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Jiang W, Yang Q, Yang X, Gan R, Hua H, Ding Z, Si D, Zhu X, Wang X, Zhang H, Gao C. T cell proliferation-related subtypes, prognosis model and characterization of tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34221. [PMID: 39082023 PMCID: PMC11284379 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34221] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Thirty-three synthetic driver genes of T-cell proliferation have recently been identified through genome-scale screening. However, the tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration, prognosis, and response to immunotherapy mediated by multiple T cell proliferation-related genes (TRGs) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) remain unclear. Methods This study examined the genetic and transcriptional changes in 771 patients with HNSC by analyzing the TRGs from two independent datasets. Two different subtypes were analyzed to investigate their relationship with immune infiltrating cells in the TME and patient prognosis. The study also developed and validated a risk score to predict overall survival (OS). Furthermore, to enhance the clinical utility of the risk score, an accurate nomogram was constructed by combining the characteristics of this study. Results The low-risk score observed in this study was associated with high levels of immune checkpoint expression and TME immune activation, indicating a favorable OS outcome. Additionally, various factors related to risk scores were depicted. Conclusion Through comprehensive analysis of TRGs in HNSC, our study has revealed the characteristics of the TME and prognosis, providing a basis for further investigation into TRGs and the development of more effective immunotherapy and targeted therapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjin Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College Yijishan Hospital, Wuhu, 241000, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College Yijishan Hospital, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Xiaonan Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Ruijia Gan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Hongting Hua
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Zhimin Ding
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Dongyu Si
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Xinbei Zhu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, 230011, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Metabolic Disease Research Center, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Chaobing Gao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
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2
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Wang X, Liu H, Wu G, Lu Y, Cui Y. Development and validation of a predictive model based on β-Klotho for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17081. [PMID: 39048709 PMCID: PMC11269606 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68130-2] [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: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck epithelial tissue tumors may be identified as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). Numerous malignancies are encouraged by dysregulation of the FGF19-β-Klotho (KLB) axis in the tumor microenvironment. Using protein databases and RT-qPCR, we examined KLB expression in HNSC. In HNSC, higher KLB expression was linked to longer survival times and better prognoses. Furthermore, variations in drug susceptibility and immunological infiltration were noted according to KLB expression levels. These results underscore the importance of KLB in the course and management of HNSC by indicating that it may function as a possible prognostic marker and influence immunological and therapeutic responses in these individuals. Further study on HNSC is necessary to investigate KLB's potential as a therapeutic target and prognostic indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiangXiu Wang
- Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
| | - HongWei Liu
- Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110042, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China.
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3
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Miao Y, Chen Q, Liu X, Bu J, Zhang Z, Liu T, Yue Z, Huang L, Sun S, Li H, Yang A, Yang Z, Chen C. Comprehensive analysis of endoplasmic reticulum stress related signature in head and neck squamous carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16972. [PMID: 39043683 PMCID: PMC11266686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65090-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC) is a prevalent malignant disease, with the majority of patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is considered to be a process that promotes tumorigenesis and impacts the tumor microenvironment (TME) in various cancers. The study aims to investigate the predictive value of ERS in HNSC and explore the correlation between ERS-related genes and TME. A series of bioinformatics analyses were carried out based on mRNA and scRNA-seq data from the TCGA and GEO databases. We conducted RT-qPCR and western blot to validate the signature, and performed cell functional experiments to investigate the in vitro biological functions of the gene. We identified 63 ERS-related genes that were associated with outcome and stage in HNSC. A three-gene signature (ATF6, TRIB3, and UBXN6) was developed, which presents predictive value in the prognosis and immunotherapy response of HNSC patients. The high-risk group exhibited a worse prognosis but may benefit from immunotherapy. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the signature and immune infiltration. In the high-risk group, fibroblasts were more active in intercellular communication, and more T cells were observed at the end of the sequential phase. The genes in the ERS-related signature were overexpressed in HNSC cells, and the knockdown of TRIB3 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration. This study established a novel ERS-related signature that has potential implications for HNSC therapy and the understanding of TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Miao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiaorong Chen
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Bu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuoqi Zhang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Tongjing Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenjie Yue
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lizhen Huang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuaishuai Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- The Second Clinical College of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, People's Republic of China
| | - Ankui Yang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyuan Yang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Cuifang Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, 16th Floor, No. 2 Inpatient Building, Qingyuan, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Li X, González-Maroto C, Tavassoli M. Crosstalk between CAFs and tumour cells in head and neck cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:303. [PMID: 38926351 PMCID: PMC11208506 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02053-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are amongst the most aggressive, complex, and heterogeneous malignancies. The standard of care treatments for HNC patients include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or their combination. However, around 50% do not benefit while suffering severe toxic side effects, costing the individuals and society. Decades have been spent to improve HNSCC treatment outcomes with only limited success. Much of the research in HNSCC treatment has focused on understanding the genetics of the HNSCC malignant cells, but it has become clear that tumour microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the progression as well as treatment response in HNSCC. Understanding the crosstalk between cancer cells and TME is crucial for inhibiting progression and treatment resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the predominant component of stroma in HNSCC, serve as the primary source of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and various pro-tumoral composites in TME. The activation of CAFs in HNSCC is primarily driven by cancer cell-secreted molecules, which in turn induce phenotypic changes, elevated secretive status, and altered ECM production profile. Concurrently, CAFs play a pivotal role in modulating the cell cycle, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to targeted and chemoradiotherapy in HNSCC cells. This modulation occurs through interactions with secreted molecules or direct contact with the ECM or CAF. Co-culture and 3D models of tumour cells and other TME cell types allows to mimic the HNSCC tumour milieu and enable modulating tumour hypoxia and reprograming cancer stem cells (CSC). This review aims to provide an update on the development of HNSCC tumour models comprising CAFs to obtain better understanding of the interaction between CAFs and tumour cells, and for providing preclinical testing platforms of current and combination with emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Celia González-Maroto
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahvash Tavassoli
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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Sanli F, Tatar A, Gundogdu B, Karatas OF. IP3R1 dysregulation via mir-200c-3p/SSFA2 axis contributes to taxol resistance in head and neck cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 973:176592. [PMID: 38642666 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176592] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. Although current modalities offer a wide variety of therapy choices, head and neck carcinoma has poor prognosis due to its diagnosis at later stages and development of resistance to current therapeutic tools. In the current study, we aimed at exploring the roles of miR-200c-3p during head and neck carcinogenesis and acquisition of taxol resistance. We analyzed miR-200c-3p levels in HNC clinical samples and cell lines using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and evaluated the effects of differential miR-200c-3p expression on cancer-related cellular phenotypes using in-vitro tools. We identified and characterized a direct target of miR-200c-3p using in-silico tools, luciferase and various in-vitro assays. We investigated potential involvement of miR-200c-3p/SSFA2 axis in taxol resistance in-vitro. We found miR-200c-3p expression as significantly downregulated in both HNC tissues and cells compared to corresponding controls. Ectopic miR-200c-3p expression in HNC cells significantly inhibited cancer-related phenotypes such as viability, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion. We, then, identified SSFA2 as a direct target of miR-200c-3p and demonstrated that overexpression of SSFA2 induced malignant phenotypes in HNC cells. Furthermore, we found reduced miR-200c-3p expression in parallel with overexpression of SSFA2 in taxol resistant HNC cells compared to parental sensitive cells. Both involved in intracellular cytoskeleton remodeling, we found that SSFA2 works collaboratively with IP3R1 to modulate resistance to taxol in HNC cells. When considered collectively, our results showed that miR-200c-3p acts as a tumor suppressor microRNA and targets SSFA2/IP3R1 axis to sensitize HNC cells to taxol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Sanli
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkiye; Molecular Cancer Biology Laboratory, High Technology Application and Research Center, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkiye
| | - Arzu Tatar
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkiye
| | - Betul Gundogdu
- Department of Medical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkiye
| | - Omer Faruk Karatas
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkiye; Molecular Cancer Biology Laboratory, High Technology Application and Research Center, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkiye.
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6
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Jiang W, Yang X, Han X, Gan R, Hua H, Si D, Sun F, Ding Z, Zhu X, Yang Q, Zhang H, Gao C. Treatment of HNSC and pulmonary metastasis using the anti-helminthic drug niclosamide to modulate Stat3 signaling activity. J Cancer 2024; 15:4406-4416. [PMID: 38947381 PMCID: PMC11212102 DOI: 10.7150/jca.95682] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is a dangerous cancer that represents an important threat to human health. Niclosamide is an anti-helminthic drug that has received FDA approval. In drug repurposing screens, niclosamide was found to inhibit proliferative activity for a range of tumor types. Its functional effects in HNSC, however, have yet to be established. Methods: MTT and colony formation assays were used to explore the impact of niclosamide on the proliferation of HNSC cells, while wound healing and Transwell assays were employed to assess migration and invasivity. Flow cytometry and Western immunoblotting were respectively used to assess cellular apoptosis and protein expression patterns. An HNSC xenograft tumor model system was used to evaluate the in vivo antitumor activity of niclosamide, and immunofluorescent staining was employed to assess cleaved Caspase3 and Ki67 expression. The ability of niclosamide to prevent metastatic progression in vivo was assessed with a model of pulmonary metastasis. Results: These analyses revealed the ability of niclosamide to suppress HNSC cell migration, proliferation, and invasivity in vitro while promoting apoptotic death. From a mechanistic perspective, this drug suppressed Stat3 phosphorylation and β-catenin expression, while increasing cleaved Caspase3 levels in HNSC cells and reducing Bcl-2 levels. Importantly, this drug was able to suppress in vivo tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis formation, with immunofluorescent staining confirming that it reduced Ki67 levels and increased cleaved Caspase3 content. Conclusion: In conclusion, these analyses highlight the ability of niclosamide to inhibit HNSC cell migration and proliferative activity while provoking apoptotic death mediated via p-Stat3 and β-catenin pathway inactivation. Niclosamide thus holds promise for repurposing as a candidate drug for the more effective clinical management of HNSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjin Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Xiaonan Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Ruijia Gan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Hongting Hua
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Dongyu Si
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Fuqin Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Zhimin Ding
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xuancheng People's Hospital, Xuancheng, 242000, China
| | - Xinbei Zhu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, 230011, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Metabolic Disease Research Center, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Chaobing Gao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
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7
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Zhou H, Lei Y, Luo J, Wang J, Peng L, Mou K, Xiang L, Luo Y. Comprehensive analysis revealed P4Hs as new biomarkers for prognosis and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12234. [PMID: 38806556 PMCID: PMC11133445 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62678-9] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Prolyl 4-hydroxylases (P4Hs) are a family of key modifying enzymes in collagen synthesis. P4Hs have been confirmed to be closely associated with tumor occurrence and development. However, the expression of P4Hs in head and neck cancer (HNSC) as well as its relationship with prognosis and tumor immunity infiltration has not yet been analyzed. We investigated the transcriptional expression, survival data, and immune infiltration of P4Hs in patients with HNSC from multiple databases. P4H1-3 expression was significantly higher in HNSC tumor tissues than in normal tissues. Moreover, P4HA1 and P4HA2 were associated with tumor stage, patient prognosis, and immune cell infiltration. P4HA3 was related to patient prognosis and immune cell infiltration. Correlation experiments confirmed that P4HA1 may serve as a prognosis biomarker and plays a role in the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. These findings suggest that P4HA1-3 may be a novel biomarker for the prognosis and treatment of HNSC, which is expected to support the development of new therapies for patients with head and neck tumors and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yulin Lei
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jianmei Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lin Peng
- Department of Bone and Joint, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Kelin Mou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Li Xiang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
| | - Yuhao Luo
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Tianfu Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Meishan, China.
