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Li X, Jian J, Zhang A, Xiang JM, Huang J, Chen Y. The role of immune cells and immune related genes in the tumor microenvironment of papillary thyroid cancer and their significance for immunotherapy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18125. [PMID: 39103463 PMCID: PMC11300445 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69187-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common pathological type of thyroid cancer (THCA) and shows a better prognosis than other types. However, further research is needed to determine the risk of PTC. We herein used the CIBERSORT algorithm to analyze the gene-expression profile obtained from TCGA, estimated the infiltration ratio of 22 immune cell types in tumor tissues and normal tissues, analyzed the differential expression of immune-related genes, and identified immune cells and immune-related genes related to clinical progress and prognosis. We uncovered 12 immune cell types and nine immune-related genes that were closely correlated with TNM staging, and two immune cell types (activated NK cells and γδT cells) and one immune-related gene (CD40LG) that were associated with prognosis. After evaluation, four immune cell types could be used to determine low-risk PTC, with six immune cell types and six immune-related genes closely associated with high-risk PTC. The type and quantity of infiltrating immune cells in the microenvironment of PTC, as well as immune-related genes, appear to be closely related to tumor progression and can therefore be used as important indicators for the evaluation of patient prognosis. We posit that the study of immune cells and immune-related genes in the tumor microenvironment will facilitate the determination of low-risk PTC more accurately, and that this will greatly promote the development of high-risk PTC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xumei Li
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Changshou District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Jian
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Changshou District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Anzhi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Jiaxing University Affiliated Women and Children Hospital (Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Jiang Ming Xiang
- Department of Surgery, Chongqing Changshou District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingjing Huang
- Department of Surgery, Chongqing Changshou District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanlin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Cheng D, Zhang Z, Liu D, Mi Z, Tao W, Fu J, Fan H. Unraveling T cell exhaustion in the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma via single-cell RNA transcriptome. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:35. [PMID: 38280005 PMCID: PMC10821851 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03585-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) represents a profoundly invasive malignancy of the skeletal system. T cell exhaustion (Tex) is known to facilitate immunosuppression and tumor progression, but its role in OS remains unclear. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing data was employed to identify exhausted T cells within the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of OS. We found that exhausted T cells exhibited substantial infiltration in OS samples. Pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed a progressive increase in the expression of various Tex marker genes, including PDCD1, CTLA4, LAG3, ENTPD1, and HAVCR2 in OS. GSVA showed that apoptosis, fatty acid metabolism, xenobiotic metabolism, and the interferon pathway were significantly activated in exhausted T cells in OS. Subsequently, a prognostic model was constructed using two Tex-specific genes, MYC and FCGR2B, which exhibited exceptional prognostic accuracy in two independent cohorts. Drug sensitivity analysis revealed that OS patients with a low Tex risk were responsive to Dasatinib and Pazopanib. Finally, immunohistochemistry verified that MYC and FCGR2B were significantly upregulated in OS tissues compared with adjacent tissues. This study investigates the role of Tex within the TIME of OS, and offers novel insights into the mechanisms underlying disease progression as well as the potential treatment strategies for OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debin Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Zhenzhou Mi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Weidong Tao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Jun Fu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
| | - Hongbin Fan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
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Gu C, Wang X, Wang K, Xie F, Chen L, Ji H, Sun J. Cryoablation triggers type I interferon-dependent antitumor immunity and potentiates immunotherapy efficacy in lung cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008386. [PMID: 38272564 PMCID: PMC10824009 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryoablation is a minimally invasive option for patients with medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and can trigger abscopal immune-regulatory effects. However, it remains unclear how cryoablation affects the host-level immune response in NSCLC. In this study, we investigated the local and systemic immunological effects of cryoablation and the potential of combining cryoablation with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade to boost immunotherapy efficacy in NSCLC. METHODS We first investigated systemic immunological effects induced by cryoablation in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Subsequently, we explored cryoablation-induced antitumor immunity and the underlying biological mechanisms using KP (Kras G12D/+, Tp53 -/-) mutant lung cancer cell allograft mouse models. Moreover, the synergistic efficacy of cryoablation and PD-1 blockade was explored in both mouse models and patients with unresectable NSCLC. RESULTS We found that cryoablation significantly increased circulating CD8+ T cell subpopulations and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with early-stage NSCLC. In lung cancer cell allograft mouse models, we demonstrated that cryoablation resulted in abscopal growth inhibition of contralateral, non-ablated tumors. Integrated analysis of bulk, single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing data revealed that cryoablation reprogrammed the intratumoral immune microenvironment and increased CD8+ T cell infiltration with higher effector signature, interferon (IFN) response, and cytolytic activity. Mechanistically, cryoablation promoted antitumor effect through the STING-dependent type I IFN signaling pathway, and type I IFN signaling blockade attenuated this antitumor effect. We also found that the combination of PD-1 blockade with cryoablation further inhibited tumor growth compared with either treatment alone in an allograft mouse model. Moreover, the combination therapy induced notable tumor suppression and CD8+ T cell infiltration in patients with unresectable NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide mechanistic insights into how cryoablation triggers the antitumor immune effect in lung cancer, thereby potentiating programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/PD-1 blockade efficacy in the clinical treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjia Gu
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fangfang Xie
