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Wang K, Yan L, Qiu X, Chen H, Gao F, Ge W, Lian Z, Wei X, Wang S, He H, Xu X. PAK1 inhibition increases TRIM21-induced PD-L1 degradation and enhances responses to anti-PD-1 therapy in pancreatic cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167236. [PMID: 38740225 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167236] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a common malignancy with a 5-year survival <10 %. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in the progression of PDA. In recent years, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockade has emerged as a potent anti-tumor immunotherapy, while is yet to achieve significant clinical benefits for PDA patients. P21-Activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is highly upregulated in PDA and has been reported to be involved in the regulation of anti-tumor immunity. This study aims to investigate the combined effect of PAK1 inhibition and anti-PD-1 therapy on PDA and the underlying mechanisms. We have shown that PAK1 expression positively correlated with PD-L1 in PDA patients, and that inhibition of PAK1 downregulated PD-L1 expression of PDA cells. More importantly, we have demonstrated that PAK1 competed with PD-L1 in binding to tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), a ubiquitin E3 ligase, resulting in less ubiquitination and degradation of PD-L1. Moreover, PAK1 inhibition promoted CD8+ T cells activation and infiltration. In a murine PDA model, the combination of PAK1 inhibition and anti-PD-1 therapy showed significant anti-tumor effects compared with the control or monotherapy. Our results indicated that the combination of PAK1 inhibition and anti-PD-1 therapy would be a more effective treatment for PDA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China; Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lili Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xun Qiu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huan Chen
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Fengqiang Gao
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wenwen Ge
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhengxing Lian
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xuyong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
| | - Xiao Xu
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China; Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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2
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Xu M, Li S. The opportunities and challenges of using PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for leukemia treatment. Cancer Lett 2024; 593:216969. [PMID: 38768681 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216969] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Leukemia poses a significant clinical challenge due to its swift onset, rapid progression, and treatment-related complications. Tumor immune evasion, facilitated by immune checkpoints like programmed death receptor 1/programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1), plays a critical role in leukemia pathogenesis and progression. In this review, we summarized the research progress and therapeutic potential of PD-L1 in leukemia, focusing on targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated promising outcomes with PD-L1 inhibitors, highlighting their role in enhancing treatment efficacy. This review discusses the implications of PD-L1 expression levels on treatment response and long-term survival rates in leukemia patients. Furthermore, we address the challenges and opportunities in immunotherapy, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches and combination therapies to optimize PD-L1 inhibition in leukemia management. Future research prospects include exploring novel treatment strategies and addressing immune-related adverse events to improve clinical outcomes in leukemia. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the role of PD-L1 in leukemia and its potential as a therapeutic target in the evolving landscape of leukemia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdan Xu
- Department of Breast Cancer, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, 110042, China; Institute of Cancer Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, 116024, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shenglong Li
- Second Ward of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, 110042, China; The Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research on Gastrointestinal Tumor Combining Medicine with Engineering, China; Institute of Cancer Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, 116024, Liaoning Province, China.
