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Li X, Eastham J, Giltnane JM, Zou W, Zijlstra A, Tabatsky E, Banchereau R, Chang CW, Nabet BY, Patil NS, Molinero L, Chui S, Harryman M, Lau S, Rangell L, Waumans Y, Kockx M, Orlova D, Koeppen H. Automated tumor immunophenotyping predicts clinical benefit from anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. J Pathol 2024; 263:190-202. [PMID: 38525811 DOI: 10.1002/path.6274] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has transformed the clinical approach to patients with malignancies, as profound benefits can be seen in a subset of patients. To identify this subset, biomarker analyses increasingly focus on phenotypic and functional evaluation of the tumor microenvironment to determine if density, spatial distribution, and cellular composition of immune cell infiltrates can provide prognostic and/or predictive information. Attempts have been made to develop standardized methods to evaluate immune infiltrates in the routine assessment of certain tumor types; however, broad adoption of this approach in clinical decision-making is still missing. We developed approaches to categorize solid tumors into 'desert', 'excluded', and 'inflamed' types according to the spatial distribution of CD8+ immune effector cells to determine the prognostic and/or predictive implications of such labels. To overcome the limitations of this subjective approach, we incrementally developed four automated analysis pipelines of increasing granularity and complexity for density and pattern assessment of immune effector cells. We show that categorization based on 'manual' observation is predictive for clinical benefit from anti-programmed death ligand 1 therapy in two large cohorts of patients with non-small cell lung cancer or triple-negative breast cancer. For the automated analysis we demonstrate that a combined approach outperforms individual pipelines and successfully relates spatial features to pathologist-based readouts and the patient's response to therapy. Our findings suggest that tumor immunophenotype generated by automated analysis pipelines should be evaluated further as potential predictive biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Wei Zou
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shari Lau
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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Delgado-Coka L, Horowitz M, Torrente-Goncalves M, Roa-Peña L, Leiton CV, Hasan M, Babu S, Fassler D, Oentoro J, Bai JDK, Petricoin EF, Matrisian LM, Blais EM, Marchenko N, Allard FD, Jiang W, Larson B, Hendifar A, Chen C, Abousamra S, Samaras D, Kurc T, Saltz J, Escobar-Hoyos LF, Shroyer KR. Keratin 17 modulates the immune topography of pancreatic cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:443. [PMID: 38730319 PMCID: PMC11087249 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05252-1] [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: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune microenvironment impacts tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and patient survival and may provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although never studied as a potential modulator of the immune response in most cancers, Keratin 17 (K17), a biomarker of the most aggressive (basal) molecular subtype of PDAC, is intimately involved in the histogenesis of the immune response in psoriasis, basal cell carcinoma, and cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, we hypothesized that K17 expression could also impact the immune cell response in PDAC, and that uncovering this relationship could provide insight to guide the development of immunotherapeutic opportunities to extend patient survival. METHODS Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) and automated image analysis based on novel computational imaging technology were used to decipher the abundance and spatial distribution of T cells, macrophages, and tumor cells, relative to K17 expression in 235 PDACs. RESULTS K17 expression had profound effects on the exclusion of intratumoral CD8+ T cells and was also associated with decreased numbers of peritumoral CD8+ T cells, CD16+ macrophages, and CD163+ macrophages (p < 0.0001). The differences in the intratumor and peritumoral CD8+ T cell abundance were not impacted by neoadjuvant therapy, tumor stage, grade, lymph node status, histologic subtype, nor KRAS, p53, SMAD4, or CDKN2A mutations. CONCLUSIONS Thus, K17 expression correlates with major differences in the immune microenvironment that are independent of any tested clinicopathologic or tumor intrinsic variables, suggesting that targeting K17-mediated immune effects on the immune system could restore the innate immunologic response to PDAC and might provide novel opportunities to restore immunotherapeutic approaches for this most deadly form of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyanne Delgado-Coka
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- Program of Public Health and Department of Preventative Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Michael Horowitz
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Mariana Torrente-Goncalves
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Lucia Roa-Peña
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cindy V Leiton
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Mahmudul Hasan
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Sruthi Babu
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Danielle Fassler
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Jaymie Oentoro
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Ji-Dong K Bai
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Emanuel F Petricoin
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Perthera, McLean, VA, USA
| | - Lynn M Matrisian
- Scientific and Medical Affairs, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Manhattan Beach, CA, USA
| | | | - Natalia Marchenko
