Dual silencing of tumor-intrinsic VISTA and CTLA-4 stimulates T-cell mediated immune responses and inhibits MCF7 breast cancer development

Advancements in GelMA/ceramic composites for dental applications: integration with portable 4D bioprinting technologies

Recent advancements in biofabrication have positioned gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/ceramic composites combined with portable 4D bioprinting as a groundbreaking approach for next-generation dental therapies. GelMA hydrogels, functionalized with ceramic nanoparticles such as hydroxyapatite, zirconia, and bioactive glass, exhibit superior mechanical properties, enhanced bioactivity, and improved osseointegration capabilities compared to conventional hydrogels. These composites uniquely combine GelMA's favorable biological properties (including cell-adhesive RGD motifs and tunable photocrosslinking) with the structural stability and bioactivity of ceramic fillers. When integrated with portable bioprinters, these materials enable precise, chairside fabrication of dynamic, patient-specific constructs capable of adapting to the oral environment's complex biomechanical demands. This review systematically examines the material science behind GelMA/ceramic composites, focusing on how ceramic incorporation enhances printability, mechanical strength, and biological performance; the design and operation of portable bioprinters for dental applications; and their combined potential in addressing clinical challenges such as periodontal tissue regeneration, dentin-pulp complex repair, and customized implant fabrication. We highlight recent breakthroughs, including stimuli-responsive scaffolds for guided tissue regeneration and in situ bioprinting techniques for pulp revascularization. The discussion extends to current limitations in material-bioprinter compatibility, sterilization challenges, and regulatory pathways while outlining future directions toward clinical translation.

A Systematic Review of Immune Cell Roles in Breast Cancer Immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy among women and is associated with high mortality and significant clinical challenges. Although conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have significantly improved patient survival, their efficacy remains limited by severe side effects and treatment resistance. In recent years, advances in immunotherapy have underscored the pivotal role of immune cells in treating BC.

RECENT FINDINGS

This systematic review summarizes the current knowledge on the roles of immune cells within the BC tumor microenvironment (TME), including their phenotypes, functions, and implications for immunotherapy. Following PRISMA guidelines, 71 studies published between 2010 and 2024 were analyzed. The results indicate that immune cell populations-such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)-are integral to tumor progression and therapeutic response. However, their functional heterogeneity and plasticity remain key obstacles to the development of effective and personalized immunotherapeutic strategies.

CONCLUSION

Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms governing immune cell behavior within the BC TME and to advance precision immunotherapy. Such insights will lay the foundation for individualized treatment approaches, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life (QoL).

Twist1 Regulates the Immune Checkpoint VISTA and Promotes the Proliferation, Migration and Progression of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest malignant tumours worldwide. Despite the developments in the treatments of pancreatic cancer, survival rates remain at a low level, and the mechanisms underlying the aggressive course of the cancer are not fully understood. VISTA is an immune checkpoint and has recently become a significant target in cancer treatment; however, the roles of VISTA in the development of pancreatic cancer have largely remained unknown. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have been reported to reverse the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and may enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. The PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint targeted by this therapy shares structural similarity with VISTA. Moreover, combination therapy of vorinostat and anti-PD-1 has been shown to significantly reduce tumour growth by suppressing the transcription factor c-Myc. Therefore, in this study, we aim to investigate the genes that are associated with EMT and explore the potential mechanism involving Twist1, a proto-oncogene, and VISTA in pancreatic cancer. We also sought to determine the synergistic effects of an HDACi, vorinostat, in combination with Twist1-siRNA on VISTA expression in pancreatic cancer cells' viability and proliferation. Our results revealed that Twist1 blockade in combination with vorinostat in pancreatic cancer cells suppresses EMT-associated genes and the immune checkpoint VISTA compared to treatments administered alone. As a result, identifying the genes associated with EMT in pancreatic cancer and understanding the role of Twist1 in this process is a crucial step to contribute to the identification of new targets for pancreatic cancer treatment and the improvement of existing treatment strategies.

