Targeting macrophages in cancer immunotherapy

Lidocaine combined with general anesthetics impedes metastasis of breast cancer cells via inhibition of TGF-β/Smad-mediated EMT signaling by reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages

Surgical resection is the best-known approach for breast cancer treatment. However, post-operative metastases increase the rate of death. The potential effect of anesthetic drugs on long-term tumor growth, risk of metastasis, and recurrence after surgery has been investigated in cancer patients. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the anti-metastatic effect of lidocaine combined with common anesthetics and its mechanisms of action on lung metastasis in breast cancer models. The combination of lidocaine with propofol or sevoflurane inhibited the growth of TNBC cells compared to treatment alone. In addition, the combination effectively inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion. It suppressed tumor growth and increased the survival rate in breast 4 T1 orthotopic models. More importantly, it inhibited lung metastasis and recurrence compared with groups treated with a single anesthetic. In co-culture with TAMs and TNBC cells, lidocaine not only reduced M2-tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) that were increased by sevoflurane or propofol but also increased M1 macrophage polarization, impeding tumor growth in TNBC. Also, we found that the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) derived from TAMs increased EMT signaling in TNBC cells, and that lidocaine affected cancer cells as well as M2-TAMs, inducing M2 to M1 reprogramming and decreasing TGF-β/Smads-mediated EMT signaling in TNBC cells, leading to inhibition of cancer metastasis and recurrence. These findings suggest lidocaine combined with general anesthetics as a potential therapeutic approach for the inhibition of recurrence and metastasis of breast cancer patients undergoing curative resection.

Chemical structures and immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from Polygonatum kingianum

The physicochemical properties of the polysaccharides in Polygonatum kingianum, a Chinese medicinal herb used for both medicine and food, have not been fully studied. This study isolated three polysaccharides (PKP-1, PKP-2, and PKP-3) from the dry rhizomes of P. kingianum, with an average molecular weight of approximately 3137 Da, 5341 Da and 3755 Da, respectively. Structural analysis showed that all the three polysaccharides are fructans with β-D-Fruf-(2→, →6)-β-D-Fruf-(2→, →1)-β-D-Fruf-(2→, →1,6)-β-D-Fruf-(2→ and →6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ glycosidic bond type. Notably, PKP-2 contains both acetyl groups and trace amounts of mannose residues. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that each polysaccharide possesses unique surface morphology. Thermal analysis showed that the three polysaccharides have good thermal stability. Rheological studies further revealed that all the three polysaccharides are typical shear thinning fluids. In vitro experiments showed that PKP-1 and PKP-2 significantly promote the secretion of NO and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) in macrophages by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby demonstrating potential immunomodulatory activity. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for the potential application of Polygonatum polysaccharides in the food industry.

Reprogramming of breast tumor-associated macrophages with modulation of arginine metabolism

HER2+ breast tumors have abundant immune-suppressive cells, including M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Although TAMs consist of the immune-stimulatory M1 type and immune-suppressive M2 type, the M1/M2-TAM ratio is reduced in immune-suppressive tumors, contributing to their immunotherapy refractoriness. M1- versus M2-TAM formation depends on differential arginine metabolism, where M1-TAMs convert arginine to nitric oxide (NO) and M2-TAMs convert arginine to polyamines (PAs). We hypothesize that such distinct arginine metabolism in M1- versus M2-TAMs is attributed to different availability of BH4 (NO synthase cofactor) and that its replenishment would reprogram M2-TAMs to M1-TAMs. Recently, we reported that sepiapterin (SEP), the endogenous BH4 precursor, elevates the expression of M1-TAM markers within HER2+ tumors. Here, we show that SEP restores BH4 levels in M2-like macrophages, which then redirects arginine metabolism to NO synthesis and converts M2 type to M1 type. The reprogrammed macrophages exhibit full-fledged capabilities of antigen presentation and induction of effector T cells to trigger immunogenic cell death of HER2+ cancer cells. This study substantiates the utility of SEP in the metabolic shift of the HER2+ breast tumor microenvironment as a novel immunotherapeutic strategy.

Interactions and communications in the prostate tumour microenvironment: evolving towards effective cancer therapy

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men. The tumour microenvironment (TME) has a critical role in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of prostate cancer. TME contains various cell types, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), endothelial cells, immune cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes B and T, natural killer (NK) cells, and other proteins such as extracellular matrix (ECM) components. The interactions and communications between these cells within the TME are crucial for the growth and response of various solid tumours, such as prostate cancer to different anticancer modalities. In this review article, we exemplify the various mechanisms by which the TME influences prostate cancer progression. The roles of different cells, cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in modulating the immune response and prostate tumour growth will be discussed. The impact of these cells and factors and other ECM components on tumour cell invasion and metastasis will also be discussed. We explain how these interactions in TME can affect the response of prostate cancer to therapy. We also highlight the importance of understanding these interactions to develop novel therapeutic approaches for prostate cancer.

STING agonists and PI3Kγ inhibitor co-loaded ferric ion-punicalagin networks for comprehensive cancer therapy

Nanoparticles-based drug delivery system has been a promising approach for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), which can be combined with chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy to improve the treatment of CRC. 2'3' cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) is an agonist of the STING signaling pathway activating antitumor immunity. IPI-549 is a small-molecule inhibitor for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ), which can induce M1 macrophages polarization to provide pro-inflammatory microenvironment to suppress tumors. Here, we developed a ferric ion-punicalagin network (Fe-PU), which can be not only used as an inducer of ferroptosis, but also serve as a carrier to load cGAMP and IPI-549 to obtain nanohybrid (Fe-PU/CD-IPI). In order to improve the delivery effect and targeted ability to CRC, a cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide linked-bovine serum albumin were utilized to modify Fe-PU/CD-IPI to prepare nanohybrid Fe-PU/CD-IPI@cBSA. The therapeutic effect of various nanohybrids were validated in the mice with spontaneous tumor in the colorectal area and tumor-bearing mice, which lead to the increase of ferroptosis, the activation of STING signaling pathway, and the repolarization of macrophages. Collectively, the cGAMP and IPI-549 co-loaded nanohybrids effectively reshaped the tumor immune microenvironment, and exhibited prominent treatment effect of anti-colorectal cancer in vitro, patient-derived organoids, and in vivo.

Development of an Intracellular Nitric Oxide-Donating Cell-Penetrating Polypeptide as an Immunogenic Cell Death Inducer

Recently, nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). However, NO is unstable, making direct delivery difficult. In this study, we developed a cell-penetrating polypeptide-based NO donor, poly(l-guanidine) (PLG). Given that the guanidine structure can be catalyzed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) to produce NO, helical PLG plays three roles: spontaneous cell penetration, intracellular ROS generation to produce NO, and induction of ICD. The results revealed that helical PLG generates NO inside the cell by self-inducible guanidine oxidation and that NO effectively elicits ICD by ER stress- and MOMP-dependent intertwined mechanisms.