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Felicia D Allard
- Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brent Larson
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Hendifar
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Shahira Abousamra
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Dimitris Samaras
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Tahsin Kurc
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Joel Saltz
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Luisa F Escobar-Hoyos
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Kenneth R Shroyer
- Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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Zheng C, Wang J, Zhou Y, Duan Y, Zheng R, Xie Y, Wei X, Wu J, Shen H, Ye M, Kong B, Liu Y, Xu P, Zhang Q, Liang T. IFNα-induced BST2 + tumor-associated macrophages facilitate immunosuppression and tumor growth in pancreatic cancer by ERK-CXCL7 signaling. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114088. [PMID: 38602878 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114088] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) features an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that resists immunotherapy. Tumor-associated macrophages, abundant in the TME, modulate T cell responses. Bone marrow stromal antigen 2-positive (BST2+) macrophages increase in KrasG12D/+; Trp53R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre mouse models during PDAC progression. However, their role in PDAC remains elusive. Our findings reveal a negative correlation between BST2+ macrophage levels and PDAC patient prognosis. Moreover, an increased ratio of exhausted CD8+ T cells is observed in tumors with up-regulated BST2+ macrophages. Mechanistically, BST2+ macrophages secrete CXCL7 through the ERK pathway and bind with CXCR2 to activate the AKT/mTOR pathway, promoting CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The combined blockade of CXCL7 and programmed death-ligand 1 successfully decelerates tumor growth. Additionally, cGAS-STING pathway activation in macrophages induces interferon (IFN)α synthesis leading to BST2 overexpression in the PDAC TME. This study provides insights into IFNα-induced BST2+ macrophages driving an immune-suppressive TME through ERK-CXCL7 signaling to regulate CD8+ T cell exhaustion in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlei Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Junli Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yi Duan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Rujia Zheng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yuting Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Xiaobao Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jiangchao Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Hang Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Mao Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Bo Kong
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Section of Surgical Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yunhua Liu
- Department of Pathology & Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Pinglong Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; The MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou 310003, China; The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou 310003, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou 310003, China; The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China; Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou 310003, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
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Pei XZ, Cai M, Jiang DW, Chen SH, Wang QQ, Lu HM, Lu YF. FAM53B promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma metastasis by regulating macrophage M2 polarization. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:1479-1499. [PMID: 38660645 PMCID: PMC11037046 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i4.1479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our study investigated the role of FAM53B in regulating macrophage M2 polarization and its potential mechanisms in promoting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) metastasis. AIM To further investigate the role of FAM53B in regulating macrophage M2 polarization and its potential mechanism in promoting PDAC metastasis. Our goal is to determine how FAM53B affects macrophage M2 polarization and to define its underlying mechanism in PDAC metastasis. METHODS Cell culture and various experiments, including protein analysis, immunohistochemistry, and animal model experiments, were conducted. We compared FAM53B expression between PDAC tissues and healthy tissues and assessed the correlation of FAM53B expression with clinical features. Our study analyzed the role of FAM53B in macrophage M2 polarization in vitro by examining the expression of relevant markers. Finally, we used a murine model to study the role of FAM53B in PDAC metastasis and analyzed the potential underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Our research showed that there was a significant increase in FAM53B levels in PDAC tissues, which was linked to adverse tumor features. Experimental findings indicated that FAM53B can enhance macrophage M2 polarization, leading to increased anti-inflammatory factor release. The results from the mouse model further supported the role of FAM53B in PDAC metastasis, as blocking FAM53B prevented tumor cell invasion and metastasis. CONCLUSION FAM53B promotes PDAC metastasis by regulating macrophage M2 polarization. This discovery could lead to the development of new strategies for treating PDAC. For example, interfering with the FAM53B signaling pathway may prevent cancer spread. Our research findings also provide important information for expanding our understanding of PDAC pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan-Zeng Pei
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Min Cai
