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Kula A, Koszewska D, Kot A, Dawidowicz M, Mielcarska S, Waniczek D, Świętochowska E. The Importance of HHLA2 in Solid Tumors-A Review of the Literature. Cells 2024; 13:794. [PMID: 38786018 PMCID: PMC11119147 DOI: 10.3390/cells13100794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a rapidly developing field of medicine that aims to use the host's immune mechanisms to inhibit and eliminate cancer cells. Antibodies targeting CTLA-4, PD-1, and its ligand PD-L1 are used in various cancer therapies. However, the most thoroughly researched pathway targeting PD-1/PD-L1 has many limitations, and multiple malignancies resist its effects. Human endogenous retrovirus-H Long repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2, known as B7H5/B7H7/B7y) is the youngest known molecule from the B7 family. HHLA2/TMIGD2/KIRD3DL3 is one of the critical pathways in modulating the immune response. Recent studies have demonstrated that HHLA2 has a double effect in modulating the immune system. The connection of HHLA2 with TMIGD2 induces T cell growth and cytokine production via an AKT-dependent signaling cascade. On the other hand, the binding of HHLA2 and KIR3DL3 leads to the inhibition of T cells and mediates tumor resistance against NK cells. This review aimed to summarize novel information about HHLA2, focusing on immunological mechanisms and clinical features of the HHLA2/KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 pathway in the context of potential strategies for malignancy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kula
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 41-808 Katowice, Poland; (M.D.); (D.W.)
| | - Dominika Koszewska
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; (D.K.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (E.Ś.)
| | - Anna Kot
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; (D.K.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (E.Ś.)
| | - Miriam Dawidowicz
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 41-808 Katowice, Poland; (M.D.); (D.W.)
| | - Sylwia Mielcarska
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; (D.K.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (E.Ś.)
| | - Dariusz Waniczek
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 41-808 Katowice, Poland; (M.D.); (D.W.)
| | - Elżbieta Świętochowska
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 19 Jordana, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; (D.K.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (E.Ś.)
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Aydın AH, Turhan N. Comparison of mismatch repair and immune checkpoint protein profile with histopathological parameters in pancreatic, periampullary/ampullary, and choledochal adenocarcinomas. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:875-882. [PMID: 38577456 PMCID: PMC10989388 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i3.875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic, periampullary/ampullary, and choledochal adenocarcinomas are aggressive malignancies with a poor prognosis. Immune checkpoint blockade is a promising treatment option for several tumor types. H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2), which is analogous to programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), is a recently discovered member of the B7/cluster of differentiation 28 family and is expressed in many malignancies. AIM To analyze the expression of HHLA2 and its association with the pathologic biomarkers that predict sensitivity to immunotherapy. METHODS Ninety-two adenocarcinoma cases located in the pancreas, ampulla, and distal common bile duct were identified. This study assessed 106 pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal/total pancreatectomy samples that were delivered to Ankara City Hospital between 2019 and 2021. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to examine the expression of DNA mismatch repair (MMR), PD-L1, and HHLA2 proteins. RESULTS Patients with high HHLA2 expression had a higher mean age than those with low expression. Low HHLA2 expression was associated with high perineural invasion. HHLA2 expression was low in pathological stage T3 (pT) 3 cases and high in pathological stage T1, T2, and T4 cases. There was no correlation between HHLA2 expression and the expression of MMR proteins and PD-L1. CONCLUSION Evaluation of HHLA2 expression in microsatellite stable and PD-L1-negative tumors may be useful for predicting the response of individuals to immunotherapy and may serve as a novel therapeutic target for immunotherapy in advanced-stage disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arzu Hazal Aydın
- Department of Pathology, Aksaray University Aksaray Training and Research Hospital, Aksaray 68200, Turkey
| | - Nesrin Turhan
- Department of Pathology, University of Health Sciences Ankara City Hospital, Ankara 06800, Turkey
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Li Y, Yang Q, Yang X, Ge J, Xu T, Liu H. HHLA2 is more significantly associated with poor prognosis in TSCC than PD-L1. J Oral Pathol Med 2024; 53:159-168. [PMID: 38321252 DOI: 10.1111/jop.13514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality of tongue squamous cell carcinoma have shown an alarming increase in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the potential of HHLA2 as an immune checkpoint in comparison to PD-L1. METHODS We obtained RNA-seq data from TCGA to study HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression across various tissues. Using the CIBERSORT package, we estimated cell type abundances within mixed populations based on gene expression profiles. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression in Tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Prognostic evaluation was carried out with Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. To explore factors affecting HHLA2, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted with the COX regression model. Additionally, we used single-cell RNA sequencing data from the GEO database for gene set enrichment analysis with genes strongly correlated with HHLA2. RESULTS Our analysis of RNA-seq data unveiled a significant upregulation of HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression in primary tumors when compared with normal tissue. HHLA2 exhibited a positive expression rate of 36.9%, while PD-L1 had a positive expression rate of 24.6%. HHLA2 emerged as a noteworthy independent risk factor impacting the overall survival of Tongue squamous cell carcinoma patients. The analysis of scRNA-seq data shed light on the involvement of HHLA2 in key pathways related to cell cycle regulation and interferon alpha/beta signaling. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that in the context of Tongue squamous cell carcinoma, HHLA2 may represent a more promising target for immunotherapy when compared with PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Jie Ge
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Tianshu Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - HuaLian Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
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Gawesh ZM, Ibrahim EM, ElKalla HMHR, Awad AAH, Mohamed MA. Evaluation of HHLA2 and CD8 Immunohistochemical Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma and Their Prognostic Significance. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2023; 24:4309-4319. [PMID: 38156868 PMCID: PMC10909113 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2023.24.12.4309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) is a novel immune checkpoint molecule. The association between HHLA2 expression and clinicopathological features and its prognostic significance in CRC patients are still controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of HHLA2 and CD8 in CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 134 cases diagnosed with primary CRC at the Gastrointestinal Surgery Center (GISC) department, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, during the period from December 2014 to December 2018. Clinicopathological and survival data were collected. IHC for HHLA2 and CD8 was performed, and they were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient prognosis. RESULTS Among 134 CRC cases, high HHLA2 expression was detected in 73 (54.5%). High HHLA2 expression was significantly related to the depth of invasion (P = 0.005*), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01*), tumor stage )P = 0.002*), and distant recurrence )P = 0.012*). Multivariate analysis spotted HHLA2 high expression as an independent prognostic predictor for OS in CRC (P = 0.03*) and DFS (P = 0.008*). CD8 shows a significant correlation with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (P ≤ 0.001*), absence of metastasis ((P = 0.029*), absence of tumor deposits (P=0.014*). However, CD8 shows no significant association with survival or HHLA2. CONCLUSION HHLA2 is an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival and disease free survival of CRC patients and can predict poor prognosis in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mie Ali Mohamed
- Department of Pathology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt.
