Adipocytes: A Novel Target for IL-15/IL-15Rα Cancer Gene Therapy

Plasmid co-expressing siRNA-PD-1 and Endostatin carried by attenuated Salmonella enhanced the anti-melanoma effect via inhibiting the expression of PD-1 and VEGF on tumor-bearing mice

Melanoma, the most perilous form of skin cancer, is known for its inherent resistance to chemotherapy. Even with advances in tumor immunotherapy, the survival of patients with advanced or recurrent melanomas remains poor. Over time, melanoma tumor cells may produce excessive angiogenic factors, necessitating the use of combinations of angiogenesis inhibitors, including broad-spectrum options, to combat melanoma. Among these inhibitors, Endostatin is one of the most broad-spectrum and least toxic angiogenesis inhibitors. We found Endostatin significantly increased the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and reduced the infiltration of M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the melanoma tumor microenvironment (TME). Interestingly, we also observed high expression levels of programmed death 1 (PD-1), an essential immune checkpoint molecule associated with tumor immune evasion, within the melanoma tumor microenvironment despite the use of Endostatin. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of a plasmid expressing Endostatin and PD-1 siRNA, wherein Endostatin was overexpressed while RNA interference (RNAi) targeted PD-1. These therapeutic agents were delivered using attenuated Salmonella in melanoma-bearing mice. Our results demonstrate that pEndostatin-siRNA-PD-1 therapy exhibits optimal therapeutic efficacy against melanoma. We found that pEndostatin-siRNA-PD-1 therapy promotes the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and the expression of granzyme B in melanoma tumors. Importantly, combined inhibition of angiogenesis and PD-1 significantly suppresses melanoma tumor progression compared with the inhibition of angiogenesis or PD-1 alone. Based on these findings, our study suggests that combining PD-1 inhibition with angiogenesis inhibitors holds promise as a clinical strategy for the treatment of melanoma.

Targeting adipocyte-immune cell crosstalk to control breast cancer progression

Adipocytes are crucial components of breast cancer and are involved in regulating the progression, therapeutic efficacy, and prognosis of breast cancer patients. Characterized by storing energy and producing a variety of secretory factors, adipocytes are responsible for inducing obesity and regulating the tumor immune activity. Adipocytes communicate with tumor infiltrating immune cells through the secreted adipokines, cytokines, and exosomes in the breast cancer TIME, which shapes the tumor supporting environment to facilitate the immune escape of tumor cells. In-depth studies of the crosstalk between adipocytes and TIME can not only provide a more comprehensive regulatory landscape of TIME, but also be conducive to screening novel targets for future precision targeted therapy. The aim of this review is to discuss recent studies for understanding the role of crosstalk between adipocytes and immune cells in shaping the breast cancer immune microenvironment.

The Therapeutic Values of IL-7/IL-7R and the Recombinant Derivatives in Glioma: A Narrative Review

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is essential for maintaining the immune system's defense functions by regulating the development and homeostasis of lymphocytes. Findings have shown the high efficacy of IL-7/IL-7 receptor (IL-7R)-based immunotherapy on various malignancies, with confirmation in both animal models and humans. In recent years, the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients suffering from gliomas significantly increased by introducing C7R-expressing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and long-acting IL-7 agonists such as NT-I7 (rhIL-7-hyFc, Efineptakin alfa). However, the effect of IL-7-based immunotherapies on the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy (when used simultaneously with chemotherapy agents) is still ambiguous and requires further studies. This article first reviews the pathophysiological roles of IL-7/IL-7R in tumors, focusing on gliomas. Subsequently, it discusses the therapeutic values of IL-7/IL-7R and the recombinant derivatives in gliomas.

The role of angiogenesis in melanoma: Clinical treatments and future expectations

The incidence of melanoma has increased rapidly over the past few decades, with mortality accounting for more than 75% of all skin cancers. The high metastatic potential of Melanoma is an essential factor in its high mortality. Vascular angiogenic system has been proved to be crucial for the metastasis of melanoma. An in-depth understanding of angiogenesis will be of great benefit to melanoma treatment and may promote the development of melanoma therapies. This review summarizes the recent advances and challenges of anti-angiogenic agents, including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, human recombinant Endostatin, and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We hope to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms, clinical research progress, and future research directions of melanoma.

