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Chen H, Zhang JH, Hao Q, Wu XL, Guo JX, Huang CX, Zhang J, Xing GS, An ZL, Ling Y, Zhao JG, Bao YN. Analysis of tumor microenvironment alterations in partially responsive rectal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Int J Colorectal Dis 2024; 39:99. [PMID: 38926205 PMCID: PMC11208236 DOI: 10.1007/s00384-024-04672-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) remains a challenge for most patients with rectal cancer. Exploring the potential of combining NCRT with immunotherapy or targeted therapy for those achieving a partial response (PR) offers a promising avenue to enhance treatment efficacy. This study investigated the impact of NCRT on the tumor microenvironment in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who exhibited a PR. METHODS This was a retrospective, observational study. Five patients demonstrating a PR after neoadjuvant treatment for LARC were enrolled in the study. Biopsy samples before treatment and resected specimens after treatment were stained with a panel of 26 antibodies targeting various immune and tumor-related markers, each labeled with distinct metal tags. The labeled samples were then analyzed using the Hyperion imaging system. RESULTS Heterogeneity within the tumor microenvironment was observed both before and after NCRT. Notably, tumor-associated macrophages, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, CD56 + natural killer cells, tumor-associated neutrophils, cytokeratin, and E-cadherin exhibited slight increase in abundance within the tumor microenvironment following treatment (change ratios = 0.78, 0.2, 0.27, 0.32, 0.17, 0.46, 0.32, respectively). Conversely, the number of CD14 + monocytes, CD19 + B cells, CD45 + CD4 + T cells, collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin, vimentin, and β-catenin proteins displayed significant decreases post-treatment (change ratios = 1.73, 1.92, 1.52, 1.25, 1.52, 1.12, 2.66, respectively). Meanwhile, Foxp3 + regulatory cells demonstrated no significant change (change ratio = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS NCRT has diverse effects on various components of the tumor microenvironment in LARC patients who achieve a PR after treatment. Leveraging combination therapies may optimize treatment outcomes in this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Chen
- Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Ji-Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Qin Hao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Xin-Lin Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Jia-Xing Guo
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Cong-Xiu Huang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Guo-Sheng Xing
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Zhi-Lin An
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Yu Ling
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Jian-Guo Zhao
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China
| | - Ying-Na Bao
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, China.
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Liu XT, Kou ZY, Zhang H, Dong J, Zhang JH, Peng YJ, Ma SM, Liang L, Meng XY, Zhou Y, Yang J. Somatic mutation profiling, tumor-infiltrating leukocytes, tertiary lymphoid structures and PD-L1 protein expression in HER2-amplified colorectal cancer. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15261. [PMID: 37151285 PMCID: PMC10162038 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15261] [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: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) for the prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) is controversial, and the characteristics of the somatic mutation spectrum, tumor-infiltrating leukocytes, tertiary lymphoid structures and PD-L1 protein are unknown in HER2-amplified colorectal cancer (HACC). In order to explore these characteristics along with their correlation with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in HACC. Samples of 812 CRC patients was collected. After immunohistochemistry (IHC), 59 of 812 were found to be HER2-positive, then 26 of 59 samples were further determined to be HER2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Somatic mutation profiling of HACC was analysed using whole exome sequencing (WES). Multiplex fluorescence immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was used for tumor-infiltrating leukocytes and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), while PD-L1 protein was detected by IHC. Our results indicate that the detection rates of HER2 positivity by IHC and FISH were 7.3% and 3.2% respectively, and HER2 amplification is correlated with distant tumour metastasis. The somatic mutation profiling revealed no differences between HACC and HER2-negative CRC. However, TP 53 strongly correlated with poor prognosis in HACC. Furthermore, tumor-infiltrating T cells and TLSs in the tumor immune microenvironment, as well as PD-L1 expression, were higher in HACC than in HER2-negative controls. However, none of them were associated with the prognosis of HACC. In all, HER2 amplification is correlated with distant metastasis and TP53 gene mutation may be a potential protective mechanism of HACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ting Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Kou