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongbin Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiayuan Sun
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
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Liu X, Zhou R, Liu L, Si S, Yang S, Han D, Tan H. Short-term outcomes of combined therapy with sirolimus and interferon-alpha 2b for advanced hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2024; 16:17588359231220509. [PMID: 38188469 PMCID: PMC10768615 DOI: 10.1177/17588359231220509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an extremely rare tumor, and no standard therapy has been established yet. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term results of combined therapy with sirolimus and interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-a 2b) (SI therapy). Methods From January 2022 to April 2023, 40 patients histologically diagnosed with hepatic EHE and progressive disease received SI therapy. All patients were regularly evaluated for the safety and efficacy of the SI therapy. Patients who received SI therapy for <3 months without a tumor status evaluation after treatment were excluded. Results Twenty-nine patients with hepatic EHE were included in this study. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was 0 in 19 (65.5%) patients and 1 in 10 (34.5%) patients. The median duration of the SI therapy was 8 months (range, 3-15 months). Twenty-three (79.3%) patients showed a decrease in tumor size, including 11 (37.9%) patients who achieved a partial response and one (3.4%) who achieved a complete response; the objective response rate was 41.4%. Stable disease was observed in 13 (44.8%) patients, with a disease control rate of 86.2%. Adverse events (AES) were observed in 18 patients, including leukopenia (31.0%), oral ulcers (13.8%), and liver injury (10.3%). No severe (grade ⩾ 3) AEs were recorded, and SI therapy was not interrupted for any patient due to AEs. Conclusion Sirolimus and IFN-a 2b may have synergistic effects in the treatment of hepatic EHE. SI therapy is a safe and effective treatment for hepatic EHE patients with good ECOG performance status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Liu
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, 2 Yinghua Dongjie, Hepingli, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ruiquan Zhou
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liguo Liu
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Si
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shiwei Yang
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dongdong Han
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Haidong Tan
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, 2 Yinghua Dongjie, Hepingli, Beijing 100029, China
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Holicek P, Guilbaud E, Klapp V, Truxova I, Spisek R, Galluzzi L, Fucikova J. Type I interferon and cancer. Immunol Rev 2024; 321:115-127. [PMID: 37667466 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Type I interferon (IFN) is a class of proinflammatory cytokines with a dual role on malignant transformation, tumor progression, and response to therapy. On the one hand, robust, acute, and resolving type I IFN responses have been shown to mediate prominent anticancer effects, reflecting not only their direct cytostatic/cytotoxic activity on (at least some) malignant cells, but also their pronounced immunostimulatory functions. In line with this notion, type I IFN signaling has been implicated in the antineoplastic effects of various immunogenic therapeutics, including (but not limited to) immunogenic cell death (ICD)-inducing agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). On the other hand, weak, indolent, and non-resolving type I IFN responses have been demonstrated to support tumor progression and resistance to therapy, reflecting the ability of suboptimal type I IFN signaling to mediate cytoprotective activity, promote stemness, favor tolerance to chromosomal instability, and facilitate the establishment of an immunologically exhausted tumor microenvironment. Here, we review fundamental aspects of type I IFN signaling and their context-dependent impact on malignant transformation, tumor progression, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Holicek
- Sotio Biotech, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Emma Guilbaud
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vanessa Klapp
- Tumor Stroma Interactions, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | | | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio Biotech, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio Biotech, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
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Zhang Y, Ma S, Li T, Tian Y, Zhou H, Wang H, Huang L. ILC1-derived IFN-γ regulates macrophage activation in colon cancer. Biol Direct 2023; 18:56. [PMID: 37679802 PMCID: PMC10486120 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-023-00401-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important subset of innate immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and they are pivotal regulators of tumor-promoting inflammation and tumor progression. Evidence has proven that TAM numbers are substantially increased in cancers, and most of these TAMs are polarized toward the alternatively activated M2 phenotype; Thus, these TAMs strongly promote the progression of cancer diseases. Type 1 innate lymphocytes (ILC1s) are present in high numbers in intestinal tissues and are characterized by the expression of the transcription factor T-bet and the secretion of interferon (IFN)-γ, which can promote macrophages to polarize toward the classically activated antitumor M1 phenotype. However, the relationship between these two cell subsets in colon cancer remains unclear. METHODS Flow cytometry was used to determine the percentages of M1-like macrophages, M2-like macrophages and ILC1s in colon cancer tissues and paracancerous healthy colon tissues in the AOM/DSS-induced mouse model of colon cancer. Furthermore, ILC1s were isolated and bone marrow-derived macrophages were generated to analyze the crosstalk that occurred between these cells when cocultured in vitro. Moreover, ILC1s were adoptively transferred or inhibited in vivo to explore the effects of ILC1s on tumor-infiltrating macrophages and tumor growth. RESULTS We found that the percentages of M1-like macrophages and ILC1s were decreased in colon cancer tissues, and these populations were positively correlated. ILC1s promoted the polarization of macrophages toward the classically activated M1-like phenotype in vitro, and this effect could be blocked by an anti-IFN-γ antibody. The in vivo results showed that the administration of the Group 1 innate lymphocyte-blocking anti-NK1.1 antibody decreased the number of M1-like macrophages in the tumor tissues of MC38 tumor-bearing mice and promoted tumor growth, and adoptive transfer of ILC1s inhibited tumors and increased the percentage of M1-like macrophages in MC38 tumor-bearing mice. CONCLUSIONS Our studies preliminarily prove for the first time that ILC1s promote the activation of M1-like macrophages by secreting IFN-γ and inhibit the progression of colon cancer, which may provide insight into immunotherapeutic approaches for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandong Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu Ma
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Tie Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Huangao Zhou
- Department of emergency medicine, Jiangyin People's Hospital, Wuxi, China.
| | - Hongsheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China.