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3
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Liu X, Zhao A, Xiao S, Li H, Li M, Guo W, Han Q. PD-1: A critical player and target for immune normalization. Immunology 2024; 172:181-197. [PMID: 38269617 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune system imbalances contribute to the pathogenesis of several different diseases, and immunotherapy shows great therapeutic efficacy against tumours and infectious diseases with immune-mediated derivations. In recent years, molecules targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint have attracted much attention, and related signalling pathways have been studied clearly. At present, several inhibitors and antibodies targeting PD-1 have been utilized as anti-tumour therapies. However, increasing evidence indicates that PD-1 blockade also has different degrees of adverse side effects, and these new explorations into the therapeutic safety of PD-1 inhibitors contribute to the emerging concept that immune normalization, rather than immune enhancement, is the ultimate goal of disease treatment. In this review, we summarize recent advancements in PD-1 research with regard to immune normalization and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuening Liu
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Alison Zhao
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Su Xiao
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- People's Hospital of Zhoucun, Zibo, Shandong, China
| | - Haohao Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Menghua Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, China
| | - Qiuju Han
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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4
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Zhao Y, Chen C, Chen K, Sun Y, He N, Zhang X, Xu J, Shen A, Zhao S. Multi-omics analysis of macrophage-associated receptor and ligand reveals a strong prognostic signature and subtypes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12163. [PMID: 38806553 PMCID: PMC11133315 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62668-x] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. The interaction between receptors and ligands is the primary mode of intercellular signaling and plays a vital role in the progression of HCC. This study aimed to identify the macrophage-related receptor ligand marker genes associated with HCC and further explored the molecular immune mechanisms attributed to altered biomarkers. Single-cell RNA sequencing data containing primary and recurrent samples were downloaded from the China National GeneBank. Cell types were first identified to explore differences between immune cells from different sample sources. CellChat analysis was used to infer and analyze intercellular communication networks quantitatively. Three molecular subtypes were constructed based on the screened twenty macrophage-associated receptor ligand genes. Bulk RNA-Seq data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. After the screening, the minor absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was employed to identify key markers. After collecting peripheral blood and clinical information from patients, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the correlation between key markers and IL-10, one of the macrophage markers. After developing a new HCC risk adjustment model and conducting analysis, it was found that there were significant differences in immune status and gene mutations between the high-risk and low-risk groups of patients based on macrophage-associated receptor and ligand genes. This study identified SPP1, ANGPT2, and NCL as key biological targets for HCC. The drug-gene interaction network analysis identified wortmannin, ribavirin, and tarnafloxin as potential therapeutic drugs for the three key markers. In a clinical cohort study, patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance had significantly higher expression levels of OPN, ANGPT2, NCL, and IL-10 than patients with ICI-responsiveness. These three key markers were positively correlated with the expression level of IL-10. The signature based on macrophage-associated receptor and ligand genes can accurately predict the prognosis of patients with HCC and the sensitivity to immunotherapy. These results may help guide the development of targeted prevention and personalized treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulou Zhao
- Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Cong Chen
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Kang Chen
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yanjun Sun
- The Sixth People's Hospital of Yancheng City, Yancheng, China
| | - Ning He
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiubing Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nantong Second People's Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Nantong Second People's Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Aiguo Shen
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
| | - Suming Zhao
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
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Zheng R, Liu X, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Guo S, Jin X, Zhang J, Guan Y, Liu Y. Frontiers and future of immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer: from molecular mechanisms to clinical application. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1383978. [PMID: 38756774 PMCID: PMC11096556 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383978] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignant tumor, that is becoming increasingly common in recent years. Despite advances in intensive treatment modalities including surgery, radiotherapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy, the overall survival rate has not significantly improved in patients with pancreatic cancer. This may be attributed to the insidious onset, unknown pathophysiology, and poor prognosis of the disease. It is therefore essential to identify and develop more effective and safer treatments for pancreatic cancer. Tumor immunotherapy is the new and fourth pillar of anti-tumor therapy after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Significant progress has made in the use of immunotherapy for a wide variety of malignant tumors in recent years; a breakthrough has also been made in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. This review describes the advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, oncolytic virus, and matrix-depletion therapies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. At the same time, some new potential biomarkers and potential immunotherapy combinations for pancreatic cancer are discussed. The molecular mechanisms of various immunotherapies have also been elucidated, and their clinical applications have been highlighted. The current challenges associated with immunotherapy and proposed strategies that hold promise in overcoming these limitations have also been discussed, with the aim of offering new insights into immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zheng
