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Du W, Tang Z, Du A, Yang Q, Xu R. Bidirectional crosstalk between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunotherapy: A bibliometric study. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2328403. [PMID: 38502119 PMCID: PMC10956627 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2328403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has recently attracted considerable attention. However, currently, a thorough analysis of the trends associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immunotherapy is lacking. In this study, we used bibliometric tools to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress in EMT-immunotherapy research. A total of 1,302 articles related to EMT and immunotherapy were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The analysis indicated that in terms of the volume of research, China was the most productive country (49.07%, 639), followed by the United States (16.89%, 220) and Italy (3.6%, 47). The United States was the most influential country according to the frequency of citations and citation burstiness. The results also suggested that Frontiers in Immunotherapy can be considered as the most influential journal with respect to the number of articles and impact factors. "Immune infiltration," "bioinformatics analysis," "traditional Chinese medicine," "gene signature," and "ferroptosis" were found to be emerging keywords in EMT-immunotherapy research. These findings point to potential new directions that can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of immunotherapy and EMT and help develop strategies for improving immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Du
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
| | - Zemin Tang
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
| | - Ashuai Du
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qinglong Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of General Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Pathology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People’s Hospital of Changde City), Changde, Hunan, China
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2
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Wu Y, Zhang G, Yin P, Wen J, Su Y, Zhang X. Brusatol improves the efficacy of an anti-mouse-PD-1 antibody via inhibiting programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 expression in a murine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma model. Arch Oral Biol 2024; 166:106043. [PMID: 38968906 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.106043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Combing PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors with natural products has exhibited better efficacy than monotherapy. Hence, the purpose of this research was to examine the anti-cancer effects of brusatol, a natural quassinoid-terpenoid derived from Brucea javanica, when used in conjunction with an anti-mouse-PD-1 antibody in a murine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) model and elucidate underlying mechanisms. DESIGN A murine HNSCC model and an SCC-15 cell xenograft nude mouse model were established to investigate the anti-cancer effects of brusatol and anti-PD-1 antibody. Mechanistic studies were performed using immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and invasion were evaluated by MTT, migration, colony formation, and transwell invasion assays. PD-L1 levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells were assessed through qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, and western blotting assays. The impact of brusatol on Jurkat T cell function was assessed by an OSCC/Jurkat co-culture assay. RESULTS Brusatol improved tumor suppression by anti-PD-1 antibody in HNSCC mouse models. Mechanistic studies revealed brusatol inhibited tumor cell growth and angiogenesis, induced apoptosis, increased T lymphocyte infiltration, and reduced PD-L1 expression in tumors. Furthermore, in vitro assays confirmed brusatol inhibited PD-L1 expression in OSCC cells and suppressed cell migration, colony formation, and invasion. Co-culture assays indicated that brusatol's PD-L1 inhibition enhanced Jurkat T cell-mediated OSCC cell death and reversed the inhibitory effect induced by OSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS Brusatol improves anti-PD-1 antibody efficacy by targeting PD-L1, suggesting its potential as an adjuvant in anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Wu
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Guilian Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China; Department of Stomatology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Panpan Yin
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jinlin Wen
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Ying Su
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xinyan Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, No.4 Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China.
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3
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Jeong H, Koh J, Kim S, Song SG, Lee SH, Jeon Y, Lee CH, Keam B, Lee SH, Chung DH, Jeon YK. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 signaling predicts a poor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in PD-L1-high lung cancer. Br J Cancer 2024; 131:23-36. [PMID: 38729997 PMCID: PMC11231337 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We investigated the role of tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 signaling in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the role of EMT as a predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. METHODS PD-L1-overexpressing or PD-L1-knockdown NSCLC cells underwent RNA-seq and EMT phenotype assessment. Mouse lung cancer LLC cells were injected into nude mice. Two cohorts of patients with NSCLC undergoing ICI therapy were analyzed. RESULTS RNA-seq showed that EMT pathways were enriched in PD-L1-high NSCLC cells. EMT was enhanced by PD-L1 in NSCLC cells, which was mediated by transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ). PD-L1 promoted the activation of p38-MAPK by binding to and inhibiting the protein phosphatase PPM1B, thereby increasing the TGFβ production. Tumor growth and metastasis increased in nude mice injected with PD-L1-overexpressing LLC cells. In the ICI cohort, EMT signature was higher in patients with progressive disease than in those with responses, and EMT was significantly associated with poor survival in PD-L1-high NSCLC. In PD-L1-high NSCLC, EMT was associated with increased M2-macrophage and regulatory T-cell infiltrations and decreased cytotoxic T-cell infiltration. CONCLUSIONS Tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 function contributes to NSCLC progression by promoting EMT. EMT may predict an unfavorable outcome after ICI therapy in PD-L1-high NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyein Jeong
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdiscipilinary Program of Cancer Biology, Seoul National University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemoon Koh
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sehui Kim
- Department of Pathology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Geun Song
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Lee
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- BK21 FOUR Biomedical Science Project, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngjoo Jeon
- Interdiscipilinary Program of Cancer Biology, Seoul National University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Hwan Lee
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- BK21 FOUR Biomedical Science Project, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bhumsuk Keam
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Hoon Lee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Doo Hyun Chung
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- BK21 FOUR Biomedical Science Project, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Kyung Jeon
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Interdiscipilinary Program of Cancer Biology, Seoul National University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Khameneh SC, Razi S, Lashanizadegan R, Akbari S, Sayaf M, Haghani K, Bakhtiyari S. MicroRNA-mediated metabolic regulation of immune cells in cancer: an updated review. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1424909. [PMID: 39007129 PMCID: PMC11239499 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1424909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of immunometabolism, which examines how immune cells regulate their metabolism to maintain optimal performance, has become an important area of focus in cancer immunology. Recent advancements in this field have highlighted the intricate connection between metabolism and immune cell function, emphasizing the need for further research. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have gained attention for their ability to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and impact various biological processes, including immune function and cancer progression. While the role of miRNAs in immunometabolism is still being explored, recent studies have demonstrated their significant influence on the metabolic activity of immune cells, such as macrophages, T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells, particularly in cancer contexts. Disrupted immune cell metabolism is a hallmark of cancer progression, and miRNAs have been linked to this process. Understanding the precise impact of miRNAs on immune cell metabolism in cancer is essential for the development of immunotherapeutic approaches. Targeting miRNAs may hold potential for creating groundbreaking cancer immunotherapies to reshape the tumor environment and improve treatment outcomes. In summary, the recognition of miRNAs as key regulators of immune cell metabolism across various cancers offers promising potential for refining cancer immunotherapies. Further investigation into how miRNAs affect immune cell metabolism could identify novel therapeutic targets and lead to the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Razi
- Vira Ideators of Modern Science, Tehran, Iran
- Vira Pioneers of Modern Science (VIPOMS), Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Masoud Sayaf
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Azad University Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Karimeh Haghani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Salar Bakhtiyari
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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5
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Lorenzo-Sanz L, Lopez-Cerda M, da Silva-Diz V, Artés MH, Llop S, Penin RM, Bermejo JO, Gonzalez-Suarez E, Esteller M, Viñals F, Espinosa E, Oliva M, Piulats JM, Martin-Liberal J, Muñoz P. Cancer cell plasticity defines response to immunotherapy in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5352. [PMID: 38914547 PMCID: PMC11196727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49718-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) approaches have changed the therapeutic landscape for many tumor types. However, half of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) patients remain unresponsive or develop resistance. Here, we show that, during cSCC progression in male mice, cancer cells acquire epithelial/mesenchymal plasticity and change their immune checkpoint (IC) ligand profile according to their features, dictating the IC pathways involved in immune evasion. Epithelial cancer cells, through the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, and mesenchymal cancer cells, through the CTLA-4/CD80 and TIGIT/CD155 pathways, differentially block antitumor immune responses and determine the response to ICB therapies. Accordingly, the anti-PD-L1/TIGIT combination is the most effective strategy for blocking the growth of cSCCs that contain both epithelial and mesenchymal cancer cells. The expression of E-cadherin/Vimentin/CD80/CD155 proteins in cSCC, HNSCC and melanoma patient samples predicts response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Collectively, our findings indicate that the selection of ICB therapies should take into account the epithelial/mesenchymal features of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lorenzo-Sanz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marta Lopez-Cerda
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria da Silva-Diz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, 08901, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Marta H Artés
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Llop
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M Penin
- Pathology Service, Bellvitge University Hospital/IDIBELL, 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Oriol Bermejo
- Plastic Surgery Unit, Bellvitge University Hospital/IDIBELL, 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Gonzalez-Suarez
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Molecular Oncology, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), ISCIII, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010, Barcelona, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08908, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Viñals
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08908, Barcelona, Spain
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO)/IDIBELL, 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrique Espinosa
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), ISCIII, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), 28046, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marc Oliva
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Piulats
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Martin-Liberal
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Purificación Muñoz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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6
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Nucera F, Ruggeri P, Spagnolo CC, Santarpia M, Ieni A, Monaco F, Tuccari G, Pioggia G, Gangemi S. MiRNAs and Microbiota in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Implications in Pathogenesis and Potential Role in Predicting Response to ICI Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6685. [PMID: 38928392 PMCID: PMC11203619 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in both men and women and today is still characterized by high mortality and lethality. Several biomarkers have been identified for evaluating the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and selecting the most effective therapeutic strategy for these patients. The introduction of innovative targeted therapies and immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of NSCLC both in advanced stages and, more recently, also in early stages, has revolutionized and significantly improved the therapeutic scenario for these patients. Promising evidence has also been shown by analyzing both micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and the lung/gut microbiota. MiRNAs belong to the large family of non-coding RNAs and play a role in the modulation of several key mechanisms in cells such as proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, and apoptosis. On the other hand, the microbiota (a group of several microorganisms found in human orgasms such as the gut and lungs and mainly composed by bacteria) plays a key role in the modulation of inflammation and, in particular, in the immune response. Some data have shown that the microbiota and the related microbiome can modulate miRNAs expression and vice versa by regulating several intracellular signaling pathways that are known to play a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. This evidence suggests that this axis is key to predicting the prognosis and effectiveness of ICIs in NSCLC treatment and could represent a new target in the treatment of NSCLC. In this review, we highlight the most recent evidence and data regarding the role of both miRNAs and the lung/gut microbiome in the prediction of prognosis and response to ICI treatment, focusing on the link between miRNAs and the microbiome. A new potential interaction based on the underlying modulated intracellular signaling pathways is also shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Nucera
- Pneumologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Odontoiatriche e delle Immagini Morfologiche e Funzionali (BIOMORF), Università degli Studi di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
| | - Paolo Ruggeri
- Pneumologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Odontoiatriche e delle Immagini Morfologiche e Funzionali (BIOMORF), Università degli Studi di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
| | - Calogera Claudia Spagnolo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (C.C.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Mariacarmela Santarpia
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (C.C.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Antonio Ieni
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, Section of Anatomic Pathology, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (G.T.)