Exercise-induced IL-15 acted as a positive prognostic implication and tumor-suppressed role in pan-cancer

Objective: Exercise can produce a large number of cytokines that may benefit cancer patients, including Interleukin 15 (IL-15). IL-15 is a cytokine that has multiple functions in regulating the adaptive and innate immune systems and tumorigenesis of lung and breast cancers. However, the roles of IL-15 in other types of cancer remain unknown. In this article, we try to systematically analyze if IL-15 is a potential molecular biomarker for predicting patient prognosis in pan-cancer and its connection with anti-cancer effects of exercise. Methods: The expression of IL-15 was detected by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, Human protein Atlas (HPA), and Genotype Tissue-Expression (GTEX) database. Analysis of IL-15 genomic alterations and protein expression in human organic tissues was analyzed by the cBioPortal database and HPA. The correlations between IL-15 expression and survival outcomes, clinical features, immune-associated cell infiltration, and ferroptosis/cuproptosis were analyzed using the TCGA, ESTIMATE algorithm, and TIMER databases. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed to evaluate the biological functions of IL-15 in pan-cancer. Results: The differential analysis suggested that the level of IL-15 mRNA expression was significantly downregulated in 12 tumor types compared with normal tissues, which is similar to the protein expression in most cancer types. The high expression of IL-15 could predict the positive survival outcome of patients with LUAD (lung adenocarcinoma), COAD (colon adenocarcinoma), COADREAD (colon and rectum adenocarcinoma), ESCA (esophageal carcinoma), SKCM (skin cutaneous melanoma), UCS (uterine carcinosarcoma), and READ (rectum adenocarcinoma). Moreover, amplification was found to be the most frequent mutation type of IL-15 genomic. Furthermore, the expression of IL-15 was correlated to the infiltration levels of various immune-associated cells in pan-cancer assessed by the ESTIMATE algorithm and TIMER database. In addition, IL-15 is positively correlated with ferroptosis/cuproptosis-related genes (ACSL4 and LIPT1) in pan-cancer. Levels of IL-15 were reported to be elevated in humans for 10-120 min following an acute exercise. Therefore, we hypothesized that the better prognosis of pan-cancer patients with regular exercise may be achieved by regulating level of IL-15. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that IL-15 is a potential molecular biomarker for predicting patient prognosis, immunoreaction, and ferroptosis/cuproptosis in pan-cancer and partly explained the anti-cancer effects of exercise.

Adipocyte CD1d Gene Transfer Induces T Cell Expansion and Adipocyte Inflammation in CD1d Knockout Mice

CD1d, a lipid Ag-presenting molecule for invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, is abundantly expressed on adipocytes and regulates adipose homeostasis through iNKT cells. CD1d gene expression was restored in visceral adipose tissue adipocytes of CD1d knockout (KO) mice to investigate the interactions between adipocytes and immune cells within adipose tissue. We developed an adipocyte-specific targeting recombinant adeno-associated viral vector, with minimal off-target transgene expression in the liver, to rescue CD1d gene expression in visceral adipose tissue adipocytes of CD1d KO mice, followed by assessment of immune cell alternations in adipose tissue and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of alteration. We report that adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer of CD1d to adipocytes in CD1d KO mice fails to rescue iNKT cells but leads to massive and selective expansion of T cells within adipose tissue, particularly CD8⁺ T effector cells, that is associated with adipocyte NLRP3 inflammasome activation, dysregulation of adipocyte functional genes, and upregulation of apoptotic pathway proteins. An NLRP3 inhibitor has no effect on T cell phenotypes whereas depletion of CD8⁺ T cells significantly attenuates inflammasome activation and abolishes the dysregulation of adipocyte functional genes induced by adipocyte CD1d. In contrast, adipocyte overexpression of CD1d fails to induce T cell activation in wild-type mice or in invariant TCR α-chain Jα18 KO mice that have a normal lymphocyte repertoire except for iNKT cells. Our studies uncover an adipocyte CD1d → CD8⁺ T cell → adipocyte inflammasome cascade, in which CD8⁺ T cells function as a key mediator of adipocyte inflammation likely induced by an allogeneic response against the CD1d molecule.

