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Eichhorn JS, Petrik J. Thetumor microenvironment'sinpancreatic cancer:Effects onimmunotherapy successandnovel strategiestoovercomethehostile environment. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 259:155370. [PMID: 38815507 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155370] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a significant global health issue that poses a considerable burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Many different types of cancers exist that often require unique treatment approaches and therapies. A hallmark of tumor progression is the creation of an immunosuppressive environment, which poses complex challenges for current treatments. Amongst the most explored characteristics is a hypoxic environment, high interstitial pressure, and immunosuppressive cells and cytokines. Traditional cancer treatments involve radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. The advent of immunotherapies was regarded as a promising approach with hopes of greatly increasing patients' survival and outcome. Although some success is seen with various immunotherapies, the vast majority of monotherapies are unsuccessful. This review examines how various aspects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) present challenges that impede the success of immunotherapies. Subsequently, we review strategies to manipulate the TME to facilitate the success of immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Sören Eichhorn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Jim Petrik
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada.
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2
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Zvirblyte J, Nainys J, Juzenas S, Goda K, Kubiliute R, Dasevicius D, Kincius M, Ulys A, Jarmalaite S, Mazutis L. Single-cell transcriptional profiling of clear cell renal cell carcinoma reveals a tumor-associated endothelial tip cell phenotype. Commun Biol 2024; 7:780. [PMID: 38942917 PMCID: PMC11213875 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06478-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prevalent form of renal cancer, accounting for over 75% of cases. The asymptomatic nature of the disease contributes to late-stage diagnoses and poor survival. Highly vascularized and immune infiltrated microenvironment are prominent features of ccRCC, yet the interplay between vasculature and immune cells, disease progression and response to therapy remains poorly understood. Using droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing we profile 50,236 transcriptomes from paired tumor and healthy adjacent kidney tissues. Our analysis reveals significant heterogeneity and inter-patient variability of the tumor microenvironment. Notably, we discover a previously uncharacterized vasculature subpopulation associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The cell-cell communication analysis reveals multiple modes of immunosuppressive interactions within the tumor microenvironment, including clinically relevant interactions between tumor vasculature and stromal cells with immune cells. The upregulation of the genes involved in these interactions is associated with worse survival in the TCGA KIRC cohort. Our findings demonstrate the role of tumor vasculature and stromal cell populations in shaping the ccRCC microenvironment and uncover a subpopulation of cells within the tumor vasculature that is associated with an angiogenic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justina Zvirblyte
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Juozas Nainys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
- Droplet Genomics, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Simonas Juzenas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Karolis Goda
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Raimonda Kubiliute
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Darius Dasevicius
- National Center of Pathology, Affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, 08406, Lithuania
| | | | - Albertas Ulys
- National Cancer Institute, Vilnius, 08660, Lithuania
| | - Sonata Jarmalaite
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania.
- National Cancer Institute, Vilnius, 08660, Lithuania.
| | - Linas Mazutis
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania.
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3
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Ma TZ, Liu LY, Zeng YL, Ding K, Zhang H, Liu W, Cao Q, Xia W, Xiong X, Wu C, Mao ZW. G-quadruplex-guided cisplatin triggers multiple pathways in targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Chem Sci 2024; 15:9756-9774. [PMID: 38939132 PMCID: PMC11206235 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00643g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are atypical nucleic acid structures involved in basic human biological processes and are regulated by small molecules. To date, pyridostatin and its derivatives [e.g., PyPDS (4-(2-aminoethoxy)-N 2,N 6-bis(4-(2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl) ethoxy) quinolin-2-yl) pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide)] are the most widely used G4-binding small molecules and considered to have the best G4 specificity, which provides a new option for the development of cisplatin-binding DNA. By combining PyPDS with cisplatin and its analogs, we synthesize three platinum complexes, named PyPDSplatins. We found that cisplatin with PyPDS (CP) exhibits stronger specificity for covalent binding to G4 domains even in the presence of large amounts of dsDNA compared with PyPDS either extracellularly or intracellularly. Multiomics analysis reveals that CP can effectively regulate G4 functions, directly damage G4 structures, activate multiple antitumor signaling pathways, including the typical cGAS-STING pathway and AIM2-ASC pathway, trigger a strong immune response and lead to potent antitumor effects. These findings reflect that cisplatin-conjugated specific G4 targeting groups have antitumor mechanisms different from those of classic cisplatin and provide new strategies for the antitumor immunity of metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Zhu Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Liu-Yi Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - You-Liang Zeng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Ke Ding
- The Second Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Hangzhou 311121 P. R. China
| | - Hang Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Wenting Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Qian Cao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Wei Xia
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
| | - Xushen Xiong
- The Second Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Hangzhou 311121 P. R. China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou 510080 P. R. China
| | - Zong-Wan Mao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE for Functional Molecular Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China
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4
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Wang D, Deng X, Wang J, Che S, Ma X, Zhang S, Dong Q, Huang C, Chen J, Shi C, Zhang MR, Hu K, Luo L, Xiao Z. Environmentally responsive hydrogel promotes vascular normalization to enhance STING anti-tumor immunity. J Control Release 2024; 372:403-416. [PMID: 38914207 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.06.052] [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: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The immunosuppressive microenvironment of malignant tumors severely hampers the effectiveness of anti-tumor therapy. Moreover, abnormal tumor vasculature interacts with immune cells, forming a vicious cycle that further interferes with anti-tumor immunity and promotes tumor progression. Our pre-basic found excellent anti-tumor effects of c-di-AMP and RRx-001, respectively, and we further explored whether they could be combined synergistically for anti-tumor immunotherapy. We chose to load these two drugs on PVA-TSPBA hydrogel scaffolds that expressly release drugs within the tumor microenvironment by in situ injection. Studies have shown that c-di-AMP activates the STING pathway, enhances immune cell infiltration, and reverses tumor immunosuppression. Meanwhile, RRx-001 releases nitric oxide, which increases oxidative stress injury in tumor cells and promotes apoptosis. Moreover, the combination of the two presented more powerful pro-vascular normalization and reversed tumor immunosuppression than the drug alone. This study demonstrates a new design option for anti-tumor combination therapy and the potential of tumor environmentally responsive hydrogel scaffolds in combination with anti-tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Wang
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiujiao Deng
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Chronic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jinghao Wang
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Chronic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Shuang Che
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaocong Ma
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (Shenhe People's Hospital), Heyuan 517000, China
| | - Siqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Qiu Dong
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Cuiqing Huang
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jifeng Chen
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Changzheng Shi
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, Institute of Quantum Medical, Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 2638555, Japan
| | - Kuan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Liangping Luo
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (Shenhe People's Hospital), Heyuan 517000, China.
| | - Zeyu Xiao
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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Ni B, Yang Z, Zhou T, Zhou H, Zhou Y, Lin S, Xu H, Lin X, Yi W, He C, Liu X. Therapeutic intervention in neuroinflammation for neovascular ocular diseases through targeting the cGAS-STING-necroptosis pathway. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:164. [PMID: 38918759 PMCID: PMC11197344 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03155-y] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The microglia-mediated neuroinflammation have been shown to play a crucial role in the ocular pathological angiogenesis process, but specific immunotherapies for neovascular ocular diseases are still lacking. This study proposed that targeting GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) might be a novel immunotherapy for these angiogenesis diseases. We found a significant upregulation of CGAS and STING genes in the RNA-seq data derived from retinal tissues of the patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In experimental models of ocular angiogenesis including laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), the cGAS-STING pathway was activated as angiogenesis progressed. Either genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of STING resulted in a remarkable suppression of neovascularization in both models. Furthermore, cGAS-STING signaling was specifically activated in myeloid cells, triggering the subsequent RIP1-RIP3-MLKL pathway activation and leading to necroptosis-mediated inflammation. Notably, targeted inhibition of the cGAS-STING pathway with C-176 or SN-011 could significantly suppress pathological angiogenesis in CNV and OIR. Additionally, the combination of C-176 or SN-011 with anti-VEGF therapy led to least angiogenesis, markedly enhancing the anti-angiogenic effectiveness. Together, our findings provide compelling evidence for the importance of the cGAS-STING-necroptosis axis in pathological angiogenesis, highlighting its potential as a promising immunotherapeutic target for treating neovascular ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biyan Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Ziqi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Tian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Hong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Shiya Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Huiyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xiaojing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Wei Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Chang He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Xialin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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Zhao L, Ren Y, Zhang G, Zheng K, Wang J, Sha H, Zhao M, Huang R, Kang D, Su X, Wu Y, Zhang W, Lai R, Li L, Mei R, Wang Y, Tian Y, Wang F, Liu B, Zou Z. Single-arm study of camrelizumab plus apatinib for patients with advanced mucosal melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008611. [PMID: 38908858 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008611] [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] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have suggested the potential synergistic antitumor activity when combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with anti-angiogenic agents in various solid tumors. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab (a humanized programmed cell death-1 antibody) plus apatinib (a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor) for patients with advanced mucosal melanoma (MM), and explore-related biomarkers. METHODS We conducted a single-center, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with unresectable or recurrent/metastatic MM received camrelizumab and apatinib. The primary endpoint was the confirmed objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS Between April 2019 and June 2022, 32 patients were enrolled, with 50.0% previously received systemic therapy. Among 28 patients with evaluable response, the confirmed ORR was 42.9%, the disease control rate was 82.1%, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.05 months. The confirmed ORR was 42.9% (6/14) in both treatment-naïve and previously treated patients. Notably, treatment-naïve patients had a median PFS of 11.89 months, and those with prior treatment had a median PFS of 6.47 months. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events were transaminase elevation, rash, hyperbilirubinemia, proteinuria, hypertension, thrombocytopenia, hand-foot syndrome and diarrhea. No treatment-related deaths were observed. Higher tumor mutation burden (TMB), increased T-cell receptor (TCR) diversity, and altered receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/RAS pathway correlated with better tumor response. CONCLUSION Camrelizumab plus apatinib provided promising antitumor activity with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced MM. TMB, TCR diversity and RTK/RAS pathway genes were identified as potential predictive biomarkers and warrant further validation. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900023277.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianjun Zhao
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Ren
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guiying Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Kelin Zheng
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiayu Wang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Huizi Sha
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengke Zhao
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Huang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Donglin Kang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyu Su
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yirong Wu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wangling Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruihe Lai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Pathology of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Mei
- Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yitao Wang
- Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - You Tian
- Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Fufeng Wang
- Geneseeq Research institute, Nanjing Geneseeq Technology Inc, Nanjing, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhengyun Zou
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Werner W, Kuzminskaya M, Lurje I, Tacke F, Hammerich L. Overcoming Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Liver Cancer with Combination Therapy: Stronger Together? Semin Liver Dis 2024. [PMID: 38806159 DOI: 10.1055/a-2334-8311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer, represented mainly by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), is one of the most common and deadliest tumors worldwide. While surgical resection or liver transplantation are the best option in early disease stages, these tumors often present in advanced stages and systemic treatment is required to improve survival time. The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has had a positive impact especially on the treatment of advanced cancers, thereby establishing immunotherapy as part of first-line treatment in HCC and CCA. Nevertheless, low response rates reflect on the usually cold or immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment of primary liver cancer. In this review, we aim to summarize mechanisms of resistance leading to tumor immune escape with a special focus on the composition of tumor microenvironment in both HCC and CCA, also reflecting on recent important developments in ICI combination therapy. Furthermore, we discuss how combination of ICIs with established primary liver cancer treatments (e.g. multikinase inhibitors and chemotherapy) as well as more complex combinations with state-of-the-art therapeutic concepts may reshape the tumor microenvironment, leading to higher response rates and long-lasting antitumor immunity for primary liver cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Werner
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Kuzminskaya
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabella Lurje
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Linda Hammerich