| | - Francesco Monaco
- Chirurgia Toracica, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Odontoiatriche e delle Immagini Morfologiche e Funzionali (BIOMORF), Università degli Studi di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Tuccari
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, Section of Anatomic Pathology, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (G.T.)
| | - Giovanni Pioggia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 98164 Messina, Italy;
| | - Sebastiano Gangemi
- Operative Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy;
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7
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Tanaka T, Koga H, Suzuki H, Iwamoto H, Sakaue T, Masuda A, Nakamura T, Akiba J, Yano H, Torimura T, Kawaguchi T. Anti-PD-L1 antibodies promote cellular proliferation by activating the PD-L1-AXL signal relay in liver cancer cells. Hepatol Int 2024; 18:984-997. [PMID: 37553470 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-023-10572-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are emerging treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, evidence has shown they may induce hyperprogressive disease via unexplained mechanisms. METHODS In this study, we investigated the possible stimulative effect of ICIs on programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-harboring liver cancer cells under immunocompetent cell-free conditions. RESULTS The sarcomatous HAK-5 cell line displayed the highest expression of PD-L1 among 11 human liver cancer cell lines used in this study. HLF showed moderate expression, while HepG2, Hep3B, and HuH-7 did not show any. Moreover, sarcomatous HCC tissues expressed high levels of PD-L1. We observed approximately 20% increase in cell proliferation in HAK-5 cells treated with anti-PD-L1 antibodies, such as durvalumab and atezolizumab, for 48 h compared with that of those treated with the control IgG and the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab. No response to durvalumab or atezolizumab was shown in PD-L1-nonexpressing cells. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments for PD-L1 in HAK-5 and HepG2 cells resulted in a significant decrease and increase in cell proliferation, respectively. Phosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinase array and immunoprecipitation revealed direct interactions between PD-L1 and AXL in tumor cells. This was stabilized by extrinsic anti-PD-L1 antibodies in a glycosylated PD-L1-dependent manner. Activation of AXL, triggering signal relay to the Akt and Erk pathways, boosted tumor cell proliferation both in vitro and in xenografted tumors in NOD/SCID mice. CONCLUSION Collectively, this suggests that anti-PD-L1 antibodies stimulate cell proliferation via stabilization of the PD-L1-AXL complex in specific types of liver cancer, including in HCC with mesenchymal components. SIGNIFICANCE Therapeutic anti-PD-L1 antibodies promote cell proliferation by stabilizing the PD-L1-AXL complex in PD-L1-abundant neoplasms, including in HCC with mesenchymal components. Such a mechanism may contribute to the development of hyperprogressive disease.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Mice
- Animals
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Signal Transduction
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/immunology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism
- Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshimitsu Tanaka
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hideki Iwamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takahiko Sakaue
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Atsutaka Masuda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Jun Akiba
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Yano
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takuji Torimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
- Liver Cancer Research Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takumi Kawaguchi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan
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8
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Alqarni A, Jasim SA, Altalbawy FMA, Kaur H, Kaur I, Rodriguez-Benites C, Deorari M, Alwaily ER, Al-Ani AM, Redhee AH. Challenges and opportunities for cancer stem cell-targeted immunotherapies include immune checkpoint inhibitor, cancer stem cell-dendritic cell vaccine, chimeric antigen receptor immune cells, and modified exosomes. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23719. [PMID: 38764138 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are associated with the tumor microenvironment (TME). CSCs induce tumorigenesis, tumor recurrence and progression, and resistance to standard therapies. Indeed, CSCs pose an increasing challenge to current cancer therapy due to their stemness or self-renewal properties. The molecular and cellular interactions between heterogeneous CSCs and surrounding TME components and tumor-supporting immune cells show synergistic effects toward treatment failure. In the immunosuppressive TME, CSCs express various immunoregulatory proteins, growth factors, metabolites and cytokines, and also produce exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicles, to protect themselves from host immune surveillance. Among these, the identification and application of CSC-derived exosomes could be considered for the development of therapeutic approaches to eliminate CSCs or cancer, in addition to targeting the modulators that remodel the composition of the TME, as reviewed in this study. Here, we introduce the role of CSCs and how their interaction with TME complicates immunotherapies, and then present the CSC-based immunotherapy and the limitation of these therapies. We describe the biology and role of tumor/CSC-derived exosomes that induce immune suppression in the TME, and finally, introduce their potentials for the development of CSC-based targeted immunotherapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Alqarni
- Department of Diagnostics Dental Sciences and Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Farag M A Altalbawy
- Department of Chemistry, University College of Duba, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Shobhit University, Gangoh, India
- Department of Health and Allied Sciences, Arka Jain University, Jamshedpur, India
| | - Irwanjot Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, India
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Benites
- Departamento Académico de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú
| | - Mahamedha Deorari
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Enas R Alwaily
- Microbiology Research Group, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen University, Thi Qar, Iraq
| | - Ahmed M Al-Ani
- Department of Medical Engineering, Al-Nisour University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ahmed H Redhee
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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9
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Lan YL, Zou S, Qin B, Zhu X. Analysis of the sodium pump subunit ATP1A3 in glioma patients: Potential value in prognostic prediction and immunotherapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 133:112045. [PMID: 38615384 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The ATP1A3 gene is associated with the development and progression of neurological diseases. However, the pathological function and therapeutic value of ATP1A3 in glioblastoma (GBM) remains unknown. In this study, we tried to explore the correlation between the ATP1A3 gene expression and immune features in GBM samples. We found that ATP1A3 gene expression levels showed significant negative correlation with immune checkpoints such as PD-L1, CTLA-4 and IDO1. Next, ATP1A3 gene expression levels showed significant negative correlation with the anti-cancer immune cell process, the immune score and stromal score. By grouping ATP1A3 expression levels, we found that that immunomodulator-related genes and tumor-associated immune cell effector gene expression levels were associated with lower ATP1A3 expression. In addition, immunotherapy prediction pathway activity and a majority of the anti-cancer immune cell process activity levels were also showed to be correlated with lower ATP1A3 gene expression. Further, nine prognostic factors were identified by prognostic analysis, and a GBM prognostic model (risk score) was established. We applied the model to the TCGA GBM training set sample and the GSE4412 validation set sample and found that patients in the high risk score subgroup had significantly shorter survival time, demonstrating the prognostic value and prognostic efficacy of the risk score. Furthermore, ATP1A3 overexpression has also been found to sensitize cancer cells to anti-PD-1 therapy. In conclusion, we showed that ATP1A3 is a highly promising treatment target in GBM and the risk score is an independent prognostic factor for cancer and can be used to help guide the prediction of survival time in patients with GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Long Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Shuang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bing Qin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiangdong Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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10
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Lv X, Yang L, Xie Y, Momeni MR. Non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs in lung cancer: insights into their functions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1397788. [PMID: 38859962 PMCID: PMC11163066 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1397788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer worldwide Research points to the pivotal role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in controlling and managing the pathology by controlling essential pathways. ncRNAs have all been identified as being either up- or downregulated among individuals suffering from lung cancer thus hinting that they may play a role in either promoting or suppressing the spread of the disease. Several ncRNAs could be effective non-invasive biomarkers to diagnose or even serve as effective treatment options for those with lung cancer, and several molecules have emerged as potential targets of interest. Given that ncRNAs are contained in exosomes and are implicated in the development and progression of the malady. Herein, we have summarized the role of ncRNAs in lung cancer. Moreover, we highlight the role of exosomal ncRNAs in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Lv
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Changshou, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Tongliang District, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunbo Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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11
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Vinod K, Jadhav SD, Hariharan M. Room Temperature Phosphorescence in Crystalline Iodinated Eumelanin Monomer. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202400499. [PMID: 38502668 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
We report the room temperature phosphorescence upon iodination on a crystalline eumelanin monomer with shielded hydroxyl moieties, ethyl 5,6-dimethoxyindole-2-carboxylate (DMICE). Ultrafast intersystem crossing (ISC) is observed in the iodinated (IDMICE) as well as brominated (BDMICE) analogues of the eumelanin monomer derivative in solution. The triplet quantum yields (φT) and intersystem crossing rates (kISC) of the halogenated eumelanin derivatives areφ T B D M I C E ${{\phi{} }_{T}^{BDMICE}}$ =25.4±1.1 %;k I S C B D M I C E ${{k}_{ISC}^{BDMICE}}$ =1.95×109 s-1 andφ T I D M I C E ${{\phi{} }_{T}^{IDMICE}}$ =59.1±1.6 %;k I S C I D M I C E = ${{k}_{ISC}^{IDMICE}=}$ 1.36×1010 s-1, as monitored using transient absorption spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations based on nuclear ensemble method reveal that computed kISC and spin-orbit coupling matrix elements for eumelanin derivatives are larger for IDMICE relative to BDMICE. The halogen and π-π interactions, with distinct excitonic coupling and higher ISC rate promote phosphorescence in IDMICE molecular crystals. Accessing triplet excited states and resultant photoluminescence through structural modification of eumelanin scaffolds paves way for exploring the versatility of eumelanin-inspired molecules as bio-functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavya Vinod
- School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala P.O., Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, 695551, Kerala, India
| | - Sohan D Jadhav
- School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala P.O., Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, 695551, Kerala, India
| | - Mahesh Hariharan
- School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala P.O., Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, 695551, Kerala, India
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12
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Yu X, Xu J. TWIST1 Drives Cytotoxic CD8+ T-Cell Exhaustion through Transcriptional Activation of CD274 (PD-L1) Expression in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1973. [PMID: 38893094 PMCID: PMC11171171 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In breast cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is positively associated with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and immune escape, and TWIST1 silences ERα expression and induces EMT and cancer metastasis. However, how TWIST1 regulates PD-L1 and immune evasion is unknown. This study analyzed TWIST1 and PD-L1 expression in breast cancers, investigated the mechanism for TWIST1 to regulate PD-L1 transcription, and assessed the effects of TWIST1 and PD-L1 in cancer cells on cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, TWIST1 expression is correlated with high-level PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. The overexpression and knockdown of TWIST1 robustly upregulate and downregulate PD-L1 expression, respectively. TWIST1 binds to the PD-L1 promoter and recruits the TIP60 acetyltransferase complex in a BRD8-dependent manner to transcriptionally activate PD-L1 expression, which significantly accelerates the exhaustion and death of the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Accordingly, knockdown of TWIST1 or BRD8 or inhibition of PD-L1 significantly enhances the tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells to suppress the growth of breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that TWIST1 directly induces PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells to promote immune evasion. Targeting TWIST1, BRD8, and/or PD-L1 in ERα-negative breast cancer cells with TWIST1 expression may sensitize CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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13
