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Aparicio B, Theunissen P, Hervas-Stubbs S, Fortes P, Sarobe P. Relevance of mutation-derived neoantigens and non-classical antigens for anticancer therapies. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2303799. [PMID: 38346926 PMCID: PMC10863374 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2303799] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficacy of cancer immunotherapies relies on correct recognition of tumor antigens by lymphocytes, eliciting thus functional responses capable of eliminating tumor cells. Therefore, important efforts have been carried out in antigen identification, with the aim of understanding mechanisms of response to immunotherapy and to design safer and more efficient strategies. In addition to classical tumor-associated antigens identified during the last decades, implementation of next-generation sequencing methodologies is enabling the identification of neoantigens (neoAgs) arising from mutations, leading to the development of new neoAg-directed therapies. Moreover, there are numerous non-classical tumor antigens originated from other sources and identified by new methodologies. Here, we review the relevance of neoAgs in different immunotherapies and the results obtained by applying neoAg-based strategies. In addition, the different types of non-classical tumor antigens and the best approaches for their identification are described. This will help to increase the spectrum of targetable molecules useful in cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Aparicio
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Patrick Theunissen
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
- DNA and RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sandra Hervas-Stubbs
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Puri Fortes
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
- DNA and RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Spanish Network for Advanced Therapies (TERAV ISCIII), Spain
| | - Pablo Sarobe
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
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Peng Q, Chen Y, Xie T, Pu D, Ho VWS, Sun J, Liu K, Chan RCK, Ding X, Teoh JYC, Wang X, Chiu PKF, Ng CF. PiRNA-4447944 promotes castration-resistant growth and metastasis of prostate cancer by inhibiting NEFH expression through forming the piRNA-4447944-PIWIL2-NEFH complex. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:3638-3655. [PMID: 38993562 PMCID: PMC11234203 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.96173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the leading cause of prostate cancer (PCa)-related death in males, which occurs after the failure of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial regulators in many human cancers, but their expression patterns and roles in CRPC remain unknown. In this study, we performed small RNA sequencing to explore CRPC-associated piRNAs using 10 benign prostate tissues, and 9 paired hormone-sensitive PCa (HSPCa) and CRPC tissues from the same patients. PiRNA-4447944 (piR-4447944) was discovered to be highly expressed in CRPC group compared with HSPCa and benign groups. Functional analyses revealed that piR-4447944 overexpression endowed PCa cells with castration resistance ability in vitro and in vivo, whereas knockdown of piR-4447944 using anti-sense RNA suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRPC cells. Additionally, enforced piR-4447944 expression promoted in vitro migration and invasion of PCa cells, and reduced cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, piR-4447944 bound to PIWIL2 to form a piR-4447944/PIWIL2 complex and inhibited tumor suppressor NEFH through direct interaction at the post-transcriptional level. Collectively, our study indicates that piR-4447944 is essential for prostate tumor-propagating cells and mediates androgen-independent growth of PCa, which extends current understanding of piRNAs in cancer biology and provides a potential approach for CRPC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Peng
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- HitGen Inc., Building 6, No.8 Huigu First East Road, Tianfu International Bio-Town, Shuangliu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tingting Xie
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dandan Pu
- Department of Surgery, Sir Y.K. Pao Centre for Cancer, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vincy Wing-Sze Ho
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jingkai Sun
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kang Liu
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ronald Cheong-Kin Chan
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaofan Ding
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peter Ka-Fung Chiu
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi-Fai Ng
- SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Talotta R. Sequence Alignment between TRIM33 Gene and Human Noncoding RNAs: A Potential Explanation for Paraneoplastic Dermatomyositis. J Pers Med 2024; 14:628. [PMID: 38929849 PMCID: PMC11204533 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14060628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This computational analysis investigated sequence complementarities between the TRIM33 gene and human noncoding (nc)RNAs and characterized their interactions in the context of paraneoplastic dermatomyositis. METHODS TRIM33 FASTA sequence (NCBI Reference Sequence: NC_000001.11) was used for BLASTN analysis against Human GRCh38 in the Ensembl.org database. Retrieved ncRNAs showing hits to TRIM33 were searched in the GeneCards.org database and further analyzed through RNAInter, QmRLFS-finder, Spliceator, and NcPath enrichment analysis. RESULTS A total of 100 hits were found, involving the lncRNAs NNT-AS1, MKLN1-AS, LINC01206, and PAXBP1-AS1, whose dysregulation has been reported in either cancer or dermatomyositis. Additionally, the lncRNAs NNT-AS1 and PAXBP1-AS1 may interact with microRNA-142-3p, reducing its expression and increasing that of TRIM33. Sequence complementarity affected only TRIM33 intron 1, possibly resulting in alternatively spliced isoforms of TIF1γ with increased immunogenicity. The results also revealed nucleotide alignment between TRIM33 and the gene regulatory elements of 28 ncRNA genes involved in immune pathways. CONCLUSIONS This pivotal study demonstrates sequence complementarity between TRIM33 and human ncRNAs dysregulated in cancer and dermatomyositis. This scenario may lead to the overproduction of more immunogenic TIF1γ variants in tumors and the stimulation of autoimmunity. Further experimental analyses using targeted methods such as Western blot or Chip-Seq are required to confirm these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Talotta
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital "Gaetano Martino", 98124 Messina, Italy
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Jin P, Wang X, Jin Q, Zhang Y, Shen J, Jiang G, Zhu H, Zhao M, Wang D, Li Z, Zhou Y, Li W, Zhang W, Liu Y, Wang S, Jin W, Cao Y, Sheng G, Dong F, Wu S, Li X, Jin Z, He M, Liu X, Chen L, Zhang Y, Wang K, Li J. Mutant U2AF1-Induced Mis-Splicing of mRNA Translation Genes Confers Resistance to Chemotherapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1583-1596. [PMID: 38417135 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-2543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Patients with primary refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a dismal long-term prognosis. Elucidating the resistance mechanisms to induction chemotherapy could help identify strategies to improve AML patient outcomes. Herein, we retrospectively analyzed the multiomics data of more than 1,500 AML cases and found that patients with spliceosome mutations had a higher risk of developing refractory disease. RNA splicing analysis revealed that the mis-spliced genes in refractory patients converged on translation-associated pathways, promoted mainly by U2AF1 mutations. Integrative analyses of binding and splicing in AML cell lines substantiated that the splicing perturbations of mRNA translation genes originated from both