CCL20, a direct-acting pro-angiogenic chemokine induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV): Potential role in HCV-related liver cancer

The Value of Chemokine and Chemokine Receptors in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Immunotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Chemokines and chemokine receptors (CCRs) are involved in a variety of anti-tumour and pro-tumour immune processes in vivo, such as angiogenesis, metastasis, proliferation and invasiveness, and influence patient prognosis and response to therapy.

Methods

CCRs differentially expressed in HCC and associated with prognosis were extracted from TCGA and GEO databases, and the obtained CCRs were then used to construct signature genes, and the signature gene were selected for expression validation as well as functional experiments to explore the role of CCRs in the treatment and prognosis of HCC.

Results

We constructed a prognostic model including five CCRs (CCL20, CCL23, CCR3, CCR10, and CXCR3) and validated the expression of signature genes. The model's risk score is an independent prognostic factor for HCC. We have also developed prognostic model nomograms for clinical use. In addition, we validated that CCR3 expression is associated with poor prognosis in HCC, and the proliferation and migration ability of HCC cells was significantly inhibited after interfering with the expression of CCR3 in MHCC-LM3. We also looked at differences in pathway enrichment, immune infiltration and immune checkpoints. Finally, we found that risk scores were also correlated with drug sensitivity, the high-risk group had a better sensitivity to sorafenib.

Conclusion

The CCRs-related gene signature may better assess HCC prognosis and response to immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as sorafenib in HCC, providing prospective solutions for diagnosis and treatment.

HOXD3 promotes the migration and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma via modifying hepatocellular carcinoma cells exosome-delivered CCR6 and regulating chromatin conformation of CCL20

Angiogenesis plays an essential role in the microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HOXD3 is involved in the metastasis and invasion of HCC cells; Whereas the underlying molecular mechanisms in the microenvironment of HCC remain unknown. Wound healing, transwell invasion, tube formation and spheroid sprouting assays were carried out to identify the effects of HCC-HOXD3-exosomes and genes on the migration of HCC cells. ChIP-PCR was applied to test the binding region of HOXD3 on CCR6, Med15, and CREBBP promoter. Exosome isolation and mRNA-seq were applied to examine the morphological characteristics of exosomes and the contained mRNA in exosomes. Co-IP and Immunofluorescence assays were used to demonstrate the role of CREBBP in the chromatin conformation of CCL20. The nude mice were used to identify the function of genes in regulating migration of HCC in vivo. In this study, integrated cellular and bioinformatic analyses revealed that HOXD3 targeted the promoter region of CCR6 and induced its transcription. CCR6 was delivered by exosomes to endothelial cells and promoted tumour migration. Overexpression of CCR6 promoted metastasis, invasion in HCCs and angiogenesis in endothelial cells (ECs), whereas its downregulation suppressed these functions. The role of HOXD3 in the metastasis and invasion of HCC cells was reversed after the suppression of CCR6. Furthermore, CCL20 was demonstrated as the ligand of CCR6, and its high expression was found in HCC tissues and cells, which was clinically associated with the poor prognosis of HCC. Mechanistically, HOXD3 targets the promoter regions of CREBBP and Med15, which affect CCL20 chromatin conformation by regulating histone acetylation and expression of Pol II to enhance the migration of HCCs. This study demonstrated the function of the HOXD3-CREBBP/Med15-CCL20-CCR6 axis in regulating invasion and migration in HCC, thus providing new therapeutic targets for HCC.

The chemokine CCL20 can assist AFP in serological diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

The chemokine 20 (CCL20) is a member of the CC chemokine family and plays a role in tumor immunity and autoimmune disease. This work investigated the value of CCL20 as a serum diagnostic marker for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Based on the data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in the TCGA database, the up-regulated genes encoding secretory proteins were analyzed in each pathological stage, and the candidate marker CCL20 gene was selected. Serum concentrations of CCL20 in patients with primary HCC, benign liver disease, and healthy subjects were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ROC curve evaluated the efficacy of CCL20 alone or in combination with AFP in the diagnosis of HCC. It was found the expression of CCL20 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in the benign liver disease group and healthy controls (P < 0.05); The AUC of ROC curve to distinguish HCC patients from healthy controls was 0.859, the sensitivity was 73.42%, and the specificity was 86.84%. After combination with AFP, the AUC increased to 0.968, the sensitivity was 88.16%, and the specificity was 97.37%. Although CCL20 was increased in the serum of patients with benign liver diseases, combined with AFP, the AUC to distinguish HCC patients from non-HCC cohorts (benign liver disease group and healthy control group) was 0.902, with a sensitivity of 91.67% and a specificity of 75.26%. Collectively, serum CCL20 is closely related to the occurrence of HCC, and detection of serum CCL20 can assist AFP in improving the diagnostic sensitivity of HCC.

Pan-cancer analysis of the prognostic significance of ACKR2 expression and the related genetic/epigenetic dysregulations

OBJECTIVE

ACKR2 is a scavenger for most inflammation-related CC chemokines. This study aimed to assess the pan-cancer prognostic significance of ACKR2 and the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying its dysregulation.

METHODS

Pan-cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) and The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) were integrated and analyzed.

RESULTS

ACKR2 is consistently associated with favorable progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival (OS) in TCGA-uveal melanoma (UVM) and TCGA-liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). ACKR2 is negatively correlated with the expression of CCL1, CCL4, CCL5, CXCL8, CCL17, and CCL20 in TCGA-UVM and TCGA-LIHC. The group with gene copy gain had significantly higher ACKR2 expression than those with loss. The lower ACKR2 expression groups were associated with a significantly higher ratio of BAP1 mutations. In addition, ACKR2 was negatively corrected with DNMT1 expression but was positively corrected with ZC3H13, an m6A writer gene and NSUN3, an RNA m5C writer gene.

CONCLUSIONS

ACKR2 expression was associated with favorable prognosis in patients with uveal melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. ACKR2 dysregulation might be an accumulated result of gene copy number alterations, transcriptional disruption, and RNA modifications.

Comparative analysis of the effect of hypoxia in two different tumor cell models shows the differential involvement of PTEN control of proangiogenic pathways

Hypoxia, low, non-physiological oxygen tension is a key regulator of tumor microenvironment, determining the pathological tumor vascularization. Alleviation of hypoxia through vessel normalization may be a promising therapeutic approach. We aimed to assess the role of low oxygen tension in PTEN-related pathways and proangiogenic response, in vitro, in two different tumor cell lines, focusing on potential therapeutic targets for tumor vessel normalization. Downregulation of PTEN in hypoxia mediates the activation of distinct mechanisms: cytoplasmic pAKT activation in melanoma and pMDM2 modulation in kidney cancer. We show that hypoxia-induced proangiogenic potential was stronger in Renca cells than B16 F10-confirmed by a distinct secretory potential and different ability to affect endothelial cells functions. Therefore, the impact of hypoxia on PTEN-mediated regulation may determine the therapeutic targets and effectiveness of vessel normalization and intrinsic characteristics of cancer cell have to be taken into account when designing treatment.