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J. Alternative immune checkpoints in immunoregulatory profile of cancer stem cells. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23171. [PMID: 38144305 PMCID: PMC10746460 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23171] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-mediated bypass of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, also called B7-H1 or CD274) or anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a challenge of current years in the area of cancer immunotherapy. Alternative immune checkpoints (AICs) are molecules beyond the common PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, and are upregulated in patients who show low/no ICI responses. These are members of B7 family including B7-H2 (ICOS-L), B7-H3 (CD276), B7-H4 (B7x), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), B7-H6, HHLA2 (B7-H5/B7-H7) and catabolic enzymes like indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), and others that are also contributed to the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). There is also strong evidence supporting the implication of AICs in regulation of cancer stemness and expanding the population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs display immunoregulatory capacity and represent multiple immune checkpoints either on their surface or inside. Besides, they are active promoters of resistance to the common ICIs. The aim of this review is to investigate interrelations between AICs with stemness and differentiation profile of cancer. The key message of this paper is that targeted checkpoints can be selected based on their impact on CSCs along with their effect on immune cells. Studies published so far mainly focused on immune cells as a target for anti-checkpoints. Ex vivo engineering of extracellular vesicles (EVs) equipped with CSC-targeted anti-checkpoint antibodies is without a doubt a key therapeutic target that can be under consideration in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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Su Q, Du J, Xiong X, Xie X, Wang L. B7-H7: A potential target for cancer immunotherapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 121:110403. [PMID: 37290327 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy enhances the body's immunity against tumors by mitigating immune escape. Compared with traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapy has the advantages of fewer drugs, a wider range of action and fewer side effects. B7-H7 (also known as HHLA2, B7y) is a member of the B7 family of costimulatory molecules that was discovered more than 20 years ago. B7-H7 is mostly expressed in organs such as the breast, intestine, gallbladder and placenta and is detected predominantly in monocytes/macrophages in the immune system. Its expression is upregulated after stimulation by inflammatory factors such as lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ. B7-H7/transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2) and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 3 (KIR3DL3)-B7-H7 are the two currently confirmed signaling pathways for B7-H7. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that B7-H7 is widely present in a variety of human tumor tissues, especially in programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1)-negative human tumors. B7-H7 promotes tumor progression, disrupts T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity, and inhibits immune surveillance. B7-H7 also triggers tumor immune escape and is associated with clinical stage, depth of tumor infiltration, metastasis, prognosis, and survival related to different tumor types. Multiple studies have shown that B7-H7 is a promising immunotherapeutic target. Herein, review the current literature on the expression, regulation, receptors and function of B7-H7 and its regulation/function in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanping Su
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Health Commission of Shandong Province, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Linyi Key Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jingyi Du
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; School of Cinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical Universiy & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xingfang Xiong
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiaoli Xie
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Health Commission of Shandong Province, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Linyi Key Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Health Commission of Shandong Province, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Linyi Key Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Linyi, Shandong Province, China; Key Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China; Department of Hematology, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China.
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Mortezaee K. HHLA2 immune-regulatory roles in cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114639. [PMID: 37011487 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2 or B7-H7) is a newly discovered B7 family member. HHLA2 is aberrantly expressed in solid tumors and exerts co-stimulatory or co-inhibitory activities dependent on interaction with counter receptors. HHLA2 represents co-stimulatory effects upon interaction with transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2, also called CD28H), but its interaction with killer cell Ig-like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 3 (KIR3DL3) renders co-inhibitory effects. TMIGD2 is mainly expressed on resting or naïve T cells, whereas expression of KIR3DL3 occurs on activated T cells. HHLA2/KIR3DL3 attenuates responses from both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immunity, and the activity within this axis is regarded as a biomarker of weak prognosis in cancer patients. HHLA2/KIR3DL3 promotes CD8+ T cell exhaustion and induces macrophage polarity toward pro-tumor M2 phenotype. HHLA2 represents diverse expression profile and activity in tumor and stroma. Tumoral expression of HHLA2 is presumably higher compared with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and HHLA2 co-expression with PD-L1 is indicative of more severe outcomes. A suggested strategy in patients with HHLA2high cancer is to use monoclonal antibodies for specifically suppressing the HHLA2 inhibitory receptor KIR3DL3, not the HHLA2 ligand. TMIGD2 can be a target for development of agonistic bispecific antibodies for hampering tumor resistance to the programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 blockade therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
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Fu Y, Zheng P, Zheng X, Chen L, Kong C, Liu W, Li S, Jiang J. Downregulation of HHLA2 inhibits ovarian cancer progression via the NF-κB signaling pathway and suppresses the expression of CA9. Cell Immunol 2023; 388-389:104730. [PMID: 37210768 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2023.104730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
HHLA2 has been recently demonstrated to play multifaceted roles in several types of cancers. However, its underlying mechanism in the progression of human ovarian cancer (OC) remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether downregulation of HHLA2 inhibited malignant phenotypes of human OC cells and explore its specific mechanism. Our results revealed that downregulation of HHLA2 by transfection with a lentiviral vector significantly suppressed the viability, invasion, and migration of OC cells. Interaction study showed that downregulation of HHLA2 in OC cells reduced the expression of CA9 and increased the expressions of p-IKKβ and p-RelA. Conversely, the viability, invasion, and migration of HHLA2-depleted OC cells were increased when CA9 was upregulated. In vivo, we found that downregulation of HHLA2 significantly inhibited tumor growth, which was reversed by CA9 overexpression. In addition, downregulation of HHLA2 inhibited the OC progression via activating the NF-κB signaling pathway and decreasing the expression of CA9. Collectively, our data suggested a link between HHLA2 and NF-κB axis in the pathogenesis of OC, and these findings might provide valuable insights into the development of novel potential therapeutic targets for OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Fu
- Department of Gynecology, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Changzhou, China; Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Panpan Zheng
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Lujun Chen
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Caixia Kong
- Department of Gynecology, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Changzhou, China
| | - Wenzhi Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Changzhou, China
| | - Shuping Li
- Department of Gynecology, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Changzhou, China.
