard treatment of ovarian cancer (OC) patients, including debulking surgery and first-line chemotherapy, is unsatisfactory because of recurrent episodes in the majority (~70%) of patients with advanced OC. Clinical trials have shown only a modest (10-15%) response of OC individuals to treatment based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The resistance of OC to therapy is caused by various factors, including OC heterogeneity, low density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), non-cellular and cellular interactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as a network of microRNA regulating immune checkpoint pathways. Moreover, ICIs are the most efficient in tumors that are marked by high microsatellite instability and high tumor mutation burden, which is rare among OC patients. The great challenge in ICI implementation is connected with distinguishing hyper-, pseudo-, and real progression of the disease. The understanding of the immunological, molecular, and genetic mechanisms of OC resistance is crucial to selecting the group of OC individuals in whom personalized treatment would be beneficial. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the selected factors inducing OC resistance and discuss the future directions of ICI-based immunotherapy development for OC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pawłowska
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Rekowska
- Students' Scientific Association, Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Weronika Kuryło
- Students' Scientific Association, Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Pańczyszyn
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
| | - Jan Kotarski
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wertel
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
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