A history of exploring cancer in context

Overexpression of ST8Sia1 inhibits tumor progression by TGF-β1 signaling in rectal adenocarcinoma and promotes the tumoricidal effects of CD8+ T cells by granzyme B and perforin

BACKGROUND

Rectal adenocarcinoma (READ) involves the dysregulated expression of alpha 2,8-Sialyltransferase1 (ST8Sia1) although its role during READ's progression is unclear.

METHODS

The mRNA level of ST8Sia1 was analyzed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) 2.0. Furthermore, the prognostic and significance of ST8Sia1 in READ was assessed through Kaplan-Meier curve, univariate, multivariate Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods. The role of ST8Sia1 in the READ immune microenvironment was explored using ESTIMATE analysis and TIMER databases. Furthermore, the expression of ST8Sia1 in tissues was analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Perforin and Granzyme B secretion by CD8+ T cells, as well as tumor cell apoptosis, were detected after co-culturing CD8+ T cells with READ tumor cells and ST8Sia1-overexpression (ST8Sia1-OE) tumor cells. Furthermore, we examined the interaction between ST8Sia1 and TGF-β1 in READ cells.

RESULTS

ST8Sia1 exhibited excellent diagnostic capability for READ, with positive correlations to immune response and negative correlations to tumor purity. Increased levels of perforin and Granzyme B from CD8+ T cells were observed in vitro, enhancing tumor cell apoptosis. ST8Sia1 interacts with TGF-β1, mediating its inhibitory effects on READ development.

CONCLUSIONS

ST8Sia1 is a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for READ, enhancing CD8+ T cell function and possibly improving patient outcomes through cellular immunotherapy.

Research progress and the prospect of using single-cell sequencing technology to explore the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment

In precision cancer therapy, addressing intra-tumor heterogeneity poses a significant obstacle. Due to the heterogeneity of each cell subtype and between cells within the tumor, the sensitivity and resistance of different patients to targeted drugs, chemotherapy, etc., are inconsistent. Concerning a specific tumor type, many feasible treatments or combinations can be used by specifically targeting the tumor microenvironment. To solve this problem, it is necessary to further study the tumor microenvironment. Single-cell sequencing techniques can dissect distinct tumor cell populations by isolating cells and using statistical computational methods. This technology may assist in the selection of targeted combination therapy, and the obtained cell subset information is crucial for the rational application of targeted therapy. In this review, we summarized the research and application advances of single-cell sequencing technology in the tumor microenvironment, including the most commonly used single-cell genomic and transcriptomic sequencing, and their future development direction was proposed. The application of single-cell sequencing technology has been expanded to include epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiome analysis. The integration of these different omics approaches has significantly advanced the development of single-cell multiomics sequencing technology. This innovative approach holds immense potential for various fields, such as biological research and medical investigations. Finally, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using single-cell sequencing to explore the tumor microenvironment.

MnCO3-Au nanoparticles to enable catalytic tumor inhibition with immune activation

Catalytic nanomedicine, activated by endogenous stimuli to enable specific tumor inhibition, has attracted extensive interest in recent years. However, its therapeutic outcomes are often restrained by the weakly acidic microenvironment and limited H2O2 endogenous content. Here, in this study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with glucose oxidase-like activity are incorporated with biodegradable MnCO3 nanoparticles. AuNPs catalyze glucose oxidation to generate gluconic acid and H2O2, while MnCO3 is degraded by the generated gluconic acid as well as the acidic conditions in the tumor region to release Mn2+ and HCO3-. Then H2O2 can be catalyzed by Mn2+ and HCO3- to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The effective production of on-site H2O2 leads to promoted intracellular ROS and enhanced tumor inhibition. More importantly, the released Mn2+ ions not only act as a catalytic agent, but also serve as a stimulator of the cGAS-STING pathway to activate anti-tumor immune responses. The in vivo study confirms that MnCO3-Au promotes T cell infiltration in tumors and exhibits a synergistic tumor suppression effect. This study may provide an alternative protocol for combinational tumor therapy utilizing the dual roles of Mn2+ as an emerging catalytic agent as well as an immune agonist.