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hushan Zhang
- Zhaotong Healthy Vocational College, Zhaotong, Yunnan, China
| | - Jian Dong
- Colorectal Cancer Clinical Research Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jian-Hua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Honghe Prefecture, Honghe, Yunnan, China
| | - You-Jun Peng
- Department of General Surgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Honghe Prefecture, Honghe, Yunnan, China
| | - Shu Min Ma
- Department of General Surgery, The Second People’s Hospital of Qujing, Qujing, Yunnan, China
| | - Lei Liang
- Department of General Surgery, The Third People’s Hospital of Honghe Prefecture, Honghe, Yunnan, China
| | - Xuan-Yu Meng
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Yuan C, Huang J, Li H, Zhai R, Zhai J, Fang X, Wu Y. Association of clinical outcomes and the predictive value of T lymphocyte subsets within colorectal cancer patients. Front Surg 2023; 10:1102545. [PMID: 37206348 PMCID: PMC10188938 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1102545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tumor immunity is a hot topic in tumor research today, and human immunity is closely related to tumor progression. T lymphocyte is an important component of human immune system, and the changes in their subsets may influence the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) to some extent. This clinical study systematically describes and analyzes the association of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte content and CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratio with CRC differentiation, clinical pathological stage, Ki67 expression, T-stage, N-stage, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) content, nerve and vascular infiltration, and other clinical features, as well as preoperative and postoperative trends. Furthermore, a predictive model is constructed to evaluate the predictive value of T-lymphocyte subsets for CRC clinical features. Methods Strict inclusion and exclusion criterion were formulated to screen patients, preoperative and postoperative flow cytometry and postoperative pathology reports from standard laparoscopic surgery were assessed. PASS and SPSS software, R packages were invoked to calculate and analyze. Results We found that a high CD4+ T-lymphocyte content in peripheral blood and a high CD4+/CD8+ ratio were associated with better tumor differentiation, an earlier clinical pathological stage, lower Ki67 expression, shallower tumor infiltration, a smaller number of lymph node metastases, a lower CEA content, and a lower likelihood of nerve or vascular infiltration (P < 0.05). However, a high CD8+ T-lymphocyte content indicated an unpromising clinical profile. After effective surgical treatment, the CD4+ T-lymphocyte content and CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the CD8+ T-lymphocyte content decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Further, we comprehensively compared the merits of CD4+ T-lymphocyte content, CD8+ T-lymphocyte content, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in predicting the clinical features of CRC. We then combined the CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte content to build models and predict major clinical characteristics. We compared these models with the CD4+/CD8+ ratio to explore their advantages and disadvantages in predicting the clinical features of CRC. Discussion Our results provide a theoretical basis for the future screening of effective markers in reflecting and predicting the progression of CRC. Changes in T lymphocyte subsets affect the progression of CRC to a certain extent, while their changes also reflect variations in the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Yuan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiannan Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Haitao Li
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Rongnan Zhai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jinjing Zhai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuedong Fang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Correspondence: Xuedong Fang Yuanyu Wu
| | - Yuanyu Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Correspondence: Xuedong Fang Yuanyu Wu