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8
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Xing Z, Xu Y, Xu X, Yang K, Qin S, Jiao Y, Wang L. Identification and validation of a novel risk model based on cuproptosis‑associated m6A for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:137. [PMID: 38778403 PMCID: PMC11110395 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01916-5] [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: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent cancer with a poor survival rate due to anatomical limitations of the head and a lack of reliable biomarkers. Cuproptosis represents a novel cellular regulated death pathway, and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal RNA modification in mRNA. They are intricately connected to tumor formation, progression, and prognosis. This study aimed to construct a risk model for HNSCC using a set of mRNAs associated with m6A regulators and cuproptosis genes (mcrmRNA). METHODS RNA-seq and clinical data of HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed to develop a risk model through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis. Survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were performed for the high- and low-risk groups. Additionally, the model was validated using the GSE41613 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GSEA and CIBERSORT were applied to investigate the immune microenvironment of HNSCC. RESULTS A risk model consisting of 32 mcrmRNA was developed using the LASSO analysis. The risk score of patients was confirmed to be an independent prognostic indicator by multivariate Cox analysis. The high-risk group exhibited a higher tumor mutation burden. Additionally, CIBERSORT analysis indicated varying levels of immune cell infiltration between the two groups. Significant disparities in drug sensitivity to common medications were also observed. Enrichment analysis further unveiled significant differences in metabolic pathways and RNA processing between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Our risk model can predict outcomes for HNSCC patients and offers valuable insights for personalized therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongxu Xing
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China
| | - Yijun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China
| | - Kaiwen Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China
| | - Songbing Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 21500, China.
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9
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Lin C, Chu Y, Zheng Y, Gu S, Hu Y, He J, Shen Z. Macrophages: plastic participants in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1337129. [PMID: 38650924 PMCID: PMC11033442 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1337129] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) rank among the most prevalent types of head and neck cancer globally. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients receive their diagnoses at advanced stages, limiting the effectiveness of available treatments. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a pivotal player in HNSCC development, with macrophages holding a central role. Macrophages demonstrate diverse functions within the TME, both inhibiting and facilitating cancer progression. M1 macrophages are characterized by their phagocytic and immune activities, while M2 macrophages tend to promote inflammation and immunosuppression. Striking a balance between these different polarization states is essential for maintaining overall health, yet in the context of tumors, M2 macrophages typically prevail. Recent efforts have been directed at controlling the polarization states of macrophages, paving the way for novel approaches to cancer treatment. Various drugs and immunotherapies, including innovative treatments based on macrophages like engineering macrophages and CAR-M cell therapy, have been developed. This article provides an overview of the roles played by macrophages in HNSCC, explores potential therapeutic targets and strategies, and presents fresh perspectives on the future of HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lin
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yidian Chu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ye Zheng
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanshan Gu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanghao Hu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiali He
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhisen Shen
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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10
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Zhu Y, Ma Y, Zhai Z, Liu A, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Li H, Zhao M, Han P, Yin L, He N, Wu Y, Sechopoulos I, Ye Z, Caballo M. Radiomics in cone-beam breast CT for the prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer: a multi-center multi-device study. Eur Radiol 2024; 34:2576-2589. [PMID: 37782338 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-10256-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To develop a radiomics model in contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) for preoperative prediction of axillary lymph node (ALN) status and metastatic burden of breast cancer. METHODS Two hundred and seventy-four patients who underwent CE-CBBCT examination with two scanners between 2012 and 2021 from two institutions were enrolled. The primary tumor was annotated in each patient image, from which 1781 radiomics features were extracted with PyRadiomics. After feature selection, support vector machine models were developed to predict ALN status and metastatic burden. To avoid overfitting on a specific patient subset, 100 randomly stratified splits were made to assign the patients to either training/fine-tuning or test set. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of these radiomics models was compared to those obtained when training the models only with clinical features and combined clinical-radiomics descriptors. Ground truth was established by histopathology. RESULTS One hundred and eighteen patients had ALN metastasis (N + (≥ 1)). Of these, 74 had low burden (N + (1~2)) and 44 high burden (N + (≥ 3)). The remaining 156 patients had none (N0). AUC values across the 100 test repeats in predicting ALN status (N0/N + (≥ 1)) were 0.75 ± 0.05 (0.67~0.93, radiomics model), 0.68 ± 0.07 (0.53~0.85, clinical model), and 0.74 ± 0.05 (0.67~0.88, combined model). For metastatic burden prediction (N + (1~2)/N + (≥ 3)), AUC values were 0.65 ± 0.10 (0.50~0.88, radiomics model), 0.55 ± 0.10 (0.40~0.80, clinical model), and 0.64 ± 0.09 (0.50~0.90, combined model), with all the ranges spanning 0.5. In both cases, the radiomics model was significantly better than the clinical model (both p < 0.01) and comparable with the combined model (p = 0.56 and 0.64). CONCLUSIONS Radiomics features of primary tumors could have potential in predicting ALN metastasis in CE-CBBCT imaging. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT The findings support potential clinical use of radiomics for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients and addressing the limited axilla coverage of cone-beam breast CT. KEY POINTS • Contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast CT-based radiomics could have potential to predict N0 vs. N + (≥ 1) and, to a limited extent, N + (1~2) vs. N + (≥ 3) from primary tumor, and this could help address the limited axilla coverage, pending future verifications on larger cohorts. • The average AUC of radiomics and combined models was significantly higher than that of clinical models but showed no significant difference between themselves. • Radiomics features descriptive of tumor texture were found informative on axillary lymph node status, highlighting a higher heterogeneity for tumor with positive axillary lymph node.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueqiang Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhai
- Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Mei-Hua-Dong Road, Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Aidi Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Haijie Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Mengran Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Peng Han
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Lu Yin
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Ni He
- Department of Medical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Dong-Feng-Dong Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yaopan Wu
- Department of Medical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Dong-Feng-Dong Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Ioannis Sechopoulos
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands
- Dutch Expert Center for Screening (LRCB), PO Box 6873, Nijmegen, 6503 GJ, The Netherlands
- Technical Medicine Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Zhaoxiang Ye
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China.
| | - Marco Caballo
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands
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11
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Peng L, Gao P, Xiong W, Li Z, Chen X. Identifying potential ligand-receptor interactions based on gradient boosted neural network and interpretable boosting machine for intercellular communication analysis. Comput Biol Med 2024; 171:108110. [PMID: 38367445 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Cell-cell communication is essential to many key biological processes. Intercellular communication is generally mediated by ligand-receptor interactions (LRIs). Thus, building a comprehensive and high-quality LRI resource can significantly improve intercellular communication analysis. Meantime, due to lack of a "gold standard" dataset, it remains a challenge to evaluate LRI-mediated intercellular communication results. Here, we introduce CellGiQ, a high-confident LRI prediction framework for intercellular communication analysis. Highly confident LRIs are first inferred by LRI feature extraction with BioTriangle, LRI selection using LightGBM, and LRI classification based on ensemble of gradient boosted neural network and interpretable boosting machine. Subsequently, known and identified high-confident LRIs are filtered by combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and further applied to intercellular communication inference through a quartile scoring strategy. To validation the predictions, CellGiQ exploited several evaluation strategies: using AUC and AUPR, it surpassed six competing LRI prediction models on four LRI datasets; through Venn diagrams and molecular docking, its predicted LRIs were validated by five other popular intercellular communication inference methods; based on the overlapping LRIs, it computed high Jaccard index with six other state-of-the-art intercellular communication prediction tools within human HNSCC tissues; by comparing with classical models and literature retrieve, its inferred HNSCC-related intercellular communication results was further validated. The novelty of this study is to identify high-confident LRIs based on machine learning as well as design several LRI validation ways, providing reference for computational LRI prediction. CellGiQ provides an open-source and useful tool to decompose LRI-mediated intercellular communication at single cell resolution. CellGiQ is freely available at https://github.com/plhhnu/CellGiQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Peng
- College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Pengfei Gao
- College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Zejun Li
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang, 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Xing Chen
- School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
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12
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Ding Q, Lin F, Huang Z, Li Y, Cai S, Chen X, Liu H, Qiu S. Non-coding RNA-related FCGBP downregulation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a novel biomarker for predicting paclitaxel resistance and immunosuppressive microenvironment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4426. [PMID: 38396056 PMCID: PMC10891054 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55210-6] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), chemoresistance is a major reason for poor prognosis. Nevertheless, there is a lack of validated biomarkers to screen for patients for categorical chemotherapy. Fc gamma binding protein (FCGBP) is a mucus protein associated with mucosal epithelial cells and has immunological functions that protect against tumors and metastasis. However, the effect of FCGBP on HNSC is unclear. In pan-cancer tissues, the expression of FCGBP and the survival status of patients were analyzed using information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Correlation analysis and Cox regression analysis were conducted to confirm the relationship and survival outcome. Bioinformatics analysis was utilized to predict the probable upstream non-coding RNA. FCGBP functioned as a potential tumor suppressor gene in HNSC. Notably, FCGBP expression was negatively correlated with enriched tumor-infiltrating macrophages and paclitaxel resistance. Cox regression with gene, clinical, and immune factors showed that FCGBP was a risk factor acting in an independent manner. In HNSC, the utmost possibly upstream non-coding RNA-related pathway of FCGBP was also discovered to be the PART1/AC007728.2/LINC00885/hsa-miR-877-5p/FCGBP axis. According to the present study, non-coding RNA-related low levels of FCGBP are a prognostic indicator and are linked to an HNSC-related immunosuppressive state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Ding
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Fengjie Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zongwei Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sunqin Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China.