Exosomal integrins in tumor progression, treatment and clinical prediction (Review)

Integrins are a large family of cell adhesion molecules involved in tumor cell differentiation, migration, proliferation and neovascularization. Tumor cell‑derived exosomes carry a large number of integrins, which are closely associated with tumor progression. As crucial mediators of intercellular communication, exosomal integrins have gained attention in the field of cancer biology. The present review examined the regulatory mechanisms of exosomal integrins in tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and emphasized their notable roles in tumor initiation and progression. The potential of exosomal integrins as drug delivery systems in cancer treatment was explored. Additionally, the potential of exosomal integrins in clinical tumor prediction was considered, while summarizing their applications in diagnosis, prognosis assessment and treatment response prediction. Thus, the present review aimed to provide guidance and insights for future basic research and the clinical translation of exosomal integrins. The study of exosomal integrins is poised to offer new perspectives and methods for precise cancer treatment and clinical prediction.

Recurrence-free survival curve for pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer plateaus at 3 years

Pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer (CRC) has encouraging results; however, specific criteria for lung resection and the timing of resection remain undetermined. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the long-term prognosis and 10-year survival rates and analyze poor prognostic factors in patients who underwent resection of pulmonary metastases from CRC. This retrospective, single-institution study included 156 patients with controlled primary CRC and metastases confined to the lungs or liver who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy between 2005 and 2022. Statistical analyses were conducted using the X2 and two-tailed Student's t test to compare variables. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the appropriate cut-off point for tumor size as a predictive factor of survival. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and non-parametric group comparisons were performed using log-rank tests. The 5- and 10-year OS rates were 67% and 59%, respectively. Further, there was no recurrence 38 months post-surgery, and the RFS curve plateaued. Moreover, by 88 months post-surgery, no deaths occurred, and the OS curve plateaued. Multivariate analysis revealed that a pulmonary metastatic tumor >14 mm and disease-free interval <2 years indicated poor prognosis. The RFS curve for pulmonary metastasectomy may plateau approximately 3 years after surgery. Pulmonary metastasectomy can achieve long-term survival in selected patients with CRC. Furthermore, surgical resection of recurrence after pulmonary metastasectomy may lead to better results. Thus, tumor size and disease-free interval may be independent prognostic factors.

Transcriptomic analysis of the 12 major human breast cell types reveals mechanisms of cell and tissue function

A fundamental question in biology, central to our understanding of cancer and other pathologies, is determining how different cell types coordinate to form and maintain tissues. Recognizing the distinct features and capabilities of the cells that compose these tissues is critical. Unfortunately, the complexity of tissues often hinders our ability to distinguish between neighboring cell types and, in turn, scrutinize their transcriptomes and generate reliable and tractable cell models for studying their inherently different biologies. We have recently introduced a novel method that permits the identification and purification of the 12 cell types that compose the human breast-nearly all of which could be reliably propagated in the laboratory. Here, we explore the nature of these cell types. We sequence mRNAs from each purified population and investigate transcriptional patterns that reveal their distinguishing features. We describe the differentially expressed genes and enriched biological pathways that capture the essence of each cell type, and we highlight transcripts that display intriguing expression patterns. These data, analytic tools, and transcriptional analyses form a rich resource whose exploration provides remarkable insights into the inner workings of the cell types composing the breast, thus furthering our understanding of the rules governing normal cell and tissue function.

Oncolytic virus and CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors

Adoptive immunotherapy with T cells, genetically modified to express a tumor-reactive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), is an innovative and rapidly developing life-saving treatment for cancer patients without other therapeutic opportunities. CAR-T cell therapy has proven effective only in hematological malignancies. However, although by now only a few clinical trials had promising outcomes, we predict that CAR-T therapy will eventually become an established treatment for several solid tumors. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) can selectively replicate in and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells. They can stimulate an immune response against the tumor, because OVs potentially stimulate adaptive immunity and innate components of the host immune system. Using CAR-T cells along with oncolytic viruses may enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in destroying solid tumors by increasing the tumor penetrance of T cells and reducing the immune suppression by the tumor microenvironment. This review describes recent advances in the design of oncolytic viruses and CAR-T cells while providing an overview of the potential combination of oncolytic virotherapy with CAR-T cells for solid cancers. In this review, we will focus on the host-virus interaction in the tumor microenvironment to reverse local immunosuppression and to develop CAR-T cell effector function.