Spatiotemporally co-delivery of triple therapeutic drugs via HA-coating nanosystems for enhanced immunotherapy

There is growing empirical evidence that certain types of chemotherapy and phototherapy trigger immunogenic cell death and enhance the therapeutic anticancer efficacy of genetic immunotherapy. However, the main challenge is spatiotemporally co-delivering different drugs to maximize the therapeutic index of the combination therapy. In this study, a drug delivery system (HTCP-Au/shPD-L1/DOX) was designed with a polysaccharide-wrapped shell and a condensed DNA core. To construct the HTCP-Au vector, dodecyl side chains with a polyethylenimine (PEI) head were grafted onto hyaluronic acid, and AuNPs were grafted via Au-S bonds. During drug loading, PEI arrested shRNA plasmid DNA targeting programmed cell death ligand 1 (shPD-L1) via electrostatic interactions. It also formed a PEI-DNA core that was automatically enclosed when aliphatic hydrocarbons pulled the hyaluronic acid backbone. A hydrophobic interlayer consisting of dodecyl bridge chains between the PEI-DNA core and the hyaluronic acid shell was required to accommodate hydrophobic doxorubicin. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that this core-shell drug delivery system could efficiently load and transport three different drugs and effectively target tumors. Moreover, it could activate the immune system, thereby providing promising therapeutic efficacy against tumor growth and metastasis.

Innate Immune System Orchestrates Metabolic Homeostasis and Dysfunction in Visceral Adipose Tissue During Obesity

Arising incidence of metabolic disorders and related diseases caused by obesity is a global health concern. Elucidating the role of the immune system in this process will help to understand the related mechanisms and develop treatment strategies. Here, we have focused on innate immune cells in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and summarized the roles of these cells in maintaining the homeostasis of VAT. Furthermore, this review reveals the importance of quantitative and functional changes of innate immune cells when the metabolic microenvironment changes due to obesity or excess lipids, and confirms that these changes eventually lead to the occurrence of chronic inflammation and metabolic diseases of VAT. Two perspectives are reviewed, which include sequential changes in various innate immune cells in the steady state of VAT and its imbalance during obesity. Cross-sectional interactions between various innate immune cells at the same time point are also reviewed. Through delineation of a comprehensive perspective of VAT homeostasis in obesity-induced chronic inflammation, and ultimately metabolic dysfunction and disease, we expect to clarify the complex interactive networks among distinct cell populations and propose that these interactions should be taken into account in the development of biotherapeutic strategies.

Enhancing Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Functions of Natural Killer Cells in Mice

The environment of an organism can convey a powerful influence over its biology. Environmental enrichment (EE), as a eustress model, has been used extensively in neuroscience to study neurogenesis and brain plasticity. EE has also been used as an intervention for the treatment and prevention of neurological and psychiatric disorders with limited clinical application. By contrast, the effects of EE on the immune system are relatively less investigated. Recently, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that EE can robustly impact immune function. In this review, we summarize the major components of EE, the impact of EE on natural killer (NK) cells, EE's immunoprotective roles in cancer, and the underlying mechanisms of EE-induced NK cell regulation. Moreover, we discuss opportunities for translational application based on insights from animal research of EE-induced NK cell regulation.

Environmental activation of a hypothalamic BDNF-adipocyte IL-15 axis regulates adipose-natural killer cells

Physical and social environments influence immune homeostasis within adipose tissue, yet the mechanisms remain poorly defined. We report that an enriched environment (EE) housing modulates the immune cell population in white adipose tissue of mice including an increase in the abundance of natural killer (NK) cells. EE upregulates the expression of IL-15 and its receptor IL-15Rα specifically within mature adipocytes. Mechanistically, we show that hypothalamic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) upregulates IL-15 production in adipocytes via sympathetic β-adrenergic signaling. Overexpressing BDNF mediated by recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector in the hypothalamus expands adipose NK cells. Conversely, inhibition of hypothalamic BDNF signaling via gene transfer of a dominant negative TrkB receptor suppresses adipose NK cells. In white adipose tissue, overexpression of IL-15 using an adipocyte-specific rAAV vector stimulates adipose NK cells and inhibits the progression of subcutaneous melanoma, whereas local IL-15 knockdown blocks the EE effect. These results suggest that bio-behavioral factors regulate adipose NK cells via a hypothalamic BDNF-sympathoneural-adipocyte IL-15 axis. Targeting this pathway may have therapeutic significance for cancer.