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaobin Liu
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yufu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University, Yan’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongxian Liu
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shutong Guo
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoyan Jin
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuehong Guan
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yusi Liu
- Department of Medical Immunology, Medical College of Yan’an University, Yanan, Shaanxi, China
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6
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Huang L, Kang D, Zhao C, Liu X. Correlation between surrogate endpoints and overall survival in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4327. [PMID: 38383730 PMCID: PMC10881995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54945-6] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) and investigate the correlation between surrogate endpoints and overall survival (OS). A systematic literature search included phase I, II, and III clinical trials comparing ICIs to placebo or other therapies for uHCC treatment. Correlations between OS and surrogate endpoints were evaluated using meta-regression analyses and calculating the surrogate threshold effect (STE). The correlation analysis showed a weak association between OS and progression-free survival (PFS), with an R2 value of 0.352 (95% CI: 0.000-0.967). However, complete response (CR) exhibited a strong correlation with OS (R2 = 0.905, 95% CI: 0.728-1.000). Subgroup analyses revealed high correlations between OS and PFS, CR, stable disease (SD), and DC in phase III trials (R2: 0.827-0.922). For the ICI + IA group, significant correlations were observed between OS and SD, progressive disease (PD), and grade 3-5 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) (R2: 0.713-0.969). Analyses of the correlation between survival benefit and risk of mortality across various time points showed a strong association within the first year (R2: 0.724-0.868) but a weak association beyond one year (R2: 0.406-0.499). In ICI trials for uHCC, PFS has limited utility as a surrogate endpoint for OS, while CR exhibits a strong correlation with OS. Subgroup analyses highlight high correlations between OS and PFS, SD, and DC in phase III trials. Notably, the ICI + IA group shows significant associations between OS and SD, PD, and grade 3-5 irAEs. These findings offer valuable insights for interpreting trial outcomes and selecting appropriate endpoints in future clinical studies involving ICIs for uHCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Litao Huang
- Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Deying Kang
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chongyang Zhao
- Department of Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- Discipline Construction Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Zhou Z, Wang H, Li J, Jiang X, Li Z, Shen J. Recent progress, perspectives, and issues of engineered PD-L1 regulation nano-system to better cure tumor: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 254:127911. [PMID: 37939766 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Currently, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies that target the programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) have been used as revolutionary cancer treatments in the clinic. Apart from restoring the antitumor response of cytotoxic T cells by blocking the interaction between PD-L1 on tumor cells and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) on T cells, PD-L1 proteins were also newly revealed to possess the capacity to accelerate DNA damage repair (DDR) and enhance tumor growth through multiple mechanisms, leading to the impaired efficacy of tumor therapies. Nevertheless, current free anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy still suffered from poor therapeutic outcomes in most solid tumors due to the non-selective tumor accumulation, ineludible severe cytotoxic effects, as well as the common occurrence of immune resistance. Recently, nanoparticles with efficient tumor-targeting capacity, tumor-responsive prosperity, and versatility for combination therapy were identified as new avenues for PD-L1 targeting cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we first summarized the multiple functions of PD-L1 protein in promoting tumor growth, accelerating DDR, as well as depressing immunotherapy efficacy. Following this, the effects and mechanisms of current clinically widespread tumor therapies on tumor PD-L1 expression were discussed. Then, we reviewed the recent advances in nanoparticles for anti-PD-L1 therapy via using PD-L1 antibodies, small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA), clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), peptide, and small molecular drugs. At last, we discussed the challenges and perspectives to promote the clinical application of nanoparticles-based PD-L1-targeting therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaigang Zhou
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Haoxiang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Jie Li
- College of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Zhangping Li
- The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, Zhejiang 324000, China.
| | - Jianliang Shen
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China; Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, China.