Amphiregulin promotes activated regulatory T cell-suppressive function via the AREG/EGFR pathway in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Activated regulatory T cells (aTregs) play a vital role in promoting a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, the regulatory factors that induce the generation of aTregs are not clear. Herein, we investigated the effect of amphiregulin (AREG) on the production of aTregs in the tumor microenvironment of LSCC.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was conducted to examine the expression of AREG and FOXP3, and their association with clinical parameters and patient outcomes was demonstrated. The expression level of EGFRs in three functional subsets of Tregs was assessed, and the induction of CD4+ T cells into aTregs in the presence or absence of AREG or Gefitinib was analyzed using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Our results showed a higher expression level of AREG was significantly related to advanced clinical stage and worse survival, particularly with increased infiltration of Tregs in LSCC tumor tissue. The in vitro study showed that AREG significantly promoted the differentiation of aTregs, and enhanced the inhibitory effect of Tregs on T cell proliferation, which could be reversed by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. In addition, we found that EGFR was highly expressed in aTregs, but not in other subsets of Tregs. It is suggested that AREG might induce aTregs, and enhance the immunosuppressive function of Tregs via the AREG/EGFR signal pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, this study revealed the role and mechanism of AREG in negative immune regulation, and targeting AREG might be a novel immunotherapy for LSCC.

Cetuximab-conjugated sodium selenite nanoparticles for doxorubicin targeted delivery against MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Aim: To develop and characterize doxorubicin-loaded sodium selenite nanoparticles (SSNP-DOX) and their surface attachment with cetuximab (mAb-SSNP-DOX).Methods: SSNP-DOX was formulated by gelation and then conjugated with cetuximab to form mAb-SSNP-DOX. Characterization included DLS, SEM, TEM, DSC, Raman spectroscopy and XRD. In vitro, the kinetics of doxorubicin release and cytotoxicity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells were investigated.Results: The zeta potential for SSNP-DOX and mAb-SSNP-DOX was -14.4 ± 10.1 mV and -27.5 ± 7.28 mV, with particle sizes of 181.3 nm and 227.5 nm, respectively. The formulation intensity was 89.7% for SSNP-DOX and 100% for mAb-SSNP-DOX, with PDI values of 0.419 and 0.251, respectively. SEM and TEM showed that mAb-SSNP-DOX was smooth and spherical. The DSC analysis revealed exothermic peaks at 102.44°C for SSNP-DOX and 144.21°C for mAb-SSNP-DOX, along with endothermic peaks at 269.19°C and 241.6°C, respectively. Raman spectroscopy showed a higher intensity for mAb-SSNP-DOX. The XRD study showed different peaks for each formulation. Both followed zero order kinetics for doxorubicin release. Cytotoxicity studies showed significant effects and high apoptosis in MCF-7 cells for both formulations.Conclusion: The mAb-SSNP-DOX showed promising properties, more effective doxorubicin release and higher cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells compared with SSNP-DOX.

Next-generation spatial transcriptomics: unleashing the power to gear up translational oncology

The growing advances in spatial transcriptomics (ST) stand as the new frontier bringing unprecedented influences in the realm of translational oncology. This has triggered systemic experimental design, analytical scope, and depth alongside with thorough bioinformatics approaches being constantly developed in the last few years. However, harnessing the power of spatial biology and streamlining an array of ST tools to achieve designated research goals are fundamental and require real-world experiences. We present a systemic review by updating the technical scope of ST across different principal basis in a timeline manner hinting on the generally adopted ST techniques used within the community. We also review the current progress of bioinformatic tools and propose in a pipelined workflow with a toolbox available for ST data exploration. With particular interests in tumor microenvironment where ST is being broadly utilized, we summarize the up-to-date progress made via ST-based technologies by narrating studies categorized into either mechanistic elucidation or biomarker profiling (translational oncology) across multiple cancer types and their ways of deploying the research through ST. This updated review offers as a guidance with forward-looking viewpoints endorsed by many high-resolution ST tools being utilized to disentangle biological questions that may lead to clinical significance in the future.