Visceral adipose tissue-directed FGF21 gene therapy improves metabolic and immune health in BTBR mice

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a peptide hormone that serves as a potent effector of energy homeostasis. Increasingly, FGF21 is viewed as a promising therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and other metabolic complications. Exogenous administration of native FGF21 peptide has proved difficult due to unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties. Here, we utilized an engineered serotype adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector coupled with a dual-cassette design to selectively overexpress FGF21 in visceral adipose tissue of insulin-resistant BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice. Under high-fat diet conditions, a single, low-dose intraperitoneal injection of AAV-FGF21 resulted in sustained benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, glycemic processing, and systemic metabolic function and reduced whole-body adiposity, hepatic steatosis, inflammatory cytokines, and adipose tissue macrophage inflammation. Our study highlights the potential of adipose tissue as a FGF21 gene-therapy target and the promise of minimally invasive AAV vectors as therapeutic agents for metabolic diseases.

Enriched environment enhances NK cell maturation through hypothalamic BDNF in male mice

Macroenvironmental factors, including a patient's physical and social environment, play a role in cancer risk and progression. Our previous preclinical studies have shown that the enriched environment (EE) confers anti-obesity and anti-cancer phenotypes that are associated with enhanced adaptive immunity and are mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Natural killer (NK) cells have anti-cancer and anti-viral properties, and their absence or depletion is associated with inferior clinical outcomes. In this study, we investigated the effects of EE on NK cell maturation following their depletion. Mice living in EE displayed a higher proportion of NK cells in the spleen, bone marrow, and blood, compared to those living in the standard environment (SE). EE enhanced NK cell maturation in the spleen and was associated with upregulation of BDNF expression in the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic BDNF overexpression reproduced the EE effects on NK cell maturation in secondary lymphoid tissues. Conversely, hypothalamic BDNF knockdown blocked the EE modulation on NK cell maturation. Our results demonstrate that a bio-behavior intervention enhanced NK cell maturation and was mediated at least in part by hypothalamic BDNF.

Adipose Tissue: An Emerging Target for Adeno-associated Viral Vectors

Adipose tissue is one of the largest organs, playing important roles in physiology and pathologies of multiple diseases. However, research related to adeno-associated virus (AAV) targeting adipose tissue has been left far behind studies carried out in the liver, brain, heart, and muscle. Despite initial reports indicating poor performance, AAV-mediated gene delivery to adipose tissue has continued to rise during the past two decades. AAV8 and a novel engineered hybrid serotype, Rec2, have been shown to transduce adipose tissue more efficiently than other serotypes so far tested and have been applied in most of the in vivo studies. The Rec2 serotype displays high efficacy of gene transfer to both brown and white fat via local and systemic administration. This review summarizes the advances in developing AAV vectors with enhanced adipose tropism and restricting off-target transgene expression. We discuss the challenges and strategies to search for and generate novel serotypes with tropism tailoring for adipose tissue and develop AAV vector systems to improve adipose transgene expression for basic research and translational studies.

The Influence of Tumor Microenvironment on Immune Escape of Melanoma

The low efficiency of currently-used anti-cancer therapies poses a serious challenge, especially in the case of malignant melanoma, a cancer characterized by elevated invasiveness and relatively high mortality rate. The role of the tumor microenvironment in the progression of melanoma and its acquisition of resistance to treatment seems to be the main focus of recent studies. One of the factors that, in normal conditions, aids the organism in its fight against the cancer and, following the malignant transformation, adapts to facilitate the development of the tumor is the immune system. A variety of cell types, i.e., T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic and natural killer cells, as well as neutrophils, support the growth and invasiveness of melanoma cells, utilizing a plethora of mechanisms, including secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules, induction of inhibitory receptors expression, or depletion of essential nutrients. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the processes regulated by tumor-associated cells that promote the immune escape of melanoma cells. The described mechanisms offer potential new targets for anti-cancer treatment and should be further studied to improve currently-employed therapies.

Adipose PTEN acts as a downstream mediator of a brain-fat axis in environmental enrichment

Background/Objectives

Environmental enrichment (EE) is a physiological model to investigate brain-fat interactions. We previously discovered that EE activates the hypothalamic-sympathoneural adipocyte (HSA) axis via induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), thus leading to sympathetic stimulation of white adipose tissue (WAT) and an anti-obesity phenotype. Here, we investigate whether PTEN acts as a downstream mediator of the HSA axis in the EE.