the loss and gain of mutant U2AF1 binding. In particular, the U2AF1S34F and U2AF1Q157R mutants orchestrated the inclusion of exon 11 (encoding a premature termination codon) in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A2 (EIF4A2). This aberrant inclusion led to reduced eIF4A2 protein expression via nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Consequently, U2AF1 mutations caused a net decrease in global mRNA translation that induced the integrated stress response (ISR) in AML cells, which was confirmed by single-cell RNA sequencing. The induction of ISR enhanced the ability of AML cells to respond and adapt to stress, contributing to chemoresistance. A pharmacologic inhibitor of ISR, ISRIB, sensitized U2AF1 mutant cells to chemotherapy. These findings highlight a resistance mechanism by which U2AF1 mutations drive chemoresistance and provide a therapeutic approach for AML through targeting the ISR pathway. SIGNIFICANCE U2AF1 mutations induce the integrated stress response by disrupting splicing of mRNA translation genes that improves AML cell fitness to enable resistance to chemotherapy, which can be targeted to improve AML treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Jin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoling Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiqi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ge Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongming Zhu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyi Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzhu Li
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yabin Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyang Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Jin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- CNRS-LIA Hematology and Cancer, Sino-French Research Center for Life Sciences and Genomics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuncan Cao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangying Sheng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyi Dong
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shishuang Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyang Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Jin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengke He
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaxin Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunxiang Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kankan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- CNRS-LIA Hematology and Cancer, Sino-French Research Center for Life Sciences and Genomics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junmin Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Shang X, Talross GJS, Carlson JR. Exitron splicing of odor receptor genes in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320277121. [PMID: 38507450 PMCID: PMC10990081 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320277121] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Proper expression of odor receptor genes is critical for the function of olfactory systems. In this study, we identified exitrons (exonic introns) in four of the 39 Odorant receptor (Or) genes expressed in the Drosophila antenna. Exitrons are sequences that can be spliced out from within a protein-coding exon, thereby altering the encoded protein. We focused on Or88a, which encodes a pheromone receptor, and found that exitron splicing of Or88a is conserved across five Drosophila species over 20 My of evolution. The exitron was spliced out in 15% of Or88a transcripts. Removal of this exitron creates a non-coding RNA rather than an RNA that encodes a stable protein. Our results suggest the hypothesis that in the case of Or88a, exitron splicing could act in neuronal modulation by decreasing the level of functional Or transcripts. Activation of Or88a-expressing olfactory receptor neurons via either optogenetics or pheromone stimulation increased the level of exitron-spliced transcripts, with optogenetic activation leading to a 14-fold increase. A fifth Or can also undergo an alternative splicing event that eliminates most of the canonical open reading frame. Besides these cases of alternative splicing, we found alternative polyadenylation of four Ors, and exposure of Or67c to its ligand ethyl lactate in the antenna downregulated all of its 3' isoforms. Our study reveals mechanisms by which neuronal activity could be modulated via regulation of the levels of Or isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Shang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
| | - Gaëlle J. S. Talross
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
| | - John R. Carlson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
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Shamnas v M, Singh A, Kumar A, Mishra GP, Sinha SK. Exitrons: offering new roles to retained introns-the novel regulators of protein diversity and utility. AOB PLANTS 2024; 16:plae014. [PMID: 38566894 PMCID: PMC10985678 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plae014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Exitrons are exonic introns. This subclass of intron retention alternative splicing does not contain a Pre-Terminating stop Codon. Therefore, when retained, they are always a part of a protein. Intron retention is a frequent phenomenon predominantly found in plants, which results in either the degradation of the transcripts or can serve as a stable intermediate to be processed upon induction by specific signals or the cell status. Interestingly, exitrons have coding ability and may confer additional attributes to the proteins that retain them. Therefore, exitron-containing and exitron-spliced isoforms will be a driving force for creating protein diversity in the proteome of an organism. This review establishes a basic understanding of exitron, discussing its genesis, key features, identification methods and functions. We also try to depict its other potential roles. The present review also aims to provide a fundamental background to those who found such exitronic sequences in their gene(s) and to speculate the future course of studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Shamnas v
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Akanksha Singh
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47906, Indiana, USA
| | - Anuj Kumar
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Gyan Prakash Mishra
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Subodh Kumar Sinha
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
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Bhattacharya K, Mahato S, Deka S, Chanu NR, Shrivastava AK, Khanal P. Netting into the Sophoretin pool: An approach to trace GSTP1 inhibitors for reversing chemoresistance. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 108:107981. [PMID: 37976621 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107981] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Chemoresistance, a significant challenge in cancer treatment, is often associated with the cellular glutathione-related detoxification system. The GSTP1 isoenzyme (glutathione S-transferases) plays a critical role in the cytoplasmic inactivation of anticancer drugs. This suggests the identification of GSTP1 inhibitors to combat chemoresistance. We screened Sophoretin (also called quercetin) derivatives for molecular properties, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity profiles. Following that, we conducted molecular docking and simulations between selected derivatives and GSTP1. The best-docked complex, GSTP1-quercetin 7-O-β-D-glucoside, exhibited a binding affinity of -8.1 kcal/mol, with no predicted toxicity and good pharmacokinetic properties. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of this complex. Quercetin 7-O-β-D-glucoside shows promise as a lead candidate for addressing chemoresistance in cancer patients, although further experimental studies are needed to validate its efficacy and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Bhattacharya
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam 781026, India; Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Assam 781035, India.