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Deshpande V, Lee SH, Crabbe A, Pankaj A, Neyaz A, Ono Y, Rickelt S, Sonal S, Ferrone CR, Ting DT, Patil D, Yilmaz O, Berger D, Yilmaz O. Clinical, pathological, genetics and intratumoural immune milieu of micropapillary carcinoma of the colon. J Clin Pathol 2024; 77:387-393. [PMID: 37258254 DOI: 10.1136/jcp-2023-208895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
AIM Micropapillary carcinoma (MPC) is a recognised WHO variant of colonic carcinoma (CC), although little is known about its prognosis, immune microenvironment and molecular alterations. We investigated its clinical, pathological and immunological characteristics. METHODS We assessed 903 consecutive CCs and used the WHO definition to identify MPC. We recorded serrated and mucinous differentiation and mismatch repair (MMR) status. We performed immunohistochemistry and quantification on tissue microarrays for HLA class I/II proteins, beta-2-microglobulin (B2MG), CD8, CD163, LAG3, PD-L1, FoxP3, PD-L1and BRAF V600E. RESULTS We classified 8.6% (N=78) of CC as MPC. Relative to non-MPC, MPC was more often high grade (p=0.03) and showed serrated morphology (p<0.01); however, we found no association with extramural venous invasion (p=0.41) and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (p=0.95). MPCs showed lower numbers of CD8 positive lymphocytes (p<0.01), lower tumour cell B2MG expression (p=0.04) and lower tumour cell PD-L1 expression (p<0.01). There was no difference in HLA class I/II, LAG3, FOXP3, CD163 and PD-L1 positive histiocytes. There was no association with MMR status or BRAF V600E relative to non-MPC. MPC was not associated with decreased disease-specific survival (p=0.36). CONCLUSION MPCs are associated with high-grade differentiation and a less active immune microenvironment than non-MPC. MPC is not associated with inferior disease-specific survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Soo Hyun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrew Crabbe
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amaya Pankaj
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Azfar Neyaz
- Department of Pathology, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yuho Ono
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steffen Rickelt
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Swati Sonal
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Cristina R Ferrone
- Depatment of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David T Ting
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Deepa Patil
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Omer Yilmaz
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Berger
- Depatment of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Massachusetts Gen Hosp, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Osman Yilmaz
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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14
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He Y, Zhu M, Lai X, Zhang H, Jiang W. The roles of PD-L1 in the various stages of tumor metastasis. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024:10.1007/s10555-024-10189-4. [PMID: 38733457 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10189-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The interaction between tumor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and T-cell programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) has long been acknowledged as a mechanism for evading immune surveillance. Recent studies, however, have unveiled a more nuanced role of tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 in reprograming tumoral phenotypes. Preclinical models emphasize the synchronized effects of both intracellular and extracellular PD-L1 in promoting metastasis, with intricate interactions with the immune system. This review aims to summarize recent findings to elucidate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression and the pro-metastatic roles of PD-L1 in the entire process of tumor metastasis. For example, PD-L1 regulates the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, facilitates the survival of circulating tumor cells, and induces the formation of immunosuppressive environments at pre-metastatic niches and metastatic sites. And the complexed and dynamic regulation process of PD-L1 for tumor metastasis is related to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression and functions from tumor primary sites to various metastatic sites. This review extends the current understandings for the roles of PD-L1 in mediating tumor metastasis and provides new insights into therapeutic decisions in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinjun He
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ming Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xuan Lai
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Honghe Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Weiqin Jiang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University Medical School, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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15
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Spagnolo CC, Pepe F, Ciappina G, Nucera F, Ruggeri P, Squeri A, Speranza D, Silvestris N, Malapelle U, Santarpia M. Circulating biomarkers as predictors of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC: Are we on the right path? Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 197:104332. [PMID: 38580184 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs) have markedly improved the therapeutic management of advanced NSCLC and, more recently, they have demonstrated efficacy also in the early-stage disease. Despite better survival outcomes with ICIs compared to standard chemotherapy, a large proportion of patients can derive limited clinical benefit from these agents. So far, few predictive biomarkers, including the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have been introduced in clinical practice. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel biomarkers to select patients for immunotherapy, to improve efficacy and avoid unnecessary toxicity. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in antitumor immunity and advances in the field of liquid biopsy have led to the identification of a wide range of circulating biomarkers that could potentially predict response to immunotherapy. Herein, we provide an updated overview of these circulating biomarkers, focusing on emerging data from clinical studies and describing modern technologies used for their detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calogera Claudia Spagnolo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Francesco Pepe
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ciappina
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Francesco Nucera
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Paolo Ruggeri
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Andrea Squeri
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Desirèe Speranza
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Mariacarmela Santarpia
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy.
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16
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Lambert AW, Zhang Y, Weinberg RA. Cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental determinants of metastatic colonization. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:687-697. [PMID: 38714854 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01409-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is a biologically complex process that remains a major challenge in the oncology clinic, accounting for nearly all of the mortality associated with malignant neoplasms. To establish metastatic growths, carcinoma cells must disseminate from the primary tumour, survive in unfamiliar tissue microenvironments, re-activate programs of proliferation, and escape innate and adaptive immunosurveillance. The entire process is extremely inefficient and can occur over protracted timescales, yielding only a vanishingly small number of carcinoma cells that are able to complete all of the required steps. Here we review both the cancer-cell-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironmental interactions that enable metastatic colonization. In particular, we highlight recent work on the behaviour of already-disseminated tumour cells, since meaningful progress in treating metastatic disease will clearly require a better understanding of the cells that spawn metastases, which generally have disseminated by the time of initial diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur W Lambert
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Translational Medicine, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Yun Zhang
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Robert A Weinberg
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- MIT Ludwig Center, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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17
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Yee EJ, Gilbert D, Kaplan J, Wani S, Kim SS, McCarter MD, Stewart CL. Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Resectable Gastric Cancer: Analysis from a Western Academic Center. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1428. [PMID: 38611107 PMCID: PMC11010931 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an emerging biomarker predictive of response to immunotherapy across a spectrum of solid organ malignancies. The characterization of TILs in gastric cancer (GC) treated with contemporary, multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is understudied. In this retrospective investigation, we analyzed the degree of infiltration, phenotype, and spatial distribution of TILs via immunohistochemistry within resected GC specimens treated with or without NAC at a Western center. We hypothesized that NAC executes immunostimulatory roles, as evidenced by an increased number of anti-tumor TILs in the tumor microenvironment. We found significantly elevated levels of conventional and memory CD8+ T cells, as well as total TILs (CD4+, CD8+, Treg, B cells), within chemotherapy-treated tumors compared with chemotherapy-naïve specimens. We also revealed important associations between survival and pathologic responses with enhanced TIL infiltration. Taken together, our findings advocate for an immunostimulatory role of chemotherapy and underscore the potential synergistic effect of combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy in resectable gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliott J. Yee
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (D.G.); (M.D.M.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Danielle Gilbert
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (D.G.); (M.D.M.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Jeffrey Kaplan
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Sachin Wani
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Sunnie S. Kim
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Martin D. McCarter
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (D.G.); (M.D.M.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Camille L. Stewart
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (D.G.); (M.D.M.); (C.L.S.)
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18
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DeVito NC, Nguyen YV, Sturdivant M, Plebanek MP, Howell K, Yarla N, Jain V, Aksu M, Beasley G, Theivanthiran B, Hanks BA. Gli2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating Wnt Ligand and Prostaglandin Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.31.587500. [PMID: 38617347 PMCID: PMC11014473 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic resistance to immune checkpoint blockade has been commonly linked to the process of mesenchymal transformation (MT) and remains a prevalent obstacle across many cancer types. An improved mechanistic understanding for MT-mediated immune evasion promises to lead to more effective combination therapeutic regimens. Herein, we identify the Hedgehog transcription factor, Gli2, as a key node of tumor-mediated immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance during MT. Mechanistic studies reveal that Gli2 generates an immunotolerant tumor microenvironment through the upregulation of Wnt ligand production and increased prostaglandin synthesis. This pathway drives the recruitment, viability, and function of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) while also impairing type I conventional dendritic cell, CD8 + T cell, and NK cell functionality. Pharmacologic EP2/EP4 prostaglandin receptor inhibition and Wnt ligand inhibition each reverses a subset of these effects, while preventing primary and adaptive resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, respectively. A transcriptional Gli2 signature correlates with resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in stage IV melanoma patients, providing a translational roadmap to direct combination immunotherapeutics in the clinic. SIGNIFICANCE Gli2-induced EMT promotes immune evasion and immunotherapeutic resistance via coordinated prostaglandin and Wnt signaling.
