The history and advances in cancer immunotherapy: understanding the characteristics of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their therapeutic implications

PFDN5 plays a dual role in breast cancer and regulates tumor immune microenvironment: Insights from integrated bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation

BACKGROUND

Although the prognosis for patients with breast cancer has improved, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death for women worldwide. Prefoldin 5 (PFDN5), as a subunit of the prefoldin complex, plays a vital role in aiding the correct folding of newly synthesized proteins. However, the exact impact of PFDN5 on breast cancer development and its prognostic implications remain unclear.

METHODS

We conducted bioinformatics analysis to investigate the correlation between PFDN5 and patient survival, as well as various clinicopathological characteristics in breast cancer. Additionally, various assays were employed to validate the biological functions of PFDN5 in breast cancer. Finally, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was utilized to investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with PFDN5.

RESULTS

Compared to normal tissues, PFDN5 exhibited lower expression levels in breast cancer tissues, and lower expression of PFDN5 is associated with poorer prognosis. PFDN5 led to G2/M phase arrest in the cell cycle and reduced proliferative potential in breast cancer cells. However, PFDN5 also promoted migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Also, RNA-seq analysis revealed an involvement of PFDN5 in the cell cycle and TGF-β signaling pathway. Furthermore, PFDN5 had a significant impact on tumor immune microenvironment by promoting macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype and exhibited a positive correlation with CD8+ T cell infiltration levels.

CONCLUSIONS

PFDN5 plays a dual role in breast cancer and serves as a key factor in tumor immune microenvironment. Therefore, PFDN5 holds promise as a valuable biomarker for predicting both metastatic and prognosis in breast cancer.

An ultra-long-acting L-asparaginase synergizes with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in starvation-immunotherapy of metastatic solid tumors

Metastasis stands as the primary contributor to mortality associated with tumors. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are frequently utilized in the management of metastatic solid tumors. Nevertheless, these therapeutic modalities are linked to serious adverse effects and limited effectiveness in preventing metastasis. Here, we report a novel therapeutic strategy named starvation-immunotherapy, wherein an immune checkpoint inhibitor is combined with an ultra-long-acting L-asparaginase that is a fusion protein comprising L-asparaginase (ASNase) and an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), termed ASNase-ELP. ASNase-ELP's thermosensitivity enables it to generate an in-situ depot following an intratumoral injection, yielding increased dose tolerance, improved pharmacokinetics, sustained release, optimized biodistribution, and augmented tumor retention compared to free ASNase. As a result, in murine models of oral cancer, melanoma, and cervical cancer, the antitumor efficacy of ASNase-ELP by selectively and sustainably depleting L-asparagine essential for tumor cell survival was substantially superior to that of ASNase or Cisplatin, a first-line anti-solid tumor medicine, without any observable adverse effects. Furthermore, the combination of ASNase-ELP and an immune checkpoint inhibitor was more effective than either therapy alone in impeding melanoma metastasis. Overall, the synergistic strategy of starvation-immunotherapy holds excellent promise in reshaping the therapeutic landscape of refractory metastatic tumors and offering a new alternative for next-generation oncology treatments.

The trends and hotspots of immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer from 2013 to 2022: A bibliometric and visual analysis

An increasing body of research indicates that immunotherapy has demonstrated substantial effectiveness in the realm of metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC), especially among patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) (dMMR/MSI-H mCRC). This study constitutes the inaugural bibliometric and visual analysis of immunotherapy related to mCRC during the last decade. Between 2013 and the conclusion of 2022, we screened 306 articles from Web of Science and subjected them to analysis using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The United States stood out as the primary contributor in this area, representing 33.33% of the publications, with China following closely at 24.51%. The most prolific institution has the lowest average citation rate. Sorbonne University were the most highly cited institutions. Notably, Frontiers In Oncology published the largest quantity of articles. Andre, Thierry, and Overman, Michael J. were prominent authors known for their prolific output and the high citation rates of their work. The focus areas in this field encompass "tumor microenvironment," "liver metastasis," "tumor-associated macrophages," "combination therapy" and "gut microbiota." Some keywords offer promise as potential biomarkers for evaluating the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic interventions.

Mapping the intellectual structure and landscape of colorectal cancer immunotherapy: A bibliometric analysis

Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs) therapy, stands as an innovative therapeutic approach currently garnering substantial attention in cancer treatment. It has become a focal point of numerous studies, showcasing significant potential in treating malignancies, including lung cancer and melanoma. The objective of this research is to analyze publications regarding immunotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC), investigating their attributes and identifying the current areas of interest and cutting-edge advancements. We took into account the publications from 2002 to 2022 included in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis and visualization were conducted using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R-bibliometrix, and Microsoft Excel. The quantity of publications associated with this domain has been steadily rising over the years, encompassing 3753 articles and 1498 reviews originating from 573 countries and regions, involving 19,166 institutions, 1011 journals, and 32,301 authors. In this field, China, the United States, and Italy are the main countries that come forward for publishing. The journal with the greatest impact factor is CA-A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Romain Cohen leads in the number of publications, while Le Dt stands out as the most influential author. The immune microenvironment and immune infiltration are emerging as key hotspots and future research directions in this domain. This research carries out an extensive bibliometric examination of immunotherapy for colorectal cancer, aiding researchers in understanding current focal points, investigating possible avenues for research, and recognizing forthcoming development trends.

Bidirectional crosstalk between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunotherapy: A bibliometric study

Immunotherapy has recently attracted considerable attention. However, currently, a thorough analysis of the trends associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immunotherapy is lacking. In this study, we used bibliometric tools to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress in EMT-immunotherapy research. A total of 1,302 articles related to EMT and immunotherapy were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The analysis indicated that in terms of the volume of research, China was the most productive country (49.07%, 639), followed by the United States (16.89%, 220) and Italy (3.6%, 47). The United States was the most influential country according to the frequency of citations and citation burstiness. The results also suggested that Frontiers in Immunotherapy can be considered as the most influential journal with respect to the number of articles and impact factors. "Immune infiltration," "bioinformatics analysis," "traditional Chinese medicine," "gene signature," and "ferroptosis" were found to be emerging keywords in EMT-immunotherapy research. These findings point to potential new directions that can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of immunotherapy and EMT and help develop strategies for improving immunotherapy.

Discovery of 1(2H)-phthalazinone and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone derivatives as potent hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been a revelation for treating several cancers, an unmet need remains to broaden ICI therapeutic scope and increase their response rates in clinical trials. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T cell activation and has previously been identified as a promising target for immunotherapy. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of HPK1 inhibitors with novel 1(2H)-phthalazinone and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone scaffolds. Among them, compound 24 demonstrated potent in vitro activity (HPK1 IC50 value of 10.4 nM) and cellular activity (pSLP76 EC50 = 41 nM & IL-2 EC50 = 108 nM). Compound 24 exhibited favorable mouse and rat pharmacokinetic profiles with reasonable oral exposure. Compound 24 showed potent in vivo anti-tumor activity in a CT26 syngeneic tumor model with 95 % tumor growth inhibition in combination with anti-PD-1.

Suppression of melanoma by mice lacking MHC-II: Mechanisms and implications for cancer immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors interfere with T cell exhaustion but often fail to cure or control cancer long-term in patients. Using a genetic screen in C57BL/6J mice, we discovered a mutation in host H2-Aa that caused strong immune-mediated resistance to mouse melanomas. H2-Aa encodes an MHC class II α chain, and its absence in C57BL/6J mice eliminates all MHC-II expression. H2-Aa deficiency, specifically in dendritic cells (DC), led to a quantitative increase in type 2 conventional DC (cDC2) and a decrease in cDC1. H2-Aa-deficient cDC2, but not cDC1, were essential for melanoma suppression and effectively cross-primed and recruited CD8 T cells into tumors. Lack of T regulatory cells, also observed in H2-Aa deficiency, contributed to melanoma suppression. Acute disruption of H2-Aa was therapeutic in melanoma-bearing mice, particularly when combined with checkpoint inhibition, which had no therapeutic effect by itself. Our findings suggest that inhibiting MHC-II may be an effective immunotherapeutic approach to enhance immune responses to cancer.