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Cui H, Li H, Liu J, Zhao P, Liu Y, Zhong R, Li R, Cheng Y. The predictive value of E2F7 in immunotherapy efficacy for lung adenocarcinoma: An observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38574. [PMID: 38905387 PMCID: PMC11191985 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038574] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common pathological type of lung cancer. In recent years, immunotherapy has greatly changed the treatment pattern of advanced LUAD. However, only a small proportion of LUAD patients benefitted from immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. There is an urgent need to develop a biomarker to predict immune therapy response. E2F7 has been shown to be closely related to immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint expression in tumors. However, it is unclear whether the E2F7 expression is related to the immunotherapy efficacy in LUAD. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the clinical characteristics, function, and immunotherapy responsiveness of E2F7 expression, and to explore the potential of E2F7 as an immunotherapy response biomarker in LUAD. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and biological function of E2F7 expression based on data from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus database. In addition, we used single-cell sequencing data to analyze the immune regulatory effects of E2F7 in LUAD. Furthermore, we analyzed the immunotherapy response prediction ability of E2F7 expression based on the immunotherapy database. Compared to normal lung tissue, E2F7 was specifically overexpressed in LUAD, and its expression was associated with higher malignancy and poor efficacy. E2F7 high expression was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of LUAD. E2F7 was enriched in cell division and cell cycle functions. In addition, the expressions of immune checkpoints were correlated with the E2F7 expression. E2F7 was highly expressed in myeloid cells, and E2F7 highly expressed myeloid cells were associated with immune and inflammatory responses. Moreover, the expression level of E2F7 can effectively distinguish different immune therapy responses in LUAD patients. E2F7 was upregulated in LUAD, and high expression of E2F7 was associated with higher malignancy and poor efficacy. E2F7 high expression was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of LUAD. Moreover, E2F7 may exert its immunosuppressive effect by affecting the function of myeloid cells. These results indicated the potential role of E2F7 as a biomarker for predicting LUAD immunotherapy responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heran Cui
- Biobank, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Hui Li
- Biobank, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
- Translational Oncology Research Lab, Jilin Province and Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- Biobank, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Peiyan Zhao
- Translational Oncology Research Lab, Jilin Province and Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Translational Oncology Research Lab, Jilin Province and Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Rui Zhong
- Translational Oncology Research Lab, Jilin Province and Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Rixin Li
- Biobank, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Cheng
- Translational Oncology Research Lab, Jilin Province and Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
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9
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Lee DH, Yoo JK, Um KH, Ha W, Lee SM, Park J, Kye MJ, Suh J, Choi JW. Intravesical instillation-based mTOR-STAT3 dual targeting for bladder cancer treatment. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:170. [PMID: 38886756 PMCID: PMC11184849 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03088-7] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent intravesical administration of adenoviral vectors, either as a single injection or in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, exemplified by cretostimogene grenadenorepvec and nadofaragene firadenovec, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in clinical trials for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Despite their ability to induce an enhanced immune reaction within the lesion, the intracellular survival signaling of cancer cells has not been thoroughly addressed. METHODS An analysis of the prognostic data revealed a high probability of therapeutic efficacy with simultaneous inhibition of mTOR and STAT3. Considering the challenges of limited pharmaco-accessibility to the bladder due to its pathophysiological structure and the partially undruggable nature of target molecules, we designed a dual siRNA system targeting both mRNAs. Subsequently, this dual siRNA system was encoded into the adenovirus 5/3 (Ad 5/3) to enhance in vivo delivery efficiency. RESULTS Gene-targeting efficacy was assessed using cells isolated from xenografted tumors using a single-cell analysis system. Our strategy demonstrated a balanced downregulation of mTOR and STAT3 at the single-cell resolution, both in vitro and in vivo. This approach reduced tumor growth in bladder cancer xenograft and orthotopic animal experiments. In addition, increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells was observed in a humanized mouse model. We provided helpful and safe tissue distribution data for intravesical therapy of siRNAs coding adenoviruses. CONCLUSIONS The bi-specific siRNA strategy, encapsulated in an adenovirus, could be a promising tool to augment cancer treatment efficacy and overcome conventional therapy limitations associated with "undruggability." Hence, we propose that dual targeting of mTOR and STAT3 is an advantageous strategy for intravesical therapy using adenoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Hoon Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ki Yoo
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Hwan Um
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea
- Department of Regulatory Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Wootae Ha
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Min Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Regulatory Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Junseong Park
- Precision Medicine Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Jeong Kye
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungyo Suh
- Department of Urology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
- R&D Center of Curigin Ltd., Curigin, Seoul, 04778, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Regulatory Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Al-Ostoot FH, Salah S, Khanum SA. An Overview of Cancer Biology, Pathophysiological Development and It's Treatment Modalities: Current Challenges of Cancer anti-Angiogenic Therapy. Cancer Invest 2024:1-46. [PMID: 38874308 DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2024.2361295] [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: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
A number of conditions and factors can cause the transformation of normal cells in the body into malignant tissue by changing the normal functions of a wide range of regulatory, apoptotic, and signal transduction pathways. Despite the current deficiency in fully understanding the mechanism of cancer action accurately and clearly, numerous genes and proteins that are causally involved in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of cancer have been identified. But due to the lack of space and the abundance of details on this complex topic, we have emphasized here more recent advances in our understanding of the principles implied tumor cell transformation, development, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Inhibition of angiogenesis is a significant strategy for the treatment of various solid tumors, that essentially depend on cutting or at least limiting the supply of blood to micro-regions of tumors, leading to pan-hypoxia and pan-necrosis inside solid tumor tissues. Researchers have continued to enhance the efficiency of anti-angiogenic drugs over the past two decades, to identify their potential in the drug interaction, and to discover reasonable interpretations for possible resistance to treatment. In this review, we have discussed an overview of cancer history and recent methods use in cancer therapy, focusing on anti-angiogenic inhibitors targeting angiogenesis formation. Further, this review has explained the molecular mechanism of action of these anti-angiogenic inhibitors in various tumor types and their limitations use. In addition, we described the synergistic mechanisms of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy and summarizes current clinical trials of these combinations. Many phase III trials found that combining immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy improved survival. Therefore, targeting the source supply of cancer cells to grow and spread with new anti-angiogenic agents in combination with different conventional therapy is a novel method to reduce cancer progression. The aim of this paper is to overview the varying concepts of cancer focusing on mechanisms involved in tumor angiogenesis and provide an overview of the recent trends in anti-angiogenic strategies for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fares Hezam Al-Ostoot
- Department of Chemistry, Yuvaraja's College, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Education & Science, Albaydha University, Al-Baydha, Yemen
| | - Salma Salah
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Thamar University, Dhamar, Yemen
| | - Shaukath Ara Khanum
- Department of Chemistry, Yuvaraja's College, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
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11
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Zhang B, Liu H, Shi C, Gao Z, Zhong R, Gu A, Chu T, Wang H, Xiong L, Zhang W, Zhang X, Yan B, Teng J, Wang W, Bai H, Qiao R, Cheng L, Kuang Y, Zhao R, Zhong H, Han B. Safety and efficacy of multi-target TKI combined with nivolumab in check-point inhibitor-refractory patients with advanced NSCLC: a prospective, single-arm, two-stage study. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:715. [PMID: 38862908 PMCID: PMC11165816 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12479-0] [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: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a major unmet medical need in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition may reverse a suppressive microenvironment and recover sensitivity to subsequent ICIs. METHODS This phase Ib/IIa, single-arm study, comprised dose-finding (Part A) and expansion (Part B) cohorts. Patients with ICIs-refractory NSCLC were enrolled to receive anlotinib (a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor) orally (from days 1 to 14 in a 21-day cycle) and nivolumab (360 mg every 3 weeks, intravenously) on a 21-day treatment cycle. The first 21-day treatment cycle was a safety observation period (phase Ib) followed by a phase II expansion cohort. The primary objectives were recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D, part A), safety (part B), and objective response rate (ORR, part B), respectively. RESULTS Between November 2020 and March 2022, 34 patients were screened, and 21 eligible patients were enrolled (6 patients in Part A). The RP2D of anlotinib is 12 mg/day orally (14 days on and 7 days off) and nivolumab (360 mg every 3 weeks). Adverse events (AEs) of any cause and treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) were reported in all treated patients. Two patients (9.5%) experienced grade 3 TRAE. No grade 4 or higher AEs were observed. Serious AEs were reported in 4 patients. Six patients experienced anlotinib interruption and 4 patients experienced nivolumab interruption due to TRAEs. ORR and disease control rate (DCR) was 19.0% and 76.2%, respectively. Median PFS and OS were 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.3-NE) and 15.2 months (95% CI, 12.1-NE), respectively. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that anlotinib combined with nivolumab shows manageable safety and promising efficacy signals. Further studies are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT04507906 August 11, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunlei Shi
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Gao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Runbo Zhong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aiqin Gu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianqing Chu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwen Xiong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Yan
- Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajun Teng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Weimin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Bai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Qiao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanbin Kuang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiying Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Zhong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Baohui Han
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Sha H, Tong F, Ni J, Sun Y, Zhu Y, Qi L, Li X, Li W, Yang Y, Gu Q, Zhang X, Wang X, Zhu C, Chen D, Liu B, Du J. First-line penpulimab (an anti-PD1 antibody) and anlotinib (an angiogenesis inhibitor) with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine (PAAG) in metastatic pancreatic cancer: a prospective, multicentre, biomolecular exploratory, phase II trial. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:143. [PMID: 38844468 PMCID: PMC11156675 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01857-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) has a dismal prognosis. Herein, we conducted a prospective, multicentre, single-arm, phase II trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of penpulimab and anlotinib in combination with nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine (PAAG) in patients with first-line mPC (NCT05493995). The primary endpoints included the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR), while secondary endpoints encompassed progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. In 66 patients analysed for efficacy, the best response, indicated by the ORR, was recorded at 50.0% (33/66) (95% CI, 37.4-62.6%), with 33 patients achieving partial response (PR). Notably, the DCR was 95.5% (63/66, 95% CI, 87.3-99.1%). The median PFS (mPFS) and OS (mOS) were 8.8 (95% CI, 8.1-11.6), and 13.7 (95% CI, 12.4 to not reached) months, respectively. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 39.4% of patients (26/66). In prespecified exploratory analysis, patients with altered SWI/SNF complex had a poorer PFS. Additionally, low serum CA724 level, high T-cell recruitment, low Th17 cell recruitment, and high NK CD56dim cell scores at baseline were potential predicative biomarkers for more favourable efficacy. In conclusion, PAAG as a first-line therapy demonstrated tolerability with promising clinical efficacy for mPC. The biomolecular findings identified in this study possess the potential to guide the precise clinical application of the triple-combo regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizi Sha
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fan Tong
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiayao Ni
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Sun
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yahui Zhu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang Qi
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Li
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Gu
- National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Chan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Dongsheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Juan Du
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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13
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Thakur A, Rana M, Mishra A, Kaur C, Pan CH, Nepali K. Recent advances and future directions on small molecule VEGFR inhibitors in oncological conditions. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 272:116472. [PMID: 38728867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116472] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
"A journey of mixed emotions" is a quote that best describes the progress chart of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors as cancer therapeutics in the last decade. Exhilarated with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of numerous VEGFR inhibitors coupled with the annoyance of encountering the complications associated with their use, drug discovery enthusiasts are on their toes with an unswerving determination to enhance the rate of translation of VEGFR inhibitors from preclinical to clinical stage. The recently crafted armory of VEGFR inhibitors is a testament to their growing dominance over other antiangiogenic therapies for cancer treatment. This review perspicuously underscores the earnest attempts of the researchers to extract the antiproliferative potential of VEGFR inhibitors through the design of mechanistically diverse structural assemblages. Moreover, this review encompasses sections on structural/molecular properties and physiological functions of VEGFR, FDA-approved VEGFR inhibitors, and hurdles restricting the activity range/clinical applicability of VEGFR targeting antitumor agents. In addition, tactics to overcome the limitations of VEGFR inhibitors are discussed. A clear-cut viewpoint transmitted through this compilation can provide practical directions to push the cart of VEGFR inhibitors to advanced-stage clinical investigations in diverse malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandeep Thakur
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110031, Taiwan
| | - Mandeep Rana
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110031, Taiwan
| | - Anshul Mishra
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110031, Taiwan
| | - Charanjit Kaur
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India
| | - Chun-Hsu Pan
- Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Kunal Nepali
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110031, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
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14
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Eberhardt WEE, Sebastian M. History Can Teach Us Something: Angiogenesis Inhibition Revisited. J Thorac Oncol 2024; 19:849-851. [PMID: 38849162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2024.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Wilfried E E Eberhardt
- Department of Medical Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Medicine Essen, Ruhrlandklinik, Essen, Germany.