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Da-Wei Jiang
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Song-Hai Chen
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qing-Qing Wang
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hui-Min Lu
- Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610044, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yi-Fan Lu
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing 314000, Zhejiang Province, China
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Longhini ALF, Fernández-Maestre I, Kennedy MC, Wereski MG, Mowla S, Xiao W, Lowe SW, Levine RL, Gardner R. Development of a customizable mouse backbone spectral flow cytometry panel to delineate immune cell populations in normal and tumor tissues. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1374943. [PMID: 38605953 PMCID: PMC11008467 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1374943] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction In vivo studies of cancer biology and assessment of therapeutic efficacy are critical to advancing cancer research and ultimately improving patient outcomes. Murine cancer models have proven to be an invaluable tool in pre-clinical studies. In this context, multi-parameter flow cytometry is a powerful method for elucidating the profile of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment and/or play a role in hematological diseases. However, designing an appropriate multi-parameter panel to comprehensively profile the increasing diversity of immune cells across different murine tissues can be extremely challenging. Methods To address this issue, we designed a panel with 13 fixed markers that define the major immune populations -referred to as the backbone panel- that can be profiled in different tissues but with the option to incorporate up to seven additional fluorochromes, including any marker specific to the study in question. Results This backbone panel maintains its resolution across different spectral flow cytometers and organs, both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic, as well as tumors with complex immune microenvironments. Discussion Having a robust backbone that can be easily customized with pre-validated drop-in fluorochromes saves time and resources and brings consistency and standardization, making it a versatile solution for immuno-oncology researchers. In addition, the approach presented here can serve as a guide to develop similar types of customizable backbone panels for different research questions requiring high-parameter flow cytometry panels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Leda F. Longhini
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY, United States
| | - Inés Fernández-Maestre
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Margaret C. Kennedy
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Shoron Mowla
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Wenbin Xiao
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Center for Hematologic Malignancies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hematopathology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Scott W. Lowe
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ross L. Levine
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Center for Hematologic Malignancies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rui Gardner
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY, United States
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Delgado-Coka LA, Horowitz M, Torrente-Goncalves M, Roa-Peña L, Leiton CV, Hasan M, Babu S, Fassler D, Oentoro J, Karen Bai JD, Petricoin EF, Matrisian LM, Blais EM, Marchenko N, Allard FD, Jiang W, Larson B, Hendifar A, Chen C, Abousamra S, Samaras D, Kurc T, Saltz J, Escobar-Hoyos LF, Shroyer K. Keratin 17 modulates the immune topography of pancreatic cancer. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3886691. [PMID: 38464123 PMCID: PMC10925455 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3886691/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Background The immune microenvironment impacts tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and patient survival and may provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although never studied as a potential modulator of the immune response in most cancers, Keratin 17 (K17), a biomarker of the most aggressive (basal) molecular subtype of PDAC, is intimately involved in the histogenesis of the immune response in psoriasis, basal cell carcinoma, and cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, we hypothesized that K17 expression could also impact the immune cell response in PDAC, and that uncovering this relationship could provide insight to guide the development of immunotherapeutic opportunities to extend patient survival. Methods Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) and automated image analysis based on novel computational imaging technology were used to decipher the abundance and spatial distribution of T cells, macrophages, and tumor cells, relative to K17 expression in 235 PDACs. Results K17 expression had profound effects on the exclusion of intratumoral CD8 + T cells and was also associated with decreased numbers of peritumoral CD8 + T cells, CD16 + macrophages, and CD163 + macrophages (p < 0.0001). The differences in the intratumor and peritumoral CD8 + T cell abundance were not impacted by neoadjuvant therapy, tumor stage, grade, lymph node status, histologic subtype, nor KRAS, p53, SMAD4, or CDKN2A mutations. Conclusions Thus, K17 expression correlates with major differences in the immune microenvironment that are independent of any tested clinicopathologic or tumor intrinsic variables, suggesting that targeting K17-mediated immune effects on the immune system could restore the innate immunologic response to PDAC and might provide novel opportunities to restore immunotherapeutic approaches for this most deadly form of cancer.