Methods

Mice were housed in EE for 4- and 16-week periods to determine how EE regulates adipose PTEN. Hypothalamic injections of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors expressing BDNF and a dominant negative form of its receptor were performed to assess the role of the HSA axis in adipose PTEN upregulation. A β-blocker, propranolol, and a denervation agent, 6-hydroydopamine, were administered to assess sympathetic signaling in the observed EE-PTEN phenotype. To determine whether inducing PTEN is sufficient to reproduce certain EE adipose remodeling, we overexpressed PTEN in WAT using an AAV vector. To determine whether adipose PTEN is necessary for the EE-mediated reduction in adipocyte size, we injected a rAAV vector expressing Cre recombinase to the WAT of adult PTEN^flox mice and placed the mice in EE.

Results

EE upregulated adipose PTEN expression, which was associated with suppression of AKT and ERK phosphorylation, increased hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) phosphorylation, and reduced adiposity. PTEN regulation was found to be controlled by the HSA axis—with the hypothalamic BDNF acting as the upstream mediator—and dependent on sympathetic innervation. AAV-mediated adipose PTEN overexpression recapitulated EE-mediated adipose changes including suppression of AKT and ERK phosphorylation, increased HSL phosphorylation, and reduced adipose mass, whereas PTEN knockdown blocked the EE-induced reduction of adipocyte size.

Conclusions

These data suggest that adipose PTEN responds to environmental stimuli and serves as downstream mediator of WAT remodeling in the EE paradigm, resulting in decreased adipose mass and decreased adipocyte size.

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Environmental enrichment (EE) induces adipose PTEN expression and is associated with (1) suppression of AKT phosphorylation, (2) increased hormone-sensitive lipase phosphorylation, and (3) decreased adiposity

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The hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte (HSA) axis mediates EE-induced adipose PTEN

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rAAV-mediated gene delivery of PTEN to adipose tissues mimics EE-related adipose remodeling

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Knockdown of adipose PTEN blocks EE-induced reductions in adipocyte size

Regulation of aging and cancer by enhanced environmental activation of a hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte axis

Social and environmental factors impact cancer and energy balance profoundly. Years ago, our lab established the existence of a novel brain-fat interaction we termed the "hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte (HSA) axis", through which complex environmental stimuli provided by an enriched environment regulate body composition, energy balance, and development of cancer. We have spent a significant portion of the past decade to further characterize the broad health benefits of an enriched environment (for example, leanness, enhanced immune function, and cancer resistance), and to identify mediators in the brain and periphery along the HSA axis. This review summarizes our recent work regarding the interface between endocrinology, immunology, cancer biology, aging, and neuroscience. We will discuss the interplay between these systemic phenomena and how the HSA axis can be targeted for regulation of cancer and aging.

Efficient Colorectal Cancer Gene Therapy with IL-15 mRNA Nanoformulation

Immunogene therapy is a novel method for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Cytokine IL-15 has exhibited therapeutic anticancer potential due to its immune-stimulation property. However, conventional IL-15-based cancer gene therapy studies have been performed using the plasmid DNA form, which has potential shortcomings including weak delivery efficiency and backbone effect. In this study, an IL-15 immunogene therapy study for colon cancer using in vitro transcript mRNA is described. A protamine/liposome system (CLPP) is developed to provide efficient condensation and delivery capacity for in vivo mRNA transportation. They demonstrated that the prepared CLPP system could deliver the IL-15-encoding mRNA into C26 cells with high efficacy. The secretory expressed IL-15 cytokine by the C26 cells successfully produced lymphocyte stimulation and triggered anticancer cytotoxicity upon cancer cells in vitro. Local or systemic administration of the CLPP/mIL-15 complex exhibited obvious inhibition effects on multiple C26 murine colon cancer models with inhibition rates of up to 70% in the C26 abdominal cavity metastasis tumor model, 55% in the subcutaneous model, and 69% in the pulmonary metastasis model, demonstrating high efficacy and safety. These results successfully demonstrated the high therapeutic potential of the CLPP/mIL-15 complex for colorectal cancer immunogene therapy.

Towards Clinical Implementation of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Vectors for Cancer Gene Therapy: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have gained tremendous attention as in vivo delivery systems in gene therapy for inherited monogenetic diseases. First market approvals, excellent safety data, availability of large-scale production protocols, and the possibility to tailor the vector towards optimized and cell-type specific gene transfer offers to move from (ultra) rare to common diseases. Cancer, a major health burden for which novel therapeutic options are urgently needed, represents such a target. We here provide an up-to-date overview of the strategies which are currently developed for the use of AAV vectors in cancer gene therapy and discuss the perspectives for the future translation of these pre-clinical approaches into the clinic.