Immunomodulatory properties of the lymphatic endothelium in the tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is an intricate complex and dynamic structure composed of various cell types, including tumor, stromal and immune cells. Within this complex network, lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) play a crucial role in regulating immune responses and influencing tumor progression and metastatic dissemination to lymph node and distant organs. Interestingly, LECs possess unique immunomodulatory properties that can either promote or inhibit anti-tumor immune responses. In fact, tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis can facilitate tumor cell dissemination and metastasis supporting immunoevasion, but also, different molecular mechanisms involved in LEC-mediated anti-tumor immunity have been already described. In this context, the crosstalk between cancer cells, LECs and immune cells and how this communication can shape the immune landscape in the TME is gaining increased interest in recent years. In this review, we present a comprehensive and updated report about the immunomodulatory properties of the lymphatic endothelium within the TME, with special focus on primary tumors and tumor-draining lymph nodes. Furthermore, we outline emerging research investigating the potential therapeutic strategies targeting the lymphatic endothelium to enhance anti-tumor immune responses. Understanding the intricate mechanisms involved in LEC-mediated immune modulation in the TME opens up new possibilities for the development of innovative approaches to fight cancer.

P2Y11/IL-1 receptor crosstalk controls macrophage inflammation: a novel target for anti-inflammatory strategies?

Although first cloning of the human ATP receptor P2Y11 was successful 25 years ago, the exact downstream signaling pathways of P2Y11 receptor, which can couple to Gq and Gs proteins, have remained unclear. Especially the lack of rodent models as well as the limited availability of antibodies and pharmacological tools have hampered examination of P2Y11 expression and function. Many meaningful observations related to P2Y11 have been made in primary immune cells, indicating that P2Y11 receptors are important regulators of inflammation and cell migration, also by controlling mitochondrial activity. Our recent studies have shown that P2Y11 is upregulated during macrophage development and activates signaling through IL-1 receptor, which is well known for its ability to direct inflammatory and migratory processes. This review summarizes the results of the first transcriptomic and secretomic analyses of both, ectopic and native P2Y11 receptors, and discusses how P2Y11 crosstalk with the IL-1 receptor may govern anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic processes in human M2 macrophages.

Elevated nuclear PIGL disrupts the cMyc/BRD4 axis and improves PD-1 blockade therapy by dampening tumor immune evasion

To improve the efficacy of lenvatinib in combination with programmed death-1 (PD-1) blockade therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we screened the suppressive metabolic enzymes that sensitize HCC to lenvatinib and PD-1 blockade, thus impeding HCC progression. After analysis of the CRISPR‒Cas9 screen, phosphatidylinositol-glycan biosynthesis class L (PIGL) ranked first in the positive selection list. PIGL depletion had no effect on tumor cell growth in vitro but reprogrammed the tumor microenvironment (TME) in vivo to support tumor cell survival. Specifically, nuclear PIGL disrupted the interaction between cMyc/BRD4 on the distant promoter of target genes and thus decreased the expression of CCL2 and CCL20, which are involved in shaping the immunosuppressive TME by recruiting macrophages and regulatory T cells. PIGL phosphorylation at Y81 by FGFR2 abolished the interaction of PIGL with importin α/β1, thus retaining PIGL in the cytosol and facilitating tumor evasion by releasing CCL2 and CCL20. Clinically, elevated nuclear PIGL predicts a better prognosis for HCC patients and presents a positive correlation with CD8 + T-cell enrichment in tumors. Clinically, our findings highlight that the nuclear PIGL intensity or the change in PIGL-Y81 phosphorylation should be used as a biomarker to guide lenvatinib with PD-1 blockade therapy.

Serum CXCL5 Detects Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Indicates Tumor Progression

Chemokines or chemotactic cytokines play a pivotal role in the immune pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, comprehensive cytokine profiling data across different etiologies of liver diseases are lacking. Chemokines might serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In our study, we analyzed serum concentrations of 12 inflammation-related chemokines in a cohort of patients (n = 222) with cirrhosis of different etiologies and/or HCC. We compared 97 patients with cirrhosis and treatment-naïve HCC to the chemokine profile of 125 patients with cirrhosis but confirmed absence of HCC. Nine out of twelve chemokines were significantly elevated in sera of cirrhotic patients with HCC compared to HCC-free cirrhosis controls (CCL2, CCL11, CCL17, CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11). Among those, CXCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 were significantly elevated in patients with early HCC according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages 0/A compared to cirrhotic controls without HCC. In patients with HCC, CXCL5 serum levels were associated with tumor progression, and levels of CCL20 and CXCL8 with macrovascular invasion. Importantly, our study identified CXCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10 as universal HCC markers, independent from underlying etiology of cirrhosis. In conclusion, regardless of the underlying liver disease, patients with cirrhosis share an HCC-specific chemokine profile. CXCL5 may serve as a diagnostic biomarker in cirrhotic patients for early HCC detection as well as for tumor progression.

Changes in DNA methylation profile in liver tissue during progression of HCV-induced fibrosis to hepatocellular carcinoma

