Immune responses in cancer

Pentraxin 3: A Main Driver of Inflammation and Immune System Dysfunction in the Tumor Microenvironment of Glioblastoma

Brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of brain neoplasms that are highly prevalent in individuals of all ages worldwide. Within this pathological framework, the most prevalent and aggressive type of primary brain tumor is glioblastoma (GB), a subtype of glioma that falls within the IV-grade astrocytoma group. The death rate for patients with GB remains high, occurring within a few months after diagnosis, even with the gold-standard therapies now available, such as surgery, radiation, or a pharmaceutical approach with Temozolomide. For this reason, it is crucial to continue looking for cutting-edge therapeutic options to raise patients' survival chances. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a multifunctional protein that has a variety of regulatory roles in inflammatory processes related to extracellular matrix (ECM). An increase in PTX3 blood levels is considered a trustworthy factor associated with the beginning of inflammation. Moreover, scientific evidence suggested that PTX3 is a sensitive and earlier inflammation-related marker compared to the short pentraxin C-reactive protein (CRP). In several tumoral subtypes, via regulating complement-dependent and macrophage-associated tumor-promoting inflammation, it has been demonstrated that PTX3 may function as a promoter of cancer metastasis, invasion, and stemness. Our review aims to deeply evaluate the function of PTX3 in the pathological context of GB, considering its pivotal biological activities and its possible role as a molecular target for future therapies.

Cell-mediated barriers in cancer immunosurveillance

The immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) exert multifaceted functions ranging from tumor-antagonizing or tumor-promoting activities. During the initial phases of tumor development, the tumor-antagonizing immune cells in the TME combat cancer cells in an immune surveillance process. However, with time, cancer cells can evade detection and impede the immune cells' effectiveness through diverse mechanisms, such as decreasing immunogenic antigen presentation on their surfaces and/or secreting anti-immune factors that cause tolerance in TME. Moreover, some immune cells cause immunosuppressive situations and inhibit antitumoral immune responses. Physical and cellular-mediated barriers in the TME, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor endothelium, the altered lipid composition of tumor cells, and exosomes secreted from cancer cells, also mediate immunosuppression and prevent extravasation of immune cells. Due to successful clinical outcomes of cancer treatment strategies the potential barriers must be identified and addressed. We need to figure out how to optimize cancer immunotherapy strategies, and how to combine therapeutic approaches for maximum clinical benefit. This review provides a detailed overview of various cells and molecules in the TME, their association with escaping from immune surveillance, therapeutic targets, and future perspectives for improving cancer immunotherapy.

Prognostic and clinical pathological significance of the systemic immune-inflammation index in urothelial carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

A new non-invasive biomarker, the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), has been proven to have prognostic value in multiple cancers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic and clinical pathological significance of SII in urothelial carcinoma.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to evaluate the prognostic value of SII before treatment on survival outcomes, and odds ratios (OR) with 95%CI were used to assess the correlation between SII before treatment and clinical pathological features.

Results

This meta-analysis included a total of 10 studies (11 datasets) with 6,333 patients. The pooled analysis showed that high SII before surgery was significantly associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with urothelial carcinoma, including overall survival (OS) (HR=1.55, 95%CI 1.24-1.95, p<0.001), cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR=2.74, 95%CI 1.67-4.49, p<0.001), recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR=2.74, 95%CI 1.67-4.49, p<0.001), and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR=1.66, 95%CI 1.36-2.02, p<0.001). In addition, patients with elevated preoperative SII values were more likely to have adverse pathological features, including larger tumor size and advanced pathological T stage (p<0.001).

Conclusion

These findings suggest a significant association between high SII levels before treatment and poor survival outcomes, as well as certain clinical pathological features, in patients with urothelial carcinoma.

Breast cancer stem cells generate immune-suppressive T regulatory cells by secreting TGFβ to evade immune-elimination

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), being the primary contributors in tumor initiation, metastasis, and relapse, ought to have seminal roles in evasion of immune surveillance. Tumor-promoting CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs) have been described to abolish host defense mechanisms by impeding the activities of other immune cells including effector T cells. However, whether CSCs can convert effector T cells to immune-suppressive Treg subset, and if yes, the mechanism underlying CSC-induced Treg generation, are limitedly studied. In this regard, we observed a positive correlation between breast CSC and Treg signature markers in both in-silico and immunohistochemical analyses. Mirroring the conditions during tumor initiation, low number of CSCs could successfully generate CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells from infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes in a contact-independent manner. Suppressing the proliferation potential as well as IFNγ production capacity of effector T cells, these Treg cells might be inhibiting antitumor immunity, thereby hindering immune-elimination of CSCs during tumor initiation. Furthermore, unlike non-stem cancer cells (NSCCs), CSCs escaped doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, thus constituting major surviving population after three rounds of chemotherapy. These drug-survived CSCs were also able to generate CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells. Our search for the underlying mechanism further unveiled the role of CSC-shed immune-suppressive cytokine TGFβ, which was further increased by chemotherapy, in generating tumor Treg cells. In conclusion, during initiation as well as after chemotherapy, when NSCCs are not present in the tumor microenvironment, CSCs, albeit present in low numbers, generate immunosuppressive CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells in a contact-independent manner by shedding high levels of immune-suppressive Treg-polarizing cytokine TGFβ, thus escaping immune-elimination and initiating the tumor or causing tumor relapse.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Mortality in Testicular Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SIII) is a marker studied in multiple types of urologic cancer. This systematic review evaluates the association between SIII values with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in testicular cancer. We searched observational studies in five databases. The quantitative synthesis was performed using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The only measure of the effect was the hazard ratio (HR). A sensitivity analysis was performed according to the risk of bias in the studies. There were 833 participants in a total of 6 cohorts. We found that high SIII values were associated with worse OS (HR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.3-8.9; p < 0.001; I² = 78) and PFS (HR = 3.9; 95% CI 2.53-6.02; p < 0.001; I² = 0). No indication of small study effects was found in the association between SIII values and OS (p = 0.5301). High SIII values were associated with worse OS and PFS. However, further primary studies are suggested to enhance the effect of this marker in different outcomes of testicular cancer patients.