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Jiang Z, Zheng X, Li M, Liu M. Improving the prognosis of pancreatic cancer: insights from epidemiology, genomic alterations, and therapeutic challenges. Front Med 2023; 17:1135-1169. [PMID: 38151666 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1050-6] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, notorious for its late diagnosis and aggressive progression, poses a substantial challenge owing to scarce treatment alternatives. This review endeavors to furnish a holistic insight into pancreatic cancer, encompassing its epidemiology, genomic characterization, risk factors, diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and treatment resistance mechanisms. We delve into identifying risk factors, including genetic predisposition and environmental exposures, and explore recent research advancements in precursor lesions and molecular subtypes of pancreatic cancer. Additionally, we highlight the development and application of multi-omics approaches in pancreatic cancer research and discuss the latest combinations of pancreatic cancer biomarkers and their efficacy. We also dissect the primary mechanisms underlying treatment resistance in this malignancy, illustrating the latest therapeutic options and advancements in the field. Conclusively, we accentuate the urgent demand for more extensive research to enhance the prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
- Department of General Surgery, Division of Gastroenterology and Pancreas, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Xiaohao Zheng
- Department of Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
| | - Mingyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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9
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Sun Y, Yao L, Man C, Gao Z, He R, Fan Y. Development and validation of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs associated with pancreatic cancer immune microenvironment based on single-cell. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1220760. [PMID: 37822927 PMCID: PMC10563513 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1220760] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cuproptosis, a novel mode of cell death associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is relevant to the development of cancer. However, the impact of single-cell-based Cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs on the Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) and its potential value for individualized immunotherapy has not been clarified. Methods 14 immune-related CRGs were screened by exploring the interaction between differentially expressed Immune-Related Genes (IRGs) and Cuproptosis-Related Genes (CRGs) in PAAD. Next, the expression amount and expression distribution of CRGs in single-cell samples were analyzed by focusing on 7-CRGs with significant expressions. On the one hand, MAP2K2, SOD1, and VEGFA, which were significantly differentially expressed between PAAD sites and normal tissues adjacent to them, were subjected to immunohistochemical validation and immune landscape analysis. On the other hand, from these 7-CRGs, prognostic signatures of lncRNAs were established by co-expression and LASSO-COX regression analysis, and their prognostic value and immune relevance were assessed. In addition, this study not only validated the hub CRGs and the lncRNAs constituting the signature in a PAAD animal model treated with immunotherapy-based combination therapy using immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR but also explored the potential value of the combination of targeted, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Results Based on the screening of 7-CRGs significantly expressed in a PAAD single-cell cohort and their co-expressed Cuproptosis-Related lncRNAs (CRIs), this study constructed a prognostic signature of 4-CRIs named CIR-score. A Nomogram integrating the CIR-score and clinical risk factors was constructed on this basis to predict the individualized survival of patients. Moreover, high and low-risk groups classified according to the median of signatures exhibited significant differences in clinical prognosis, immune landscape, bioenrichment, tumor burden, and drug sensitivity. And the immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR results of different mouse PAAD treatment strategies were consistent with the trend of inter-group variability in drug sensitivity of hub CRGs and CIR-score. The combination of immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy exhibited a better tumor suppression effect. Conclusion CIR-score, as a Cuproptosis-related TIME-specific prognostic signature based on PAAD single cells, not only predicts the prognosis and immune landscape of PAAD patients but also provides a new strategy for individualized immunotherapy-based combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Sun
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Yao
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changfeng Man
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhenjun Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong He
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu Fan
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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10
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Guo Y, Gao F, Ahmed A, Rafiq M, Yu B, Cong H, Shen Y. Immunotherapy: cancer immunotherapy and its combination with nanomaterials and other therapies. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8586-8604. [PMID: 37614168 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01358h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a new type of tumor treatment after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and can be used to manage and destroy tumor cells through activating or strengthening the immune response. Immunotherapy has the benefits of a low recurrence rate and high specificity compared to traditional treatment methods. Immunotherapy has developed rapidly in recent years and has become a research hotspot. Currently, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors are the most effective tumor immunotherapies in clinical practice. While tumor immunotherapy brings hope to patients, it also faces some challenges and still requires continuous research and progress. Combination therapy is the future direction of anti-tumor treatment. In this review, the main focus is on an overview of the research progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors, cellular therapies, tumor vaccines, small molecule inhibitors and oncolytic virotherapy in tumor treatment, as well as the combination of immunotherapy with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Guo