Effect of tumor CD276 expression on infiltrating immune cells and clinicopathological features of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is often resistant to immunotherapy. In this study, we examined the role of CD276 in mediating immunotherapeutic effects through changes in immune cell infiltration.

METHODS

Using transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, CD276 was identified as a potential target for immunotherapy. Subsequent in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed its role as a potential mediator of immunotherapeutic effects.

RESULTS

Multi-omic analysis suggested that CD276 was identified as a key molecule regulating the immune microenvironment (IM). In vivo experiments revealed that CD276 knockdown was found to enhance CD8+ T cell infiltration into the IM. Immunohistochemical analysis of PCa samples further confirmed the same findings.

CONCLUSION

CD276 was found to inhibit the enrichment of CD8+ T cells in PCa. Thus, CD276 inhibitors may be potential targets for immunotherapy.

PI3K/AKT/mTOR and PD‑1/CTLA‑4/CD28 pathways as key targets of cancer immunotherapy (Review)

T cells play an important role in cancer, and energy metabolism can determine both the proliferation and differentiation of T cells. The inhibition of immune checkpoint molecules programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) are a promising cancer treatment. In recent years, research on CD28 has increased. Although numerous reports involve CD28 and its downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling mechanisms in T cell metabolism, they have not yet been elucidated. A literature search strategy was used for the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library to ensure broad coverage of medical and scientific literature, using a combination of keywords including, but not limited to, 'lung cancer' and 'immunotherapy'. Therefore, the present study reviewed the interaction and clinical application of the PD-1/CTLA-4/CD28 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in T cells, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for immunotherapy in clinical cancer patients.

Nanomolecular machines: Pioneering precision medicine for neoplastic diseases through advanced diagnosis and treatment

Tumors pose a major threat to human health, accounting for nearly one-sixth of global deaths annually. The primary treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, each associated with significant side effects. This has driven the search for new therapies with fewer side effects and greater specificity. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field in this regard, particularly nanomolecular machines at the nanoscale. Nanomolecular machines are typically constructed from biological macromolecules like proteins, DNA, and RNA. These machines can be programmed to perform specialized tasks with precise instructions. Recent research highlights their potential in tumor diagnostics-identifying susceptibility genes, detecting viruses, and pinpointing tumor markers. Nanomolecular machines also offer advancements in tumor therapy. They can reduce traditional treatment side effects by delivering chemotherapy drugs and enhancing immunotherapy, and they support innovative treatments like sonodynamic and phototherapy. Additionally, they can starve tumors by blocking blood vessels, and eliminate tumors by disrupting cell membranes or lysosomes. This review categorizes and explains the latest achievements in molecular machine research, explores their models, and practical clinical uses in tumor diagnosis and treatment. It aims to broaden the research perspective and accelerate the clinical adoption of these technologies.

Association of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy With Postoperative Major Morbidity After Oncologic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Despite increasing use of immunotherapy in the treatment of various cancer types, understanding of its impact on postoperative complications still is limited. This study aimed to characterize the association between neoadjuvant immunotherapy and surgical outcomes for rectal, colon, anal, esophageal, lung (non-small cell), and oral cavity cancers.

METHODS

Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), the study selected patients ages 18-90 years who underwent non-palliative oncologic surgery between 2010 and 2020. The primary outcome was major morbidity, defined as hospital length of stay within the top decile of each surgery subtype, unplanned 30-day readmission, or 30-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regressions for major morbidity were performed to assess neoadjuvant immunotherapy effects by cancer type while controlling for patient demographics, Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index, cancer staging, procedure type, surgical approach, and other treatment (e.g., chemotherapy or radiotherapy).

RESULTS

Of 1,348,334 cases with any of the six cancer types, the study sample included 953,612 cases. Of these cases, 4771 (0.5 %) involved neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and 948,841 (99.5 %) did not. The pooled odds ratio was 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81-1.19). Neoadjuvant immunotherapy was not significantly associated with major morbidity after surgery for rectal (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.83; 95% CI 0.60-1.16), colon (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI 0.87-1.85), anal (aOR, 1.90; 95 % CI 0.16-23.15), esophageal (aOR, 0.35; 95% CI 0.08-1.49), lung (non-small cell) (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI 0.65-1.73), or oral (aOR, 1.10; 95% CI 0.61-2.00) cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy is not significantly associated with postoperative complications across several cancer types. As the largest study on neoadjuvant immunotherapy postoperative complications, this study suggests that surgery in the setting of neoadjuvant immunotherapy is safe.

Therapeutic and diagnostic applications of carbon nanotubes in cancer: recent advances and challenges

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon, composed of carbon atoms forming a tube-like structure. Their high surface area, chemical stability, and rich electronic polyaromatic structure facilitate their drug-carrying capacity. Therefore, CNTs have been intensively explored for several biomedical applications, including as a potential treatment option for cancer. By incorporating smart fabrication strategies, CNTs can be designed to specifically target cancer cells. This targeted drug delivery approach not only maximizes the therapeutic utility of CNTs but also minimizes any potential side effects of free drug molecules. CNTs can also be utilised for photothermal therapy (PTT) which uses photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells, and in immunotherapeutic applications. Regarding the latter, for example, CNT-based formulations can preferentially target intra-tumoural regulatory T-cells. CNTs also act as efficient antigen presenters. With their capabilities for photoacoustic, fluorescent and Raman imaging, CNTs are excellent diagnostic tools as well. Further, metallic nanoparticles, such as gold or silver nanoparticles, are combined with CNTs to create nanobiosensors to measure biological reactions. This review focuses on current knowledge about the theranostic potential of CNT, challenges associated with their large-scale production, their possible side effects and important parameters to consider when exploring their clinical usage.

Long non-coding RNAs in cancer: multifaceted roles and potential targets for immunotherapy

Cancer remains a major global health concern with high mortality rates mainly due to late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of gene expression in human cancer, functioning through various mechanisms including as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and indirectly regulating miRNA expression. LncRNAs have been found to have both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles in cancer, with the former promoting cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and poor prognosis. Recent research has shown that lncRNAs are expressed in various immune cells and are involved in cancer cell immune escape and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, thus highlighting their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Targeting lncRNAs in cancer or immune cells could enhance the anti-tumor immune response and improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes. However, further research is required to fully understand the functional roles of lncRNAs in cancer and the immune system and their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in human cancers, with a focus on their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. By exploring the intricate mechanisms underlying lncRNA-mediated regulation of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion, we provide insights into the diverse therapeutic applications of these molecules.

Engineered Outer Membrane Vesicles as Nanosized Immune Cell Engagers for Enhanced Solid Tumor Immunotherapy

Although tumor immunotherapy has achieved significant success in recent years, tackling solid tumors remains a formidable challenge. Here, we present an approach that utilizes outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from bacterial cells as scaffolds to engage immune cells in solid tumor immunotherapy. Two types of nanobodies targeting CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways were simultaneously conjugated onto the surfaces of the OMVs in divalent and trivalent forms using orthogonal SpyCatcher-SpyTag and SnoopCatcher-SnoopTag chemistry. This resulted in the generation of an OMV-based nanosized immune cell engager (OMV-NICE) with dual-targeting abilities. In vitro assays confirmed the retention of the function of the two nanobodies on the OMV-NICE, as evidenced by the synergistically enhanced macrophage phagocytosis and T cell cytotoxicity against tumor cells. In vivo studies using a B16-F10 melanoma mouse model also revealed the superior antitumor activity of OMV-NICE compared to those of unconjugated nanobodies and OMVs alone. Subsequent mechanistic investigations further supported the enhanced recruitment of macrophages and T cells to the tumor region by OMV-NICE. Overall, this work expands the current repertoire of immune cell engagers, and the developed OMV-NICE platform holds great promise for broad applications, particularly in solid tumor immunotherapy.