| | - Shikha Mahato
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam 781026, India
| | - Satyendra Deka
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam 781026, India
| | - Nongmaithem Randhoni Chanu
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam 781026, India; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Assam Downtown University, Assam, India
| | - Amit Kumar Shrivastava
- Department of Oriental Pharmacy and Wonkwang-Oriental Medicine Research Institute, Wonkwang University, Iksan 570-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Pukar Khanal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, KLE College of Pharmacy, Belagavi, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER), Belagavi 590010, India.
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8
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Shi Q, Li X, Liu Y, Chen Z, He X. FLIBase: a comprehensive repository of full-length isoforms across human cancers and tissues. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D124-D133. [PMID: 37697439 PMCID: PMC10767943 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory processes at the RNA transcript level play a crucial role in generating transcriptome diversity and proteome composition in human cells, impacting both physiological and pathological states. This study introduces FLIBase (www.FLIBase.org), a specialized database that focuses on annotating full-length isoforms using long-read sequencing techniques. We collected and integrated long-read (351 samples) and short-read (12 469 samples) RNA sequencing data from diverse normal and cancerous human tissues and cells. The current version of FLIBase comprises a total of 983 789 full-length spliced isoforms, identified through long-read sequences and verified using short-read exon-exon splice junctions. Of these, 188 248 isoforms have been annotated, while 795 541 isoforms remain unannotated. By overcoming the limitations of short-read RNA sequencing methods, FLIBase provides an accurate and comprehensive representation of full-length transcripts. These comprehensive annotations empower researchers to undertake various downstream analyses and investigations. Importantly, FLIBase exhibits a significant advantage in identifying a substantial number of previously unannotated isoforms and tumor-specific RNA transcripts. These tumor-specific RNA transcripts have the potential to serve as a source of immunogenic recurrent neoantigens. This remarkable discovery holds tremendous promise for advancing the development of tailored RNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for various types of human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qili Shi
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xinrong Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yizhe Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiao Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xianghuo He
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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9
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Schäfer RA, Guo Q, Yang R. ScanNeo2: a comprehensive workflow for neoantigen detection and immunogenicity prediction from diverse genomic and transcriptomic alterations. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad659. [PMID: 37882750 PMCID: PMC10629934 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Neoantigens, tumor-specific protein fragments, are invaluable in cancer immunotherapy due to their ability to serve as targets for the immune system. Computational prediction of these neoantigens from sequencing data often requires multiple algorithms and sophisticated workflows, which are currently restricted to specific types of variants, such as single-nucleotide variants or insertions/deletions. Nevertheless, other sources of neoantigens are often overlooked. RESULTS We introduce ScanNeo2 an improved and fully automated bioinformatics pipeline designed for high-throughput neoantigen prediction from raw sequencing data. Unlike its predecessor, ScanNeo2 integrates multiple sources of somatic variants, including canonical- and exitron-splicing, gene fusion events, and various somatic variants. Our benchmark results demonstrate that ScanNeo2 accurately identifies neoantigens, providing a comprehensive and more efficient solution for neoantigen prediction. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ScanNeo2 is freely available at https://github.com/ylab-hi/ScanNeo2/ and is accompanied by instruction and application data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Schäfer
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Qingxiang Guo
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Rendong Yang
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
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10
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Kazachenka A, Loong JH, Attig J, Young GR, Ganguli P, Devonshire G, Grehan N, Ciccarelli FD, Fitzgerald RC, Kassiotis G. The transcriptional landscape of endogenous retroelements delineates esophageal adenocarcinoma subtypes. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad040. [PMID: 37502711 PMCID: PMC10370457 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Most cancer types exhibit aberrant transcriptional activity, including derepression of retrotransposable elements (RTEs). However, the degree, specificity and potential consequences of RTE transcriptional activation may differ substantially among cancer types and subtypes. Representing one extreme of the spectrum, we characterize the transcriptional activity of RTEs in cohorts of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor Barrett's esophagus (BE) from the OCCAMS (Oesophageal Cancer Clinical and Molecular Stratification) consortium, and from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas). We found exceptionally high RTE inclusion in the EAC transcriptome, driven primarily by transcription of genes incorporating intronic or adjacent RTEs, rather than by autonomous RTE transcription. Nevertheless, numerous chimeric transcripts straddling RTEs and genes, and transcripts from stand-alone RTEs, particularly KLF5- and SOX9-controlled HERVH proviruses, were overexpressed specifically in EAC. Notably, incomplete mRNA splicing and EAC-characteristic intronic RTE inclusion was mirrored by relative loss of the respective fully-spliced, functional mRNA isoforms, consistent with compromised cellular fitness. Defective RNA splicing was linked with strong transcriptional activation of a HERVH provirus on Chr Xp22.32 and defined EAC subtypes with distinct molecular features and prognosis. Our study defines distinguishable RTE transcriptional profiles of EAC, reflecting distinct underlying processes and prognosis, thus providing a framework for targeted studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jane Hc Loong
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Jan Attig
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - George R Young
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Piyali Ganguli
- Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ginny Devonshire
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicola Grehan
- Early Cancer Institute, Hutchison Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Francesca D Ciccarelli
- Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca C Fitzgerald
- Early Cancer Institute, Hutchison Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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11
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Han N, Liu Z. Targeting alternative splicing in cancer immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1232146. [PMID: 37635865 PMCID: PMC10450511 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1232146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy has made great progress in cancer treatment but still faces several challenges, such as a limited number of targetable antigens and varying responses among patients. Alternative splicing (AS) is an essential process for the maturation of nearly all mammalian mRNAs. Recent studies show that AS contributes to expanding cancer-specific antigens and modulating immunogenicity, making it a promising solution to the above challenges. The organoid technology preserves the individual immune microenvironment and reduces the time/economic costs of the experiment model, facilitating the development of splicing-based immunotherapy. Here, we summarize three critical roles of AS in immunotherapy: resources for generating neoantigens, targets for immune-therapeutic modulation, and biomarkers to guide immunotherapy options. Subsequently, we highlight the benefits of adopting organoids to develop AS-based immunotherapies. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in studying AS-based immunotherapy in terms of existing bioinformatics algorithms and biological technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Han
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoqi Liu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Borozan L, Rojas Ringeling F, Kao SY, Nikonova E, Monteagudo-Mesas P, Matijević D, Spletter ML, Canzar S. Counting pseudoalignments to novel splicing events. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad419. [PMID: 37432342 PMCID: PMC10348833 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Alternative splicing (AS) of introns from pre-mRNA produces diverse sets of transcripts across cell types and tissues, but is also dysregulated in many diseases. Alignment-free computational methods have greatly accelerated the quantification of mRNA transcripts from short RNA-seq reads, but they inherently rely on a catalog of known transcripts and might miss novel, disease-specific splicing events. By contrast, alignment of reads to the genome can effectively identify novel exonic segments and introns. Event-based methods then count how many reads align to predefined features. However, an alignment is more expensive to compute and constitutes a bottleneck in many AS analysis methods. RESULTS Here, we propose fortuna, a method that guesses novel combinations of annotated splice sites to create transcript fragments. It then pseudoaligns reads to fragments using kallisto and efficiently derives counts of the most elementary splicing units from kallisto's equivalence classes. These counts can be directly used for AS analysis or summarized to larger units as used by other widely applied methods. In experiments on synthetic and real data, fortuna was around 7× faster than traditional align and count approaches, and was able to analyze almost 300 million reads in just 15 min when using four threads. It mapped reads containing mismatches more accurately across novel junctions and found more reads supporting aberrant splicing events in patients with autism spectrum disorder than existing methods. We further used fortuna to identify novel, tissue-specific splicing events in Drosophila. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION fortuna source code is available at https://github.com/canzarlab/fortuna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Borozan
- Department of Mathematics, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Francisca Rojas Ringeling
- Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 81377, Germany
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - Shao-Yen Kao
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Elena Nikonova
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | | | - Domagoj Matijević
- Department of Mathematics, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Maria L Spletter
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
- School of Science and Engineering, Division of Biological & Biomedical Systems, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States
| | - Stefan Canzar
- Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 81377, Germany
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
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13
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Lozano-Rabella M, Garcia-Garijo A, Palomero J, Yuste-Estevanez A, Erhard F, Farriol-Duran R, Martín-Liberal J, Ochoa-de-Olza M, Matos I, Gartner JJ, Ghosh M, Canals F, Vidal A, Piulats JM, Matías-Guiu X, Brana I, Muñoz-Couselo E, Garralda E, Schlosser A, Gros A. Exploring the Immunogenicity of Noncanonical HLA-I Tumor Ligands Identified through Proteogenomics. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:2250-2265. [PMID: 36749875 PMCID: PMC10261919 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-3298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumor antigens are central to antitumor immunity. Recent evidence suggests that peptides from noncanonical (nonC) aberrantly translated proteins can be presented on HLA-I by tumor cells. Here, we investigated the immunogenicity of nonC tumor HLA-I ligands (nonC-TL) to better understand their contribution to cancer immunosurveillance and their therapeutic applicability. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Peptides presented on HLA-I were identified in 9 patient-derived tumor cell lines from melanoma, gynecologic, and head and neck cancer through proteogenomics. A total of 507 candidate tumor antigens, including nonC-TL, neoantigens, cancer-germline, or melanocyte differentiation antigens, were tested for T-cell recognition of preexisting responses in patients with cancer. Donor peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were in vitro sensitized against 170 selected nonC-TL to isolate antigen-specific T-cell receptors (TCR) and evaluate their therapeutic potential. RESULTS We found no recognition of the 507 nonC-TL tested by autologous ex vivo expanded tumor-reactive T-cell cultures while the same cultures demonstrated reactivity to mutated, cancer-germline, or melanocyte differentiation antigens. However, in vitro sensitization of donor PBL against 170 selected nonC-TL, led to the identification of TCRs specific to three nonC-TL, two of which mapped to the 5' UTR regions of HOXC13 and ZKSCAN1, and one mapping to a noncoding spliced variant of C5orf22C. T cells targeting these nonC-TL recognized cancer cell lines naturally presenting their corresponding antigens. Expression of the three immunogenic nonC-TL was shared across tumor types and barely or not detected in normal cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings predict a limited contribution of nonC-TL to cancer immunosurveillance but demonstrate they may be attractive novel targets for widely applicable immunotherapies. See related commentary by Fox et al., p. 2173.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lozano-Rabella