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Lim J, Kang I, La J, Ku KB, Kang BH, Kim Y, Park WH, Lee HK. Harnessing type I interferon-mediated immunity to target malignant brain tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1203929. [PMID: 37304294 PMCID: PMC10247981 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1203929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Type I interferons have long been appreciated as a cytokine family that regulates antiviral immunity. Recently, their role in eliciting antitumor immune responses has gained increasing attention. Within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), interferons stimulate tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to promote immune clearance and essentially reshape a "cold" TME into an immune-activating "hot" TME. In this review, we focus on gliomas, with an emphasis on malignant glioblastoma, as these brain tumors possess a highly invasive and heterogenous brain TME. We address how type I interferons regulate antitumor immune responses against malignant gliomas and reshape the overall immune landscape of the brain TME. Furthermore, we discuss how these findings can translate into future immunotherapies targeting brain tumors in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhee Lim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - In Kang
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongwoo La
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Bon Ku
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Hoon Kang
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yumin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Hyung Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung Kyu Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Mödl B, Moritsch S, Zwolanek D, Eferl R. Type I and II interferon signaling in colorectal cancer liver metastasis. Cytokine 2023; 161:156075. [PMID: 36323190 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.156075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Traditional chemotherapy extended the lifespan of cancer patients by only a few months, but targeted therapies and immunotherapy prolonged survival and led to long-term remissions in some cases. Type I and II interferons have direct pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects on cancer cells and stimulate anti-cancer immunity. As a result, interferon production by cells in the tumor microenvironment is in the spotlight of immunotherapies as it affects the responses of anti-cancer immune cells. However, promoting effects of interferons on colorectal cancer metastasis have also been reported. Here we summarize our knowledge about pro- and anti-metastatic effects of type I and II interferons in colorectal cancer liver metastasis and discuss possible therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Mödl
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna & Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Moritsch
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna & Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Zwolanek
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna & Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Eferl
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna & Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Liu X, Zhou R, Si S, Liu L, Yang S, Han D, Tan H. Case report: Successful treatment with the combined therapy of interferon-alpha 2b and anlotinib in a patient with advanced hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1022017. [PMID: 36530920 PMCID: PMC9755491 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1022017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is a very rare tumor originating from vascular endothelial cells, with unpredictable malignancy. At present, there is no standard treatment protocol yet established. Both surgical resection and liver transplantation have been reported to be effective treatments for HEH; however, multiple intrahepatic lesions or extrahepatic metastasis make these procedures unsuitable to most patients. Systematic therapy has also been investigated, but the results are undetermined due to the limited cases. Interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-a 2b) has also been used for the treatment of HEH. Based on our previous study, the rate of tumor regression with IFN-a 2b monotherapy was more than 50%. Here, we reported a patient with advanced HEH, who achieved a partial response with the combined therapy of anlotinib and IFN-a 2b. The tumor stayed stable for 2 years with anlotinib monotherapy and regressed 3 months after the combined therapy of anlotinib and IFN-a 2b. The synergistic effect of combined therapy with anlotinib and IFN-a 2b provided promising guidance for future clinical study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Haidong Tan
- Second Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital1, Beijing, China
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Mezi S, Pomati G, Zizzari IG, Di Filippo A, Cerbelli B, Cirillo A, Fiscon G, Amirhassankhani S, Valentini V, De Vincentiis M, Corsi A, Di Gioia C, Tombolini V, Della Rocca C, Polimeni A, Nuti M, Marchetti P, Botticelli A. Genomic and Immune Approach in Platinum Refractory HPV-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated with Immunotherapy: A Novel Combined Profile. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10112732. [PMID: 36359251 PMCID: PMC9687656 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Only a minority of patients with platinum refractory head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (PR/HNSCC) gain some lasting benefit from immunotherapy. Methods: The combined role of the comprehensive genomic (through the FoundationOne Cdx test) and immune profiles of 10 PR/HNSCC patients treated with the anti-PD-1 nivolumab was evaluated. The immune profiles were studied both at baseline and at the second cycle of immunotherapy, weighing 20 circulating cytokines/chemokines, adhesion molecules, and 14 soluble immune checkpoints dosed through a multiplex assay. A connectivity map was obtained by calculating the Spearman correlation between the expression profiles of circulating molecules. Results: Early progression occurred in five patients, each of them showing TP53 alteration and three of them showing a mutation/loss/amplification of genes involved in the cyclin-dependent kinase pathway. In addition, ERB2 amplification (1 patient), BRCA1 mutation (1 patient), and NOTCH1 genes alteration (3 patients) occurred. Five patients achieved either stable disease or partial response. Four of them carried mutations in PI3K/AKT/PTEN pathways. In the only two patients, with a long response to immunotherapy, the tumor mutational burden (TMB) was high. Moreover, a distinct signature, in terms of network connectivity of the circulating soluble molecules, characterizing responder and non-responder patients, was evidenced. Moreover, a strong negative and statistically significant (p-value ≤ 0.05) correlation with alive status was evidenced for sE-selectin at T1. Conclusions: Our results highlighted the complexity and heterogeneity of HNSCCs, even though it was in a small cohort. Molecular and immune approaches, combined in a single profile, could represent a promising strategy, in the context of precision immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Mezi
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Giulia Pomati
- Department of Molecular Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Ilaria Grazia Zizzari
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Di Filippo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruna Cerbelli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Cirillo
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Fiscon
- Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti”, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Sasan Amirhassankhani
- Department of Urology, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital University of Bologna, Via Palagi 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentino Valentini
- Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Vincentiis
- Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Cira Di Gioia
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Tombolini
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Della Rocca
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnology, Polo Pontino, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 04100 Latina, Italy
| | - Antonella Polimeni
- Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marianna Nuti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Marchetti
- IDI-IRCCS Istituto Dermopatico Dell’Immacolata, 00167 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Botticelli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
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11
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Svirshchevskaya EV, Konovalova MV, Snezhkov EV, Poltavtseva RA, Akopov SB. Chemokine Homeostasis in Healthy Volunteers and during Pancreatic and Colorectal Tumor Growth in Murine Models. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:4987-4999. [PMID: 36286054 PMCID: PMC9600007 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44100339] [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: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are involved in the humoral regulation of body homeostasis. Changes in the blood level of chemokines were found in cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and other systemic diseases. It is essential to distinguish the effects of co-morbid pathologies and cancer on the level of chemokines in the blood. We aimed to analyze, by multiplex cytometry, the levels of chemokines in the blood of healthy young volunteers as well as of intact mice and mice with CT26 colon and Pan02 pancreatic tumors. Two types of chemokines were identified both in human and murine plasmas: homeostatic ones, which were found in high concentrations (>100 pg/mL), and inducible ones, which can be undetectable or determined at very low levels (0−100 pg/mL). There was a high variability in the chemokine levels, both in healthy humans and mice. To analyze chemokine levels during tumor growth, C57BL/6 and BALB/c were inoculated with Pan02 or CT26 tumor cells, accordingly. The tumors significantly differed in the growth and the mortality of mice. However, the blood chemokine levels did not change in tumor-bearing mice until the very late stages. Taken collectively, blood chemokine level is highly variable and reflects in situ homeostasis. Care should be taken when considering chemokines as prognostic parameters or therapeutic targets in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V. Svirshchevskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
- National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V. I. Kulakov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Mariya V. Konovalova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugene V. Snezhkov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Rimma A. Poltavtseva
- National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V. I. Kulakov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey B. Akopov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
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12
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Liu X, Zhou R, Si S, Liu L, Yang S, Han D, Tan H. Sirolimus combined with interferon-alpha 2b therapy for giant hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: a case report. Front Oncol 2022; 12:972306. [PMID: 36081563 PMCID: PMC9447363 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.972306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is a very rare tumor originated from vascular endothelial cells, with unpredictable malignancy. No standard treatment has been established yet. Although surgical resection and liver transplantation have been reported to be effective treatments with favorable long-term outcomes, the multiple intrahepatic lesions or extrahepatic metastasis makes these procedures unsuitable to most patients. Sirolimus was reported to be an effective drug for epithelioid hemangioendothelioma but only about 10% achieved partial response. Interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-a 2b) has also been used for the treatment of HEH, and the rate of tumor regression was more than 50%. Here, we report a HEH patient with giant intrahepatic tumor (>15cm), who achieved partial response after the combined therapy of sirolimus and IFN-a 2b. The giant intrahepatic lesion (>15 cm) regressed obviously after 8 months treatment and no severe adverse event was reported. The good response and safety of combined therapy with sirolimus and IFN-a 2b provide a promising guidance for future clinical study.
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13
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Peng H, Shen J, Long X, Zhou X, Zhang J, Xu X, Huang T, Xu H, Sun S, Li C, Lei P, Wu H, Zhao J. Local Release of TGF-β Inhibitor Modulates Tumor-Associated Neutrophils and Enhances Pancreatic Cancer Response to Combined Irreversible Electroporation and Immunotherapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105240. [PMID: 35128843 PMCID: PMC8981446 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease with little response to standard therapies. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has emerged as a novel ablative technique for the clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer. Combinations of IRE and immunotherapies, including anti-programmed death 1 (αPD1) immune checkpoint blockade, have shown promising efficacy in both preclinical and clinical studies. However, tumor recurrence remains an obstacle that needs to be overcome. It herein is shown that IRE induces a substantial infiltration of neutrophils into pancreatic tumors. These neutrophils are then polarized into a protumor phenotype by immunosuppressive cues, in particular transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Using glutathione-responsive degradable mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with SB525334, an inhibitor of TGF-β1 receptor, it is demonstrated that local inhibition of TGF-β within the tumor microenvironment promotes neutrophil polarization into an antitumor phenotype, enhances pancreatic cancer response to combined IRE and αPD1 therapy, and induces long-term antitumor memory. The therapeutic efficacy is also attributed to tumor infiltration by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, depletion of regulatory T cells, and maturation of antigen-presenting dendritic cells. Thus, modulating neutrophil polarization with nanomedicine is a promising strategy for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiming Peng
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Jian Shen
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430022China
| | - Xin Long
- Department of Histology and EmbryologySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Xiaoqi Zhou
- Department of ImmunologySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Jiaqi Zhang
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Xina Xu
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Teng Huang
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Hui Xu
- Ultrastructural Pathology LaboratoryDepartment of PathologySchool of Basic MedicineTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Shuguo Sun
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Chun Li
- Department of Cancer Systems ImagingUniversity of Texas MD Anderson CancerHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Ping Lei
- Department of ImmunologySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Heshui Wu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430022China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of AnatomySchool of Basic MedicineHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PETTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
- Cell Architecture Research CenterHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
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14