Blocking CX3CR1+ Tumor-Associated Macrophages Enhances the Efficacy of Anti-PD1 Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains limited, highlighting the need for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance. Accumulating evidence indicates that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) within the tumor microenvironment demonstrate a key role in immune evasion and treatment resistance. This study explored the role of TAMs in the HCC tumor microenvironment. Our findings reveal that TAMs expressing CX3C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) induced T-cell exhaustion through IL27 secretion in orthotopic models of HCC following treatment with anti-PD1. Moreover, we identified prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), released by immune-attacked tumor cells, as a key regulator of TAM transition to a CX3CR1+ phenotype. To augment the therapeutic response to anti-PD1 therapy, we propose targeting CX3CR1+ TAMs in addition to anti-PD1 therapy. Our study contributes to the understanding of the role of TAMs in cancer immunotherapy and highlights potential clinical implications for HCC treatment. The combination of targeting CX3CR1+ TAMs with anti-PD1 therapy holds promise for enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapeutic interventions in patients with HCC.

Immune Cell-Derived Exosomes: A Cell-Free Cutting-Edge Tumor Immunotherapy

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cellular communication molecules and are classified into three major subpopulations, such as microvesicles, apoptotic bodies, and exosomes. Among these, exosomes-based cancer research is a cutting-edge investigation approach to cancer understanding. During cancer progression , tumor-derived exosomes can reprogram the cellular system and promote cancer. Circulating exosomes in the body fluids such as blood, plasma, serum, saliva, CSF, sweat, and tears play a key role in identifying diagnostic and prognostic cancer biomarkers. Diverse therapeutic sources of exosomes including stem cells, plants, and immune cells, etc. exhibit significant cancer-healing properties. Although cancer-targeting immunotherapy is an effective strategy, it has limitations such as toxicity, and high costs. In comparison, immune cell-derived exosomes-based immunotherapy is a cell-free approach for cancer treatment and has advantages like less toxicity, biocompatibility, reduced immunogenicity, and efficient, target-specific cancer therapeutic development. This review highlights the therapeutic signature of immune cell-derived exosomes for cancer treatment.

Construction of a Wilms tumor risk model based on machine learning and identification of cuproptosis-related clusters

BACKGROUND

Cuproptosis, a recently identified type of programmed cell death triggered by copper, has mechanisms in Wilms tumor (WT) that are not yet fully understood. This research focuses on examining the link between WT and Cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs), with the goal of developing a predictive model for WT.

METHODS

Four gene expression datasets related to WT were sourced from the GEO database. Subsequently, expression profiles of CRGs were extracted for differential analysis and immune infiltration studies. Utilizing 105 WT samples, clusters related to Cuproptosis were identified. This involved analyzing associated immune cell infiltration and conducting functional enrichment analysis. Disease-characteristic genes were pinpointed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Finally, the WT risk prediction model was constructed by four machine learning methods: random forest, support vector machine (SVM), generalized linear and extreme gradient strength model. The best-performing machine learning model was chosen, and a nomogram was created. The effectiveness of this predictive model was validated using methods such as the calibration curve, decision curve analysis, and by appiying it to the TARGET-GTEx dataset.

RESULTS

Thirteen differentially expressed Cuproptosis-related genes were identified. The infiltration level of CD8 + T cells in WT children was lower than that in Normal tissue (NT) children, and the level of M0 infiltration of macrophages and T follicular helper cells was higher than that in NT children. In addition, two clusters of cuproptosis-related WT were identified. Enrichment analysis results indicated that genes in cluster 2 were primarily involved in cell division, nuclear division regulation, DNA biosynthesis process, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. The SVM model was judged to be the optimal model using 5 genes. Its accuracy was confirmed through a calibration curve and decision curve analysis, demonstrating satisfactory performance on the TARGET-GTEx validation dataset. Additional analysis revealed that these five genes exhibited high expression in both the TARGET-GTEx validation dataset and sequencing data.

CONCLUSION

This research established a link between WT and Cuproptosis. It developed a predictive model for assessing the risk of WT and pinpointed five key genes associated with the disease.

Recent Advances in Silica-Based Nanomaterials for Enhanced Tumor Imaging and Therapy

Cancer remains a formidable challenge, inflicting profound physical, psychological, and financial burdens on patients. In this context, silica-based nanomaterials have garnered significant attention for their potential in tumor imaging and therapy owing to their exceptional properties, such as biocompatibility, customizable porosity, and versatile functionalization capabilities. This review meticulously examines the latest advancements in the application of silica-based nanomaterials for tumor imaging and therapy. It underscores their potential in enhancing various cancer imaging modalities, including fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging, and multimodal imaging approaches. Moreover, the review delves into their therapeutic efficacy in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, immunotherapy, gas therapy, sonodynamic therapy, chemodynamic therapy, starvation therapy, and gene therapy. Critical evaluations of the biosafety profiles and degradation pathways of these nanomaterials within biological environments are also presented. By discussing the current challenges and prospects, this review aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the clinical translation of silica-based nanomaterials, thereby highlighting their promise in revolutionizing cancer diagnostics, enabling real-time monitoring of therapeutic responses, and advancing personalized medicine.

Integrated machine learning to predict the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients based on SARS-COV-2 and lung adenocarcinoma crosstalk genes

Viruses are widely recognized to be intricately associated with both solid and hematological malignancies in humans. The primary goal of this research is to elucidate the interplay of genes between SARS-CoV-2 infection and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), with a preliminary investigation into their clinical significance and underlying molecular mechanisms. Transcriptome data for SARS-CoV-2 infection and LUAD were sourced from public databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified and subsequently overlapped with TCGA-LUAD DEGs to discern the crosstalk genes (CGs). In addition, CGs pertaining to both diseases were further refined using LUAD TCGA and GEO datasets. Univariate Cox regression was conducted to identify genes associated with LUAD prognosis, and these genes were subsequently incorporated into the construction of a prognosis signature using 10 different machine learning algorithms. Additional investigations, including tumor mutation burden assessment, TME landscape, immunotherapy response assessment, as well as analysis of sensitivity to antitumor drugs, were also undertaken. We discovered the risk stratification based on the prognostic signature revealed that the low-risk group demonstrated superior clinical outcomes (p < 0.001). Gene set enrichment analysis results predominantly exhibited enrichment in pathways related to cell cycle. Our analyses also indicated that the low-risk group displayed elevated levels of infiltration by immunocytes (p < 0.001) and superior immunotherapy response (p < 0.001). In our study, we reveal a close association between CGs and the immune microenvironment of LUAD. This provides preliminary insight for further exploring the mechanism and interaction between the two diseases.

Phenotypic insights into genetic risk factors for immune-related adverse events in cancer immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) pose substantial challenges in the realm of cancer immunotherapy, frequently affecting treatment efficacy and patient safety. To address the urgent need for identifying risk factors associated with irAEs, we conducted a comprehensive phenotype-wide Mendelian randomization analysis (MR-PheWAS).

METHODS

Utilizing publicly accessible genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, this investigation evaluated the impact of over 5000 exposure variables on susceptibility to irAEs using univariate Mendelian randomization (MR). We categorized these correlations and further explored potential mechanisms by which associated traits might influence irAEs through multivariate MR.

RESULTS

MR-PheWAS identified numerous risk factors for irAEs, encompassing both previously documented and novel associations. Specifically, we identified 105 traits with probable causal relationships to all-grade irAEs and 119 traits with suggestive associations. For high-grade irAEs, we categorized 122 traits as probably associated and 141 as suggestively associated. Notably, multivariate MR analyses uncovered intricate interactions, particularly highlighting how diabetes impacts all-grade irAEs through mediators such as body mass index and sex hormone-binding globulin.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has not only identified new risk factors for irAEs but also confirmed several well-established ones. Further investigation is crucial to validate and assess these identified risk factors within clinical trials. A mechanistic understanding of these causal factors is essential for improving the management and prevention of irAEs.