Investigation of the gut microbiome, bile acid composition and host immunoinflammatory response in a model of azoxymethane-induced colon cancer at discrete timepoints

BACKGROUND

Distinct sets of microbes contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression. Some occur due to the evolving intestinal environment but may not contribute to disease. In contrast, others may play an important role at particular times during the tumorigenic process. Here, we describe changes in the microbiota and host over the course of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced tumorigenesis.

METHODS

Mice were administered AOM or PBS and were euthanised 8, 12, 24 and 48 weeks later. Samples were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, UPLC-MS and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The microbiota and bile acid profile showed distinct changes at each timepoint. The inflammatory response became apparent at weeks 12 and 24. Moreover, significant correlations between individual taxa, cytokines and bile acids were detected. One co-abundance group (CAG) differed significantly between PBS- and AOM-treated mice at week 24. Correlation analysis also revealed significant associations between CAGs, bile acids and the bile acid transporter, ASBT. Aberrant crypt foci and adenomas were first detectable at weeks 24 and 48, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The observed changes precede host hyperplastic transformation and may represent early therapeutic targets for the prevention or management of CRC at specific timepoints in the tumorigenic process.

Ae1/Sbe1 maize-derived high amylose improves gut barrier function and ameliorates type II diabetes in high-fat diet-fed mice by increasing Akkermansia

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has its origins in chronic inflammation due to immune dysregulation. Improving chronic inflammation can significantly reduce the probability of T2DM and the rate of disease progression. Resistance to starch 2 (RSII) high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) has been widely implicated in the improvement and regulation of T2DM. However, its exact molecular mechanisms have not been fully discovered. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knock out two starch-branching enzyme genes, Ae1 and Sbe1, in maize to obtain mutants containing higher levels of HAMS. In experiments in which HAMS was fed to mice on a high-fat diet (HFD), we confirmed the function of HAMS in ameliorating hyperglycemia. Mechanistically, we found that HAMS improves the gut barrier function by increasing the Akkermansia abundance in the gut. This increase led to the alleviation of chronic inflammation in mice on a HFD, resulting in improved insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood glucose.

Identification of Transferrin Receptor 1 (TfR1) Overexpressed in Lung Cancer Cells, and Internalization of Magnetic Au-CoFe2O4 Core-Shell Nanoparticles Functionalized with Its Ligand in a Cellular Model of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

Lung cancer is, currently, one of the main malignancies causing deaths worldwide. To date, early prognostic and diagnostic markers for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have not been systematically and clearly identified, so most patients receive standard treatment. In the present study, we combine quantitative proteomics studies and the use of magnetic core-shell nanoparticles (mCSNP’s), first to identify a marker for lung cancer, and second to functionalize the nanoparticles and their possible application for early and timely diagnosis of this and other types of cancer. In the present study, we used label-free mass spectrometry in combination with an ion-mobility approach to identify 220 proteins with increased abundance in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines. Our attention was focused on cell receptors for their potential application as mCSNP’s targets; in this work, we report the overexpression of Transferrin Receptor (TfR1) protein, also known as Cluster of Differentiation 71 (CD71) up to a 30-fold increase with respect to the control cell. The kinetics of endocytosis, evaluated by a flow cytometry methodology based on fluorescence quantification, demonstrated that receptors were properly activated with the transferrin supported on the magnetic core-shell nanoparticles. Our results are important in obtaining essential information for monitoring the disease and/or choosing better treatments, and this finding will pave the way for future synthesis of nanoparticles including chemotherapeutic drugs for lung cancer treatments.

The Association of Ovarian Teratoma and Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: An Updated Integrative Review

Ovarian teratomas are by far the most common ovarian germ cell tumor. Most teratomas are benign unless a somatic transformation occurs. The designation of teratoma refers to a neoplasm that differentiates toward somatic-type cell populations. Recent research shows a striking association between ovarian teratomas and anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis, a rare and understudied paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS). Among teratomas, mature teratomas are thought to have a greater relevance with those neurological impairments. PNS is described as a neurologic deficit triggered by an underlying remote tumor, whereas anti-NMDAR encephalitis is characterized by a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome and the presence of autoantibodies in cerebral spinal fluid against the GluN1 subunit of the NMDAR. This review aims to summarize recent reports on the association between anti-NMDAR encephalitis and ovarian teratoma. In particular, the molecular pathway of pathogenesis and the updated mechanism and disease models would be discussed. We hope to provide an in-depth review of this issue and, therefore, to better understand its epidemiology, diagnostic approach, and treatment strategies.

Prognostic Impact of Monocyte to Lymphocyte Ratio in Clinical Outcome of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background:

Lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) is a surrogate marker of systemic inflammation which is shown to be related to the patient’s survival in multiple malignancies. An important implication of this marker potentially is neoplasms in which there is no correlation between prognosis and histopathological staging and also has no reliable chemical markers associated with prognosis. Herein, this meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic role of LMR in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials and Methods:

In the current systemic review and meta-analysis, we conducted a systemic search of databases and indexing sources, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus, and ProQuest up to May 2019 toinclude studies on the prognostic significance of LMR on patients with HCC. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) values were extracted from the studies and analyzed. The pooled hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval was explored to identify the prognostic value of the LMR in the survival of the patients with HCC.

Results:

A total of 12 studies with a total sample size of 3750 cases were included. There was significant heterogeneity among the studies; therefore, subgroup analysis was also performed. Overall analysis regarding OS showed an insignificant relationship between LMR and patient’s prognosis, dividing to subgroups based on LMR cut-offs did not yield any significant result, subgroup analysis for RFS founded statistically significant results and LMR was significantly related to DFS.

Conclusion:

High LMR was associated with increased DFS and RFS, in return this association was not observed for OS.

Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Percentage May Predict Chemotolerance and Survival in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. Association between Adaptive Immunity and Nutritional State

Pancreatic Carcinoma (PC) cells have the ability to induce patient immunosuppression and to escape immunosurveillance. Low circulating lymphocytes are associated with an advanced stage of PC and reduced survival. Blood lymphocytes expressed as a percentage of Total White Blood Cells (L% TWBC) could predict chemotolerance (n° of tolerated cycles), survival time and Body Weight (BW) more effectively than lymphocytes expressed as an absolute value (LAB > 1500 n°/mm3) or lymphocytes >22%, which is the lowest limit of normal values in our laboratory. Forty-one patients with advanced PC, treated with chemotherapy, were selected for this observational retrospective study. Patients were evaluated at baseline (pre-chemotherapy), and at 6, 12 and 18 months, respectively, after diagnosis of PC. The study found L ≥ 29.7% to be a better predictor of survival (COX model, using age, sex, BW, serum creatinine, bilirubin and lymphocytes as covariates), chemotolerance (r = +0.50, p = 0.001) and BW (r = +0.35, p = 0.027) than LAB > 1500 or L > 22%. BW did not significantly correlate with chemotolerance or survival. The preliminary results of this study suggest that L ≥ 29.7% is more effective than LAB > 1500 or L > 22% at predicting chemotolerance, survival time and nutritional status. A possible impact of nutritional status on chemotherapy and survival seems to be lymphocyte-mediated given the association between BW and L%. This study may serve as the basis for future research to explore whether nutritional interventions can improve lymphopenia, and if so, how this may be possible.

Characterization of the Survival Influential Genes in Carcinogenesis

The genes influencing cancer patient mortality have been studied by survival analysis for many years. However, most studies utilized them only to support their findings associated with patient prognosis: their roles in carcinogenesis have not yet been revealed. Herein, we applied an in silico approach, integrating the Cox regression model with effect size estimated by the Monte Carlo algorithm, to screen survival-influential genes in more than 6000 tumor samples across 16 cancer types. We observed that the survival-influential genes had cancer-dependent properties. Moreover, the functional modules formed by the harmful genes were consistently associated with cell cycle in 12 out of the 16 cancer types and pan-cancer, showing that dysregulation of the cell cycle could harm patient prognosis in cancer. The functional modules formed by the protective genes are more diverse in cancers; the most prevalent functions are relevant for immune response, implying that patients with different cancer types might develop different mechanisms against carcinogenesis. We also identified a harmful set of 10 genes, with potential as prognostic biomarkers in pan-cancer. Briefly, our results demonstrated that the survival-influential genes could reveal underlying mechanisms in carcinogenesis and might provide clues for developing therapeutic targets for cancers.

Similarities between Tumour Immune Response and Chronic Wound Microenvironment: Influence of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells

Tumours are characterized by a state of chronic inflammation and are regarded as wounds that never heal. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are being considered as a possible treatment option. While MSCs can regulate the immune system, migrate to sites of inflammation, and are naturally immune-privileged, there have been contradictory reports on the role of these cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Some studies have suggested that MSCs promote tumourigenesis while others have suggested the contrary. To better evaluate the role of MSCs in the TME, it may be helpful to understand the role of MSCs in chronic wounds. Here, we discuss the role of MSCs in chronic wounds and extrapolate this to the TME. Chronic wounds are stuck in the inflammatory phase of wound healing, while in the case of the TME, both the inflammatory and proliferative phases are exploited. MSCs in chronic wounds promote a switch in macrophage phenotype from proinflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2), thereby suppressing T, B, and natural killer cells, consequently promoting wound healing. In the case of the TME, MSCs are reported to promote tumorigenesis by suppressing T, B, and natural killer cells in addition to dendritic cells, cytotoxic T cells, and Th1-associated cytokines, thereby promoting tumour growth. Some studies have however suggested that MSCs inhibit tumourigenesis, depending on the source of the MSCs and the specific mediators involved. Therefore, the role of MSCs in the TME appears to be complex and may result in variable outcomes. Compelling evidence to suggest that MSCs are an effective treatment option against tumour progression is lacking.

Novel fluorescent biosensor for carcinoembryonic antigen determination via atom transfer radical polymerization with a macroinitiator

A novel fluorescence method for CEA via β-CD and BIBB-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was reported.

Cellulose nanocrystalline and sodium benzenesulfonate-doped polypyrrole nano-hydrogel/Au composites for ultrasensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen

Scheme illustrates the fabrication procedures of the proposed immunosensor. The proposed immunosensor shows ultrasensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen.

Association of Epstein-Barr virus infection with peripheral immune parameters and clinical outcome in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with peripheral blood immune cell counts and clinical outcomes in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. In a retrospective design, 146 patients with NPC at stage IV were enrolled in this study. The association of EBV status with peripheral blood immune cell counts, distant metastases, and long-term survival in patients with advanced NPC were determined. Eighty-seven (59.6%) of all patients were positive for EBV. Compared with patients with normal NK cell count, patients with lower NK cell count showed a significantly lower EBV viral load (median: 614.0 vs. 2190.0 copies/mL, P = 0.024). EBV-positive patients showed a significantly higher incidence of liver metastasis than EBV-negative patients (32.6% vs. 23.7%, P = 0.021). Multi-variant regression analysis showed that EBV infection was independently associated with liver metastasis (OR: 2.33, P = 0.043). EBV positive patients showed a significantly worse PFS (P = 0.001) and OS (P = 0.001) than EBV negative patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that EBV infection was independently associated with a worse PFS (HR: 1.94, P = 0.003), and OS (HR: 2.12, P = 0.014) in advanced NPC. In conclusion, EBV infection is associated with a high risk of liver metastasis and is also an independent negative predictor for PFS and OS in patients with advanced NPC. EBV infection is associated with lower CD8% and higher NK%, while lower NK cell count is associated with lower EBV viral load.

Nutritional assessment and surgical outcomes in very elderly patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

To evaluate and compare the nutritional factors and clinical outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy between elderly and non-elderly patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study evaluated 122 consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy from April 2008 to April 2020. Preoperative and postoperative nutritional factors (prognostic nutritional index), complication rates, and survival rates were compared between the elderly (≥ 80 years) and non-elderly (< 80 years) patient groups. Changes in nutrition markers were evaluated before surgery to 1 year after surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 20 elderly patients (16.4%) and 102 non-elderly patients (83.6%) underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Elderly patients had a significantly lower preoperative prognostic nutritional index than did non-elderly patients. At 3 months postoperatively, elderly patients had a lower albumin level and prognostic nutritional index. The median length of hospital stay was significantly longer (39.9 vs. 27 days, P = 0.004), the rate of death due to other diseases was higher, and the overall survival rate was significantly lower (1-/3-/5 year overall survival rates: 78.1%/26.7%/13.3% vs. 87.1%/54.4%/46.7%; log-rank test, P = 0.003) in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that careful patient selection and optimal perioperative care are necessary to determine whether pancreaticoduodenectomy is indicated for elderly patients.