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Garcia-Garijo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jara Palomero
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Yuste-Estevanez
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Florian Erhard
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Roc Farriol-Duran
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Martín-Liberal
- Early Drug Development Unit (UITM) Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Ochoa-de-Olza
- Early Drug Development Unit (UITM) Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Matos
- Early Drug Development Unit (UITM) Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jared J. Gartner
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael Ghosh
- Institute for Cell Biology Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Francesc Canals
- Proteomics, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - August Vidal
- Department of Pathology. Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Maria Piulats
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Cancer (ICO), IDIBELL-Oncobell, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Xavier Matías-Guiu
- Department of Pathology. Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Brana
- Early Drug Development Unit (UITM) Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Muñoz-Couselo
- Melanoma and other skin tumors unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Garralda
- Early Drug Development Unit (UITM) Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Schlosser
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alena Gros
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Sharland AF, Hill AE, Son ET, Scull KE, Mifsud NA, Purcell AW. Are Induced/altered Self-peptide Antigens Responsible for De Novo Autoreactivity in Transplantation? Transplantation 2023; 107:1232-1236. [PMID: 36706066 PMCID: PMC10205114 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra F. Sharland
- Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexandra E. Hill
- Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Eric T. Son
- Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine E. Scull
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicole A. Mifsud
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony W. Purcell
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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15
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Pan Y, Phillips JW, Zhang BD, Noguchi M, Kutschera E, McLaughlin J, Nesterenko PA, Mao Z, Bangayan NJ, Wang R, Tran W, Yang HT, Wang Y, Xu Y, Obusan MB, Cheng D, Lee AH, Kadash-Edmondson KE, Champhekar A, Puig-Saus C, Ribas A, Prins RM, Seet CS, Crooks GM, Witte ON, Xing Y. IRIS: Discovery of cancer immunotherapy targets arising from pre-mRNA alternative splicing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221116120. [PMID: 37192158 PMCID: PMC10214192 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221116120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is prevalent in cancer, generating an extensive but largely unexplored repertoire of novel immunotherapy targets. We describe Isoform peptides from RNA splicing for Immunotherapy target Screening (IRIS), a computational platform capable of discovering AS-derived tumor antigens (TAs) for T cell receptor (TCR) and chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies. IRIS leverages large-scale tumor and normal transcriptome data and incorporates multiple screening approaches to discover AS-derived TAs with tumor-associated or tumor-specific expression. In a proof-of-concept analysis integrating transcriptomics and immunopeptidomics data, we showed that hundreds of IRIS-predicted TCR targets are presented by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. We applied IRIS to RNA-seq data of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). From 2,939 NEPC-associated AS events, IRIS predicted 1,651 epitopes from 808 events as potential TCR targets for two common HLA types (A*02:01 and A*03:01). A more stringent screening test prioritized 48 epitopes from 20 events with "neoantigen-like" NEPC-specific expression. Predicted epitopes are often encoded by microexons of ≤30 nucleotides. To validate the immunogenicity and T cell recognition of IRIS-predicted TCR epitopes, we performed in vitro T cell priming in combination with single-cell TCR sequencing. Seven TCRs transduced into human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) showed high activity against individual IRIS-predicted epitopes, providing strong evidence of isolated TCRs reactive to AS-derived peptides. One selected TCR showed efficient cytotoxicity against target cells expressing the target peptide. Our study illustrates the contribution of AS to the TA repertoire of cancer cells and demonstrates the utility of IRIS for discovering AS-derived TAs and expanding cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Pan
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - John W. Phillips
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Beatrice D. Zhang
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Miyako Noguchi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Eric Kutschera
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Jami McLaughlin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | | | - Zhiyuan Mao
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Nathanael J. Bangayan
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Robert Wang
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Wendy Tran
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Harry T. Yang
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Yang Xu
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Matthew B. Obusan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Donghui Cheng
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Alex H. Lee
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Kathryn E. Kadash-Edmondson
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Ameya Champhekar
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Cristina Puig-Saus
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Robert M. Prins
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Christopher S. Seet
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Gay M. Crooks
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Owen N. Witte
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Yi Xing
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA19104
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16