Broad applicability of the Goldspire™ platform for the treatment of solid tumors

Goldspire™ is a personalized immunotherapy platform that combines whole tumor-derived cells with antisense oligonucleotide (IMV-001) against Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R) in biodiffusion chambers (BDCs; 0.1 μm pore). BDCs are exposed to 5-6 Gy and implanted at abdominal sites for ∼48 h to deliver an antigenic payload and immunostimulatory factors to train the immune system. Lead product IGV-001 was evaluated in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM) patients in Phase 1a and 1b trials (NCT02507583). A Phase 2b study (NCT04485949) recently completed enrollment. Preventative treatment with tumor-specific products manufactured with Goldspire limited tumor progression and extended overall survival in mice challenged with bladder, pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, or renal carcinomas. The benefit of this immunotherapy was enhanced with anti-PD-1; combination treatment was superior to either monotherapy in orthotopic GBM and melanoma models. Lastly, Goldspire elicited immune T cell activation and memory phenotypes against patient-derived endometrial tumor-derived products in co-cultures with matching immune cells.

Photoimmunotherapy for cancer treatment based on organic small molecules: Recent strategies and future directions

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered as a promising anticancer approach, owning to its high efficiency and spatiotemporal selectivity. Ample evidence indicated that PDT can trigger immunogenic cell death by releasing antigens that activate immune cells to promote anti-tumor immunity. Nevertheless, the inherent nature of tumors and their complex heterogeneity often limits the efficiency of PDT, which can be overcome with a novel strategy of photo-immunotherapy (PIT) strategy. By exploring the principles of PDT induction and ICD enhancement, combined with other therapies such as chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade, the tailored solutions can be designed to address specific challenges of drug resistance, hypoxic conditions, and tumor immunosuppressive microenvironments (TIMEs), which enables targeted enhancement of systemic immunity to address most distant and recurrent cancers. The present article summarizes the specific strategies of PIT and discusses recent existing limitations. More importantly, we anticipate that the perspectives presented herein will help address the clinical translation challenges associated with PIT.

Hydrogelation of peptides and carnosic acid as regulators of adaptive immunity against postoperative recurrence of cutaneous melanoma

The in-situ activation of adaptive immunity at the surgical site has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in inhibiting various forms of tumour recurrence and even holds the promise of a potential cure. However, extensive research and bioinformatic analysis conducted in this study have unveiled the formidable challenge posed by melanoma-intrinsic β-catenin signaling, which hinders the infiltration of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) and their subsequent anti-tumour action. To overcome this obstacle, a β-catenin antagonist called carnosic acid (CA) was co-assembled with a RADA-rich peptide to create a nanonet-derived hydrogel known as Supra-gelδCA. This injectable hydrogel is designed to be retained at the surgical site while simultaneously promoting hemostasis. Importantly, Supra-gelδCA directly releases CA to the site of residual tumour lesions, thereby enhancing infiltration of CTLs and subsequently activating adaptive immunity. Consequently, it effectively suppresses postoperative recurrence of skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) in vivo. Collectively, the presented Supra-gelδCA not only provides an efficacious immunotherapy strategy for regulating adaptive immunity by overcoming the obstacle posed by melanoma-intrinsic β-catenin signaling-induced absence of CTLs but also offers a clinically translatable hydrogel that revolutionizes post-surgical management of SKCM.

Pan-cancer analysis of BRK1 as a potential immunotherapeutic target

Increasing evidence supports the connection between the progression of several cancers and BRK1. However, the clinical significance of aberrant BRK1 gene expression in cancer is unknown. This study is conducted to investigate the possibility and effect of BRK1 as a potential immunotherapy target, to deliver a better option for liver cancer immunotherapy. We explored the predictive role of BRK1 expression in a variety of cancers from different bioinformatics, including differential expression in different cancers, tumor microenvironment (TME), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutational burden (TMB), immune checkpoint molecules, immune-related and cell cycle-related signalling pathways, and drug response sensitivity. Finally, we verified the expression of BRK1 in hepatocellular carcinoma using immunohistochemistry. BRK1 is overexpressed in multiple cancers and displays a negative association with prognosis and progression of disease in a wide range of main cancer types. Additionally, the expression of BRK1 is related to MSI and TMB of tumors. There was also a remarkable correlation between the expression of BRK1 and immune score, immune infiltration, immune checkpoint molecules and a stromal score of tumors. In hepatocellular carcinoma, BRK1 is associated with several signaling pathways and immune cell infiltration may affect several key immune-related regulatory genes, making it an excellent biomarker and may be a sensitive target for immune drugs.Our research suggests that BRK1 may be a potential prognostic marker and target for immunotherapy and may be associated with poor prognosis in diverse malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma.

WDR77 in Pan-Cancer: Revealing expression patterns, genetic insights, and functional roles across diverse tumor types, with a spotlight on colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

Despite its involvement in regulating various cellular functions, the expression and role of WD repeat-containing protein 77 (WDR77) in cancer remain elusive. This study aims to explore the expression and potential roles of WDR77 across multiple cancers, with a particular focus on its relevance in colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

We obtained WDR77 RNA-seq data, mutations, CNVs, and DNA methylation data from the TCGA, GTEx, and GEO databases to investigate its expression patterns and prognostic value. Additionally, we examined the correlation between WDR77 expression and somatic mutations, copy number variations, DNA methylation, and mRNA modifications. We utilized GSVA, GSEA algorithms, and CRISPR KO data from the Dependency Map database to explore WDR77's potential biological functions. The association between WDR77 and the tumor immune microenvironment was investigated using ESTIMATE and IOBR algorithms. Finally, we assessed WDR77 expression in CRC and its impact on cell proliferation through qRT-PCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, CCK8, colony formation, and EdU assays.

RESULTS

WDR77 was upregulated in various tumors and correlated with poor patient prognosis. Its high expression positively correlated with pathways related to cell proliferation and negatively correlated with immune-related pathways. In CRC, WDR77 expression was associated with specific clinical features, genomic alterations, and immune microenvironment characteristics. Experimental validation confirmed upregulated WDR77 expression in CRC tissues and cells, with WDR77 knockdown significantly inhibiting CRC cell proliferation.

CONCLUSION

WDR77 holds potential as an oncogene and biological marker in various cancers, particularly CRC.

Collagen extracellular matrix promotes gastric cancer immune evasion by activating IL4I1-AHR signaling

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health challenge with poor prognosis, partly due to its ability to evade the immune system. The extracellular matrix (ECM), particularly collagen, plays a crucial role in tumor immune evasion, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigates the role of collagen ECM in promoting immune evasion in gastric cancer by activating the IL4I1-AHR signaling pathway.

METHODS

We cultured gastric cancer cells in 3D collagen gels and assessed their immune evasion capabilities by co-culturing with HER2-specific CAR-T cells. The expression of IL4I1 and its metabolites was analyzed, and the role of integrin αvβ1 in mediating the effects of collagen was explored. Additionally, the impact of IL4I1-induced AHR activation on CAR-T cell exhaustion was evaluated, both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We found that gastric cancer cells cultured on collagen exhibited increased resistance to CAR-T cell cytotoxicity, which was associated with upregulated immune checkpoint molecules and downregulated effector cytokines on CAR-T cells. This was linked to increased IL4I1 expression, which was further induced by integrin αvβ1 signaling within the 3D collagen environment. IL4I1 metabolites, particularly KynA, promoted CAR-T cell exhaustion by activating the AHR pathway, leading to decreased cytotoxicity and tumor growth inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which the collagen ECM facilitates immune evasion in gastric cancer through the activation of IL4I1-AHR signaling, contributing to CAR-T cell exhaustion. Targeting this pathway could potentially enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in gastric cancer.