Multi-Domain Networks Association for Biological Data Using Block Signed Graph Clustering

Multi-domain biological network association and clustering have attracted a lot of attention in biological data integration and understanding, which can provide a more global and accurate understanding of biological phenomenon. In many problems, different domains may have different cluster structures. Due to rapid growth of data collection from different sources, some domains may be strongly or weakly associated with the other domains. A key challenge is how to determine the degree of association among different domains, and to achieve accurate clustering results by data integration. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised learning approach for multi-domain network association by using block signed graph clustering. In particular, with consistency weights calculation, the proposed algorithm automatically identify domains relevant to each other strongly (or weakly) by assigning them larger (or smaller) weights. This approach not only significantly improve clustering accuracy but also understand multi-domain networks association. In each iteration of the proposed algorithm, we update consistency weights based on cluster structure of each domain, and then make use of different sets of eigenvectors to obtain different cluster structures in each domain. Experimental results on both synthetic data sets and real data sets (including neuron activity data and gene expression data) empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in clustering performance and in domain association capability.

A novel electrochemical immunosensor based on CoS2 for early screening of tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen

In this work, PANI–HRP nanoparticles integrate biometric recognition and signal amplification functions in one body, which can be converted to each other without consuming the material itself.

Molecular design and optimization of hepatic cancer SLP76-derived PLCγ1 SH3-binding peptide with the systematic N-substitution of peptide PXXP motif

The phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) is essential for T-cell signaling and activation in hepatic cancer immune response, which has a regulatory Src homology 3 (SH3) domain that can specifically recognize and interact with the PXXP-containing decapeptide segment (¹⁸⁵ QPPVPPQRPM¹⁹⁴ , termed as SLP76^185-194 peptide) of adaptor protein SLP76 following T-cell receptor ligation. The isolated peptide can only bind to the PLCγ1 SH3 domain with a moderate affinity due to lack of protein context support. Instead of the traditional natural residue mutagenesis that is limited by low structural diversity and shifted target specificity, we herein attempt to improve the peptide affinity by replacing the two key proline residues Pro187 and Pro190 of SLP76^185-194 PXXP motif with nonnatural N-substituted amino acids, as the proline is the only endogenous N-substituted amino acid. The replacement would increase peptide flexibility but can restore peptide activity by establishing additional interactions with the domain. Structural analysis reveals that the domain pocket can be divided into a large amphipathic region and a small negatively charged region; they accommodate hydrophobic, aromatic, polar, and moderate-sized N-substituted amino acid types. A systematic replacement combination profile between the peptide residues Pro187 and Pro190 is created by structural modeling, dynamics simulation, and energetics analysis, from which six improved and two reduced N-substituted peptides as well as native SLP76^185-194 peptide are identified and tested for their binding affinity to the recombinant protein of the human PLCγ1 SH3 domain using fluorescence-based assays. Two N-substituted peptides, SLP76^185-194 (N-Leu187/N-Gln190) and SLP76^185-194 (N-Thr187/N-Gln190), are designed to have high potency (K_d  = 0.67 ± 0.18 and 1.7 ± 0.3 μM, respectively), with affinity improvement by, respectively, 8.5-fold and 3.4-fold relative to native peptide (K_d  = 5.7 ± 1.2 μM).

GScluster: network-weighted gene-set clustering analysis

Background

Gene-set analysis (GSA) has been commonly used to identify significantly altered pathways or functions from omics data. However, GSA often yields a long list of gene-sets, necessitating efficient post-processing for improved interpretation. Existing methods cluster the gene-sets based on the extent of their overlap to summarize the GSA results without considering interactions between gene-sets.

Results

Here, we presented a novel network-weighted gene-set clustering that incorporates both the gene-set overlap and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Three examples were demonstrated for microarray gene expression, GWAS summary, and RNA-sequencing data to which different GSA methods were applied. These examples as well as a global analysis show that the proposed method increases PPI densities and functional relevance of the resulting clusters. Additionally, distinct properties of gene-set distance measures were compared. The methods are implemented as an R/Shiny package GScluster that provides gene-set clustering and diverse functions for visualization of gene-sets and PPI networks.

Conclusions

Network-weighted gene-set clustering provides functionally more relevant gene-set clusters and related network analysis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5738-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Molecular Network-Based Drug Prediction in Thyroid Cancer

As a common malignant tumor disease, thyroid cancer lacks effective preventive and therapeutic drugs. Thus, it is crucial to provide an effective drug selection method for thyroid cancer patients. The connectivity map (CMAP) project provides an experimental validated strategy to repurpose and optimize cancer drugs, the rationale behind which is to select drugs to reverse the gene expression variations induced by cancer. However, it has a few limitations. Firstly, CMAP was performed on cell lines, which are usually different from human tissues. Secondly, only gene expression information was considered, while the information about gene regulations and modules/pathways was more or less ignored. In this study, we first measured comprehensively the perturbations of thyroid cancer on a patient including variations at gene expression level, gene co-expression level and gene module level. After that, we provided a drug selection pipeline to reverse the perturbations based on drug signatures derived from tissue studies. We applied the analyses pipeline to the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) thyroid cancer data consisting of 56 normal and 500 cancer samples. As a result, we obtained 812 up-regulated and 213 down-regulated genes, whose functions are significantly enriched in extracellular matrix and receptor localization to synapses. In addition, a total of 33,778 significant differentiated co-expressed gene pairs were found, which form a larger module associated with impaired immune function and low immunity. Finally, we predicted drugs and gene perturbations that could reverse the gene expression and co-expression changes incurred by the development of thyroid cancer through the Fisher’s exact test. Top predicted drugs included validated drugs like baclofen, nevirapine, glucocorticoid, formaldehyde and so on. Combining our analyses with literature mining, we inferred that the regulation of thyroid hormone secretion might be closely related to the inhibition of the proliferation of thyroid cancer cells.