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Sufang Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, 350014, China.
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
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13
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Liu S, Wang R, Fang J. Exploring the frontiers: tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:22. [PMID: 38294629 PMCID: PMC10830966 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00870-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The global prevalence of head and neck malignancies positions them as the sixth most common form of cancer, with the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) representing the predominant histological subtype. Despite advancements in multidisciplinary approaches and molecular targeted therapies, the therapeutic outcomes for HNSCC have only marginally improved, particularly in cases of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC (R/MHNSCC). This situation underscores the critical necessity for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Such strategies are essential not only to enhance the efficacy of HNSCC treatment but also to minimize the incidence of associated complications, thus improving overall patient prognosis. Cancer immunotherapy represents a cutting-edge cancer treatment that leverages the immune system for targeting and destroying cancer cells. It's applied to multiple cancers, including melanoma and lung cancer, offering precision, adaptability, and the potential for long-lasting remission through immune memory. It is observed that while HNSCC patients responsive to immunotherapy often experience prolonged therapeutic benefits, only a limited subset demonstrates such responsiveness. Additionally, significant clinical challenges remain, including the development of resistance to immunotherapy. The biological characteristics, dynamic inhibitory changes, and heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HNSCC play critical roles in its pathogenesis, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. This review aims to elucidate the functions and mechanisms of anti-tumor immune cells and extracellular components within the HNSCC TME. It also introduces several immunosuppressive agents commonly utilized in HNSCC immunotherapy, examines factors influencing the effectiveness of these treatments, and provides a comprehensive summary of immunotherapeutic strategies relevant to HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaokun Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ru Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jugao Fang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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14
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Almangush A, Ruuskanen M, Hagström J, Kosma VM, Nieminen P, Mäkitie AA, Leivo I. Prognostic Significance of Tumor-associated Stroma in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study. Am J Surg Pathol 2024; 48:54-58. [PMID: 37779503 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000002137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of tumor-associated stroma has shown a reliable prognostic value in recent research. We evaluated the prognostic value of tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) in a large multicenter cohort of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We used the conventional hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of 115 cases of NPC to assess TSR as described in recent guidelines. The amount of tumor-associated stroma was assessed as a percentage and then tumors were classified as stroma-high (>50%) or stroma-low (≤50%). Kaplan-Meier curves, χ 2 test, and Cox regression univariable and multivariable analyses were carried out. A total of 48 (41.7%) tumors were stroma-high and 67 (58.3%) tumors were stroma-low. In the Cox regression multivariable analysis, the tumors categorized as stroma-high were associated with a worse overall survival with a hazard ratio of 2.30 (95% CI: 1.27-4.15, P =0.006) and with poor disease-specific survival (hazard ratio=1.87, 95% CI: 1.07-3.28, P =0.029). The assessment of TSR in NPC is simple and cost-effective, and it has a significant prognostic value. TSR can aid in risk stratification and clinical decision-making in NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alhadi Almangush
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki
- Institute of Biomedicine, Pathology, University of Turku
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki
- Faculty of Dentistry, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
| | - Miia Ruuskanen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku
| | - Jaana Hagström
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki
- Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki
- Department of Oral Pathology and Radiology, University of Turku
| | - Veli-Matti Kosma
- School of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Cancer Center of Eastern Finland, University of Eastern Finland
- Imaging Center, Clinical Pathology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio
| | - Pentti Nieminen
- Medical Informatics and Data Analysis Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti A Mäkitie
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Division of Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ilmo Leivo
- Institute of Biomedicine, Pathology, University of Turku
- Turku University Central Hospital, Turku
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15
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Gao P, Zhang W, Lin Y, Lu R, Lou Z, Lu G, Pan R, Chen Y. Luteolin suppresses oral carcinoma 3 (OC3) cell growth and migration via modulating polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) expression and cellular energy metabolism. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2023; 24:1151-1158. [PMID: 38057271 PMCID: PMC10710912 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2300200] [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: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor affecting the head and neck region (Leemans et al., 2018). It is often diagnosed at a later stage, leading to a poor prognosis (Muzaffar et al., 2021; Li et al., 2023). Despite advances in OSCC treatment, the overall 5-year survival rate of OSCC patients remains alarmingly low, falling below 50% (Jehn et al., 2019; Johnson et al., 2020). According to statistics, only 50% of patients with oral cancer can be treated with surgery. Once discovered, it is more frequently at an advanced stage. In addition, owing to the aggressively invasive and metastatic characteristics of OSCC, most patients die within one year of diagnosis. Hence, the pursuit of novel therapeutic drugs and treatments to improve the response of oral cancer to medication, along with a deeper understanding of their effects, remains crucial objectives in oral cancer research (Johnson et al., 2020; Bhat et al., 2021; Chen et al., 2023; Ruffin et al., 2023).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Gao
- Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
- School of Stomatology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - Wentao Zhang
- Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yujie Lin
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ruijie Lu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zijian Lou
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Gang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Cell-Based Drug and Applied Technology Development in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 311122, China
| | - Ruolang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Cell-Based Drug and Applied Technology Development in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 311122, China.
| | - Yunfang Chen
- Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China. ,
- School of Stomatology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China. ,
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16
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Wang Y, Qin Z, Chen Y, Zheng Y, Jia L. A Novel LncRNA MASCC1 Regulates the Progression and Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Sponging miR-195. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5792. [PMID: 38136338 PMCID: PMC10741893 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The altered expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is associated with human carcinogenesis. We performed a high-throughput analysis of lncRNA expression in strictly selected pairs of metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and non-metastatic HNSCC samples. We identified a novel lncRNA, which was highly expressed in metastatic HNSCC, named Metastasis Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma 1 (MASCC1), for further study. Using qRT-PCR, we further compared MASCC1 expression in 60 HNSCC samples. The results show that high expression of MASCC1 in patients with HNSCC was related to poor prognosis. In vitro, MASCC1 knockdown (KD) inhibited HNSCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor sphere formation, while promoting apoptosis. In vivo, MASCC1 KD inhibited HNSCC growth and lymph node metastasis. Mechanistically, MASCC1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by binding to miR-195, subsequently regulating the expression of Cyclin D1, BCL-2, and YAP1. Moreover, miR-195 overexpression rescued the effects of MASCC1 on the biological behaviors of HNSCC. Taken together, our results suggest that MASCC1 is a novel oncogene that can predict the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and is a potential therapeutic target for HNSCC intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (Y.C.)
| | - Zhen Qin
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yiwen Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yunfei Zheng
- Department of Orthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Lingfei Jia
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (Y.C.)
- Department of Central Laboratory, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China
- National Center of Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China
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17
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Meng L, Si Y, Zhang B, Qi J. Prognostic biomarker SPP1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Asian J Surg 2023; 46:5865-5867. [PMID: 37659924 DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2023.08.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Linghan Meng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yishimei Si
- Department of Otolaryngology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Bingwen Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jianwei Qi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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18
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Gong X, Xiong J, Gong Y, Zhang J, Zhang J, Yang G, Chi H, Tian G. Deciphering the role of HPV-mediated metabolic regulation in shaping the tumor microenvironment and its implications for immunotherapy in HNSCC. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1275270. [PMID: 37876923 PMCID: PMC10590915 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275270] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as a complex and variable malignancy, poses a significant threat to human health. Since the intricate association between HPV and HNSCC emerged, its role within the TME has garnered extensive attention. HPV+HNSCC exhibits distinct immunological characteristics within the TME, intricately intertwined with mechanisms of immune evasion. HPV employs multifaceted pathways to intervene in metabolic regulation within the TME, exerting influence over immune cell functionality and neoplastic cell genesis. Furthermore, the heightened immune reactivity exhibited by HPV+HNSCC within the TME augments responses to immune interventions such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, amidst the current limitations of therapeutic approaches, immunotherapy stands as a promising strategy to overcome the conventional confines of treating HNSCC. This article comprehensively outlines the impact of HPV on the inception and progression of HNSCC while discussing the amalgamation of metabolic regulation within the TME and immunotherapeutic strategies. By intervening in the reciprocal interactions between HPV and HNSCC within the TME, the potential to modulate the efficacy of immune-based treatments becomes evident. Concurrently, a synthesis of pertinent biomarker development is summarized. Such endeavors hold paramount significance for personalized therapeutic approaches and the more effective management of HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjin Gong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jingwen Xiong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yu Gong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jieying Zhang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinhao Zhang
- School of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Guanhu Yang
- Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Hao Chi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Gang Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Molecular Diagnosis of Clinical Diseases, Luzhou, China
- Molecular Diagnosis of Clinical Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, Luzhou, China
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19
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Wei F, Fang R, Lyu K, Liao J, Long Y, Yang J, Wen W, Sun W. Exosomal PD-L1 derived from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma promotes immune evasion by activating the positive feedback loop of activated regulatory T cell-M2 macrophage. Oral Oncol 2023; 145:106532. [PMID: 37499326 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2023.106532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The positive feedback loop of activated regulatory T cells (aTregs) and M2 macrophages (M2) play a vital role in promoting the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the key factors regulating the positive feedback loop remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the effect of PD-L1 carried on exosomes derived from tumor cells (TEXs) on the aTreg-M2 positive feedback loop, as well as their role in mediating immunosuppression. In our study, TEXs with or without PD-L1 (TEX-PD-L1 or TEX-PD-L1KO) were treated with CD4+CD25- T cells and M0 macrophages, and the effect on the differentiation of aTregs, M2 and the aTreg-M2 positive feedback loop was assessed. TEXs carried more PD-L1 than tumor cells and not only promoted the differentiation of aTregs and M2, but also, most importantly, enhanced the positive feedback loop of aTreg-M2, which inhibited the proliferation of CD4+CD25- T cells and in turn led to tumor immune escape. Moreover, in vivo study showed that TEX-PD-L1KO could inhibit tumor growth and significantly improve the antitumor efficacy in both the peripheral and tumor microenvironments. Collectively this study revealed the role and mechanism of TEX-PD-L1 in negative immune regulation, and targeting TEX-PD-L1 may be a new idea and strategy for immunotherapy of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanqin Wei
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Ruihua Fang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Kexing Lyu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Jing Liao
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Yudong Long
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Jinchao Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Weiping Wen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Otorhinolarygology, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, PR China.