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19
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Marín-Aquino LA, Mora-García MDL, Moreno-Lafont MC, García-Rocha R, Montesinos-Montesinos JJ, López-Santiago R, Sánchez-Torres LE, Torres-Pineda DB, Weiss-Steider B, Hernández-Montes J, Don-López CA, Monroy-García A. Adenosine increases PD-L1 expression in mesenchymal stromal cells derived from cervical cancer through its interaction with A 2AR/A 2BR and the production of TGF-β1. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e4010. [PMID: 38613217 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.4010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) together with malignant cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME), participate in the suppression of the antitumor immune response through the production of immunosuppressive factors, such as transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). In previous studies, we reported that adenosine (Ado), generated by the adenosinergic activity of cervical cancer (CeCa) cells, induces the production of TGF-β1 by interacting with A2AR/A2BR. In the present study, we provide evidence that Ado induces the production of TGF-β1 in MSCs derived from CeCa tumors (CeCa-MSCs) by interacting with both receptors and that TGF-β1 acts in an autocrine manner to induce the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in CeCa-MSCs, resulting in an increase in their immunosuppressive capacity on activated CD8+ T lymphocytes. The addition of the antagonists ZM241385 and MRS1754, specific for A2AR and A2BR, respectively, or SB-505124, a selective TGF-β1 receptor inhibitor, in CeCa-MSC cultures significantly inhibited the expression of PD-L1. Compared with CeCa-MSCs, MSCs derived from normal cervical tissue (NCx-MSCs), used as a control and induced with Ado to express PD-L1, showed a lower response to TGF-β1 to increase PD-L1 expression. Those results strongly suggest the presence of a feedback mechanism among the adenosinergic pathway, the production of TGF-β1, and the induction of PD-L1 in CeCa-MSCs to suppress the antitumor response of CD8+ T lymphocytes. The findings of this study suggest that this pathway may have clinical importance as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Antonio Marín-Aquino
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Cáncer, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, CMN SXXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
- Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencias y Tecnologías, CONAHCyT, Ciudad de México, México
| | - María de Lourdes Mora-García
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Martha C Moreno-Lafont
- Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Rosario García-Rocha
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Juan José Montesinos-Montesinos
- Laboratorio de Células Troncales Mesenquimales, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, CMN SXXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ruben López-Santiago
- Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Luvia Enid Sánchez-Torres
- Laboratorio de Inmunología de los microorganismos, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Daniela Berenice Torres-Pineda
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Cáncer, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, CMN SXXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Benny Weiss-Steider
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jorge Hernández-Montes
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Christian Azucena Don-López
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Alberto Monroy-García
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Cáncer, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, CMN SXXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Unidad de Investigación en Diferenciación Celular y Cáncer -UMIEZ, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
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20
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Shi Y, Li W, Jia Q, Wu J, Wu S, Wu S. Inhibition of PD-L1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer may reduce vasculogenic mimicry formation by inhibiting the epithelial mesenchymal transformation process. Exp Cell Res 2024; 437:113996. [PMID: 38508327 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.113996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a kind of highly malignant tumor. Studies have shown that Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) may be responsible for dismal prognosis in NSCLC. Immunotherapy with programmed death-1 (PD-1) or programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) has significantly altered the treatment of assorted cancers, including NSCLC, but its role and mechanism in the formation of Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in NSCLC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in the formation of VM in NSCLC and its possible mechanisms. The results showed that anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy could inhibit the growth of NSCLC-transplanted tumors and reduce the formation of VMs. In addition, this study found that anti-PD-L1 antibodies could increase the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related factor E-cadherin. zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) is an important transcription factor regulating EMT. Knocking down ZEB1 could significantly inhibit tumor growth, as well as the expression of VE-cadherin and mmp2, while remarkably increase the expression of E-cadherin. During this process, the formation of VM was inhibited by knowing down ZEB1 in both in vitro and in vivo experiments of the constructed ZEB1 knockdown stable transfected cell strains. Therefore, in this study, we found that anti-PD-L1 antibodies may reduce the formation of VMs by inhibiting the EMT process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Shi
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China; Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Translational Medicine, Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Qianhao Jia
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Jiatao Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Bengbu Medical University, 287 Changhuai Road, Bengbu 233004, Anhui, China
| | - Shoufan Wu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Shiwu Wu
- Department of Pathology, Anhui No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital, Anhui, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Health, Anhui No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital, Hefei, 230041, China.
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21
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Lee JY, Bhandare RR, Boddu SHS, Shaik AB, Saktivel LP, Gupta G, Negi P, Barakat M, Singh SK, Dua K, Chellappan DK. Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of tumour suppressor genes in lung cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116275. [PMID: 38394846 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumour suppressor genes play a cardinal role in the development of a large array of human cancers, including lung cancer, which is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. Therefore, extensive studies have been committed to deciphering the underlying mechanisms of alterations of tumour suppressor genes in governing tumourigenesis, as well as resistance to cancer therapies. In spite of the encouraging clinical outcomes demonstrated by lung cancer patients on initial treatment, the subsequent unresponsiveness to first-line treatments manifested by virtually all the patients is inherently a contentious issue. In light of the aforementioned concerns, this review compiles the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of some of the tumour suppressor genes implicated in lung cancer that are either frequently mutated and/or are located on the chromosomal arms having high LOH rates (1p, 3p, 9p, 10q, 13q, and 17p). Our study identifies specific genomic loci prone to LOH, revealing a recurrent pattern in lung cancer cases. These loci, including 3p14.2 (FHIT), 9p21.3 (p16INK4a), 10q23 (PTEN), 17p13 (TP53), exhibit a higher susceptibility to LOH due to environmental factors such as exposure to DNA-damaging agents (carcinogens in cigarette smoke) and genetic factors such as chromosomal instability, genetic mutations, DNA replication errors, and genetic predisposition. Furthermore, this review summarizes the current treatment landscape and advancements for lung cancers, including the challenges and endeavours to overcome it. This review envisages inspired researchers to embark on a journey of discovery to add to the list of what was known in hopes of prompting the development of effective therapeutic strategies for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yee Lee
- School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
| | - Richie R Bhandare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University, Al-Jurf, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Al-Jurf, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Sai H S Boddu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Ajman University, Al-Jurf, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Al-Jurf, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Afzal B Shaik
- St. Mary's College of Pharmacy, St. Mary's Group of Institutions Guntur, Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada, Chebrolu, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522212, India; Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, India
| | - Lakshmana Prabu Saktivel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University College of Engineering (BIT Campus), Anna University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, India
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Al-Jurf, P.O. Box 346, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302017, India
| | - Poonam Negi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, PO Box 9, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, India
| | - Muna Barakat
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Applied Science Private University, Amman-11937, Jordan
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi G.T Road, Phagwara 144411, India; Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia
| | - Dinesh Kumar Chellappan
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
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22
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Hsia T, Chen Y. RNA-encapsulating lipid nanoparticles in cancer immunotherapy: From pre-clinical studies to clinical trials. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 197:114234. [PMID: 38401743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Nanoparticle-based delivery systems such as RNA-encapsulating lipid nanoparticles (RNA LNPs) have dramatically advanced in function and capacity over the last few decades. RNA LNPs boast of a diverse array of external and core configurations that enhance targeted delivery and prolong circulatory retention, advancing therapeutic outcomes. Particularly within the realm of cancer immunotherapies, RNA LNPs are increasingly gaining prominence. Pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies have laid a robust foundation for new and ongoing clinical trials that are actively enrolling patients for RNA LNP cancer immunotherapy. This review explores RNA LNPs, starting from their core composition to their external membrane formulation, set against a backdrop of recent clinical breakthroughs. We further elucidate the LNP delivery avenues, broach the prevailing challenges, and contemplate the future perspectives of RNA LNP-mediated immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffaney Hsia
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yunching Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
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23
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Cordani M, Strippoli R, Trionfetti F, Barzegar Behrooz A, Rumio C, Velasco G, Ghavami S, Marcucci F. Immune checkpoints between epithelial-mesenchymal transition and autophagy: A conflicting triangle. Cancer Lett 2024; 585:216661. [PMID: 38309613 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitory immune checkpoint (ICP) molecules are pivotal in inhibiting innate and acquired antitumor immune responses, a mechanism frequently exploited by cancer cells to evade host immunity. These evasion strategies contribute to the complexity of cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. For this reason, ICP molecules have become targets for antitumor drugs, particularly monoclonal antibodies, collectively referred to as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), that counteract such cancer-associated immune suppression and restore antitumor immune responses. Over the last decade, however, it has become clear that tumor cell-associated ICPs can also induce tumor cell-intrinsic effects, in particular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy). Both of these processes have profound implications for cancer metastasis and drug responsiveness. This article reviews the positive or negative cross-talk that tumor cell-associated ICPs undergo with autophagy and EMT. We discuss that tumor cell-associated ICPs are upregulated in response to the same stimuli that induce EMT. Moreover, ICPs themselves, when overexpressed, become an EMT-inducing stimulus. As regards the cross-talk with autophagy, ICPs have been shown to either stimulate or inhibit autophagy, while autophagy itself can either up- or downregulate the expression of ICPs. This dynamic equilibrium also extends to the autophagy-apoptosis axis, further emphasizing the complexities of cellular responses. Eventually, we delve into the intricate balance between autophagy and apoptosis, elucidating its role in the broader interplay of cellular dynamics influenced by ICPs. In the final part of this article, we speculate about the driving forces underlying the contradictory outcomes of the reciprocal, inhibitory, or stimulatory effects between ICPs, EMT, and autophagy. A conclusive identification of these driving forces may allow to achieve improved antitumor effects when using combinations of ICIs and compounds acting on EMT and/or autophagy. Prospectively, this may translate into increased and/or broadened therapeutic efficacy compared to what is currently achieved with ICI-based clinical protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Cordani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raffaele Strippoli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Preclinical Research and Advanced Diagnostics, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L., Spallanzani, IRCCS, Via Portuense, 292, 00149 Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Trionfetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Preclinical Research and Advanced Diagnostics, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L., Spallanzani, IRCCS, Via Portuense, 292, 00149 Rome, Italy
| | - Amir Barzegar Behrooz
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Cristiano Rumio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy
| | - Guillermo Velasco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Faculty of Medicine in Zabrze, University of Technology in Katowice, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Fabrizio Marcucci
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy.