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Fengyuan Gao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Adeel Ahmed
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Bing Yu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Hailin Cong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Youqing Shen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Center for Bionanoengineering, and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China
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11
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Gautam SK, Batra SK, Jain M. Molecular and metabolic regulation of immunosuppression in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:118. [PMID: 37488598 PMCID: PMC10367391 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01813-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosuppression is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), contributing to early metastasis and poor patient survival. Compared to the localized tumors, current standard-of-care therapies have failed to improve the survival of patients with metastatic PDAC, that necessecitates exploration of novel therapeutic approaches. While immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and therapeutic vaccines have emerged as promising treatment modalities in certain cancers, limited responses have been achieved in PDAC. Therefore, specific mechanisms regulating the poor response to immunotherapy must be explored. The immunosuppressive microenvironment driven by oncogenic mutations, tumor secretome, non-coding RNAs, and tumor microbiome persists throughout PDAC progression, allowing neoplastic cells to grow locally and metastasize distantly. The metastatic cells escaping the host immune surveillance are unique in molecular, immunological, and metabolic characteristics. Following chemokine and exosomal guidance, these cells metastasize to the organ-specific pre-metastatic niches (PMNs) constituted by local resident cells, stromal fibroblasts, and suppressive immune cells, such as the metastasis-associated macrophages, neutrophils, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The metastatic immune microenvironment differs from primary tumors in stromal and immune cell composition, functionality, and metabolism. Thus far, multiple molecular and metabolic pathways, distinct from primary tumors, have been identified that dampen immune effector functions, confounding the immunotherapy response in metastatic PDAC. This review describes major immunoregulatory pathways that contribute to the metastatic progression and limit immunotherapy outcomes in PDAC. Overall, we highlight the therapeutic vulnerabilities attributable to immunosuppressive factors and discuss whether targeting these molecular and immunological "hot spots" could improve the outcomes of PDAC immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra K Gautam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
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12
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Liu X, Zhuang Y, Huang W, Wu Z, Chen Y, Shan Q, Zhang Y, Wu Z, Ding X, Qiu Z, Cui W, Wang Z. Interventional hydrogel microsphere vaccine as an immune amplifier for activated antitumour immunity after ablation therapy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4106. [PMID: 37433774 PMCID: PMC10336067 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39759-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The response rate of pancreatic cancer to chemotherapy or immunotherapy pancreatic cancer is low. Although minimally invasive irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation is a promising option for irresectable pancreatic cancers, the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment that characterizes this tumour type enables tumour recurrence. Thus, strengthening endogenous adaptive antitumour immunity is critical for improving the outcome of ablation therapy and post-ablation immune therapy. Here we present a hydrogel microsphere vaccine that amplifies post-ablation anti-cancer immune response via releasing its cargo of FLT3L and CD40L at the relatively lower pH of the tumour bed. The vaccine facilitates migration of the tumour-resident type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1) to the tumour-draining lymph nodes (TdLN), thus initiating the cDC1-mediated antigen cross-presentation cascade, resulting in enhanced endogenous CD8+ T cell response. We show in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer model in male mice that the hydrogel microsphere vaccine transforms the immunologically cold tumour microenvironment into hot in a safe and efficient manner, thus significantly increasing survival and inhibiting the growth of distant metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yaping Zhuang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zhuozhuo Wu
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yingjie Chen
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Qungang Shan
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yuefang Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, No.320 Yueyang Road, 200032, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Wu
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyi Ding
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zilong Qiu
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, No.320 Yueyang Road, 200032, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wenguo Cui
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China.
| | - Zhongmin Wang
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.197, Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China.
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital Luwan Branch, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.149, South Chongqing Road, 200025, Shanghai, P. R. China.