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Yu R, Zhu B, Chen D. Type I interferon-mediated tumor immunity and its role in immunotherapy. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:191. [PMID: 35292881 PMCID: PMC8924142 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04219-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have achieved remarkable clinical responses in patients with many different types of cancer; however, most patients who receive ICB monotherapy fail to achieve long-term responses, and some tumors become immunotherapy-resistant and even hyperprogressive. Type I interferons (IFNs) have been demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth directly and indirectly by acting upon tumor and immune cells, respectively. Furthermore, accumulating evidence indicates that endo- and exogenously enhancing type I IFNs have a synergistic effect on anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, clinical trials studying new treatment strategies that combine type I IFN inducers with ICB are currently in progress. Here, we review the cellular sources of type I IFNs and their roles in the immune regulation of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we highlight immunotherapies based on type I IFNs and combination therapy between type I IFN inducers and ICBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renren Yu
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Bo Zhu
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Immunotherapy, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
| | - Degao Chen
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
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15
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Zhao S, Xu B, Ma W, Chen H, Jiang C, Cai J, Meng X. DNA Damage Repair in Brain Tumor Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2022; 12:829268. [PMID: 35095931 PMCID: PMC8792754 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.829268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
With the gradual understanding of tumor development, many tumor therapies have been invented and applied in clinical work, and immunotherapy has been widely concerned as an emerging hot topic in the last decade. It is worth noting that immunotherapy is nowadays applied under too harsh conditions, and many tumors are defined as “cold tumors” that are not sensitive to immunotherapy, and brain tumors are typical of them. However, there is much evidence that suggests a link between DNA damage repair mechanisms and immunotherapy. This may be a breakthrough for the application of immunotherapy in brain tumors. Therefore, in this review, first, we will describe the common pathways of DNA damage repair. Second, we will focus on immunotherapy and analyze the mechanisms of DNA damage repair involved in the immune process. Third, we will review biomarkers that have been or may be used to evaluate immunotherapy for brain tumors, such as TAMs, RPA, and other molecules that may provide a precursor assessment for the rational implementation of immunotherapy for brain tumors. Finally, we will discuss the rational combination of immunotherapy with other therapeutic approaches that have an impact on the DNA damage repair process in order to open new pathways for the application of immunotherapy in brain tumors, to maximize the effect of immunotherapy on DNA damage repair mechanisms, and to provide ideas and guidance for immunotherapy in brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihong Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Boya Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Wenbin Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Chuanlu Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jinquan Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiangqi Meng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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16
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Ding J, He X, Luo W, Zhou W, Chen R, Cao G, Chen B, Xiong M. Development and Validation of a Pyroptosis-Related Signature for Predicting Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:801419. [PMID: 35140750 PMCID: PMC8818951 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.801419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged as a primary health problem and threat to global mortality, especially in China. Since pyroptosis as a new field for HCC prognosis is not well studied, it is important to open a specific prognostic model. In this study, consensus clustering method for 42 pyroptosis-related genes to classify 374 HCC patients in the TCGA database. After cox regression analysis of the differentially expressed genes between the two clusters, LASSO-Cox analysis was then performed to construct a pyroptosis-related prognostic model with 11 genes including MMP1, KPNA2, LPCAT1, NEIL3, CDCA8, SLC2A1, PSRC1, CBX2, HAVCR1, G6PD, MEX3A. The ICGC dataset was served as the validation cohort. Patients in the high-risk group had significantly lower overall survival (OS) rates than those in the low-risk group (p < 0.05). COX regression analysis showed that our model could be used as an independent prognostic factor to predict prognosis of patients and was significantly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. Nomogram showing the stability of the model predicting the 1, 3, 5 year survival probability of patients. In addition, based on the risk model, ssGSEA analysis revealed significant differences in the level of immune cell infiltration and activation of immune-related functional pathways between high and low-risk groups, and patients with the high-risk score may benefit more from treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Furthermore, patients in the high-risk group were more tend to develop chemoresistance. Overall, we identified a novel pyroptosis-related risk signature for prognosis prediction in HCC patients and revealed the overall immune response intensity of the tumor microenvironment. All these findings make the pyroptosis signature shed light upon a latent therapeutic strategy aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Ding
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaobo He
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Weiguo Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Chaohu, China
| | - Guodong Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Guodong Cao, ; Bo Chen, ; Maoming Xiong,
| | - Bo Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Guodong Cao, ; Bo Chen, ; Maoming Xiong,
| | - Maoming Xiong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Guodong Cao, ; Bo Chen, ; Maoming Xiong,
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17
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Musella M, Galassi C, Manduca N, Sistigu A. The Yin and Yang of Type I IFNs in Cancer Promotion and Immune Activation. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:856. [PMID: 34571733 PMCID: PMC8467547 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Type I Interferons (IFNs) are key regulators of natural and therapy-induced host defense against viral infection and cancer. Several years of remarkable progress in the field of oncoimmunology have revealed the dual nature of these cytokines. Hence, Type I IFNs may trigger anti-tumoral responses, while leading immune dysfunction and disease progression. This dichotomy relies on the duration and intensity of the transduced signaling, the nature of the unleashed IFN stimulated genes, and the subset of responding cells. Here, we discuss the role of Type I IFNs in the evolving relationship between the host immune system and cancer, as we offer a view of the therapeutic strategies that exploit and require an intact Type I IFN signaling, and the role of these cytokines in inducing adaptive resistance. A deep understanding of the complex, yet highly regulated, network of Type I IFN triggered molecular pathways will help find a timely and immune"logical" way to exploit these cytokines for anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Musella
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Claudia Galassi
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Nicoletta Manduca
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Antonella Sistigu
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (N.M.)