T cell dysfunction in chronic hepatitis B infection and liver cancer: evidence from transcriptome analysis

BACKGROUND

T cell dysfunction occurs in many diseases, especially in chronic virus infection and cancers. However, up to now, little is known on the distinctions in T cell exhaustion between cancer and chronic virus infection. The objective of this study is to explore the transcriptional similarities and differences in exhausted CD8 +T cell between chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

RNA sequencing was performed to compare the transcriptome of CD8 +T cells isolated from healthy donors' blood, tumour tissues of patients with HCC and chronic HBV infected HCC patients' paracancerous tissues. DESeq2 algorithm was used to determine differentially expressed genes. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was conducted for in-depth analysis of these differentially expressed genes.

RESULTS

A total number of 2109 and 2203 genes were differentially expressed in patients with chronic HBV infection and HCC, respectively. Comparing these two groups of differentially deregulated genes, we found that nearly half of them were shared, and these shared genes were further classified into several functional categories, such as metabolic process, binding and intracellular organelle. KEGG analysis revealed that these shared deregulated genes were involved in many important pathways such as Parkinson's disease, oxidative phosphorylation and messenger RNA surveillance. Interestingly, we reported that chronic HBV infection specific deregulated genes were mainly enriched in graft versus host disease, allograft rejection, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis pathways. Whereas, HCC-specific deregulated genes were highly enriched in oxidative phosphorylation, thyroid cancer and endometrial cancer pathways.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that T cell dysfunction associated with HCC and chronic HBV infection shares high similarities, however, each possesses its own features in terms of specific genes and signalling pathways. Uncovering the differences of T cells dysfunction would facilitate our understanding the diseases pathogenesis and developing innovative therapies in the future.

Effect of dietary supplement from mono-culture fermentation of Moringa oleifera seeds by Rhizopus stolonifer on hematology and markers linked to hypercholesterolemia in rat model

Mono-culture fermentation by Rhizopus stolonifer could promote the healthiness of immune systems and cholesterol levels. Hence, we examined the effect of diet from mono-culture fermentation of Moringa oleifera seeds by R. stolonifer (MCF-MORS) on hematological parameters and fundamental indicators of hypercholesterolemia in rat. The animals were divided into six groups (n = 6). Group 1 was placed on basal diet. Group II, III, IV and V were placed on a basal diets supplemented with 7.5%, 15%, 22.5% and 30%, respectively, of MCF-MORS. Group VI was placed on basal diet fed with unfermented M. oleifera seeds (UF-MOS). The experiment lasted for eight weeks. The results revealed 7.5% MCF-MORS as better biological method to augment PCV, RBC and Hb count in animal model. Also, 7.5% and/or 15% MCF-MORS demonstrated highest levels in centrophils, neutrophils and eosinophils, whereas the levels of lymphocytes, basophils and monocytes showed no significant difference. Similarly, 7.5% and 15% MCF-MORS modulated LDL and HDL, respectively, better than UF-MOS; but showing no difference in cholesterol level. MCF-MORS also maintained architectural integrity of villi and splenocytes better than UF-MOS. We therefore concluded that diet from MCF-MORS at 7.5% and 15% modulates HDL, LDL, cholesterol and immune system-related disorders better than UF-MOS in rat model.

Atezolizumab-related encephalitis in the intensive care unit: Case report and review of the literature

Atezolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets programmed death ligand-1. Treatments with this drug may cause immune-related adverse events by creating an exaggerated inflammatory response. The most common side effects are fatigue, rash, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Cases of central nervous system toxicity such as encephalitis and encephalopathy are uncommon. We present the case of a 53-year-old female with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix who presented to the emergency room 13 days after receiving atezolizumab with altered mental status, headache, and meningeal signs. She was admitted to the intensive care unit. Infectious, anatomical, and neoplastic etiologies were ruled out. Auto-immune meningoencephalitis was diagnosed and treated with high-dose steroids. Within 10 days of the diagnosis, she had clinical, radiological, and laboratory improvement. Given the increasing use of novel immunotherapies and life-threatening side effects associated with them, healthcare providers in the intensive care unit should be aware of their diagnosis and management.

Comparisons of gene coexpression network modules in breast cancer and ovarian cancer

Background

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer are hormone driven and are known to have some predisposition genes in common such as the two well known cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. The objective of this study is to compare the coexpression network modules of both cancers, so as to infer the potential cancer-related modules.

Methods

We applied the eigen-decomposition to the matrix that integrates the gene coexpression networks of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. With hierarchical clustering of the related eigenvectors, we obtained the network modules of both cancers simultaneously. Enrichment analysis on Gene Ontology (GO), KEGG pathway, Disease Ontology (DO), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) in the identified modules was performed.

Results

We identified 43 modules that are enriched by at least one of the four types of enrichments. 31, 25, and 18 modules are enriched by GO terms, KEGG pathways, and DO terms, respectively. The structure of 29 modules in both cancers is significantly different with p-values less than 0.05, of which 25 modules have larger densities in ovarian cancer. One module was found to be significantly enriched by the terms related to breast cancer from GO, KEGG and DO enrichment. One module was found to be significantly enriched by ovarian cancer related terms.

Conclusion

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer share some common properties on the module level. Integration of both cancers helps identifying the potential cancer associated modules.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12918-018-0530-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Processing Escape Mechanisms Through Altered Proteasomal Cleavage of Epitopes Affect Immune Response in Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Background:

Immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibition, is one of the most sophisticated approaches in cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibition has already been successfully applied for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and various other entities. Unfortunately, 60% of the cases show signs of therapy resistance. Additionally, a proportion of cases shows initial insensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibition. We consider a novel escape mechanism in association with deficient proteasomal epitope processing to be one prominent reason for initial insensitivity and therapy resistance. Therefore, we aim to identify mutations in association with these so-called processing escapes, in a highly diverse collective of pulmonary neuroendocrine lung tumors.