Breast cancer colonization by Malassezia globosa accelerates tumor growth

Malassezia globosa is a lipophilic basidiomycetous yeast that occurs abundantly in breast tumors and that may contribute to a shortened overall survival of breast cancer (BRAC) patients, suggesting that the yeast may participate in the carcinogenesis of BRAC. However, the mechanisms involved in the M. globosa-based acceleration of BRAC are unknown. Here, we show that M. globosa can colonize mammary tissue in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene-induced mice. The abundance of M. globosa shortened the overall survival and increased the tumor incidence. Transcriptome data illustrated that IL-17A plays a key role in tumor growth due to M. globosa colonization, and tumor-associated macrophage infiltration was elevated during M. globosa colonization which triggers M2 polarization of macrophages via toll-like receptors 4/nuclear factor kappa-B (Nf-κB) signaling. Our results show that the expression of sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) is increased in breast tumors after inoculation with M. globosa. Moreover, we discovered that Sphk1-specific small interfering RNA blocked the formation of lipid droplets, which can effectively alleviate the expression of the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 3 (STAT3)/Nf-κB pathway. Taken together, our results demonstrate that M. globosa could be a possible factor for the progression of BRAC. The mechanisms by which M. globosa promotes BRAC development involve the IL-17A/macrophage axis. Meanwhile, Sphk1 overexpression was induced by M. globosa infection, which also promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells.IMPORTANCELiterature has suggested that Malassezia globosa is associated with breast tumors; however, this association has not been confirmed. Here, we found that M. globosa colonizes in breast fat pads leading to tumor growth. As a lipophilic yeast, the expression of sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) was upregulated to promote tumor growth after M. globosa colonization. Moreover, the IL-17A/macrophages axis plays a key role in mechanisms involved in the M. globosa-induced breast cancer acceleration from the tumor immune microenvironment perspective.

Remarks on Selected Morphological Aspects of Cancer Neuroscience: A Microscopic Photo Review

BACKGROUND

This short review and pictorial essay presents a morphological insight into cancer neuroscience, which is a complex and dynamic area of the pathobiology of tumors.

METHODS

We discuss the different methods and issues connected with structural research on tumor innervation, interactions between neoplastic cells and the nervous system, and dysregulated neural influence on cancer phenotypes.

RESULTS

Perineural invasion (PNI), the most-visible cancer-nerve relation, is briefly presented, focusing on its pathophysiology and structural diversity as well as its clinical significance. The morphological approach to cancer neurobiology further includes the analysis of neural density/axonogenesis, neural network topographic distribution, and composition of fiber types and size. Next, the diverse range of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides and the neuroendocrine differentiation of cancer cells are reviewed. Another morphological area of cancer neuroscience is spatial or quantitative neural-related marker expression analysis through different detection, description, and visualization methods, also on experimental animal or cellular models.

CONCLUSIONS

Morphological studies with systematic methodologies provide a necessary insight into the structure and function of the multifaceted tumor neural microenvironment and in context of possible new therapeutic neural-based oncological solutions.

Tumor-associated macrophages/C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 promotes breast cancer autophagy-mediated chemoresistance via IGF1R/STAT3/HMGB1 signaling

Autophagy-mediated chemoresistance is the core mechanism for therapeutic failure and poor prognosis in breast cancer. Breast cancer chemotherapy resistance is believed to be influenced by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), by which C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) is the most abundant cytokine secreted. Yet, its role in mediating autophagy-related chemoresistance is still unknown. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms by which TAMs/CXCL1 induced autophagy-mediated chemoresistance in breast cancer. It was found that TAMs/CXCL1 promoted chemoresistance of breast cancer cells through autophagy activation in vitro, and CXCL1 silence could enhance the chemosensitivity of paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer cells via autophagy inhibition. A high-throughput quantitative PCR chip and subsequent target validation showed that CXCL1 induced autophagy-mediated chemoresistance by inhibiting VHL-mediated IGF1R ubiquitination. The elevated IGF1R then promoted STAT3/HMGB1 signaling to facilitate autophagy. Additionally, TAMs/CXCL1 silence improved paclitaxel chemosensitivity by suppressing autophagy in breast cancer mice xenografts, and clinical studies further linked CXCL1 to IGF1R/HMGB1 signaling, as well as shorter free survival of recurrence. Taken together, these results not only uncover the crucial role of TAMs/CXCL1 signaling in mediating breast cancer chemoresistance through enhancing autophagy, but also shed novel light on the molecular mechanism of IGF1R/STAT3/HMGB1 pathway in regulating autophagy and its impact on cancer prognosis.

Navigating therapeutic prospects by modulating autophagy in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of death globally despite the improvements in cancer treatment. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved lysosomal-dependent degradation pathway that is critical in maintaining cellular homeostasis. However, in cancer, autophagy may have conflicting functions in preventing early tumour formation versus the maintenance of advanced-stage tumours. Defective autophagy has a broad and dynamic effect not just on cancer cells, but also on the tumour microenvironment which influences tumour progression and response to treatment. To add to the layer of complexity, somatic mutations in CRC including tumour protein p53 (TP53), v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF), Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) can render chemoresistance by promoting a pro-survival advantage through autophagy. Recent studies have also reported autophagy-related cell deaths that are distinct from classical autophagy by employing parts of the autophagic machinery, which impacts strategies for autophagy regulation in cancer therapy. This review discusses the molecular processes of autophagy in the evolution of CRC and its role in the tumour microenvironment, as well as prospective therapeutic methods based on autophagy suppression or promotion. It also highlights clinical trials using autophagy modulators for treating CRC, underscoring the importance of autophagy regulation in CRC therapy.

Lipid-Conjugated Reduced Haloperidol in Association with Glucose-Based Nanospheres: A Strategy for Glioma Treatment

Aggressive glioma exhibits a poor survival rate. Increased tumor aggression is linked to both tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which induce pro-aggression, invasion, and metastasis. Imperatively, for effective treatment, it is important to target both glioma cells and TAMs. Haloperidol, a neuropsychotic drug, avidly targets the sigma receptor (SR), which is expressed in higher levels in both the cell types. Herein, we present the development of a novel cationic lipid-conjugated reduced haloperidol (±RHPC8), which aims to mediate the SR-targeted antiglioma effect. Hypothetically, ±RHPC8 would act simultaneously as an SR-targeting ligand and anticancer agent. As the blood-brain barrier (BBB) obstructs direct targeting of in situ glioma, we used BBB-crossing glucose-based carbon nanospheres (CSPs) to deliver ±RHPC8 within the glioma tumor-bearing mouse brain. The resultant ±RHPC8-CSP nanoconjugate targeted SR-expressing glioma cells. In both orthotopic and subcutaneous mouse tumor models, ±RHPC8-CSP prolonged survival and regressed tumors compared to other treated groups. Notably, ±RHPC8-CSP was significantly taken up by SR-expressing TAMs thus resulting in macrophage polarization from M2 to M1, as exhibited by markedly reduced expression of immunosuppressive cytokines released by TAMs, including TGF-β, IL-10, and VEGF. In conclusion, the designed ±RHPC8-CSP nanoconjugate presented an effective nanodrug delivery system for brain cancer treatment.

Nanotechnology Applications in Breast Cancer Immunotherapy

Next-generation cancer treatments are expected not only to target cancer cells but also to simultaneously train immune cells to combat cancer while modulating the immune-suppressive environment of tumors and hosts to ensure a robust and lasting response. Achieving this requires carriers that can codeliver multiple therapeutics to the right cancer and/or immune cells while ensuring patient safety. Nanotechnology holds great potential for addressing these challenges. This article highlights the recent advances in nanoimmunotherapeutic development, with a focus on breast cancer. While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved remarkable success and lead to cures in some cancers, their response rate in breast cancer is low. The poor response rate in solid tumors is often associated with the low infiltration of anti-cancer T cells and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). To enhance anti-cancer T-cell responses, nanoparticles are employed to deliver ICIs, bispecific antibodies, cytokines, and agents that induce immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD). Additionally, nanoparticles are used to manipulate various components of the TME, such as immunosuppressive myeloid cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and fibroblasts to improve T-cell activities. Finally, this article discusses the outlook, challenges, and future directions of nanoimmunotherapeutics.