In this study we compared methylation levels of 27,578 CpG sites between paired samples of the tumor and surrounding liver tissues with various degrees of damage (fibrosis, cirrhosis) in HCV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, as well as between tumor and normal tissue in non-viral HCC patients, using GSE73003 and GSE37988 data from GEODataSets (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). A significantly lower number of differentially methylated sites (DMS) were found between HCC of non-viral etiology and normal liver tissue, as well as between HCC and fibrosis (32 and 40), than between HCC and cirrhosis (2450 and 2304, respectively, according to GSE73003 and GSE37988 datasets). As the pathological changes in the tissue surrounding the tumor progress, the ratio of hyper-/hypomethylated DMSs in the tumor decreases. Thus, in tumor tissues compared with normal/fibrosis/cirrhosis of the liver, 75/62.5/47.7 % (GSE73003) and 16 % (GSE37988) of CpG sites are hypermethylated, respectively. Persistent hypermethylation of the ZNF154 and ZNF540 genes, as well as CCL20 hypomethylation, were registered in tumor tissue in relation to both liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. Protein products of the EDG4, CCL20, GPR109A, and GRM8 genes, whose CpG sites are characterized by changes in DNA methylation level in tumor tissue in the setting of cirrhosis and fibrosis, belong to "Signaling by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)" category. However, changes in the methylation level of the "driver" genes for oncopathology (АРС, CDKN2B, GSTP1, ELF4, TERT, WT1) are registered in tumor tissue in the setting of liver cirrhosis but not fibrosis. Among the genes hypermethylated in tumor tissue in the setting of liver cirrhosis, the most represented biological pathways are developmental processes, cell-cell signaling, transcription regulation, Wnt-protein binding. Genes hypomethylated in liver tumor tissue in the setting of liver cirrhosis are related to olfactory signal transduction, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, keratinization, immune response, inhibition of serine proteases, and zinc metabolism. The genes hypermethylated in the tumor are located at the 7p15.2 locus in the HOXA cluster region, and the hypomethylated CpG sites occupy extended regions of the genome in the gene clusters of olfactory receptors (11p15.4), keratin and keratin-associated proteins (12q13.13, 17q21.2, and 21q22.11), epidermal differentiation complex (1q21.3), and immune system function loci 9p21.3 (IFNA, IFNB1, IFNW1 cluster) and 19q13.41-19q13.42 (KLK, SIGLEC, LILR, KIR clusters). Among the genes of fibrogenesis or DNA repair, cg14143055 (ADAMDEC1) is located in the binding region of the HOX gene family transcription factors (TFs), while cg05921699 (CD79A), cg06196379 (TREM1) and cg10990993 (MLH1) are located in the binding region of the ZNF protein family transcription factor (TF). Thus, the DNA methylation profile in the liver in HCV-induced HCC is unique and differs depending on the degree of surrounding tissue lesion - liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis.

Current Trends in Vascular Biomarkers for Systemic Sclerosis: A Narrative Review

Systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) is a multifaceted rare connective tissue disease whose pathogenesis is dominated by immune dysregulation, small vessel vasculopathy, impaired angiogenesis, and both cutaneous and visceral fibrosis. Microvascular impairment represents the initial event of the disease, preceding fibrosis by months or years and accounting for the main disabling and/or life-threatening clinical manifestations, including telangiectasias, pitting scars, periungual microvascular abnormalities (e.g., giant capillaries, hemorrhages, avascular areas, ramified/bushy capillaries) clinically detectable by nailfold videocapillaroscopy, ischemic digital ulcers, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and scleroderma renal crisis. Despite a variety of available treatment options, treatment of SSc-related vascular disease remains problematic, even considering SSc etherogenity and the quite narrow therapeutic window. In this context, plenty of studies have highlighted the great usefulness in clinical practice of vascular biomarkers allowing clinicians to assess the evolution of the pathological process affecting the vessels, as well as to predict the prognosis and the response to therapy. The current narrative review provides an up-to-date overview of the main candidate vascular biomarkers that have been proposed for SSc, focusing on their main reported associations with characteristic clinical vascular features of the disease.

IDH2 and TET2 mutations synergize to modulate T Follicular Helper cell functional interaction with the AITL microenvironment

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a peripheral T cell lymphoma that originates from T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and exhibits a prominent tumor microenvironment (TME). IDH2 and TET2 mutations co-occur frequently in AITL, but their contribution to tumorigenesis is poorly understood. We developed an AITL mouse model that is driven by Idh2 and Tet2 mutations. Malignant Tfh cells display aberrant transcriptomic and epigenetic programs that impair TCR signaling. Neoplastic Tfh cells bearing combined Idh2 and Tet2 mutations show altered cross-talk with germinal center B cells that promotes B cell clonal expansion while decreasing Fas-FasL interaction and reducing B cell apoptosis. The plasma cell count and angiogenesis are also increased in the Idh2-mutated tumors, implying a major relationship between Idh2 mutation and the characteristic AITL TME. Our mouse model recapitulates several features of human IDH2-mutated AITL and provides a rationale for exploring therapeutic targeting of Tfh-TME cross-talk for AITL patients.

Accuracy of CCL20 expression level as a liquid biopsy-based diagnostic biomarker for ovarian carcinoma

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the potentiality of chemokines, including MCP-1, CCL15, CCL20, and CXCL14, as biomarkers for differential diagnosis between benign tumors and ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in women aged &gt;18 years who had adnexal masses treated with elective surgery at the HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Srinakharinwirot University, between 2020 and 2021. The preoperative MCP-1, CCL15, CCL20, and CXCL14 serum levels were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Preoperative diagnosis was defined according to the risk of malignancy index. The histological diagnosis and cancer subtype were confirmed using pathological specimens.

Results

Ninety-eight participants were preoperatively diagnosed with malignant tumors. The pathological diagnosis confirmed OC in 33 patients and disclosed 27 misdiagnosed cases, of which endometriotic cyst was the most common (44.44%). CCL20 and CA125 serum levels were significantly higher in the patients with cancer than in those with benign. In addition, CCL20 level could differentiate between benign and early-stage malignancy. Furthermore, only CCL20 levels could distinguish endometriotic cysts from OC, whereas CA125 levels could not. Concordant with the serum protein level, the increased mRNA level of CCL20 was observed in ovarian cancers comparing with that in benign tissues. We found that CCL20 levels could differentiate between benign tumors and OC with 60.61% sensitivity and 75.44% specificity at the optimal cutoff value of 38.79 pg/ml. Finally, the logistic regression model integrating CCL20, CA125, and menopause status promoted diagnostic accuracy by increasing the specificity to 91.23%.

Conclusions

Our study revealed the potential usefulness of CCL20 level as a biomarker for diagnosing early-stage OC with endometriosis differentiation. We recommend further studies to confirm the accuracy of CCL20 levels with the current diagnosis in a large patient sample.