Tumor microenvironment as a complex milieu driving cancer progression: a mini review

It has been spotlighted that the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) is crucial for comprehending cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, this comprehensive review elucidates the intricate architecture of the TME, which encompasses tumor cells, immune components, support cells, and a myriad of bioactive molecules. These constituents collectively foster dynamic interactions that underpin tumor growth, metastasis, and nuanced responses to anticancer therapies. Notably, the TME's role extends beyond mere physical support, serving as a critical mediator in cancer-cell evolution, immune modulation, and treatment outcomes. Innovations targeting the TME, including strategies focused on the vasculature, immune checkpoints, and T-cell therapies, have forged new pathways for clinical intervention. However, the heterogeneity and complexity of the TME present significant challenges, necessitating deeper exploration of its components and their interplay to enhance therapeutic efficacy. This review underscores the imperative for integrated research strategies that amalgamate insights from tumor biology, immunology, and systems biology. Such an approach aims to refine cancer treatments and improve patient prognoses by exploiting the TME's complexity.

Cancer cell - Fibroblast crosstalk via HB-EGF, EGFR, and MAPK signaling promotes the expression of macrophage chemo-attractants in squamous cell carcinoma

Interactions between cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) shape cancer progression and patient prognosis. To gain insights into how the TME influences cancer outcomes, we derive gene expression signatures indicative of signaling between stromal fibroblasts and cancer cells, and demonstrate their prognostic significance in multiple and independent squamous cell carcinoma cohorts. By leveraging information within the signatures, we discover that the HB-EGF/EGFR/MAPK axis represents a hub of tumor-stroma crosstalk, promoting the expression of CSF2 and LIF and favoring the recruitment of macrophages. Together, these analyses demonstrate the utility of our approach for interrogating the extent and consequences of TME crosstalk.

Cancer Patient-Derived Cell-Based Models: Applications and Challenges in Functional Precision Medicine

The field of oncology has witnessed remarkable progress in personalized cancer therapy. Functional precision medicine has emerged as a promising avenue for achieving superior treatment outcomes by integrating omics profiling and sensitivity testing of patient-derived cancer cells. This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution of cancer-directed drugs, resistance mechanisms, and the role of functional precision medicine platforms in revolutionizing individualized treatment strategies. Using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, and advanced functional assays has significantly improved our understanding of tumor behavior and drug response. This progress will lead to identifying more effective treatments for more patients. Considering the limited eligibility of patients based on a genome-targeted approach for receiving targeted therapy, functional precision medicine provides unprecedented opportunities for customizing medical interventions according to individual patient traits and individual drug responses. This review delineates the current landscape, explores limitations, and presents future perspectives to inspire ongoing advancements in functional precision medicine for personalized cancer therapy.

YTHDF2 in peritumoral hepatocytes mediates chemotherapy-induced antitumor immune responses through CX3CL1-mediated CD8+ T cell recruitment

Peritumoral hepatocytes are critical components of the liver cancer microenvironment, However, the role of peritumoral hepatocytes in the local tumor immune interface and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. YTHDF2, an RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader, is critical for liver tumor progression. The function and regulatory roles of YTHDF2 in peritumoral hepatocytes are unknown. This study demonstrated that oxaliplatin (OXA) upregulated m6A modification and YTHDF2 expression in hepatocytes. Studies using tumor-bearing liver-specific Ythdf2 knockout mice revealed that hepatocyte YTHDF2 suppresses liver tumor growth through CD8+ T cell recruitment and activation. Additionally, YTHDF2 mediated the response to immunotherapy. Mechanistically, OXA upregulated YTHDF2 expression by activating the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and consequently enhanced the therapeutic outcomes of immunotherapeutic interventions. Ythdf2 stabilized Cx3cl1 transcripts in an m6A-dependent manner, regulating the interplay between CD8+ T cells and the progression of liver malignancies. Thus, this study elucidated the novel role of hepatocyte YTHDF2, which promotes therapy-induced antitumor immune responses in the liver. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the mechanism underlying the therapeutic benefits of targeting YTHDF2.

New insights into cancer pathology learned from the dynamics of cancer-associated fibroblasts

Paget's "Seed and Soil" theory, proposed in 1889, emphasizes the importance of the microenvironment where cancer cells grow in metastatic sites. Over a century later, this concept remains a cornerstone in comprehending cancer biology and devising treatment strategies. The "Seed and Soil" theory, which initially explained how cancer spreads to distant organs, now also applies to the tumor microenvironment (TME) within primary tumors. This theory emphasizes the critical interaction between cancer cells ("seeds") and their surrounding environment ("soil") and how this interaction affects both tumor progression within the primary site and at metastatic sites. An important point to note is that the characteristics of the TME are not static but dynamic, undergoing substantial changes during tumor progression and after treatment with therapeutic drugs. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), recognized as the principal noncancerous cellular component within the TME, play multifaceted roles in tumor progression including promoting angiogenesis, remodeling the extracellular matrix, and regulating immune responses. In this comprehensive review, we focus on the findings regarding how the dynamics of CAFs contribute to cancer progression and drug sensitivity. Understanding the dynamics of CAFs could provide new insights into cancer pathology and lead to important advancements in cancer research and treatment.