Immune modulation of the liver metastatic colorectal cancer microenvironment via the oral CAPOX-mediated cGAS-STING pathway

We evaluated modulation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in both local and liver metastatic colorectal cancer (LMCC), focusing on tumor-associated macrophages, which are the predominant immunosuppressive cells in LMCC. We developed an orally administered metronomic chemotherapy regimen, oral CAPOX. This regimen combines capecitabine and a nano-micelle encapsulated, lysine-linked deoxycholate and oxaliplatin complex (OPt/LDC-NM). The treatment effectively modulated immune cells within the tumor microenvironment by activating the cGAS-STING pathway and inducing immunogenic cell death. This therapy modulated immune cells more effectively than did capecitabine monotherapy, the current standard maintenance chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. The macrophage-modifying effect of oral CAPOX was mediated via the cGAS-STING pathway. This is a newly identified mode of immune cell activation induced by metronomic chemotherapy. Moreover, oral CAPOX synergized with anti-PD-1 antibody (αPD-1) to enhance the T-cell-mediated antitumor immune response. In the CT26. CL25 subcutaneous model, combination therapy achieved a 91 % complete response rate with a confirmed memory effect against the tumor. This combination also altered the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in LMCC, which αPD-1 monotherapy could not achieve. Oral CAPOX and αPD-1 combination therapy outperformed the maximum tolerated dose for treating LMCC, suggesting metronomic therapy as a promising strategy.

Targeting autophagy can synergize the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors against therapeutic resistance: New promising strategy to reinvigorate cancer therapy

Immune checkpoints are a set of inhibitory and stimulatory molecules/mechanisms that affect the activity of immune cells to maintain the existing balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways and avoid the progression of autoimmune disorders. Tumor cells can employ these checkpoints to evade immune system. The discovery and development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was thereby a milestone in the area of immuno-oncology. ICIs stimulate anti-tumor immune responses primarily by disrupting co-inhibitory signaling mechanisms and accelerate immune-mediated killing of tumor cells. Despite the beneficial effects of ICIs, they sometimes encounter some degrees of therapeutic resistance, and thereby do not effectively act against tumors. Among multiple combination therapies have been introduced to date, targeting autophagy, as a cellular degradative process to remove expired organelles and subcellular constituents, has represented with potential capacities to overcome ICI-related therapy resistance. It has experimentally been illuminated that autophagy induction blocks the immune checkpoint molecules when administered in conjugation with ICIs, suggesting that autophagy activation may restrict therapeutic challenges that ICIs have encountered with. However, the autophagy flux can also provoke the immune escape of tumors, which must be considered. Since the conventional FDA-approved ICIs have designed and developed to target programmed cell death receptor/ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) as well as cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated molecule 4 (CTLA-4) immune checkpoint molecules, we aim to review the effects of autophagy targeting in combination with anti-PD-1/PD-L1- and anti-CTLA-4-based ICIs on cancer therapeutic resistance and tumor immune evasion.

Prognosis and progression of phagocytic regulatory factor-related gene combinations in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

Background

Developing signatures based on specific characteristics to predict prognosis has become a research hotspot in oncology. However, the prognostic value of phagocytosis regulators in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic significance of phagocytosis regulators in ccRCC by constructing a prognostic model related to phagocytosis regulators, and to use this model to evaluate the prognosis and treatment effects in ccRCC patients.

Methods

Firstly, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) transcriptome data (RNA-Seq) and clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Based on literatures PMID 34497417 and PMID 30397336, 167 of the 173 phagocytosis regulator genes collected in the literature were expressed in TCGA-KIRC. The relationship between these regulators and macrophages was revealed through single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and their biological and pathway involvements were further analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Univariate Cox regression analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method were employed to further select phagocytosis regulators with prognostic potential, leading to the construction of a prognostic regression model. Additionally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to confirm the prognostic independence of genes associated with phagocytosis regulators. Finally, the relationship between phagocytosis regulator-related genes and patients' immune microenvironments and immunotherapy responses was explored.

Results

We have constructed a prognostic model of a combination of genes associated with phagocytosis regulators using LASSO Cox regression analysis of genes, and our combined model was shown to be an independent prognostic factor. The model had optimal performance in predicting long-term survival. Clinical features were significantly correlated with phagocytosis regulatory gene scores. Tumors with higher levels of grade and stage were more prone to have higher phagocytosis regulatory genes. And our study suggests that phagocytosis regulatory genes do not play an ideal role in predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients.

Conclusions

We have constructed a prognostic model using a combination of genes associated with phagocytosis regulators, providing new insights into the prognosis and progression of ccRCC.

Inorganic Nanoparticle Functionalization Strategies in Immunotherapeutic Applications

Nanotechnology has been increasingly utilized in anticancer treatment owing to its ability of engineering functional nanocarriers that enhance therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing adverse effects. Inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) are prevalent nanocarriers to be customized for a wide range of anticancer applications, including theranostics, imaging, targeted drug delivery, and therapeutics, because they are advantageous for their superior biocompatibility, unique optical properties, and capacity of being modified via versatile surface functionalization strategies. In the past decades, the high adaptation of INPs in this emerging immunotherapeutic field makes them good carrier options for tumor immunotherapy and combination immunotherapy. Tumor immunotherapy requires targeted delivery of immunomodulating therapeutics to tumor locations or immunological organs to provoke immune cells and induce tumor-specific immune response while regulating immune homeostasis, particularly switching the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. This review explores various INP designs and formulations, and their employment in tumor immunotherapy and combination immunotherapy. We also introduce detailed demonstrations of utilizing surface engineering tactics to create multifunctional INPs. The generated INPs demonstrate the abilities of stimulating and enhancing the immune response, specific targeting, and regulating cancer cells, immune cells, and their resident microenvironment, sometimes along with imaging and tracking capabilities, implying their potential in multitasking immunotherapy. Furthermore, we discuss the promises of INP-based combination immunotherapy in tumor treatments.

Selective loss of Y chromosomes in lung adenocarcinoma modulates the tumor immune environment through cancer/testis antigens

There is increasing recognition that the sex chromosomes, X and Y, play an important role in health and disease that goes beyond the determination of biological sex. Loss of the Y chromosome (LOY) in blood, which occurs naturally in aging men, has been found to be a driver of cardiac fibrosis and heart failure mortality. LOY also occurs in most solid tumors in males and is often associated with worse survival, suggesting that LOY may give tumor cells a growth or survival advantage. We analyzed LOY in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using both bulk and single-cell expression data and found evidence suggesting that LOY affects the tumor immune environment by altering cancer/testis antigen expression and consequently facilitating tumor immune evasion. Analyzing immunotherapy data, we show that LOY and changes in expression of particular cancer/testis antigens are associated with response to pembrolizumab treatment and outcome, providing a new and powerful biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response in LUAD tumors in males.

Tumor-associated mesenchymal stromal cells modulate macrophage phagocytosis in stromal-rich colorectal cancer via PD-1 signaling

CMS4 colorectal cancer (CRC), based on the consensus molecular subtype (CMS), stratifies patients with the poorest disease-free survival rates. It is characterized by a strong mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) signature, wound healing-like inflammation and therapy resistance. We utilized 2D and 3D in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo models to assess the impact of inflammation and stromal cells on immunosuppression in CMS4 CRC. RNA sequencing data from untreated stage II/III CRC patients showed enriched TNF-α signatures in CMS1 and CMS4 tumors. Secretome from TNF-α treated cancer cells induced an immunomodulatory and chemotactic phenotype in MSC and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Macrophages in CRC tumours migrate and preferentially localise in stromal compartment. Inflammatory CRC secretome enhances expression of PD-L1 and CD47 on both human and murine stromal cells. We demonstrate that TNF-α-induced inflammation in CRC suppresses macrophage phagocytosis via stromal cells. We show that stromal cell-mediated suppression of macrophage phagocytosis is mediated in part through PD-1 signaling. These data suggest that re-stratification of CRC by CMS may reveal patient subsets with microsatellite stable tumors, particularly CMS4-like tumors, that may respond to immunotherapies.

Efficacy of durvalumab plus chemotherapy in advanced biliary duct cancer and biomarkers exploration

BACKGROUND

The anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab has been approved for use in first-line advanced biliary duct cancer (ABC). So far, predictive biomarkers of efficacy are lacking.