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13
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Hao J, Zhou C, Wang Z, Ma Z, Wu Z, Lv Y, Wu R. An amino acid metabolism-based seventeen-gene signature correlates with the clinical outcome and immune features in pancreatic cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1084275. [PMID: 37333498 PMCID: PMC10272610 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1084275] [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: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor with a low 5-year survival rate and primary resistance to most therapy. Amino acid (AA) metabolism is highly correlated with tumor growth, crucial to the aggressive biological behavior of pancreatic cancer; nevertheless, the comprehensive predictive significance of genes that regulate AA metabolism in pancreatic cancer remains unknown. Methods: The mRNA expression data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were derived as the training cohort, and the GSE57495 cohort from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was applied as the validation cohort. Random survival forest (RSF) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were employed to screen genes and construct an AA metabolism-related risk signature (AMRS). Kaplan-Meier analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were performed to assess the prognostic value of AMRS. We performed genomic alteration analysis and explored the difference in tumor microenvironment (TME) landscape associated with KRAS and TP53 mutation in both high- and low-AMRS groups. Subsequently, the relationships between AMRS and immunotherapy and chemotherapy sensitivity were evaluated. Results: A 17-gene AA metabolism-related risk model in the TCGA cohort was constructed according to RSF and LASSO. After stratifying patients into high- and low-AMRS groups based on the optimal cut-off value, we found that high-AMRS patients had worse overall survival (OS) in the training cohort (a median OS: 13.1 months vs. 50.1 months, p < 0.0001) and validation cohort (a median OS: 16.2 vs. 30.5 months, p = 1e-04). Genetic mutation analysis revealed that KRAS and TP53 were significantly more mutated in high-AMRS group, and patients with KRAS and TP53 alterations had significantly higher risk scores than those without. Based on the analysis of TME, low-AMRS group displayed significantly higher immune score and more enrichment of T Cell CD8+ cells. In addition, high-AMRS-group exhibited higher TMB and significantly lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score and T Cells dysfunction score, which suggested a higher sensitive to immunotherapy. Moreover, high-AMRS group was also more sensitive to paclitaxel, cisplatin, and docetaxel. Conclusion: Overall, we constructed an AA-metabolism prognostic model, which provided a powerful prognostic predictor for the clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Cancan Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhenhua Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zheng Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yi Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Rongqian Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
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14
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He J, Chen X, Cheng K, Lv W, Cao D, Li Z. Stuttering as a signal of encephalopathy associated with toripalimab in a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patient: a case report. BMC Neurol 2023; 23:96. [PMID: 36870985 PMCID: PMC9985276 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-023-03140-7] [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: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combined with chemotherapy has exhibited promising results in small sample studies of pancreatic cancer patients. The efficacy of toripalimab, a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody has been explored in the previous studies and it was established that immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with administration of this drug deserve proper attention and adequate management. CASE PRESENTATION A 43-year-old female patient with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was treated with toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (T-GA) as the first-line treatment. She developed immune-related encephalopathy with stuttering as the main clinical symptom and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple cerebral white matter demyelination changes, concomitant with asymptomatic cardiac enzyme elevation and hypothyroidism. The symptoms resolved after the discontinuation of toripalimab and corticosteroid treatment. CONCLUSIONS Stuttering might be an early sign of neurotoxicity which can be easily neglected during the treatment. These findings provide guidance for the identification of these rare and occult neurological irAEs (n-irAEs) in the clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping He
- Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Division of Radiotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Ke Cheng
- Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanrui Lv
- Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Dan Cao
- Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China.
| | - Zhiping Li
- Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China. .,Division of Radiotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, China.
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15
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AmeliMojarad M, AmeliMojarad M, Cui X. Prospective role of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in GI cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 244:154338. [PMID: 36905697 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
One of the mechanisms by which tumor cells can evade the immune system is over activation of the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) / programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway. The binding of PD-1 to its ligand PD-L1 can trigger an inhibitory signal for reducing T-cell proliferation, inhibiting the anticancer effect of T cells, and limiting the anti-tumor immunity of effectors T cell responses to protect tissues from immune-mediated tissue damage in the tumor microenvironment (TME). PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors have created a new pattern in cancer immunotherapy and can increase T cell- surveillance; therefore, the development of better clinical application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors can significantly enhance antitumor immunity and prolong survival in GI cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandana AmeliMojarad
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China
| | - Melika AmeliMojarad
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China
| | - Xiaonan Cui
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China.