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Cui G, Wang C, Liu J, Shon K, Gu R, Chang C, Ren L, Wei F, Sun Z. Development of an exosome-related and immune microenvironment prognostic signature in colon adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:995644. [PMID: 36176299 PMCID: PMC9513147 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.995644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The correlation between exosomes and the tumor immune microenvironment has been proved to affect tumorigenesis and progression of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). However, it remained unclear whether exosomes had an impact on the prognostic indications of COAD patients.Methods: Expression of exosome-related genes (ERGs) and clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The ERGs associated with prognosis were identified and exosome-related prognostic signature was constructed. Patients in two risk groups were classified according to the risk score calculation formula: Risk score = 1.0132 * CCKBR + 0.2416 * HOXC6 + 0.7618 * POU4F1. The expression of three ERGs was investigated by qRT-PCR. After that, we developed a nomogram predicting the likelihood of survival and verified its predictive efficiency. The differences of tumor immune microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint and sensitivity to drugs in two risk groups were analyzed.Results: A prognostic signature was established based on the three ERGs (CCKBR, HOXC6, and POU4F1) and patients with different risk group were distinguished. Survival analysis revealed the negative associated of risk score and prognosis, ROC curve analyses showed the accuracy of this signature. Three ERGs expression was investigated by qRT-PCR in three colorectal cancer cell lines. Moreover, risk score was positively correlated with tumor mutational burden (TMB), immune activities, microsatellite instability level, the expression of immune checkpoint genes. Meanwhile, the expression level of three ERGs and the risk score were markedly related with the sensitive response to chemotherapy.Conclusion: The novel signature composed of three ERGs with precise predictive capabilities can be used to predict prognosis and provide a promising therapeutic target for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoliang Cui
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Can Wang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinhui Liu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kinyu Shon
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Fei Wei, ; Zhiguang Sun,
| | - Renjun Gu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lang Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fei Wei
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Fei Wei, ; Zhiguang Sun,
| | - Zhiguang Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Fei Wei, ; Zhiguang Sun,
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Li M, Zhao J, Yang R, Cai R, Liu X, Xie J, Shu B, Qi S. CENPF as an independent prognostic and metastasis biomarker corresponding to CD4+ memory T cells in cutaneous melanoma. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:1220-1234. [PMID: 35189004 PMCID: PMC8990861 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Owing to recent advances in immunotherapies, the overall survival of patients with skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) has increased; however, the 5-year survival rate of metastatic patients remains poor. Skin cutaneous melanoma-upregulated genes were screened via analysis of differentially expressed genes (GSE3189 and GSE46517), and metastasis-related oncogenes were identified via weighted gene coexpression network analysis of the GSE46517 dataset. As confirmed by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, we found highly expressed centromere protein F (CENPF) in SKCM and its metastases. Immunostaining of human melanoma tissues demonstrated high CENPF expression. According to the Kaplan-Meier survival curve log-rank test, receiver-operating characteristic curve, and univariate and multivariate analyses, the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database suggested CENPF be a typical independent predictor of SKCM. The CIBERSORT algorithm classified the types of the immune cells from GSE46517 and showed higher proportion of CD4+ memory-activated T cells in metastatic melanoma. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis of TCGA data confirmed the correlation between CENPF and activated CD4+ T cells. Centromere protein F was positively correlated with tumor mutational burden and CD4+ memory T cell markers (interleukin [IL]-23A, CD28, and CD62L), negatively associated with memory T cell maintenance factors (IL-7 and IL-15) by correlation analysis. Moreover, immunofluorescence showed high coexpression of CENPF and IL23A, CD4 in melanoma. Upregulated CENPF might lead to premature depletion of CD4+ memory T cells and immunosuppression. Nomogram indicated CENPF clinical predictive value for 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year melanoma overall survival. Therefore, CENPF plays a vital role in the progression and metastasis of melanoma and can be an effective therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhi Li
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jingling Zhao
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ronghua Yang
- Department of Burn SurgeryThe First People’s Hospital of FoshanFoshanChina
| | - Ruizhao Cai
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xusheng Liu