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24
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Nam DY, Rhee JK. Identifying microRNAs associated with tumor immunotherapy response using an interpretable machine learning model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6172. [PMID: 38486102 PMCID: PMC10940311 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56843-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Predicting clinical responses to tumor immunotherapy is essential to reduce side effects and the potential for sustained clinical responses. Nevertheless, preselecting patients who are likely to respond to such treatments remains highly challenging. Here, we explored the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as predictors of immune checkpoint blockade responses using a machine learning approach. First, we constructed random forest models to predict the response to tumor ICB therapy using miRNA expression profiles across 19 cancer types. The contribution of individual miRNAs to each prediction process was determined by employing SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for model interpretation. Remarkably, the predictive performance achieved by using a small number of miRNAs with high feature importance was similar to that achieved by using the entire miRNA set. Additionally, the genes targeted by these miRNAs were closely associated with tumor- and immune-related pathways. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of miRNA expression data for assessing tumor immunotherapy responses. Furthermore, we confirmed the potential of informative miRNAs as biomarkers for the prediction of immunotherapy response, which will advance our understanding of tumor immunotherapy mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Yeon Nam
- Department of Bioinformatics & Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Keun Rhee
- Department of Bioinformatics & Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Zhao B, Zheng X, Wang Y, Cheng N, Zhong Y, Zhou Y, Huang J, Wang F, Qi X, Zhuang Q, Wang Y, Liu X. Lnc-CCNH-8 promotes immune escape by up-regulating PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102125. [PMID: 38356866 PMCID: PMC10865404 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy with poor prognosis. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have enabled breakthroughs in the clinical treatment of patients with HCC, but the overall response rate to ICIs in HCC patients is still low, and no validated biomarker is available to guide clinical decision making. Here, we demonstrated that the long non-coding RNA Lnc-CCNH-8 is highly expressed in HCC and correlates with poor prognosis. Functionally, elevated Lnc-CCNH-8 inactivated co-cultured T cells in vitro and compromised antitumor immunity in an immunocompetent mouse model. Mechanistically, up-regulated Lnc-CCNH-8 can sponge microRNA (miR)-217 to regulate the expression of PD-L1. In addition, Lnc-CCNH-8 can also stabilize PD-L1 through miR-3173/PKP3 axis. Furthermore, mice bearing tumors with high Lnc-CCNH-8 expression had significant therapeutic sensitivity to anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody treatment. More important, HCC patients with high levels of plasma exosomal Lnc-CCNH-8 had a better therapeutic response to ICIs. Taken together, our results reveal the function of Lnc-CCNH-8 in inducing immune escape from CD8+ T-cell-mediated killing by up-regulating PD-L1 in a miR-217/miR-3173-dependent manner, which also reveals a novel mechanism of PD-L1 regulation in HCC, and exosomal Lnc-CCNH-8 can serve as a predictive marker for immunotherapy response in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bixing Zhao
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyuan Zheng
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Yang Wang
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
| | - Niangmei Cheng
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Yue Zhong
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Yang Zhou
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Jingyun Huang
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
| | - Fei Wang
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Xin Qi
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
| | - Qiuyu Zhuang
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Yingchao Wang
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
- Mengchao Med-X Center, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, P.R. China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Fuzhou 350025, P.R. China
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26
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Yousefi A, Sotoodehnejadnematalahi F, Nafissi N, Zeinali S, Azizi M. MicroRNA-561-3p indirectly regulates the PD-L1 expression by targeting ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC genes in breast cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5845. [PMID: 38462658 PMCID: PMC10925600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56511-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Globally, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. In breast cancer, microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for both the initiation and development of tumors. It has been suggested that the tumor suppressor microRNA-561-3p (miR-561-3p) is crucial in arresting the growth of cancer cells. Further research is necessary to fully understand the role and molecular mechanism of miR-561 in human BC. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of miR-561-3p on ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC expression as oncogenes that have the most impact on PD-L1 overexpression and cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle in breast cancer (BC) cell lines. The expression of ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC genes and miR-561-3p were measured in BC clinical samples and cell lines via qRT-PCR. The luciferase assay, MTT, Annexin-PI staining, and cell cycle experiments were used to assess the effect of miR-561-3p on candidate gene expression, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression. Flow cytometry was used to investigate the effects of miR-561 on PD-L1 suppression in the BC cell line. The luciferase assay showed that miRNA-561-3p targets the 3'-UTRs of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC genes significantly. In BC tissues, the qRT-PCR results demonstrated that miR-561-3p expression was downregulated and the expression of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC genes was up-regulated. It was shown that overexpression of miR-561-3p decreased PD-L1 expression and BC cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through downregulation of candidate oncogenes. Furthermore, inhibition of candidate genes by miR-561-3p reduced PD-L1 at both mRNA and protein levels. Our research investigated the impact of miR-561-3p on the expression of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC in breast cancer cells for the first time. Our findings may help clarify the role of miR-561-3p in PD-L1 regulation and point to this miR as a potential biomarker and novel therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atena Yousefi
- Department of Biology, School of Basic Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nahid Nafissi
- Breast Surgery Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sirous Zeinali
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 69th Pasteur Street, Kargar Avenue, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azizi
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 69th Pasteur Street, Kargar Avenue, Tehran, Iran.
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Zabeti Touchaei A, Vahidi S. MicroRNAs as regulators of immune checkpoints in cancer immunotherapy: targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:102. [PMID: 38462628 PMCID: PMC10926683 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by harnessing the power of the immune system to eliminate tumors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) block negative regulatory signals that prevent T cells from attacking cancer cells. Two key ICIs target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, which includes programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor programmed death 1 (PD-1). Another ICI targets cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). While ICIs have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in various malignancies, only a subset of patients respond favorably. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression, play a crucial role in modulating immune checkpoints, including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. This review summarizes the latest advancements in immunotherapy, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 immune checkpoints and the regulatory role of miRNAs in modulating these pathways. Consequently, understanding the complex interplay between miRNAs and immune checkpoints is essential for developing more effective and personalized immunotherapy strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sogand Vahidi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
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28
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Singh D, Siddique HR. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cancer progression: unraveling the immunosuppressive module driving therapy resistance. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:155-173. [PMID: 37775641 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10141-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells undergo phenotypic switching (cancer cell plasticity) in response to microenvironmental cues, including exposure to therapy/treatment. Phenotypic plasticity enables the cancer cells to acquire more mesenchymal traits promoting cancer cells' growth, survival, therapy resistance, and disease recurrence. A significant program in cancer cell plasticity is epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), wherein a comprehensive reprogramming of gene expression occurs to facilitate the translational shift from epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotypes resulting in increased invasiveness and metastasis. In addition, EMT plays a pivotal role in facilitating cancer cells' escape from the body's immune system using several mechanisms, such as the downregulation of major histocompatibility complex-mediated antigen presentation, upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules, and recruitment of immune-suppressive cells. Cancer cells' ability to undergo phenotypic switching and EMT-driven immune escape presents a formidable obstacle in cancer management, highlighting the need to unravel the intricate mechanisms underlying these processes and develop novel therapeutic strategies. This article discusses the role of EMT in promoting immune evasion and therapy resistance. We also discuss the ongoing research on developing therapeutic approaches targeting intrinsic and induced cell plasticity within the immune suppressive microenvironment. We believe this review article will update the current research status and equip researchers, clinicians, and other healthcare professionals with valuable insights enhancing their existing knowledge and shedding light on promising directions for future cancer research. This will facilitate the development of innovative strategies for managing therapy-resistant cancers and improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Singh
- Molecular Cancer Genetics & Translational Research Lab, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India
| | - Hifzur R Siddique
- Molecular Cancer Genetics & Translational Research Lab, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India.
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29
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Koutras A, Fasoulakis Z, Mollaki V, Perros P, Theodoulidis V, Syllaios A, Garmpis N, Kontomanolis EN. Programmed Death Ligand 1: Unveiling its Impact on Endometrial Carcinogenesis. CANCER DIAGNOSIS & PROGNOSIS 2024; 4:91-96. [PMID: 38434913 PMCID: PMC10905288 DOI: 10.21873/cdp.10292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is a commonly diagnosed gynecological malignancy presenting an increasing incidence worldwide. The immune response plays a crucial role in the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis and the progression of tumors. In recent times, there has been a discernible surge in the acknowledgment of the importance of programmed death ligand 1 (PDL1) in evading the immunological response of the host and promoting the growth of malignancies. The primary aim of this review is to consolidate the existing corpus of evidence pertaining to the role of PDL1 in the etiology and progression of endometrial cancer and investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the expression of PDL1 in cells impacted by endometrial cancer. Finally, the association between PDL1 expression and clinical outcomes, as well as the potential therapeutic uses of targeting the PDL1 pathway are being analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Koutras
- 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens 'ALEXANDRA', Athens, Greece
| | - Zacharias Fasoulakis
- 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens 'ALEXANDRA', Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Mollaki
- National Commission for Bioethics and Technoethics, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevas Perros
- 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens 'ALEXANDRA', Athens, Greece
| | - Vasilios Theodoulidis
- 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, "Papageorgiou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Syllaios
- 1st Department of Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Garmpis
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanuel N Kontomanolis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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30
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Bassani B, Simonetti G, Cancila V, Fiorino A, Ciciarello M, Piva A, Khorasani AM, Chiodoni C, Lecis D, Gulino A, Fonzi E, Botti L, Portararo P, Costanza M, Brambilla M, Colombo G, Schwaller J, Tzankov A, Ponzoni M, Ciceri F, Bolli N, Curti A, Tripodo C, Colombo MP, Sangaletti S. ZEB1 shapes AML immunological niches, suppressing CD8 T cell activity while fostering Th17 cell expansion. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113794. [PMID: 38363677 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) progression is influenced by immune suppression induced by leukemia cells. ZEB1, a critical transcription factor in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, demonstrates immune regulatory functions in AML. Silencing ZEB1 in leukemic cells reduces engraftment and extramedullary disease in immune-competent mice, activating CD8 T lymphocytes and limiting Th17 cell expansion. ZEB1 in AML cells directly promotes Th17 cell development that, in turn, creates a self-sustaining loop and a pro-invasive phenotype, favoring transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), interleukin-23 (IL-23), and SOCS2 gene transcription. In bone marrow biopsies from AML patients, immunohistochemistry shows a direct correlation between ZEB1 and Th17. Also, the analysis of ZEB1 expression in larger datasets identifies two distinct AML groups, ZEB1high and ZEB1low, each with specific immunological and molecular traits. ZEB1high patients exhibit increased IL-17, SOCS2, and TGF-β pathways and a negative association with overall survival. This unveils ZEB1's dual role in AML, entwining pro-tumoral and immune regulatory capacities in AML blasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bassani
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Valeria Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Fiorino
- Predictive Medicine: Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marilena Ciciarello