| | - Martin Sebastian
- Department of Medicin II, Goethe-University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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15
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Liu W, Shen Y, Hou J, Jiang H, Wang Q, Zhang L, Nakajima A, Lee D, Xu J, Guo Y. A fungal polysaccharide from Fomitopsis officinalis as a multi-target molecule to combat cancer. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 272:132543. [PMID: 38788870 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132543] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Some macrofungi have a long history of being used as traditional or folk medicines, making significant contributions to human health. To discover bioactive molecules with potential anticancer properties, a homogeneous heteropolysaccharide (FOBP90-1) was purified from the medicinal macrofungus Fomitopsis officinalis. FOBP90-1 was found to have a molecular weight of 2.87 × 104 g/mol and mainly consist of →6)-α-d-Galp-(1→, →2,6)-α-d-Galp-(1→, →3)-α-l-Fucp-(1→, →6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→, α-d-Manp-(1→, and 3-O-Me-α-l-Fucp-(1→ according to UV, FT-IR, methylation analysis, and NMR data. In addition to its structural properties, FOBP90-1 displayed anticancer activity in zebrafish models. The following mechanistic analysis discovered that the in vivo antitumor effect was linked to immune activation and angiogenesis inhibition. These effects were mediated by the interactions of FOBP90-1 with TLR-2, TLR-4, PD-L1, and VEGFR-2, as determined through a series of experiments involving cells, transgenic zebrafish, molecular docking simulations, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). All the experimental findings have demonstrated that FOBP90-1, a purified fungal polysaccharide, is expected to be utilized as a cancer treatment agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongye Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiantong Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Haojing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Qilong Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin 301617, People's Republic of China.
| | - Linsu Zhang
- Qiannan Medical College for Nationalities, Duyun 558000, People's Republic of China
| | - Akira Nakajima
- Department of Applied Biology and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki 036-8561, Japan
| | - Dongho Lee
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China; State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuanqiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Jin S, Chen J. Exploring the prognostic significance of immunogenic cell death-related genes as risk biomarkers in cervical cancer. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e1260. [PMID: 38860758 PMCID: PMC11165675 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1260] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a process in which dying cells stimulate an immune response. It is a regulated form of cell death that can remodel the tumor microenvironment (TME) and activate the immune system, making immunotherapy more effective. This work was designed to identify prognostic gene features associated with ICD in cervical cancer (CC). METHODS Based on CC datasets and a set of ICD-related genes obtained from public databases, we first filtered out ICD-related genes unrelated to CC survival using univariate analysis. Subsequently, LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis were employed to develop prognostic feature genes based on ICD. For the construction and validation of the model, eight genes (CXCL1, IL1B, TNF, YKT6, PDIA3, ROCK1, CXCR3, and CLEC9A) were chosen. A nomogram was created to forecast the prognosis of CC individuals, and Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized to explore the survival disparities among different risk groups of CC individuals. RESULTS ssGSEA analysis was employed to investigate immune differences between two risk groups, revealing that the low-risk group exhibited elevated levels of immune cell infiltration, enhanced activation of immune function, and a higher immunophenoscore compared with the other group, which highlighted the relevance of ICD to TME. CONCLUSION We constructed a prognostic model based on genetic biomarkers of ICD for prognostic prediction of CC patients. Our model demonstrated excellent discriminative and calibration capabilities, providing a valuable tool for prognostic prediction and assessing the potential efficacy of immunotherapy in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangmei Jin
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Bishan Hospital of ChongqingBishan Hospital of Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jingdong Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Bishan Hospital of ChongqingBishan Hospital of Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
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17
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Park R, Saeed A. Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer - Finding the Achilles' Heel. NEJM EVIDENCE 2024; 3:EVIDra2300353. [PMID: 38804784 DOI: 10.1056/evidra2300353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
AbstractColorectal cancer treatment has evolved considerably in the last decade with the development of immunotherapies. Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies have brisk and durable responses in patients with advanced microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancer, both surgically resectable and unresectable; however, patients with microsatellite stable colorectal cancer in general do not respond to the same therapy. Emerging evidence shows that immune checkpoint inhibitors may elicit responses in subsets of patients with microsatellite stable colorectal cancer, especially when combined with other anticancer agents that can modulate the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, rationally designed therapeutic combinations involving immune checkpoint inhibitors, as well as the development of predictive biomarkers for optimal patient selection, have emerged as two key areas of active research. In addition, other immunotherapeutic agents such as cell-based therapies and bispecific T-cell engagers are beginning to be studied in preclinical and early-phase settings. Although by no means a universal treatment strategy, immunotherapy can elicit responses in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer and further research is needed to extend their benefit to patients with microsatellite stable colorectal cancer. Here, we review the current state of immunotherapeutic regimens for microsatellite stable colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Park
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL
- Department of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh
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18
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Balan D, Kampan NC, Plebanski M, Abd Aziz NH. Unlocking ovarian cancer heterogeneity: advancing immunotherapy through single-cell transcriptomics. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1388663. [PMID: 38873253 PMCID: PMC11169633 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1388663] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer, a highly fatal gynecological cancer, warrants the need for understanding its heterogeneity. The disease's prevalence and impact are underscored with statistics on mortality rates. Ovarian cancer is categorized into distinct morphological groups, each with its characteristics and prognosis. Despite standard treatments, survival rates remain low due to relapses and chemoresistance. Immune system involvement is evident in ovarian cancer's progression, although the tumor employs immune evasion mechanisms. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade therapy, is promising, but ovarian cancer's heterogeneity limits its efficacy. Single-cell sequencing technology could be explored as a solution to dissect the heterogeneity within tumor-associated immune cell populations and tumor microenvironments. This cutting-edge technology has the potential to enhance diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized immunotherapy in ovarian cancer, reflecting its broader application in cancer research. The present review focuses on recent advancements and the challenges in applying single-cell transcriptomics to ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharvind Balan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nirmala Chandralega Kampan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Magdalena Plebanski
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Nor Haslinda Abd Aziz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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19
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Jiang F, Chen Y, Tomonobu N, Kinoshita R, Komalasari NLGY, Kasano-Camones CI, Ninomiya K, Murata H, Yamamoto KI, Gohara Y, Ochi T, Ruma IMW, Sumardika IW, Zhou J, Honjo T, Sakaguchi Y, Yamauchi A, Kuribayashi F, Futami J, Kondo E, Inoue Y, Toyooka S, Sakaguchi M. Dissection of the signal transduction machinery responsible for the lysyl oxidase-like 4-mediated increase in invasive motility in triple-negative breast cancer cells: mechanistic insight into the integrin-β1-NF-κB-MMP9 axis. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1371307. [PMID: 38863623 PMCID: PMC11165029 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1371307] [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: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells are a highly formidable cancer to treat. Nonetheless, by continued investigation into the molecular biology underlying the complex regulation of TNBC cell activity, vulnerabilities can be exposed as potential therapeutic targets at the molecular level. We previously revealed that lysyl oxidase-like 4 (LOXL4) promotes the invasiveness of TNBC cells via cell surface annexin A2 as a novel binding substrate of LOXL4, which promotes the abundant localization of integrin-β1 at the cancer plasma membrane. However, it has yet to be uncovered how the LOXL4-mediated abundance of integrin-β1 hastens the invasive outgrowth of TNBC cells at the molecular level. Methods LOXL4-overexpressing stable clones were established from MDA-MB-231 cells and subjected to molecular analyses, real-time qPCR and zymography to clarify their invasiveness, signal transduction, and matrix metalloprotease (MMP) activity, respectively. Results Our results show that LOXL4 potently promotes the induction of matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9) via activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Our molecular analysis revealed that TNF receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) and TGF-β activated kinase 1 (TAK1) were required for the activation of NF-κB through Iκβ kinase kinase (IKKα/β) phosphorylation. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the newly identified LOXL4-mediated axis, integrin-β1-TRAF4-TAK1-IKKα/β-Iκβα-NF-κB-MMP9, is crucial for TNBC cell invasiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Youyi Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nahoko Tomonobu
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Rie Kinoshita
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | | | | | - Kazumi Ninomiya
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Murata
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Yamamoto
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yuma Gohara
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Toshiki Ochi
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | | | | | - Jin Zhou
- Medical Oncology Department of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of the Dalian University of Technology, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Tomoko Honjo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Sakaguchi
- Department of Microbiology, Tokushima Bunri University, Sagamihara, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Akira Yamauchi
- Department of Biochemistry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
| | - Futoshi Kuribayashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
| | - Junichiro Futami
- Department of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Eisaku Kondo
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Near InfraRed Photo-Immuno-Therapy Research Institute, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Inoue
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, Japan
| | - Shinichi Toyooka
- Department of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Masakiyo Sakaguchi
- Department of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
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20
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Ye Z, Cheng P, Huang Q, Hu J, Huang L, Hu G. Immunocytes interact directly with cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment: one coin with two sides and future perspectives. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1388176. [PMID: 38840908 PMCID: PMC11150710 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1388176] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is closely linked to the initiation, promotion, and progression of solid tumors. Among its constitutions, immunologic cells emerge as critical players, facilitating immune evasion and tumor progression. Apart from their indirect impact on anti-tumor immunity, immunocytes directly influence neoplastic cells, either bolstering or impeding tumor advancement. However, current therapeutic modalities aimed at alleviating immunosuppression from regulatory cells on effector immune cell populations may not consistently yield satisfactory results in various solid tumors, such as breast carcinoma, colorectal cancer, etc. Therefore, this review outlines and summarizes the direct, dualistic effects of immunocytes such as T cells, innate lymphoid cells, B cells, eosinophils, and tumor-associated macrophages on tumor cells within the tumor microenvironment. The review also delves into the underlying mechanisms involved and presents the outcomes of clinical trials based on these direct effects, aiming to propose innovative and efficacious therapeutic strategies for addressing solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyi Ye
- Department of General Surgery (Breast and Thyroid Surgery), Shaoxing People’s Hospital; Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pu Cheng
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Huang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Oncology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jingjing Hu
- School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liming Huang
- Department of General Surgery (Breast and Thyroid Surgery), Shaoxing People’s Hospital; Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guoming Hu
- Department of General Surgery (Breast and Thyroid Surgery), Shaoxing People’s Hospital, Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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21
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Han YJ, Shao CY, Yao Y, Zhang Z, Fang MZ, Gong T, Zhang YJ, Li M. Immunotherapy of microsatellite stable colorectal cancer: resistance mechanisms and treatment strategies. Postgrad Med J 2024; 100:373-381. [PMID: 38211949 DOI: 10.1093/postmj/qgad136] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, immunotherapy strategies based on immune checkpoint inhibitors have yielded good efficacy in colorectal cancer (CRC)especially in colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability-high. However, microsatellite-stable (MSS) CRCs account for about 85% of CRCs and are resistant to immunotherapy. Previous studies have shown that compared with MSS CRC, high microsatellite instability CRC possesses a higher frequency of mutations and can generate more neoantigens. Therefore, improving the sensitivity of immunotherapy to MSS CRC is a hot topic which is crucial for the treatment of MSS CRC. This review aims to discuss the factors contributing to MSS CRC insensitivity to immunotherapy and explored potential solutions to overcome immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Jie Han