The Cooperation of Neurogranin with Calmodulin Promotes the Treatment of Aging-Related Diseases via Regular Exercise

Research has demonstrated that engaging in regular exercise has the potential to enhance cognitive function, promote neuroplasticity, and mitigate the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects are intricate and encompass various pathways, including the interaction between neurogranin and calmodulin. The activation of calcium signaling pathways is a significant mechanism through which regular exercise facilitates the treatment of age-related diseases. The activation of neurogranin and calmodulin induced by exercise can provide protection against neurodegeneration by promoting neuronal survival, mitigating oxidative stress, and improving mitochondrial function through the regulation of calcium homeostasis and energy metabolism. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that engaging in regular exercise can lead to an upregulation of neurotrophic factors, specifically brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These factors are crucial for the survival of neurons, the plasticity of synapses, and overall cognitive function. Researchers have discovered the involvement of neurogranin in the regulation of BDNF signaling, underscoring its significance in exercise-induced neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement. The current work offers valuable insights into how neurogranin/calmodulin cooperation, facilitated by regular exercise, promotes the treatment of aging-related diseases. The results suggest that regular exercise could enhance memory, learning, synaptic plasticity, and resilience to neurological damage; promote recovery after brain injury; and treat aging-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

Docetaxel treatment together with CTLA-4 knockdown enhances reduction of cell viability and amplifies apoptosis stimulation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women with a 20% mortality rate. The fate of patients suffering from breast cancer can be influenced by immune cells and tumor cells interaction in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Immune checkpoints such as Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are regulators of the immune system and defend normal tissues from immune cell attacks but they can be expressed in breast cancer tissue and facilitate immune evasion of tumoral cells. Based on this, here we studied the role of CTLA-4 silencing by specific siRNA in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line together with Docetaxel treatment which is one of the robust chemotherapy agents to demonstrate the significance of combining chemotherapy with efficient targeted therapy in tumor regression. The MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was transfected with CTLA-4-siRNA through the electroporation method, then received an appropriate dose of Docetaxel determined by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was utilized to investigate the consequence of simultaneous CTLA-4 gene silencing and Docetaxel treatment on the apoptosis and cell cycle of MCF-7 cells. The expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were also investigated using quantitative real-time PCR. Compared to control groups, CTLA-4-suppressed and Docetaxel-treated cells became more susceptible to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2-M phase. The additive effect of CTLA-4 knockdown together with Docetaxel treatment significantly downregulated BCL-2 level and upregulated BAX expression. Our findings support the idea that combining chemotherapy such as Docetaxel with efficient targeted therapy against inhibitory immune checkpoints can be a promising strategy in cancer treatment.

Biomarkers to predict the benefits of immune‑checkpoint blockade‑based therapy in patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (Review)

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) is a type of rare and highly lethal tumor. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-based therapy has shown encouraging clinical activity for MPeM. However, no definitive biomarkers have been identified for predicting which patients with MPeM will benefit from ICB-based therapy. At present, there are several novel potential biomarkers proposed for predicting the response to ICB-based therapy, and biomarkers available in MPeM cells and in the tumor microenvironment have been identified with the potential to predict the efficacy of ICB-based therapy in MPeM. According to the molecular characteristics of MPeM itself, the feasibility of biomarkers in practice, and the body of available evidence, we hypothesize that the following five types of biomarkers can be used to predict the response of ICB-based therapy in patients with MPeM: Tertiary lymphoid structures, immune checkpoints and their ligands, fusion gene neoantigen burden, BRCA1-associated protein-1 haploinsufficiency and transcriptome-based biomarkers. The present review discusses the value and limitations of each type of biomarker, and potential solutions to address the limitations are proposed. The aim of the present review is to provide a background for future studies on ICB-based therapy for MPeM.

Multi-omics combined to investigate potential druggable therapeutic targets for stroke: A systematic Mendelian randomization study and transcriptome verification

OBJECTIVE

Stroke is a highly prevalent and disabling disease whose disease mechanisms are not fully understood. The discovery of disease-associated proteins with genetic evidence of pathogenicity provides an opportunity to identify new therapeutic targets.

METHOD

We examined the observed and causal associations of thousands of plasma and inflammatory proteins that were measured using affinity-based proteomic assays. First, we pooled >3000 relevant proteins using a fixed-effects meta-analysis of 2 population-based studies involving 48,383 participants, then investigated the causal effects of stroke and its subtype-associated proteins by forward Mendelian randomization using cis-protein quantitative locus genetic tools identified from genome-wide association studies of these >48,000 individuals. To improve the accuracy of causal estimation, we implemented a systematic Mendelian randomization model that accounts for cascading imbalances between instruments and tested the robustness of causal estimation through multi-method analyses. To further validate the hypothesis that ginsenoside Rg1 monomer acts on the five protein targets screened for drug-targeted regulation, we conducted a comparative analysis of the mRNA (gene) expression levels of a limited number of genes in the brain tissues of different groups of SD rats. The druggability of the candidate proteins was investigated and the mechanism of action and potential targeting side effects were explored by Phenome-wide MR.