S100A9, as a potential predictor of prognosis and immunotherapy response for GBM, promotes the malignant progression of GBM cells and migration of M2 macrophages

In the past decades, the therapeutic effect of glioblastoma (GBM) has not been significantly improved. Generous evidence indicates that S100A9 has a wide range of functions in tumors, but its exploration in GBM is less. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and cytological experiment on S100A9 in GBM. The expression data and clinical data of GBM samples were downloaded from the public database, and comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed on S100A9 in GBM using R software. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were used to detect the migration activity of cells, and colony formation assay, EdU staining, and CCK-8 assay were used to detect the proliferation activity of cells. The effect of S100A9 on the migration activity of M2 macrophages was verified by the cell co-culture method. The protein expression was detected by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. S100A9 is an independent prognostic factor in GBM patients and is related to poor prognosis. It can be used as an effective tool to predict the response of GBM patients to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In addition, S100A9 can promote the malignant progression of GBM and the migration of M2 macrophages. On the whole, our study highlights the potential value of S100A9 in predicting prognosis and immunotherapeutic response in GBM patients. More importantly, S100A9 may promote the malignant progress of GBM by involving in some carcinogenic pathways and remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Environmentally responsive hydrogel promotes vascular normalization to enhance STING anti-tumor immunity

The immunosuppressive microenvironment of malignant tumors severely hampers the effectiveness of anti-tumor therapy. Moreover, abnormal tumor vasculature interacts with immune cells, forming a vicious cycle that further interferes with anti-tumor immunity and promotes tumor progression. Our pre-basic found excellent anti-tumor effects of c-di-AMP and RRx-001, respectively, and we further explored whether they could be combined synergistically for anti-tumor immunotherapy. We chose to load these two drugs on PVA-TSPBA hydrogel scaffolds that expressly release drugs within the tumor microenvironment by in situ injection. Studies have shown that c-di-AMP activates the STING pathway, enhances immune cell infiltration, and reverses tumor immunosuppression. Meanwhile, RRx-001 releases nitric oxide, which increases oxidative stress injury in tumor cells and promotes apoptosis. Moreover, the combination of the two presented more powerful pro-vascular normalization and reversed tumor immunosuppression than the drug alone. This study demonstrates a new design option for anti-tumor combination therapy and the potential of tumor environmentally responsive hydrogel scaffolds in combination with anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Immune responses and immunotherapeutic approaches in the treatment against cancer

Cancer cells within a population are heterogeneous due to genomic mutations or epigenetic changes. The immune response to cancer especially the T cell repertoire within the cancer microenvionment is important to the control and growth of cancer cells. When a cancer clone breaks through the surveillance of the immune system, it wins the battle to overcome the host's immune system. In this review, the complicated profile of the cancer microenvironment is emphasized. The molecular evidence of immune responses to cancer has been recently established. Based on these molecular mechanisms of immune interactions with cancer, clinical trials based on checkpoint inhibition therapy against CTLA-4 and/or PD-1 versus PD-L1 have been successful in the treatment of melanoma, lung cancer and other types of cancer. The diversity of the T cell repertoire is described and the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes within the cancer may be expanded ex vivo and infused back to the patient as a treatment modality for adoptive immunotherapy.

Intratumoral Microbiome: Foe or Friend in Reshaping the Tumor Microenvironment Landscape?