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Julin Xie
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Bin Shu
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shaohai Qi
- Department of BurnsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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Li Y, Li Y, Xia Z, Zhang D, Chen X, Wang X, Liao J, Yi W, Chen J. Identification of a novel immune signature for optimizing prognosis and treatment prediction in colorectal cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:25518-25549. [PMID: 34898475 PMCID: PMC8714135 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal malignant diseases. However, the currently approved therapeutic options for CRC failed to acquire satisfactory treatment efficacy. Tailoring therapeutic strategies for CRC individuals can provide new insights into personalized prediction approaches and thus maximize clinical benefits. METHODS In this study, a multi-step process was used to construct an immune-related genes (IRGs) based signature leveraging the expression profiles and clinical characteristics of CRC from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. An integrated immunogenomic analysis was performed to determine the association between IRGs with prognostic significance and cancer genotypes in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Moreover, we performed a comprehensive in silico therapeutics screening to identify agents with subclass-specific efficacy. RESULTS The established signature was shown to be a promising biomarker for evaluating clinical outcomes in CRC. The immune risk score as calculated by this classifier was significantly correlated with over-riding malignant phenotypes and immunophenotypes. Further analyses demonstrated that CRCs with low immune risk scores achieved better therapeutic benefits from immunotherapy, while AZD4547, Cytochalasin B and S-crizotinib might have potential therapeutic implications in the immune risk score-high CRCs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this IRGs-based signature not only afforded a useful tool for determining the prognosis and evaluating the TIME features of CRCs, but also shed new light on tailoring CRCs with precise treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiyi Li
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zijin Xia
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dun Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomei Chen
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Liao
- The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Yi
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Disease-Model Animals, Laboratory Animal Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Identification of Significant Genes and Pathways in Acute Pancreatitis via Bioinformatical Analysis. Dig Dis Sci 2021; 66:3045-3053. [PMID: 32960383 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06598-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the common acute abdominal diseases with complicated pathogenesis. The purpose of this study is to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the pancreas and underlying mechanisms. METHODS Gene expression profiles of GSE109227 and GSE65146 were available from GEO database. Then, an integrated analysis of these genes was performed, including gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, core gene correlation analysis, transcription factors (TFs) prediction, and expression level evaluation in human organs. RESULTS A total number of 92 differential expressed genes were screened from the datasets, including 81 up-regulated genes and 11 down-regulated genes. The up-regulated genes were mainly enriched in the biological process, such as sarcomere organization, actin cytoskeleton organization, tumor necrosis factor biosynthetic process, response to cytokine, cell-cell adhesion, and the cell migration, and also involved in some signaling pathways, including leukocyte transendothelial migration, proteoglycans in cancer, thyroid cancer, cell adhesion, tight junction, bladder cancer, amoebiasis, glycerolipid metabolism, and VEGF signaling pathway, while down-regulated genes were significantly enriched in the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response, the oxidation-reduction, and no significant signaling pathways. CDH1 and CLDN4 were identified as core genes by PPI network analysis with MCODE plug-in, as well as GO and KEGG re-enrichment. For validation in Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), CDH1 and CLDN4 were interacting with each other and regulated by the predictive common TFs FOXP3 or USF2. The two core genes and USF2 were expressed in varied human organs including the pancreas, while FOXP3 was not detected in the normal human pancreatic tissues. CONCLUSIONS This study implied that core gene CDH1 and CLDN4, which might be regulated by FOXP3 or USF2, played a significant role in acute pancreatitis. They could be potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for AP patients.
