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Li B, Chen H, Yang S, Chen F, Xu L, Li Y, Li M, Zhu C, Shao F, Zhang X, Deng C, Zeng L, He Y, Zhang C. Advances in immunology and immunotherapy for mesenchymal gastrointestinal cancers. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:71. [PMID: 37072770 PMCID: PMC10111719 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01770-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal gastrointestinal cancers are represented by the gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) which occur throughout the whole gastrointestinal tract, and affect human health and economy globally. Curative surgical resections and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the main managements for localized GISTs and recurrent/metastatic GISTs, respectively. Despite multi-lines of TKIs treatments prolonged the survival time of recurrent/metastatic GISTs by delaying the relapse and metastasis of the tumor, drug resistance developed quickly and inevitably, and became the huge obstacle for stopping disease progression. Immunotherapy, which is typically represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has achieved great success in several solid tumors by reactivating the host immune system, and been proposed as an alternative choice for GIST treatment. Substantial efforts have been devoted to the research of immunology and immunotherapy for GIST, and great achievements have been made. Generally, the intratumoral immune cell level and the immune-related gene expressions are influenced by metastasis status, anatomical locations, driver gene mutations of the tumor, and modulated by imatinib therapy. Systemic inflammatory biomarkers are regarded as prognostic indicators of GIST and closely associated with its clinicopathological features. The efficacy of immunotherapy strategies for GIST has been widely explored in pre-clinical cell and mouse models and clinical experiments in human, and some patients did benefit from ICIs. This review comprehensively summarizes the up-to-date advancements of immunology, immunotherapy and research models for GIST, and provides new insights and perspectives for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Active Substance Screening and Translational Research, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaohua Yang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Joint Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Liangliang Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Yan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingzhe Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengming Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Fangyuan Shao
- MOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Center, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 999078, China
| | - Xinhua Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Chuxia Deng
- MOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Center, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 999078, China.
| | - Leli Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yulong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China.
| | - Changhua Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China.
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Exploring the Dynamic Crosstalk between the Immune System and Genetics in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010216. [PMID: 36612211 PMCID: PMC9818806 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs) represent a paradigmatic model of oncogene addiction. Despite the well-known impact of the mutational status on clinical outcomes, we need to expand our knowledge to other factors that influence behavior heterogeneity in GIST patients. A growing body of studies has revealed that the tumor microenvironment (TME), mostly populated by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and lymphocytes (TILs), and stromal differentiation (SD) have a significant impact on prognosis and response to treatment. Interestingly, even though the current knowledge of the role of immune response in this setting is still limited, recent pre-clinical and clinical data have highlighted the relevance of the TME in GISTs, with possible implications for clinical practice in the near future. Moreover, the expression of immune checkpoints, such as PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4, and their relationship to the clinical phenotype in GIST are emerging as potential prognostic biomarkers. Looking forward, these variables related to the underlying tumoral microenvironment in GIST, though limited to still-ongoing trials, might lead to the potential use of immunotherapy, alone or in combination with targeted therapy, in advanced TKI-refractory GISTs. This review aims to deepen understanding of the potential link between mutational status and the immune microenvironment in GIST.
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Tang XY, Xiong YL, Shi XG, Zhao YB, Shi AP, Zheng KF, Liu YJ, Jiang T, Ma N, Zhao JB. IGSF11 and VISTA: a pair of promising immune checkpoints in tumor immunotherapy. Biomark Res 2022; 10:49. [PMID: 35831836 PMCID: PMC9277907 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00394-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has become the major treatment for tumors in clinical practice, but some intractable problems such as the low response rate and high rates of immune-related adverse events still hinder the progress of tumor immunotherapy. Hence, it is essential to explore additional immunotherapy treatment targets. In this review, we focus on the structure, expression and expression-related mechanisms, interactions, biological functions and the progress in preclinical/clinical research of IGSF11 and VISTA in tumors. We cover the progress in recent research with this pair of immune checkpoints in tumor immune regulation, proliferation, immune resistance and predictive prognosis. Both IGSF11 and VISTA are highly expressed in tumors and are modulated by various factors. They co-participate in the functional regulation of immune cells and the inhibition of cytokine production. Besides, in the downregulation of IGSF11 and VISTA, both inhibit the growth of some tumors. Preclinical and clinical trials all emphasize the predictive role of IGSF11 and VISTA in the prognosis of tumors, and that the predictive role of the same gene varies from tumor to tumor. At present, further research is proving the enormous potential of IGSF11 and VISTA in tumors, and especially the role of VISTA in tumor immune resistance. This may prove to be a breakthrough to solve the current clinical immune resistance, and most importantly, since research has focused on VISTA but less on IGSF11, IGSF11 may be the next candidate for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Yang Tang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan-Lu Xiong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xian-Gui Shi
- College of Basic Medicine, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ya-Bo Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - An-Ping Shi
- Department of Radiology & Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Lab of Shaanxi Province, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University (Air Force Medical University), 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kai-Fu Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu-Jian Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Nan Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, 710038, Xi'an, China.
| | - Jin-Bo Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
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Chen X, Du Q, Guo H, He Q, Yang B, Ding L. Bafetinib Suppresses the Transcription of PD-L1 Through c-Myc in Lung Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:897747. [PMID: 35721177 PMCID: PMC9201485 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.897747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the limitations of the existing antibody-based therapies, including immune-related adverse events, poor response rates, and intravenous route of dosing, small molecules inhibitors targeting PD-L1 are highly desirable. By cell-based screening, we found that tyrosine kinase inhibitor Bafetinib dramatically suppresses PD-L1 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. In parallel, cell membrane PD-L1 is also reduced by Bafetinib. We confirm that Bafetinib doesn’t affect the protein half-life of PD-L1 but significantly inhibits the transcription of PD-L1. Among the transcription factors that regulate PD-L1 expression, c-Myc is downregulated by Bafetinib. Bafetinib caused PD-L1 inhibition is abolished when c-Myc is knocked-down. Further, we identified that Bafetinib reduced c-Myc expression because of transcription inhibition. By using the CT26 tumor model, we further confirm that Bafetinib suppressed PD-L1 expression in vivo. In conclusion, our study shows that Bafetinib inhibits the transcription of PD-L1 through transcription factor c-Myc, suggesting that Bafetinib might be a small molecule drug targeting PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qianqian Du
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongjie Guo
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ling Ding
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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