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20
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Huang C, Zhu F, Zhang H, Wang N, Huang Q. Identification of S1PR4 as an immune modulator for favorable prognosis in HNSCC through machine learning. iScience 2023; 26:107693. [PMID: 37680482 PMCID: PMC10480314 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107693] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane proteins and play a critical role as pharmacological targets. An improved understanding of GPCRs' involvement in tumor microenvironment may provide new perspectives for cancer therapy. This study used machine learning to classify head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients into two GPCR-based subtypes. Notably, these subtypes showed significant differences in prognosis, gene expression, and immune microenvironment, particularly CD8+ T cell infiltration. S1PR4 emerged as a key regulator distinguishing the subtypes, positively correlated with CD8+ T cell proportion and cytotoxicity in HNSCC. It was predominantly expressed in CX3CR1+CD8+ T cells among T cells. Upregulation of S1PR4 enhanced T cell function during CAR-T cell therapy, suggesting its potential in cancer immunotherapy. These findings highlight S1PR4 as an immune modulator for favorable prognosis in HNSCC, and offer a potential GPCR-targeted therapeutic option for HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenshen Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fengshuo Zhu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Huzhou, China
| | - Qi Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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21
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Budi HS, Farhood B. Tumor microenvironment remodeling in oral cancer: Application of plant derived-natural products and nanomaterials. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116432. [PMID: 37331557 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Oral cancers consist of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and other malignancies in the mouth with varying degrees of invasion and differentiation. For many years, different modalities such as surgery, radiation therapy, and classical chemotherapy drugs have been used to control the growth of oral tumors. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the remarkable effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on the development, invasion, and therapeutic resistance of tumors like oral cancers. Therefore, several studies have been conducted to modulate the TME in various types of tumors in favor of cancer suppression. Natural products are intriguing agents for targeting cancers and TME. Flavonoids, non-flavonoid herbal-derived molecules, and other natural products have shown promising effects on cancers and TME. These agents, such as curcumin, resveratrol, melatonin, quercetin and naringinin have demonstrated potency in suppressing oral cancers. In this paper, we will review and discuss about the potential efficacy of natural adjuvants on oral cancer cells. Furthermore, we will review the possible therapeutic effects of these agents on the TME and oral cancer cells. Moreover, the potential of nanoparticles-loaded natural products for targeting oral cancers and TME will be reviewed. The potentials, gaps, and future perspectives for targeting TME by nanoparticles-loaded natural products will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Setia Budi
- Department of Oral Biology, Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.
| | - Bagher Farhood
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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22
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Gameiro SF, Flondra KM. Human Papillomavirus-Associated Tumor Extracellular Vesicles in HPV + Tumor Microenvironments. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5668. [PMID: 37685735 PMCID: PMC10488665 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12175668] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Most infections with human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are self-resolving and asymptomatic. However, some infections can lead to the development of cancer at different mucosal sites, such as the cervix and the head and neck. Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are dichotomized into HPV-positive (HPV+) or HPV-negative (HPV-) based on their respective etiologies. Notably, the tumor microenvironment (TME) of the HPV+ subtype has an immune landscape characterized with increased immune infiltration, higher levels of T cell activation, and higher levels of immunoregulatory stimuli compared to their HPV- counterparts. Both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses hijack the extracellular vesicle (EV) biogenesis pathway to deploy a "trojan horse" strategy with a pseudoviral envelope to enhance infectivity and evade inflammation. EVs derived from HPV-infected tumor cells could allow for the stealth transport of viral cargo to neighboring nonmalignant cellular populations or infiltrating immune cells within the TME. Furthermore, viral cargo or altered cellular cargo from HPV-associated tumor EVs (HPV-TEVs) could alter the functional state or biological responses of the recipient cellular populations, which could shape the distinctive HPV+ TME. This review will cover the impact of EVs released from HPV-infected cells on HPV-induced carcinogenesis, their role in shaping the distinctive HPV+ tumor microenvironment, and current efforts to develop a painless EV-based liquid biopsy for HPV+ cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven F. Gameiro
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn M. Flondra
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada;
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23
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Fu Y, Zheng Y. The identification of tumor antigens and immune subtypes based on the development of immunotherapies targeting head and neck squamous cell carcinomas resulting from periodontal disease. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1256105. [PMID: 37675228 PMCID: PMC10477783 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1256105] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Among cancer treatments, immunotherapy is considered a promising strategy. Nonetheless, only a small number of individuals with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma exhibit positive responses to immunotherapy. This study aims to discover possible antigens for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, create an mRNA vaccine for this type of cancer, investigate the connection between head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and periodontal disease, and determine the immune subtype of cells affected by head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. To ascertain gene expression profiles and clinical data corresponding to them, an examination was carried out on the TCGA database. Antigen-presenting cells were detected using TIMER. Targeting six immune-related genes (CXCL5, ADM, FGF9, AIMP1, STC1, and CDKN2A) in individuals diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma has shown promising results in immunotherapy triggered by periodontal disease. These genes have been linked to improved prognosis and increased immune cell infiltration. Additionally, CXCL5, ADM, FGF9, AIMP1, STC1, and CDKN2A exhibited potential as antigens in the creation of an mRNA vaccine. A nomogram model containing ADM expression and tumor stage was constructed for clinical practice. To summarize, ADM shows potential as a candidate biomarker for predicting the prognosis, molecular features, and immune characteristics of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells. Our results, obtained through real-time PCR analysis, showed a significant upregulation of ADM in the SCC-25 cell line compared to the NOK-SI cell line. This suggests that ADM might be implicated in the pathogenesis of HNSC, highlighting the potential of ADM as a target in HNSC treatment. However, further research is needed to elucidate the functional role of ADM in HNSC. Our findings provide a basis for the further exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying HNSC and could help develop novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangju Fu
- Operating Room, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongbo Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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24
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Ling K, Dou Y, Yang N, Deng L, Wang Y, Li Y, Yang L, Chen C, Jiang L, Deng Q, Li C, Liang Z, Zhang J. Genome editing mRNA nanotherapies inhibit cervical cancer progression and regulate the immunosuppressive microenvironment for adoptive T-cell therapy. J Control Release 2023; 360:496-513. [PMID: 37423524 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.07.007] [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: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing is promising for therapy of cervical cancer by precisely targeting human papillomavirus (HPV). To develop CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing nanotherapies, a pH-responsive hybrid nonviral nanovector was constructed for co-delivering Cas9 mRNA and guide RNAs (gRNAs) targeting E6 or E7 oncogenes. The pH-responsive nanovector was fabricated using an acetalated cyclic oligosaccharide (ACD), in combination with low molecular weight polyethyleneimine. Thus obtained hybrid ACD nanoparticles (defined as ACD NP) showed efficient loading for both Cas9 mRNA and E6 or E7 gRNA, giving rise to two pH-responsive genome editing nanotherapies E6/ACD NP and E7/ACD NP, respectively. Cellularly, ACD NP exhibited high transfection but low cytotoxicity in HeLa cervical carcinoma cells. Also, efficient genome editing of target genes was achieved in HeLa cells, with minimal off-target effects. In mice bearing HeLa xenografts, treatment with E6/ACD NP or E7/ACD NP afforded effective editing of target oncogenes and considerable antitumor activities. More importantly, treatment with E6/ACD NP or E7/ACD NP notably promoted CD8+ T cell survival by reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment, thereby leading to synergistic antitumor effects by combination therapy using the gene editing nanotherapies and adoptive T-cell transfer. Consequently, our pH-responsive genome editing nanotherapies deserve further development for the treatment of HPV-associated cervical cancer, and they can also serve as promising nanotherapies to improve efficacies of other immune therapies against different advanced cancers by regulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijian Ling
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yin Dou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Neng Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Li Deng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yanzhou Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yudi Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Leiyan Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Lupin Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qingchun Deng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Chenwen Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhiqing Liang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Jianxiang Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
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25
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Nie C, Pan W, Wu B, Luo T, Lv J, Fan Y, Feng J, Liu C, Guo J, Li B, Bai X, Zheng L. Engineered Enzyme-Loaded Erythrocyte Vesicles Precisely Deprive Tumoral Nutrients to Induce Synergistic Near-Infrared-II Photothermal Therapy and Immune Activation. ACS NANO 2023; 17:13211-13223. [PMID: 37440429 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Starvation therapy has been considered a promising strategy in cancer treatment for altering the tumor microenvironment (TME) and causing a cascade of therapeutic effects. However, it is still highly challenging to establish a therapeutic strategy for precisely and potently depriving tumoral nutrition. In this study, a glucose oxidase (GOx) and thrombin-incorporated erythrocyte vesicle (EV) with cyclic (Arg-Gly-Asp) (cRGD) peptide modification, denoted as EV@RGT, were synthesized for precisely depriving tumoral nutrition and sequentially inducing second near-infrared region (NIR-II) photothermal therapy (PTT) and immune activation. The EV@RGT could specifically accumulate at the tumor site and release the enzymes at the acidic TME. The combination of GOx and thrombin exhausts tumoral glucose and blocks the nutrition supply at the same time, resulting in severe energy deficiency and reactive oxygen species (ROS) enrichment within tumor cells. Subsequently, the abundant clotted erythrocytes in tumor vessels present outstanding localized NIR-II PTT for cancer eradication owing to the hemoglobin. Furthermore, the abundant ROS generated by enhanced starvation therapy repolarizes resident macrophages into the antitumor M1 phenotype via a DNA damage-induced STING/NF-κB pathway, ultimately contributing to tumor elimination. Consequently, the engineered EV@RGT demonstrates powerful antitumor efficiency based on precise nutrition deprivation, sequential NIR-II PTT, and immune activation effect. This work provides an effective strategy for the antitumor application of enzyme-based reinforced starvation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengtao Nie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Weilun Pan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Bodeng Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Tingting Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo 315010, China
| | - Jie Lv
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yingjing Fan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Junjie Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chunchen Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jingyun Guo
- Breast Center, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medicine University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xiaochun Bai
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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26
