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Silva-Bermudez LS, Klüter H, Kzhyshkowska JG. Macrophages as a Source and Target of GDF-15. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7313. [PMID: 39000420 PMCID: PMC11242731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a multifunctional cytokine that belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily. GDF-15 is involved in immune tolerance and is elevated in several acute and chronic stress conditions, often correlating with disease severity and patient prognosis in cancer172 and metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Despite these clinical associations, the molecular mechanisms orchestrating its effects remain to be elucidated. The effects of GDF-15 are pleiotropic but cell-specific and dependent on the microenvironment. While GDF-15 expression can be stimulated by inflammatory mediators, its predominant effects were reported as anti-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic. The role of GDF-15 in the macrophage system has been increasingly investigated in recent years. Macrophages produce high levels of GDF-15 during oxidative and lysosomal stress, which can lead to fibrogenesis and angiogenesis at the tissue level. At the same time, macrophages can respond to GDF-15 by switching their phenotype to a tolerogenic one. Several GDF-15-based therapies are under development, including GDF-15 analogs/mimetics and GDF-15-targeting monoclonal antibodies. In this review, we summarize the major physiological and pathological contexts in which GDF-15 interacts with macrophages. We also discuss the major challenges and future perspectives in the therapeutic translation of GDF-15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Susana Silva-Bermudez
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Harald Klüter
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Julia G Kzhyshkowska
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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He L, Li Z, Su D, Du H, Zhang K, Zhang W, Wang S, Xie F, Qiu Y, Ma S, Shi G, Yu D, Lei X, Li W, Li M, Wang Z, Gu J, Zhang Y. Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Nanocapsule Delivery CRISPR/Cas9 to Reprogram the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in Hepatoma Carcinoma. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2403858. [PMID: 38704691 PMCID: PMC11234430 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202403858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has demonstrated significant efficacy in various tumors, but its effectiveness in treating Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify a new immunotherapy target and develop corresponding intervention strategies. Bioinformatics analysis has revealed that growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is highly expressed in HCC and is closely related to poor prognosis of HCC patients. The previous study revealed that GDF15 can promote immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, knocking out GDF15 through gene editing could potentially reverse the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment permanently. To deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 system specifically to HCC, nanocapsules (SNC) coated with HCC targeting peptides (SP94) on their surface is utilized. These nanocapsules incorporate disulfide bonds (SNCSS) that release their contents in the tumor microenvironment characterized by high levels of glutathione (GSH). In vivo, the SNCSS target HCC cells, exert a marked inhibitory effect on HCC progression, and promote HCC immunotherapy. Mechanistically, CyTOF analysis showed favorable changes in the immune microenvironment of HCC, immunocytes with killer function increased and immunocytes with inhibitive function decreased. These findings highlight the potential of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system in modulating the immune microenvironment and improving the effectiveness of existing immunotherapy approaches for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei He
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Zhaozhao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Danjie Su
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyTangdu HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710038China
| | - Haichen Du
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
- Department of Oncology940th HospitalJoint Logistic Support ForceLanzhou730050China
| | - Kuo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Wangqian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Shuning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Fei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Yueyuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Shuangxin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Gege Shi
- College of Life SciencesNorthwest UniversityXi'an710069China
| | - Duo Yu
- Department of NeurosurgeryGeneral Hospital of Central Theater CommandWuhan430012China
| | - Xiaoying Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Weina Li
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Zhaowei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Jintao Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Yingqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal CancersDepartment of BiopharmaceuticsSchool of PharmacyThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
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Chang C, Cheng YY, Kamlapurkar S, White S, Tang PW, Elhaw AT, Javed Z, Aird KM, Mythreye K, Phaëton R, Hempel N. GPX3 supports ovarian cancer tumor progression in vivo and promotes expression of GDF15. Gynecol Oncol 2024; 185:8-16. [PMID: 38342006 PMCID: PMC11179984 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.02.004] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We previously reported that high expression of the extracellular glutathione peroxidase GPX3 is associated with poor patient outcome in ovarian serous adenocarcinomas, and that GPX3 protects ovarian cancer cells from oxidative stress in culture. Here we tested if GPX3 is necessary for tumor establishment in vivo and to identify novel downstream mediators of GPX3's pro-tumorigenic function. METHODS GPX3 was knocked-down in ID8 ovarian cancer cells by shRNA to test the role of GPX3 in tumor establishment using a syngeneic IP xenograft model. RNA sequencing analysis was carried out in OVCAR3 cells following shRNA-mediated GPX3 knock-down to identify GPX3-dependent gene expression signatures. RESULTS GPX3 knock-down abrogated clonogenicity and intraperitoneal tumor development in vivo, and the effects were dependent on the level of GPX3 knock-down. RNA sequencing showed that loss of GPX3 leads to decreased gene expression patterns related to pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways. Validation studies identified GDF15 as strongly dependent on GPX3. GDF15, a member of the TGF-β growth factor family, has known oncogenic and immune modulatory activities. Similarly, GPX3 expression positively correlated with pro-tumor immune cell signatures, including regulatory T-cell and macrophage infiltration, and displayed significant correlation with PD-L1 expression. CONCLUSIONS We show for the first time that tumor produced GPX3 is necessary for ovarian cancer growth in vivo and that it regulates expression of GDF15. The immune profile associated with GPX3 expression in serous ovarian tumors suggests that GPX3 may be an alternate marker of ovarian tumors susceptible to immune check-point inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Chang
- Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Ya-Yun Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shriya Kamlapurkar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sierra White
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Priscilla W Tang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Amal T Elhaw
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Zaineb Javed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Katherine M Aird
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Karthikeyan Mythreye
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rébécca Phaëton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Nadine Hempel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Tang Y, Liu T, Sun S, Peng Y, Huang X, Wang S, Zhou Z. Role and Mechanism of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in Chronic Kidney Disease. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:2861-2871. [PMID: 38741613 PMCID: PMC11090192 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s451398] [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: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
GDF-15 is an essential member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. Its functions mainly involve in tissue injury, inflammation, fibrosis, regulation of appetite and weight, development of tumor, and cardiovascular disease. GDF-15 is involved in various signaling pathways, such as MAPK pathway, PI3K/AKT pathway, STAT3 pathway, RET pathway, and SMAD pathway. In addition, several factors such as p53, ROS, and TNF-α participate the regulation of GDF-15. However, the specific mechanism of these factors regulating GDF-15 is still unclear and more research is needed to explore them. GDF-15 mainly improves the function of kidneys in CKD and plays an important role in the prediction of CKD progression and cardiovascular complications. In addition, the role of GDF-15 in the kidney may be related to the SMAD and MAPK pathways. However, the specific mechanism of these pathways remains unclear. Accordingly, more research on the specific mechanism of GDF-15 affecting kidney disease is needed in the future. In conclusion, GDF-15 may be a therapeutic target for kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifang Tang
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Liu
- Organ Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shibo Sun
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Youbo Peng
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiao Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Xishuangbanna, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuangquan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Xishuangbanna, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhu Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
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Bu S, Royston L, Mabanga T, Berini CA, Tremblay C, Lebouché B, Cox J, Costiniuk CT, Durand M, Isnard S, Routy JP. Proteomics validate circulating GDF-15 as an independent biomarker for COVID-19 severity. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1377126. [PMID: 38686386 PMCID: PMC11057458 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1377126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) was originally described as a stress-induced cytokine, and a biomarker of aging and cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that circulating GDF-15 would be associated with COVID-19 disease severity. Herein, we explored this hypothesis in a large cohort of COVID-19 patients. Methods Blood samples were collected from 926 COVID-19 adult patients and from 285 hospitalized controls from the Biobanque Québécoise de la COVID-19 (BQC19). COVID-19 severity was graded according to the WHO criteria. SOMAscan proteomics assay was performed on 50µL of plasma. ELISA were performed on 46 selected participants with left-over plasma to validate differences in plasma GDF-15 levels. Statistical analyses were conducted using GraphPad Prism 9.0 and SPSS. P values < 0.01 were considered significant. Results Proteomics showed that plasma GDF-15 levels were higher in COVID-19 patients compared to hospitalized controls. GDF-15 levels increased with COVID-19 severity. COVID-19 patients presenting with comorbidities including diabetes, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease had higher GDF-15 levels. ELISA revealed significant elevation of GDF-15 until 30 days after hospitalization. Plasma GDF-15 elevation was correlated with older age. Moreover, GDF-15 levels correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) as well as soluble levels of its putative receptor CD48. No association was established between anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels and plasma GDF-15 levels. Conclusions This study confirms GDF-15 as a biomarker for COVID-19 severity. Clinical evaluation of GDF-15 levels could assist identification of persons at high-risk of progressing to severe disease, thus improving patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeng Bu
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Léna Royston
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tsoarello Mabanga
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Carolina A. Berini
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cécile Tremblay
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Bertrand Lebouché
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Joseph Cox
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia T. Costiniuk
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Madeleine Durand
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Stephane Isnard
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Routy
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Hematology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Zhang R, Zhu G, Li Z, Meng Z, Huang H, Ding C, Wang Y, Chen C, Li Y, Liu H, Chen J. ITGAL expression in non-small-cell lung cancer tissue and its association with immune infiltrates. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1382231. [PMID: 38646528 PMCID: PMC11027504 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1382231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Integrin subunit alpha L (ITGAL) encodes an integrin component of LFA-1 and is a membrane receptor molecule widely expressed on leukocytes. It plays a key role in the interaction between white blood cells and other cells. There was a significant correlation between the expression of ITGAL and the tumor microenvironment in a number of cancers. However, experimental studies targeting ITGAL and immune cell infiltration in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy are lacking. Methods Data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) databases to explore the relationship between ITGAL expression and prognosis, as well as the immune cell infiltration in patients with NSCLC. In addition, immunohistochemical staining for ITGAL and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) staining for ITGAL, CD20, CD68, CD4, and CD8 from tissue microarrays containing 118 tumor tissues and paired paracancerous tissues from patients with NSCLC were performed. The correlation between ITGAL expression and clinical factors, as well as the immunophenotypes of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, were