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Kong FS, Ren CY, Jia R, Zhou Y, Chen JH, Ma Y. Systematic pan-cancer analysis identifies SLC31A1 as a biomarker in multiple tumor types. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:61. [PMID: 36973786 PMCID: PMC10041742 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01489-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Solute Carrier Family 31 Member 1 (SLC31A1) has recently been identified as a cuproptosis-regulatory gene. Recent studies have indicated that SLC31A1 may play a role in colorectal and lung cancer tumorigenesis. However, the role of SLC31A1 and its cuproptosis-regulatory functions in multiple tumor types remains to be further elucidated. METHODS Online websites and datasets such as HPA, TIMER2, GEPIA, OncoVar, and cProSite were used to extract data on SLC31A1 in multiple cancers. DAVID and BioGRID were used to conduct functional analysis and construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, respectively. The protein expression data of SLC31A1 was obtained from the cProSite database. RESULTS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets showed increased SLC31A1 expression in tumor tissues compared with non-tumor tissues in most tumor types. In patients with tumor types including adrenocortical carcinoma, low-grade glioma, or mesothelioma, higher SLC31A1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival. S105Y was the most prevalent point mutation in SLC31A1 in TCGA pan-cancer datasets. Moreover, SLC31A1 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells such as macrophages and neutrophils in tumor tissues in several tumor types. Functional enrichment analysis showed that SLC31A1 co-expressed genes were involved in protein binding, integral components of the membrane, metabolic pathways, protein processing, and endoplasmic reticulum. Copper Chaperone For Superoxide Dismutase, Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate 3-Kinase Catalytic Subunit Alpha and Solute Carrier Family 31 Member 2 were copper homeostasis-regulated genes shown in the PPI network, and their expression was positively correlated with SLC31A1. Analysis showed there was a correlation between SLC31A1 protein and mRNA in various tumors. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrated that SLC31A1 is associated with multiple tumor types and disease prognosis. SLC31A1 may be a potential key biomarker and therapeutic target in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Sheng Kong
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chun-Yan Ren
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruofan Jia
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian-Huan Chen
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
- Joint Primate Research Center for Chronic Diseases, Institute of Zoology of Guangdong Academy of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangnan University Brain Institute, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yaping Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
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17
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Wang SY, Zhang LJ, Chen GJ, Ni QQ, Huang Y, Zhang D, Han FY, He WF, He LL, Ding YQ, Jiao HL, Ye YP. COPA A-to-I RNA editing hijacks endoplasmic reticulum stress to promote metastasis in colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2023; 553:215995. [PMID: 36336148 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215995] [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: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
RNA editing is among the most common RNA level modifications for generating amino acid changes. We identified a COPA A-to-I RNA editing event in CRC metastasis. Our results showed that the COPA A-to-I RNA editing rate was significantly increased in metastatic CRC tissues and was closely associated with aggressive tumors in the T and N stages. The COPA I164V protein damaged the Golgi-ER reverse transport function, induced ER stress, promoted the translocation of the transcription factors ATF6, XBP1 and ATF4 into the nucleus, and activated the expression of MALAT1, MET, ZEB1, and lead to CRC cell invasion and metastasis. Moreover, the COPA A-to-I RNA editing rate was positively correlated with the immune infiltration score. Collectively, the COPA I164V protein hijacked ER stress to promote the metastasis of CRC, and the COPA A-to-I RNA editing rate may be a potential predictor for patient response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs) treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Ling-Jie Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Guo-Jun Chen
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Qi-Qi Ni
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Fang-Yi Han
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Wen-Feng He
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Li-Ling He
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China
| | - Yan-Qing Ding
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China.
| | - Hong-Li Jiao
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China.
| | - Ya-Ping Ye
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, China.
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18
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Neoantigens: promising targets for cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:9. [PMID: 36604431 PMCID: PMC9816309 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01270-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 164.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in neoantigen research have accelerated the development and regulatory approval of tumor immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy and antibody-based therapies, especially for solid tumors. Neoantigens are newly formed antigens generated by tumor cells as a result of various tumor-specific alterations, such as genomic mutation, dysregulated RNA splicing, disordered post-translational modification, and integrated viral open reading frames. Neoantigens are recognized as non-self and trigger an immune response that is not subject to central and peripheral tolerance. The quick identification and prediction of tumor-specific neoantigens have been made possible by the advanced development of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic technologies. Compared to tumor-associated antigens, the highly immunogenic and tumor-specific neoantigens provide emerging targets for personalized cancer immunotherapies, and serve as prospective predictors for tumor survival prognosis and immune checkpoint blockade responses. The development of cancer therapies will be aided by understanding the mechanism underlying neoantigen-induced anti-tumor immune response and by streamlining the process of neoantigen-based immunotherapies. This review provides an overview on the identification and characterization of neoantigens and outlines the clinical applications of prospective immunotherapeutic strategies based on neoantigens. We also explore their current status, inherent challenges, and clinical translation potential.