| | - Jingting Jiang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, Changzhou, China; Institute of Cell Therapy, Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
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Mortezaee K. B7-H3 immunoregulatory roles in cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114890. [PMID: 37196544 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3, also called CD276) is a checkpoint of B7 family that is aberrantly and consistently expressed in several human cancers, and its overexpression correlates with weak prognosis. B7-H3 is expressed on a number of cells, and it acts as a driver of immune evasion. This is mediated through hampering T cell infiltration and promoting exhaustion of CD8+ T cells. Increased B7-H3 activity also promotes macrophage polarity toward pro-tumor type 2 (M2) phenotype. In addition, high B7-H3 activity induces aberrant angiogenesis to promote hypoxia, a result of which is resistance to common immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. This is mediated through the impact of hypoxia on dampening CD8+ T cell recruitment into tumor area. The immunosuppressive property of B7-H3 offers insights into targeting this checkpoint as a desired approach in cancer immunotherapy. B7-H3 can be a target in blocking monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), combination therapies, chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells and bispecific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
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Pulanco MC, Madsen AT, Tanwar A, Corrigan DT, Zang X. Recent advancements in the B7/CD28 immune checkpoint families: new biology and clinical therapeutic strategies. Cell Mol Immunol 2023:10.1038/s41423-023-01019-8. [PMID: 37069229 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01019-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The B7/CD28 families of immune checkpoints play vital roles in negatively or positively regulating immune cells in homeostasis and various diseases. Recent basic and clinical studies have revealed novel biology of the B7/CD28 families and new therapeutics for cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the newly discovered KIR3DL3/TMIGD2/HHLA2 pathways, PD-1/PD-L1 and B7-H3 as metabolic regulators, the glycobiology of PD-1/PD-L1, B7x (B7-H4) and B7-H3, and the recently characterized PD-L1/B7-1 cis-interaction. We also cover the tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic resistance mechanisms to current anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapies in clinical settings. Finally, we review new immunotherapies targeting B7-H3, B7x, PD-1/PD-L1, and CTLA-4 in current clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc C Pulanco
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Anne T Madsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
- Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ankit Tanwar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Devin T Corrigan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, 10461, USA.
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Chen X, Li J, Chen Y, Que Z, Du J, Zhang J. B7 Family Members in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Attractive Targets for Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315005. [PMID: 36499340 PMCID: PMC9740860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 5-10%. The immune checkpoint blockade represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors has been effective in a variety of solid tumors but has had little clinical response in pancreatic cancer patients. The unique suppressive immune microenvironment is the primary reason for this outcome, and it is essential to identify key targets to remodel the immune microenvironment. Some B7 family immune checkpoints, particularly PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, VISTA and HHLA2, have been identified as playing a significant role in the control of tumor immune responses. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the recent research progress of some members of the B7 family in pancreatic cancer, which revealed that they can be involved in tumor progression through immune-dependent and non-immune-dependent pathways, highlighting the mechanisms of their involvement in tumor immune escape and assessing the prospects of their clinical application. Targeting B7 family immune checkpoints is expected to result in novel immunotherapeutic treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ziting Que
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiawei Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jianqiong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-83272314
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Huang FX, Wu JW, Cheng XQ, Wang JH, Wen XZ, Li JJ, Zhang Q, Jiang H, Ding QY, Zhu XF, Zhang XS, Ding Y, Li DD. HHLA2 predicts improved prognosis of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in patients with melanoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:902167. [PMID: 36003385 PMCID: PMC9395140 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.902167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As a recognized highly immunogenic tumor, immune checkpoint blockades (ICB) have been widely used as a systemic treatment option for melanoma. However, only about half of treated patients could benefit from it in Caucasians, and only about 15% in Chinese melanoma patients. Robust predictive biomarkers are needed. HHLA2, a new-found member of B7 family, is generally expressed in kinds of tumors, such as melanoma. This study focuses on illustrating the prognostic value of HHLA2 in melanoma immunotherapy and its association with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Methods HHLA2 expression in pan-cancer and the association with prognosis and immune microenvironment were identified by analyzing gene expression profiles from TCGA database with selected bioinformatics tools and methods. Tumor tissues from 81 cases with advanced and unresectable melanoma were collected for detecting HHLA2 and CD8 levels by immunohistochemistry. Results HHLA2 was found to be ubiquitously expressed in pan-cancer with high level and correlate with the prognosis of patients. Further comprehensive analysis from TCGA database demonstrated that the highly expressed HHLA2 was remarkably correlated with better prognosis, high infiltration status of various immune-active cells and immune activated pathways in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). Moreover, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses of FFPE tissue from melanoma patients revealed that HHLA2 high expression was strongly related to improved response to ICB and indicated a longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Besides, HHLA2 expression was found to have a positive association with the density of CD8+ TILs. Conclusion Our findings revealed that high expression of HHLA2 has important values in predicting the response to ICB and indicating improved PFS and OS in patients with advanced and unresectable melanoma, suggesting that HHLA2 may serve as a costimulatory ligand in melanoma, which renders it as an ideal biomarker for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-xue Huang
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jun-wan Wu
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia-qin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiu-hong Wang
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, China
| | - Xi-zhi Wen
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing-jing Li
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hang Jiang
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiu-yue Ding
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-feng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-shi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-shi Zhang, ; Ya Ding, ; Dan-dan Li,