The role of the microbiome in cancer and its crosstalk with the tumor microenvironment (TME) has been extensively studied and characterized. An emerging field in the cancer microbiome research is the concept of the intratumoral microbiome, which refers to the microbiome residing within the tumor. This microbiome primarily originates from the local microbiome of the tumor-bearing tissue or from translocating microbiome from distant sites, such as the gut. Despite the increasing number of studies on intratumoral microbiome, it remains unclear whether it is a driver or a bystander of oncogenesis and tumor progression. This review aims to elucidate the intricate role of the intratumoral microbiome in tumor development by exploring its effects on reshaping the multileveled ecosystem in which tumors thrive, the TME. To dissect the complexity and the multitude of layers within the TME, we distinguish six specialized tumor microenvironments, namely, the immune, metabolic, hypoxic, acidic, mechanical and innervated microenvironments. Accordingly, we attempt to decipher the effects of the intratumoral microbiome on each specialized microenvironment and ultimately decode its tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressive impact. Additionally, we portray the intratumoral microbiome as an orchestrator in the tumor milieu, fine-tuning the responses in distinct, specialized microenvironments and remodeling the TME in a multileveled and multifaceted manner.

Three-dimensional imaging of upper tract urothelial carcinoma improves diagnostic yield and accuracy

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare form of urothelial cancer with a high incidence of recurrence and a low survival rate. Almost two-thirds of UTUCs are invasive at the time of diagnosis; therefore, improving diagnostic methods is key to increasing survival rates. Histopathological analysis of UTUC is essential for diagnosis and typically requires endoscopy biopsy, tissue sectioning, and labeling. However, endoscopy biopsies are minute, and it is challenging to cut into thin sections for conventional histopathology; this complicates diagnosis. Here, we used volumetric 3-dimensional (3D) imaging to explore the inner landscape of clinical UTUC biopsies, without sectioning, revealing that 3D analysis of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6) could predict tumor grade and prognosis with improved accuracy. By visualizing the tumor vasculature, we discovered that pS6+ cells were localized near blood vessels at significantly higher levels in high-grade tumors than in low-grade tumors. Furthermore, the clustering of pS6+ cells was associated with shorter relapse-free survival. Our results demonstrate that 3D volume imaging of the structural niches of pS6 cells deep inside the UTUC samples improved diagnostic yield, grading, and prognosis prediction.

Fluorinated Titanium Oxide (TiO2-xFx) Nanospindles as Ultrasound-Triggered Pyroptosis Inducers to Boost Sonodynamic Immunotherapy

Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death associated with the immune system that can be induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a therapeutic strategy with better penetration depth, sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is expected to induce pyroptosis of cancer cells and boost the immune response. However, it is still a limited problem to precisely adjust the structure of sonosensitizers to exhibit satisfactory sono-catalytic properties. Herein, fluorinated titanium oxide (TiO2-xFx) sonosensitizers were developed to induce pyroptosis under ultrasound (US) to boost antitumor immune responses, enabling highly effective SDT. On the one hand, the introduction of F atoms significantly reduced the adsorption energy of TiO2-xFx for oxygen and water, which is conducive to the occurrence of sono-catalytic reactions. On the other hand, the process of F replacing O increased the oxygen vacancies of the sonosensitizer and shortened the band gap, which enabled powerful ROS generation ability under US stimulation. In this case, large amounts of ROS could effectively kill cancer cells by inducing mitochondrial damage and disrupting oxidative homeostasis, leading to significant cell pyroptosis. Moreover, SDT treatment with TiO2-xFx not only suppressed tumor proliferation but also elicited robust immune memory effects and hindered tumor recurrence. This work highlighted the importance of precisely regulating the structure of sonosensitizers to achieve efficient ROS generation for inducing pyroptosis, which sets the stage for the further development of SDT-immunotherapy.

Clinical significance and immune landscape of a novel immune cell infiltration-based prognostic model in lung adenocarcinoma

Tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) play a central role in the tumor microenvironment, which can reflect the host anti-tumor immune response. However, few studies have explored TICs in predicting the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In our study, we enrolled 2470 LUAD patients from TCGA and GEO databases, and the normalized enrichment scores for 65 immune cell types were quantified for each patient. An immune-related risk score (IRRS) was built on the basis of 17 selected TICs using LASSO regression analysis, and the results showed that high-risk patients were correlated with shorter survival time for the LUAD cohorts. Correlation analyses between IRRS and clinical characteristics were also evaluated to validate the clinical use of IRRS. In addition, we analyzed the differences in the distribution of immune cell infiltration and immunoregulatory gene expression, which may facilitate individual immunotherapy. Based on the above result, we conclude that IRRS can act as a powerful predictor for risk stratification and prognosis prediction, and may facilitate the decision-making process for LUAD patients.