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19
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Wang Y, Qian M, Xie Y, Zhang X, Qin Y, Huang R. Biodegradable Nanoparticles-mediated Targeted Drug Delivery Achieves Trans-spatial Immunotherapy. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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20
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Fry J, Li Y, Yang R. ScanExitronLR: characterization and quantification of exitron splicing events in long-read RNA-seq data. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:4966-4968. [PMID: 36099042 PMCID: PMC9620817 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Exitron splicing is a type of alternative splicing where coding sequences are spliced out. Recently, exitron splicing has been shown to increase proteome plasticity and play a role in cancer. Long-read RNA-seq is well suited for quantification and discovery of alternative splicing events; however, there are currently no tools available for the detection and annotation of exitrons in long-read RNA-seq data. Here, we present ScanExitronLR, an application for the characterization and quantification of exitron splicing events in long-reads. From a BAM alignment file, reference genome and reference gene annotation, ScanExitronLR outputs exitron events at the individual transcript level. Outputs of ScanExitronLR can be used in downstream analyses of differential exitron splicing. In addition, ScanExitronLR optionally reports exitron annotations such as truncation or frameshift type, nonsense-mediated decay status and Pfam domain interruptions. We demonstrate that ScanExitronLR performs better on noisy long-reads than currently published exitron detection algorithms designed for short-read data. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ScanExitronLR is freely available at https://github.com/ylab-hi/ScanExitronLR and distributed as a pip package on the Python Package Index. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Fry
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Yangyang Li
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rendong Yang
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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21
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Zhang Y, Ye G, Yang Q, Zheng B, Zhang G, Hu Y, Yu J, Li G. Landscape of exitrons in gastric cancer. EBioMedicine 2022; 84:104272. [PMID: 36137412 PMCID: PMC9494173 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Exitron is a new type of non-canonical alternative splicing. Accumulating evidence implies exitron may have pathological function and contribute to another source of anti-tumor immunogenicity in various cancers. Its role in gastric cancer remains poorly understood. Large-scale, multi-omics analysis could comprehensively characterize the landscape of exitrons in gastric cancer, reveal undiscovered mechanism and hopefully identify molecular biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response. Methods We collected datasets from five studies for analysis. RNA sequencing was used for exitron identification. Somatic mutations were detected by whole exome sequencing. Neopeptides were confirmed by proteome mass spectrometry. Findings 42174 gastric cancer-specific exitrons (GCSEs) were identified in 632 patients. GCSEs were clinically relevant to gender, age, Lauren type, tumor stage and prognosis. Tissue specificity test and pathogenic exitron prediction revealed their unique functional impact. GCSEs were mutually exclusive with mutations and demonstrated both unique and complementary function against TP53 mutation in gastric cancer. We further established splicing regulatory network to reveal upstream regulation of exitron splicing. We also evaluated the immunogenicity and diagnostic potential of GCSEs. Evidence of GCSEs-derived neopeptide expression was validated by whole proteome mass spectrometry. PD-1 and Siglecs were significantly increased in high neoantigen load patients. But exitron-related biomarkers failed to predict immunotherapy response, possibly due to small sample size and insufficient sequencing depth. Interpretation The present study provided a comprehensive multidimensional landscape of gastric cancer exitrons and underscores insights into underexplored mechanism in gastric cancer pathology. Funding The Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastroinstestinal Cancer (2020B121201004), the Guangdong Provincial Major Talents Project (No. 2019JC05Y361) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number:82172960 and 81872013).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Gengtai Ye
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Qingbin Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Boyang Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Guofan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Yanfeng Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Jiang Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Guoxin Li
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China.
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22
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Chen S, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhu H, Ling Y. Insights into sweet potato SR proteins: from evolution to species-specific expression and alternative splicing. PLANTA 2022; 256:72. [PMID: 36083517 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03965-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
SR proteins from sweet potato have conserved functional domains and similar gene structures as that of Arabidopsis and rice in general. However, expression patterns and alternative splicing regulations of SR genes from different species have changed under stresses. Novel alternative splicing regulations were found in sweet potato SR genes. Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins play important roles in plant development and stress response by regulating the pre-mRNA splicing process. However, SR proteins have not been identified so far from an important crop sweet potato. Through bioinformatics analysis, our study identified 24 SR proteins from sweet potato, with comprehensively analyzing of protein characteristics, gene structure, chromosome localization, and cis-acting elements in promotors. Salt, heat, and mimic drought stresses triggered extensive but different expressional regulations on sweet potato SR genes. Interestingly, heat stress caused the most active disturbances in both gene transcription and pre-mRNA alternative splicing (AS). Tissue and species-specific transcriptional and pre-mRNA AS regulations in response to stresses were found in sweet potato, in comparison with Arabidopsis and rice. Moreover, novel patterns of pre-mRNA alternative splicing were found in SR proteins from sweet potato. Our study provided an insight into similarities and differences of SR proteins in different plant species from gene sequences to gene structures and stress responses, indicating SR proteins may regulate their downstream genes differently between different species and tissues by varied transcriptional and pre-mRNA AS regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanlan Chen
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujian Mo
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingjie Zhang
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbao Zhu
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Ling
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Sellars MC, Wu CJ, Fritsch EF. Cancer vaccines: Building a bridge over troubled waters. Cell 2022; 185:2770-2788. [PMID: 35835100 PMCID: PMC9555301 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer vaccines aim to direct the immune system to eradicate cancer cells. Here we review the essential immunologic concepts underpinning natural immunity and highlight the multiple unique challenges faced by vaccines targeting cancer. Recent technological advances in mass spectrometry, neoantigen prediction, genetically and pharmacologically engineered mouse models, and single-cell omics have revealed new biology, which can help to bridge this divide. We particularly focus on translationally relevant aspects, such as antigen selection and delivery and the monitoring of human post-vaccination responses, and encourage more aggressive exploration of novel approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacLean C Sellars
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine J Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Edward F Fritsch
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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24
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ABA Mediates Plant Development and Abiotic Stress via Alternative Splicing. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073796. [PMID: 35409156 PMCID: PMC8998868 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) exists in eukaryotes to increase the complexity and adaptability of systems under biophysiological conditions by increasing transcriptional and protein diversity. As a classic hormone, abscisic acid (ABA) can effectively control plant growth, improve stress resistance, and promote dormancy. At the transcriptional level, ABA helps plants respond to the outside world by regulating transcription factors through signal transduction pathways to regulate gene expression. However, at the post-transcriptional level, the mechanism by which ABA can regulate plant biological processes by mediating alternative splicing is not well understood. Therefore, this paper briefly introduces the mechanism of ABA-induced alternative splicing and the role of ABA mediating AS in plant response to the environment and its own growth.