| | - Ya Ding
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-shi Zhang, ; Ya Ding, ; Dan-dan Li,
| | - Dan-dan Li
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-shi Zhang, ; Ya Ding, ; Dan-dan Li,
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Li Y, Lv C, Yu Y, Wu B, Zhang Y, Lang Q, Liang Z, Zhong C, Shi Y, Han S, Xu F, Tian Y. KIR3DL3-HHLA2 and TMIGD2-HHLA2 pathways: The dual role of HHLA2 in immune responses and its potential therapeutic approach for cancer immunotherapy. J Adv Res 2022; 47:137-150. [PMID: 35933091 PMCID: PMC10173190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T cells and natural killer (NK) cells are essential components of the immune system and are regulated by coinhibitory and costimulatory molecules in which the B7 family and CD28 family play significant roles. Previous immune checkpoint studies on B7/CD28 family members, such as PD-1, have led to remarkable success in cancer immunotherapy. However, there is still a need to find new immune checkpoint molecules. Recent studies have demonstrated that HHLA2 exerts inhibitory and stimulatory functions on the immune system by binding to different receptors on different sites. However, the pathways between HHLA2 and its two receptors on T cells and NK cells remain controversial. AIM OF REVIEW Here, we reviewed recent studies about HHLA2 ligand interactions with KIR3DL3 and TMIGD2. We focused on elucidating the pathways between KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 and HHLA2 as well as their function in tumour progression. We also addressed the relationship between HHLA2 expression and the clinical prognosis of cancer patients. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW KIR3DL3/TMIGD2-HHLA2 may represent novel pathways within the tumour microenvironment and serve as crucial immune checkpoints for developing novel therapeutic drugs against human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Chao Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Baokang Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yizhou Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Qi Lang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Zhiyun Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Chongli Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yu Shi
- The First Clinical College of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shukun Han
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
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Zhang Y, Li H, Lv C, Wu B, Yu Y, Zhong C, Lang Q, Liang Z, Li Y, Shi Y, Jian J, Xu F, Tian Y. HHLA2 promotes tumor progression by long non‑coding RNA H19 in human gallbladder cancer. Int J Oncol 2022; 61:112. [PMID: 35920182 PMCID: PMC9374468 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2022.5402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of the most malignant of all types of biliary tract cancers that is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. Accumulating evidence suggest that the B7 family of proteins serve an essential role in various types of cancers, including GBC. However, the potential function and regulatory mechanism of human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2; also known as B7-H7 or B7H5) in GBC remain poorly understood. In the present study, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression pattern of HHLA2 in samples from 89 patients with GBC. The possible association between HHLA2 expression and the clinicopathological parameters, including prognosis, were then assessed. Using lentiviruses, overexpression of HHLA2 plasmid or short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) of HHLA2 were transfected into GBC-SD cells to overexpress or knock down HHLA2 expression, respectively. The effects of HHLA2 overexpression and knockdown on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process on GBC-SD cells were measured by the western blotting and immunofluorescence staining of collagen I, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, vimentin and α-SMA. By contrast, changes in cell proliferation were measured using EdU assay. Cell invasion and migration were assessed using Transwell and wound-healing assays, respectively. In addition, a xenograft mouse model was established to evaluate the tumorigenic ability of the GBC cell line in vivo after stable transfection with lentivirus for HHLA2 overexpression or shRNA for HHLA2 knockdown. The regulatory relationships among TGF-β1, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 (H19) and HHLA2 were then investigated. The mRNA expression of lncRNA H19 were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, whereas the expression levels of HHLA2 were detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. HHLA2 expression was found to gradually increase as the stages of the GBC samples become more advanced. In addition, the expression level of HHLA2 was calculated to be positively associated with the Nevin stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, tumor invasion and regional lymph node metastasis but was negatively associated with the overall patient survival (OS). In vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of HHLA2 promoted GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT, whereas in vivo experiments found a promoting role of HHLA2 overexpression on GBC tumor growth. After transfection with lentiviruses encoding the overexpression plasmid of lncRNA H19, GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT were increased. By contrast, knocking down HHLA2 expression suppressed TGF-β1- or lncRNA H19 overexpression-induced GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT. In addition, HHLA2 knockdown significantly reduced the sizes of the GBC tumors in vivo. These results suggest that HHLA2 overexpression can promote GBC progression. Conversely, ablation of HHLA2 expression inhibited both TGF-β1- and lncRNA H19-induced GBC progression, suggesting that HHLA2 is a potential therapeutic target for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Hanrong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110005, P.R. China
| | - Chao Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Baokang Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Surgery, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. China
| | - Chongli Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Qi Lang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyun Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Jian Jian
- Department of Oncology, Liaoyang Central Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoyang, Liaoning 111010, P.R. China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
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15
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Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating 2: The next immune checkpoint for antitumour therapy. EBioMedicine 2022; 79:103987. [PMID: 35439678 PMCID: PMC9035628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2) is a newly emerging immune checkpoint that belongs to B7 family. HHLA2 has a co-stimulatory receptor transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2) and a newly discovered co-inhibitory receptor killer cell Ig-like receptor, three Ig domains, and long cytoplasmic tail (KIR3DL3), which endows it with both immunostimulant and immunosuppression functions in cancer development. In this review, we summarize the HHLA2 expression profile in human cancers, its association with cancer prognosis and clinical features, and its dual roles in regulating cancer immune response through up-to-date literatures. Furthermore, we highlight that precision cancer immunotherapy through manipulating HHLA2-KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 interaction is a promising antitumour strategy.