Supramolecular cage-mediated cargo transport

A steady stream of material transport based on carriers and channels in living systems plays an extremely important role in normal life activities. Inspired by nature, researchers have extensively applied supramolecular cages in cargo transport because of their unique three-dimensional structures and excellent physicochemical properties. In this review, we will focus on the development of supramolecular cages as carriers and channels for cargo transport in abiotic and biological systems over the past fifteen years. In addition, we will discuss future challenges and potential applications of supramolecular cages in substance transport.

Evaluation of immune infiltrate according to the HER2 status in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In colorectal cancer (CRC), HER2 targeting is a promising treatment and immune infiltrate is an important area of research and strategy. Data regarding HER2 status and immune infiltrate are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the immune infiltrate between HER2 amplified and non-amplified categories in proficient MisMatchRepair (pMMR)/microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC.

METHODS

HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed in a retrospective series of 654 CRC. Lymphocyte infiltrate was analysed by anti-CD3, CD8 and CD4 IHC and evaluated digitally using QuPath software.

RESULTS

Among the 654 CRC, we first observed a decreased CD3+ and CD8+ infiltrate between HER2 amplified (all IHC 3+ except one 2+) and non-amplified HER2 2+ IHC CRC (p = 0.059 and 0.072 respectively). A supplementary analysis of 258 pMMR/MSS CRC from the previous cohort, displaying all the IHC scores (0, 1+, 2+, 3+), showed a lower CD3+ infiltrate between HER2 amplified versus HER2 0 (p = 0.002), 1+ (p = 0.088) and non-amplified 2+ (p = 0.081) IHC cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our original findings suggest that in pMMR/MSS CRC, the immune infiltrate is reduced in HER2 amplified versus other HER2 categories. These data might be useful for future strategies combining anti-HER2 treatments and immune checkpoint inhibitors and need to be confirmed in larger CRC cohorts.

Single-cell RNA sequencing to explore cancer-associated fibroblasts heterogeneity: "Single" vision for "heterogeneous" environment

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous stromal cell, are one of the most important components of the tumour microenvironment. Previous studies have consolidated it as a promising target against cancer. However, variable therapeutic efficacy-both protumor and antitumor effects have been observed not least owing to the strong heterogeneity of CAFs. Over the past 10 years, advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies had a dramatic effect on biomedical research, enabling the analysis of single cell transcriptomes with unprecedented resolution and throughput. Specifically, scRNA-seq facilitates our understanding of the complexity and heterogeneity of diverse CAF subtypes. In this review, we discuss the up-to-date knowledge about CAF heterogeneity with a focus on scRNA-seq perspective to investigate the emerging strategies for integrating multimodal single-cell platforms. Furthermore, we summarized the clinical application of scRNA-seq on CAF research. We believe that the comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of CAFs form different visions will generate innovative solutions to cancer therapy and achieve clinical applications.

Chimeric Peptide-Engineered Self-Delivery Nanomedicine for Photodynamic-Triggered Breast Cancer Immunotherapy by Macrophage Polarization

A systemic treatment strategy is urgently demanded to suppress the rapid growth and easy metastasis characteristics of breast cancer. In this work, a chimeric peptide-engineered self-delivery nanomedicine (designated as ChiP-CeR) for photodynamic-triggered breast cancer immunotherapy by macrophage polarization. Among these, ChiP-CeR is composed of the photosensitizer of chlorine e6 (Ce6) and the TLR7/8 agonist of lmiquimod (R837), which is further modified with tumor matrix targeting peptide (Fmoc-K(Fmoc)-PEG8-CREKA. ChiP-CeR is preferred to actively accumulate at the tumor site via specific recognition of fibronectin, which can eradicate primary tumor growth through photodynamic therapy (PDT). Meanwhile, the destruction of primary tumors would trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD) effects to release high-mobility group box-1(HMGB1) and expose calreticulin (CRT). Moreover, ChiP-CeR can also polarize M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into M1-type TAMs, which can activate T cell antitumor immunity in combination with ICD. Overall, ChiP-CeR possesses superior antitumor effects against primary and lung metastatic tumors, which provide an applicable nanomedicine and a feasible strategy for the systemic management of metastatic breast cancer.