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25
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Li Y, Zhang Y, Pan T, Zhou P, Zhou W, Gao Y, Zheng S, Xu J. Shedding light on the hidden human proteome expands immunopeptidome in cancer. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6533503. [PMID: 35189633 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Unrestrained cellular growth and immune escape of a tumor are associated with the incidental errors of the genome and transcriptome. Advances in next-generation sequencing have identified thousands of genomic and transcriptomic aberrations that generate variant peptides that assemble the hidden proteome, further expanding the immunopeptidome. Emerging next-generation sequencing technologies and a number of computational methods estimated the abundance of immune infiltration from bulk transcriptome have advanced our understanding of tumor microenvironments. Here, we will characterize several major types of tumor-specific antigens arising from single-nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, gene fusion, alternative splicing, RNA editing and non-coding RNAs. Finally, we summarize the current state-of-the-art computational and experimental approaches or resources and provide an integrative pipeline for the identification of candidate tumor antigens. Together, the systematic investigation of the hidden proteome in cancer will help facilitate the development of effective and durable immunotherapy targets for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Li
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Tao Pan
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan, China
| | - Weiwei Zhou
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yueying Gao
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Shaojiang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Trauma of Ministry of Education, Tumor Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
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26
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Wang TY, Yang R. Integrated protocol for exitron and exitron-derived neoantigen identification using human RNA-seq data with ScanExitron and ScanNeo. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100788. [PMID: 34522901 PMCID: PMC8424586 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Exitron splicing (EIS) events in cancers can disrupt functional protein domains to cause cancer driver effects. EIS has been recognized as a new source of tumor neoantigens. Here, we describe an integrated protocol for EIS and EIS-derived neoantigen identification using RNA-seq data. The protocol constitutes a step-by-step guide from data collection to neoantigen prediction. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wang et al. (2021). A protocol for identifying exitron and exitron-derived neoantigens Special focus on data preparation, and troubleshooting Optional steps for applying this protocol to analyze TCGA PRAD cancer cohort
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-You Wang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Rendong Yang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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27
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Joyce S, Ternette N. Know thy immune self and non-self: Proteomics informs on the expanse of self and non-self, and how and where they arise. Proteomics 2021; 21:e2000143. [PMID: 34310018 PMCID: PMC8865197 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202000143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
T cells play an important role in the adaptive immune response to a variety of infections and cancers. Initiation of a T cell mediated immune response requires antigen recognition in a process termed MHC (major histocompatibility complex) restri ction. A T cell antigen is a composite structure made up of a peptide fragment bound within the antigen‐binding groove of an MHC‐encoded class I or class II molecule. Insight into the precise composition and biology of self and non‐self immunopeptidomes is essential to harness T cell mediated immunity to prevent, treat, or cure infectious diseases and cancers. T cell antigen discovery is an arduous task! The pioneering work in the early 1990s has made large‐scale T cell antigen discovery possible. Thus, advancements in mass spectrometry coupled with proteomics and genomics technologies make possible T cell antigen discovery with ease, accuracy, and sensitivity. Yet we have only begun to understand the breadth and the depth of self and non‐self immunopeptidomes because the molecular biology of the cell continues to surprise us with new secrets directly related to the source, and the processing and presentation of MHC ligands. Focused on MHC class I molecules, this review, therefore, provides a brief historic account of T cell antigen discovery and, against a backdrop of key advances in molecular cell biologic processes, elaborates on how proteogenomics approaches have revolutionised the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Joyce
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nicola Ternette
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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28
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Schulz L, Torres-Diz M, Cortés-López M, Hayer KE, Asnani M, Tasian SK, Barash Y, Sotillo E, Zarnack K, König J, Thomas-Tikhonenko A. Direct long-read RNA sequencing identifies a subset of questionable exitrons likely arising from reverse transcription artifacts. Genome Biol 2021; 22:190. [PMID: 34183059 PMCID: PMC8240250 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02411-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance to CD19-directed immunotherapies in lymphoblastic leukemia has been attributed, among other factors, to several aberrant CD19 pre-mRNA splicing events, including recently reported excision of a cryptic intron embedded within CD19 exon 2. While "exitrons" are known to exist in hundreds of human transcripts, we discovered, using reporter assays and direct long-read RNA sequencing (dRNA-seq), that the CD19 exitron is an artifact of reverse transcription. Extending our analysis to publicly available datasets, we identified dozens of questionable exitrons, dubbed "falsitrons," that appear only in cDNA-seq, but never in dRNA-seq. Our results highlight the importance of dRNA-seq for transcript isoform validation.
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MESH Headings
- Alternative Splicing
- Antibodies, Bispecific/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/pharmacology
- Artifacts
- B-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- B-Lymphocytes/immunology
- B-Lymphocytes/pathology
- Base Pairing
- Base Sequence
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Datasets as Topic
- Exons
- High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
- Humans
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Introns
- Models, Biological
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/genetics
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/immunology
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/pathology
- Protein Isoforms/chemistry
- Protein Isoforms/genetics
- Protein Isoforms/immunology
- RNA, Messenger/chemistry
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Reverse Transcription
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schulz
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manuel Torres-Diz
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | - Katharina E Hayer
- The Bioinformatics Group, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mukta Asnani
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yoseph Barash
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Elena Sotillo
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Present address: Stanford Cancer Institute, 265 Campus Dr., Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Kathi Zarnack
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS) and Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Julian König
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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