Single-cell spatial transcriptomics in cardiovascular development, disease, and medicine

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) impose a significant burden worldwide. Despite the elucidation of the etiology and underlying molecular mechanisms of CVDs by numerous studies and recent discovery of effective drugs, their morbidity, disability, and mortality are still high. Therefore, precise risk stratification and effective targeted therapies for CVDs are warranted. Recent improvements in single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics have improved our understanding of the mechanisms and cells involved in cardiovascular phylogeny and CVDs. Single-cell RNA sequencing can facilitate the study of the human heart at remarkably high resolution and cellular and molecular heterogeneity. However, this technique does not provide spatial information, which is essential for understanding homeostasis and disease. Spatial transcriptomics can elucidate intracellular interactions, transcription factor distribution, cell spatial localization, and molecular profiles of mRNA and identify cell populations causing the disease and their underlying mechanisms, including cell crosstalk. Herein, we introduce the main methods of RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics analysis and highlight the latest advances in cardiovascular research. We conclude that single-cell RNA sequencing interprets disease progression in multiple dimensions, levels, perspectives, and dynamics by combining spatial and temporal characterization of the clinical phenome with multidisciplinary techniques such as spatial transcriptomics. This aligns with the dynamic evolution of CVDs (e.g., "angina-myocardial infarction-heart failure" in coronary artery disease). The study of pathways for disease onset and mechanisms (e.g., age, sex, comorbidities) in different patient subgroups should improve disease diagnosis and risk stratification. This can facilitate precise individualized treatment of CVDs.

T lymphocyte‑related immune response and immunotherapy in gastric cancer (Review)

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a global healthcare challenge because of its high incidence and poor prognosis. The efficacy of current chemotherapy regimens for advanced GC is limited. T cells, which have been implicated in the progression of GC, have a significant impact in the tumor microenvironment. With a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying the cancer immunoediting process, immunotherapy may become a promising treatment option for patients with GC. Several clinical trials are currently investigating different mechanisms targeting the tumor immune response. The present review summarized T cell-involved immune responses and various immunotherapy strategies for GC.

Reprogramming cellular senescence in the tumor microenvironment augments cancer immunotherapy through multifunctional nanocrystals

Harnessing the immunogenic potential of senescent tumor cells provides an opportunity to remodel tumor microenvironment (TME) and boost antitumor immunity. However, this potential needs to be sophisticatedly wielded to avoid additional immunosuppressive capacity of senescent cells. Our study shows that blocking the JAK2/STAT3 pathway enhances immunogenic efficacy of Aurora kinase inhibitor alisertib (Ali)-induced senescence by reducing immunosuppressive senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) while preserving immunogenic SASP. Hypothesizing that SASP reprogramming with Ali and JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib (Rux) will benefit cancer immunotherapy, we create nanoparticulate crystals (Ali-Rux) composed of Ali and Rux with a fully active pharmaceutical ingredient. Immunization with Ali-Rux-orchestrated senescent cells promotes stronger activation of antigen-presenting cells, enhancing antitumor immune surveillance. This approach remodels the TME by increasing CD8+ T cell and NK recruitment and activation while decreasing MDSCs. Combined with PD-L1 blockade, Ali-Rux elicits a durable antitumor immune response, suggesting the TME reshaping approach as a potential cancer immunotherapy.

Unveiling the enigmatic roles of basophils in HIV infection: A narrative review

The intricate interplay between the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the immune system has long been a focal point in understanding disease progression. Among the myriad of immune cells, basophils, often overshadowed, have recently emerged as pivotal contributors to the complex immunological landscape of HIV infection. This paper aims to provide a succinct overview of the enigmatic roles of basophils in HIV pathogenesis, elucidating their multifaceted functions and implications. Basophils, conventionally perceived as minor players in immune responses, exhibit active participation in HIV infection. Their activation triggered by viral antigens, cytokines, and immune complexes orchestrates a cascade of immune events, influencing immune modulation, cytokine release, and the activation of adaptive immune cells. Furthermore, basophils function as antigen-presenting cells, potentially impacting viral dissemination and immune dysregulation. Additionally, basophils serve as crucial regulators in HIV infection through cytokine secretion, notably interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and IL-3, influencing immune cell differentiation, polarization, and antibody production. Their interactions with various immune cells intricately shape the immune response against HIV, impacting disease progression and immune equilibrium. Moreover, harnessing basophils as potential vaccine targets or immune modulators represents a compelling avenue for future research. In conclusion, the emerging understanding of basophils' multifaceted involvement in HIV infection challenges prior perceptions and underscores their significance in shaping immune responses and disease outcomes. This abstraction highlights the need for continued research to unlock the full potential of basophils, paving the way for novel strategies in combatting HIV/AIDS.

Albumin-based strategies to effectively prolong the circulation half-life of small immunomodulatory payloads in cancer therapy

Small immunomodulatory payloads (IMMs) such as peptide vaccines and cytokines have the capability to activate and boost the immune response against cancer. However, their clinical use has often been hindered by their poor stability and short circulating half-lives. To enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of small IMMs and promote their trafficking and accumulation in lymphatic and tumor tissues, a large variety of strategies have been developed. One of the most successful relies on the use of serum albumin (SA), the most abundant protein in the circulatory and lymphatic system. Here, we report a comparative analysis of the different covalent and noncovalent SA-based strategies applied so far to improve the efficacy of small IMMs in cancer therapy.

Predicting survival benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in lung cancer patients: a machine learning approach using real-world data

BACKGROUND

Due to the heterogeneity in the effectiveness of immunotherapy for lung cancer, identifying predictors is crucial.

AIM

This study aimed to develop a machine learning model to identify predictors of overall survival in lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

METHOD

A retrospective analysis was performed on data from 1314 lung cancer patients at the Chongqing University Cancer Hospital from September 2018 to September 2022. We used the random survival forest (RSF) model to identify survival-influencing factors, using backward elimination for variable selection. A Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model was constructed using the most significant predictors. We assessed model performance and generalizability using time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and predictive error curves.

RESULTS

The RSF model demonstrated better predictive accuracy than the CPH (IBS 0.17 vs. 0.17; C-index 0.91 vs. 0.68), with better discrimination and prediction performance. The influential variables identified included D-dimer, Karnofsky performance status, albumin, surgery, TNM stage, platelet count, and age. The RSF model, which incorporated these variables, achieved area under the curve (AUC) scores of 0.95, 0.94, and 0.98 for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival predictions, respectively, in the training set. The validation set showed AUCs of 0.94, 0.90, and 0.95, respectively, exceeding the performance of the CPH model.

CONCLUSION

The study successfully developed a machine learning model that accurately predicted the survival benefits of ICI therapy in lung cancer patients, supporting clinical decision-making in lung cancer treatment.

Integrated analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the impact of nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism on glioma prognosis and immunotherapy sensitivity

BACKGROUND

Nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism play important roles in regulating tumor synthesis metabolism and signal transduction functions. However, their comprehensive impact on the prognosis and the tumor immune microenvironment of glioma is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism with prognosis and immune status of gliomas and to develop relevant models for predicting prognosis and sensitivity to immunotherapy in gliomas.

METHODS

Bulk and single-cell transcriptome data from TCGA, CGGA and GSE159416 were obtained for this study. Gliomas were classified based on nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism, and PPI network associated with differentially expressed genes was established. The core genes were identified and the risk model was established by machine learning techniques, including univariate Cox regression and LASSO regression. Then the risk model was validated with data from the CGGA. Finally, the effects of genes in the risk model on the biological behavior of gliomas were verified by in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

The high nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism is associated with poor prognosis and high levels of immune cell infiltration in glioma. Seven of the core genes related to nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism were used to construct a risk model, and the model has good predictive ability for prognosis, immune microenvironment, and response to immune checkpoint therapy of glioma. We also confirmed that high expression of TGFBI can lead to an increased level of migration, invasion, and EMT of glioma cells, and the aforementioned effect of TGFBI can be reduced by FAK inhibitor PF-573,228.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study evaluated the effects of nicotinamide and tryptophan metabolism on the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment of glioma, which can help predict the prognosis and sensitivity to immunotherapy of glioma.