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
- Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Chi-Yun Shao
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
- Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Ying Yao
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
- Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
- Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Ming-Zhi Fang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
| | - Tao Gong
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
| | - Ya-Jie Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing, University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
- Department of Biobank, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 157 Damin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
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22
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Zou H, Ge Y, Chen W, Yao D, Oi Lam Ung C, Lai Y, Hu H. Real-world treatment patterns and outcomes for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma initially treated with PD-1 inhibitors. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 132:111947. [PMID: 38552296 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111947] [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: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors have shown promising clinical efficacy in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little evidence exists regarding their treatment patterns and outcomes in real-world practice in China. This study aimed to investigate real-world treatment patterns and outcomes of PD-1 inhibitors as first-line therapies for patients with advanced HCC in China. METHODS The study population included adult patients with advanced HCC who were initially treated with PD-1 inhibitors from April 2020 to November 2022 in China. Descriptive statistics were used to report first-line treatment patterns and associations between patient characteristics and the most frequently used treatment patterns. The effectiveness of first-line treatment with PD-1 inhibitors was also evaluated according to survival and tumor response. RESULTS The analyses enrolled 480 patients. The four most frequently used first-line treatment patterns of camrelizumab, tislelizumab, camrelizumab + TACE, and tislelizumab + TACE showed statistical differences in patient characteristics of gender, HBV infection, liver cirrhosis, BCLC stage, and portal vein tumor thrombus (all P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in median progression-free survival among the first-line treatments of tislelizumab, camrelizumab, and tislelizumab + TACE (not reached vs. 4.4 months vs. 3.6 months, P = 0.5178). The three groups had similar objective response rates (25.0 % vs. 28.6 % vs. 28.6 %, P = 0.927), and disease control rates (73.1 % vs. 78.6 % vs. 64.3 %, P = 0.573) with no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provided insights into potential therapeutic strategies of PD-1 inhibitors in first-line settings for advanced HCC in real-world practice in China. It was recommended to consider patient characteristics associated with therapeutic options when making clinical decisions. Prospective randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times were warranted further to verify the potential clinical benefits of PD-1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR
| | - Ying Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR
| | - Wenge Chen
- School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongning Yao
- Department of Drug Regulatory Science and Pharmacoeconomics, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Carolina Oi Lam Ung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR; Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR; Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR
| | - Yunfeng Lai
- School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR; Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR; Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR.
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23
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Torshizi Esfahani A, Mohammadpour S, Jalali P, Yaghoobi A, Karimpour R, Torkamani S, Pardakhtchi A, Salehi Z, Nazemalhosseini-Mojarad E. Differential expression of angiogenesis-related genes 'VEGF' and 'angiopoietin-1' in metastatic and EMAST-positive colorectal cancer patients. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10539. [PMID: 38719941 PMCID: PMC11079037 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61000-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal angiogenesis leads to tumor progression and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to elucidate the association between angiogenesis-related genes, including VEGF-A, ANGPT-1, and ANGPT-2 with both metastatic and microsatellite alterations at selected tetranucleotide repeats (EMAST) subtypes of CRC. We conducted a thorough assessment of the ANGPT-1, ANGPT-2, and VEGF-A gene expression utilizing publicly available RNA sequencing and microarray datasets. Then, the experimental validation was performed in 122 CRC patients, considering their disease metastasis and EMAST+/- profile by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Subsequently, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network associated with these angiogenesis-related genes was constructed and analyzed. The expression level of VEGF-A and ANGPT-2 genes were significantly higher in tumor tissues as compared with normal adjacent tissues (P-value < 0.001). Nevertheless, ANGPT-1 had a significantly lower expression in tumor samples than in normal colon tissue (P-value < 0.01). We identified a significantly increased VEGF-A (P-value = 0.002) and decreased ANGPT-1 (P-value = 0.04) expression in EMAST+ colorectal tumors. Regarding metastasis, a significantly increased VEGF-A and ANGPT-2 expression (P-value = 0.001) and decreased ANGPT-1 expression (P-value < 0.05) were established in metastatic CRC patients. Remarkably, co-expression analysis also showed a strong correlation between ANGPT-2 and VEGF-A gene expressions. The ceRNA network was constructed by ANGPT-1, ANGPT-2, VEGF-A, and experimentally validated miRNAs (hsa-miR-190a-3p, hsa-miR-374c-5p, hsa-miR-452-5p, and hsa-miR-889-3p), lncRNAs (AFAP1-AS1, KCNQ1OT1 and MALAT1), and TFs (Sp1, E2F1, and STAT3). Network analysis revealed that colorectal cancer is amongst the 82 significant pathways. We demonstrated a significant differential expression of VEGF-A and ANGPT-1 in colorectal cancer patients exhibiting the EMAST+ phenotype. This finding provides novel insights into the molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, specifically in EMAST subtypes. Yet, the generalization of in silico findings to EMAST+ colorectal cancer warrants future experimental investigations. In the end, this study proposes that the EMAST biomarker could serve as an additional perspective on CMS4 biology which is well-defined by activated angiogenesis and worse overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Torshizi Esfahani
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Mohammadpour
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pooya Jalali
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Yaghoobi
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Raana Karimpour
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soha Torkamani
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Pardakhtchi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Salehi
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Nazemalhosseini-Mojarad
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
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24
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Wang Z, Yang L. Natural-product-based, carrier-free, noncovalent nanoparticles for tumor chemo-photodynamic combination therapy. Pharmacol Res 2024; 203:107150. [PMID: 38521285 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107150] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Cancer, with its diversity, heterogeneity, and complexity, is a significant contributor to global morbidity, disability, and mortality, highlighting the necessity for transformative treatment approaches. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has aroused continuous interest as a viable alternative to conventional cancer treatments that encounter drug resistance. Nanotechnology has brought new advances in medicine and has shown great potential in drug delivery and cancer treatment. For precise and efficient therapeutic utilization of such a tumor therapeutic approach with high spatiotemporal selectivity and minimal invasiveness, the carrier-free noncovalent nanoparticles (NPs) based on chemo-photodynamic combination therapy is essential. Utilizing natural products as the foundation for nanodrug development offers unparalleled advantages, including exceptional pharmacological activity, easy functionalization/modification, and well biocompatibility. The natural-product-based, carrier-free, noncovalent NPs revealed excellent synergistic anticancer activity in comparison with free photosensitizers and free bioactive natural products, representing an alternative and favorable combination therapeutic avenue to improve therapeutic efficacy. Herein, a comprehensive summary of current strategies and representative application examples of carrier-free noncovalent NPs in the past decade based on natural products (such as paclitaxel, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, doxorubicin, etoposide, combretastatin A4, epigallocatechin gallate, and curcumin) for tumor chemo-photodynamic combination therapy. We highlight the insightful design and synthesis of the smart carrier-free NPs that aim to enhance PDT efficacy. Meanwhile, we discuss the future challenges and potential opportunities associated with these NPs to provide new enlightenment, spur innovative ideas, and facilitate PDT-mediated clinical transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus, Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Liyan Yang
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
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25
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Corvigno S, Liu Y, Bayraktar E, Stur E, Bayram NN, Ahumada AL, Nagaraju S, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Chen H, Vu TC, Wen Y, Liang H, Zhao L, Lee S, Lopez-Berestein G, Sood AK. Enhanced plant-derived vesicles for nucleotide delivery for cancer therapy. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:86. [PMID: 38582949 PMCID: PMC10998889 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00556-3] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Small RNAs (microRNAs [miRNAs] or small interfering RNAs [siRNAs]) are effective tools for cancer therapy, but many of the existing carriers for their delivery are limited by low bioavailability, insufficient loading, impaired transport across biological barriers, and low delivery into the tumor microenvironment. Extracellular vesicle (EV)-based communication in mammalian and plant systems is important for many physiological and pathological processes, and EVs show promise as carriers for RNA interference molecules. However, some fundamental issues limit their use, such as insufficient cargo loading and low potential for scaling production. Plant-derived vesicles (PDVs) are membrane-coated vesicles released in the apoplastic fluid of plants that contain biomolecules that play a role in several biological mechanisms. Here, we developed an alternative approach to deliver miRNA for cancer therapy using PDVs. We isolated vesicles from watermelon and formulated a hybrid, exosomal, polymeric system in which PDVs were combined with a dendrimer bound to miRNA146 mimic. Third generation PAMAM was chosen due to its high branching structure and versatility for loading molecules of interest. We performed several in vivo experiments to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of our compound and explored in vitro biological mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor effects of miRNA146, which are mostly related to its anti-angiogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Corvigno
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Emine Bayraktar
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Elaine Stur
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Nazende Nur Bayram
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Adrian Lankenau Ahumada
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Supriya Nagaraju
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hu Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Thanh Chung Vu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yunfei Wen
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Han Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Sanghoon Lee
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Gabriel Lopez-Berestein
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Anil K Sood
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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26
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Ge P, Tao C, Wang W, He Q, Liu C, Zheng Z, Mou S, Zhang B, Liu X, Zhang Q, Wang R, Li H, Zhang D, Zhao J. Circulating immune cell landscape and T-cell abnormalities in patients with moyamoya disease. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1647. [PMID: 38566524 PMCID: PMC10988118 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1647] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Moyamoya disease (MMD) stands as a prominent cause of stroke among children and adolescents in East Asian populations. Although a growing body of evidence suggests that dysregulated inflammation and autoimmune responses might contribute to the development of MMD, a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the alterations in circulating immune cells associated with MMD remains elusive. METHODS In this study, we employed a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), mass cytometry and RNA-sequencing techniques to compare immune cell profiles in peripheral blood samples obtained from patients with MMD and age-matched healthy controls. RESULTS Our investigation unveiled immune dysfunction in MMD patients, primarily characterized by perturbations in T-cell (TC) subpopulations, including a reduction in effector TCs and an increase in regulatory TCs (Tregs). Additionally, we observed diminished natural killer cells and dendritic cells alongside heightened B cells and monocytes in MMD patients. Notably, within the MMD group, there was an augmented proportion of fragile Tregs, whereas the stable Treg fraction decreased. MMD was also linked to heightened immune activation, as evidenced by elevated expression levels of HLA-DR and p-STAT3. CONCLUSIONS Our findings offer a comprehensive view of the circulating immune cell landscape in MMD patients. Immune dysregulation in patients with MMD was characterized by alterations in T-cell populations, including a decrease in effector T-cells and an increase in regulatory T-cells (Tregs), suggest a potential role for disrupted circulating immunity in the aetiology of MMD.