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Wang S, Pang X, Tong L, Fan H, Jiang J, Zhao M, Yu X, Li M, Liang J, Fan Y, Zhang X, Tang Y, Sun Y, Liang X. LncRNA SELL/L-selectin Promotes HPV-Positive HNSCC Progression and Drives Fucoidan-Mediated Therapeutic Strategies. Acta Biomater 2023:S1742-7061(23)00335-5. [PMID: 37330030 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.06.011] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Positive human papillomavirus (HPV+) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents a higher risk of lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Here, advanced microarray analysis of clinically collected HNSCC tissues revealed significant upregulation of the lncRNA SELL in HPV+ HNSCC, and its overexpression was obviously associated with lymph node metastasis. The lncRNA SELL could function as a promigratory and proinvasive mediator as well as an inducer of M1-like tumour-associated macrophages (TAM) by increasing the level of L-selectin. Furthermore, fucoidan, as an L-selectin inhibitor, obviously weakened the formation of tongue lesions induced by 4-Nitroquinoline N-oxide (4-NQO) in HPV16 E6/E7 transgenic mice. This result drove us to synchronously develop a nanodelivery platform to verify fucoidan-mediated anti-growth and anti-metastasis effects. This work highlighted the important influence of the lncRNA SELL/L-selectin on promoting HPV+ HNSCC progression and proposed a potential fucoidan-mediated therapeutic strategy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) involvement present a greater risk of lymph node metastasis than HPV negative HNSCC patients. However, treatment protocols, including surgery and platinum-based chemo- and radiotherapy, have not improved the 5-year overall survival due to the high tendency of lymphatic metastasis. Here, microarray of clinical HNSCC samples confirms the oncogenic significance of lncRNA SELL, which acts as an M1-like TAM inducer and promotes tumorigenesis by upregulating L-selectin. Fucoidan, as an L-selectin inhibitor, suppresses tongue lesions in transgenic mice, and a fucoidan-mediated nanodelivery platform inhibits HPV+ HNSCC growth. The present study highlights lncRNA SELL/L-selectin on promoting HPV+ HNSCC progression and proposes a potential fucoidan-mediated therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Tong
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huayang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jian Jiang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingda Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xianghua Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Pathology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Pathology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Liang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujiang Fan
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xingdong Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaling Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Pathology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Sun
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Xinhua Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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27
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Cui S, Liu H, Cui G. Nanoparticles as drug delivery systems in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma: current status and recent progression. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1176422. [PMID: 37292147 PMCID: PMC10244499 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1176422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common human malignancy with an estimated incidence of around 377,713 new cases worldwide in 2020. Despite the advance in clinical management, some of OSCC patients still miss the opportunity of completable resection of tumor, and have to accept medical therapies, e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy when the disease develops into the advanced stage. However, these therapies have been reported to be far from ideal due to the low efficiency of conventional delivery approaches. To obtain a better therapeutic effect, considerable attempts have been made toward to develop an effective drug delivery system (DDS). Nanoparticles (NPs) including inorganic NPs, polymer NPs, lipid NP, extracellular vesicles and cell membrane-based NPs have been evaluated as the better DDS candidates that can specifically accumulate in the tumor microenvironment along with a large amount of blood vessels. Emerging evidence suggested that NPs formulated with anticancer drugs including chemotherapeutic drugs, radiotherapy and immunotarget antibodies could remarkably improve the release and increase concentration of these drugs at the tumor site and show a better therapeutic efficacy, suggesting that NPs might serve as promising DDSs in the treatment of OSCC. Therefore, we have conducted this review to summarize recent progression and current status of diverse NPs as DDSs in this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxia Cui
- Henan Stomatological Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hanzhe Liu
- School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guanglin Cui
- Faculty of Health Science, Campus Levanger, Nord University, Levanger, Norway
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28
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Zhang Y, Dong P, Yang L. The role of nanotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by targeting tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1189323. [PMID: 37292204 PMCID: PMC10244756 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1189323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) refers to a group of highly malignant and pathogenically complex tumors. Traditional treatment methods include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, with advancements in genetics, molecular medicine, and nanotherapy, more effective and safer treatments have been developed. Nanotherapy, in particular, has the potential to be an alternative therapeutic option for HNSCC patients, given its advantageous targeting capabilities, low toxicity and modifiability. Recent research has highlighted the important role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the development of HNSCC. The TME is composed of various cellular components, such as fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, and immune cells, as well as non-cellular agents such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, extracellular matrix (ECM), and extracellular vesicles (EVs). These components greatly influence the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy of HNSCC, making the TME a potential target for treatment using nanotherapy. By regulating angiogenesis, immune response, tumor metastasis and other factors, nanotherapy can potentially alleviate HNSCC symptoms. This review aims to summarize and discuss the application of nanotherapy that targets HNSCC's TME. We highlight the therapeutic value of nanotherapy for HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology/Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Pengbo Dong
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology/Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China
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Liu ZL, Chen HH, Zheng LL, Sun LP, Shi L. Angiogenic signaling pathways and anti-angiogenic therapy for cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:198. [PMID: 37169756 PMCID: PMC10175505 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01460-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 117.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is a complex and dynamic process regulated by various pro- and anti-angiogenic molecules, which plays a crucial role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. With the advances in molecular and cellular biology, various biomolecules such as growth factors, chemokines, and adhesion factors involved in tumor angiogenesis has gradually been elucidated. Targeted therapeutic research based on these molecules has driven anti-angiogenic treatment to become a promising strategy in anti-tumor therapy. The most widely used anti-angiogenic agents include monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. However, the clinical benefit of this modality has still been limited due to several defects such as adverse events, acquired drug resistance, tumor recurrence, and lack of validated biomarkers, which impel further research on mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis, the development of multiple drugs and the combination therapy to figure out how to improve the therapeutic efficacy. Here, we broadly summarize various signaling pathways in tumor angiogenesis and discuss the development and current challenges of anti-angiogenic therapy. We also propose several new promising approaches to improve anti-angiogenic efficacy and provide a perspective for the development and research of anti-angiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Ling Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan-Huan Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Li Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Ping Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, China.
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, China.
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Ducoulombier A, Guigay J, Etienne-Grimaldi MC, Saada-Bouzid E. Chemotherapy postimmunotherapy for recurrent metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Curr Opin Oncol 2023; 35:166-177. [PMID: 36966495 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Clinical data on salvage chemotherapy used after checkpoints inhibitors in oncology are reviewed, with a special focus on recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). RECENT FINDINGS Converging evidence is emerging about high response and/or disease control rates associated with salvage chemotherapy after immunotherapy failure in advanced solid tumours. This phenomenon is mainly reported in retrospective studies for "hot tumours" such as R/M HNSCC, melanoma, lung, urothelial or gastric cancers, but also in haematological malignancies. Some physiopathological hypotheses have been raised. SUMMARY Several independent series show increased response rates associated with postimmuno chemotherapy when compared with retrospective series in similar settings. Several mechanisms could be involved such as a "carry-over" allowed by a persistence of the checkpoint inhibitor, a modulation of tumour microenvironment components but also an intrinsic immunomodulatory effect of chemotherapy, increased by a specific immunologic state induced by the therapeutic pressure of checkpoint inhibitors. These data establish a rationale for prospectively evaluating the features of postimmunotherapy salvage chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Ducoulombier
- Laboratoire de Recherche Translationnelle en Oncologie, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne
- Department of Medical Oncology, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France
| | - Joel Guigay
- Department of Medical Oncology, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France
| | | | - Esma Saada-Bouzid
- Laboratoire de Recherche Translationnelle en Oncologie, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne
- Department of Medical Oncology, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France
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Sadeghirad H, Liu N, Monkman J, Ma N, Cheikh BB, Jhaveri N, Tan CW, Warkiani ME, Adams MN, Nguyen Q, Ladwa R, Braubach O, O’Byrne K, Davis M, Hughes BGM, Kulasinghe A. Compartmentalized spatial profiling of the tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma identifies immune checkpoint molecules and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily members as biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1135489. [PMID: 37153589 PMCID: PMC10154785 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are the seventh most common cancer, with approximately 50% of patients living beyond 5 years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promising results in patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) disease, however, only a subset of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Studies have implicated the tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCC as a major factor in therapy response, highlighting the need to better understand the TME, particularly by spatially resolved means to determine cellular and molecular components. Here, we employed targeted spatial profiling of proteins on a cohort of pre-treatment tissues from patients with R/M disease to identify novel biomarkers of response within the tumor and stromal margins. By grouping patient outcome categories into response or non-response, we show that immune checkpoint molecules, including PD-L1, B7-H3, and VISTA, were differentially expressed. Patient responders possessed significantly higher tumor expression of PD-L1 and B7-H3, but lower expression of VISTA. Analysis of response subgroups by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria indicated that tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily members including OX40L, CD27, 4-1BB, CD40, and CD95/Fas, were associated with immunotherapy outcome. OX40L expression in tumor regions was higher in patient-responders than those with progressive disease (PD), while other TNFR members, CD27 and CD95/Fas were lower expressed in patients with a partial response (PR) compared to those with PD. Furthermore, we found that high 4-1BB expression in the tumor compartment, but not in the stroma, was associated with better overall survival (OS) (HR= 0.28, p-adjusted= 0.040). Moreover, high CD40 expression in tumor regions (HR= 0.27, p-adjusted= 0.035), and high CD27 expression in the stroma (HR= 0.2, p-adjusted=0.032) were associated with better survival outcomes. Taken together, this study supports the role of immune checkpoint molecules and implicates the TNFR superfamily as key players in immunotherapy response in our cohort of HNSCC. Validation of these findings in a prospective study is required to determine the robustness of these tissue signatures.