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Hilmi M, Delaye M, Muzzolini M, Nicolle R, Cros J, Hammel P, Cardot-Ruffino V, Neuzillet C. The immunological landscape in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and overcoming resistance to immunotherapy. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 8:1129-1142. [PMID: 37866368 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(23)00207-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is associated with a poor prognosis and there are few treatment options. The development of immunotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has been difficult, and immune checkpoint inhibitors are only effective in a very small subset of patients. Most obstacles for treatment have been related to intertumoural and intratumoural heterogeneity, the composition of tumour stroma, and crosstalk with cancer cells. Improved molecular characterisation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and a better understanding of its microenvironment have paved the way for novel immunotherapy strategies, including the identification of predictive biomarkers, the development of rational combinations to optimise effectiveness, and the targeting of new mechanisms. Future immunotherapy strategies should consider individual characteristics to move beyond the traditional immune targets and circumvent the resistance to therapies that have been developed so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Hilmi
- Gastrointestinal Oncology, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Curie, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-Université Paris-Saclay, Saint-Cloud, France; Molecular Oncology, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 144, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Delaye
- Gastrointestinal Oncology, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Curie, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-Université Paris-Saclay, Saint-Cloud, France; Molecular Oncology, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 144, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Milena Muzzolini
- Digestive Surgery Department, Ambroise Paré Hospital, APHP, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-Université Paris-Saclay, Boulogne Billancourt, France
| | - Rémy Nicolle
- Université Paris Cité, Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation (CRI), INSERM, U1149, CNRS, ERL 8252, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Cros
- Université Paris Cité, Pathology Department, Beaujon Hospital, FHU MOSAIC, AP-HP, Clichy, France
| | - Pascal Hammel
- Université Paris-Saclay, Department of Digestive and Medical Oncology, Paul-Brousse Hospital (APHP Sud), Villejuif, France
| | | | - Cindy Neuzillet
- Gastrointestinal Oncology, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Curie, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-Université Paris-Saclay, Saint-Cloud, France; Molecular Oncology, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 144, Institut Curie, Paris, France.
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Ying Y, Zhang W, Zhu H, Luo J, Xu X, Yang S, Zhao Y, Zhang Z. A novel m7G regulator-based methylation patterns in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:1902-1917. [PMID: 37642290 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23624] [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: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal RNA N7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification is known to contribute to effects on tumor occurrence and development. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of its function in immunoregulation, tumor microenvironment (TME) modulation, and tumor promotion remain largely unknown. A series of computer-aided bioinformatic analyses were conducted based on transcriptomic, single-cell sequence, and spatial transcriptomic data to determine the m7G modification patterns in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Consensus clustering approach was employed according to the expressions of 33 m7G regulators. ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and single sample gene set enrichment analysis algorithms were adopted to investigate the immune cell infiltration features. A prognostic model named m7Gscore was established. Seurat, SingleR, and Monocle2 were used to analyze the single-cell sequence profiling. STUtility was used to integrate multiple spatial transcriptomic datasets. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, transwell, and wound-healing assay were performed to verify the oncogenes. Here, three different m7G modification patterns were highlighted in HNSCC patients, which were also related to various clinical manifestations and three representative immunophenotypes: immune-excluded, immune-desert, and inflamed, separately. Patients with lower m7Gscore were highlighted by higher immune cell infiltrations, better overall survival rates, lesser tumor mutation burden (TMB), lower sensitivities to target inhibitors therapies, and better immunotherapeutic response. Moreover, DCPS, EIF4E, EIF4E2, LSM1, NCBP2, NUDT1, and NUDT5 were identified to play critical roles in T-cell differentiation. Knockdown of LSM1/NUDT5 could restrain the malignancy of HNSCC cells. Collectively, quantitative assessment of m7G modification patterns in individual HNSCC patients could contribute to identifying more efficient immunotherapeutic approaches and improve the clinical outcome of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukang Ying
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haoran Zhu
- Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jun Luo
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xuhui Xu
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Suqing Yang
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhenxing Zhang
- Department of stomatology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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9