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Liang X, Jiang Y, Yao W, Deng Y, Yang S, Liu Q. Liver-directed moderately hypo-fractionated radiotherapy combined with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective observational study of 23 cases. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:1508-1518. [PMID: 38617508 PMCID: PMC11009807 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-1333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1) monoclonal antibody combined with bevacizumab (a monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor) has been established as first-line systemic treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Radiotherapy is a crucial local treatment for HCC. Mutual efficacy enhancement has been reported between radiotherapy, anti-angiogenesis therapy and immunotherapy in preclinical researches, but not been validated in clinical practice. Whether radiotherapy can enhance efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy plus bevacizumab for HCC remains unclear. This retrospective observational study aimed to appraise efficacy and safety of the combination of radiotherapy with pembrolizumab (a PD-1 monoclonal antibody) and bevacizumab for advanced HCC for the first time. Methods Patients with advanced HCC treated by intrahepatic tumor-directed moderately hypo-fractionated radiotherapy combined with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab were consecutively included. Clinicopathological characteristics, therapeutic outcomes and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were recorded and evaluated. Results A total of 23 patients were eventually enrolled. Median cycles of pembrolizumab and bevacizumab were 4 (median, 1-8) and 4 (median, 1-9) cycles. The objective response rates and disease control rates of irradiated intrahepatic HCC and non-irradiated extrahepatic HCC were 34.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 16.4-57.3%] vs. 10.0% (95% CI, 1.2-31.7%), and 91.3% (95% CI, 72.0-98.9%) vs. 70.0% (95% CI, 45.7-88.1%), respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 6.6 (95% CI, 4.7-8.5) and 18.3 (95% CI, 8.2-33.6) months, and 12-month PFS and OS rates were 17.5% (95% CI, 7.0-28.0%) and 60.9% (95% CI, 50.7-71.1%). Two patients (8.7%) with locally advanced, unresectable HCC eventually underwent curative resection of tumors after this trimodal treatment. Eighteen patients (78.3%) had ≥ grade 3 TRAEs, with myelosuppression and transaminase increase as the most common. Conclusions This study firstly reported that combining radiotherapy with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab was preliminarily a feasible and effective therapeutic choice for advanced HCC in despite of more TRAEs. This tri-modal regimen may be a potential conversion therapy for unresectable, locally advanced HCC. The limitations of this study are its retrospective nature and small sample size; therefore, big-sample prospective studies are warranted to further investigate this tri-modal regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuexia Liang
- Department of Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanhui Jiang
- Department of Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Wei Yao
- Department of Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yun Deng
- Department of Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- Department of Radiotherapy and Minimally Invasive Surgery, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Qiaodan Liu
- Department of Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
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Weng KQ, Liu JY, Li H, She LL, Qiu JL, Qi H, Qi HY, Li YS, Dai YB. Identification of Treg-related prognostic molecular subtypes and individualized characteristics in clear cell renal cell carcinoma through single-cell transcriptomes and bulk RNA sequencing. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 130:111746. [PMID: 38442575 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111746] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the role of Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) as prognostic and immunotherapy response predictors is not fully explored. METHODS Analyzing renal clear cell carcinoma datasets from TISCH, TCGA, and GEO, we focused on 8 prognostic Treg genes to study patient subtypes in ccRCC. We assessed Treg subtypes in relation to patient prognosis, tumor microenvironment, metabolism. Using Cox regression and principal component analysis, we devised Treg scores for individual patient characterization and explored the molecular role of C1QL1, a critical gene in the Treg model, through in vivo and in vitro studies. RESULTS Eight Treg-associated prognostic genes were identified, classifying ccRCC patients into cluster A and B. Cluster A patients showed poorer prognosis with distinct clinical and molecular profiles, potentially benefiting more from immunotherapy. Low Treg scores correlated with worse outcomes and clinical progression. Low scores also suggested that patients might respond better to immunotherapy and targeted therapies. In ccRCC, C1QL1 knockdown reduced tumor proliferation and invasion via NF-kb-EMT pathways and decreased Treg cell infiltration, enhancing immune efficacy. CONCLUSIONS The molecular subtype and Treg score in ccRCC, based on Treg cell marker genes, are crucial in personalizing ccRCC treatment and underscore C1QL1's potential as a tumor biomarker and target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Qiang Weng
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jin Yu Liu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, 999 DongZhen East Rd, Putian 351100, Fujian, China.
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Lin Lu She
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jun Liang Qiu
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hao Qi
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hui Yue Qi
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yong Sheng Li
- Department of Urology, Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Gulou District, 29 Xin-quan Road, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Ying Bo Dai
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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Kheraldine H, Gupta I, Cyprian FS, Vranic S, Al-Farsi HF, Merhi M, Dermime S, Al Moustafa AE. Targeting HER2-positive breast cancer cells by a combination of dasatinib and BMS-202: Insight into the molecular pathways. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:94. [PMID: 38431613 PMCID: PMC10909263 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03195-z] [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: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent investigations have reported the benefits of using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, dasatinib (DA), as well as programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in the management of several solid tumors, including breast cancer. Nevertheless, the outcome of the combination of these inhibitors on HER2-positive breast cancer is not explored yet. METHODS Herein, we investigated the impact of DA and PD-L1 inhibitor (BMS-202) combination on HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines, SKBR3 and ZR75. RESULTS Our data reveal that the combination significantly inhibits cell viability of both cancer cell lines as compared to monotreatment. Moreover, the combination inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression and reduces cancer cell invasion by restoring E-cadherin and β-catenin expressions and loss of vimentin, major biomarkers of EMT. Additionally, the combination reduces the colony formation of both cell lines in comparison with their matched control. Also, the combination considerably inhibits the angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane model compared with monotreatment. Molecular pathway analysis of treated cells shows that this combination blocks HER2, AKT, β-catenin, and JNK1/2/3 activities. CONCLUSION Our findings implicate that a combination of DA and BMS-202 could have a significant impact on the management of HER2-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadeel Kheraldine
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ishita Gupta
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Farhan Sachal Cyprian
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Semir Vranic
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Halema F Al-Farsi
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Interim Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Said Dermime
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Interim Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
- Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Oaknin A, Ghamande SA, Kasamatsu Y, Gil-Martin M, Grau-Bejar JF, Garcia-Duran C, Sato M, Siddiqui A, Chaudhary SP, Vugmeyster Y, Hasegawa K. Phase I Trial of First-line Bintrafusp Alfa in Patients with Locally Advanced or Persistent/Recurrent/Metastatic Cervical Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:975-983. [PMID: 38165683 PMCID: PMC10905521 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1829] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Bintrafusp alfa, a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of TGFβ receptor II (a TGFβ "trap") fused to a human IgG1 mAb blocking programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), was evaluated as treatment in patients with locally advanced or persistent, recurrent, or metastatic (P/R/M) cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this multicenter, open-label, phase Ib trial (NCT04551950), patients with P/R/M cervical cancer received bintrafusp alfa 2,400 mg once every 3 weeks plus cisplatin or carboplatin plus paclitaxel with (Cohort 1A; n = 8) or without (Cohort 1B; n = 9) bevacizumab; patients with locally advanced cervical cancer received bintrafusp alfa 2,400 mg every 3 weeks plus cisplatin plus radiation, followed by bintrafusp alfa monotherapy maintenance (Cohort 2; n = 8). The primary endpoint was safety; secondary endpoints included efficacy (including objective response rate) and pharmacokinetics. RESULTS At the data cutoff of April 27, 2022, patients in Cohorts 1A, 1B, and 2 had received bintrafusp alfa for a median duration of 37.9, 31.1, and 16.7 weeks, respectively. Two dose-limiting toxicities (grade 4 amylase elevation and grade 3 menorrhagia) unrelated to bintrafusp alfa were observed in Cohort 1B and none in other cohorts. Most treatment-emergent adverse events of special interest were grades 1-2 in severity, most commonly anemia (62.5%-77.8%) and bleeding events (62.5%-77.8%). Objective response rate was 75.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 34.9-96.8], 44.4% (95% CI, 13.7-78.8), and 62.5% (95% CI, 24.5-91.5) in Cohorts 1A, 1B, and 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Bintrafusp alfa had manageable safety and demonstrated clinical activity, further supporting the investigation of TGFβ/PD-L1 inhibition in human papillomavirus-associated cancers, including cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Oaknin
- Gynaecologic Cancer Programme, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Marta Gil-Martin
- Institut Català d'Oncologia-IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Francisco Grau-Bejar
- Gynaecologic Cancer Programme, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Garcia-Duran
- Gynaecologic Cancer Programme, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Masashi Sato
- the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Abdul Siddiqui
- the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Kosei Hasegawa
- Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
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Tojjari A, Park R, Yu J, Saeed A. Targeting Angiogenesis Alone and in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Gastroesophageal Malignancies. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2024; 26:57-67. [PMID: 38294661 DOI: 10.1007/s11894-024-00920-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review critically examines the latest approaches in treating advanced gastroesophageal malignancies. It emphasizes the significance of angiogenesis as a therapeutic target and discusses the potential synergy of combining angiogenesis inhibitors with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to enhance treatment efficacy. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging evidence from clinical trials, such as the INTEGRATE IIa trial with regorafenib and studies involving apatinib and sunitinib, underscores the efficacy of targeting the VEGFR pathway. These studies indicate substantial benefits in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced stages of the disease who have limited treatment options. Additionally, the recent introduction of combination therapies involving ICIs has shown an increased response rate, suggesting a promising direction for future treatment protocols. The landscape of treatment for gastroesophageal malignancies is rapidly evolving. Research is now pivoting from conventional chemotherapy to a more nuanced approach that includes targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Tojjari
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Robin Park
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - James Yu
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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Sang YB, Lee C, Kim SG, Lee B, Kang B, Kim C, Chon HJ. Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Atezolizumab/Bevacizumab. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1335. [PMID: 38592150 PMCID: PMC10931976 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13051335] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has proven challenging to the management of patients with cancer, particularly those receiving systemic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab/bevacizumab. (2) Methods: Patients with unresectable HCC who started atezolizumab/bevacizumab treatment between June 2020 and December 2021 at a tertiary cancer center in Korea were included (n = 241) and classified according to their COVID-19 status and severity. (3) Results: Thirty-five (14.5%) patients with unresectable HCC were diagnosed with COVID-19 during atezolizumab/bevacizumab treatment; 26 (74.2%) and nine (25.7%) in the low- and high-severity groups, respectively. The high-severity group showed higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Liver and kidney injuries were observed in 31.4% and 17.1% of total patients, respectively. Liver injury was more prominent in patients with pre-existing liver dysfunction at baseline, who were more prevalent in the high-severity group. Atezolizumab/bevacizumab treatment was delayed by a median of 0 (range, 0-21) day in the low-severity group and 12 (range, 0-35) days in the high-severity group. The high-severity group showed worse post-infection progression-free survival (1.1 vs. 4.8 months, p = 0.017) and overall survival (2.2 months vs. not reached, p = 0.004). (4) Conclusions: Patients with impaired liver function at baseline are more susceptible to high-severity COVID-19, which affects atezolizumab/bevacizumab treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Beom Sang
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea; (Y.B.S.); (S.-G.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Chaeryoung Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seul-Gi Kim
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea; (Y.B.S.); (S.-G.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Boyoung Lee
- Division of Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul 04401, Republic of Korea;
| | - Beodeul Kang
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea; (Y.B.S.); (S.-G.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Chan Kim
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea; (Y.B.S.); (S.-G.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Hong Jae Chon
- Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13497, Republic of Korea; (Y.B.S.); (S.-G.K.); (B.K.)