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Choi JH, Lee BS, Jang JY, Lee YS, Kim HJ, Roh J, Shin YS, Woo HG, Kim CH. Single-cell transcriptome profiling of the stepwise progression of head and neck cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1055. [PMID: 36828832 PMCID: PMC9958029 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36691-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoes stepwise progression from normal tissues to precancerous leukoplakia, primary HNSCC, and metastasized tumors. To delineate the heterogeneity of tumor cells and their interactions during the progression of HNSCC, we employ single-cell RNA-seq profiling for normal to metastasized tumors. We can identify the carcinoma in situ cells in leukoplakia lesions that are not detected by pathological examination. In addition, we identify the cell type subsets of the Galectin 7B (LGALS7B)-expressing malignant cells and CXCL8-expressing fibroblasts, demonstrating that their abundance in tumor tissue is associated with unfavorable prognostic outcomes. We also demonstrate the interdependent ligand-receptor interaction of COL1A1 and CD44 between fibroblasts and malignant cells, facilitating HNSCC progression. Furthermore, we report that the regulatory T cells in leukoplakia and HNSCC tissues express LAIR2, providing a favorable environment for tumor growth. Taken together, our results update the pathobiological insights into cell-cell interactions during the stepwise progression of HNSCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hye Choi
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bok-Soon Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeon Yeob Jang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Sang Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Jeong Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Roh
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Seob Shin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Goo Woo
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Chul-Ho Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
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Yuan G, Yang S, Yang S. RGS12 represses oral squamous cell carcinoma by driving M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages via controlling ciliary MYCBP2/KIF2A signaling. Int J Oral Sci 2023; 15:11. [PMID: 36797232 PMCID: PMC9935888 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-023-00216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial roles in tumor progression and immune responses. However, mechanisms of driving TAMs to antitumor function remain unknown. Here, transcriptome profiling analysis of human oral cancer tissues indicated that regulator of G protein signaling 12 (RGS12) regulates pathologic processes and immune-related pathways. Mice with RGS12 knockout in macrophages displayed decreased M1 TAMs in oral cancer tissues, and extensive proliferation and invasion of oral cancer cells. RGS12 increased the M1 macrophages with features of increased ciliated cell number and cilia length. Mechanistically, RGS12 associates with and activates MYC binding protein 2 (MYCBP2) to degrade the cilia protein kinesin family member 2A (KIF2A) in TAMs. Our results demonstrate that RGS12 is an essential oral cancer biomarker and regulator for immunosuppressive TAMs activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongsheng Yuan
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Shuting Yang
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Shuying Yang
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. .,The Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. .,Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, Penn Dental Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
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Sandström K, Ehrsson YT, Sellberg F, Johansson H, Laurell G. Loco-Regional Control and Sustained Difference in Serum Immune Protein Expression in Patients Treated for p16-Positive and p16-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043838. [PMID: 36835246 PMCID: PMC9961007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043838] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The main prognostic factors for patients with head and neck cancer are the tumour site and stage, yet immunological and metabolic factors are certainly important, although knowledge is still limited. Expression of the biomarker p16INK4a (p16) in oropharyngeal cancer tumour tissue is one of the few biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of head and neck cancer. The association between p16 expression in the tumour and the systemic immune response in the blood compartment has not been established. This study aimed to assess whether there is a difference in serum immune protein expression profiles between patients with p16+ and p16- head and squamous cell carcinoma (HNCC). The serum immune protein expression profiles, using the Olink® immunoassay, of 132 patients with p16+ and p16- tumours were compared before treatment and one year after treatment. A significant difference in the serum immune protein expression profile was observed both before and one year after treatment. In the p16- group, a low expression of four proteins: IL12RB1, CD28, CCL3, and GZMA before treatment conferred a higher rate of failure. Based on the sustained difference between serum immune proteins, we hypothesise that the immunological system is still adapted to the tumour p16 status one year after tumour eradication or that a fundamental difference exists in the immunological system between patients with p16+ and p16- tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Sandström
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Felix Sellberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hemming Johansson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Laurell
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Wang Y, Wang S, Wang H, Yang J, Zhou H. Identification and Biological Validation of a Chemokine/Chemokine Receptor-Based Risk Model for Predicting Immunotherapeutic Response and Prognosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043317. [PMID: 36834729 PMCID: PMC9963044 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043317] [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: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 80% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients failed to respond to immunotherapy, which can likely be attributed to the tumor microenvironment (TME) remolding mediated by chemokines/chemokine receptors (C/CR). This study aimed to establish a C/CR-based risk model for better immunotherapeutic responses and prognosis. After assessing the characteristic patterns of the C/CR cluster from the TCGA-HNSCC cohort, a six-gene C/CR-based risk model was developed to stratify patients by LASSO Cox analysis. The screened genes were multidimensionally validated by RT-qPCR, scRNA-seq, and protein data. A total of 30.4% of patients in the low-risk group had better responses to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the low-risk group had longer overall survival. A time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve and Cox analyses indicated that risk score served as an independent predictive indicator. The robustness of the immunotherapy response and prognosis prediction was also validated in independent external datasets. Additionally, the TME landscape revealed that the low-risk group was immune activated. Furthermore, the cell communication analysis on the scRNA-seq dataset revealed that cancer-associated fibroblasts were the main communicators within the C/CR ligand-receptor network of TME. Collectively, The C/CR-based risk model simultaneously predicted immunotherapeutic response and prognosis, potentially optimizing personalized therapeutic strategies of HNSCC.
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Pan X, Xu X, Wang L, Zhang S, Chen Y, Yang R, Chen X, Cheng B, Xia J, Ren X. BASP1 is a prognostic biomarker associated with immunotherapeutic response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1021262. [PMID: 36776328 PMCID: PMC9911441 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1021262] [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: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds Immunotherapy is effective in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the unfavorable response rate and inadequate biomarkers for stratifying patients have primarily limited its clinical application. Considering transcriptional factors (TFs) play essential roles in regulating immune activity during HNSCC progression, we comprehensively analyzed the expression alterations of TFs and their prognostic values. Methods Gene expression datasets and clinical information of HNSCC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository. Then, Brain abundant membrane attached signal protein 1 (BASP1) was screened out of differentially expressed TFs by univariate and multivariate survival analysis. Tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) was applied to analyze the response to immunotherapy of BASP1high/low patients. Meanwhile, GO, KEGG and GSEA analyses were used to enrich the pathways between the BASP1high and BASP1low groups. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), CIBERSORT, EPIC and quanTiseq algorithms were applied to explore immune infiltrations. Also, immune cycle analysis was conducted by ssGSEA. Additionally, lipid peroxidation, glutathione and reactive oxygen species were performed to detect the ferroptosis alternations. Results BASP1 was upregulated and associated with poor survival in HNSCC patients. BASP1high patients exhibited better response rates to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and higher expressions of immune checkpoint inhibitors. GO, KEGG and GSEA analyses indicated that the expression of BASP1 was related to several immune-related pathways and immunogenic ferroptosis signature. The infiltration of activated CD8+ T cells was authenticated to be decreased in BASP1high patients. Furthermore, BASP1 was identified to be positively correlated with T cell dysfunction and immune escape. Moreover, silencing BASP1 triggered ferroptosis in HNSCC cells, representing as increased LDH, lipid peroxidation and ROS levels, and reduced glutathione synthesis. Conclusions We demonstrated that BASP1 suppressed immunogenic ferroptosis to induce immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. BASP1 plays a critical role in immune response, and might be a promising classifier for selecting HNSCC patients who benefit from current immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Pan
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xun Xu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixuan Wang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingyao Chen
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rongchun Yang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xijuan Chen
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Xianyue Ren, ; Juan Xia, ; Bin Cheng,
| | - Juan Xia
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Xianyue Ren, ; Juan Xia, ; Bin Cheng,
| | - Xianyue Ren
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, China,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Xianyue Ren, ; Juan Xia, ; Bin Cheng,
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Nan Z, Dou Y, Chen A, Wang K, Sun J, Meng Z, Neckenig M, Ai D, Liu S, Dong Z, Ma C, Cheng Y, Qu X. Identification and validation of a prognostic signature of autophagy, apoptosis and pyroptosis-related genes for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: to imply therapeutic choices of HPV negative patients. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1100417. [PMID: 36703967 PMCID: PMC9872116 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1100417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction An effective tool is needed to predict the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Human papillomavirus (HPV) positive HNSCC patients generally have a favorable survival and a promising responsiveness to radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy and checkpoint blockades. However, HPV negative patients, the majority of HNSCC patients, have been largely overlooked. Cell death has been involved in the therapeutic resistance of cancers. To this end, we aimed to identify the association of autophagy, apoptosis and pyroptosis-related genes with the prognosis of HNSCC, and construct a prognostic signature to predict the prognosis for HNSCC, especially for HPV negative HNSCC. Methods Autophagy and apoptosis-related genes were obtained from Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) website, and pyroptosis-related genes were obtained from GSEA and Gene Ontology (GO) database. We established the cell death index (CDI) based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and clinicopathological information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. The prognostic value of CDI was verified by Kaplan-Meier, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses in TCGA dataset, and validated with the datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. We further assessed the immune microenvironment of patients with high and low CDI scores. Moreover, the expression of the signature genes in HNSCC cell lines were explored. Results We found that CDI was an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival (hazard ratio 3.80, 95% confidential interval: 2.70-5.40, P < 0.001). Furthermore, HNSCC patients with high CDI scores obtained increased overall survival post radiation indicating benefits from radiotherapy of this subgroup. On the other hand, HPV negative HNSCC patients with low CDI exhibited increased checkpoint gene expressions, an inflamed tumor microenvironment and an enriched immune response-related functions, suggesting the potential benefits from checkpoint immunotherapies of this subgroup. Moreover, we validated the baseline and induced expressions of above 16 genes in two HPV negative HNSCC cell lines, CAL27 and SCC-15. Discussion We established a prognostic signature and emphasized its implements in the therapeutic choices of HPV negative HNSCC patients, the majority and the poor outcome population of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaodi Nan
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yu Dou