The Proliferation and Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Neovascularization and Angiogenesis

Neovascularization and angiogenesis are vital processes in the repair of damaged tissue, creating new blood vessel networks and increasing oxygen and nutrient supply for regeneration. The importance of Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ASCs) contained in the adipose tissue surrounding blood vessel networks to these processes remains unknown and the exact mechanisms responsible for directing adipogenic cell fate remain to be discovered. As adipose tissue contains a heterogenous population of partially differentiated cells of adipocyte lineage; tissue repair, angiogenesis and neovascularization may be closely linked to the function of ASCs in a complex relationship. This review aims to investigate the link between ASCs and angiogenesis/neovascularization, with references to current studies. The molecular mechanisms of these processes, as well as ASC differentiation and proliferation are described in detail. ASCs may differentiate into endothelial cells during neovascularization; however, recent clinical trials have suggested that ASCs may also stimulate angiogenesis and neovascularization indirectly through the release of paracrine factors.

Perspectives for the application of interleukin 15 in anti-cancer therapy

Interleukin (IL-) 15 plays a crucial role in the preservation of lymphoid cell homeostasis including maintaining a broad repertoire of naïve T, B and NK cells, eliminating effector cells and long-term survival of memory cells. It is an essential causative factor in generating CD8+ T cells of memory. In addition, it selectively promotes not only survival and proliferation, but also the effector function of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, even in the presence of regulatory T cells. Interleukin 15 can thus modulate immune suppression as well as promote an immune activation. All obtained data on the biology and function of IL-15 provide information essential to design the manners of its application in the fight against the solid cancers and myeloproliferative neoplasms and make it a promising therapeutic option provided that its potential is consciously used. In this paper we reviewed on the relationship between the biological properties of IL-15 and its IL-15/IL-15Rα complex and their antitumor potential in the light of recent reports about the possibilities of using these molecules in cancer therapy have been assessed.

Characterization of long non-coding RNA and messenger RNA profiles in laryngeal cancer by weighted gene co-expression network analysis

Laryngeal cancer (LC) is a malignant tumor in the head and neck region. It was recently elucidated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the pathogenesis of LC. However, the detailed mechanism of lncRNA in LC and whether long non-coding RNAs serve as effective biomarkers remains unclear. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence data of LC and 11 patient clinical traits were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A total of 9 co-expression modules were identified. The co-expression Pink module significantly correlated with four clinical traits, including history of smoking, lymph node count, tumor status, and the success of follow-up treatment. Based on the co-expression Pink module, lncRNA-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) and lncRNA-RNA binding protein-mRNA networks were constructed. We found that 8 lncRNAs significantly impacted overall survival (OS) in LC patients. These identified lncRNA and hub gene biomarkers were also validated in multiple LC cells in vitro via qPCR. Taken together, this study provided the framework of co-expression gene modules of LC and identified some important biomarkers in LC development and disease progression.

Adipocytes and microRNAs Crosstalk: A Key Tile in the Mosaic of Breast Cancer Microenvironment

Breast cancer (BC) is a disease characterized by a high grade of heterogeneity. Consequently, despite the great achievements obtained in the last decades, most of the current therapeutic regimens still fail. The identification of new molecular mechanisms that will increase the knowledge of all steps of tumor initiation and growth is mandatory in finding new clinical strategies. The BC microenvironment, consisting of endothelial cells, fibroblasts, immune cells and adipocytes, plays an essential role in regulating BC development, and recently it has gained great attention in the scientific community. In particular, adipose tissue is emerging as an important target to investigate among mammary gland components. The mechanisms underlying BC progression driven by adipocytes are predominantly unexplored, especially that involving the switch from normal adipocytes to the so-called cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs). MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of gene expression modulators, have emerged as the regulators of key oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that affect multiple pathways of the tumor microenvironment and adipose tissue. This review concerns a presentation of the role of adipocytes in breast tissue, and describes the most recent discoveries about the interplay between adipocytes and miRNAs, which collaborate in the arrangement of a pro-inflammatory and cancerous microenvironment, laying the foundations for new concepts in the prevention and treatment of BC.