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Clark GC, Lai A, Agarwal A, Liu Z, Wang XY. Biopterin metabolism and nitric oxide recoupling in cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1321326. [PMID: 38469569 PMCID: PMC10925643 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1321326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Tetrahydrobiopterin is a cofactor necessary for the activity of several enzymes, the most studied of which is nitric oxide synthase. The role of this cofactor-enzyme relationship in vascular biology is well established. Recently, tetrahydrobiopterin metabolism has received increasing attention in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy due to its involvement in the cytotoxic T cell response. Past research has demonstrated that when the availability of BH4 is low, as it is in chronic inflammatory conditions and tumors, electron transfer in the active site of nitric oxide synthase becomes uncoupled from the oxidation of arginine. This results in the production of radical species that are capable of a direct attack on tetrahydrobiopterin, further depleting its local availability. This feedforward loop may act like a molecular switch, reinforcing low tetrahydrobiopterin levels leading to altered NO signaling, restrained immune effector activity, and perpetual vascular inflammation within the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we discuss the evidence for this underappreciated mechanism in different aspects of tumor progression and therapeutic responses. Furthermore, we discuss the preclinical evidence supporting a clinical role for tetrahydrobiopterin supplementation to enhance immunotherapy and radiotherapy for solid tumors and the potential safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gene Chatman Clark
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Alan Lai
- School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | | | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Xiang-Yang Wang
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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Liu XS, Chen YX, Wan HB, Wang YL, Wang YY, Gao Y, Wu LB, Pei ZJ. TRIP6 a potential diagnostic marker for colorectal cancer with glycolysis and immune infiltration association. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4042. [PMID: 38369589 PMCID: PMC10874967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54670-0] [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: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormone receptor interactor 6 (TRIP6) it is an adaptor protein belonging to the zyxin family of LIM proteins, participating in signaling events through interactions with various molecules. Despite this, TRIP6's role in colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly its correlation with glucose metabolism and immune cell infiltration, remains unclear. Through the TCGA and GEO databases, we obtained RNA sequencing data to facilitate our in-depth study and analysis of TRIP6 expression. To investigate the prognostic value of TRIP6 in CRC, we also used univariate Cox regression analysis. In addition, this study also covered a series of analyses, including clinicopathological analysis, functional enrichment analysis, glycolysis correlation analysis, immunoinfiltration analysis, immune checkpoint analysis, and angiogenesis correlation analysis, to gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of this biological phenomenon. It has been found that TRIP6 expression is significantly upregulated in CRC and correlates with the stage of the disease. Its overexpression portends a worse survival time. Functional enrichment analysis reveals that TRIP6 is associated with focal adhesion and glycolysis. Mechanistically, TRIP6 appears to exert its tumorigenic effect by regulating the glycolysis-related gene GPI. A higher level of expression of TRIP6 is associated with an increase in the number of iDC immune cells and a decrease in the number of Th1 immune cells. Also, TRIP6 may promote angiogenesis in tumor cells by promoting the expression of JAG2. Our study uncovers the upregulation of TRIP6 in CRC, illuminating its prognostic and diagnostic value within this context. Furthermore, we examine the relationship between TRIP6 expression levels, glycolysis, angiogenesis and immune cell infiltration. This underscores its potential as a biomarker for CRC treatment and as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Sheng Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Hua-Bing Wan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Ya-Lan Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yang-Yang Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China
| | - Li-Bing Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhi-Jun Pei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for precision Diagnosis and Treatment of liver cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Shiyan, 442000, Hubei, China.
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Chen B, Han Y, Sheng S, Deng J, Vasquez E, Yau V, Meng M, Sun C, Wang T, Wang Y, Sheng M, Wu T, Wang X, Liu Y, Lin N, Zhang L, Shao W. An angiogenesis-associated gene-based signature predicting prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:91. [PMID: 38347320 PMCID: PMC10861726 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05606-8] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To develop a model that can assist in the diagnosis and prediction of prognosis for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from TCGA and GEO databases were used to generate normalized gene expression data. Consensus Cluster Plus was used for cluster analysis and the relationship between angiogenesis-associated gene (AAG) expression patterns, clinical characteristics and survival was examined. Support vector machine (SVM) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyzes and multiple logistic regression analyzes were performed to determine the diagnostic model, and a prognostic nomogram was constructed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. ESTIMATE, XCELL, TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPCOUNTER, EPIC, CIBERSORT-ABS, CIBERSORT algorithms were used to assess the immune microenvironment of HNSCC patients. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis, treatment sensitivity analysis, and AAGs mutation studies were performed. Finally, we also performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in the tissue samples. RESULTS We classified HNSCC patients into subtypes based on differences in AAG expression from TCGA and GEO databases. There are differences in clinical features, TME, and immune-related gene expression between two subgroups. We constructed a HNSCC diagnostic model based on nine AAGs, which has good sensitivity and specificity. After further screening, we constructed a prognostic risk signature for HNSCC based on six AAGs. The constructed risk score had a good independent prognostic significance, and it was further constructed into a prognostic nomogram together with age and stage. Different prognostic risk groups have differences in immune microenvironment, drug sensitivity, gene enrichment and gene mutation. CONCLUSION We have constructed a diagnostic and prognostic model for HNSCC based on AAG, which has good performance. The constructed prognostic risk score is closely related to tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangjie Chen
- College & Hospital of Stomatology, Key Lab. of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yanxun Han
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shuyan Sheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jianyi Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | | | - Vicky Yau
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, NewYork Presbyterian (Columbia Irving Medical Center), New York, USA
| | - Muzi Meng
- UK Program Site, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Preston, UK
- Bronxcare Health System, New York, USA
| | - Chenyu Sun
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tao Wang
- The Affiliated Chuzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Chuzhou, Chuzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- The Affiliated Chuzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Chuzhou, Chuzhou, China
| | - Mengfei Sheng
- College & Hospital of Stomatology, Key Lab. of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology (Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Pathogen Biology), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tiangang Wu
- College & Hospital of Stomatology, Key Lab. of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital (First Clinical Medical College), Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ning Lin
- The Affiliated Chuzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, The First People's Hospital of Chuzhou, Chuzhou, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- College & Hospital of Stomatology, Key Lab. of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| | - Wei Shao
- College & Hospital of Stomatology, Key Lab. of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology (Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Pathogen Biology), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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Mowday AM, van de Laak JM, Fu Z, Henare KL, Dubois L, Lambin P, Theys J, Patterson AV. Tumor-targeting bacteria as immune stimulants - the future of cancer immunotherapy? Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38346140 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2311653] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies have been widely hailed as a breakthrough for cancer treatment in the last decade, epitomized by the unprecedented results observed with checkpoint blockade. Even so, only a minority of patients currently achieve durable remissions. In general, responsive patients appear to have either a high number of tumor neoantigens, a preexisting immune cell infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment, or an 'immune-active' transcriptional profile, determined in part by the presence of a type I interferon gene signature. These observations suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy can be enhanced through strategies that release tumor neoantigens and/or produce a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment. In principle, exogenous tumor-targeting bacteria offer a unique solution for improving responsiveness to immunotherapy. This review discusses how tumor-selective bacterial infection can modulate the immunological microenvironment of the tumor and the potential for combination with cancer immunotherapy strategies to further increase therapeutic efficacy. In addition, we provide a perspective on the clinical translation of replicating bacterial therapies, with a focus on the challenges that must be resolved to ensure a successful outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Mowday
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jella M van de Laak
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Zhe Fu
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kimiora L Henare
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ludwig Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Lambin
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Theys
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Adam V Patterson
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Mao QQ, Ji XC, Zhang JN, Teng WF, Zhou SC. A novel approach for transforming breast cancer stem cells into endothelial cells. Exp Ther Med 2024; 27:74. [PMID: 38264426 PMCID: PMC10804376 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.12362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor vascular endothelial cells play a pivotal in the tumor microenvironment, influencing the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of tumor progression. The present study investigated a novel method for inducing the transformation of breast cancer stem cells into endothelial cells, providing a cellular model investigating anti-angiogenic mechanisms in vitro. The breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was used, and the expression of CD133 was initially detected using flow cytometry. CD133+ breast cancer cells were purified using immunomagnetic bead sorting technology, yielding an MCF-7CD133+ subpopulation. The proliferation ability of these cells was assessed using an MTT assay, while their microsphere formation ability was evaluated using a microsphere formation assay. Post-transformation in an optimized endothelial cell culture medium, expression of endothelial cell markers CD31 and CD105 were detected using flow cytometry. Endothelial cell tube formation assays and DiI-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein (DiI-Ac-LDL) assays were employed to analyze the endothelial cell function of the MCF-7CD133+ cells. MDM2/CEN12 gene amplification was detected through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The MCF-7 breast cancer cell line exhibited 1.7±0.3% trace cells expressing the stem cell surface marker CD133. After anti-CD133 immunomagnetic bead sorting, MCF-7CD133+ and MCF-7CD133- subpopulation cells were obtained, with CD133 expression rates of 85.6±2.8 and 0.18±0.08%, respectively. MTT assay results demonstrated that, after 7 days, the proliferation rate of MCF-7CD133+ cells was significantly higher compared with MCF-7CD133- cells. MCF-7CD133+ subpopulation cells displayed strong stem cell characteristics, growing in suspension in serum-free media and forming tumor cell spheres. In contrast, MCF-7CD133- cells failed to form microspheres. After culturing cells in endothelial cell differentiation and maintenance media, the percentage of MCF-7CD133+ cells before and after endothelial cell culture was 0.3±0.16 and 81.4±8.37% for CD31+ cells and 0.2±0.08 and 83.8±7.24% for CD105+ cells, respectively. Vascular-like structure formation and Ac-LDL phagocytosis with red fluorescence in the tube formation assays confirmed endothelial cell function in the MCF-7CD133+ cells. FISH was used to verify MDM2/CEN12 gene amplification in the induced MCF-7CD133+ cells, indicating tumor cell characteristics. The modified endothelial cell transformation medium effectively induced differentiated tumor stem cells to express vascular endothelial cell markers and exhibit endothelial functions, ideal for in vitro anti-angiogenesis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Qi Mao
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zheijiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Chun Ji
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zheijiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Nan Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zheijiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Feng Teng
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zheijiang 315040, P.R. China
| | - Shao-Cheng Zhou
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center, Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zheijiang 315040, P.R. China