- CNR Institute of Molecular Genetics "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza," Unit of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Annamaria Piva
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Arman Mandegar Khorasani
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Chiodoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Lecis
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Eugenio Fonzi
- Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori," Meldola, Forlì-Cesena, Italy
| | - Laura Botti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Portararo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Costanza
- Neuro-Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Brambilla
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Colombo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Juerg Schwaller
- University Children's Hospital Basel & Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandar Tzankov
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maurilio Ponzoni
- IRCCS Ospedale S. Raffaele, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Ciceri
- IRCCS Ospedale S. Raffaele, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Niccolò Bolli
- Hematology Division, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Curti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES, Institute of Hematology "Seràgnoli," Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Tripodo
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy; IFOM-ETS-The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario P Colombo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sabina Sangaletti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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31
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Kim IK, Diamond MS, Yuan S, Kemp SB, Kahn BM, Li Q, Lin JH, Li J, Norgard RJ, Thomas SK, Merolle M, Katsuda T, Tobias JW, Baslan T, Politi K, Vonderheide RH, Stanger BZ. Plasticity-induced repression of Irf6 underlies acquired resistance to cancer immunotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1532. [PMID: 38378697 PMCID: PMC10879147 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Acquired resistance to immunotherapy remains a critical yet incompletely understood biological mechanism. Here, using a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) to study tumor relapse following immunotherapy-induced responses, we find that resistance is reproducibly associated with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), with EMT-transcription factors ZEB1 and SNAIL functioning as master genetic and epigenetic regulators of this effect. Acquired resistance in this model is not due to immunosuppression in the tumor immune microenvironment, disruptions in the antigen presentation machinery, or altered expression of immune checkpoints. Rather, resistance is due to a tumor cell-intrinsic defect in T-cell killing. Molecularly, EMT leads to the epigenetic and transcriptional silencing of interferon regulatory factor 6 (Irf6), rendering tumor cells less sensitive to the pro-apoptotic effects of TNF-α. These findings indicate that acquired resistance to immunotherapy may be mediated by programs distinct from those governing primary resistance, including plasticity programs that render tumor cells impervious to T-cell killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mark S Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Salina Yuan
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samantha B Kemp
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin M Kahn
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qinglan Li
- Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Lin
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jinyang Li
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert J Norgard
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stacy K Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria Merolle
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Takeshi Katsuda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John W Tobias
- Penn Genomic Analysis Core, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timour Baslan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katerina Politi
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Vonderheide
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Ben Z Stanger
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Zhou Y, Wang F, Li G, Xu J, Zhang J, Gullen E, Yang J, Wang J. From immune checkpoints to therapies: understanding immune checkpoint regulation and the influence of natural products and traditional medicine on immune checkpoint and immunotherapy in lung cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1340307. [PMID: 38426097 PMCID: PMC10902058 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1340307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a disease of global concern, and immunotherapy has brought lung cancer therapy to a new era. Besides promising effects in the clinical use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and low response rates are problems unsolved. Natural products and traditional medicine with an immune-modulating nature have the property to influence immune checkpoint expression and can improve immunotherapy's effect with relatively low toxicity. This review summarizes currently approved immunotherapy and the current mechanisms known to regulate immune checkpoint expression in lung cancer. It lists natural products and traditional medicine capable of influencing immune checkpoints or synergizing with immunotherapy in lung cancer, exploring both their effects and underlying mechanisms. Future research on immune checkpoint modulation and immunotherapy combination applying natural products and traditional medicine will be based on a deeper understanding of their mechanisms regulating immune checkpoints. Continued exploration of natural products and traditional medicine holds the potential to enhance the efficacy and reduce the adverse reactions of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Zhou
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fenglan Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Guangda Li
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Elizabeth Gullen
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Ahmad S, Zhang XL, Ahmad A. Epigenetic regulation of pulmonary inflammation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:346-354. [PMID: 37230854 PMCID: PMC10592630 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension are the leading cause of deaths. More importantly, lung diseases are on the rise and environmental factors induced epigenetic modifications are major players on this increased prevalence. It has been reported that dysregulation of genes involved in epigenetic regulation such as the histone deacetylase (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferase (HATs) play important role in lung health and pulmonary disease pathogenesis. Inflammation is an essential component of respiratory diseases. Injury and inflammation trigger release of extracellular vesicles that can act as epigenetic modifiers through transfer of epigenetic regulators such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), proteins and lipids, from one cell to another. The immune dysregulations caused by the cargo contents are important contributors of respiratory disease pathogenesis. N6 methylation of RNA is also emerging to be a critical mechanism of epigenetic alteration and upregulation of immune responses to environmental stressors. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation are stable and often long term and cause onset of chronic lung conditions. These epigenetic pathways are also being utilized for therapeutic intervention in several lung conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shama Ahmad
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Xiao Lu Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Aftab Ahmad
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Shirley CA, Chhabra G, Amiri D, Chang H, Ahmad N. Immune escape and metastasis mechanisms in melanoma: breaking down the dichotomy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1336023. [PMID: 38426087 PMCID: PMC10902921 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1336023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the most lethal neoplasms of the skin. Despite the revolutionary introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, metastatic spread, and recurrence remain critical problems in resistant cases. Melanoma employs a multitude of mechanisms to subvert the immune system and successfully metastasize to distant organs. Concerningly, recent research also shows that tumor cells can disseminate early during melanoma progression and enter dormant states, eventually leading to metastases at a future time. Immune escape and metastasis have previously been viewed as separate phenomena; however, accumulating evidence is breaking down this dichotomy. Recent research into the progressive mechanisms of melanoma provides evidence that dedifferentiation similar to classical epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), genes involved in neural crest stem cell maintenance, and hypoxia/acidosis, are important factors simultaneously involved in immune escape and metastasis. The likeness between EMT and early dissemination, and differences, also become apparent in these contexts. Detailed knowledge of the mechanisms behind "dual drivers" simultaneously promoting metastatically inclined and immunosuppressive environments can yield novel strategies effective in disabling multiple facets of melanoma progression. Furthermore, understanding progression through these drivers may provide insight towards novel treatments capable of preventing recurrence arising from dormant dissemination or improving immunotherapy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl A Shirley
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Gagan Chhabra
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Deeba Amiri
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Hao Chang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nihal Ahmad
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, United States
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Wang SSY. Advancing biomarker development for diagnostics and therapeutics using solid tumour cancer stem cell models. TUMORI JOURNAL 2024; 110:10-24. [PMID: 36964664 DOI: 10.1177/03008916231158411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
The cancer stem cell model hopes to explain solid tumour carcinogenesis, tumour progression and treatment failure in cancers. However, the cancer stem cell model has led to minimal clinical translation to cancer stem cell biomarkers and targeted therapies in solid tumours. Many reasons underlie the challenges, one being the imperfect understanding of the cancer stem cell model. This review hopes to spur further research into clinically translatable cancer stem cell biomarkers through first defining cancer stem cells and their associated models. With a better understanding of these models there would be a development of more accurate biomarkers. Making the clinical translation of biomarkers into diagnostic tools and therapeutic agents more feasible.
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36
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Chuang YM, Tzeng SF, Ho PC, Tsai CH. Immunosurveillance encounters cancer metabolism. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:471-488. [PMID: 38216787 PMCID: PMC10897436 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-023-00038-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells reprogram nutrient acquisition and metabolic pathways to meet their energetic, biosynthetic, and redox demands. Similarly, metabolic processes in immune cells support host immunity against cancer and determine differentiation and fate of leukocytes. Thus, metabolic deregulation and imbalance in immune cells within the tumor microenvironment have been reported to drive immune evasion and to compromise therapeutic outcomes. Interestingly, emerging evidence indicates that anti-tumor immunity could modulate tumor heterogeneity, aggressiveness, and metabolic reprogramming, suggesting that immunosurveillance can instruct cancer progression in multiple dimensions. This review summarizes our current understanding of how metabolic crosstalk within tumors affects immunogenicity of tumor cells and promotes cancer progression. Furthermore, we explain how defects in the metabolic cascade can contribute to developing dysfunctional immune responses against cancers and discuss the contribution of immunosurveillance to these defects as a feedback mechanism. Finally, we highlight ongoing clinical trials and new therapeutic strategies targeting cellular metabolism in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Chuang
- Department of Fundamental Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sheue-Fen Tzeng
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Chih Ho
- Department of Fundamental Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Chin-Hsien Tsai
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department and Graduate Institute of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Mortezaee K. WNT/β-catenin regulatory roles on PD-(L)1 and immunotherapy responses. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:15. [PMID: 38280119 PMCID: PMC10822012 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01274-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Dysregulation of WNT/β-catenin is a hallmark of many cancer types and a key mediator of metastasis in solid tumors. Overactive β-catenin signaling hampers dendritic cell (DC) recruitment, promotes CD8+ T cell exclusion and increases the population of regulatory T cells (Tregs). The activity of WNT/β-catenin also induces the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells and promotes programmed death-1 (PD-1) upregulation. Increased activity of WNT/β-catenin signaling after anti-PD-1 therapy is indicative of a possible implication of this signaling in bypassing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. This review is aimed at giving a comprehensive overview of the WNT/β-catenin regulatory roles on PD-1/PD-L1 axis in tumor immune ecosystem, discussing about key mechanistic events contributed to the WNT/β-catenin-mediated bypass of ICI therapy, and representing inhibitors of this signaling as promising combinatory regimen to go with anti-PD-(L)1 in cancer immunotherapy. Ideas presented in this review imply the synergistic efficacy of such combination therapy in rendering durable anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
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Kostecki KL, Iida M, Crossman BE, Salgia R, Harari PM, Bruce JY, Wheeler DL. Immune Escape Strategies in Head and Neck Cancer: Evade, Resist, Inhibit, Recruit. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:312. [PMID: 38254801 PMCID: PMC10814769 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) arise from the mucosal lining of the aerodigestive tract and are often associated with alcohol use, tobacco use, and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Over 600,000 new cases of HNC are diagnosed each year, making it the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Historically, treatments have included surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and while these treatments are still the backbone of current therapy, several immunotherapies have recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in HNC. The role of the immune system in tumorigenesis and cancer progression has been explored since the early 20th century, eventually coalescing into the current three-phase model of cancer immunoediting. During each of the three phases-elimination, equilibrium, and escape-cancer cells develop and utilize multiple strategies to either reach or remain in the final phase, escape, at which point the tumor is able to grow and metastasize with little to no detrimental interference from the immune system. In this review, we summarize the many strategies used by HNC to escape the immune system, which include ways to evade immune detection, resist immune cell attacks, inhibit immune cell functions, and recruit pro-tumor immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourtney L. Kostecki