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Barbosa AM, Martinho O, Nogueira R, Campos J, Lobo L, Pinto H, Longatto-Filho A, Castro AG, Martins SF, Torrado E. Increased CD3 +, CD8 +, or FoxP3 + T Lymphocyte Infiltrations Are Associated with the Pathogenesis of Colorectal Cancer but Not with the Overall Survival of Patients. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10080808. [PMID: 34440038 PMCID: PMC8389643 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes include heterogeneous populations of T lymphocytes that play crucial roles in the tumor immune response; importantly, their presence in the tumor tissue may predict clinical outcomes. Therefore, we herein studied the prognostic significance of the presence and location of CD3+, CD8+, and FoxP3+ T lymphocytes in colorectal cancer samples. In the intratumor analysis, our data did not reveal any association between lymphocyte infiltrations with clinical or pathological data. However, in the tumor margins, we found that the presence of high infiltrations of CD3+, CD8+, or FoxP3+ T lymphocytes were associated with TNM stages I-II (p = 0.021, p = 0.022, and p = 0.012, respectively) and absence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.010, p = 0.003, and p = 0.004, respectively). Despite these associations with good prognostic indicators, we were not able to find any statistically significant alterations in the overall survival of the patients, even though high infiltrations of FoxP3+ T lymphocytes in the tumor margins resulted in an increased overall survival of 14 months. Taken together, these data show that the presence of CD3+, CD8+, or FoxP3+T lymphocyte infiltrates in the tumor margins are associated with the pathogenesis of CRC, but only high Foxp3+ T lymphocyte infiltrations in the tumor invasive margins are inclined to indicate favorable prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Margarida Barbosa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Olga Martinho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Rosete Nogueira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- CGC Genetics/Centro de Genética Clínica-Unilabs—Laboratory of Pathology, 4000-432 Porto, Portugal
| | - Juliana Campos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Liliana Lobo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Henrique Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Adhemar Longatto-Filho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM) 14, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil
| | - António G. Castro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Sandra F. Martins
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Coloproctology Unit, Braga Hospital, 4710-243 Braga, Portugal
| | - Egídio Torrado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.M.B.); (O.M.); (R.N.); (J.C.); (L.L.); (H.P.); (A.L.-F.); (A.G.C.); (S.F.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-253-604-907
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Lomphithak T, Akara-Amornthum P, Murakami K, Hashimoto M, Usubuchi H, Iwabuchi E, Unno M, Cai Z, Sasano H, Jitkaew S. Tumor necroptosis is correlated with a favorable immune cell signature and programmed death-ligand 1 expression in cholangiocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11743. [PMID: 34083572 PMCID: PMC8175514 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89977-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Necroptosis, a regulated form of necrosis, has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy that could enhance cancer immunotherapy. However, its role in tumorigenesis is still debated because recent studies have reported both anti- and pro-tumoral effects. Here, we aimed to systematically evaluate the associations between tumor necroptosis (mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein, MLKL; phosphorylated MLKL, pMLKL; and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1-receptor-interacting protein kinase 3, RIPK1-RIPK3 interaction) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (CD8+ and FOXp3+ T cells and CD163+ M2 macrophages) and tumor PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry in 88 cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients who had undergone surgical resection. Their associations with clinicopathological characteristics, survival data, and prognosis were evaluated. MLKL was found to be an unfavorable prognostic factor (p-value = 0.023, HR = 2.070) and was inversely correlated with a clinically favorable immune cell signature (high CD8+/high FOXp3+/low CD163+). Both pMLKL and RIPK1-RIPK3 interaction were detected in CCA primary tissues. In contrast to MLKL, pMLKL status was significantly positively correlated with a favorable immune signature (high CD8+/high FOXp3+/low CD163+) and PD-L1 expression. Patients with high pMLKL-positive staining were significantly associated with an increased abundance of CD8+ T cell intratumoral infiltration (p-value = 0.006). Patients with high pMLKL and PD-L1 expressions had a longer overall survival (OS). The results from in vitro experiments showed that necroptosis activation in an RMCCA-1 human CCA cell line selectively promoted proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression. Jurkat T cells stimulated with necroptotic RMCCA-1-derived conditioned medium promoted PD-L1 expression in RMCCA-1. Our findings demonstrated the differential associations of necroptosis activation (pMLKL) and MLKL with a clinically favorable immune signature and survival rates and highlighted a novel therapeutic possibility for combining a necroptosis-based therapeutic approach with immune checkpoint inhibitors for more efficient treatment of CCA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanpisit Lomphithak
- Graduate Program in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Perawatt Akara-Amornthum
- Graduate Program in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Keigo Murakami
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Hashimoto
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hajime Usubuchi
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Erina Iwabuchi
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Michiaki Unno
- Department of Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 98-8075, Japan
| | - Zhenyu Cai
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Hironobu Sasano
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Siriporn Jitkaew
- Age-Related Inflammation and Degeneration Research Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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