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Deng J, Zhang Q, Lv L, Ma P, Zhang Y, Zhao N, Zhang Y. Identification of an autophagy-related gene signature for predicting prognosis and immune activity in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7006. [PMID: 35488119 PMCID: PMC9054801 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11050-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (PAAD) is a cancerous growth that deteriorates rapidly and has a poor prognosis. Researchers are investigating autophagy in PAAD to identify a new biomarker and treatment target. An autophagy-related gene (ARG) model for overall survival (OS) was constructed using multivariate Cox regression analyses. A cohort of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-PAAD was used as the training group as a basis for model construction. This prediction model was validated with several external datasets. To evaluate model performance, the analysis with receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) was performed. The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) were investigated to validate the effects of ARGs expression on cancer cells. Comparing the levels of immune infiltration between high-risk and low-risk groups was finished through the use of CIBERSORT. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the low-/high-risk groups were analyzed further via Gene Ontology biological process (GO-BP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses, which were used to identify potential small-molecule compounds in Connectivity Map (CMap), followed by half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) examination with PANC-1 cells. The risk score was finally calculated as follows: BAK1 × 0.34 + ITGA3 × 0.38 + BAG3 × 0.35 + APOL1 × 0.26-RAB24 × 0.67519. ITGA3 and RAB24 both emerged as independent prognostic factors in multivariate Cox regression. Each PAAD cohort had a significantly shorter OS in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. The high-risk group exhibited infiltration of several immune cell types, including naive B cells (p = 0.003), plasma cells (p = 0.044), and CD8 T cells (nearly significant, p = 0.080). Higher infiltration levels of NK cells (p = 0.025), resting macrophages (p = 0.020), and mast cells (p = 0.007) were found in the high-risk group than the low-risk group. The in vitro and in vivo expression of signature ARGs was consistent in the CCLE and HPA databases. The top 3 enriched Gene Ontology biological processes (GO-BPs) were signal release, regulation of transsynaptic signaling, and modulation of chemical synaptic transmission, and the top 3 enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were MAPK, cAMP, and cell adhesion molecules. Four potential small-molecule compounds (piperacetazine, vinburnine, withaferin A and hecogenin) that target ARGs were also identified. Taking the results together, our research shows that the ARG signature may serve as a useful prognostic indicator and reveal potential therapeutic targets in patients with PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Deng
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Lv
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Ma
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangyang Zhang
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanyu Zhang
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Blood Safety and Supply Technologies, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China.
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A Novel Machine Learning 13-Gene Signature: Improving Risk Analysis and Survival Prediction for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092111. [PMID: 35565241 PMCID: PMC9103317 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer which comprises the majority of all renal cell carcinomas. Many efforts have been made to identify biomarkers which could help healthcare professionals better treat this kind of cancer. With extensive public data available, we conducted a machine learning study to determine a gene signature that could indicate patient survival with high accuracy. Through the min-Redundancy and Max-Relevance algorithm we generated a signature of 13 genes highly correlated with patient outcomes. These findings reveal potential strategies for personalized medicine in the clinical practice. Abstract Patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) have poor survival outcomes, especially if it has metastasized. It is of paramount importance to identify biomarkers in genomic data that could help predict the aggressiveness of ccRCC and its resistance to drugs. Thus, we conducted a study with the aims of evaluating gene signatures and proposing a novel one with higher predictive power and generalization in comparison to the former signatures. Using ccRCC cohorts of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-KIRC) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC-RECA), we evaluated linear survival models of Cox regression with 14 signatures and six methods of feature selection, and performed functional analysis and differential gene expression approaches. In this study, we established a 13-gene signature (AR, AL353637.1, DPP6, FOXJ1, GNB3, HHLA2, IL4, LIMCH1, LINC01732, OTX1, SAA1, SEMA3G, ZIC2) whose expression levels are able to predict distinct outcomes of patients with ccRCC. Moreover, we performed a comparison between our signature and others from the literature. The best-performing gene signature was achieved using the ensemble method Min-Redundancy and Max-Relevance (mRMR). This signature comprises unique features in comparison to the others, such as generalization through different cohorts and being functionally enriched in significant pathways: Urothelial Carcinoma, Chronic Kidney disease, and Transitional cell carcinoma, Nephrolithiasis. From the 13 genes in our signature, eight are known to be correlated with ccRCC patient survival and four are immune-related. Our model showed a performance of 0.82 using the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) Area Under Curve (AUC) metric and it generalized well between the cohorts. Our findings revealed two clusters of genes with high expression (SAA1, OTX1, ZIC2, LINC01732, GNB3 and IL4) and low expression (AL353637.1, AR, HHLA2, LIMCH1, SEMA3G, DPP6, and FOXJ1) which are both correlated with poor prognosis. This signature can potentially be used in clinical practice to support patient treatment care and follow-up.