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16
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Chen X, Li J, Chen Y, Que Z, Du J, Zhang J. B7 Family Members in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Attractive Targets for Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315005. [PMID: 36499340 PMCID: PMC9740860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315005] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 5-10%. The immune checkpoint blockade represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors has been effective in a variety of solid tumors but has had little clinical response in pancreatic cancer patients. The unique suppressive immune microenvironment is the primary reason for this outcome, and it is essential to identify key targets to remodel the immune microenvironment. Some B7 family immune checkpoints, particularly PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, VISTA and HHLA2, have been identified as playing a significant role in the control of tumor immune responses. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the recent research progress of some members of the B7 family in pancreatic cancer, which revealed that they can be involved in tumor progression through immune-dependent and non-immune-dependent pathways, highlighting the mechanisms of their involvement in tumor immune escape and assessing the prospects of their clinical application. Targeting B7 family immune checkpoints is expected to result in novel immunotherapeutic treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ziting Que
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiawei Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jianqiong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-83272314
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17
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Tang Q, Chen Y, Li X, Long S, Shi Y, Yu Y, Wu W, Han L, Wang S. The role of PD-1/PD-L1 and application of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in human cancers. Front Immunol 2022; 13:964442. [PMID: 36177034 PMCID: PMC9513184 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.964442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) is a checkpoint receptor expressed on the surface of various immune cells. PD-L1, the natural receptor for PD-1, is mainly expressed in tumor cells. Studies have indicated that PD-1 and PD-L1 are closely associated with the progression of human cancers and are promising biomarkers for cancer therapy. Moreover, the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1 is one of the important mechanism by which human tumors generate immune escape. This article provides a review on the role of PD-L1/PD-1, mechanisms of immune response and resistance, as well as immune-related adverse events in the treatment of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in human cancers. Moreover, we summarized a large number of clinical trials to successfully reveal that PD-1/PD-L1 Immune-checkpoint inhibitors have manifested promising therapeutic effects, which have been evaluated from different perspectives, including overall survival, objective effective rate and medium progression-free survival. Finally, we pointed out the current problems faced by PD-1/PD-L1 Immune-checkpoint inhibitors and its future prospects. Although PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors have been widely used in the treatment of human cancers, tough challenges still remain. Combination therapy and predictive models based on integrated biomarker determination theory may be the future directions for the application of PD-1/PD-L1 Immune-checkpoint inhibitors in treating human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Tang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Clinical and Basic Research Team of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Department of Oncology, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shunqin Long
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Clinical and Basic Research Team of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Department of Oncology, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao Shi
- Department of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaya Yu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanyin Wu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Clinical and Basic Research Team of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Department of Oncology, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wanyin Wu, ; Ling Han, ; Sumei Wang,
| | - Ling Han
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wanyin Wu, ; Ling Han, ; Sumei Wang,
| | - Sumei Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Clinical and Basic Research Team of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Department of Oncology, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wanyin Wu, ; Ling Han, ; Sumei Wang,
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18
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Zhang S, Wan X, Lv M, Li C, Chu Q, Wang G. TMEM92 acts as an immune-resistance and prognostic marker in pancreatic cancer from the perspective of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. EPMA J 2022; 13:519-534. [PMID: 36061829 PMCID: PMC9437164 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-022-00287-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Pancreatic cancer presents extremely poor prognosis due to the difficulty of early diagnosis, low resection rate, and high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Immune checkpoint blockades have been widely used in many cancer types but showed limited efficacy in pancreatic cancer. The current study aimed to evaluate the landscape of tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic cancer and identify the potential markers of prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy which might contribute to improve the targeted therapy strategy and efficacy in pancreatic cancer in the context of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM). Methods In the current study, a total of 382 pancreatic samples from the datasets of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were selected. LM22 gene signature matrix was applied to quantify the fraction of immune cells based on "CIBERSORT" algorithm. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) algorithm was applied to confirm the hub-network of immune-resistance phenotype. A nomogram model based on COX and Logistic regression was constructed to evaluate the prognostic value and the predictive value of hub-gene in immune-response. The role of transmembrane protein 92 (TMEM92) in regulating cell proliferation was evaluated by MTS assay. Western blot and Real-time PCR were applied to assess the biological effects of PD-L1 inhibition by TMEM92. Moreover, the effect of TMEM92 in immunotherapy was evaluated with PBMC co-culture and by MTS assay. Results Two tumor-infiltrating immune cell (TIIC) phenotypes were identified and a weighted gene co-expression network was constructed to confirm the 167 gene signatures correlated with immune-resistance TIIC subtype. TMEM92 was further identified as a core gene of 167 gene signature network based on MCODE algorithm. High TMEM92 expression was significantly correlated with unfavorable prognosis, characterizing by immune resistance. A nomogram model and external validation confirmed that TMEM92 was an independent prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer. An elevated tumor mutation burden (TMB), mostly is consistent with commonly mutations of KRAS and TP53, was found in the high TMEM92 group. The predictive role of TMEM92 in immunotherapeutic response was also confirmed by IMvigor210 datasets. In addition, the specific biological roles of TMEM92 in cancer was explored in vitro. The results showed that abnormal overexpression of TMEM92 was significantly associated with the poor survival rate of pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we demonstrated that TMEM92 inhibit tumour immune responses of the anti-PD-1 antibody with PBMC co-culture. Conclusion The current study explored for the first time the immune-resistance phenotype of pancreatic cancer and identified TMEM92 as an innovative marker in predicting clinical outcomes and immunotherapeutic efficacy. These findings not only help to recognize high-risk and immune-resistance population which could be supplied targeted prevention, but also provide personalized medical services by intervening TMEM92 function to improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. In addition, the biological role of TMEM92 might reveal the potential molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer and lead to a novel sight for development of a PPPM approach for pancreatic cancer management. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-022-00287-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeng Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Shenyang, 110001 China
| | - Xing Wan
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000 China
| | - Mengzhu Lv
- Department of Plastic Surgery, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
| | - Ce Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Shenyang, 110001 China
| | - Qiaoyun Chu
- School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 China
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001 China
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19
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Su Y, Zheng Q, Zhu L, Gu X, Lu J, Li L. Functions and underlying mechanisms of miR-650 in human cancers. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:132. [PMID: 35331235 PMCID: PMC8944108 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02551-9] [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: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are one type of noncoding RNAs that interfere with mRNA translation to downregulate gene expression, which results in posttranscriptional gene silencing. Over the past two decades, miRNAs have been widely reported to impact the progression of malignant tumours by interfering with cancer initiation and progression; therefore, miRNAs represent potential new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. miR-650 is a newly identified miR, and increasing studies have demonstrated that miR-650 plays critical roles in cancer progression, such as mediating the Wnt signalling pathway/AXIN1 (axis inhibition protein 1) axis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Nevertheless, associations between the expression patterns and molecular mechanisms of miR-650 in cancer have not been comprehensively described. In this article, we review the existing evidence regarding the mechanisms by which miR-650 expression is altered and their relation to cancer. Moreover, the promising clinical application of miR-650 for diagnosis and treatment is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanshuai Su
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Qiuxian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Lingxiao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Xinyu Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Juan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
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20
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Motofei IG. Nobel Prize for immune checkpoint inhibitors, understanding the immunological switching between immunosuppression and autoimmunity. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2021; 21:599-612. [PMID: 34937484 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2022.2020243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a revolutionary form of immunotherapy in cancer. However, the percentage of patients responding to therapy is relatively low, while adverse effects occur in a large number of patients. In addition, the therapeutic mechanisms of ICIs are not yet completely described. AREAS COVERED The initial view (articles published in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, etc.) was that ICIs increase tumor-specific immunity. Recent data (collected from the same databases) suggest that the ICIs pharmacotherapy actually extends beyond the topic of immune reactivity, including additional immune pathways, such as disrupting immunosuppression and increasing tumor-specific autoimmunity. Unfortunately, there is no clear delimitation between these specific autoimmune reactions that are therapeutically beneficial, and nonspecific autoimmune reactions/toxicity that can be extremely severe side effects. EXPERT OPINION Immune checkpoint mechanisms perform a non-selective immune regulation, maintaining a dynamic balance between immunosuppression and autoimmunity. By blocking these mechanisms, ICIs actually perform an immunological reset, decreasing immunosuppression and increasing tumor-specific immunity and predisposition to autoimmunity. The predisposition to autoimmunity induces both side effects and beneficial autoimmunity. Consequently, further studies are necessary to maximize the beneficial tumor-specific autoimmunity, while reducing the counterproductive effect of associated autoimmune toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ion G Motofei
- Department of Surgery/ Oncology, Carol Davila University, Bucharest, Romania.,Department of Surgery/ Oncology, St. Pantelimon Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
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