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Xie L, Kong H, Yu J, Sun M, Lu S, Zhang Y, Hu J, Du F, Lian Q, Xin H, Zhou J, Wang X, Powell CA, Hirsch FR, Bai C, Song Y, Yin J, Yang D. Spatial transcriptomics reveals heterogeneity of histological subtypes between lepidic and acinar lung adenocarcinoma. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1573. [PMID: 38318637 PMCID: PMC10844893 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients who possess various histological subtypes of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have considerably diverse prognoses. The simultaneous existence of several histological subtypes reduces the clinical accuracy of the diagnosis and prognosis of early-stage LUAD due to intratumour intricacy. METHODS We included 11 postoperative LUAD patients pathologically confirmed to be stage IA. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was carried out on matched tumour and normal tissue. Three formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cases were randomly selected for 10× Genomics Visium analysis, one of which was analysed by digital spatial profiler (DSP). RESULTS Using DSP and 10× Genomics Visium analysis, signature gene profiles for lepidic and acinar histological subtypes were acquired. The percentage of histological subtypes predicted for the patients from samples of 11 LUAD fresh tissues by scRNA-seq showed a degree of concordance with the clinicopathologic findings assessed by visual examination. DSP proteomics and 10× Genomics Visium transcriptomics analyses revealed that a negative correlation (Spearman correlation analysis: r = -.886; p = .033) between the expression levels of CD8 and the expression trend of programmed cell death 1(PD-L1) on tumour endothelial cells. The percentage of CD8+ T cells in the acinar region was lower than in the lepidic region. CONCLUSIONS These findings illustrate that assessing patient histological subtypes at the single-cell level is feasible. Additionally, tumour endothelial cells that express PD-L1 in stage IA LUAD suppress immune-responsive CD8+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linshan Xie
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Hui Kong
- Department of PathologyZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jinjie Yu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryShanghai Geriatric Medical CenterShanghaiChina
| | - Mengting Sun
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shaohua Lu
- Department of PathologyZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jie Hu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Fang Du
- Department of AnesthesiologyZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Qiuyu Lian
- Gurdon InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Hongyi Xin
- Global Institute of Future TechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Engineer and Technology Research Center of Internet of Things for Respiratory MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and InjuryShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Respiratory Research InstitutionShanghaiChina
| | - Xiangdong Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Institute of Clinical BioinformaticsShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Engineering Research for AI Technology for Cardiopulmonary DiseasesFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
| | - Charles A. Powell
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep MedicineIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Fred R. Hirsch
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Center for Thoracic Oncology, Mount Sinai Health SystemNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Chunxue Bai
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Engineer and Technology Research Center of Internet of Things for Respiratory MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and InjuryShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Respiratory Research InstitutionShanghaiChina
| | - Yuanlin Song
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Engineer and Technology Research Center of Internet of Things for Respiratory MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and InjuryShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Respiratory Research InstitutionShanghaiChina
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Dawei Yang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Engineer and Technology Research Center of Internet of Things for Respiratory MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and InjuryShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Respiratory Research InstitutionShanghaiChina
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineZhongshan Hospital (Xiamen)Fudan UniversityXiamenChina
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Chen M, Li Y, Cheng M. Efficacy and safety of the combination of camrelizumab and apatinib in the treatment of liver cancer: a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis. BMC Gastroenterol 2024; 24:55. [PMID: 38297195 PMCID: PMC10829166 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-024-03144-8] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of camrelizumab and apatinib in the treatment of liver cancer and to furnish clinical recommendations for pharmacological interventions. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were scrutinized for research publications from their inception to 22 December 2023. Bibliographic perusal and data procurement were executed. The quality of the included studies was evaluated employing the MINORS tool. Meta-analysis was conducted utilizing Stata 15.0 software. RESULTS A total of 10 studies involving 849 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The study revealed that the objective response rate (ORR) of the combined therapy was 28% (95% CI: 23%-34%), the disease control rate (DCR) was 69% (95% CI: 64%-73%), the median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 5.87 months (95% CI: 4.96-6.78), the median overall survival (mOS) was 19.35 months (95% CI: 17.53-21.17), the incidence of any grade adverse events was 90% (95% CI: 85%-95%), and the occurrence of grade 3 or higher adverse events was 49% (95% CI: 27%-71%). CONCLUSION The combination of camrelizumab and apatinib exhibits commendable effectiveness in the management of liver cancer; nevertheless, vigilance should be exercised concerning potential adverse reactions in clinical applications to enhance the safety of pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Hospital, No.12 Ling Yin Road, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yanglei Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Hospital, No.12 Ling Yin Road, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang, China
| | - Minyu Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Hospital, No.12 Ling Yin Road, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang, China.
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Ranasinghe ADCU, Tennakoon TMPB, Schwarz MA. Emerging Epigenetic Targets and Their Molecular Impact on Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension. Cells 2024; 13:244. [PMID: 38334636 PMCID: PMC10854593 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030244] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a terminal disease characterized by severe pulmonary vascular remodeling. Unfortunately, targeted therapy to prevent disease progression is limited. Here, the vascular cell populations that contribute to the molecular and morphological changes of PH in conjunction with current animal models for studying vascular remodeling in PH will be examined. The status quo of epigenetic targeting for treating vascular remodeling in different PH subtypes will be dissected, while parallel epigenetic threads between pulmonary hypertension and pathogenic cancer provide insight into future therapeutic PH opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Margaret A. Schwarz
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1234 Notre Dame Ave, South Bend, IN 46617, USA
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Wei T, Li Y, Li B, Xie Q, Huang Y, Wu Z, Chen H, Meng Y, Liang L, Wang M, Geng J, Lei M, Shang J, Guo S, Yang Z, Jia H, Ren F, Zhao T. Plasmid co-expressing siRNA-PD-1 and Endostatin carried by attenuated Salmonella enhanced the anti-melanoma effect via inhibiting the expression of PD-1 and VEGF on tumor-bearing mice. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 127:111362. [PMID: 38103411 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma, the most perilous form of skin cancer, is known for its inherent resistance to chemotherapy. Even with advances in tumor immunotherapy, the survival of patients with advanced or recurrent melanomas remains poor. Over time, melanoma tumor cells may produce excessive angiogenic factors, necessitating the use of combinations of angiogenesis inhibitors, including broad-spectrum options, to combat melanoma. Among these inhibitors, Endostatin is one of the most broad-spectrum and least toxic angiogenesis inhibitors. We found Endostatin significantly increased the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and reduced the infiltration of M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the melanoma tumor microenvironment (TME). Interestingly, we also observed high expression levels of programmed death 1 (PD-1), an essential immune checkpoint molecule associated with tumor immune evasion, within the melanoma tumor microenvironment despite the use of Endostatin. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of a plasmid expressing Endostatin and PD-1 siRNA, wherein Endostatin was overexpressed while RNA interference (RNAi) targeted PD-1. These therapeutic agents were delivered using attenuated Salmonella in melanoma-bearing mice. Our results demonstrate that pEndostatin-siRNA-PD-1 therapy exhibits optimal therapeutic efficacy against melanoma. We found that pEndostatin-siRNA-PD-1 therapy promotes the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and the expression of granzyme B in melanoma tumors. Importantly, combined inhibition of angiogenesis and PD-1 significantly suppresses melanoma tumor progression compared with the inhibition of angiogenesis or PD-1 alone. Based on these findings, our study suggests that combining PD-1 inhibition with angiogenesis inhibitors holds promise as a clinical strategy for the treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wei
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis of Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis of Respiratory Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450014, Henan, PR China
| | - Baozhu Li
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Qian Xie
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Yujing Huang
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Zunge Wu
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Haoqi Chen
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Ying Meng
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Lirui Liang
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Ming Wang
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Jiaxin Geng
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Mengyu Lei
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Jingli Shang
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Henan International Joint Laboratory of Immunity and Targeted Therapy for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453000, PR China
| | - Sheng Guo
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Zishan Yang
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Huijie Jia
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China
| | - Feng Ren
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Immunity and Targeted Therapy for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453000, PR China.
| | - Tiesuo Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China; Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, Henan, PR China.
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Meo C, de Nigris F. Clinical Potential of YY1-Hypoxia Axis for Vascular Normalization and to Improve Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:491. [PMID: 38339244 PMCID: PMC10854702 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030491] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal vasculature in solid tumors causes poor blood perfusion, hypoxia, low pH, and immune evasion. It also shapes the tumor microenvironment and affects response to immunotherapy. The combination of antiangiogenic therapy and immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to normalize vasculature and unlock the full potential of immunotherapy. However, the unpredictable and redundant mechanisms of vascularization and immune suppression triggered by tumor-specific hypoxic microenvironments indicate that such combination therapies need to be further evaluated to improve patient outcomes. Here, we provide an overview of the interplay between tumor angiogenesis and immune modulation and review the function and mechanism of the YY1-HIF axis that regulates the vascular and immune tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of targeting YY1 and other strategies, such as nanocarrier delivery systems and engineered immune cells (CAR-T), to normalize tumor vascularization and re-establish an immune-permissive microenvironment to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Filomena de Nigris
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
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Dalal S, Shan KS, Thaw Dar NN, Hussein A, Ergle A. Role of Immunotherapy in Sarcomas. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1266. [PMID: 38279265 PMCID: PMC10816403 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021266] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas are a group of malignancies of mesenchymal origin with a plethora of subtypes. Given the sheer heterogeneity of various subtypes and the rarity of the disease, the management of sarcomas has been challenging, with poor patient outcomes. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy have remained the backbone of treatment in patients with sarcoma. The introduction of immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of various solid and hematological malignancies. In this review, we discuss the basics of immunotherapy and the immune microenvironment in sarcomas; various modalities of immunotherapy, like immune checkpoint blockade, oncolytic viruses, cancer-targeted antibodies, vaccine therapy; and adoptive cell therapies like CAR T-cell therapy, T-cell therapy, and TCR therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Dalal
- Memorial Healthcare, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (K.S.S.); (N.N.T.D.); (A.H.); (A.E.)
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Singh R, Srivastava P, Manna PP. Evaluation of regulatory T-cells in cancer immunotherapy: therapeutic relevance of immune checkpoint inhibition. Med Oncol 2024; 41:59. [PMID: 38238513 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02289-y] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of the complex immune system is equipped to defend against perilous intruders and concurrently negatively regulate the deleterious effect of immune-mediated inflammation caused by self and nonself antigens. Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are specialized cells that minimize immune-mediated inflammation, but in malignancies, this feature has been exploited toward cancer progression by keeping the antitumor immune response in check. The modulation of Treg cell infiltration and their induction in the TME (tumor microenvironment) alongside associated inhibitory molecules, both soluble or membranes tethered in the TME, have proven clinically beneficial in boosting the tumoricidal activity of the immune system. Moreover, Treg-associated immune checkpoints pose a greater obstruction in cancer immunotherapy. Inhibiting or blocking active immune checkpoint signaling in combination with other therapies has proven clinically beneficial. This review summarizes the ontogeny of Treg cells and their migration, stability, and function in the TME. We also elucidate the Treg-associated checkpoint moieties that impede effective antitumor activity and harness these molecules for effective and targeted immunotherapy against cancer nuisance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjeet Singh
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India
| | - Prateek Srivastava
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India
| | - Partha Pratim Manna
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India.