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Long L, Zhang L, Yang Y, Zhou Y, Chen H. Different clinical significance of novel B7 family checkpoints VISTA and HHLA2 in human lung adenocarcinoma. Immunotherapy 2022; 14:419-431. [PMID: 35187955 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2021-0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: VISTA and HHLA2 are two recently identified members of the B7 homologue family of immune-regulatory molecules. But the expression patterns and clinical significance of VISTA and HHLA2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain largely unknown. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of VISTA, HHLA2, PD-L1 and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in 74 cases of LUAD. The expression of VISTA, HHLA2, PD-L1, CD68 and CD8 proteins was detected by multiplex immunofluorescence staining in the LUAD tissues. Results: High expression of VISTA and HHLA2 was observed in LUAD compared with noncancerous tissues. High VISTA expression in immune cells predicted a high mortality rate and worse survival. Conclusion: VISTA and HHLA2 are potential immunotherapeutic targets that possess different prognostic significance in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Long
- Department of Radiation & Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China.,Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
| | - Yunfeng Zhou
- Department of Radiation & Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
| | - Honglei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China.,Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
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Niu Y, Huang Y, Dong A, Sun Y. Human Endogenous Retrovirus-H Long Terminal Repeat-Associating Protein 2 Possesses Prognostic Significance and Promotes Progression of Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:1509-1516. [PMID: 35210824 PMCID: PMC8857980 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s338564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Patients and Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhi Niu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yichuan Huang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anbing Dong
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinghe Sun
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Yinghe Sun, Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-532-82919570, Email
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Zhou Q, Li K, Lai Y, Yao K, Wang Q, Zhan X, Peng S, Cai W, Yao W, Zang X, Xu K, Huang J, Huang H. B7 score and T cell infiltration stratify immune status in prostate cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-002455. [PMID: 34417325 PMCID: PMC8381330 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis blockers, exhibit prominent antitumor effects against numerous malignancies, their benefit for patients with prostate cancer (PCa) has been somewhat marginal. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of B7-H3 or HHLA2 as alternative immunotherapeutic targets in PCa. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression pattern of PD-L1, B7-H3 and HHLA2 and the infiltration of CD8+ and Foxp3+ lymphocytes in 239 PCa tissues from two independent cohorts. The correlations between B7-H3 and HHLA2 and clinicopathological features, including the presence of CD8+ and Foxp3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), were explored. RESULTS HHLA2 expression was much higher than PD-L1 expression but lower than B7-H3 expression in PCa tissues. High expression of both B7-H3 and HHLA2 was significantly associated with higher Gleason score and tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and dismal overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Moreover, a high B7 score, defined as high B7-H3 expression and/or high HHLA2 expression, was an independent prognostic predictor for PCa. Of note, a high B7 score was negatively correlated with CD8+ TILs. Importantly, a new immune classification, based on the B7 score and CD8+ TILs, successfully stratified OS and CSS in PCa. CONCLUSIONS Both B7-H3 and HHLA2 have a critical impact on the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and the B7 score could be used as an independent prognostic factor for PCa. The B7 score combined with CD8+ TILs could be used as a new immune classification to stratify the risk of death, especially cancer-related death, for patients with PCa. These findings may provide insights that could improve response to immune-related comprehensive therapy for PCa in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianghua Zhou
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Kaiwen Li
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Yiming Lai
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Kai Yao
- Department of urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Xiangyu Zhan
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Shirong Peng
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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
| | - Wenli Cai
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wei Yao
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Kewei Xu
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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 Provincial Clinical Research Center for Urological Diseases, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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 Provincial Clinical Research Center for Urological Diseases, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hai Huang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 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 Provincial Clinical Research Center for Urological Diseases, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, Guangdong, china
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21
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Xu Y, Huang Z, Yu X, Li Z, Zheng L, Xu J. HHLA2 Expression is Associated with Poor Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biologics 2021; 15:329-341. [PMID: 34413629 PMCID: PMC8370585 DOI: 10.2147/btt.s325019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) is a member of the B7 family; however, little is known regarding its expression and clinical relevance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods To better characterize HHLA2 expression in HCC, we analyzed its expression by in situ staining and further investigated its correlation with immune infiltration and patient prognosis. Results HHLA2 was primarily expressed in the peri-tumor region of HCC tissues and co-localized with CD68+ monocytes/macrophages. In vitro analysis and multi-immunofluorescence staining showed up-regulated HHLA2 expression in tumor-activated monocytes/macrophages, and HHLA2+ monocytes/macrophages expressed high levels of HLA-DR in HCC tissue. A correlation analysis showed that samples displaying high HHLA2 expression in the peri-tumor region had significant tumor infiltration of CD204+ and CD11b+ cells, and low expression of genes associated with an anti-tumor immune response. The high level of peri-tumoral HHLA2 expression was associated with a poor patient overall survival (OS; P = 0.008). A multivariate analysis revealed that HHLA2 expression in the peri-tumor region was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio = 1.872, p = 0.003). Moreover, the expression of HHLA2 was negatively correlated with PD-L1, and patients exhibiting HHLA2 and programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1) co-expression had the shortest survival time. Conclusion HHLA2 expression represented an immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC, and may serve as a potential target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yituo Xu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijie Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingjuan Yu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhixiong Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Limin Zheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Xu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
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22