Materials and Methods:

Seventy representative tumor specimens of pulmonary neuroendocrine lung tumors were analyzed retrospectively via immunohistochemical detection of CD4, CD8, CD68, and CD20 as well as programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 for tumor immune infiltration and composition. Afterward, samples were screened for alterations in 48 genes, including 221 known mutational hotspots by massive parallel sequencing using the Illumina TruSeq Amplicon-Cancer Panel. For prediction of proteasomal cleavage probabilities, an R implementation of the machine learning tool NetChop 3.1 was utilized.

Results:

Immune cell infiltration of different compositions could be found in the majority of tumors. Deficient epitope processing was revealed to be a common event in those with steady distribution across all different subtypes. Despite immune infiltration, no significant antitumor response could be detected.

Conclusion:

Since it is widely acknowledged that tumors need to avoid the immune system to ensure their survival, processing escapes should already be present during primary tumor development. In line, processing escapes can be found in all tumors, regardless of subtype and mutational burden. Furthermore, there is solid evidence that processing escapes have a negative impact on the antitumor activity of tumor infiltrating immune cells.

Mean platelet volume is associated with lower risk of overall and non-vascular mortality in a general population

Larger mean platelet volume (MPV) has been associated with adverse health outcomes in high-risk populations or patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We tested the association of MPV with mortality in a prospective cohort study including 17,402 subjects randomly recruited from an adult general population within the Moli-sani study (2005–2010). Two distinct subgroups (with or without CVD at baseline) were subsequently analysed. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard models. Over a median follow up of eight years (137,547 person-years), 925 all-cause deaths occurred (330 vascular, 351 cancer and 244 other deaths). In a multivariable model, the highest MPV quintile (mean MPV=10.0 fL), as compared to the lowest one, was associated with reduced risk of overall mortality (HR=0.79; 95 % confidence interval 0.64–0.98), cancer death (HR=0.70; 0.49–1.00) and death from other non- vascular/non cancer causes (HR=0.55; 0.36–0.84) but not with vascular mortality. The inverse association with overall death appeared even stronger in the subgroup without CVD at baseline (HR=0.64; 0.50–0.81). In contrast, within 920 subjects reporting a previous CVD event, larger MPV was associated with higher risk of total mortality (HR=1.69; 1.05–2.72; p for interaction=0.048) and with a trend of risk for other cause-specific deaths. In conclusion, larger MPV is associated with lower risk of overall and non-vascular death in subjects apparently free from CVD, but appears to be a predictive marker of death in patients with CVD history. The latter is a likely effect modifier of the association between MPV and death.

Synergistic Immunostimulatory Effects and Therapeutic Benefit of Combined Histone Deacetylase and Bromodomain Inhibition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Effective therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain challenging despite an increasingly comprehensive understanding of somatically altered oncogenic pathways. It is now clear that therapeutic agents with potential to impact the tumor immune microenvironment potentiate immune-orchestrated therapeutic benefit. Herein, we evaluated the immunoregulatory properties of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and bromodomain inhibitors, two classes of drugs that modulate the epigenome, with a focus on key cell subsets that are engaged in an immune response. By evaluating human peripheral blood and NSCLC tumors, we show that the selective HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat promotes phenotypic changes that support enhanced T-cell activation and improved function of antigen-presenting cells. The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 attenuated CD4⁺FOXP3⁺ T regulatory cell suppressive function and synergized with ricolinostat to facilitate immune-mediated tumor growth arrest, leading to prolonged survival of mice with lung adenocarcinomas. Collectively, our findings highlight the immunomodulatory effects of two epigenetic modifiers that, together, promote T cell-mediated antitumor immunity and demonstrate their therapeutic potential for treatment of NSCLC.Significance: Selective inhibition of HDACs and bromodomain proteins modulates tumor-associated immune cells in a manner that favors improved T-cell function and reduced inhibitory cellular mechanisms. These effects facilitated robust antitumor responses in tumor-bearing mice, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of combining these epigenetic modulators for the treatment of NSCLC. Cancer Discov; 7(8); 852-67. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 783.

The Efficacy of Trastuzumab in Animal Models of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancers and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Trastuzumab is an effective treatment, the first monoclonal antibody directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). To inform the development of other effective treatments we report summary estimates of efficacy of trastuzumab on survival and tumour volume in animal models of breast cancer.

Methods

We searched PubMed and EMBASE systematically to identify publications testing trastuzumab in animal models of breast cancer. Data describing tumour volume, median survival and animal features were extracted and we assessed quality using a 12-item checklist. We analysed the impact of study design and quality and evidence for publication bias.

Results

We included data from 83 studies reporting 169 experiments using 2076 mice. Trastuzumab treatment caused a substantial reduction in tumour growth, with tumours in treated animals growing to 32.6% of the volume of tumours in control animals (95%CI 27.8%-38.2%). Median survival was prolonged by a factor of 1.45 (1.30–1.62). Many study design and quality features accounted for between-study heterogeneity and we found evidence suggesting publication bias.

Conclusion

We have found trastuzumab to be effective in animal breast cancer models across a range of experimental circumstances. However the presence of publication bias and a low prevalence of measures to reduce bias provide a focus for future improvements in preclinical breast cancer research.

Epigenetic therapy in gastrointestinal cancer: the right combination

Epigenetics is a relatively recent field of molecular biology that has arisen over the past 25 years. Cancer is now understood to be a disease of widespread epigenetic dysregulation that interacts extensively with underlying genetic mutations. The development of drugs targeting these processes has rapidly progressed; with several drugs already FDA approved as first-line therapy in hematological malignancies. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers possess high degrees of epigenetic dysregulation, exemplified by subtypes such as CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), and the potential benefit of epigenetic therapy in these cancers is evident. The application of epigenetic drugs in solid tumors, including GI cancers, is just emerging, with increased understanding of the cancer epigenome. In this review, we provide a brief overview of cancer epigenetics and the epigenetic targets of therapy including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling. We discuss the epigenetic drugs currently in use, with a focus on DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, and explain the pharmacokinetic and mechanistic challenges in their application. We present the strategies employed in incorporating these drugs into the treatment of GI cancers, and explain the concept of the cancer stem cell in epigenetic reprogramming and reversal of chemo resistance. We discuss the most promising combination strategies in GI cancers including: (1) epigenetic sensitization to radiotherapy, (2) epigenetic sensitization to cytotoxic chemotherapy, and (3) epigenetic immune modulation and priming for immune therapy. Finally, we present preclinical and clinical trial data employing these strategies thus far in various GI cancers including colorectal, esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer.