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Du Y, Shi J, Wang J, Xun Z, Yu Z, Sun H, Bao R, Zheng J, Li Z, Ye Y. Integration of Pan-Cancer Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals Stromal Cell Features and Therapeutic Targets in Tumor Microenvironment. Cancer Res 2024; 84:192-210. [PMID: 38225927 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1418] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Stromal cells are physiologically essential components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) that mediates tumor development and therapeutic resistance. Development of a logical and unified system for stromal cell type identification and characterization of corresponding functional properties could help design antitumor strategies that target stromal cells. Here, we performed a pan-cancer analysis of 214,972 nonimmune stromal cells using single-cell RNA sequencing from 258 patients across 16 cancer types and analyzed spatial transcriptomics from 16 patients across seven cancer types, including six patients receiving anti-PD-1 treatment. This analysis uncovered distinct features of 39 stromal subsets across cancer types, including various functional modules, spatial locations, and clinical and therapeutic relevance. Tumor-associated PGF+ endothelial tip cells with elevated epithelial-mesenchymal transition features were enriched in immune-depleted TME and associated with poor prognosis. Fibrogenic and vascular pericytes (PC) derived from FABP4+ progenitors were two distinct tumor-associated PC subpopulations that strongly interacted with PGF+ tips, resulting in excess extracellular matrix (ECM) abundance and dysfunctional vasculature. Importantly, ECM-related cancer-associated fibroblasts enriched at the tumor boundary acted as a barrier to exclude immune cells, interacted with malignant cells to promote tumor progression, and regulated exhausted CD8+ T cells via immune checkpoint ligand-receptors (e.g., LGALS9/TIM-3) to promote immune escape. In addition, an interactive web-based tool (http://www.scpanstroma.yelab.site/) was developed for accessing, visualizing, and analyzing stromal data. Taken together, this study provides a systematic view of the highly heterogeneous stromal populations across cancer types and suggests future avenues for designing therapies to overcome the tumor-promoting functions of stromal cells. SIGNIFICANCE Comprehensive characterization of tumor-associated nonimmune stromal cells provides a robust resource for dissecting tumor microenvironment complexity and guiding stroma-targeted therapy development across multiple human cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Du
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jintong Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenzhen Xun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuo Yu
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxiang Sun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Rujuan Bao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Junke Zheng
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Youqiong Ye
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Wang Q, Jiang H, Zhang H, Lu W, Wang X, Xu W, Li J, Lv Y, Li G, Cai C, Yu G. β-Glucan-conjugated anti-PD-L1 antibody enhances antitumor efficacy in preclinical mouse models. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 324:121564. [PMID: 37985066 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The use of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is a promising approach for clinical cancer treatment. However, most of cancer patients do not respond to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody. In this study, we proposed a novel strategy of antibody-β-glucan conjugates (AGC) to enhance the antitumor immune response to ICB therapy. The AGC were constructed by conjugating an anti-PD-L1 antibody with a β-glucan via click chemistry. This design facilitates the delivery of β-glucan into the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, the bridging effect mediated by AGC can promote the interaction between tumor cells and dendritic cells (DCs), thereby enhancing immunotherapeutic benefits. In the MC38 tumor-bearing mouse model, AGC demonstrated powerful tumor suppression, achieving a tumor suppression rate of 86.7 %. Immunophenotyping, cytokine analysis, RNA sequencing, and FTY720-treated models were combined to elucidate the mechanism underlying AGC function. Compared with anti-PD-L1 antibody, AGC induced an earlier immune response, infiltration of DCs, and activation of preexisting T cells in the TME, with T cells predominantly proliferating locally rather than migrating from other organs. In conclusion, these data suggest that AGC could serve as a promising strategy to improve ICB therapy with prospects for clinical utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China.
| | - Hongli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Weiqiao Lu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Wenfeng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jia Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Youjing Lv
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Guoyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Chao Cai
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Guangli Yu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China.
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Gong H, Chen S, Liu S, Hu Q, Li Y, Li Y, Li G, Huang K, Li R, Fang L. Overexpressing lipid raft protein STOML2 modulates the tumor microenvironment via NF-κB signaling in colorectal cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:39. [PMID: 38214751 PMCID: PMC10786741 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05105-y] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a complex tumor inflammatory microenvironment, while angiogenesis and immunosuppression frequently occur concomitantly. However, the exact mechanism that controls angiogenesis and immunosuppression in CRC microenvironment remains unclear. Herein, we found that expression levels of lipid raft protein STOML2 were increased in CRC and were associated with advanced disease stage and poor survival outcomes. Intriguingly, we revealed that STOML2 is essential for CRC tumor inflammatory microenvironment, which induces angiogenesis and facilitates tumor immune escape simultaneously both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, tumors with STOML2 overexpression showed effective response to anti-angiogenesis treatment and immunotherapy in vivo. Mechanistically, STOML2 regulates CRC proliferation, angiogenesis, and immune escape through activated NF-κB signaling pathway via binding to TRADD protein, resulting in upregulation of CCND1, VEGF, and PD-L1. Furthermore, treatment with NF-κB inhibitor dramatically reversed the ability of proliferation and angiogenesis. Clinically, we also observed a strong positive correlation between STOML2 expression and Ki67, CD31, VEGFC and PD-1 of CD8+T cell expression. Taken together, our results provided novel insights into the role of STOML2 in CRC inflammatory microenvironment, which may present a therapeutic opportunity for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Gong
- Clinical Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital/Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital/The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518052, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaojing Chen
- Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sun University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Shuguang Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sun University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Qianying Hu
- Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sun University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Yixuan Li
- Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sun University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Clinical Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital/Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital/The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518052, Guangdong, China
| | - Guiqiu Li
- Clinical Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital/Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital/The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518052, Guangdong, China.
| | - Kaimeng Huang
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
| | - Riqing Li
- Shenzhen Agricultural Technology Promotion Center, Shenzhen, 518005, China.
| | - Lishan Fang
- Medical Research Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sun University, Shenzhen, 518033, China.
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Wang J, Luo H, Yi L, Yang P, Zeng X. Downstaging and laparoscopic hepatectomy plus intraoperative radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of initially unresectable multifocal hepatocellular carcinomas. Front Surg 2024; 10:1340657. [PMID: 38283063 PMCID: PMC10811958 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1340657] [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: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Using TKIs plus anti-PD-1 antibodies combined with TACE in the treatment of patients with initially unresectable multiple HCCs has a high tumour response rate, and using laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) combined with intraoperative RFA for radical treatment of multiple HCCs after successful downstaging treatment has not been reported. Methods Consecutive patients with multiple HCCs (≤4 lesions) who were downstaged with TKIs plus anti-PD-1 antibodies combined with TACE were analysed. Imaging examinations were performed monthly, and RECIST v1.1 criteria were used to evaluate treatment effect and resectability. Results Forty-five consecutive patients with multiple HCCs who met the inclusion criteria received downstaging treatment with TKIs plus anti-PD-1 antibodies combined with TACE. Nine patients were successfully downstaged and met the R0 resection criteria, and 8 patients underwent surgery. Among the patients, 5 patients had BCLC stage C, and 3 patients had BCLC stage B. There were 2 lesions in 5 patients, 3 lesions in 2 patients, and 4 lesions in 1 patient. The average size of the main HCC was 8.5 cm (range: 5.4-9.1 cm), and the diameter of the remaining HCCs was 1.6 cm (range: 0.8-2.9 cm). The average time from the start of downstaging therapy to surgery was 81 days (range: 60-210 days). All 8 patients underwent LH of the main HCC, and the remaining HCCs were targeted with RFA. The mean operation time was 220 min (range 150-370 min), the average intraoperative blood loss was 260 ml (range 100-750 ml), there was no case conversion to laparotomy, and the average postoperative hospital stay was 9 days (range 7-25 days). The incidence of postoperative complications was 37.5% and there were no deaths. The average follow-up time was 18.2 months (range 6.1-22.4 months), 5 patients survived tumour-free, 2 patients had tumour recurrence, and 1 patient died. Conclusions After successful downstaging of multiple HCCs by treatment with TKIs plus anti-PD-1 antibodies and TACE, LH combined with RFA for radical surgery is safe and feasible, and the treatment effect is satisfactory. It is worthy of clinical reference, and its long-term effects require further research for confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Xintao Zeng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, China
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Meng Y, Liu H, Zhu H, Zhang W, Sun D, Han X, Liu Y, Luo G. RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1, a double-gene recombinant oncolytic adenovirus with enhanced antitumor immunity, increases lymphocyte infiltration and reshapes the tumor microenvironment. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007171. [PMID: 38212125 PMCID: PMC10806565 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007171] [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] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the successful development of modern immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are currently considered potential therapeutic options for patients with cancer. However, the therapeutic potential of ICIs in human cancer is mainly limited by their systemic toxicity and low response rate, which suggests the necessity of local drug delivery with an effective vector and reshaping the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) to enhance ICI therapy. Here, we constructed a novel double-gene recombinant oncolytic adenovirus named RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 based on the RCAd virus platform armed with a DNA fragment encoding an anti-VEGF antibody and shRNA to inhibit PD-L1 expression. METHODS The correct assembly of RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 was characterized by analyzing its secretion, antigen specificity, and replication using western blotting, ELISA and quantitative PCR, respectively. The in vitro effects of RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 on cell proliferation, vasculogenic, and cell migration were assessed. Antitumor effects and therapeutic mechanisms were evaluated in vivo using immunodeficient and humanized immune system mouse models. The TME was studied by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. RESULTS RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 cells secreted anti-VEGF antibodies and inhibited the expression of PD-L1 in cancer cells. Moreover, RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 exerted a specific cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells, but not on murine cancer cells or normal human cells. RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 elicited a more potent antitumor effect in an immunodeficient mouse model and a humanized immune system mouse model than RCAd-shPD-L1, as demonstrated by the significant decrease in tumor growth. Furthermore, RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 modulated the TME, which led to lymphocyte infiltration and alteration of their immune phenotype, as characterized by downregulation of anoxic factor HIF-1α and angiogenesis marker CD31, upregulation of cytokine such as IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-12. CONCLUSIONS In summary, our data demonstrated that the localized delivery of anti-VEGF antibodies and shPD-L1 by engineered RCAd-LTH-shPD-L1 is a highly effective and safe strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, the data underscore the potential of combining local virotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy with ICIs as an effective TME therapy for poorly infiltrating tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Meng
- Institute of Health Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Haotian Liu
- Institute of Health Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Haoran Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wanrong Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dong Sun
- Bionce Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuefei Han
- Bionce Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guangzuo Luo
- Institute of Health Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Bionce Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, China
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50
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Donati B, Reggiani F, Torricelli F, Santandrea G, Rossi T, Bisagni A, Gasparini E, Neri A, Cortesi L, Ferrari G, Bisagni G, Ragazzi M, Ciarrocchi A. Spatial Distribution of Immune Cells Drives Resistance to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2024; 12:120-134. [PMID: 37856875 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0076] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) alone or combined with target therapies represents the standard of care for localized triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, only a fraction of patients have a response, necessitating better understanding of the complex elements in the TNBC ecosystem that establish continuous and multidimensional interactions. Resolving such complexity requires new spatially-defined approaches. Here, we used spatial transcriptomics to investigate the multidimensional organization of TNBC at diagnosis and explore the contribution of each cell component to response to NAC. Starting from a consecutive retrospective series of TNBC cases, we designed a case-control study including 24 patients with TNBC of which 12 experienced a pathologic complete response (pCR) and 12 no-response or progression (pNR) after NAC. Over 200 regions of interest (ROI) were profiled. Our computational approaches described a model that recapitulates clinical response to therapy. The data were validated in an independent cohort of patients. Differences in the transcriptional program were detected in the tumor, stroma, and immune infiltrate comparing patients with a pCR with those with pNR. In pCR, spatial contamination between the tumor mass and the infiltrating lymphocytes was observed, sustained by a massive activation of IFN-signaling. Conversely, pNR lesions displayed increased pro-angiogenetic signaling and oxygen-based metabolism. Only modest differences were observed in the stroma, revealing a topology-based functional heterogeneity of the immune infiltrate. Thus, spatial transcriptomics provides fundamental information on the multidimensionality of TNBC and allows an effective prediction of tumor behavior. These results open new perspectives for the improvement and personalization of therapeutic approaches to TNBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Donati
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Francesca Reggiani
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Federica Torricelli
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Santandrea
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Teresa Rossi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisagni
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Elisa Gasparini
- Oncology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Antonino Neri
- Scientific Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Laura Cortesi
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliera Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Ferrari
- Breast Surgery Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Bisagni
- Oncology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Moira Ragazzi
- Pathology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessia Ciarrocchi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
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