Trogocytosis in CAR immune cell therapy: a key mechanism of tumor immune escape

Immune cell therapy based on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology platform has been greatly developed. The types of CAR immune cell therapy have expanded from T cells to innate immune cells such as NK cells and macrophages, and the diseases treated have expanded from hematological malignancies to non-tumor fields such as infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. Among them, CAR-T and CAR-NK therapy have observed examples of rapid remission in approved clinical trials, but the efficacy is unstable and plagued by tumor resistance. Trogocytosis is a special phenomenon of intercellular molecular transfer that is common in the immune system and is achieved by recipient cells through acquisition and internalization of donor cell-derived molecules and mediates immune effects. Recently, a novel short-term drug resistance mechanism based on trogocytosis has been proposed, and the bidirectional molecular exchange between CAR immune cells and tumor cells triggered by trogocytosis partially explains the long-term relapse phenomenon after treatment with CAR immune cells. In this review, we summarize the research progress of trogocytosis in CAR immunotherapy, discuss the influencing factors of trogocytosis and its direct and indirect interference with CAR immune cells and emphasize that the interference of trogocytosis can further release the potential of CAR immune cell therapy.

Development and validation of a novel endoplasmic reticulum stress-related lncRNAs signature in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a cancerous tumor, and its development is greatly influenced by long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is an essential biological defense process in cells and contributes to the progression of tumors. However, the exact mechanisms remain elusive. This study aims to develop a signature of lncRNAs associated with ERS in OS. This signature will guide the prognosis prediction and the determination of appropriate treatment strategies. The UCSC Xena database collected transcriptional and clinical data of OS and muscle, after identifying ERS differentially expressed genes, we utilized correlation analysis to determine the endoplasmic reticulum stress lncRNAs (ERLs). The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Cox regression analysis were utilized to develop an ERLs signature. To clarify the fundamental mechanisms controlling gene expression in low and high-risk groups, Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) were conducted. In addition, the distinction between the two groups regarding drug sensitivity and immune-related activity was investigated to determine the immunotherapy effects. Utilizing RT-qPCR, the expression of model lncRNAs in OS cell lines was ascertained. The functional analysis of LINC02298 was carried out through in vitro experiments and pan-cancer analysis. This study successfully constructed an ERLs prognostic signature for OS, which comprised 5 lncRNAs (AC023157.3, AL031673.1, LINC02298, LINC02328, SNHG26). The risk signature predicted overall survival in patients with OS and was confirmed by assessing the validation and whole cohorts. Further, it was discovered that individuals classified as high-risk displayed suppressed immune activation, decreased infiltration of immune cells, and decreased responsiveness to immunotherapy. The RT-qPCR showed that the constructed risk prognosis model is reliable. Experimental validation has demonstrated that LINC02298 can promote OS cells' invasion, migration, and proliferation. In addition, LINC02298 exhibited significant differential expression in many types of cancer. Moreover, LINC02298 is an important biomarker in a variety of tumors. This study established a novel ERLs signature, which successfully predicted the prognosis of OS. The function of LINC02298 in OS was elucidated via in vitro experiments. Therefore, it offers new opportunities for predicting the clinical prognosis of OS and establishes the basis for targeted therapy in OS.

Identification and validation of M2 macrophage-related gene signature as a novel prognostic model for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly heterogeneous tumor. Commonly used tumor staging don't sufficiently and accurately assess the prognosis of HNSCC patients, resulting in a lack of guidance for clinical treatment decisions. M2 macrophage infiltration has been shown to be strongly associated with the tumor prognosis. In this study, we used the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data to screen for genes co-expressed with M2 macrophages in HNSCC. We used univariate Cox regression to screen out the genes associated with HNSCC prognosis, and constructed a HNSCC prognosis model by Lasso regression analysis. The results confirmed that the model had good predictive value and accuracy for the prognosis of HNSCC patients by survival analysis, ROC curve and nomogram. We divided the HNSCC samples into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the risk score, and the results showed that patients in the high-risk group were more prone to genetic mutations and had a higher tumor mutational burden. In addition, there were significant differences between risk groups in terms of immune cell infiltration and drug sensitivity. The HNSCC prognostic model established in this study may provide guidance for clinical therapeutic decision-making and provide a theoretical foundation for the development of new immunotherapy methods.

Machine learning-based new classification for immune infiltration of gliomas

BACKGROUND

Glioma is a highly heterogeneous and poorly immunogenic malignant tumor, with limited efficacy of immunotherapy. The characteristics of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) are one of the important factors hindering the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the immune microenvironment (IME) characteristics of glioma and predict different immune subtypes using machine learning methods, providing guidance for immune therapy in glioma.

METHODS

We first performed unsupervised cluster analysis on the genes and arrays of 693 gliomas in CGGA database and 702 gliomas in TCGA database. Then establish and verify the classification model through Machine Learning (ML). Then, use DAVID to perform functional enrichment analysis for different immune subtypes. Next step, analyze the immune cell distribution, stemness maintenance, mesenchymal phenotype, neuronal phenotype, tumorigenic cytokines, molecular and clinical characteristics of different immune subtypes of gliomas.

RESULTS

Firstly, we divide the IME of gliomas in the CGGA database into four different subtypes, namely IM1, IM2, IM3, and IM4; similarly, the IME of gliomas in the TCGA database can also be divided into four different subtypes (IMA, IMB, IMC, and IMD). Next, based on ML, we developed a highly reliable model for predicting different immune subtypes of glioma. Then, we found that Monocytic lineage, Myeloid dendritic cells, NK cells and CD8 T cells had the highest enrichment in the IM1/IMD subtypes. Cytotoxic lymphocytes were highest expressed in the IM4/IMA subtypes. Next step, Enrichment analysis revealed that the IM1-IMD subtypes were mainly closely related to the production and secretion of IL-8 and TNF signaling pathway. The IM2-IMB subtypes were strongly associated with leukocyte activation and NK cell mediated cytotoxicity. The IM3-IMC subtypes were closely related to mitotic nuclear division and mitotic cell cycle process. The IM4-IMA subtypes were strongly associated with Central Nervous System (CNS) development and striated muscle tissue development. Afterwards, Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) showed that stemness maintenance phenotypes were mainly enriched in the IM4/IMA subtypes; Neuronal phenotypes were closely associated with the IM2/IMB subtypes; and mesenchymal phenotypes and tumorigenic cytokines were highly correlated with the IM2 /IMB subtypes. Finally, we found that compared with patients in the IM2/IMB and IM4/IMA subtypes, the IM1/IMD and IM3/IMC subtypes have the highest proportion of GBM patients, the shortest average overall survival of patients and the lowest proportion of patients with IDH mutation and 1p36/19q13 co-deletion.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a highly reliable model for predicting different immune subtypes of glioma by ML. Then, we comprehensively analyzed the immune infiltration, molecular and clinical features of different immune subtypes of gliomas and defined gliomas into four subtypes: immunogenic subtype, adaptive immune resistance subtype, mesenchymal subtype, and immune tolerance subtype, which represent different TMEs and different stages of tumor development.

Bioactive mesoporous silica materials-assisted cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is initially envisioned as a powerful approach to train immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and lymphoid tissues to elicit strong anti-tumor responses. However, clinical cancer immunotherapy still faces challenges, such as limited immunogenicity and insufficient immune response. Leveraging the advantages of mesoporous silica (MS) materials in controllable drug and immunomodulator release, recent efforts have focused on engineering MS with intrinsic immunoregulatory functions to promote robust, systemic, and safe anti-tumor responses. This review discusses advances in bioactive MS materials that address the challenges of immunotherapy. Beyond their role in on-demand delivery and drug release in response to the TME, we highlight the intrinsic functions of bioactive MS in orchestrating localized immune responses by inducing immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, modulating immune cell activity, and facilitating tumor-immune cell interactions. Additionally, we emphasize the advantages of bioactive MS in recruiting and activating immune cells within lymphoid tissues to initiate anti-tumor vaccination. The review also covers the challenges of MS-assisted immunotherapy, potential solutions, and future outlooks. With a deeper understanding of material-bio interactions, the rational design of MS with sophisticated bioactivities and controllable responsiveness holds great promise for enhancing the outcomes of personalized immunotherapy.