The P2Y11 receptor of human M2 macrophages activates canonical and IL-1 receptor signaling to translate the extracellular danger signal ATP into anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic responses

The cytoprotective ATP receptor P2Y₁₁ is upregulated during M2 macrophage differentiation and contributes to the anti-inflammatory properties of this macrophage subset. Here, we studied P2Y₁₁-induced reprogramming of human M2 macrophages at the level of mRNA and protein expression. Upregulation of IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) and its known downstream effectors VEGF, CCL20 and SOCS3 as well as downregulation of the ATP-degrading ecto-ATPase CD39 emerged as hallmarks of P2Y₁₁ activation. The anti-inflammatory signature of the P2Y₁₁ transcriptome was further characterized by the downregulation of P2RX7, toll-like receptors and inflammasome components. P2Y₁₁-induced IL-1R upregulation formed the basis for reinforced IL-1 responsiveness of activated M2 macrophages, as IL-1α and IL-1ß each enhanced P2Y₁₁-induced secretion of VEGF and CCL20 as well as the previously reported shedding of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2). Raising intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) in M2 macrophages through phosphodiesterase 4 inhibition enhanced P2Y₁₁-driven responses. The cAMP-binding effector, exchange protein activated by cAMP 1 (Epac1), which is known to induce SOCS3, differentially regulated the P2Y₁₁/IL-1R response because pharmacological Epac1 inhibition enhanced sTNFR2 and CCL20 release, but had no effect on VEGF secretion. In addition to cAMP, calcium and protein kinase C participated in P2Y₁₁ signaling. Our study reveals how P2Y₁₁ harnesses canonical and IL-1R signaling to promote an anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic switch of human M2 macrophages, which may be controlled in part by an Epac1-SOCS3 axis.

CXCL9-11 chemokines and CXCR3 receptor in teleost fish species

The coordinated migration of immune cells from lymphoid organs to in or out of the bloodstream, and towards the site of infection or tissue damage is fundamental for an efficient innate and adaptive immune response. Interestingly, an essential part of this movement is mediated by chemoattractant cytokines called chemokines. Although the nature and function of chemokines and their receptors are well documented in mammals, much research is needed to accomplish a similar level of understanding of the role of chemokines in fish immunity. The first chemokine gene identified in teleosts (rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss) was CK1 in 1998. Since then, the identification of fish chemokine orthologue genes and characterization of their role has been more complex than expected, primarily because of the whole genome duplication processes occurring in fish, and because chemokines evolve faster than other immune genes. Some of the most studied chemokines are CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and the CXCR3 receptor, all involved in T cell migration and in the induction of the T helper 1 (Th1) immune response. Data from the zebrafish and rainbow trout CXCL9-11/CXCR3 axis suggest that these chemokines and the receptor arose early in evolution and must be present in most teleost fish. However, the pieces of knowledge also indicate that different numbers of gene copies can be present in different species, with distinct regulatory expression mechanisms and probably, also with different roles, as the differential expression in fish tissues suggest. Here, we revised the current knowledge of the CXCL9-11/CXCR3 axis in teleost fishes, identifying the gaps in knowledge, and raising some hypotheses for the role of CXCL9, CXCL10 CXCL11, and CXCR3 receptor axis in fish, which can encourage further studies in the field.

Viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma: From molecular pathways to the role of clinical surveillance and antiviral treatment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global health challenge. Due to the high prevalence in low-income countries, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus infections remain the main risk factors for HCC occurrence, despite the increasing frequencies of non-viral etiologies. In addition, hepatitis D virus coinfection increases the oncogenic risk in patients with HBV infection. The molecular processes underlying HCC development are complex and various, either independent from liver disease etiology or etiology-related. The reciprocal interlinkage among non-viral and viral risk factors, the damaged cellular microenvironment, the dysregulation of the immune system and the alteration of gut-liver-axis are known to participate in liver cancer induction and progression. Oncogenic mechanisms and pathways change throughout the natural history of viral hepatitis with the worsening of liver fibrosis. The high risk of cancer incidence in chronic viral hepatitis infected patients compared to other liver disease etiologies makes it necessary to implement a proper surveillance, both through clinical-biochemical scores and periodic ultrasound assessment. This review aims to outline viral and microenvironmental factors contributing to HCC occurrence in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and to point out the importance of surveillance programs recommended by international guidelines to promote early diagnosis of HCC.

The Exploration of Chemokines Importance in the Pathogenesis and Development of Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most frequent female malignancies. Because of a characteristic symptom, vaginal bleeding, EC is often diagnosed in an early stage. Despite that, some EC cases present an atypical course with rapid progression and poor prognosis. There have been multiple studies conducted on molecular profiling of EC in order to improve diagnostics and introduce personalized treatment. Chemokines—a protein family that contributes to inflammatory processes that may promote carcinogenesis—constitute an area of interest. Some chemokines and their receptors present alterations in expression in tumor microenvironment. CXCL12, which binds the receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7, is known for its impact on neoplastic cell proliferation, neovascularization and promotion of epidermal–mesenchymal transition. The CCL2–CCR2 axis additionally plays a pivotal role in EC with mutations in the LKB1 gene and activates tumor-associated macrophages. CCL20 and CCR6 are influenced by the RANK/RANKL pathway and alter the function of lymphocytes and dendritic cells. Another axis, CXCL10–CXCR3, affects the function of NK-cells and, interestingly, presents different roles in various types of tumors. This review article consists of analysis of studies that included the roles of the aforementioned chemokines in EC pathogenesis. Alterations in chemokine expression are described, and possible applications of drugs targeting chemokines are reviewed.

[Autophagy modulation by viruses: An important role in tumor progression]

Autophagy is an important process for cellular homeostasis at critical steps of development or in response to environmental stress. In the context of cancers, autophagy has a significant impact on tumor occurrence and tumor cell growth. On the one hand, autophagy limits the transformation of precancerous cells into cancer cells at an early stage. However, on the other hand, it promotes cell survival, cell proliferation, metastasis and resistance to anti-tumor therapies in more advanced tumors. Autophagy can be induced by a variety of extracellular and intracellular stimulus. Viral infections have often been associated with a modulation of autophagy, with variable impacts on viral replication and on the survival of infected cells depending on the model studied. In a tumor context, the modulation of autophagy induced by the viral infection of tumor cells seems to have a significant impact on tumor progression. The aim of this review article is to present recent findings regarding the consequences of autophagy disturbance by viral infections on tumor behavior.

Proglumide Reverses Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis by Interaction with the Farnesoid X Receptor and Altering the Microbiome

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. Cholecystokinin (CCK) is released by saturated fats and plays an important role in bile acid secretion. CCK receptors are expressed on cholangiocytes, and CCK-B receptor expression increases in the livers of mice with NASH. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is involved in bile acid transport and is a target for novel therapeutics for NASH. The aim of this study was to examine the role of proglumide, a CCK receptor inhibitor, in a murine model of NASH and its interaction at FXR. Mice were fed a choline deficient ethionine (CDE) diet to induce NASH. Some CDE-fed mice received proglumide-treated drinking water. Blood was collected and liver tissues were examined histologically. Proglumide's interaction at FXR was evaluated by computer modeling, a luciferase reporter assay, and tissue FXR expression. Stool microbiome was analyzed by RNA-Sequencing. CDE-fed mice developed NASH and the effect was prevented by proglumide. Computer modeling demonstrated specific binding of proglumide to FXR. Proglumide binding in the reporter assay was consistent with a partial agonist at the FXR with a mean binding affinity of 215 nM. FXR expression was significantly decreased in livers of CDE-fed mice compared to control livers, and proglumide restored FXR expression to normal levels. Proglumide therapy altered the microbiome signature by increasing beneficial and decreasing harmful bacteria. These data highlight the potential novel mechanisms by which proglumide therapy may improve NASH through interaction with the FXR and consequent alteration of the gut microbiome.