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Shah VM, Rizvi S, Smith A, Tsuda M, Krieger M, Pelz C, MacPherson K, Eng J, Chin K, Munks MW, Daniel CJ, Al-Fatease A, Yardimci GG, Langer EM, Brody JR, Sheppard BC, Alani AWG, Sears RC. Micelle-Formulated Juglone Effectively Targets Pancreatic Cancer and Remodels the Tumor Microenvironment. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2651. [PMID: 38139993 PMCID: PMC10747591 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains a formidable challenge due to limited treatment options and its aggressive nature. In recent years, the naturally occurring anticancer compound juglone has emerged as a potential therapeutic candidate, showing promising results in inhibiting tumor growth and inducing cancer cell apoptosis. However, concerns over its toxicity have hampered juglone's clinical application. To address this issue, we have explored the use of polymeric micelles as a delivery system for juglone in pancreatic cancer treatment. These micelles, formulated using Poloxamer 407 and D-α-Tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, offer an innovative solution to enhance juglone's therapeutic potential while minimizing toxicity. In-vitro studies have demonstrated that micelle-formulated juglone (JM) effectively decreases proliferation and migration and increases apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Importantly, in-vivo, JM exhibited no toxicity, allowing for increased dosing frequency compared to free drug administration. In mice, JM significantly reduced tumor growth in subcutaneous xenograft and orthotopic pancreatic cancer models. Beyond its direct antitumor effects, JM treatment also influenced the tumor microenvironment. In immunocompetent mice, JM increased immune cell infiltration and decreased stromal deposition and activation markers, suggesting an immunomodulatory role. To understand JM's mechanism of action, we conducted RNA sequencing and subsequent differential expression analysis on tumors that were treated with JM. The administration of JM treatment reduced the expression levels of the oncogenic protein MYC, thereby emphasizing its potential as a focused, therapeutic intervention. In conclusion, the polymeric micelles-mediated delivery of juglone holds excellent promise in pancreatic cancer therapy. This approach offers improved drug delivery, reduced toxicity, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidhi M. Shah
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
| | - Syed Rizvi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 South Moody Avenue, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Alexander Smith
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
| | - Motoyuki Tsuda
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Madeline Krieger
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Carl Pelz
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kevin MacPherson
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jenny Eng
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Koei Chin
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Michael W. Munks
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
| | - Colin J. Daniel
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Adel Al-Fatease
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Galip Gürkan Yardimci
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Ellen M. Langer
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Jonathan R. Brody
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Brett C. Sheppard
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Adam WG. Alani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 South Moody Avenue, Portland, OR 97201, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Rosalie C. Sears
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (V.M.S.)
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
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Tran LC, Özdemir BC, Berger MD. The Role of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: Current State and Outlook. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1411. [PMID: 37895882 PMCID: PMC10609661 DOI: 10.3390/ph16101411] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest tumors, characterized by its aggressive tumor biology and poor prognosis. While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) play a major part in the treatment algorithm of various solid tumors, there is still no evidence of clinical benefit from ICI in patients with metastatic PDAC (mPDAC). This might be due to several reasons, such as the inherent low immunogenicity of pancreatic cancer, the dense stroma-rich tumor microenvironment that precludes an efficient migration of antitumoral effector T cells to the cancer cells, and the increased proportion of immunosuppressive immune cells, such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), facilitating tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of ICIs in mPDAC, report on the biological rationale to implement ICIs into the treatment strategy of pancreatic cancer, and discuss preclinical studies and clinical trials in this field. Additionally, we shed light on the challenges of implementing ICIs into the treatment strategy of PDAC and discuss potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martin D. Berger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
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11
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Gautam SK, Batra SK, Jain M. Molecular and metabolic regulation of immunosuppression in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:118. [PMID: 37488598 PMCID: PMC10367391 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01813-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosuppression is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), contributing to early metastasis and poor patient survival. Compared to the localized tumors, current standard-of-care therapies have failed to improve the survival of patients with metastatic PDAC, that necessecitates exploration of novel therapeutic approaches. While immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and therapeutic vaccines have emerged as promising treatment modalities in certain cancers, limited responses have been achieved in PDAC. Therefore, specific mechanisms regulating the poor response to immunotherapy must be explored. The immunosuppressive microenvironment driven by oncogenic mutations, tumor secretome, non-coding RNAs, and tumor microbiome persists throughout PDAC progression, allowing neoplastic cells to grow locally and metastasize distantly. The metastatic cells escaping the host immune surveillance are unique in molecular, immunological, and metabolic characteristics. Following chemokine and exosomal guidance, these cells metastasize to the organ-specific pre-metastatic niches (PMNs) constituted by local resident cells, stromal fibroblasts, and suppressive immune cells, such as the metastasis-associated macrophages, neutrophils, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The metastatic immune microenvironment differs from primary tumors in stromal and immune cell composition, functionality, and metabolism. Thus far, multiple molecular and metabolic pathways, distinct from primary tumors, have been identified that dampen immune effector functions, confounding the immunotherapy response in metastatic PDAC. This review describes major immunoregulatory pathways that contribute to the metastatic progression and limit immunotherapy outcomes in PDAC. Overall, we highlight the therapeutic vulnerabilities attributable to immunosuppressive factors and discuss whether targeting these molecular and immunological "hot spots" could improve the outcomes of PDAC immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra K Gautam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