Design and development of dual targeting CAR protein for the development of CAR T-cell therapy against KRAS mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma using computational approaches

Mutant KRAS promotes the proliferation, metastasis, and aggressiveness of various cancers including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) respectively. Mutant KRAS therapeutics are limited, while Sotorasib and Adagrasib were the only FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of KRASG12C mutated NSCLC. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been emerged as an effective strategy against hematological malignancies and being extended towards solid cancers including PDAC. mesothelin (MSLN) and Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) were reported to be highly overexpressed in KRAS-mutated PDAC. Meanwhile, in clinical trials, several CAR T-cell therapy studies are mainly focused towards these two cancer antigens in PDAC, however, the dual targeting of these two neoantigens is not reported. In the present study, we have designed and developed a novel dual-targeting CAR protein by employing various bioinformatics approaches such as functional analysis (antigenicity, allergenicity, antigen binding sites & signalling cascades), qualitative analysis (physicochemical, prediction, refinement & validation of 2D and 3D structures), molecular docking, and in silico cloning. Our results revealed that the designed CAR protein specifically binds with both MSLN & CEA with significant binding affinities, and was predicted to be stable & non-allergenic. Additionally, the protein-protein interaction network reveals the T-cell mediated antitumor responses of each domain in the designed CAR. Conclusively, we have designed and developed a dual targeting (MSLN & CEA) CAR protein towards KRAS-mutated PDAC using computational approaches. Alongside, we further recommend to engineer this designed CAR in T-cells and evaluating their therapeutic efficiency in in vitro and in vivo studies in the near future.

Tumour Immunotherapy and Applications of Immunological Products: A Review of Literature

Malignant tumors, characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation, are a leading global health challenge, responsible for over 9.7 million deaths in 2022, with new cases expected to rise to 35 million annually by 2050. Immunotherapy is preferred to other cancer therapies, offering precise targeting of malignant cells while simultaneously strengthening the immune system's complex responses. Advances in this novel field of science have been closely linked to a deeper knowledge of tumor biology, particularly the intricate interplay between tumor cells, the immune system, and the tumor microenvironment (TME), which are central to cancer progression and immune evasion. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms that govern these interactions, emphasizing their critical role in the development of effective immunotherapeutic products. We critically evaluate the current immunotherapy approaches, including cancer vaccines, adoptive T cell therapies, and cytokine-based treatments, highlighting their efficacy and safety. We also explore the latest advancements in combination therapies, which synergistically integrate multiple immunotherapeutic strategies to overcome resistance and enhance therapeutic outcomes. This review offers key insights into the future of cancer immunotherapy with a focus on advancing more effective and personalized treatment strategies.

SPI1+CD68+ macrophages as a biomarker for gastric cancer metastasis: a rationale for combined antiangiogenic and immunotherapy strategies

BACKGROUND

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been demonstrated to be associated with tumor progression. However, the different subpopulations of TAMs and their roles in gastric cancer (GC) remain poorly understood. This study aims to assess the effects of Spi-1 proto-oncogene (SPI1)+CD68+ TAMs in GC.

METHODS

The distribution of SPI1+CD68+ TAMs in GC tissue was estimated by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. Single-cell transcriptome analysis and multiplex fluorescence immunohistochemistry were applied to explore the role of SPI1+CD68+ TAMs in an immune contexture. SPI1 overexpression or knockdown cells were constructed to evaluate its role in macrophage polarization and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to verify the mechanism of SPI1 transcriptional function. The effect of combined antiangiogenic and immunotherapy was further validated using mouse peritoneal metastasis models.

RESULTS

Single-cell transcriptome analysis and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that SPI1 was expressed in macrophages, with a higher enrichment in metastatic lesions than in primary tumors. Higher SPI1+CD68+ TAMs infiltration was associated with poor overall survival. Mechanically, SPI1 promoted the M2-type macrophage polarization. SPI1 could bind to the promoter of vascular endothelial growth factor A and facilitate angiogenesis. Moreover, the level of SPI1+CD68+ TAMs infiltration was closely related to the efficacy of immunotherapy, especially when combined with antiangiogenic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that SPI1+CD68+ TAMs are a promising biomarker for predicting prognosis, antiangiogenic drug sensitivity, and combination target of immunotherapy in patients with GC.

Enhanced Tumor Immunotherapy by Triple Amplification Effects of Nanomedicine on the STING Signaling Pathway in Dendritic Cells

Insufficient activation of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway in tumor-associated dendritic cells limits the efficiency of tumor immunotherapy. Herein, the "three-in-one" IAHA-LaP/siPTPN6 NPs containing lanthanum ions (La3+), cGAMP, and PTPN6 siRNA are developed for triple amplification of the STING pathway. In vitro results demonstrate that La3+ significantly promotes cGAMP-mediated activation of the STING pathway by enhancing the phosphorylation of STING, TBK1, IRF3, and NF-κB p65. Moreover, the IAHA-LaP/siPTPN6 NPs further significantly enhance the phosphorylation of STING and NF-κB p65 and augment K63-linked ubiquitination of STING protein via siPTPN6-mediated downregulation of SHP-1 protein. Furthermore, NPs improve the secretion of IFNβ (2.4-fold), IL-6 (1.5-fold), and TNF-α (1.4-fold), thereby promoting DCs maturation compared to the mixture of La3+ and cGAMP. In vivo results show that the IAHA-LaP/siPTPN6 NPs remarkably inhibit primary tumor growth by increasing the percentage of mature DCs in tumor-draining lymph nodes, polarizing M2/M1 phenotype in TME, and promoting the infiltration of CD8+T cells into tumors. Moreover, these NPs dramatically prevent the growth of distal tumor by inducing systemic anti-tumor immunity and generating a long-term anti-tumor memory for protection against tumor recurrence in mice bearing bilateral B16F10. These IAHA-LaP/siPTPN6 NPs may offer a promising platform for robust anti-tumor immune responses.

Engineering Stimuli-Responsive Materials for Precision Medicine

Over the past decade, precision medicine has garnered increasing attention, making significant strides in discovering new therapeutic drugs and mechanisms, resulting in notable achievements in symptom alleviation, pain reduction, and extended survival rates. However, the limited target specificity of primary drugs and inter-individual differences have often necessitated high-dosage strategies, leading to challenges such as restricted deep tissue penetration rates and systemic side effects. Material science advancements present a promising avenue for these issues. By leveraging the distinct internal features of diseased regions and the application of specific external stimuli, responsive materials can be tailored to achieve targeted delivery, controllable release, and specific biochemical reactions. This review aims to highlight the latest advancements in stimuli-responsive materials and their potential in precision medicine. Initially, we introduce disease-related internal stimuli and capable external stimuli, elucidating the reaction principles of responsive functional groups. Subsequently, we provide a detailed analysis of representative pre-clinical achievements of stimuli responsive materials across various clinical applications, including enhancements in the treatment of cancers, injury diseases, inflammatory diseases, infection diseases, and high-throughput microfluidic biosensors. Finally, we discuss some clinical challenges, such as off-target effects, long-term impacts of nano-materials, potential ethical concerns, and offer insights into future perspectives of stimuli-responsive materials.

Prognostic Prediction and Immune Microenvironment Characterization in Uveal Melanoma: A Novel Mitochondrial Metabolism-Related Gene Signature

Uveal Melanoma (UM), a highly aggressive and metastatic intraocular cancer with a strong propensity for liver metastasis, presents limited therapeutic alternatives and unfavorable survival outcomes. Despite its low incidence, the underlying mechanisms of UM pathogenesis and the precise role of mitochondrial metabolism in UM remain inadequately understood. Utilizing Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess prognostic relevance, and consensus clustering was employed for molecular subtyping. A risk signature was constructed using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression. We further conducted comparative analyses on clinicopathological characteristics, somatic mutation profiles, drug sensitivity, gene expression patterns, and tumor microenvironment features across different molecular subtypes. Moreover, a nomogram was developed and evaluated. Among 1234 mitochondria metabolism-related genes (MMRGs), 343 were identified as significantly associated with the prognosis of UM. These prognosis-associated MMRGs facilitated the classification of UM into two distinct molecular subtypes, which displayed notable differences in prognosis and pathological staging. Furthermore, an index termed the MMRGs-derived index (MMI) was derived from eight MMRGs, serving as a quantitative measure for poor prognosis risk in UM. MMI demonstrated significant associations with clinicopathological characteristics, somatic mutations, drug responsiveness, and the tumor microenvironment, where higher MMI levels corresponded to worse prognosis, advanced pathological stages, and increased immune cell infiltration. The nomogram built upon MMI provided a potential tool for clinical prognosis assessment in UM patients. This study demonstrated the potential value of MMRGs in predicting prognosis and molecular stratification within UM; however, additional clinical and basic research is warranted to validate their applicability and elucidate the related mechanisms.