Endothelial CCR6 expression due to FLI1 deficiency contributes to vasculopathy associated with systemic sclerosis

Background

We have recently demonstrated that serum CCL20 levels positively correlate with mean pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Considering a proangiogenic effect of CCL20 on endothelial cells via CCR6, the CCL20/CCR6 axis may contribute to the development of SSc vasculopathy. Therefore, we explored this hypothesis using clinical samples, cultured cells, and murine SSc models.

Methods

The expression levels of CCL20 and CCR6 in the skin, mRNA levels of target genes, and the binding of transcription factor FLI1 to the target gene promoter were evaluated by immunostaining, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation, respectively. Vascular permeability was evaluated by Evans blue dye injection in bleomycin-treated mice. Angiogenic activity of endothelial cells was assessed by in vitro angiogenesis assay.

Results

CCL20 expression was significantly elevated in dermal fibroblasts of patients with early diffuse cutaneous SSc, while CCR6 was significantly up-regulated in dermal small vessels of SSc patients irrespective of disease subtypes and disease duration. In human dermal microvascular endothelial cells, FLI1 siRNA induced the expression of CCR6, but not CCL20, and FLI1 bound to the CCR6 promoter. Importantly, vascular permeability, a representative SSc-like vascular feature of bleomycin-treated mice, was attenuated by Ccr6 siRNA treatment, and CCR6 siRNA suppressed the angiogenic activity of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells assayed by in vitro tube formation.

Conclusions

The increased expression of endothelial CCR6 due to FLI1 deficiency may contribute to the development of SSc vasculopathy.

Multifaceted roles of CCL20 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 20): mechanisms and communication networks in breast cancer progression

Emerging studies have demonstrated notable roles of CCL20 in breast cancer progression. Based on these findings, CCL20 has become a potential therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. Accordingly, studies utilizing monoclonal antibodies to target CCL20 are currently being experimented. However, the existence of cytokine network in the tumor microenvironment collectively regulates tumor progression. Hence, a deeper understanding of the role of CCL20 and the underlying signaling pathways regulating the functions of CCL20 may provide a novel strategy for therapeutic interventions. This review provides the current knowledge on how CCL20 interacts with breast cancer cells to influence tumor progression via immunosuppression, angiogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, migration/invasion and chemoresistance. As a possible candidate biomarker, we also reviewed signal pathways and other factors in the tumor microenvironment regulating the tumor-promoting functions of CCL20.These new insights may be useful to design new potent and selective CCL20 inhibitors against breast cancer in the future.

HCV Cure With Direct-Acting Antivirals Improves Liver and Immunological Markers in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure after all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy greatly improves the liver and immune system. We aimed to assess the impact of this HCV clearance on immune system-related markers in plasma and the gene expression profile in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV-coinfected patients with advanced cirrhosis. We performed a prospective study on 33 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients at baseline and 36 weeks after the sustained virological response. Gene expression was evaluated by RNA-seq analysis on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma biomarkers by multiplex immunoassays. We found a decrease in plasma biomarkers (PD1, PDL1, CXCL10, CXCL8, IL12p70, IL10, and TGFβ) and liver disease markers (stiffness measurement (LSM), hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), and transaminases, among others). Furthermore, decreased plasma levels of CXCL8, CXCL10, IL10, and PD1 were associated with reduced LSM values. We also found two upregulated (HAS1 and IRG1) and 15 downregulated (CXCL11, CCL8, CCL7, CCL2, ADARB2, RRAD, MX1, SIGLEC1, IFI44L, IFI44, IFI27, IFI6, IFIT3, IFIT1B, and IFIT1) genes at the end of follow-up, all interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) grouped into four pathways (“cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction”, “viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor”, “chemokine signaling pathway”, and “hepatitis C”). Additionally, the decrease in most of these ISGs was significantly related to reduced LSM and HVPG values. In conclusion, HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with advanced-HCV-related cirrhosis who eradicated HCV following DAA therapy exhibited an improvement in liver disease markers and a significant decrease in plasma biomarkers and gene expression related to antiviral/inflammatory response, particularly in levels of several chemokines and ISGs.

The Role of Post-Translational Modifications of Chemokines by CD26 in Cancer

Chemokines are a large family of small chemotactic cytokines that fulfill a central function in cancer. Both tumor-promoting and -impeding roles have been ascribed to chemokines, which they exert in a direct or indirect manner. An important post-translational modification that regulates chemokine activity is the NH₂-terminal truncation by peptidases. CD26 is a dipeptidyl peptidase (DPPIV), which typically clips a NH₂-terminal dipeptide from the chemokine. With a certain degree of selectivity in terms of chemokine substrate, CD26 only recognizes chemokines with a penultimate proline or alanine. Chemokines can be protected against CD26 recognition by specific amino acid residues within the chemokine structure, by oligomerization or by binding to cellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Upon truncation, the binding affinity for receptors and GAGs is altered, which influences chemokine function. The consequences of CD26-mediated clipping vary, as unchanged, enhanced, and reduced activities are reported. In tumors, CD26 most likely has the most profound effect on CXCL12 and the interferon (IFN)-inducible CXCR3 ligands, which are converted into receptor antagonists upon truncation. Depending on the tumor type, expression of CD26 is upregulated or downregulated and often results in the preferential generation of the chemokine isoform most favorable for tumor progression. Considering the tight relationship between chemokine sequence and chemokine binding specificity, molecules with the appropriate characteristics can be chemically engineered to provide innovative therapeutic strategies in a cancer setting.

Angiocrine Regulation of Epithelial Barrier Integrity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease describes chronic inflammatory disorders. The incidence of the disease is rising. A major step in disease development is the breakdown of the epithelial cell barrier. Numerous blood vessels are directly located underneath this barrier. Diseased tissues are heavily vascularized and blood vessels significantly contribute to disease progression. The gut-vascular barrier (GVB) is an additional barrier controlling the entry of substances into the portal circulation and to the liver after passing the first epithelial barrier. The presence of the GVB rises the question, whether the vascular and endothelial barriers may communicate bi-directionally in the regulation of selective barrier permeability. Communication from epithelial to endothelial cells is well-accepted. In contrast, little is known on the respective backwards communication. Only recently, perfusion-independent angiocrine functions of endothelial cells were recognized in a way that endothelial cells release specific soluble factors that may directly act on the epithelial barrier. This review discusses the putative involvement of angiocrine inter-barrier communication in the pathogenesis of IBD.