METHODS

ABC patients who underwent gemcitabine-based chemotherapy with or without durvalumab were retrospectively enrolled, and their baseline clinical pathological indices were retrieved from medical records. Overall (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were calculated and analyzed. The levels of peripheral biomarkers from 48 patients were detected with assay kits including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Genomic alterations in 27 patients whose tumor tissues were available were depicted via targeted next-generation sequencing.

RESULTS

A total of 186 ABC patients met the inclusion criteria between January 2020 and December 2022 were finally enrolled in this study. Of these, 93 patients received chemotherapy with durvalumab and the rest received chemotherapy alone. Durvalumab plus chemotherapy demonstrated significant improvements in PFS (6.77 vs. 4.99 months; hazard ratio 0.65 [95% CI 0.48-0.88]; P = 0.005), but not OS (14.29 vs. 13.24 months; hazard ratio 0.91 [95% CI 0.62-1.32]; P = 0.608) vs. chemotherapy alone in previously untreated ABC patients. The objective response rate (ORR) in patients receiving chemotherapy with and without durvalumab was 19.1% and 7.8%, respectively. Pretreatment sPD-L1, CSF1R and OPG were identified as significant prognosis predictors in patients receiving durvalumab. ADGRB3 and RNF43 mutations were enriched in patients who responded to chemotherapy plus durvalumab and correlated with superior survival.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective real-world study confirmed the clinical benefit of durvalumab plus chemotherapy in treatment-naïve ABC patients. Peripheral sPD-L1 and CSF1R are promising prognostic biomarkers for this therapeutic strategy. Presence of ADGRB3 or RNF43 mutations could improve the stratification of immunotherapy outcomes, but further studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Immune Cell-Based Microrobots for Remote Magnetic Actuation, Antitumor Activity, and Medical Imaging

Translating medical microrobots into clinics requires tracking, localization, and performing assigned medical tasks at target locations, which can only happen when appropriate design, actuation mechanisms, and medical imaging systems are integrated into a single microrobot. Despite this, these parameters are not fully considered when designing macrophage-based microrobots. This study presents living macrophage-based microrobots that combine macrophages with magnetic Janus particles coated with FePt nanofilm for magnetic steering and medical imaging and bacterial lipopolysaccharides for stimulating macrophages in a tumor-killing state. The macrophage-based microrobots combine wireless magnetic actuation, tracking with medical imaging techniques, and antitumor abilities. These microrobots are imaged under magnetic resonance imaging and optoacoustic imaging in soft-tissue-mimicking phantoms and ex vivo conditions. Magnetic actuation and real-time imaging of microrobots are demonstrated under static and physiologically relevant flow conditions using optoacoustic imaging. Further, macrophage-based microrobots are magnetically steered toward urinary bladder tumor spheroids and imaged with a handheld optoacoustic device, where the microrobots significantly reduce the viability of tumor spheroids. The proposed approach demonstrates the proof-of-concept feasibility of integrating macrophage-based microrobots into clinic imaging modalities for cancer targeting and intervention, and can also be implemented for various other medical applications.

A critical review of novel antibiotic resistance prevention approaches with a focus on postbiotics

Antibiotic resistance is a significant public health issue, causing illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics to develop into dangerous infections, leading to substantial disability and even death. To help fight this growing threat, scientists are developing new methods and techniques that play a crucial role in treating infections and preventing the inappropriate use of antibiotics. These effective therapeutic methods include phage therapies, quorum-sensing inhibitors, immunotherapeutics, predatory bacteria, antimicrobial adjuvants, haemofiltration, nanoantibiotics, microbiota transplantation, plant-derived antimicrobials, RNA therapy, vaccine development, and probiotics. As a result of the activity of probiotics in the intestine, compounds derived from the structure and metabolism of these bacteria are obtained, called postbiotics, which include multiple agents with various therapeutic applications, especially antimicrobial effects, by using different mechanisms. These compounds have been chosen in particular because they don't promote the spread of antibiotic resistance and don't include substances that can increase antibiotic resistance. This manuscript provides an overview of the novel approaches to preventing antibiotic resistance with emphasis on the various postbiotic metabolites derived from the gut beneficial microbes, their activities, recent related progressions in the food and medical fields, as well as concisely giving an insight into the new concept of postbiotics as "hyperpostbiotic".

Tumor phagocytosis-driven STING activation invigorates antitumor immunity and reprograms the tumor micro-environment

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) holds the potential for in situ tumor vaccination while concurrently eradicating tumors and stimulating adaptive immunity. Most ICD inducers, however, elicit insufficient immune responses due to negative feedback against ICD biomarkers, limited infiltration of antitumoral immune cells, and the immunosuppressive tumor micro-environment (TME). Recent findings highlight the pivotal roles of stimulators of interferon gene (STING) activation, particularly in stimulating antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and TME reprogramming, addressing ICD limitations. Herein, we introduced 'tumor phagocytosis-driven STING activation', which involves the activation of STING in APCs during the recognition of ICD-induced cancer cells. We developed a polypeptide-based nanocarrier encapsulating both doxorubicin (DOX) and diABZI STING agonist 3 (dSA3) to facilitate this hypothesis in vitro and in vivo. After systemic administration, nanoparticles predominantly accumulated in tumor tissue and significantly enhanced anticancer efficacy by activating tumor phagocytosis-driven STING activation in MC38 and TC1 tumor models. Immunological activation of APCs occurred within 12 h, subsequently leading to the activation of T cells within 7 days, observed in both the TME and spleen. Furthermore, surface modification of nanoparticles with cyclic RGD (cRGD) moieties, which actively target integrin αvβ3, enhances tumor accumulation and eradication, thereby verifying the establishment of systemic immune memory. Collectively, this study proposes the concept of tumor phagocytosis-driven STING activation and its effectiveness in generating short-term and long-term immune responses.

Phospholipid peroxidation in macrophage confers tumor resistance by suppressing phagocytic capability towards ferroptotic cells

Ferroptosis holds significant potential for application in cancer therapy. However, ferroptosis inducers are not cell-specific and can cause phospholipid peroxidation in both tumor and non-tumor cells. This limitation greatly restricts the use of ferroptosis therapy as a safe and effective anticancer strategy. Our previous study demonstrated that macrophages can engulf ferroptotic cells through Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Despite this advancement, the precise mechanism by which phospholipid peroxidation in macrophages affects their phagocytotic capability during treatment of tumors with ferroptotic agents is still unknown. Here, we utilized flow sorting combined with redox phospholipidomics to determine that phospholipid peroxidation in tumor microenvironment (TME) macrophages impaired the macrophages ability to eliminate ferroptotic tumor cells by phagocytosis, ultimately fostering tumor resistance to ferroptosis therapy. Mechanistically, the accumulation of phospholipid peroxidation in the macrophage endoplasmic reticulum (ER) repressed TLR2 trafficking to the plasma membrane and caused its retention in the ER by disrupting the interaction between TLR2 and its chaperone CNPY3. Subsequently, this ER-retained TLR2 recruited E3 ligase MARCH6 and initiated the proteasome-dependent degradation. Using redox phospholipidomics, we identified 1-steaoryl-2-15-HpETE-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (SAPE-OOH) as the crucial mediator of these effects. Conclusively, our discovery elucidates a novel molecular mechanism underlying macrophage phospholipid peroxidation-induced tumor resistance to ferroptosis therapy and highlights the TLR2-MARCH6 axis as a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy.