- School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China,Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong University, Jinan, China,Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong University, Jinan, China,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shandong University, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Xun Qu, ; Yu Dou,
| | - Anwei Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ketao Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jintang Sun
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhen Meng
- Precision Biomedical Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Medical College of Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Markus Neckenig
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dan Ai
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Shaohua Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zuoqing Dong
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Ma
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yufeng Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xun Qu
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Xun Qu, ; Yu Dou,
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Jiang M, Qin B, Li X, Liu Y, Guan G, You J. New advances in pharmaceutical strategies for sensitizing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and clinical research. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 15:e1837. [PMID: 35929522 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Attempts have been made continuously to use nano-drug delivery system (NDDS) to improve the effect of antitumor therapy. In recent years, especially in the application of immunotherapy represented by antiprogrammed death receptor 1 (anti-PD-1), it has been vigorously developed. Nanodelivery systems are significantly superior in a number of aspects including increasing the solubility of insoluble drugs, enhancing their targeting ability, prolonging their half-life, and reducing side effects. It can not only directly improve the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, but also indirectly enhance the antineoplastic efficacy of immunotherapy by boosting the effectiveness of therapeutic modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, photothermal, and photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT). Here, we summarize the studies published in recent years on the use of nanotechnology in pharmaceutics to improve the efficacy of anti-PD-1 antibodies, analyze their characteristics and shortcomings, and combine with the current clinical research on anti-PD-1 antibodies to provide a reference for the design of future nanocarriers, so as to further expand the clinical application prospects of NDDSs. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengshi Jiang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bing Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guannan Guan
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian You
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Zhang Y, Lin C, Liu Z, Sun Y, Chen M, Guo Y, Liu W, Zhang C, Chen W, Sun J, Xia R, Hu Y, Yang X, Li J, Zhang Z, Cao W, Sun S, Wang X, Ji T. Cancer cells co-opt nociceptive nerves to thrive in nutrient-poor environments and upon nutrient-starvation therapies. Cell Metab 2022; 34:1999-2017.e10. [PMID: 36395769 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although nutrient-starvation therapies can elicit strong anti-tumor effects in multiple carcinomas, it has been convincingly demonstrated that cancer cells exploit the tumor microenvironment to thrive in nutrient-poor environments. Here, we reveal that cancer cells can co-opt nociceptive nerves to thrive in nutrient-poor environments. Initially examining the low-glucose environment of oral mucosa carcinomas, we discovered that cancer cells employ ROS-triggered activation of c-Jun to secrete nerve growth factor (NGF), which conditions nociceptive nerves for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) production. The neurogenic CGRP subsequently induces cytoprotective autophagy in cancer cells through Rap1-mediated disruption of the mTOR-Raptor interaction. Both anti-glycolysis and anti-angiogenesis-based nutrient-starvation therapies aggravate the vicious cycle of cancer cells and nociceptive nerves and therapeutically benefit from blocking neurogenic CGRP with an FDA-approved antimigraine drug. Our study sheds light on the role of the nociceptive nerve as a microenvironmental accomplice of cancer progression in nutrient-poor environments and upon nutrient-starvation therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Chengzhong Lin
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; The 2nd Dental Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Zheqi Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yiting Sun
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Department of Oral & Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Mingtao Chen
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yibo Guo
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Chenping Zhang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Wantao Chen
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Ronghui Xia
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yuhua Hu
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jiang Li
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Shuyang Sun
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
| | - Tong Ji
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
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Identification of a Prognostic Pyroptostic-Related Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on LASSO-Cox Regression Analysis. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:1434565. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/1434565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Pyroptosis is associated with the biological behavior of the tumor and with tumor immunity. We investigated the effect of pyroptosis on the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). RNA sequencing data and clinical information of HNSCC were downloaded from TCGA. Differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes in HNSCC were identified between HNSCC and normal tissue. Pyroptosis-related classification of HNSCC was conducted based on consensus clustering analysis. LASSO-Cox regression analysis was used to construct a prognostic risk model-based pyroptosis-related gene. Evaluation of the immune microenvironment was conducted in prognostic risk signature based on pyroptosis-related genes. Total 22 differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes were identified in HNSCC. Six prognostic-related genes were included to construct a LASSO regression model with a prognostic risk score = (0.133 ∗ GSDME (DFNA5) + 0.084 ∗ NOD1 + 0.039 ∗ IL6 + 0.003 ∗ IL1B + 0.084 ∗ CASP3 + 0.028 ∗ NLRP2). Higher fraction of resting memory CD4+ T cells and macrophages M1 was infiltrated in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group in HNSCC. Furthermore, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the IL-17 signaling pathways were identified to be involved in the development of high-risk HNSCC. Our study constructed a prognostic risk signature based on pyroptosis-related genes, which emphasizes the critical importance of pyroptosis in HNSCC and provided a novel perspective of HNSCC therapy.
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Xu QS, Shen ZZ, Yuan LQ. Identification and validation of a novel cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature for prognosis and immunotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:968590. [DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.968590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly prevalent and heterogeneous malignancy with a dismal overall survival rate. Nevertheless, the effective biomarkers remain ambiguous and merit further investigation. Cuproptosis is a novel defined pathway of programmed cell death that contributes to the progression of cancers. Meanwhile, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in the biological process of tumors. Nevertheless, the prognostic value of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in HNSCC is still obscure. This study aimed to develop a new cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs) signature to estimate survival and tumor immunity in patients with HNSCC. Herein, 620 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas database through the co-expression method. To construct a risk model and validate the accuracy of the results, the samples were divided into two cohorts randomly and equally. Subsequently, a prognostic model based on five CRLs was constructed by the Cox regression analysis with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. In addition, the prognostic potential of the five-CRL signature was verified via Cox regression, survival analysis, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram, and clinicopathologic characteristics correlation analysis. Furthermore, we explored the associations between the signature risk score (RS) and immune landscape, somatic gene mutation, and drug sensitivity. Finally, we gathered six clinical samples and different HNSCC cell lines to validate our bioinformatics results. Overall, the proposed novel five-CRL signature can predict prognosis and assess the efficacy of immunotherapy and targeted therapies to prolong the survival of patients with HNSCC.
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Tenschert E, Kern J, Affolter A, Rotter N, Lammert A. Optimisation of Conditions for the Formation of Spheroids of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines for Use as Animal Alternatives. Altern Lab Anim 2022; 50:414-422. [PMID: 36263982 DOI: 10.1177/02611929221135042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The use of in vitro 3-D cell culture models in cancer research has yielded substantial gains in knowledge on various aspects of tumour biology. Such cell culture models could be useful in the study of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), where mimicking intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity is especially challenging. Our research aims to establish 3-D spheroid models for HNSCC that reproduce in vitro the connections between tumour cells and the surrounding microenvironment. The aims of this study were to determine the optimal conditions for the culture and use of spheroids from HNSCC cell lines and optimal timepoint for using the spheroids obtained, to evaluate the effects of coculture with tumour-specific fibroblasts on spheroid formation, and to investigate spheroid responses to cisplatin treatment. Four HNSCC cell lines (UMSCC-11A, UMSCC-11B, UMSCC-22B and UD-SCC-01) were seeded in flat or round bottom well ultra-low attachment spheroid plates, and spheroid formation was evaluated. The HNSCC cell lines were then cocultured with stromal cells of the tumour microenvironment, producing an accelerated formation of dense spheroids. The viability of cells within the spheroids was assessed during cell culture by using a fluorescent dye. Our results suggest that: three out of the four cell lines tested could form usable spheroids with acceptable viability; the addition of stromal cells did not improve the number of viable cells; and the use of round bottom well plates supported the formation of a single spheroid, whereas flat bottom well plates led to the formation of multiple spheroids of different sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Tenschert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Johann Kern
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Annette Affolter
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nicole Rotter
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anne Lammert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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Mohr T, Zwick A, Hans MC, Bley IA, Braun FL, Khalmurzaev O, Matveev VB, Loertzer P, Pryalukhin A, Hartmann A, Geppert CI, Loertzer H, Wunderlich H, Naumann CM, Kalthoff H, Junker K, Smola S, Lohse S. The prominent role of the S100A8/S100A9-CD147 axis in the progression of penile cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:891511. [PMID: 36303837 PMCID: PMC9592847 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.891511] [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: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, no established biomarkers are recommended for the routine diagnosis of penile carcinoma (PeCa). The rising incidence of this human papillomavirus (HPV)–related cancer entity highlights the need for promising candidates. The Calprotectin subunits S100A8 and S100A9 mark myeloid-derived suppressor cells in other HPV-related entities while their receptor CD147 was discussed to identify patients with PeCa at a higher risk for poor prognoses and treatment failure. We thus examined their expression using immunohistochemistry staining of PeCa specimens from 74 patients on tissue microarrays of the tumor center, the invasion front, and lymph node metastases. Notably, whereas the tumor center was significantly more intensively stained than the invasion front, lymph node metastases were thoroughly positive for both S100 subunits. An HPV-positive status combined with an S100A8+S100A9+ profile was related with an elevated risk for metastases. We observed several PeCa specimens with S100A8+S100A9+-infiltrating immune cells overlapping with CD15 marking neutrophils. The S100A8+S100A9+CD15+ profile was associated with dedifferentiated and metastasizing PeCa, predominantly of HPV-associated subtype. These data suggest a contribution of neutrophil-derived suppressor cells to the progression of HPV-driven penile carcinogenesis. CD147 was elevated, expressed in PeCa specimens, prominently at the tumor center and in HPV-positive PeCa cell lines. CD147+HPV+ PeCa specimens were with the higher-frequency metastasizing cancers. Moreover, an elevated expression of CD147 of HPV-positive PeCa cell lines correlated negatively with the susceptibility to IgA-based neutrophil-mediated tumor cell killing. Finally, stratifying patients regarding their HPV/S100A8/S100A9/CD15/CD147 profile may help identify patients with progressing cancer and tailor immunotherapeutic treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Mohr