The mechanisms of renin-angiotensin system in hepatocellular carcinoma: From the perspective of liver fibrosis, HCC cell proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, and corresponding protection measures

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, of which the occurrence and development involve a variety of pathophysiological processes, such as liver fibrosis, hepatocellular malignant proliferation, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis. Some important cytokines, such as TGF-β, PI3K, protein kinase B (Akt), VEGF and NF-κB, can regulate the growth, proliferation, diffusion, metastasis, and apoptosis of HCC cells by acting on the corresponding signaling pathways. Besides, many studies have shown that the formation of HCC is closely related to the main components of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), such as Ang II, ACE, ACE2, MasR, AT1R, and AT2R. Therefore, this review focused on liver fibrosis, HCC cell proliferation, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, and corresponding protective measures. ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis and ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-MasR axis were taken as the main lines to introduce the mechanism of RAS in the occurrence and development of HCC, so as to provide references for future clinical work and scientific research.

Association of serum CCL20 levels with pulmonary vascular involvement and primary biliary cholangitis in patients with systemic sclerosis

AIM

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease resulting in vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and major internal organs. Especially, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension are the leading causes of mortality. C-C motif ligand 20 (CCL20) is known as a homeostatic and inflammatory chemokine, which is associated with fibrosis and angiogenesis and constantly expressed in organs involved in SSc. Therefore, we investigated the potential contribution of CCL20 to the development of SSc.

METHOD

We conducted cross-sectional analyses of 67 SSc patients and 20 healthy controls recruited in a single center for 9 years. Serum CCL20 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses were performed with the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test, Fisher's exact probability test and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

SSc patients had significantly higher serum CCL20 levels than healthy controls. In SSc patients, serum CCL20 levels correlated inversely with the percentage of predicated diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide and positively with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP). In addition, SSc patients with increased serum CCL20 levels had anti-mitochondrial antibody M2 titer significantly elevated relative to those with normal levels, and SSc patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) possessed higher serum CCL20 levels than those without. Importantly, serum CCL20 levels were associated positively with mPAP values and PBC presence by multivariate regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

Serum CCL20 levels may be involved in the development of pulmonary vascular involvement leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension and asymptomatic PBC in SSc patients.

Profibrotic Signaling and HCC Risk during Chronic Viral Hepatitis: Biomarker Development

Despite breakthroughs in antiviral therapies, chronic viral hepatitis B and C are still the major causes of liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Importantly, even in patients with controlled infection or viral cure, the cancer risk cannot be fully eliminated, highlighting a persisting oncogenic pressure imposed by epigenetic imprinting and advanced liver disease. Reliable and minimally invasive biomarkers for early fibrosis and for residual HCC risk in HCV-cured patients are urgently needed. Chronic infection with HBV and/or HCV dysregulates oncogenic and profibrogenic signaling within the host, also displayed in the secretion of soluble factors to the blood. The study of virus-dysregulated signaling pathways may, therefore, contribute to the identification of reliable minimally invasive biomarkers for the detection of patients at early-stage liver disease potentially complementing existing noninvasive methods in clinics. With a focus on virus-induced signaling events, this review provides an overview of candidate blood biomarkers for liver disease and HCC risk associated with chronic viral hepatitis and epigenetic viral footprints.

Hepatitis C virus associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is a global problem and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for about 85% of this cancer. In the USA, etiologies and risk factors for HCC include chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), obesity, excessive alcohol drinking, exposure to tobacco smoke, and genetic factors. Chronic HCV infection appears to be associated with about 30% of HCC. Chronic HCV infection induces multistep changes in liver, involving metabolic disorders, steatosis, cirrhosis and HCC. Liver carcinogenesis requires initiation of neoplastic clones, and progression to clinically diagnose malignancy. Tumor progression associates with profound exhaustion of tumor-antigen-specific CD8⁺T cells, and accumulation of PD-1^hi CD8⁺T cells and Tregs. In this chapter, we provide a brief description of HCV and environmental/genetic factors, immune regulation, and highlight mechanisms of HCV associated HCC. We also underscore HCV treatment and recent paradigm of HCC progression, highlighted the current treatment and potential future therapeutic opportunities.

High serum CCL20 is associated with tumor progression in penile cancer

Serum cancer biomarker has been proven to be very valuable in cancer diagnosis, disease monitoring and prognosis assessment, despite there is still a lack of serum biomarker for penile cancer (PC). Our initial analysis on public GEO dataset identified CCL20 as a top C-C motif ligand (CCL) gene enriched in PC. The patients with PC exhibited markedly higher preoperative serum CCL20 level than healthy control. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.855 with the sensitivity of 72.4%, and specificity of 93.5% to distinguish PC. Preoperative serum CCL20 level was significantly associated with clinicopathological characteristics including T stage (P=0.005), nodal status (P=0.008), and pelvic lymph node metastasis (P=0.007). PC Patients with high serum CCL20 level had shorter disease-free survival compared to those with low level (P<0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that serum CCL20 level could serve as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival with a HR of 3.980 (95% CI: 1.209-13.098, P=0.023). Furthermore, CCL20 expression was observed in PC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of CCL20 expression markedly suppressed malignant phenotypes (cell proliferation, clonogenesis, apoptosis escape, migration and invasion), attenuated STAT3 and AKT signaling and reduced MMP2/9 secretion in PC cell lines. Consistently, CCL20 and its receptor CCR6 exhibited correlated expression pattern in PC tissues. In conclusion, serum CCL20 level might serve as a potential diagnostic and prognostic cancer biomarker for PC. CCL20 might activate multiple downstream oncogenic signaling pathways (STAT3, AKT, MMP2/9) to promote malignant progression of PC, which may warrant further investigation in the future.