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12
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McMorrow R, Zambito G, Nigg A, Lila K, van den Bosch TPP, Lowik CWGM, Mezzanotte L. Whole-body bioluminescence imaging of T-cell response in PDAC models. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1207533. [PMID: 37497236 PMCID: PMC10367003 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1207533] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The location of T-cells during tumor progression and treatment provides crucial information in predicting the response in vivo. Methods Here, we investigated, using our bioluminescent, dual color, T-cell reporter mouse, termed TbiLuc, T-cell location and function during murine PDAC tumor growth and checkpoint blockade treatment with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4. Using this model, we could visualize T-cell location and function in the tumor and the surrounding tumor microenvironment longitudinally. We used murine PDAC clones that formed in vivo tumors with either high T-cell infiltration (immunologically 'hot') or low T-cell infiltration (immunologically 'cold'). Results Differences in total T-cell bioluminescence could be seen between the 'hot' and 'cold' tumors in the TbiLuc mice. During checkpoint blockade treatment we could see in the tumor-draining lymph nodes an increase in bioluminescence on day 7 after treatment. Conclusions In the current work, we showed that the TbiLuc mice can be used to monitor T-cell location and function during tumor growth and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roisin McMorrow
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Percuros BV, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Zambito
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alex Nigg
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Karishma Lila
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Clemens W. G. M. Lowik
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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13
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Guven DC, Yekeduz E, Erul E, Yazgan SC, Sahin TK, Karatas G, Aksoy S, Erman M, Yalcin S, Urun Y, Kilickap S. The benefit of treatment beyond progression with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a multi-center retrospective cohort study. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:3599-3606. [PMID: 35960374 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04268-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treatment beyond progression (TBP) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is an evolving field due to the limitations of conventional imaging in response evaluation. However, real-life data on the benefit of TBP is scarce, especially from the limited resource settings and patients treated in the later lines. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the survival benefit of TBP with ICIs in patients with advanced tumors from a limited resource setting. METHODS For this multi-center retrospective cohort study, we included 282 patients treated with ICIs and had radiological progression according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. We evaluated post-progression survival according to the use of TBP (TBP and non-TBP groups) with univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS The cohort's median age was 61, and 84.4% were treated in the second or later lines. 82 (29.1%) of 282 patients continued on ICIs following the initial progression. In multivariate analyses, patients in the TBP group had improved post-progression survival compared to non-TBP (13.18 vs. 4.63 months, HR: 0.500, 95% CI: 0.349-0.717, p < 0.001). The benefit of the TBP was independent of the tumor type, treatment line, and age. Furthermore, TBP with ICIs remained associated with improved post-progression survival (HR: 0.600, 95% CI: 0.380-0.947, p = 0.028) after excluding the patients with no further treatment after progression in the non-TBP arm. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we observed that patients receiving ICIs beyond progression had considerably longer survival. Continuation of ICIs after progression should be considered a reasonable management option for patients with advanced cancer, specifically for patients with limited alternative options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Can Guven
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Emre Yekeduz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Enes Erul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sati Coskun Yazgan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Taha Koray Sahin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gokturk Karatas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sercan Aksoy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Erman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Suayib Yalcin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yuksel Urun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Saadettin Kilickap
- Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Medical Oncology Unit, Liv Hospital Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
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14