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Anabel Zwick
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Felix Leon Braun
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Oybek Khalmurzaev
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
- Department of Urology, Federal State Budgetary Institution “N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vsevolod Borisovich Matveev
- Department of Urology, Federal State Budgetary Institution “N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Philine Loertzer
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, Westpfalz Klinikum, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Alexey Pryalukhin
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Arndt Hartmann
- Institute of Pathology, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Hagen Loertzer
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, Westpfalz Klinikum, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Heiko Wunderlich
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, St. Georg Klinikum, Eisenach, Germany
| | - Carsten Maik Naumann
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Holger Kalthoff
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kerstin Junker
- Department of Urology and Paediatric Urology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Sigrun Smola
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Lohse
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stefan Lohse,
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Galizia D, Minei S, Maldi E, Chilà G, Polidori A, Merlano MC. How Risk Factors Affect Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME): Their Influence on Immune Escape Mechanisms and Immunotherapy Strategy. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102498. [PMID: 36289760 PMCID: PMC9599463 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Most head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are caused by lifestyle, such as cigarette smoking, or by viruses, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). HNSCC remains a clinical challenge, notwithstanding the improvements observed in the past years, involving surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Recurrent/metastatic (R/M) disease represents an unmet clinical need. Immunotherapy has improved the prognosis of a small proportion of these patients, but most still do not benefit. In the last decade, several preclinical and clinical studies have explored the HNSCC tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), identifying important differences between smoking-associated and virus-associated HNSCCs. This review aims to present how different etiologies affect the HNSCC TIME, affecting immune escape mechanisms and sensitivity to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Galizia
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Silvia Minei
- Post-Graduate School of Specialization in Medical Oncology, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, 70120 Bari, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, A.O.U. Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, 70120 Bari, Italy
| | - Elena Maldi
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Chilà
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
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Tosi A, Parisatto B, Menegaldo A, Spinato G, Guido M, Del Mistro A, Bussani R, Zanconati F, Tofanelli M, Tirelli G, Boscolo-Rizzo P, Rosato A. The immune microenvironment of HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a multiparametric quantitative and spatial analysis unveils a rationale to target treatment-naïve tumors with immune checkpoint inhibitors. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:279. [PMID: 36123711 PMCID: PMC9487049 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02481-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are approved for treatment of recurrent or metastatic oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the first- and second-line settings. However, only 15–20% of patients benefit from this treatment, a feature increasingly ascribed to the peculiar characteristics of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Methods Immune-related gene expression profiling (GEP) and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) including spatial proximity analysis, were used to characterize the TIME of 39 treatment-naïve oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) and the corresponding lymph node metastases. GEP and mIF results were correlated with disease-free survival (DFS). HPV-positive tumors disclosed a stronger activation of several immune signalling pathways, as well as a higher expression of genes related to total tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, CD8 T cells, cytotoxic cells and exhausted CD8 cells, than HPV-negative patients. Accordingly, mIF revealed that HPV-positive lesions were heavily infiltrated as compared to HPV-negative counterparts, with a higher density of T cells and checkpoint molecules. CD8+ T cells appeared in closer proximity to tumor cells, CD163+ macrophages and FoxP3+ cells in HPV-positive primary tumors, and related metastases. In HPV-positive lesions, PD-L1 expression was increased as compared to HPV-negative samples, and PD-L1+ tumor cells and macrophages were closer to PD-1+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Considering the whole cohort, a positive correlation was observed between DFS and higher levels of activating immune signatures and T cell responses, higher density of PD-1+ T cells and their closer proximity to tumor cells or PD-L1+ macrophages. HPV-positive patients with higher infiltration of T cells and macrophages had a longer DFS, while CD163+ macrophages had a negative role in prognosis of HPV-negative patients. Conclusions Our results suggest that checkpoint expression may reflect an ongoing antitumor immune response. Thus, these observations provide the rationale for the incorporation of ICI in the loco-regional therapy strategies for patients with heavily infiltrated treatment-naïve OPSCC, and for the combination of ICI with tumor-specific T cell response inducers or TAM modulators for the “cold” OPSCC counterparts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02481-4.
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Chen K, Gong S, Fang X, Li Q, Ye M, Li J, Huang S, Zhao Y, Liu N, Li Y, Ma J. Non-coding RNA-mediated high expression of SFXN3 as a prognostic biomarker associated with paclitaxel resistance and immunosuppressive microenvironment in head and neck cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:920136. [PMID: 36159813 PMCID: PMC9493355 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.920136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance is the leading cause of poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC); however, promising biomarkers to identify patients for stratified chemotherapy are lacking. Sideroflexin 3 (SFXN3) is an important mitochondrial serine transporter during one-carbon metabolism, which is involved in the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the specific role of SFXN3 in HNSC remains unknown. In this study, we performed expression and survival analysis for SFXN3 in pan-cancer using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) and found that SFXN3 served as a potential oncogene in HNSC. Notably, SFXN3 expression was found to be positively associated with enriched tumor-infiltrating macrophages, other immune suppressive cells, and immune checkpoint expression and resistance to paclitaxel. Gene, clinical, and immune variables included in the univariate and multivariate analyses showed that SFXN3 expression was an independent risk factor. Moreover, the LINC01270/hsa-miR-29c-3p/SFXN3 axis was identified as the most likely upstream non-coding RNA-related pathway of SFXN3 in HNSC using bioinformatic analysis, expression analysis, correlation analysis, and survival analysis. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that a non-coding RNA-mediated high expression of SFXN3 is a prognostic biomarker and is associated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment in HNSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Gong
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueliang Fang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingliang Ye
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyan Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengyan Huang
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuheng Zhao
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingqin Li
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Ma, ; Yingqin Li,
| | - Jun Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Ma, ; Yingqin Li,
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite a dearth of activating driver mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), aberrant activation of the oncogenes, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-Met is near-universal in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative disease. Although EGFR activation drove the successful development of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab in HNSCC, no c-Met-targeting therapy has gained regulatory approval. Inhibition of the c-Met pathway may subvert oncogenesis within the tumor-intrinsic compartment, blocking tumoral proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, or the tumor-extrinsic compartment, modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This review discusses the rationale and current drug development strategies for targeting c-Met or its exclusive ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in HNSCC.
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Chi H, Jiang P, Xu K, Zhao Y, Song B, Peng G, He B, Liu X, Xia Z, Tian G. A novel anoikis-related gene signature predicts prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and reveals immune infiltration. Front Genet 2022; 13:984273. [PMID: 36092898 PMCID: PMC9459093 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.984273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis for advanced tumors. Anoikis play a key role in cancer metastasis, facilitating the detachment and survival of cancer cells from the primary tumor site. However, few studies have focused on the role of anoikis in HNSC, especially on the prognosis.Methods: Anoikis-related genes (ANRGs) integrated from Genecards and Harmonizome portals were used to identify HNSCC subtypes and to construct a prognostic model for HNSCC patients. Also, we explored the immune microenvironment and enrichment pathways between different subtypes. Finally, we provide clinical experts with a novel nomogram based on ANRGs, with DCA curves indicating the potential clinical benefit of the model for clinical strategies.Results: We identified 69 survival-related HNSCC anoikis-related DEGs, from which 7 genes were selected to construct prognostic models. The prognostic risk score was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Functional analysis showed that these high and low risk groups had different immune status and drug sensitivity. Next risk scores were combined with HNSCC clinicopathological features together to construct a nomogram, and DCA analysis showed that the model could benefit patients from clinical treatment strategies.Conclusion: The predictive seven-gene signature and nomogram established in this study can assist clinicians in selecting personalized treatment for patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Puyu Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, China
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bingyu Song
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Gaoge Peng
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Bingsheng He
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhijia Xia
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Zhijia Xia, ; Gang Tian,
| | - Gang Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhijia Xia, ; Gang Tian,
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Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Potential Benefits and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158530. [PMID: 35955666 PMCID: PMC9368833 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are recognized as among the most common neoplasms, mostly in white people, with an increasing incidence rate. Among the NMSCs, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most prevalent malignancy known to affect people with a fair complexion who are exposed to extreme ultraviolet radiation (UVR), have a hereditary predisposition, or are immunosuppressed. There are several extrinsic and intrinsic determinants that contribute to the pathophysiology of the SCC. The therapeutic modalities depend on the SCC stages, from actinic keratosis to late-stage multiple metastases. Standard treatments include surgical excision, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. As SCC represents a favorable tumor microenvironment with high tumor mutational burden, infiltration of immune cells, and expression of immune checkpoints, the SCC tumors are highly responsive to immunotherapies. Until now, there are three checkpoint inhibitors, cemiplimab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab, that are approved for the treatment of advanced, recurrent, or metastatic SCC patients in the United States. Immunotherapy possesses significant therapeutic benefits for patients with metastatic or locally advanced tumors not eligible for surgery or radiotherapy to avoid the potential toxicity caused by the chemotherapies. Despite the high tolerability and efficiency, the existence of some challenges has been revealed such as, resistance to immunotherapy, less availability of the biomarkers, and difficulty in appropriate patient selection. This review aims to accumulate evidence regarding the genetic alterations related to SCC, the factors that contribute to the potential benefits of immunotherapy, and the challenges to follow this treatment regime.
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Liang D, Yu C, Ma Z, Hu M, Wang J, Dong X, Du L, Li M. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new parbendazole derivatives for the treatment of HNSCC. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 238:114450. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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