CC Chemokines in a Tumor: A Review of Pro-Cancer and Anti-Cancer Properties of Receptors CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8, CCR9, and CCR10 Ligands

CC chemokines (or β-chemokines) are 28 chemotactic cytokines with an N-terminal CC domain that play an important role in immune system cells, such as CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes, dendritic cells, eosinophils, macrophages, monocytes, and NK cells, as well in neoplasia. In this review, we discuss human CC motif chemokine ligands: CCL1, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL18, CCL19, CCL20, CCL21, CCL25, CCL27, and CCL28 (CC motif chemokine receptor CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8, CCR9, and CCR10 ligands). We present their functioning in human physiology and in neoplasia, including their role in the proliferation, apoptosis resistance, drug resistance, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. We discuss the significance of chemokine receptors in organ-specific metastasis, as well as the influence of each chemokine on the recruitment of various cells to the tumor niche, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), Kupffer cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), osteoclasts, tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), and regulatory T cells (T_reg). Finally, we show how the effect of the chemokines on vascular endothelial cells and lymphatic endothelial cells leads to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.

Establishment and validation of an immune-associated signature in lung adenocarcinoma

Recent studies demonstrated that immune associated genes (IAGs) played an important role in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In the research, we established an IAGs signature and validated its prognostic value in LUAD by using bioinformatic methods and public databases. Based on the RNA-Seq samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), 576 differentially expressed IAGs were firstly identified. The R package coxph was used to select significant prognostic IAGs using both univariate and multivariate analyses. As a result, four IAGs (SCG2, CCL20, CAT, S100P) were finally screened in an IAGs signature. Based on these four IAGs, LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) Cox regression analysis was used to construct a Risk score prognostic model and survival analysis revealed that high risk score was significantly associated with poor survival outcomes, which was validated in the external datasets GSE68465 and GSE31210. In addition, Risk score was found to be significantly associated with stage, lymphatic involvement, tumor metastasis and immune cells (B cells and dendritic cells) infiltration. Moreover, it was found that TP53 and EGFR had a higher mutation frequency in high risk group. Then a nomogram with clinical characteristics was established to superiorly predict prognosis of LUAD patients, and calibration plots and ROC analysis proved its accuracy. We believe that our findings can be conveniently used for individualized prediction of the clinical prognosis for LUAD patients, but further clinical trials and experimental exploration are needed to validate our observations.

Hypoxia Alters the Expression of CC Chemokines and CC Chemokine Receptors in a Tumor-A Literature Review

Hypoxia, i.e., oxygen deficiency condition, is one of the most important factors promoting the growth of tumors. Since its effect on the chemokine system is crucial in understanding the changes in the recruitment of cells to a tumor niche, in this review we have gathered all the available data about the impact of hypoxia on β chemokines. In the introduction, we present the chronic (continuous, non-interrupted) and cycling (intermittent, transient) hypoxia together with the mechanisms of activation of hypoxia inducible factors (HIF-1 and HIF-2) and NF-κB. Then we describe the effect of hypoxia on the expression of chemokines with the CC motif: CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL7, CCL8, CCL11, CCL13, CCL15, CCL16, CCL17, CCL18, CCL19, CCL20, CCL21, CCL22, CCL24, CCL25, CCL26, CCL27, CCL28 together with CC chemokine receptors: CCR1, CCR2, CCR3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8, CCR9, and CCR10. To better understand the effect of hypoxia on neoplastic processes and changes in the expression of the described proteins, we summarize the available data in a table which shows the effect of individual chemokines on angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and recruitment of eosinophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), regulatory T cells (T_reg), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) to a tumor niche.

EGFR/Ras-induced CCL20 production modulates the tumour microenvironment

Background

The activation of the EGFR/Ras-signalling pathway in tumour cells induces a distinct chemokine repertoire, which in turn modulates the tumour microenvironment.

Methods

The effects of EGFR/Ras on the expression and translation of CCL20 were analysed in a large set of epithelial cancer cell lines and tumour tissues by RT-qPCR and ELISA in vitro. CCL20 production was verified by immunohistochemistry in different tumour tissues and correlated with clinical data. The effects of CCL20 on endothelial cell migration and tumour-associated vascularisation were comprehensively analysed with chemotaxis assays in vitro and in CCR6-deficient mice in vivo.

Results

Tumours facilitate progression by the EGFR/Ras-induced production of CCL20. Expression of the chemokine CCL20 in tumours correlates with advanced tumour stage, increased lymph node metastasis and decreased survival in patients. Microvascular endothelial cells abundantly express the specific CCL20 receptor CCR6. CCR6 signalling in endothelial cells induces angiogenesis. CCR6-deficient mice show significantly decreased tumour growth and tumour-associated vascularisation. The observed phenotype is dependent on CCR6 deficiency in stromal cells but not within the immune system.

Conclusion

We propose that the chemokine axis CCL20–CCR6 represents a novel and promising target to interfere with the tumour microenvironment, and opens an innovative multimodal strategy for cancer therapy.

The Tumor Suppressor TGFBR3 Blocks Lymph Node Metastasis in Head and Neck Cancer

The TGF-β type III receptor (TGFBR3) is an essential constituent of the TGF-β signaling. In this study, we observed a down-regulation of TGFBR3 in oral cancer, a subtype of head and neck cancer (HNC), and patients with low TGFBR3 had poor clinical outcomes. Ectopic expression of TGFBR3 decreased migration and invasion of oral cancer cells and lymph node metastasis of tumors, whereas depletion of TGFBR3 had the opposite effect. In SMAD4-positive OC-2 oral cancer cells, TGFBR3-mediated suppression requires both of its cytoplasmic interacting partners ARRB2 and GIPC1. We demonstrated that TGFBR3 induces the abundance of secreted angiogenin (ANG), a known pro-angiogenic factor, and ANG is essential and sufficient to mediate TGFBR3-dependent inhibition of migration and invasion of oral cancer cells. Notably, in SMAD4-deficient CAL-27 oral cancer cells, only GIPC1 is essential for TGFBR3-induced suppressive activity. Accordingly, HNC patients with low expressions of both TGFBR3 and GIPC1 had the poorest overall survival. In summary, we conclude that TGFBR3 is as a tumor suppressor via SMAD4-dependent and -independent manner in both tumor and stromal cells during oral carcinogenesis. Our study should facilitate the possibility of using TGFBR3-mediated tumor suppression for HNC treatment.