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Peng M, Ying Y, Zhang Z, Liu L, Wang W. Reshaping the Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment at Different Stages with Chemotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092448. [PMID: 37173915 PMCID: PMC10177210 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic tumor microenvironment, especially the immune microenvironment, during the natural progression and/or chemotherapy treatment is a critical frontier in understanding the effects of chemotherapy on pancreatic cancer. Non-stratified pancreatic cancer patients always receive chemotherapeutic strategies, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, predominantly according to their physical conditions and different disease stages. An increasing number of studies demonstrate that the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment could be reshaped by chemotherapy, an outcome caused by immunogenic cell death, selection and/or education of preponderant tumor clones, adaptive gene mutations, and induction of cytokines/chemokines. These outcomes could in turn impact the efficacy of chemotherapy, making it range from synergetic to resistant and even tumor-promoting. Under chemotherapeutic impact, the metastatic micro-structures in the primary tumor may be built to leak tumor cells into the lymph or blood vasculature, and micro-metastatic/recurrent niches rich in immunosuppressive cells may be recruited by cytokines and chemokines, which provide housing conditions for these circling tumor cells. An in-depth understanding of how chemotherapy reshapes the tumor microenvironment may lead to new therapeutic strategies to block its adverse tumor-promoting effects and prolong survival. In this review, reshaped pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironments due to chemotherapy were reflected mainly in immune cells, pancreatic cancer cells, and cancer-associated fibroblast cells, quantitatively, functionally, and spatially. Additionally, small molecule kinases and immune checkpoints participating in this remodeling process caused by chemotherapy are suggested to be blocked reasonably to synergize with chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maozhen Peng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ying Ying
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenquan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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15
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Shan F, Shen S, Wang X, Chen G. BST2 regulated by the transcription factor STAT1 can promote metastasis, invasion and proliferation of oral squamous cell carcinoma via the AKT/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Int J Oncol 2023; 62:54. [PMID: 36929425 PMCID: PMC10019759 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the main types of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Although progress has been made in treating OSCC, it remains a threat to human health, and novel therapeutic strategies are needed to extend the lifespan of patients with OSCC. The present study, evaluated whether bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2) and STAT1 were potential therapeutic targets in OSCC. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) or overexpression plasmids were used to regulate BST2 or STAT1 expression. Western blotting and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR were performed to assess changes in the protein and mRNA expression levels of signaling pathway components. The effects of BST2 and STAT1 expression changes on the migration, invasion and proliferation of OSCC cells were assessed using the scratch test assay, Transwell assay and colony formation assay in vitro, respectively. Cell‑derived xenograft models were used to evaluate the impact of BST2 and STAT1 on the occurrence and development of OSCC in vivo. Finally, it was demonstrated that BST2 expression was significantly upregulated in OSCC. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that high expression of BST2 in OSCC contributed to the metastasis, invasion and proliferation of OSCC cells. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the promoter region of BST2 was regulated by the transcription factor STAT1, and that the STAT1/BST2 axis could affect the behavior of OSCC via the AKT/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In vivo studies also demonstrated that STAT1 downregulation inhibited OSCC growth by down‑regulating BST2 expression via the AKT/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fayu Shan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P.R. China
| | - Si Shen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P.R. China
| | - Xinxing Wang
- Environmental Medicine Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, P.R. China
- Correspondence to: Dr Xinxing Wang, Environmental Medicine Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, 1 Dali Road, Heping, Tianjin 300050, P.R. China, E-mail:
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P.R. China
- Dr Gang Chen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, 12 Qi Xinang Tai Road, Heping, Tianjin 300070, P.R. China, E-mail:
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16
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Sadhukhan P, Seiwert TY. The role of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment and tumor metabolism. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:187-201. [PMID: 37002376 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-023-00988-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The complexity and plasticity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) make it difficult to fully understand the intratumoral regulation of different cell types and their activities. Macrophages play a crucial role in the signaling dynamics of the TME. Among the different subtypes of macrophages, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are often associated with poor prognosis, although some subtypes of TAMs can at the same time improve treatment responsiveness and lead to favorable clinical outcomes. TAMs are key regulators of cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor metabolism, and importantly immunosuppression in the TME by modulating various chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors. TAMs have been identified as a key contributor to resistance to chemotherapy and cancer immunotherapy. In this review article, we aim to discuss the mechanisms by which TAMs regulate innate and adaptive immune signaling in the TME and summarize recent preclinical research on the development of therapeutics targeting TAMs and tumor metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Sadhukhan
- Johns Hopkins University, Skip Viragh Outpatient Cancer Building, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Tanguy Y Seiwert
- Johns Hopkins University, Skip Viragh Outpatient Cancer Building, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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17