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Mari Iida
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Bridget E. Crossman
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Paul M. Harari
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Justine Y. Bruce
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Deric L. Wheeler
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
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Neo SY, Oliveira MMS, Tong L, Chen Y, Chen Z, Cismas S, Burduli N, Malmerfelt A, Teo JKH, Lam KP, Alici E, Girnita L, Wagner AK, Westerberg LS, Lundqvist A. Natural killer cells drive 4-1BBL positive uveal melanoma towards EMT and metastatic disease. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:13. [PMID: 38191418 PMCID: PMC10775428 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02917-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation in the eye is often associated with aggravated ocular diseases such as uveal melanoma (UM). Poor prognosis of UM is generally associated with high potential of metastatic liver dissemination. A strong driver of metastatic dissemination is the activation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulating transcription factor ZEB1, and high expression of ZEB1 is associated with aggressiveness of UM. While ZEB1 expression can be also associated with immune tolerance, the underlying drivers of ZEB1 activation remain unclear. METHODS Transcriptomic, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo analyses were used to investigate the impact on clinical prognosis of immune infiltration in the ocular tumor microenvironment. A metastatic liver dissemination model of was developed to address the role of natural killer (NK) cells in driving the migration of UM. RESULTS In a pan-cancer TCGA analysis, natural killer (NK) cells were associated with worse overall survival in uveal melanoma and more abundant in high-risk monosomy 3 tumors. Furthermore, uveal melanoma expressed high levels of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 4-1BB ligand, particularly in tumors with monosomy 3 and BAP1 mutations. Tumors expressing 4-1BB ligand induced CD73 expression on NK cells accompanied with the ability to promote tumor dissemination. Through ligation of 4-1BB, NK cells induced the expression of the ZEB1 transcription factor, leading to the formation of liver metastasis of uveal melanoma. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the present study demonstrates a role of NK cells in the aggravation of uveal melanoma towards metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yong Neo
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mariana M S Oliveira
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Le Tong
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Ziqing Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sonia Cismas
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nutsa Burduli
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Malmerfelt
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joey Kay Hui Teo
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Kong-Peng Lam
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Evren Alici
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leonard Girnita
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arnika K Wagner
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lisa S Westerberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Lundqvist
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ohhara Y, Tomaru U, Kinoshita I, Hatanaka KC, Noguchi T, Hatanaka Y, Amono T, Matsuno Y, Dosaka-Akita H. Polymorphisms of the PD-L1 gene 3'-untranslated region are associated with the expression of PD-L1 in non-small cell lung cancer. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2024; 63:e23216. [PMID: 38169142 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent results show that polymorphisms of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1, also known as CD274 or B7-H1) might be used as a possible marker for effectiveness of chemotherapy and cancer risk. However, the effect of PD-L1 gene variations on PD-L1 expression remain unclear. Given the post-transcriptional machinery in tumor PD-L1 expression, we investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the PD-L1 gene, rs4143815 and rs4742098, using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of 154 patients with non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). In rs4143815, the GG genotype showed significant association with PD-L1 expression (P = 0.032). In rs4742098, the AA genotype was significantly associated with histology and PD-L1 expression (P = 0.022 and P = 0.008, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the AA genotype in rs4742098 was correlated with PD-L1 expression (odds ratio 0.408, P = 0.048). Interestingly, approximately 10% of the NSCLC cases showed somatic mutation when we compared genotypes of these SNPs between NSCLC tissues and non-tumor tissues from the same patients. In addition, cases with somatic mutation showed higher levels of PD-L1 expression than cases with germline mutation in rs4143815 GG. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the rs4143815 and rs4742098 SNPs in the 3'-UTR of PD-L1 were associated with tumor PD-L1 expression in NSCLCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihito Ohhara
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Utano Tomaru
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kinoshita
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kanako C Hatanaka
- Research Division of Genome Companion Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
- Center for Development of Advanced Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takuro Noguchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Hatanaka
- Research Division of Genome Companion Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toraji Amono
- Clinical Research and Medical Innovation Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Matsuno
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Research Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
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Ma Y, Yu Y, Yin Y, Wang L, Yang H, Luo S, Zheng Q, Pan Y, Zhang D. Potential role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by periodontal pathogens in oral cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18064. [PMID: 38031653 PMCID: PMC10805513 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing incidence of oral cancer in the world, it has become a hotspot to explore the pathogenesis and prevention of oral cancer. It has been proved there is a strong link between periodontal pathogens and oral cancer. However, the specific molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that periodontal pathogens-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to the progression of oral cancer. Cells undergoing EMT showed increased motility, aggressiveness and stemness, which provide a pro-tumour environment and promote malignant metastasis of oral cancer. Plenty of studies proposed periodontal pathogens promote carcinogenesis via EMT. In the current review, we discussed the association between the development of oral cancer and periodontal pathogens, and summarized various mechanisms of EMT caused by periodontal pathogens, which are supposed to play an important role in oral cancer, to provide targets for future research in the fight against oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Ma
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yingyi Yu
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yuqing Yin
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Liu Wang
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Huishun Yang
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Shiyin Luo
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Qifan Zheng
- Department of Periodontics, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Yaping Pan
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Biology, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Biology, School of StomatologyChina Medical UniversityShenyangChina
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Chen Z, Yao MW, Ao X, Gong QJ, Yang Y, Liu JX, Lian QZ, Xu X, Zuo LJ. The expression mechanism of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 and its role in immunomodulatory ability of mesenchymal stem cells. Chin J Traumatol 2024; 27:1-10. [PMID: 38065706 PMCID: PMC10859298 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2023.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an important immunosuppressive molecule, which inhibits the function of T cells and other immune cells by binding to the receptor programmed cell death-1. The PD-L1 expression disorder plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and treatment of sepsis or other inflammatory diseases, and has become an important target for the treatment of these diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a kind of pluripotent stem cells with multiple differentiation potential. In recent years, MSCs have been found to have a strong immunosuppressive ability and are used to treat various inflammatory insults caused by hyperimmune diseases. Moreover, PD-L1 is deeply involved in the immunosuppressive events of MSCs and plays an important role in the treatment of various diseases. In this review, we will summarize the main regulatory mechanism of PD-L1 expression, and discuss various biological functions of PD-L1 in the immune regulation of MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Chen
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Meng-Wei Yao
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Xiang Ao
- Department of Orthopedics, 953 Hospital of PLA, Shigatse Branch of Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Shigatse, 857000, Tibet Autonomous Region, China
| | - Qing-Jia Gong
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Jin-Xia Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing People's Hospital, Chongqing, 401121, China
| | - Qi-Zhou Lian
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China.
| | - Ling-Jing Zuo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan province, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650034, China.
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Bardol T, Eslami‐S Z, Masmoudi D, Alexandre M, Duboys de Labarre M, Bobrie A, D'Hondt V, Guiu S, Kurma K, Cayrefourcq L, Jacot W, Alix‐Panabières C. First evidence of AXL expression on circulating tumor cells in metastatic breast cancer patients: A proof-of-concept study. Cancer Med 2023; 13:e6843. [PMID: 38132919 PMCID: PMC10807582 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For several years, the AXL tyrosine kinase receptor, a member of the Tyro3-Axl-Mer (TAM) family, has been considered a new strategic target in oncology. AXL overexpression is common in solid tumors and is associated with poor prognosis. In this context, the detection of a subset of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that express AXL (AXL+ CTCs) could be clinically relevant. METHODS Immunostaining was performed to assess AXL expression in human breast cancer cell lines. The optimal conditions were established using flow cytometry. Spiking experiments were carried out to optimize the parameters of the CellSearch® system detection test. CTC enumeration and AXL expression were evaluated in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) before treatment initiation. RESULTS An innovative AXL+ CTC detection assay to be used with the CellSearch® system was developed. In a prospective longitudinal clinical trial, blood samples from 60 patients with untreated mBC were analyzed to detect AXL+ CTCs with this new assay. CTCs were detected in 35/60 patients (58.3%) and AXL+ CTCs were identified in 7 of these 35 patients (11.7% of all patients). CONCLUSION This newly established AXL+ CTC assay is a promising tool that can be used for liquid biopsy in future clinical trials to stratify and monitor patients with cancer receiving anti-AXL therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Bardol
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Zahra Eslami‐S
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS)HamburgGermany
| | - Doryan Masmoudi
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Marie Alexandre
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Marie Duboys de Labarre
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Angélique Bobrie
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Véronique D'Hondt
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Séverine Guiu
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Keerthi Kurma
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS)HamburgGermany
| | - Laure Cayrefourcq
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS)HamburgGermany
| | - William Jacot
- Department of Medical OncologyInstitut du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de MontpellierINSERM U1194, Montpellier UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Catherine Alix‐Panabières
- Laboratory of Rare Circulating Human Cells—University Medical Center of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES)Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS)HamburgGermany
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Schenkel JM, Pauken KE. Localization, tissue biology and T cell state - implications for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:807-823. [PMID: 37253877 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tissue localization is a critical determinant of T cell immunity. CD8+ T cells are contact-dependent killers, which requires them to physically be within the tissue of interest to kill peptide-MHC class I-bearing target cells. Following their migration and extravasation into tissues, T cells receive many extrinsic cues from the local microenvironment, and these signals shape T cell differentiation, fate and function. Because major organ systems are variable in their functions and compositions, they apply disparate pressures on T cells to adapt to the local microenvironment. Additional complexity arises in the context of malignant lesions (either primary or metastatic), and this has made understanding the factors that dictate T cell function and longevity in tumours challenging. Moreover, T cell differentiation state influences how cues from the microenvironment are interpreted by tissue-infiltrating T cells, highlighting the importance of T cell state in the context of tissue biology. Here, we review the intertwined nature of T cell differentiation state, location, survival and function, and explain how dysfunctional T cell populations can adopt features of tissue-resident memory T cells to persist in tumours. Finally, we discuss how these factors have shaped responses to cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Schenkel
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Kristen E Pauken
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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Yang SH, Son HY, Park M, Rho HW, Lee H, Huh YM. Inhibition of PD-L1 and tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer using a magnetic nanovector with microRNA34a. Cancer Nanotechnol 2023. [DOI: 10.1186/s12645-023-00171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Clinical applications of RNA interference for cancer treatment and immune therapy require the development of simultaneous therapy and imaging systems for microRNA. This research was performed to fabricate the miRNA34a-loaded magnetic nanoparticles and investigate its anticancer effects against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in mice model.