Expansion of fish CCL20_like chemokines by genome and local gene duplication: Characterisation and expression analysis of 10 CCL20_like chemokines in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Mammalian CCL20, or macrophage inflammatory protein-3α, can function as a homeostatic and inflammatory chemokine. In relation to the latter, it is responsible for the chemoattraction of lymphocytes and dendritic cells to mucosal immune sites under inflammatory and pathological conditions. CK1, CK8A and CK8B are rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) CC chemokines that were reported previously to be phylogenetically related to mammalian CCL20. In the current study, an additional seven CCL20_L paralogues in rainbow trout are reported, that are divided into three subgroups and have been designated here as: CCL20_L1a (also referred to as CK1), CCL20_L1b1-2, CCL20_L2a (CK8A), CCL20_L2b (CK8B), CCL20_L3a, and CCL20_L3b1-4. Multiple CCL20_L genes were also identified in other salmonids that arose from both whole genome duplication and local gene duplication. Phylogenetic tree, homology and synteny analysis support that CCL20_L1-3 found in salmonids are also present in most teleosts arose from the 3 R whole genome duplication and in some species, local gene duplication. Like mammalian CCL20, rainbow trout CCL20_L molecules possess a high positive net charge with a pI of 9.34-10.16, that is reported to be important for antimicrobial activity. Rainbow trout CCL20_L paralogues are differentially expressed and in general highly expressed in mucosal tissues, such as gills, thymus and intestine. The expression levels of rainbow trout CCL20_L paralogues are increased during development and following PAMP/cytokine stimulation. For example, in RTS-11 cells CCL20_L3b1 and CCL20_L3b2 are highly up-regulated by LPS, Poly I:C, recombinant(r) IFNa and rIL-1β. Trout CCL20_L paralogues are also increased after Yersinia ruckeri infection or Poly I:C stimulation in vivo, with CCL20_L3b1 and CCL20_L3b2 again highly up-regulated. Overall, this is the first report of the complete CCL20 chemokine subfamily in rainbow trout, and the analysis of their expression and modulation in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that teleosts possess divergent CCL20_L molecules that may have important roles in anti-viral/anti-bacterial defence and in mucosal immunity.

CCL20 Signaling in the Tumor Microenvironment

CCL20, as a chemokine, plays an important role in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other diseases by binding to its receptor CCR6. Recent 10 years' research has demonstrated that CCL20 also contributes to the progression of many cancers, such as liver cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and gastric cancer. This article reviews and discusses the previous studies on CCL20 roles in cancers from the aspects of its specific effects on various cancers, its remodeling on tumor microenvironment (TME), its synergistic effects with other cytokines in tumor microenvironment, and the specific mechanisms of CCL20 signal activation, illustrating CCL20 signaling in TME from multiple directions.

Identification of hepatitis B virus and liver cancer bridge molecules based on functional module network

BACKGROUND

The potential role of chronic inflammation in the development of cancer has been widely recognized. However, there has been little research fully and thoroughly exploring the molecular link between hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

AIM

To elucidate the molecular links between HBV and HCC through analyzing the molecular processes of HBV-HCC using a multidimensional approach.

METHODS

First, maladjusted genes shared between HBV and HCC were identified by disease-related differentially expressed genes. Second, the protein-protein interaction network based on dysfunctional genes identified a series of dysfunctional modules and significant crosstalk between modules based on the hypergeometric test. In addition, key regulators were detected by pivot analysis. Finally, targeted drugs that have regulatory effects on diseases were predicted by modular methods and drug target information.

RESULTS

The study found that 67 genes continued to increase in the HBV-HCC process. Moreover, 366 overlapping genes in the module network participated in multiple functional blocks. It could be presumed that these genes and their interactions play an important role in the relationship between inflammation and cancer. Correspondingly, significant crosstalk constructed a module level bridge for HBV-HCC molecular processes. On the other hand, a series of non-coding RNAs and transcription factors that have potential pivot regulatory effects on HBV and HCC were identified. Among them, some of the regulators also had persistent disorders in the process of HBV-HCC including microRNA-192, microRNA-215, and microRNA-874, and early growth response 2, FOS, and Kruppel-like factor 4. Therefore, the study concluded that these pivots are the key bridge molecules outside the module. Last but not least, a variety of drugs that may have some potential pharmacological or toxic side effects on HBV-induced HCC were predicted, but their mechanisms still need to be further explored.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the persistent inflammatory environment of HBV can be utilized as an important risk factor to induce the occurrence of HCC, which is supported by molecular evidence.

Colorectal cancer cell-derived CCL20 recruits regulatory T cells to promote chemoresistance via FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB signaling

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide. The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in promoting the occurrence of chemoresistance in solid cancers. Effective targets to overcome resistance are necessary to improve the survival and prognosis of CRC patients. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of the tumor microenvironment that might be involved in chemoresistance in patients with CRC.

Methods

We evaluated the effects of CCL20 on chemoresistance of CRC by recruitment of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro and in vivo.

Results

We found that the level of CCL20 derived from tumor cells was significantly higher in Folfox-resistant patients than in Folfox-sensitive patients. The high level of CCL20 was closely associated with chemoresistance and poor survival in CRC patients. Among the drugs in Folfox chemotherapy, we confirmed that 5-FU increased the expression of CCL20 in CRC. Moreover, CCL20 derived from 5-FU-resistant CRC cells promoted recruitment of Tregs. Tregs further enhanced the chemoresistance of CRC cells to 5-FU. FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB signaling was activated in CRC cells after 5-FU treatment and was required for CCL20 upregulation mediated by 5-FU. Furthermore, CCL20 blockade suppressed tumor progression and restored 5-FU sensitivity in CRC. Lastly, the expression of these signaling molecules mediating chemoresistance was closely correlated with poor survival of CRC patients.

Conclusions

CRC cell-secreted CCL20 can recruit Tregs to promote chemoresistance via FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB signaling, indicating that the FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB/CCL20 axis might provide a promising target for CRC treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0701-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

DEPDC1 drives hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis by regulating the CCL20/CCR6 signaling pathway

DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) functions as an oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism of DEPDC1 remains largely unknown. The present study revealed that DEPDC1 knockdown inhibited HCC cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion in vitro and suppressed the growth of HCC xenografts in vivo. Furthermore, DEPDC1 overexpression promoted HCC cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion. DNA microarray, reverse transcription-quantitative-PCR and western blotting results demonstrated that DEPDC1 knockdown in Huh-7 significantly inhibited the expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (CCL20) and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 6 (CCR6). In addition, the expression of CCL20 and CCR6 were upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, and were positively correlated with DEPDC1 expression. CCL20 or CCR6 knockdown via small interfering RNA reversed the effects of DEPDC1 overexpression in HCC cells. Furthermore, it was revealed that conditioned medium from DEPDC1 upregulated Li-7 and Hep3B cells led to angiogenesis in vitro, whereas CCL20 knockdown in Li-7 and Hep3B cells or CCR6 knockdown in human umbilical vein endothelial cells reversed the angiogenic effect of DEPDC1 overexpression. In conclusion, DEPDC1 facilitated cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis via the CCL20/CCR6 pathway in HCC.