Expanding horizons in cancer therapy by immunoconjugates targeting tumor microenvironments

Immunoconjugates are promising molecules combining antibodies with different agents, such as toxins, drugs, radionuclides, or cytokines that primarily aim to target tumor cells. However, tumor microenvironment (TME), which comprises a complex network of various cells and molecular cues guiding tumor growth and progression, remains a major challenge for effective cancer therapy. Our review underscores the pivotal role of TME in cancer therapy with immunoconjugates, examining the intricate interactions with TME and recent advancements in TME-targeted immunoconjugates. We explore strategies for targeting TME components, utilizing diverse antibodies such as neutralizing, immunomodulatory, immune checkpoint inhibitors, immunostimulatory, and bispecific antibodies. Additionally, we discuss different immunoconjugates, elucidating their mechanisms of action, advantages, limitations, and applications in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we highlight emerging technologies enhancing the safety and efficacy of immunoconjugates, such as antibody engineering, combination therapies, and nanotechnology. Finally, we summarize current advancements, perspectives, and future developments of TME-targeted immunoconjugates.

Modulating macrophage-mediated programmed cell removal: An attractive strategy for cancer therapy

Macrophage-mediated programmed cell removal (PrCR) is crucial for the identification and elimination of needless cells that maintain tissue homeostasis. The efficacy of PrCR depends on the balance between pro-phagocytic "eat me" signals and anti-phagocytic "don't eat me" signals. Recently, a growing number of studies have shown that tumourigenesis and progression are closely associated with PrCR. In the tumour microenvironment, PrCR activated by the "eat me" signal is counterbalanced by the "don't eat me" signal of CD47/SIRPα, resulting in tumour immune escape. Therefore, targeting exciting "eat me" signalling while simultaneously suppressing "don't eat me" signalling and eventually inducing macrophages to produce effective PrCR will be a very attractive antitumour strategy. Here, we comprehensively review the functions of PrCR-activating signal molecules (CRT, PS, Annexin1, SLAMF7) and PrCR-inhibiting signal molecules (CD47/SIRPα, MHC-I/LILRB1, CD24/Siglec-10, SLAMF3, SLAMF4, PD-1/PD-L1, CD31, GD2, VCAM1), the interactions between these molecules, and Warburg effect. In addition, we highlight the molecular regulatory mechanisms that affect immune system function by exciting or suppressing PrCR. Finally, we review the research advances in tumour therapy by activating PrCR and discuss the challenges and potential solutions to smooth the way for tumour treatment strategies that target PrCR.

IL-10R inhibition reprograms tumor-associated macrophages and reverses drug resistance in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the cancer of plasma cells within the bone marrow and remains incurable. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment often display a pro-tumor phenotype and correlate with tumor proliferation, survival, and therapy resistance. IL-10 is a key immunosuppressive cytokine that leads to recruitment and development of TAMs. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-10 in MM TAM development as well as the therapeutic application of IL-10/IL-10R/STAT3 signaling inhibition. We demonstrated that IL-10 is overexpressed in MM BM and mediates M2-like polarization of TAMs in patient BM, 3D co-cultures in vitro, and mouse models. In turn, TAMs promote MM proliferation and drug resistance, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, inhibition of IL-10/IL-10R/STAT3 axis using a blocking IL-10R monoclonal antibody and STAT3 protein degrader/PROTAC prevented M2 polarization of TAMs and the consequent TAM-induced proliferation of MM, and re-sensitized MM to therapy, in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, our findings suggest that inhibition of IL-10/IL-10R/STAT3 axis is a novel therapeutic strategy with monotherapy efficacy and can be further combined with current anti-MM therapy, such as immunomodulatory drugs, to overcome drug resistance. Future investigation is warranted to evaluate the potential of such therapy in MM patients.

Community assessment of methods to deconvolve cellular composition from bulk gene expression

We evaluate deconvolution methods, which infer levels of immune infiltration from bulk expression of tumor samples, through a community-wide DREAM Challenge. We assess six published and 22 community-contributed methods using in vitro and in silico transcriptional profiles of admixed cancer and healthy immune cells. Several published methods predict most cell types well, though they either were not trained to evaluate all functional CD8+ T cell states or do so with low accuracy. Several community-contributed methods address this gap, including a deep learning-based approach, whose strong performance establishes the applicability of this paradigm to deconvolution. Despite being developed largely using immune cells from healthy tissues, deconvolution methods predict levels of tumor-derived immune cells well. Our admixed and purified transcriptional profiles will be a valuable resource for developing deconvolution methods, including in response to common challenges we observe across methods, such as sensitive identification of functional CD4+ T cell states.

CD163+ macrophages in mantle cell lymphoma induce activation of prosurvival pathways and immune suppression

ABSTRACT

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is dependent on a supportive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in which infiltration of CD163+ macrophages has a negative prognostic impact. This study explores how abundance and spatial localization of CD163+ cells are associated with the biology of MCL, using spatial multiomic investigations of tumor and infiltrating CD163+ and CD3+ cells. A total of 63 proteins were measured using GeoMx digital spatial profiling in tissue microarrays from 100 diagnostic MCL tissues. Regions of interest were selected in tumor-rich and tumor-sparse tissue regions. Molecular profiling of CD163+ macrophages, CD20+ MCL cells, and CD3+ T-cells was performed. To validate protein profiles, 1811 messenger RNAs were measured in CD20+ cells and 2 subsets of T cells. Image analysis was used to extract the phenotype and position of each targeted cell, thereby allowing the exploration of cell frequencies and cellular neighborhoods. Proteomic investigations revealed that CD163+ cells modulate their immune profile depending on their localization and that the immune inhibitory molecules, V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation and B7 homolog 3, have higher expression in tumor-sparse than in tumor-rich tissue regions and that targeting should be explored. We showed that MCL tissues with more abundant infiltration of CD163+ cells have a higher proteomic and transcriptional expression of key components of the MAPK pathway. Thus, the MAPK pathway may be a feasible therapeutic target in patients with MCL with CD163+ cell infiltration. We further showed the independent and combined prognostic values of CD11c and CD163 beyond established risk factors.

Preclinical Efficacy of VTX-0811: A Humanized First-in-Class PSGL-1 mAb Targeting TAMs to Suppress Tumor Growth

Omnipresent suppressive myeloid populations in the tumor microenvironment limit the efficacy of T-cell-directed immunotherapies, become more inhibitory after administration of T-cell checkpoint inhibitors, and are overall associated with worse survival of cancer patients. In early clinical trials, positive outcomes have been demonstrated for therapies aimed at repolarizing suppressive myeloid populations in the tumor microenvironment. We have previously described the key role of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) in maintaining an inhibitory state of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), most of which express high levels of PSGL-1. Here we describe a novel, first-in-class humanized high-affinity monoclonal antibody VTX-0811 that repolarizes human macrophages from an M2-suppressive phenotype towards an M1 inflammatory phenotype, similar to siRNA-mediated knockdown of PSGL-1. VTX-0811 binds to PSGL-1 of human and cynomolgus macaque origins without inhibiting PSGL-1 interaction with P- and L-Selectins or VISTA. In multi-cellular assays and in patient-derived human tumor cultures, VTX-0811 leads to the induction of pro-inflammatory mediators. RNAseq data from VTX-0811 treated ex vivo tumor cultures and M2c macrophages show similar pathways being modulated, indicating that the mechanism of action translates from isolated macrophages to tumors. A chimeric version of VTX-0811, consisting of the parental murine antibody in a human IgG4 backbone, inhibits tumor growth in a humanized mouse model of cancer. VTX-0811 is exceptionally well tolerated in NHP toxicology assessment and is heading into clinical evaluation after successful IND clearance.