RESULTS

Six circulating proteins were identified to have a significant genetic association with stroke (PFDR < 0.05). For example, in patients with cardioembolic stroke, higher genetically predicted APRT was associated with a lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (ORivw [95 % CI] = 0.641 [0.517, 0.795]; P = 5.25 × 10-5, ORSMR [95 % CI] = 0.572, [0.397, 0.825], PSMR = 0.003). Mediation analyses suggested that atrial fibrillation, angina pectoris, and heart failure may mediate the association of CD40L, LIFR, and UPA with stroke. Molecular docking revealed promising interactions between the identified proteins and glycosides. Transcriptomic sequencing in animal models indicated that ginsenoside Rg1 may act through APRT, IL15RA, and VSIR pathways, with APRT showing significant variability in mRNA sequencing expression. Phenome-wide MR of the six target proteins showed an overwhelming predominance of PFDR > 0.05, indicating less toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides genetic evidence to support the potential efficacy of targeting the three druggable protein targets for the treatment of stroke. This is achieved by triangulating population genomic and proteomic data. Furthermore, the study validates the pathway mechanisms by which APRT, IL15RA, and VSIR dock ginsenoside Rg1 in animal models. This will help to prioritize stroke drug development.

VISTA-mediated immune evasion in cancer

Over the past decade, V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) has been established as a negative immune checkpoint molecule. Since the role of VISTA in inhibiting T-cell activation was described, studies have demonstrated other diverse regulatory functions in multiple immune cell populations. Furthermore, its relevance has been identified in human cancers. The role of VISTA in cancer immune evasion has been determined, but its mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment remain to be further elucidated. Understanding its contributions to cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to current treatments will be critical to its utility as a target for novel immunotherapies. Here, we summarize the current understanding of VISTA biology in cancer.

CTLA-4 silencing could promote anti-tumor effects in hepatocellular

Preclinical and clinical research showed that immune checkpoint blockade provides beneficial effects for many patients with liver cancer. This study aimed to assess the effect of CTLA-4-specific siRNA on the proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and apoptosis of HePG2 cells. Transfection of siRNA was performed by electroporation. The viability of cells was determined through MTT assay. Flow cytometry was performed to investigate the cell cycle and apoptosis rate, and the wound-healing assay was used to determine HepG2 cells migration. The expression levels of CTLA-4, c-Myc, Ki-67, BCL-2, BAX, caspase-9 (CAS9), and MMP-2,9,13 were measured by qRT-PCR. Transfection of specific CTLA-4-siRNA significantly inhibited the expression of the CTLA-4 gene. Also, our results revealed that CTLA-4 silencing diminished the proliferation and migration as well as induced the apoptosis of HePG2 cells. CTLA-4-siRNA transfection induced the cell cycle arrest in G2 phase. Moreover, CTLA-4-siRNA transfection reduced the expression levels of c-Myc, Ki-67, BCL-2, MMP-2,9,13, and elevated the expression levels of BAX and caspase-9. Our results suggest that silencing CTLA-4 through specific siRNA may be a promising strategy for future therapeutic interventions for treating liver cancer.

The VISTA/VSIG3/PSGL-1 axis: crosstalk between immune effector cells and cancer cells in invasive ductal breast carcinoma

A checkpoint protein called the V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is important for controlling immune responses. Immune cells that interact with VISTA have molecules, or receptors, known as VISTA receptors. Immune system activity can be modified by the interaction between VISTA and its receptors. Since targeting VISTA or its receptors may be beneficial in certain conditions, VISTA has been studied in relation to immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune illnesses. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression levels and interactions between VISTA and its receptors, VSIG3 and PSGL-1, in breast cancer tissues. IHC analysis revealed higher levels of proteins within the VISTA/VSIG3/PSGL-1 axis in cancer tissues than in the reference samples (mastopathies). VISTA was found in breast cancer cells and intratumoral immune cells, with membranous and cytoplasmic staining patterns. VISTA was also linked with pathological grade and VSIG3 and PSGL-1 levels. Furthermore, we discovered that the knockdown of one axis member boosted the expression of the other partners. This highlights the significance of VISTA/VSIG3/PSGL-1 in tumor stroma and microenvironment remodeling. Our findings indicate the importance of the VISTA/VSIG3/PSGL-1 axis in the molecular biology of cancer cells and the immune microenvironment.