also analyzed. Results In NSCLC tumor tissues, ITGAL was downregulated compared with matched paracancerous tissues, and low ITGAL expression was associated with a poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry results for tissue microarray showed that ITGAL expression was mainly elevated in tumor stroma and areas with highly infiltrated immune cells. ITGAL expression was higher in paracancerous tissues than tumor tissues. Furthermore, mIF results indicated that the patients with ITGAL-high expression tend had significantly higher CD8+ T cells, CD68+ macrophages, CD4+ T cells, and CD20+ B cells infiltration in their tumor tissues. Immunophenotypes were classified into three categories, that is deserted, excluded, and inflamed types, according to each kind of immune cell distribution in or around the cancer cell nest. MIF results showed that ITGAL expression level was correlated with the immunophenotypes. Furthermore, ITGAL expression was associated with the prognosis of NSCLC in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and the patients with high ITGAL expression tends have better outcomes. Conclusions ITGAL may be used as a biomarker for assessing the immune microenvironment in patients with NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihao Zhang
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guangsheng Zhu
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zaishan Li
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Zhenzhen Meng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Hua Huang
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Ding
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongwen Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongyu Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Tindall RR, Bailey-Lundberg JM, Cao Y, Ko TC. The TGF-β superfamily as potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1362247. [PMID: 38500662 PMCID: PMC10944957 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1362247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily has important physiologic roles and is dysregulated in many pathologic processes, including pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancer diagnoses, and current therapies are largely ineffective due to tumor resistance and late-stage diagnosis with poor prognosis. Recent efforts are focused on the potential of immunotherapies in improving therapeutic results for patients with pancreatic cancer, among which TGF-β has been identified as a promising target. This review focuses on the role of TGF-β in the diseased pancreas and pancreatic cancer. It also aims to summarize the current status of therapies targeting the TGF-β superfamily and postulate potential future directions in targeting the TGF-β signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R. Tindall
- McGovern Medical School, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jennifer M. Bailey-Lundberg
- McGovern Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yanna Cao
- McGovern Medical School, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Tien C. Ko
- McGovern Medical School, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Reyes J, Zhao Y, Pandya K, Yap GS. Growth differentiation factor-15 is an IFN-γ regulated mediator of infection-induced weight loss and the hepatic FGF21 response. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 116:24-33. [PMID: 38013040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections are often accompanied by weight loss caused by alterations in host behavior and metabolism, also known as sickness behaviors. Recent studies have revealed that sickness behaviors can either promote or impede survival during infections depending on factors such as the type of infectious pathogen. Nevertheless, we have an incomplete understanding of the underlying mechanisms of sickness behaviors. Furthermore, although the host immune responses to infections have long been known to contribute to the induction of sickness behaviors, recent studies have identified emerging cytokines that are also key regulators of host metabolism during infection and inflammation, such as growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15). GDF-15 is a distant member of the TGF-β superfamily that causes weight loss by suppressing appetite and food consumption and causing emesis. These effects require activation of neurons that express the only known GDF-15 receptor, the GFRAL receptor. GDF-15 also functions in the periphery including the induction of ketogenesis and immunoregulation. Nevertheless, the functions and regulation of GDF-15 during live infections is not yet known. Murine infection with avirulent Toxoplasma gondii is an established model to understand infection-induced weight loss. Past studies have determined that acute T. gondii infection causes weight loss due to diminished food consumption and increased energy expenditure through unknown mechanisms. Additionally, our lab previously demonstrated that T. gondii causes upregulation in serum GDF-15 in an IFN-γ-dependent manner during the post-acute phase of the infection. In this study, we interrogated the in-vivo functions and immune regulation of GDF-15 during Toxoplasma gondii infection. First, we found that in wild-type mice, acute T. gondii infection caused a significant weight loss that is preceded by elevation of serum levels of IFN-γ and GDF-15. To determine whether IFN-γ regulates GDF-15, we neutralized IFN-γ on days 5 and 6 and measured GDF-15 on day 7 and found that serum but not tissue levels of GDF-15 decreased after IFN-γ neutralization. Additionally, exogenous IFN-γ was sufficient to elevate serum GDF-15 in the absence of infection. Next, we compared the outcomes of T. gondii infection between WT and Gdf15-/- mice. We observed that the weight trajectories were declining in WT mice while they were increasing in Gdf15-/-mice during the acute phase of the infection. This difference in trajectories extended throughout the chronic infection resulting to an overall weight loss relative to initial weights in WT mice but not Gdf15-/-mice. Then, we determined that GDF-15 is not essential for survival and immunoregulation during T. gondii infection. We also demonstrated that GDF-15 is required for the induction of FGF21, stress-induced cytokine with prominent roles in regulating host metabolism. Finally, we discovered a cytokine cascade IFN-γ-GDF-15-FGF21 that is likely involved in the regulation of host metabolism. Overall, our study provides evidence that IFN-γ contributes to the regulation of host metabolism during infection by inducing GDF-15 and FGF21. GDF-15 orchestrates changes in host metabolism that supports the host immune response in clearing the infection. These physiological alterations induce FGF21, which in turn, orchestrates the adaptive responses to the effects of GDF-15, which can be detrimental when protracted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jojo Reyes
- Department of Medicine and Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
| | - Yanlin Zhao
- Department of Medicine and Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
| | - Krushang Pandya
- Department of Medicine and Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States; Program of Bioengineering, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, New York Institute of Technology, United States
| | - George S Yap
- Department of Medicine and Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States.