Results
Using two types of polymers to improve their water dispersibility and gene delivery, iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were prepared for delivery of miRNA34a. The iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were delivered to TNBC cells, and their efficacy was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Delivery of miRNA34a reduced TNBC cell migration and decreased the expression of PD-L1 at the mRNA and protein levels. In animal experiments, delivery of miRNA34a reduced tumor growth, and immunostaining and algorithmic analysis confirmed the decrease in PD-L1 expression.
Conclusion
This study is the first to modulate PD-L1 by delivering miRNA34a with magnetic nanoparticles, and the results suggest that miRNA34a can be delivered effectively using magnetic nanoparticles and has potential as a molecular imaging contrast agent.
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Imodoye SO, Adedokun KA. EMT-induced immune evasion: connecting the dots from mechanisms to therapy. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:4265-4287. [PMID: 37966552 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01229-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic program crucial for organismal development and tissue regeneration. Unfortunately, this program is often hijacked by epithelial tumors to facilitate metastasis. Beyond its role in cancer spread, EMT increases cancer cell survival by activating stem cell programs and bypassing apoptotic programs. Importantly, the capacity of EMT to enforce tumor progression by altering the tumor cell phenotype without triggering immune responses opens the intriguing possibility of a mechanistic link between EMT-driven cancers and immune evasion. Indeed, EMT has been acknowledged as a of driver immune evasion, but the mechanisms are still evolving. Here, we review recent insights into the influence of EMT on tumor immune evasion. Specifically, we focus on the mechanistic roles of EMT in immune escape as the basis that may provide a platform for innovative therapeutic approaches in advanced tumors. We summarize promising therapeutic approaches currently in clinical trials and trending preclinical studies aimed at reinvigorating the tumor microenvironment to create immune-permissive conditions that facilitates immune-mediated tumor clearance. We anticipate that this will assist researchers and pharmaceutical companies in understanding how EMT compromises the immune response, potentially paving the way for effective cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sikiru O Imodoye
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA.
| | - Kamoru A Adedokun
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
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47
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Rai D, Pattnaik B, Bangaru S, Tak J, Kumari J, Verma U, Vadala R, Yadav G, Dhaliwal RS, Kumar S, Kumar R, Jain D, Luthra K, Chosdol K, Palanichamy JK, Khan MA, Surendranath A, Mittal S, Tiwari P, Hadda V, Madan K, Agrawal A, Guleria R, Mohan A. microRNAs in exhaled breath condensate for diagnosis of lung cancer in a resource-limited setting: a concise review. Breathe (Sheff) 2023; 19:230125. [PMID: 38351949 PMCID: PMC10862127 DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0125-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the common cancers globally with high mortality and poor prognosis. Most cases of lung cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to limited diagnostic resources. Screening modalities, such as sputum cytology and annual chest radiographs, have not proved sensitive enough to impact mortality. In recent years, annual low-dose computed tomography has emerged as a potential screening tool for early lung cancer detection, but it may not be a feasible option for developing countries. In this context, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) analysis has been evaluated recently as a noninvasive tool for lung cancer diagnosis. The breath biomarkers also have the advantage of differentiating various types and stages of lung cancer. Recent studies have focused more on microRNAs (miRNAs) as they play a key role in tumourigenesis by regulating the cell cycle, metastasis and angiogenesis. In this review, we have consolidated the current published literature suggesting the utility of miRNAs in EBC for the detection of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyanjali Rai
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Bijay Pattnaik
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunil Bangaru
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Jaya Tak
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Jyoti Kumari
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Umashankar Verma
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rohit Vadala
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Geetika Yadav
- Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Sunil Kumar
- Department of Surgical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepali Jain
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kalpana Luthra
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kunzang Chosdol
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Maroof Ahmad Khan
- Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Addagalla Surendranath
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Saurabh Mittal
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Pawan Tiwari
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Hadda
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Karan Madan
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Anurag Agrawal
- Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India
| | - Randeep Guleria
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Anant Mohan
- Breathomics in Respiratory Diseases Lab, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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48
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Lu S, Zeng L, Mo G, Lei D, Li Y, Ou G, Wu H, Sun J, Rong C, He S, Zhong D, Ke Q, Zhang Q, Tan X, Cen H, Xie X, Liao C. Long non-coding RNA SNHG17 may function as a competitive endogenous RNA in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma progression by sponging miR-34a-5p. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294729. [PMID: 37988356 PMCID: PMC10662735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the functional mechanism of long non-coding small nucleolar host gene 17 (SNHG17) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). lncRNAs related to the prognosis of patients with DLBCL were screened to analyze long non-coding small nucleolar host gene 17 (SNHG17) expression in DLBCL and normal tissues, and a nomogram established for predicting DLBCL prognosis. SNHG17 expression in B-cell lymphoma cells was detected using qPCR. The effects of SNHG17 with/without doxorubicin on the proliferation and apoptosis of DoHH2 and Daudi were detected. The effects of combined SNHG17 and doxorubicin were analyzed. The regulatory function of SNHG17 in DLBCL was investigated using a mouse tumor xenotransplantation model. RNA sequencing was used to analyze the signaling pathways involved in SNHG17 knockdown in B-cell lymphoma cell lines. The target relationships among SNHG17, microRNA, and downstream mRNA biomolecules were detected. A higher SNHG17 level predicted a lower survival rate. SNHG17 was highly expressed in DLBCL patient tissues and cell lines. We established a prognostic model containing SNHG17 expression, which could effectively predict the overall survival rate of DLBCL patients. SNHG17 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of B-cell lymphoma cells, and the combination of SNHG17 and doxorubicin had a synergistic effect. SNHG17, miR-34a-5p, and ZESTE gene enhancer homolog 2 (EZH2) had common hypothetical binding sites, and the luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-34a-5p was the direct target of SNHG17, and EZH2 was the direct target of miR-34a-5p. The carcinogenic function of SNHG17 in the proliferation and apoptosis of DLBCL cells was partially reversed by a miR-34a-5p inhibitor. SNHG17 increases EZH2 levels by inhibiting miR-34a-5p. Our findings indicate SNHG17 as critical for promoting DLBCL progression by regulating the EZH2 signaling pathway and sponging miR-34a-5p. These findings provide a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for the prognosis and treatment of DLBCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjuan Lu
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Guojun Mo
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Danqing Lei
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuanhong Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Guodi Ou
- Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hailian Wu
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Chao Rong
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Sha He
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Dani Zhong
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Qing Ke
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Qingmei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaohong Tan
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Hong Cen
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaoxun Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Frequency Tumor (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, China
| | - Chengcheng Liao
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
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49
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Kang DY, Park S, Song KS, Bae SW, Lee JS, Jang KJ, Park YM. Anticancer Effects of 6-Gingerol through Downregulating Iron Transport and PD-L1 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2628. [PMID: 37998363 PMCID: PMC10670414 DOI: 10.3390/cells12222628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron homeostasis is considered a key factor in human metabolism, and abrogation in the system could create adverse effects, including cancer. Moreover, 6-gingerol is a widely used bioactive phenolic compound with anticancer activity, and studies on its exact mechanisms on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells are still undergoing. This study aimed to find the mechanism of cell death induction by 6-gingerol in NSCLC cells. Western blotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and flow cytometry were used for molecular signaling studies, and invasion and tumorsphere formation assay were also used with comet assay for cellular processes. Our results show that 6-gingerol inhibited cancer cell proliferation and induced DNA damage response, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in NSCLC cells, and cell death induction was found to be the mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The role of iron homeostasis in the cell death induction of 6-gingerol was also investigated, and iron metabolism played a vital role in the anticancer ability of 6-gingerol by downregulating EGFR/JAK2/STAT5b signaling or upregulating p53 and downregulating PD-L1 expression. Also, 6-gingerol induced miR-34a and miR-200c expression, which may indicate regulation of PD-L1 expression by 6-gingerol. These results suggest that 6-gingerol could be a candidate drug against NSCLC cells and that 6-gingerol could play a vital role in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Young Kang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyeon Park
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Seob Song
- Department of Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49267, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Won Bae
- Department of Chemistry and Cosmetics, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Sang Lee
- Department of Functional Foods and Biotechnology, College of Medical Sciences, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Jin Jang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong-Min Park
- Department of Integrative Biological Sciences and Industry, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
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50
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Rithvik A, Samarpita S, Rasool M. Unleashing the pathological imprinting of cancer in autoimmunity: Is ZEB1 the answer? Life Sci 2023; 332:122115. [PMID: 37739160 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The intriguing scientific relationship between autoimmunity and cancer immunology have been traditionally indulged to throw spotlight on novel pathological targets. Understandably, these "slowly killing" diseases are on the opposite ends of the immune spectrum. However, the immune regulatory mechanisms between autoimmunity and cancer are not always contradictory and sometimes mirror each other based on disease stage, location, and timepoint. Moreover, the blockade of immune checkpoint molecules or signalling pathways that unleashes the immune response against cancer is being leveraged to preserve self-tolerance and treat many autoimmune disorders. Therefore, understanding the common crucial factors involved in cancer is of paramount importance to paint the autoimmune disease spectrum and validate novel drug candidates. In the current review, we will broadly describe how ZEB1, or Zinc-finger E-box Binding Homeobox 1, reinforces immune exhaustion in cancer or contributes to loss of self-tolerance in auto-immune conditions. We made an effort to exchange information about the molecular pathways and pathological responses (immune regulation, cell proliferation, senescence, autophagy, hypoxia, and circadian rhythm) that can be regulated by ZEB1 in the context of autoimmunity. This will help untwine the intricate and closely postured pathogenesis of ZEB1, that is less explored from the perspective of autoimmunity than its counterpart, cancer. This review will further consider several approaches for targeting ZEB1 in autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arulkumaran Rithvik
- Immunopathology Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nādu, India
| | - Snigdha Samarpita
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Mahaboobkhan Rasool
- Immunopathology Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nādu, India.
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