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
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18
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Pilanc P, Wojnicki K, Roura AJ, Cyranowski S, Ellert-Miklaszewska A, Ochocka N, Gielniewski B, Grzybowski MM, Błaszczyk R, Stańczak PS, Dobrzański P, Kaminska B. A Novel Oral Arginase 1/2 Inhibitor Enhances the Antitumor Effect of PD-1 Inhibition in Murine Experimental Gliomas by Altering the Immunosuppressive Environment. Front Oncol 2021; 11:703465. [PMID: 34504786 PMCID: PMC8422859 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.703465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastomas (GBM) are the common and aggressive primary brain tumors that are incurable by conventional therapies. Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is not effective in GBM patients due to the highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) restraining the infiltration and activation of cytotoxic T cells. Clinical and experimental studies showed the upregulation of expression of the arginase 1 and 2 (ARG1 and ARG2, respectively) in murine and human GBMs. The elevated arginase activity leads to the depletion of L-arginine, an amino-acid required for the proliferation of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Inhibition of ARG1/2 in the TME may unblock T cell proliferation and activate effective antitumor responses. To explore the antitumor potential of ARG1/2 inhibition, we analyzed bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from human and murine gliomas. We found the upregulation of ARG1/2 expression in GBMs, both in tumor cells and in tumor infiltrating microglia and monocytes/macrophages. We employed selective arginase inhibitors to evaluate if ARG1/2 inhibition in vitro and in vivo exerts the antitumor effects. A novel, selective ARG1/2 inhibitor - OAT-1746 blocked microglia-dependent invasion of U87-MG and LN18 glioma cells in a Matrigel invasion assay better than reference compounds, without affecting the cell viability. OAT-1746 effectively crossed the blood brain barrier in mice and increased arginine levels in the brains of GL261 glioma bearing mice. We evaluated its antitumor efficacy against GL261 intracranial gliomas as a monotherapy and in combination with the PD-1 inhibition. The oral treatment with OAT-1746 did not affect the immune composition of TME, it induced profound transcriptomic changes in CD11b+ cells immunosorted from tumor-bearing brains as demonstrated by RNA sequencing analyses. Treatment with OAT-1746 modified the TME resulting in reduced glioma growth and increased antitumor effects of the anti-PD-1 antibody. Our findings provide the evidence that inhibition of ARG1/2 activity in tumor cells and myeloid cells in the TME unblocks antitumor responses in myeloid cells and NK cells, and improves the efficacy of the PD-1 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Pilanc
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamil Wojnicki
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adria-Jaume Roura
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Salwador Cyranowski
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Ellert-Miklaszewska
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Ochocka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Gielniewski
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | - Bozena Kaminska
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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19
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Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are efficient antigen-presenting cells that serve as a link between the innate and adaptive immune systems. These cells are broadly involved in cellular and humoral immune responses by presenting antigens to initiate T cell reactions, cytokine and chemokine secretion, T cell differentiation and expansion, B cell activation and regulation, and the mediation of immune tolerance. The functions of DCs depend on their activation status, which is defined by the stages of maturation, phenotype differentiation, and migration ability, among other factors. IL-6 is a soluble mediator mainly produced by a variety of immune cells, including DCs, that exerts pleiotropic effects on immune and inflammatory responses through interaction with specific receptors expressed on the surface of target cells. Here, we review the role of IL-6, when generated in an inflammatory context or as derived from DCs, in modulating the biologic function and activation status of DCs and emphasize the importance of searching for novel strategies to target the IL-6/IL-6 signaling pathway as a means to diminish the inflammatory activity of DCs in immune response or to prime the immunogenic activity of DCs in immunosuppressive conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Dong Xu
- Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mi Cheng
- Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pan-Pan Shang
- Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Qing Yang
- Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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20
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Zhang X, Wang S, Zhu Y, Zhang M, Zhao Y, Yan Z, Wang Q, Li X. Double-edged effects of interferons on the regulation of cancer-immunity cycle. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1929005. [PMID: 34262796 PMCID: PMC8253121 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1929005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are a large family of pleiotropic cytokines that regulate both innate and adaptive immunity and show anti-cancer effects in various cancer types. Moreover, it was revealed that IFN signaling plays critical roles in the success of cancer therapy strategies, thereby enhancing their therapeutic effects. However, IFNs have minimal or even adverse effects on cancer eradication, and mediate cancer immune escape in some instances. Thus, IFNs have a double-edged effect on the cancer immune response. Recent studies suggest that IFNs regulate each step of the cancer immunity-cycle, consisting of cancer antigen release, presentation of antigens and activation of T cells, trafficking and infiltration of effector T cells into the tumor microenvironment, and recognition and killing of cancer cells, which contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of IFNs in regulating cancer immunity. In this review, we focus on IFNs and cancer immunity and elaborate on the roles of IFNs in regulating the cancer-immunity cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Song Wang
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Minghui Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Chifeng City Hospital, Chifeng, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Chifeng City Hospital, Chifeng, China
| | - Zhengbin Yan
- Department of Stomatology, the PeopIe's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiuxu Wang
- Department of Stomatology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- Department of Stomatology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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21
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Fenton SE, Saleiro D, Platanias LC. Type I and II Interferons in the Anti-Tumor Immune Response. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1037. [PMID: 33801234 PMCID: PMC7957896 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The interferons (IFNs) are essential components of the immune response against infections and malignancies. IFNs are potent promoters of the anti-tumor response, but there is also evidence that feedback mechanisms regulated by IFNs negatively control immune responses to avoid hyper-activation and limit inflammation. This balance of responses plays an important role in cancer surveillance, immunoediting and response to anticancer therapeutic approaches. Here we review the roles of both type I and type II IFNs on the control of the immune response against malignancies in the context of effects on both malignant cells and cells of the immune system in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Fenton
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (S.E.F.); (D.S.)
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Diana Saleiro
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (S.E.F.); (D.S.)
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Leonidas C. Platanias
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (S.E.F.); (D.S.)