Targeting tumor-associated macrophages with mannosylated nanotherapeutics delivering TLR7/8 agonist enhances cancer immunotherapy

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute 50-80% of stromal cells in most solid tumors with high mortality and poor prognosis. Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (TIDCs) and TAMs are key components mediating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Considering their refractory properties, simultaneous remodeling of TAMs and TIDCs is a potential strategy of boosting tumor immunity and restoring immunosurveillance. In this study, mannose-decorated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles loading with R848 (Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848) were prepared to dually target TAMs and TIDCs for efficient tumor immunotherapy. The three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model can simulate tumor growth as influenced by the TME and its 3D structural arrangement. Consequently, cancer spheroids enriched with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were fabricated to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848. In the TME, Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848 targeted both TAMs and TIDCs in a mannose receptor-mediated manner. Subsequently, Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848 released R848 to activate Toll-like receptors 7 and 8, following dual-reprograming of TIDCs and TAMs. Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848 could uniquely reprogram TAMs into antitumoral phenotypes, decrease angiogenesis, reprogram the immunosuppressive TME from "cold tumor" into "hot tumor", with high CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration, and consequently hinder tumor development in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, dual-reprograming of TIDCs and TAMs with the Man-pD-PLGA-NP@R848 is a promising cancer immunotherapy strategy.

Hybrid Cellular Nanovesicles Block PD-L1 Signal and Repolarize M2 Macrophages for Cancer Immunotherapy

The PD1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blocking is a promising therapy, while immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and poor tumor penetration of therapeutic antibodies limit its efficacy. Repolarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) offers a potential method to ameliorate immunosuppression of TME and further boost T cell antitumor immunity. Herein, hybrid cell membrane biomimetic nanovesicles (hNVs) are developed by fusing M1 macrophage-derived nanovesicles (M1-NVs) and PD1-overexpressed tumor cell-derived nanovesicles (PD1-NVs) to improve cancer immunotherapy. The M1-NVs promote the transformation of M2-like TAMs to M1-like phenotype and further increase the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in improved immunosuppressive TME. Concurrently, the PD1-NVs block PD1/PD-L1 pathway, which boosts cancer immunotherapy when combined with M1-NVs. In a breast cancer mouse model, the hNVs efficiently accumulate at the tumor site after intravenous injection and significantly inhibit the tumor growth. Mechanically, the M1 macrophages and CD8+ T lymphocytes in TME increase by twofold after the treatment, indicating effective immune activation. These results suggest the hNVs as a promising strategy to integrate TME improvement with PD1/PD-L1 blockade for cancer immunotherapy.

Comprehensive pan‑cancer analysis of MTDH for human tumor prognosis and as an immunological biomarker including breast and kidney cancer

Metadherin (MTDH), initially discovered in primary astrocytes of the human fetus through rapid subtraction hybridization and labeled as astrocyte elevated gene-1, represents a widely recognized oncogene present in multiple types of cancers. However, the role of MTDH in different types of cancer remains unclear. To address this, a comprehensive analysis of MTDH across various types of cancers was conducted by utilizing multiple databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas. The present analysis discovered that MTDH exhibits differential expression in different types of cancer and is associated with important factors including tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability. These findings highlighted the significance of MTDH in the tumor microenvironment and its involvement in the development of immune cells in specific cancers. Furthermore, the results of the present study indicated that the expression of MTDH is strongly correlated with clinical prognosis, mutations and immune cell infiltration. MTDH could serve as a potential indicator of patient prognosis and potentially play a role in modulating the immune system. Given its potential as a novel immunological checkpoint, MTDH may be a viable target for tumor immunotherapy.

Tumoral P2Y2 receptor modulates tumor growth and host anti-tumor immune responses in a syngeneic murine model of oral cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are a heterogenous group of tumors and among the top 10 most common cancers and they arise from the epithelial tissues of the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx. Aberrant purinergic signaling has been associated with various cancer types. Here, we studied the role of the P2Y2 purinergic receptor (P2Y2R) in the context of oral cancer. We utilized bioinformatics analysis of deposited datasets to examine purinome gene expression in HNSCC tumors and cells lines and functionally characterized nucleotide-induced P2 receptor signaling in human FaDu and Cal27 and murine MOC2 oral cancer cell lines. Utilizing tumorigenesis assays with wild-type or P2ry2 knockout MOC2 cells we evaluated the role of P2Y2Rs in tumor growth and the host anti-tumor immune responses. Our data demonstrate that human and murine oral cancer cell lines express numerous P2 receptors, with the P2Y2R being highly expressed. Using syngeneic tumor grafts in wild-type mice, we observed that MOC2 tumors expressing P2Y2R were larger than P2Y2R-/- tumors. Wild-type MOC2 tumors contained a lower population of tumor-infiltrating CD11b+F4/80+ macrophages and CD3+ cells, which were revealed to be CD3+CD4+IFNγ+ T cells, compared to P2Y2R-/- tumors. These results were mirrored when utilizing P2Y2R-/- mice, indicating that the changes in MOC2 tumor growth and to the host anti-tumor immune response were independent of host derived P2Y2Rs. Results suggest that targeted suppression of the P2Y2R in HNSCC cells in vivo, rather than systemic P2Y2R antagonism, may be a more effective treatment strategy for HNSCCs.

Stimuli-Mediated Macrophage Switching, Unraveling the Dynamics at the Nanoplatforms-Macrophage Interface

Macrophages play an essential role in immunotherapy and tissue regeneration owing to their remarkable plasticity and diverse functions. Recent bioengineering developments have focused on using external physical stimuli such as electric and magnetic fields, temperature, and compressive stress, among others, on micro/nanostructures to induce macrophage polarization, thereby increasing their therapeutic potential. However, it is difficult to find a concise review of the interaction between physical stimuli, advanced micro/nanostructures, and macrophage polarization. This review examines the present research on physical stimuli-induced macrophage polarization on micro/nanoplatforms, emphasizing the synergistic role of fabricated structure and stimulation for advanced immunotherapy and tissue regeneration. A concise overview of the research advancements investigating the impact of physical stimuli, including electric fields, magnetic fields, compressive forces, fluid shear stress, photothermal stimuli, and multiple stimulations on the polarization of macrophages within complex engineered structures, is provided. The prospective implications of these strategies in regenerative medicine and immunotherapeutic approaches are highlighted. This review will aid in creating stimuli-responsive platforms for immunomodulation and tissue regeneration.

The Interplay between Metabolic Adaptations and Diet in Cancer Immunotherapy

Over the past decade, cancer immunotherapy has significantly advanced through the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors and the augmentation of adoptive cell transfer to enhance the innate cancer defense mechanisms. Despite these remarkable achievements, some cancers exhibit resistance to immunotherapy, with limited patient responsiveness and development of therapy resistance. Metabolic adaptations in both immune cells and cancer cells have emerged as central contributors to immunotherapy resistance. In the last few years, new insights emphasized the critical role of cancer and immune cell metabolism in animal models and patients. During therapy, immune cells undergo important metabolic shifts crucial for their acquired effector function against cancer cells. However, cancer cell metabolic rewiring and nutrient competition within tumor microenvironment (TME) alters many immune functions, affecting their fitness, polarization, recruitment, and survival. These interactions have initiated the development of novel therapies targeting tumor cell metabolism and favoring antitumor immunity within the TME. Furthermore, there has been increasing interest in comprehending how diet impacts the response to immunotherapy, given the demonstrated immunomodulatory and antitumor activity of various nutrients. In conclusion, recent advances in preclinical and clinical studies have highlighted the capacity of immune-based cancer therapies. Therefore, further exploration into the metabolic requirements of immune cells within the TME holds significant promise for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches that can effectively combat cancer in patients.

