Aberrant demethylation and expression of MAGEB2 in a subset of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors from neurofibromatosis type 1

Unveiling the significance of cancer-testis antigens and their implications for immunotherapy in glioma

Glioma has a poor prognosis, which is attributable to its inherent characteristics and lack of specific treatments. Immunotherapy plays a pivotal role in the contemporary management of malignancies. Despite the initiation of numerous immunotherapy-based clinical trials, their effects on enhancing glioma prognosis remain limited, highlighting the need for innovative and effective therapeutic targets and strategies to address this challenge. Since the 1990s, there has been a growing interest in cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) present in normal mammalian testicular germ cells and placental trophoblast cells, which exhibit reactivated expression in various tumor types. Mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, transcriptional regulation, and alternative splicing influence the expression of CTAs in tumors. The distinct expression patterns and robust immunogenicity of CTAs are promising tumor biomarkers and optimal targets for immunotherapy. Previous reports have shown that multiple CTAs are present in gliomas and are closely related to prognosis. The expression of these antigens is also associated with the immune response in gliomas and the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Significantly, numerous clinical trials, with IL13RA2 as a representative CTA member, have assessed the immunotherapeutic potential of gliomas and have shown favorable clinical efficacy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the regulation and function of CTAs, summarizes their expression and role in gliomas, emphasizes their importance as immunotherapy targets in gliomas, and discusses related challenges and future interventions.

ZNF276 promotes the malignant phenotype of breast carcinoma by activating the CYP1B1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Zinc finger proteins (ZNFs) have been demonstrated to participate extensively in breast cancer progression by functioning as transcription factors, but there are still a variety of ZNFs whose biological mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that zinc finger protein 276 (ZNF276) is highly expressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Higher level of ZNF276 correlated with poor prognosis. Gain-of and loss-of function suggested that ZNF276 is essential for the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro and metastasis in vivo. RNA-sequencing and CUT&Tag assay revealed that ZNF276 controlled a variety of growth and metastasis-related genes expression. ZNF276 transcriptionally promoted the expression of CYP1B1 by directly binds to the promoter region of the CYP1B1 through its C₂H₂ domain. ZNF276 facilitated the translocation of β-catenin from cytoplasm to nucleus through CYP1B1, leading to the upregulation of cyclin D1 and c-Myc, and the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Knockdown of CYP1B1 significantly blocked the ZNF276-mediated effects on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Lastly, ZNF276 interacted with MAGEB2 which enhanced the binding of ZNF276 at the CYP1B1 promoter, promoted CYP1B1 expression and Wnt signaling activation. Collectively, these findings highlight the oncogenic role of ZNF276 on breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Targeting ZNF276/MAGEB2 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for breast cancer patients.

Prognostic Significance of Immunohistochemical Markers and Genetic Alterations in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors: A Systematic Review

Background

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas with dismal prognosis. Pathological and genetic markers may predict more aggressive behavior in MPNSTs but have uncommonly been investigated, and few are used in daily practice. This study reviews the prognostic value of immunohistochemical markers and genetic alterations in MPNST.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms related to ‘MPNST’ and ‘prognostic’ were used. Studies investigating the association of immunohistochemical markers or genetic alterations with prognosis were included. Qualitative synthesis was performed on all studies. A distinction was made between univariable and multivariable associations.

Results

Forty-six studies were included after full-text screening. Sixty-seven different immunohistochemical markers were investigated. Absence of S100 and H3K27me3 and high Ki67 and p53 staining was most commonly independently associated with worse survival and disease-free survival. Several genetic alterations were investigated as well with varying association to survival. TP53, CDK4, RASSF1A alterations were independently associated with worse survival, as well as changes in chromosomal length in Xp, 10q, and 16p.

Conclusions

MPNSTs harbor complex and heterogeneous biology. Immunohistochemical markers and genetic alterations have variable prognostic value. Absence of S100 and H3K27me3 and increased Ki67 can be of prognostic value. Alterations in TP53 or increase in p53 staining may distinguish MPNSTs with worse outcomes. Genetic alterations and staining of other cell cycle regulatory and Ras pathway proteins may also help stratifying patients with worse outcomes. A combination of markers can increase the prognostic value.

Identification and validation of methylation-driven genes prognostic signature for recurrence of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by integrated bioinformatics analysis

Background

Recurrence remains a major obstacle to long-term survival of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). We conducted a genome-wide integrated analysis of methylation and the transcriptome to establish methylation-driven genes prognostic signature (MDGPS) to precisely predict recurrence probability and optimize therapeutic strategies for LSCC.