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Medicine, Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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22
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Huo X, Zhou X, Peng P, Yu M, Zhang Y, Yang J, Cao D, Sun H, Shen K. Identification of a Six-Gene Signature for Predicting the Overall Survival of Cervical Cancer Patients. Onco Targets Ther 2021; 14:809-822. [PMID: 33574675 PMCID: PMC7873033 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s276553] [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: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased in recent decades with the development of human papillomavirus vaccines and cancer screening, cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Identifying potential biomarkers for cervical cancer treatment and prognosis prediction is necessary. Methods Samples with mRNA sequencing, copy number variant, single nucleotide polymorphism and clinical follow-up data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and randomly divided into a training dataset (N=146) and a test dataset (N=147). We selected and identified a prognostic gene set and mutated gene set and then integrated the two gene sets with the random survival forest algorithm and constructed a prognostic signature. External validation and immunohistochemical staining were also performed. Results We obtained 1416 differentially expressed prognosis-related genes, 624 genes with copy number amplification, 1038 genes with copy number deletion, and 163 significantly mutated genes. A total of 75 candidate genes were obtained after overlapping the differentially expressed genes and the genes with genomic variations. Subsequently, we obtained six characteristic genes through the random survival forest algorithm. The results showed that high expression of SLC19A3, FURIN, SLC22A3, and DPAGT1 and low expression of CCL17 and DES were associated with a poor prognosis in cervical cancer patients. We constructed a six-gene signature that can separate cervical cancer patients according to their different overall survival rates, and it showed robust performance for predicting survival (training set: p ˂ 0.001, AUC = 0.82; testing set: p ˂ 0.01, AUC = 0.59). Conclusion Our study identified a novel six-gene signature and nomogram for predicting the overall survival of cervical cancer patients, which may be beneficial for clinical decision-making for individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Huo
- Medical Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing,, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoshuang Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaxin Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongyan Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hengzi Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Keng Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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23
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Boukhaled GM, Harding S, Brooks DG. Opposing Roles of Type I Interferons in Cancer Immunity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2021; 16:167-198. [PMID: 33264572 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-031920-093932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The immune system is tasked with identifying malignant cells to eliminate or prevent cancer spread. This involves a complex orchestration of many immune cell types that together recognize different aspects of tumor transformation and growth. In response, tumors have developed mechanisms to circumvent immune attack. Type I interferons (IFN-Is) are a class of proinflammatory cytokines produced in response to viruses and other environmental stressors. IFN-Is are also emerging as essential drivers of antitumor immunity, potently stimulating the ability of immune cells to eliminate tumor cells. However, a more complicated role for IFN-Is has arisen, as prolonged stimulation can promote feedback inhibitory mechanisms that contribute to immune exhaustion and other deleterious effects that directly or indirectly permit cancer cells to escape immune clearance. We review the fundamental and opposing functions of IFN-Is that modulate tumor growth and impact immune function and ultimately how these functions can be harnessed for the design of new cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giselle M Boukhaled
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada; .,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Shane Harding
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada; .,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.,Departments of Medical Biophysics and Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - David G Brooks
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada; .,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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24
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Carbó JM, León TE, Font-Díaz J, De la Rosa JV, Castrillo A, Picard FR, Staudenraus D, Huber M, Cedó L, Escolà-Gil JC, Campos L, Bakiri L, Wagner EF, Caelles C, Stratmann T, Van Ginderachter JA, Valledor AF. Pharmacologic Activation of LXR Alters the Expression Profile of Tumor-Associated Macrophages and the Abundance of Regulatory T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancer Res 2020; 81:968-985. [PMID: 33361391 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Liver X receptors (LXR) are transcription factors from the nuclear receptor family that are activated by oxysterols and synthetic high-affinity agonists. In this study, we assessed the antitumor effects of synthetic LXR agonist TO901317 in a murine model of syngeneic Lewis Lung carcinoma. Treatment with TO901317 inhibited tumor growth in wild-type, but not in LXR-deficient mice, indicating that the antitumor effects of the agonist depends on functional LXR activity in host cells. Pharmacologic activation of the LXR pathway reduced the intratumoral abundance of regulatory T cells (Treg) and the expression of the Treg-attracting chemokine Ccl17 by MHCIIhigh tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). Moreover, gene expression profiling indicated a broad negative impact of the LXR agonist on other mechanisms used by TAM for the maintenance of an immunosuppressive environment. In studies exploring the macrophage response to GM-CSF or IL4, activated LXR repressed IRF4 expression, resulting in subsequent downregulation of IRF4-dependent genes including Ccl17. Taken together, this work reveals the combined actions of the LXR pathway in the control of TAM responses that contribute to the antitumoral effects of pharmacologic LXR activation. Moreover, these data provide new insights for the development of novel therapeutic options for the treatment of cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: This study reveals unrecognized roles of LXR in the transcriptional control of the tumor microenvironment and suggests use of a synthetic LXR agonist as a novel therapeutic strategy to stimulate antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Carbó
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Leukaemia Stem Cell Group, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | - Theresa E León
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joan Font-Díaz
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Vladimir De la Rosa
- Unidad de Biomedicina (Unidad Asociada al CSIC), Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Grupo de Investigación Medio Ambiente y Salud (GIMAS, ULPGC), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - Antonio Castrillo
- Unidad de Biomedicina (Unidad Asociada al CSIC), Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Grupo de Investigación Medio Ambiente y Salud (GIMAS, ULPGC), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Felix R Picard
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Staudenraus
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Huber
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lídia Cedó
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques (IIB) Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas, CIBERDEM, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Joan Carles Escolà-Gil
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques (IIB) Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas, CIBERDEM, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Lucía Campos
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Latifa Bakiri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin F Wagner
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carme Caelles
- Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas Stratmann
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jo A Van Ginderachter
- Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Lab of Myeloid Cell Immunology, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annabel F Valledor