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Zhang C, Xu J, Ye J, Zhang X. Prognostic value of HHLA2 expression in solid tumors: A meta-analysis based on the Chinese population. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e26789. [PMID: 34397730 PMCID: PMC8322499 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000026789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2), a newly discovered member of the B7 family, is overexpressed in numerous tumors. However, the prognostic impact of HHLA2 in human cancers remains controversial. Thus, we performed this meta-analysis to explore the prognostic value of HHLA2 in Chinese patients with solid tumors. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFang databases were systematically searched for eligible studies that evaluated the impact of HHLA2 on overall survival (OS) in patients with cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to evaluate the association between HHLA2 expression and OS in solid tumors. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were pooled to assess the correlation between HHLA2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics in solid tumors. RESULTS A total of 12 studies, including 15 cohorts and 1747 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. We found that high HHLA2 expression was significantly associated with shorter OS (HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.12-2.43). Subgroup analysis by cancer type demonstrated that high HHLA2 expression was associated with poor OS in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (HR = 3.42, 95% CI: 2.39-4.91), gastric cancer (HR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.31-3.16), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.24-2.53), lung cancer (HR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.33-3.44) and other cancer types (HR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.34-3.24), but not in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.08-3.56). Nevertheless, high HHLA2 expression was associated with better OS in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32-0.64). Furthermore, high HHLA2 expression was associated with old age (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.03-1.63), lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.41-2.81), and vascular invasion (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.42). CONCLUSIONS HHLA2 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for solid tumors in Chinese population, by predict the prognosis of cancer patients based on their tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanmeng Zhang
- The Center for Translational Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital, Affiliated 5 to Nantong University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jie Xu
- The Center for Translational Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital, Affiliated 5 to Nantong University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jun Ye
- The Center for Translational Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital, Affiliated 5 to Nantong University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- Outpatient Department, Taizhou People's Hospital, Affiliated 5 to Nantong University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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23
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Wei Y, Ren X, Galbo PM, Moerdler S, Wang H, Sica RA, Etemad-Gilbertson B, Shi L, Zhu L, Tang X, Lin Q, Peng M, Guan F, Zheng D, Chinai JM, Zang X. KIR3DL3-HHLA2 is a human immunosuppressive pathway and a therapeutic target. Sci Immunol 2021; 6:eabf9792. [PMID: 34244312 PMCID: PMC9744578 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abf9792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The B7 family ligand HERV-H LTR-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy because of its coinhibitory function, overexpression in human cancers, and association with poor prognoses. However, the knowledge of the HHLA2 pathway is incomplete. HHLA2 has an established positive receptor transmembrane and immunoglobulin (Ig) domain containing 2 (TMIGD2) but a poorly characterized negative receptor human killer cell Ig-like receptor, three Ig domains, and long cytoplasmic tail (KIR3DL3). Here, KIR3DL3 and TMIGD2 simultaneously bound to different sites of HHLA2. KIR3DL3 was mainly expressed on CD56dim NK and terminally differentiated effector memory CD8+ T (CD8+ TEMRA) cells. KIR3DL3+ CD8+ TEMRA acquired an NK-like phenotype and function. HHLA2 engagement recruited KIR3DL3 to the immunological synapse and coinhibited CD8+ T and NK cell function and killing, inducing immune-evasive HHLA2+ tumors. KIR3DL3 recruited SHP-1 and SHP-2 to attenuate Vav1, ERK1/2, AKT, and NF-κB signaling. HHLA2+ tumors from human kidney, lung, gallbladder, and stomach were infiltrated by KIR3DL3+ immune cells. KIR3DL3 blockade inhibited tumor growth in multiple humanized mouse models. Thus, our findings elucidated the molecular and cellular basis for the inhibitory function of KIR3DL3, demonstrating that the KIR3DL3-HHLA2 pathway is a potential immunotherapeutic target for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wei
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Xiaoxin Ren
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Phillip M Galbo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Scott Moerdler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - R Alejandro Sica
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Lei Shi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Liqiang Zhu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Xudong Tang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Qi Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Mou Peng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Fangxia Guan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jordan M Chinai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Urology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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24
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Farrag MS, Ibrahim EM, El-Hadidy TA, Akl MF, Elsergany AR, Abdelwahab HW. Human Endogenous Retrovirus-H Long Terminal Repeat- Associating Protein 2 (HHLA2) is a Novel Immune Checkpoint Protein in Lung Cancer which Predicts Survival. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2021; 22:1883-1889. [PMID: 34181347 PMCID: PMC8418860 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2021.22.6.1883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
ackground: Lung cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies. Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) is a recently discovered ligand of the B7 family. Blocking this immune checkpoint has become an important treatment option for lung cancer. METHODS The study includes 62 biopsy specimens either bronchoscopic or CT-guided biopsies diagnosed as lung cancer in Hospitals of Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt during the period from 2016 to 2020. Immunohistochemical Staining for HHLA2 and EGFR was performed. HHLA2 expression was assessed in different pathological types of lung Cancer, and it was correlated with other clinicopathologic parameters and patient prognosis. RESULTS We found a significant association between HHLA2 expression and metastasis. About 83% of patients presented with metastasis showed positive expression of HHLA2 compared to 44.4% in patients with no metastasis (p=0.02). Also, results show significant mild positive correlation between expression of HHLA2 and EGFR markers (p=0.045). The mean OS time in cases with positive HHLA2 expression was nearly half that of patients with negative expression of the markers. However, this difference was not statistically significant. But, PFS of patients was significantly lower among the group with positive expression of HHLA2 compared to the group with negative expression of HHLA2 (p= 0.01). CONCLUSIONS This study reports that recently discovered, HHLA2 is over expressed in lung cancer associating with higher stage. It is also correlated with EGFR overexpression. HHLA2 could serve as a predictor of progression and distant metastasis. Also, it has potential to be effective immune target in lung cancer immunotherapy such as checkpoint blockade and antibody-drug conjugate treatment. .