The immunomodulatory role of the MAFB gene in hepatocellular carcinoma and its impact on biological activities

OBJECTIVE

The transcription factor MAFB is part of the MAF family and is known to promote hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by upregulating cyclin D1. However, its role in HCC immunity and prognosis remains unclear. This study explores the biological function, prognostic significance, and immune impact of MAFB in HCC.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze MAFB expression in HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues. RT-qPCR and Western blotting measured MAFB levels in HCC cell lines. Specific siRNA was used to knockdown MAFB in HCCLM3 and MHCC97H cells, followed by assays to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Data from the TCGA database and online tools TIMER and TISDB were used to assess the relationship between MAFB and immune responses. A prognostic model based on MAFB-related immune genes was established, and drug sensitivity analysis was performed.

RESULTS

MAFB was significantly overexpressed in HCC tissues. Knockdown of MAFB in HCC cell lines reduced their proliferation and migration abilities. The risk model based on MAFB-related immune genes effectively predicted patient prognosis, supported by ROC curves. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that MAFB is involved in immune-related pathways. Several drugs were identified as potentially sensitive to MAFB expression levels.

CONCLUSION

MAFB plays a significant role in HCC development and immune regulation. The prognostic model combining MAFB-related immune genes provides valuable insights for predicting patient outcomes and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

Integrated immunogenomic analyses of single-cell and bulk profiling construct a T cell-related signature for predicting prognosis and treatment response in osteosarcoma

PURPOSES

T cells play a crucial role as regulators of anti-tumor activity within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are closely associated with the progression of osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the specific role of T cell-related genes (TCRGs) in the pathogenesis of OS remains unclear.

METHODS

First, we processed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of OS from the public databases and performed cell annotation. We identified highly variable genes in each cell type using the "FindAllMarkers" function, explored the distribution of different clusters, and investigated inter-cellular communication patterns via the "CellChat" framework. Then, we used multivariate Cox analysis to construct a TCRG and developed a nomogram to predict survival probabilities for OS patients. Finally, we validated the aforementioned results using various cell lines and investigated the immune cell infiltration, expression of immune checkpoints, chemotherapy sensitivity, and the efficacy of targeted therapies across different risk groups.

RESULTS

From the scRNA-seq data, we identified 3,000 highly variable genes, presented the top 10 genes, and validated the expression of core genes across different cell lines.Moreover, our analysis delved into interactions between T cells and other cell types. Our analyses constructed a predictive T cell-related signature (TCRS) that incorporated these prognostic TCRGs, showing a clear prognostic separation between the high-risk and low-risk OS patient groups in multiple cohorts. Survival analysis indicated better outcomes for patients classified in the high-risk group. The low-risk group exhibited elevated levels of CD4 memory resting T cells, contrasting with the higher levels of macrophage M0 observed in the high-risk group via the CIBERSORT algorithm. Furthermore, we observed that the low-risk group exhibitedAQ1 significant up-regulation of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) and lower Tumour Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores, suggesting that they may be suitable for immunotherapy. Conversely, the high-risk group appeared more responsive to chemotherapy and targeted therapies, according to our drug sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our study identified TCRGs, constructed and validated a TCRS for OS, and assessed immune response and drug sensitivity in different risk groups of OS patients. These findings provide novel insights into personalized treatment strategies for OS, potentially guiding more effective therapeutic interventions.

Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Regulatory Mechanisms, Functions, and Therapeutic Implications

Treatment options for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), a highly malignant tumor with poor prognosis, are limited. Recent developments in immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have offered new hope for treating iCCA. However, several issues remain, including the identification of reliable biomarkers of response to ICIs and immune-based combinations. Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of these hepatobiliary tumors has been evaluated and is under assessment in this setting in order to boost the efficacy of ICIs and to convert these immunologically "cold" tumors to "hot" tumors. Herein, the review TIME of ICCA and its critical function in immunotherapy. Moreover, this paper also discusses potential avenues for future research, including novel targets for immunotherapy and emerging treatment plans aimed to increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy and survival rates for iCCA patients.

A novel anti-CTLA-4 nanobody-IL12 fusion protein in combination with a dendritic cell/tumour fusion cell vaccine enhances the antitumour activity of CD8+ T cells in solid tumours

BACKGROUND

We previously developed a nanobody targeting CTLA-4 and demonstrated that it can boost antitumour T-cell responses in vitro; however, the resulting responses after the injection of T cells into cancer models are usually weak and transient. Here, we explored whether fusing our nanobody to IL-12 would enable it to induce stronger, longer-lasting T-cell immune responses after exposure to immature dendritic cell and tumour cell fusions.

RESULTS

The fusion protein enhanced the response of CD8+ T cells to tumour antigens in vitro and led to stronger, more persistent immune responses after the T cells were injected into mice bearing different types of xenografts.

CONCLUSION

Our in vitro and in vivo results suggest the anticancer potential of our nanobody-interleukin fusion system and support the clinical application of this fusion approach for various nanobodies.

CRISPR/Cas9 technology for advancements in cancer immunotherapy: from uncovering regulatory mechanisms to therapeutic applications

In recent years, immunotherapy has developed rapidly as a new field of tumour therapy. However, the efficacy of tumour immunotherapy is not satisfactory due to the immune evasion mechanism of tumour cells, induction of immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME), and reduction of antigen delivery, etc. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology can accurately modify immune and tumour cells in tumours, and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by targeting immune checkpoint molecules and immune regulatory genes, which has led to the great development and application. In current clinical trials, there are still many obstacles to the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in tumour immunotherapy, such as ensuring the accuracy and safety of gene editing, overcoming overreactive immune responses, and solving the challenges of in vivo drug delivery. Here we provide a systematic review on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in tumour therapy to address the above existing problems. We focus on CRISPR/Cas9 screening and identification of immunomodulatory genes, targeting of immune checkpoint molecules, manipulation of immunomodulators, enhancement of tumour-specific antigen presentation and modulation of immune cell function. Second, we also highlight preclinical studies of CRISPR/Cas9 in animal models and various delivery systems, and evaluate the efficacy and safety of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in tumour immunotherapy. Finally, potential synergistic approaches for combining CRISPR/Cas9 knockdown with other immunotherapies are presented. This study underscores the transformative potential of CRISPR/Cas9 to reshape the landscape of tumour immunotherapy and provide insights into novel therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Maturity and density of tertiary lymphoid structures associate with tumor metastasis and chemotherapy response

Background

Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLSs) are abnormal clusters of immune cells that form in tissues not normally associated with the immune system, usually in cases of long-lasting inflammation, like cancer. TLSs have been suggested as a potential prognostic indicator in various cancer types.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 223 gastric cancer (GC) patients who had surgical resections in this study. We utilized hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining to detect the presence, abundance, and maturity of TLSs. In serial sections, we used immunohistochemistry to examine the cellular composition of TLSs.

Results

The pathological review identified TLSs in 95.1% of the tumors, lymphoid aggregates in 79.8%, primary follicles in 45.7%, and lymphoid aggregates in 95.1% of the cases. Based on Kaplan-Meier curves, the maturation and abundance of TLSs contributed to longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). In addition, the density of TLSs was strongly associated with the occurrence of tumor metastases and the response to adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions

We validated the prognostic value of TLSs in GC patients in both independent cohorts, and the maturity and density of TLS correlated with tumor metastasis. In addition, TLS may reflect sustained antitumor potency, which has important implications for adjuvant chemotherapy.