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Chen B, Wang D, Li J, Hou Y, Qiao C. Screening and Identification of Prognostic Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells and Genes of Endometrioid Endometrial Adenocarcinoma: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Database and Bioinformatics. Front Oncol 2020; 10:554214. [PMID: 33335850 PMCID: PMC7737471 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.554214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA) is one of the most common tumors in the female reproductive system. With the further understanding of immune regulation mechanism in tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy is emerging in tumor treatment. However, there are few systematic studies on EEA immune infiltration. Methods In this study, prognostic tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and related genes of EEA were comprehensively analyzed for the first time through the bioinformatics method with CIBERSORT algorithm as the core. Gene expression profile data were downloaded from the TCGA database, and the abundance ratio of TIICs was obtained. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to identify prognostic TIICs. EEA samples were grouped according to the risk score in Cox regression model. Differential analysis and functional enrichment analyses were performed on high- and low-risk groups to find survival-related hub genes, which were verified by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). Result Four TIICs including memory CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells were identified. And two hub gene modules were found, in which six hub genes including APOL1, CCL17, RBP4, KRT15, KRT71, and KRT79 were significantly related to overall survival and were closely correlated with some certain TIICs in the validation of TIMER. Conclusion In this study, four prognostic TIICs and six hub genes were found to be closely related to EEA. These findings provided new potential targets for EEA immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingnan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Higher Education of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jiapo Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Higher Education of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China
| | - Yue Hou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Higher Education of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China
| | - Chong Qiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Higher Education of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China
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26
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Hager S, Fittler FJ, Wagner E, Bros M. Nucleic Acid-Based Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:E2061. [PMID: 32917034 PMCID: PMC7564019 DOI: 10.3390/cells9092061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the last decade, the introduction of checkpoint inhibitors proposed to boost the patients' anti-tumor immune response has proven the efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches for tumor therapy. Furthermore, especially in the context of the development of biocompatible, cell type targeting nano-carriers, nucleic acid-based drugs aimed to initiate and to enhance anti-tumor responses have come of age. This review intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the therapeutic use of nucleic acids for cancer treatment on various levels, comprising (i) mRNA and DNA-based vaccines to be expressed by antigen presenting cells evoking sustained anti-tumor T cell responses, (ii) molecular adjuvants, (iii) strategies to inhibit/reprogram tumor-induced regulatory immune cells e.g., by RNA interference (RNAi), (iv) genetically tailored T cells and natural killer cells to directly recognize tumor antigens, and (v) killing of tumor cells, and reprograming of constituents of the tumor microenvironment by gene transfer and RNAi. Aside from further improvements of individual nucleic acid-based drugs, the major perspective for successful cancer therapy will be combination treatments employing conventional regimens as well as immunotherapeutics like checkpoint inhibitors and nucleic acid-based drugs, each acting on several levels to adequately counter-act tumor immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Hager
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany;
| | | | - Ernst Wagner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany;
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
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27
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Geoffroy K, Bourgeois-Daigneault MC. The pros and cons of interferons for oncolytic virotherapy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 56:49-58. [PMID: 32694051 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Interferons (IFN) are potent immune stimulators that play key roles in both innate and adaptive immune responses. They are considered the first line of defense against viral pathogens and can even be used as treatments to boost the immune system. While viruses are usually seen as a threat to the host, an emerging class of cancer therapeutics exploits the natural capacity of some viruses to directly infect and kill cancer cells. The cancer-specificity of these bio-therapeutics, called oncolytic viruses (OVs), often relies on defective IFN responses that are frequently observed in cancer cells, therefore increasing their vulnerability to viruses compared to healthy cells. To ensure the safety of the therapy, many OVs have been engineered to further activate the IFN response. As a consequence of this IFN over-stimulation, the virus is cleared faster by the immune system, which limits direct oncolysis. Importantly, the therapeutic activity of OVs also relies on their capacity to trigger anti-tumor immunity and IFNs are key players in this aspect. Here, we review the complex cancer-virus-anti-tumor immunity interplay and discuss the diverse functions of IFNs for each of these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Geoffroy
- Cancer axis and Institut du cancer de Montréal, Centre de recherche du CHUM- CRCHUM, 900 St-Denis Street, Viger Tower, Room R10.480, Montreal, Quebec, H2X0A9, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Roger-Gaudry Building, Montreal, Quebec, H3T1J4, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Bourgeois-Daigneault
- Cancer axis and Institut du cancer de Montréal, Centre de recherche du CHUM- CRCHUM, 900 St-Denis Street, Viger Tower, Room R10.480, Montreal, Quebec, H2X0A9, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Roger-Gaudry Building, Montreal, Quebec, H3T1J4, Canada.
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28
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Li C, Jiang P, Wei S, Xu X, Wang J. Regulatory T cells in tumor microenvironment: new mechanisms, potential therapeutic strategies and future prospects. Mol Cancer 2020; 19:116. [PMID: 32680511 PMCID: PMC7367382 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01234-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 94.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) characterized by the expression of the master transcription factor forkhead box protein p3 (Foxp3) suppress anticancer immunity, thereby hindering protective immunosurveillance of tumours and hampering effective antitumour immune responses in tumour-bearing hosts, constitute a current research hotspot in the field. However, Tregs are also essential for the maintenance of the immune tolerance of the body and share many molecular signalling pathways with conventional T cells, including cytotoxic T cells, the primary mediators of tumour immunity. Hence, the inability to specifically target and neutralize Tregs in the tumour microenvironment without globally compromising self-tolerance poses a significant challenge. Here, we review recent advances in characterizing tumour-infiltrating Tregs with a focus on the functional roles of costimulatory and inhibitory receptors in Tregs, evaluate their potential as clinical targets, and systematically summarize their roles in potential treatment strategies. Also, we propose modalities to integrate our increasing knowledge on Tregs phenotype and function for the rational design of checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapies. Finally, we propose possible treatment strategies that can be used to develop Treg-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxiao Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Ping Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Shuhua Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xiaofei Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
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29
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Zhou L, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Zhang M, Sun W, Dai T, Wang A, Wu X, Zhang S, Wang S, Zhou F. A Dual Role of Type I Interferons in Antitumor Immunity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:e1900237. [PMID: 33245214 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFN-Is) are a family of cytokines that exert direct antiviral effects and regulate innate and adaptive immune responses through direct and indirect mechanisms. It is generally believed that IFN-Is repress tumor development via restricting tumor proliferation and inducing antitumor immune responses. However, recent emerging evidence suggests that IFN-Is play a dual role in antitumor immunity. That is, in the early stage of tumorigenesis, IFN-Is promote the antitumor immune response by enhancing antigen presentation in antigen-presenting cells and activating CD8+ T cells. However, in the late stage of tumor progression, persistent expression of IFN-Is induces the expression of immunosuppressive factors (PD-L1, IDO, and IL-10) on the surface of dendritic cells and other bone marrow cells and inhibits their antitumor immunity. This review outlines these dual functions of IFN-Is in antitumor immunity and elucidates the involved mechanisms, as well as their applications in tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Yongqiang Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Meirong Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Wenhuan Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Tong Dai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Aijun Wang
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Xiaojin Wu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Suping Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability and Human Disease Prevention, Department of Pharmacology, Base for international Science and Technology Cooperation: Carson Cancer Stem Cell Vaccines R&D Center, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, The Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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