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayada Saad Farrag
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
| | - Eman Mohamad Ibrahim
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Tamer A El-Hadidy
- Department Chest Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed Farouk Akl
- Department of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Alyaa R Elsergany
- Department Internal Medicine, Oncology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Heba Wagih Abdelwahab
- Department Chest Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
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25
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Geerdes EE, Sideras K, Aziz MH, van Eijck CH, Bruno MJ, Sprengers D, Boor PPC, Kwekkeboom J. Cancer Cell B7-H3 Expression Is More Prevalent in the Pancreato-Biliary Subtype of Ampullary Cancer Than in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:615691. [PMID: 33996541 PMCID: PMC8117087 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.615691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
B7-H3 is an immunomodulatory member of the B7-superfamily with limited expression in normal tissues, but overexpression in several types of cancer. Therefore it is currently being explored as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. The biological relevance of B7-H3 expression in pancreatic cancer is unclear, while there are no data on B7-H3 expression in ampullary cancer. We aimed to compare intra-tumoral B7-H3 expression between these two closely related cancer types and analyze its association with post-surgical disease course. B7-H3 expression levels were determined by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays of resected tumors of 137 pancreatic cancer patients and 83 patients with ampullary cancer of the pancreato-biliary subtype. B7-H3 was more frequently expressed in cancer cells of ampullary cancer patients compared to pancreatic cancer patients (51% versus 21%; p< 0.001). In ampullary cancer patients, but not in pancreatic cancer patients, B7-H3 cancer cell expression was associated with longer disease-free survival and patient survival. However, the prognostic value of B7-H3 was lost upon adjustment for CA19-9 levels. The frequencies of B7-H3 expression in tumor stroma did not differ between the two types of cancer (66% versus 63%). In both cancer types, stromal B7-H3 expression was not associated with post-surgical disease course. Compared to pancreatic cancer, B7-H3 is more frequently expressed in cancer cells of patients with the pancreato-biliary subtype of ampullary cancer. These data suggest that B7-H3 may represent an interesting potential target for immunotherapy in ampullary cancer rather than in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Geerdes
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kostandinos Sideras
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - M Hosein Aziz
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Casper H van Eijck
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marco J Bruno
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Dave Sprengers
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Patrick P C Boor
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jaap Kwekkeboom
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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26
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Byun JM, Cho HJ, Park HY, Lee DS, Choi IH, Kim YN, Jeong CH, Kim DH, Hwa Im D, Min BJ, Lee KB, Sung MS, Jeong DH. The clinical significance of HERV-H LTR -associating 2 expression in cervical adenocarcinoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e23691. [PMID: 33429737 PMCID: PMC7793359 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000023691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
HERV-H LTR -associating 2 (HHLA2) is a recently discovered member of the B7-family of immune checkpoint molecules that is overexpressed in several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of HHLA2 in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) and the relationship between its expression and clinicopathological factors to assess its use as a potential marker for AC prognosis.This study included 76 patients diagnosed with cervical AC. Their resected specimens were obtained and a tissue microarray was constructed. Expression of HHLA2 was detected by the immunohistochemistry. Based on the follow-up data, correlation of HHLA2 expression and clinicopathological features, including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival, was evaluated. Furthermore, we investigated the correlation between the expression of HHLA2 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1).A total of 76 cases of invasive cervical AC were evaluated. High HHLA2 expression was detected in 62 cases (81.6%) and low HHLA2 expression was presented in 14 cases (18.4%). HHLA2 expression showed a significant negative correlation with lymph node metastasis (P = .011). Disease free survival was 75.0% and 49.0% in high-expression and the low expression group, respectively (P = .057). Although there was no statistical significance, an improved OS was observed in the high expression group (83.1% vs 64.9%, P = .479). Further, the expression of HHLA2 and PD-L1 correlated positively (P = .005). Thus, an improved OS was observed in the PD-L1 expression group (90.7% vs 66.2%, P = .037).High expression of HHLA2 is related to tumor progression and prognosis in patients with cervical AC. Therefore, HHLA2 may be a potential biomarker for predicting prognosis of cervical AC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Mi Byun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, College of Medicine
| | - Hwa Jin Cho
- Department of Pathology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Ha Young Park
- Department of Pathology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Dae Sim Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, College of Medicine
| | - In Hak Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology
- Innovative Therapeutics Research Institute (ITRI)
| | - Young Nam Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, College of Medicine
| | - Chul Hoi Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, South Korea
| | - Da Hyun Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Do Hwa Im
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Byoung Jin Min
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Kyung Bok Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Moon Su Sung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
| | - Dae Hoon Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, College of Medicine
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27
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Zhang Z, Liu J, Zhang C, Li F, Li L, Wang D, Chand D, Guan F, Zang X, Zhang Y. Over-Expression and Prognostic Significance of HHLA2, a New Immune Checkpoint Molecule, in Human Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:280. [PMID: 32509772 PMCID: PMC7248229 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
HHLA2, a newly identified B7 family member, regulates T cell functions. However, the expression and prognostic value of HHLA2 in solid tumors is ill defined. This study aimed to reveal the expression landscape of HHLA2 in various solid tumors, and to evaluate its prognostic value in kidney clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we investigated the expression pattern of HHLA2 across 22 types of cancer. HHLA2 and CD8 protein expression was determined via immunohistochemistry (IHC). KIRC-specific findings were further analyzed with R software and the prognostic value was validated on tissue microarrays. HHLA2 was widely expressed in cancers at both the mRNA and protein levels. Among all tested tumors, KIRC showed the highest transcript level of HHLA2, and HHLA2 levels were significantly higher in tumor tissues than in matched normal samples, as evidenced by both TCGA and IHC data. HHLA2 was also positively correlated with survival rates in KIRC based on TCGA and clinical data. Receiver operating characteristic curves data showed the prognostic value of HHLA2 for patients with KIRC in TCGA. Moreover, HHLA2 was positively correlated with immune-related genes, while HHLA2 and CD8 expression exhibited a consistent trend in KIRC tumor samples. In conclusion, HHLA2 is highly expressed in KIRC and predicts a favorable survival outcome, highlighting that it may work as a potential target for KIRC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinyan Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chaoqi Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Li
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Damini Chand
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Fangxia Guan
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
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