Endothelial and macrophage interactions in the angiogenic niche

The interactions between vascular cells, especially endothelial cells, and macrophages play a pivotal role in maintaining the subtle balance of vascular biology, which is crucial for angiogenesis in both healthy and diseased states. These cells are central to ensuring a harmonious balance between tissue repair and preventing excessive angiogenic activity, which could lead to pathological conditions. Recent advances in sophisticated genetic engineering vivo models and novel sequencing approaches, such as single-cell RNA-sequencing, in immunobiology have significantly enhanced our understanding of the gene expression and behavior of macrophages. These insights offer new perspectives on the role macrophages play not only in development but also across various health conditions. In this review, we explore the complex interactions between multiple types of macrophages and endothelium, focusing on their impact on new blood vessel formation. By understanding these intricate interactions, we aim to provide insights into new methods for managing angiogenesis in various diseases, thereby offering hope for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Exploiting Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Licorice) Flavanones: Licoflavanone's Impact on Breast Cancer Cell Bioenergetics

Research on the energy metabolism of cancer cells is becoming a central element in oncology, and in recent decades, it has allowed us to better understand the mechanisms underlying the onset and chemoresistance of oncological pathologies. Mitochondrial bioenergetic processes, in particular, have proven to be fundamental for the survival of tumor stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation of tumor cells responsible for tumor recurrence, the onset of metastasis, and the failure of conventional anticancer therapies. Over the years, numerous natural products, in particular flavonoids, widely distributed in the plant kingdom, have been shown to interfere with tumor bioenergetics, demonstrating promising antitumor effects. Herein, the anticancer potential of Licoflavanone, a flavanone isolated from the leaves of G. glabra, was explored for the first time in breast cancer cells. The results obtained highlighted a marked antitumor activity that proved to be greater than that mediated by Glabranin or Pinocembrin, flavanones isolated from the same plant matrix. Furthermore, the investigation of Licoflavanone's effects on breast cancer energy metabolism highlighted the inhibitory activity of this natural product on tumor bioenergetics, a mechanism that could underlie its ability to reduce tumor proliferation, invasiveness, and stemness.

In vitro co-culture models for studying organoids-macrophages interaction: the golden technology of cancer immunotherapy

Macrophages, as the largest immune cell group in tumour tissues, play a crucial role in influencing various malignant behaviours of tumour cells and tumour immune evasion. As the research on macrophages and cancer immunotherapy develops, the importance of appropriate research models becomes increasingly evident. The development of organoids has bridged the gap between traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures and animal experiments. Recent studies have demonstrated that organoids exhibit similar physiological characteristics to the source tissue and closely resemble the in vivo genome and molecular markers of the source tissue or organ. However, organoids still lack an immune component. Developing a co-culture model of organoids and macrophages is crucial for studying the interaction and mechanisms between tumour cells and macrophages. This paper presents an overview of the establishment of co-culture models, the current research status of organoid macrophage interactions, and the current status of immunotherapy. In addition, the application prospects and shortcomings of the model are explained. Ultimately, it is hoped that the co-culture model will offer a preclinical testing platform for maximising a precise cancer immunotherapy strategy.

Exploring the Interplay between Cellular Senescence, Immunity, and Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Diseases: Challenges and Opportunities

Fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are characterized by the gradual and irreversible accumulation of scar tissue in the lung parenchyma. The role of the immune response in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis remains unclear. In recent years, substantial advancements have been made in our comprehension of the pathobiology driving fibrosing ILDs, particularly concerning various age-related cellular disturbances and immune mechanisms believed to contribute to an inadequate response to stress and increased susceptibility to lung fibrosis. Emerging studies emphasize cellular senescence as a key mechanism implicated in the pathobiology of age-related diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. Cellular senescence, marked by antagonistic pleiotropy, and the complex interplay with immunity, are pivotal in comprehending many aspects of lung fibrosis. Here, we review progress in novel concepts in cellular senescence, its association with the dysregulation of the immune response, and the evidence underlining its detrimental role in fibrosing ILDs.

A coordinative modular assembly-constructed self-reinforced nano-therapeutic agent for effective antitumor-immune activation

Immunosuppressive microenvironment and poor immunogenicity are two stumbling blocks in anti-tumor immune activation. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial roles in immunosuppressive microenvironment, while immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a typical strategy to boost immunogenicity. Herein, we developed a coordinative modular assembly-based self-reinforced nanoparticle, (CaO2/TA)-(Fe3+/BSA) which integrated CaO2, Fe3+-tannic acid coordinated networks and albumin under the instruction of molecular dynamics simulation. (CaO2/TA)-(Fe3+/BSA) could significantly enhance Fenton reaction through Fe3+ self-reduction and H2O2 self-sufficiency, and simultaneously increased intracellular accumulation of Ca2+. The self-augmented Fenton reaction with sufficient reactive oxygen species effectively repolarized TAMs and elicited ICD with Ca2+ overload. Besides, (CaO2/TA)-(Fe3+/BSA) was confirmed to self-reinforce deep tumor drug delivery by "treatment-delivery" positive feedback based on gp60-mediated transcytosis and M2-like macrophages repolarization-mediated perfusion promotion. Resultantly, (CaO2/TA)-(Fe3+/BSA) effectively alleviated immunosuppression, provoked local and systemic immune response and potentiated anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. Our strategy highlights a facile and controllable approach to construct penetrated effective antitumor nano-immunotherapeutic agent.

Engineering Microorganisms for Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy presents a promising approach to fight against cancer by utilizing the immune system. Recently, engineered microorganisms have emerged as a potential strategy in cancer immunotherapy. These microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, can be designed and modified using synthetic biology and genetic engineering techniques to target cancer cells and modulate the immune system. This review delves into various microorganism-based therapies for cancer immunotherapy, encompassing strategies for enhancing efficacy while ensuring safety and ethical considerations. The development of these therapies holds immense potential in offering innovative personalized treatments for cancer.

Integrated machine learning algorithms reveal a bone metastasis-related signature of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer

Bone metastasis is an essential factor affecting the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are closely related to distant tumor metastasis. Here, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and Cytoscape application were used to identify diagnostic markers for metastatic events in PCa. We screened ten hub genes, eight of which had area under the ROC curve (AUC) values > 0.85. Subsequently, we aim to develop a bone metastasis-related model relying on differentially expressed genes in CTCs for accurate risk stratification. We developed an integrative program based on machine learning algorithm combinations to construct reliable bone metastasis-related genes prognostic index (BMGPI). On the basis of BMGPI, we carefully evaluated the prognostic outcomes, functional status, tumor immune microenvironment, somatic mutation, copy number variation (CNV), response to immunotherapy and drug sensitivity in different subgroups. BMGPI was an independent risk factor for disease-free survival in PCa. The high risk group demonstrated poor survival as well as higher immune scores, higher tumor mutation burden (TMB), more frequent co-occurrence mutation, and worse efficacy of immunotherapy. This study highlights a new prognostic signature, the BMGPI. BMGPI is an independent predictor of prognosis in PCa patients and is closely associated with the immune microenvironment and the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Immunotherapies Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) in Cancer

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the most plentiful immune compositions in the tumor microenvironment, which are further divided into anti-tumor M1 subtype and pro-tumor M2 subtype. Recent findings found that TAMs play a vital function in the regulation and progression of tumorigenesis. Moreover, TAMs promote tumor vascularization, and support the survival of tumor cells, causing an impact on tumor growth and patient prognosis. Numerous studies show that reducing the density of TAMs, or modulating the polarization of TAMs, can inhibit tumor growth, indicating that TAMs are a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. Recently, clinical trials have found that treatments targeting TAMs have achieved encouraging results, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a number of drugs for use in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the origin, polarization, and function of TAMs, and emphasize the therapeutic strategies targeting TAMs in cancer treatment in clinical studies and scientific research, which demonstrate a broad prospect of TAMs-targeted therapies in tumor immunotherapy.