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Lu Y, Wang W, Wang F. Clinical benefits of PD-1 inhibitors in specific subgroups of patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase 3 randomized clinical trials. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1171671. [PMID: 37205107 PMCID: PMC10185849 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1171671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose In recent years, a number of clinical trials have shown that programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors offer significant survival benefits in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We conducted a meta-analysis to explore the antitumour efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy in specific subgroups of patient with advanced ESCC. Methods We searched for eligible studies from the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases and conference abstracts. The indicators related to survival outcomes were extracted. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and duration of response (DOR) and the pooled odds ratio (OR) for objective response rate (ORR) were calculated to evaluate the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy in ESCC. Data regarding treatment lines, treatment regimens, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status, baseline demographic and disease characteristics were extracted. Subgroup analyses were conducted in specific populations of ESCC patients. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and sensitivity analysis were used to assess the quality of the meta-analysis. Results Eleven phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 6267 patients with ESCC were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with standard chemotherapy, PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy provided benefits in terms of OS, PFS, ORR, and DOR in all populations, the first-line treatment group, the second-line treatment group, the immunotherapy group, and the immunochemotherapy group. Although a limited PFS benefit was observed in second-line treatments and immunotherapy alone, PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy still reduced the risk of disease progression or death. Patients with high PD-L1 expression had a better OS benefit than those with low PD-L1 expression. The HR for OS favoured PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy over standard chemotherapy for all prespecified clinical subgroups. Conclusions Compared with standard chemotherapy, PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy exhibited clinically meaningful benefits in patients with ESCC. Survival benefits were better in patients with high PD-L1 expression than in those with low PD-L1 expression, suggesting that the PD-L1 expression level can be used as a predictor of survival benefit from PD-1 inhibitor therapy. PD-1 inhibitor-based therapy provided a consistent benefit in reducing the risk of death according to prespecified subgroup analyses of clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Lu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenkang Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Feng Wang,
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Hosen SMZ, Uddin MN, Xu Z, Buckley BJ, Perera C, Pang TCY, Mekapogu AR, Moni MA, Notta F, Gallinger S, Pirola R, Wilson J, Ranson M, Goldstein D, Apte M. Metastatic phenotype and immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Key role of the urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU). Front Immunol 2022; 13:1060957. [PMID: 36591282 PMCID: PMC9794594 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1060957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies have revealed the role of dysregulated urokinase plasminogen activator (encoded by PLAU) expression and activity in several pathways associated with cancer progression. However, systematic investigation into the association of PLAU expression with factors that modulate PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) progression is lacking, such as those affecting stromal (pancreatic stellate cell, PSC)-cancer cell interactions, tumour immunity, PDAC subtypes and clinical outcomes from potential PLAU inhibition. Methods This study used an integrated bioinformatics approach to identify prognostic markers correlated with PLAU expression using different transcriptomics, proteomics, and clinical data sets. We then determined the association of dysregulated PLAU and correlated signatures with oncogenic pathways, metastatic phenotypes, stroma, immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) and clinical outcome. Finally, using an in vivo orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer, we confirmed the predicted effect of inhibiting PLAU on tumour growth and metastasis. Results Our analyses revealed that PLAU upregulation is not only associated with numerous other prognostic markers but also associated with the activation of various oncogenic signalling pathways, aggressive phenotypes relevant to PDAC growth and metastasis, such as proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness, hypoxia, extracellular cell matrix (ECM) degradation, upregulation of stromal signatures, and immune suppression in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Moreover, the upregulation of PLAU was directly connected with signalling pathways known to mediate PSC-cancer cell interactions. Furthermore, PLAU upregulation was associated with the aggressive basal/squamous phenotype of PDAC and significantly reduced overall survival, indicating that this subset of patients may benefit from therapeutic interventions to inhibit PLAU activity. Our studies with a clinically relevant orthotopic pancreatic model showed that even short-term PLAU inhibition is sufficient to significantly halt tumour growth and, importantly, eliminate visible metastasis. Conclusion Elevated PLAU correlates with increased aggressive phenotypes, stromal score, and immune suppression in PDAC. PLAU upregulation is also closely associated with the basal subtype type of PDAC; patients with this subtype are at high risk of mortality from the disease and may benefit from therapeutic targeting of PLAU.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. M. Zahid Hosen
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Md. Nazim Uddin
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zhihong Xu
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Buckley
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Chamini Perera
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Tony C. Y. Pang
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alpha Raj Mekapogu
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Faiyaz Notta
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Steven Gallinger
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ron Pirola
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Wilson
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - David Goldstein
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Minoti Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia,*Correspondence: Minoti Apte,
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