Methods

LSCC DNA methylation datasets and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) dataset were acquired from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). MethylMix was applied to detect DNA methylation-driven genes (MDGs). By univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, five genes of DNA MDGs was developed a recurrence-free survival (RFS)-related MDGPS. The predictive accuracy and clinical value of the MDGPS were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and decision curve analysis (DCA), and compared with TNM stage system. Additionally, prognostic value of MDGPS was validated by external Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. According to 5 MDGs, the candidate small molecules for LSCC were screen out by the CMap database. To strengthen the bioinformatics analysis results, 30 pairs of clinical samples were evaluated by digoxigenin-labeled chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH).

Results

A total of 88 DNA MDGs were identified, and five RFS-related MDGs (LINC01354, CCDC8, PHYHD1, MAGEB2 and ZNF732) were chosen to construct a MDGPS. The MDGPS can effectively divide patients into high-risk and low-risk group, with the area under curve (AUC) of 0.738 (5-year RFS) and AUC of 0.74 (3-year RFS). Stratification analysis affirmed that the MDGPS was still a significant statistical prognostic model in subsets of patients with different clinical variables. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated the efficacy of MDGPS appears independent of other clinicopathological characteristics. In terms of predictive capacity and clinical usefulness, the MDGPS was superior to traditional TNM stage. Additionally, the MDGPS was confirmed in external LSCC cohorts from GEO. CMap matched the 9 most significant small molecules as promising therapeutic drugs to reverse the LSCC gene expression. Finally, CISH analysis in 30 LSCC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues revealed that MAGEB2 has significantly higher expression of LSCC compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues; LINC01354, CCDC8, PHYHD1, and ZNF732 have significantly lower expression of LSCC compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues, which were in line with bioinformatics analysis results.

Conclusion

A MDGPS, with five DNA MDGs, was identified and validated in LSCC patients by combining transcriptome and methylation datasets analysis. Compared TNM stage alone, it generates more accurate estimations of the recurrence prediction and maybe offer novel research directions and prospects for individualized treatment of patients with LSCC.

Devil Facial Tumours: Towards a Vaccine

The Tasmanian devil is the only mammalian species to harbour two independent lineages of contagious cancer. Devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) emerged in the 1990s and has caused significant population declines. Devil facial tumour 2 (DFT2) was identified in 2014, and evidence indicates that this new tumour has emerged independently of DFT1. While DFT1 is widespread across Tasmania, DFT2 is currently found only on the Channel Peninsula in south east Tasmania. Allograft transmission of cancer cells should be prevented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. DFT1 avoids immune detection by downregulating MHC class I expression, which can be reversed by treatment with interferon-gamma (IFNγ), while DFT2 currently circulates in hosts with a similar MHC class I genotype to the tumour. Wild Tasmanian devil numbers have not recovered from the emergence of DFT1, and it is feared that widespread transmission of DFT2 will be devastating to the remaining wild population. A preventative solution for the management of the disease is needed. Here, we review the current research on immune responses to devil facial tumours and vaccine strategies against DFT1 and outline our plans moving forward to develop a specific, effective vaccine to support the wild Tasmanian devil population against the threat of these two transmissible tumours.

MAGEA4 expression in bone and soft tissue tumors: its utility as a target for immunotherapy and diagnostic marker combined with NY-ESO-1

Cancer-testis (CT) antigens have promise as targets for immunotherapy, because of their restricted expression in tumor or testis tissue. MAGEA4 is both a MAGE family member and a CT antigen, and has attracted attention as a potential immunotherapeutic target. We investigated MAGEA4 expression by immunohistochemistry in bone and soft tissue tumor specimens that consisted of 35 malignant or intermediate and 24 benign histological subtypes, in order to evaluate its possible utility as an immunotherapy target and its potential use as a diagnostic marker when combined with another CT antigen, NY-ESO-1. Among these tumors, MAGEA4 was detected in 82.2% of synovial sarcomas, 67.7% of myxoid liposarcomas, 43.8% of osteosarcomas, 41.4% of angiosarcomas, 24.6% of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), and 21.4% of chondrosarcomas. NY-ESO-1 expression was found in 88.2% of myxoid liposarcomas, 61.1% of synovial sarcomas, 31.3% of osteosarcomas, 21.4% of pleomorphic liposarcomas, 16.7% of desmoplastic small round cell tumors, and 14.3% of chondrosarcomas. Benign tumors and non-tumorous tissue, except for testis tissue, did not express MAGEA4 or NY-ESO-1. Combined use of MAGEA4 and NY-ESO-1 increased the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values for distinguishing synovial sarcoma from spindle cell tumors and other mimicking tumors, compared to individual use of MAGEA4 or NY-ESO-1. Our results support the immunotherapy targeting MAGEA4 or NY-ESO-1 can be an ancillary therapy in the above-mentioned tumors, and the potential utility of MAGEA4 as an ancillary diagnostic marker for synovial sarcoma combined with NY-ESO-1.