TimiGP-Response: the pan-cancer immune landscape associated with response to immunotherapy

Accumulating evidence suggests that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) significantly influences the response to immunotherapy, yet this complex relationship remains elusive. To address this issue, we developed TimiGP-Response (TIME Illustration based on Gene Pairing designed for immunotherapy Response), a computational framework leveraging single-cell and bulk transcriptomic data, along with response information, to construct cell-cell interaction networks associated with responders and estimate the role of immune cells in treatment response. This framework was showcased in triple-negative breast cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1:PD-L1 interaction, and orthogonally validated with imaging mass cytometry. As a result, we identified CD8+ GZMB+ T cells associated with responders and its interaction with regulatory T cells emerged as a potential feature for selecting patients who may benefit from these therapies. Subsequently, we analyzed 3,410 patients with seven cancer types (melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, metastatic urothelial carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and esophageal cancer) treated with various immunotherapies and combination therapies, as well as several chemo- and targeted therapies as controls. Using TimiGP-Response, we depicted the pan-cancer immune landscape associated with immunotherapy response at different resolutions. At the TIME level, CD8 T cells and CD4 memory T cells were associated with responders, while anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages and mast cells were linked to non-responders across most cancer types and datasets. Given that T cells are the primary targets of these immunotherapies and our TIME analysis highlights their importance in response to treatment, we portrayed the pan-caner landscape on 40 T cell subtypes. Notably, CD8+ and CD4+ GZMK+ effector memory T cells emerged as crucial across all cancer types and treatments, while IL-17-producing CD8+ T cells were top candidates associated with immunotherapy non-responders. In summary, this study provides a computational method to study the association between TIME and response across the pan-cancer immune landscape, offering resources and insights into immune cell interactions and their impact on treatment efficacy.

Transcriptome Deconvolution Reveals Absence of Cancer Cell Expression Signature in Immune Checkpoint Blockade Response

Immune checkpoint therapy (ICB) has conferred significant and durable clinical benefit to some patients with cancer. However, most patients do not respond to ICB, and reliable biomarkers of ICB response are needed to improve patient stratification. Here, we performed a transcriptome-wide meta-analysis across 1,486 tumors from ICB-treated patients and tumors with expected ICB outcomes based on microsatellite status. Using a robust transcriptome deconvolution approach, we inferred cancer- and stroma-specific gene expression differences and identified cell-type specific features of ICB response across cancer types. Consistent with current knowledge, stromal expression of CXCL9, CXCL13, and IFNG were the top determinants of favorable ICB response. In addition, we identified a group of potential immune-suppressive genes, including FCER1A, associated with poor response to ICB. Strikingly, PD-L1 expression in stromal cells, but not cancer cells, is correlated with ICB response across cancer types. Furthermore, the unbiased transcriptome-wide analysis failed to identify cancer-cell intrinsic expression signatures of ICB response conserved across tumor types, suggesting that cancer cells lack tissue-agnostic transcriptomic features of ICB response.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results challenge the prevailing dogma that cancer cells present tissue-agnostic molecular markers that modulate immune activity and ICB response, which has implications on the development of improved ICB diagnostics and treatments.

THP-1 Monocytic Cells Are Polarized to More Antitumorigenic Macrophages by Serial Treatment with Phorbol-12-Myristate-13-Acetate and PD98059

Background and Objectives: As modulators of the tumor microenvironment, macrophages have been extensively studied for their potential in developing anticancer strategies, particularly in regulating macrophage polarization towards an antitumorigenic (M1) phenotype rather than a protumorigenic (M2) one in various experimental models. Here, we evaluated the effect of PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase MAPKK MEK1-linked pathway inhibitor, on the differentiation and polarization of THP-1 monocytes in response to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) under various culture conditions for tumor microenvironmental application. Materials and Methods: Differentiation and polarization of THP-1 were analyzed by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Polarized THP-1 subsets with different treatment were compared by motility, phagocytosis, and so on. Results: Clearly, PMA induced THP-1 differentiation occurs in adherent culture conditions more than nonadherent culture conditions by increasing CD11b expression up to 90%, which was not affected by PD98059 when cells were exposed to PMA first (post-PD) but inhibited when PD98059 was treated prior to PMA treatment (pre-PD). CD11bhigh THP-1 cells treated with PMA and PMA-post-PD were categorized into M0 (HLA-DRlow and CD206low), M1 (HLA-DRhigh and CD206low), and M2 (HLA-DRlow and CD206high), resulting in an increased population of M1 macrophages. The transcription levels of markers of macrophage differentiation and polarization confirmed the increased M1 polarization of THP-1 cells with post-PD treatment rather than with PMA-only treatment. The motility and cytotoxicity of THP-1 cells with post-PD treatment were higher than THP-1 cells with PMA, suggesting that post-PD treatment enhanced the anti-tumorigenicity of THP-1 cells. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry showed the effect of post-PD treatment on phagocytosis by THP-1 cells. Conclusions: We have developed an experimental model of macrophage polarization with THP-1 cells which will be useful for further studies related to the tumor microenvironment.

Challenges and opportunities in cancer immunotherapy: a Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) strategic vision

Cancer immunotherapy has flourished over the last 10-15 years, transforming the practice of oncology and providing long-term clinical benefit to some patients. During this time, three distinct classes of immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapies specific for two targets, and two distinct classes of bispecific T cell engagers, a vaccine, and an oncolytic virus have joined cytokines as a standard of cancer care. At the same time, scientific progress has delivered vast amounts of new knowledge. For example, advances in technologies such as single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics have provided deep insights into the immunobiology of the tumor microenvironment. With this rapid clinical and scientific progress, the field of cancer immunotherapy is currently at a critical inflection point, with potential for exponential growth over the next decade. Recognizing this, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer convened a diverse group of experts in cancer immunotherapy representing academia, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, patient advocacy, and the regulatory community to identify current opportunities and challenges with the goal of prioritizing areas with the highest potential for clinical impact. The consensus group identified seven high-priority areas of current opportunity for the field: mechanisms of antitumor activity and toxicity; mechanisms of drug resistance; biomarkers and biospecimens; unique aspects of novel therapeutics; host and environmental interactions; premalignant immunity, immune interception, and immunoprevention; and clinical trial design, endpoints, and conduct. Additionally, potential roadblocks to progress were discussed, and several topics were identified as cross-cutting tools for optimization, each with potential to impact multiple scientific priority areas. These cross-cutting tools include preclinical models, data curation and sharing, biopsies and biospecimens, diversification of funding sources, definitions and standards, and patient engagement. Finally, three key guiding principles were identified that will both optimize and maximize progress in the field. These include engaging the patient community; cultivating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to accelerate progress. Here, we present the outcomes of these discussions as a strategic vision to galvanize the field for the next decade of exponential progress in cancer immunotherapy.

Recapitulating the tumor microenvironment in a dish, one cell type at a time

The tumor microenvironment harbors a variety of different cell types that differentially impact tumor biology. In this issue of Cell Reports Methods, Raffo-Romero et al. standardized and optimized 3D tumor organoids to model the interactions between tumor-associated macrophages and tumor cells in vitro.

ASOptimizer: Optimizing antisense oligonucleotides through deep learning for IDO1 gene regulation

Recent studies have highlighted the effectiveness of using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) for cellular RNA regulation, including targets that are considered undruggable; however, manually designing optimal ASO sequences can be labor intensive and time consuming, which potentially limits their broader application. To address this challenge, we introduce a platform, the ASOptimizer, a deep-learning-based framework that efficiently designs ASOs at a low cost. This platform not only selects the most efficient mRNA target sites but also optimizes the chemical modifications for enhanced performance. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) promotes cancer survival by depleting tryptophan and producing kynurenine, leading to immunosuppression through the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) pathway within the tumor microenvironment. We used ASOptimizer to identify ASOs that target IDO1 mRNA as potential cancer therapeutics. Our methodology consists of two stages: sequence engineering and chemical engineering. During the sequence-engineering stage, we optimized and predicted ASO sequences that could target IDO1 mRNA efficiently. In the chemical-engineering stage, we further refined these ASOs to enhance their inhibitory activity while reducing their potential cytotoxicity. In conclusion, our research demonstrates the potential of ASOptimizer for identifying ASOs with improved efficacy and safety.