MicroRNA Seed Region Length Impact on Target Messenger RNA Expression and Survival in Colorectal Cancer

microRNAs (miRNA) repress messenger RNAs post-transcriptionally through binding to the 3’ UTR of the mRNA with the miRNA seed region. It has been purported that longer seed regions have a greater efficacy on mRNA repression. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating differential expression of miRNAs involved in regulating the immune response, an important mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC), by seed length category. We subsequently evaluated differential expression of these miRNAs’ targets in colonic tissue and the impact of these miRNAs on CRC survival. We determined sequence complementarity between each miRNA seed region and the 3’ UTR of each experimentally verified mRNA target gene. We classified miRNAs into groups based on seed regions matching perfectly to a mRNA UTR with six bases beginning at position two, seven bases beginning at position one, seven bases beginning at position two, or eight bases beginning at position one. We analyzed these groups in terms of miRNA differential expression between carcinoma and normal colorectal mucosa, differential colonic target mRNA expression, and risk of dying from CRC. After correction for multiple comparisons, the proportion of the miRNAs that were associated with differential mRNA expression was 0% for the 6-mer, 13.64% for the 7α-mer group, 12.82% for the 7β-mer group, and 8.70% for the 8-mer group. The proportion of miRNAs associated with survival was 20% for the 6-mer group, 27.27% for the 7α-mer group, 10.23% for the 7β-mer group, and 21.74% for the 8-mer group. We did not see a linear relationship between seed length and miRNA expression dysregulation, mRNA expression, or survival. Our findings do not support the hypothesis the seed region length alone influences mRNA repression.

CD1A-positive cells and HSP60 (HSPD1) levels in keratoacanthoma and squamous cell carcinoma

CD1a is involved in presentation to the immune system of lipid antigen derived from tumor cells with subsequent T cell activation. Hsp60 is a molecular chaperone implicated in carcinogenesis by, for instance, modulating the immune reaction against the tumor. We have previously postulated a synergism between CD1a and Hsp60 as a key factor in the activation of an effective antitumor immune response in squamous epithelia. Keratoacantomas (KAs) are benign tumors that however can transform into squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), but the reasons for this malignization are unknown. In a previous study, we found that CD1a-positive cells are significantly more numerous in KA than in SCC. In this study, we analyzed a series of KAs and SCCs by immunohistochemistry for CD1a and Hsp60. Our results show that the levels of both are significantly lower in KA than in SCC and support the hypothesis that KA may evolve towards SCC if there is a failure of the local modulation of the antitumor immune response. The data also show that immunohistochemistry for CD1a and Hsp60 can be of help in differential diagnosis between KAs and well-differentiated forms of SCC.

Spontaneous Immunity Against the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase ROR1 in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Background

ROR1 is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and several other malignancies but absent in most adult normal tissues. ROR1 is considered an onco-fetal antigen. In the present study we analysed spontaneous humoral and cellular immunity against ROR1 in CLL patients.

Materials and Methods

Antibodies against ROR1 were analysed in 23 patients and 20 healthy donors by ELISA and Western blot. Purified serum IgG from patients was tested for cytotoxicity against CLL cells using the MTT viability assay. A cellular immune response against ROR1 derived HLA-A2 restricted 9 aa and 16 aa long peptides were analysed using peptide loaded dendritic cells co-cultured with autologous T cells from CLL patients (n = 9) and healthy donors (n = 6). IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-17A-secreting T cells were assessed by ELISPOT and a proliferative response using a H3-thymidine incorporation assay.

Results

The majority of CLL patients had antibodies against ROR1. Significantly higher titers of anti-ROR1 antibodies were noted in patients with non-progressive as compared to progressive disease. The extracellular membrane-close ROR1 KNG domain seemed to be an immunodominant epitope. Ten patients with high titers of anti-ROR1 binding antibodies were tested for cytotoxicity. Five of those had cytotoxic anti-ROR1 antibodies against CLL cells. ROR1-specific IFN-γ and IL-17A producing T cells could be detected in CLL patients, preferentially in non-progressive as compared to patients with progressive disease (p<0.05).

Conclusion

ROR1 seemed to spontaneously induce a humoral as well as a T cell response in CLL patients. The data support the notion that ROR1 might be a specific neo-antigen and may serve as a target for immunotherapy.

Functional Module Analysis for Gene Coexpression Networks with Network Integration

Network has been a general tool for studying the complex interactions between different genes, proteins, and other small molecules. Module as a fundamental property of many biological networks has been widely studied and many computational methods have been proposed to identify the modules in an individual network. However, in many cases, a single network is insufficient for module analysis due to the noise in the data or the tuning of parameters when building the biological network. The availability of a large amount of biological networks makes network integration study possible. By integrating such networks, more informative modules for some specific disease can be derived from the networks constructed from different tissues, and consistent factors for different diseases can be inferred. In this paper, we have developed an effective method for module identification from multiple networks under different conditions. The problem is formulated as an optimization model, which combines the module identification in each individual network and alignment of the modules from different networks together. An approximation algorithm based on eigenvector computation is proposed. Our method outperforms the existing methods, especially when the underlying modules in multiple networks are different in simulation studies. We also applied our method to two groups of gene coexpression networks for humans, which include one for three different cancers, and one for three tissues from the morbidly obese patients. We identified 13 modules with three complete subgraphs, and 11 modules with two complete subgraphs, respectively. The modules were validated through Gene Ontology enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. We also showed that the main functions of most modules for the corresponding disease have been addressed by other researchers, which may provide the theoretical basis for further studying the modules experimentally.