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Chang C, Cheng YY, Kamlapurkar S, White SR, Tang PW, Elhaw AT, Javed Z, Aird KM, Mythreye K, Phaëton R, Hempel N. GPX3 supports ovarian cancer tumor progression in vivo and promotes expression of GDF15. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.577037. [PMID: 38352432 PMCID: PMC10862694 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.577037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Objective We previously reported that high expression of the extracellular glutathione peroxidase GPX3 is associated with poor patient outcome in ovarian serous adenocarcinomas, and that GPX3 protects ovarian cancer cells from oxidative stress in culture. Here we tested if GPX3 is necessary for tumor establishment in vivo and to identify novel downstream mediators of GPX3's pro-tumorigenic function. Methods GPX3 was knocked-down in ID8 ovarian cancer cells by shRNA to test the role of GPX3 in tumor establishment using a syngeneic IP xenograft model. RNA sequencing analysis was carried out in OVCAR3 cells following shRNA-mediated GPX3 knock-down to identify GPX3-dependent gene expression signatures. Results GPX3 knock-down abrogated clonogenicity and intraperitoneal tumor development in vivo, and the effects were dependent on the level of GPX3 knock-down. RNA sequencing showed that loss of GPX3 leads to decreased gene expression patterns related to pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways. Validation studies identified GDF15 as strongly dependent on GPX3. GDF15, a member of the TGF-β growth factor family, has known oncogenic and immune modulatory activities. Similarly, GPX3 expression positively correlated with pro-tumor immune cell signatures, including regulatory T-cell and macrophage infiltration, and displayed significant correlation with PD-L1 expression. Conclusions We show for the first time that tumor produced GPX3 is necessary for ovarian cancer growth in vivo and that it regulates expression of GDF15. The immune profile associated with GPX3 expression in serous ovarian tumors suggests that GPX3 may be an alternate marker of ovarian tumors susceptible to immune check-point inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Chang
- Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Ya-Yun Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shriya Kamlapurkar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sierra R White
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Priscilla W Tang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Amal T Elhaw
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Zaineb Javed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Katherine M Aird
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Karthikeyan Mythreye
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rébécca Phaëton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Nadine Hempel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Zhdanov VP. Kinetics of cancer metastasis. Biosystems 2024; 235:105098. [PMID: 38056592 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2023.105098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The formation of metastases during cancer is now considered to be induced by migrating metastatic stem cells (MetSCs) in preexisting niches or niches induced by MetSCs or tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs). I propose and compare two simplest generic models describing these two scenarios. The number of tumors is predicted (i) to increase exponentially in the case of preexisting niches and (ii) to diverge during a finite time interval in the case of induced niches. The latter prediction is novel and of interest because rapid collapse in the end of a finite time interval is a well-known feature of the cancer metastasis. Two advanced models describing the two scenarios of cancer metastasis have been scrutinized as well. These models clarify the likely role of various specific factors in the metastasis. In particular, the equations derived in the framework of the advanced model with preexisting niches have been solved analytically allowing (i) to clarify the factors determining the duration of the period from the initiation of the primary tumor to the phase when the metastases start to dominate, (ii) to estimate the number of metastases in the end of this period, and (iii) to explains why the use of chemotherapy typically results in the improvement of the patient state only for a relatively short period. The equations derived in the framework of the advanced model with induced niches have no analytical solution, and their analysis merits additional attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir P Zhdanov
- Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia.
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