Dendritic cell-based vaccines: clinical applications in breast cancer

Recent evidence suggests that the immune system is involved in the carcinogenesis process and the antitumor immune responses impact the clinical outcome, thus emphasizing the concept of cancer immune surveillance. In this context, dendritic cells (DCs) seem to play a crucial role, as they are the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and are able to stimulate naive T lymphocytes and to generate memory T lymphocytes. Immunotherapy with DC-based vaccines is a very attractive approach to treat cancer, offering the potential for high tumor-specific cytotoxicity. Although breast cancer (BC) is traditionally considered a poorly immunogenic tumor, increasing numbers of both preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that vaccination with DCs is capable of inducing an antitumor-specific response, while being well tolerated and safe. However, clinical objective responses are still disappointing and many reasons may explain the difficulty of developing effective DC-based therapies for BC. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of DCs, and the major clinical indications for DC-based immunotherapy in BC with related drawbacks.

An optimized predictor panel for colorectal cancer diagnosis based on the combination of tumor-associated antigens obtained from protein and phage microarrays

Humoral response in cancer patients appears early in cancer progression and can be used for diagnosis, including early detection. By using human recombinant protein and T7 phage microarrays displaying colorectal cancer (CRC)-specific peptides, we previously selected 6 phages and 6 human recombinant proteins as tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) with high diagnostic value. After completing validation in biological samples, TAAs were classified according to their correlation, redundancy in reactivity patterns and multiplex diagnostic capabilities. For predictor model optimization, TAAs were reanalyzed with a new set of samples. A combination of three phages displaying peptides homologous to GRN, NHSL1 and SREBF2 and four proteins PIM1, MAPKAPK3, FGFR4 and ACVR2B, achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 94%, with a sensitivity of 89.1% and specificity of 90.0%, to correctly predict the presence of cancer. For early colorectal cancer stages, the AUC was 90%, with a sensitivity of 88.2% and specificity of 82.6%. In summary, we have defined an optimized predictor panel, combining TAAs from different sources, with highly improved accuracy and diagnostic value for colorectal cancer. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translational Proteomics.

Hepatocellular carcinoma-specific immunotherapy with synthesized α1,3- galactosyl epitope-pulsed dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells

AIM: To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a new immunotherapy using both α-Gal epitope-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer cells.

METHODS: Freshly collected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor tissues were incubated with a mixture of neuraminidase and recombinant α1,3-galactosyltransferase (α1,3GT) to synthesize α-Gal epitopes on carbohydrate chains of the glycoproteins of tumor membranes. The subsequent incubation of the processed membranes in the presence of human natural anti-Gal IgG resulted in the effective phagocytosis to the tumor membrane by DCs. Eighteen patients aged 38-78 years with stage III primary HCC were randomLy chosen for the study; 9 patients served as controls, and 9 patients were enrolled in the study group.

RESULTS: The evaluation demonstrated that the procedure was safe; no serious side effects or autoimmune diseases were observed. The therapy significantly prolonged the survival of treated patients as compared with the controls (17.1 ± 2.01 mo vs 10.1 ± 4.5 mo, P = 0.00121). After treatment, all patients in the study group had positive delayed hypersensitivity and robust systemic cytotoxicity in response to tumor lysate as measured by interferon-γ-expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay. They also displayed increased numbers of CD8-, CD45RO- and CD56-positive cells in the peripheral blood and decreased α-fetoprotein level in the serum.

CONCLUSION: This new tumor-specific immunotherapy is safe, effective and has a great potential for the treatment of tumors.

Identification and characterization of novel immunomodulatory bursal-derived pentapeptide-II (BPP-II)

The bursa of Fabricius, the acknowledged central humoral immune organ, plays a vital role in B lymphocyte differentiation. However, there are few reports of the molecular basis of the mechanism on immune induction and potential antitumor activity of bursal-derived peptides. In this paper, a novel bursal-derived pentapeptide-II (BPP-II, MTLTG) was isolated and exerted immunomodulatory functions on antibody responses in vitro. Gene microarray analyses demonstrated that BPP-II regulated expression of 2478 genes in a mouse-derived hybridoma cell line. Immune-related gene ontology functional procedures were employed for further functional analysis. Furthermore, the majority of BPP-II-regulated pathways were associated with immune responses and tumor processes. Moreover, BPP-II exhibited immunomodulatory effects on antigen-specific immune responses in vivo, including enhancement of avian influenza virus (H9N2 subtype)-specific antibody and cytokine production and modification of T cell immunophenotypes and lymphocyte proliferation. Finally, BPP-II triggered p53 expression and stabilization and selectively inhibited tumor cell proliferation. These data identified the multifunctional factor, BPP-II, as a novel biomaterial representing an important linking between the humoral central immune system and immune induction, including antitumor. Information generated in this study elucidates further the mechanisms involved in humoral immune system and represents the potential basis of effective immunotherapeutic strategies for treating human tumors and immune improvement.

Pancreatic cancer alters human CD4+ T lymphocyte function: a piece in the immune evasion puzzle

OBJECTIVES

To verify whether the dysregulation of CD4 T cells concurs in worsening the outcome of pancreatic cancer, we compared the effects of pancreatic cancer and other gastrointestinal cancer cell-conditioned media on the (1) proliferation, migration, and differentiation of CD4 T cells and (2) expansion of CD4 memory (CD45RO), naive (CD45RA), activated (CD69), and regulatory (CD25) subsets.

METHODS

After culture of CD4 T cells in control, pancreatic (BxPC3, Capan1, MiaPaCa2), or gastrointestinal cancer (AGS, HepG2, HT29) cell-conditioned media, we evaluated proliferation, migration, interferon γ (IFNγ) production, and CD45RA, CD45RO, CD69, and CD25 membrane expression in control and conditioned CD4 T cells.

RESULTS

Only pancreatic cancer-conditioned media (1) inhibited CD4 T-cell proliferation (P < 0.001) and migration under human stromal cell-derived factor-α chemotaxis (P < 0.001) and (2) induced CD4 T-cell IFNγ production (P < 0.05) and the expansion of the CD69-positive subset (P < 0.001) with respect to the control, with no changes being found in the CD45RA, CD45RO, and CD25 subsets.

CONCLUSIONS

The in vitro findings achieved in the present study demonstrate that pancreatic cancer cells inhibit CD4 T-cell proliferation and migration, induce IFNγ production, and favor a CD69 subset expansion, suggesting that CD4 T cells play an important role in pancreatic cancer immune evasion.