Modulation of host immunity by sensory neurons

Recent studies have uncovered a new role for sensory neurons in influencing mammalian host immunity, challenging conventional notions of the nervous and immune systems as separate entities. In this review we delve into this groundbreaking paradigm of neuroimmunology and discuss recent scientific evidence for the impact of sensory neurons on host responses against a wide range of pathogens and diseases, encompassing microbial infections and cancers. These valuable insights enhance our understanding of the interactions between the nervous and immune systems, and also pave the way for developing candidate innovative therapeutic interventions in immune-mediated diseases highlighting the importance of this interdisciplinary research field.

Deciphering the heterogeneity dominated by tumor-associated macrophages for survival prognostication and prediction of immunotherapy response in lung adenocarcinoma

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a specific subset of macrophages that reside inside the tumor microenvironment. The dynamic interplay between TAMs and tumor cells plays a crucial role in the treatment response and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The study aimed to examine the association between TAMs and LUAD to advance the development of targeted strategies and immunotherapeutic approaches for treating this type of lung cancer. The study employed single-cell mRNA sequencing data to characterize the immune cell composition of LUAD and delineate distinct subpopulations of TAMs. The "BayesPrism" and "Seurat" R packages were employed to examine the association between these subgroups and immunotherapy and clinical features to identify novel immunotherapy biomarkers. Furthermore, a predictive signature was generated to forecast patient prognosis by examining the gene expression profile of immunotherapy-associated TAMs subsets and using 104 machine-learning techniques. A comprehensive investigation has shown the existence of a hitherto unidentified subgroup of TAMs known as RGS1 + TAMs, which has been found to have a strong correlation with the efficacy of immunotherapy and the occurrence of tumor metastasis in LUAD patients. CD83 was identified CD83 as a distinct biomarker for the expression of RGS1 + TAMs, showcasing its potential utility as an indicator for immunotherapeutic interventions. Furthermore, the prognostic capacity of the RTMscore signature, encompassing three specific mRNA (NR4A2, MMP14, and NPC2), demonstrated enhanced robustness when contrasted against the comprehensive collection of 104 features outlined in the published study. CD83 has potential as an immunotherapeutic biomarker. Meanwhile, The RTMscore signature established in the present study might be beneficial for survival prognostication.

Augmenting Cancer Therapy with a Supramolecular Immunogenic Cell Death Inducer: A Lysosome-Targeted NIR-Light-Activated Ruthenium(II) Metallacycle

Though immunogenic cell death (ICD) has garnered significant attention in the realm of anticancer therapies, effectively stimulating strong immune responses with minimal side effects in deep-seated tumors remains challenging. Herein, we introduce a novel self-assembled near-infrared-light-activated ruthenium(II) metallacycle, Ru1105 (λem = 1105 nm), as a first example of a Ru(II) supramolecular ICD inducer. Ru1105 synergistically potentiates immunomodulatory responses and reduces adverse effects in deep-seated tumors through multiple regulated approaches, including NIR-light excitation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, selective targeting of tumor cells, precision organelle localization, and improved tumor penetration/retention capabilities. Specifically, Ru1105 demonstrates excellent depth-activated ROS production (∼1 cm), strong resistance to diffusion, and anti-ROS quenching. Moreover, Ru1105 exhibits promising results in cellular uptake and ROS generation in cancer cells and multicellular tumor spheroids. Importantly, Ru1105 induces more efficient ICD in an ultralow dose (10 μM) compared to the conventional anticancer agent, oxaliplatin (300 μM). In vivo experiments further confirm Ru1105's potency as an ICD inducer, eliciting CD8+ T cell responses and depleting Foxp3+ T cells with minimal adverse effects. Our research lays the foundation for the design of secure and exceptionally potent metal-based ICD agents in immunotherapy.

Pathway-based stratification of gliomas uncovers four subtypes with different TME characteristics and prognosis

Increasing evidences have found that the interactions between hypoxia, immune response and metabolism status in tumour microenvironment (TME) have clinical importance of predicting clinical outcomes and therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to develop a reliable molecular stratification based on these key components of TME. The TCGA data set (training cohort) and two independent cohorts from CGGA database (validation cohort) were enrolled in this study. First, the enrichment score of 277 TME-related signalling pathways was calculated by gene set variation analysis (GSVA). Then, consensus clustering identified four stable and reproducible subtypes (AFM, CSS, HIS and GLU) based on TME-related signalling pathways, which were characterized by differences in hypoxia and immune responses, metabolism status, somatic alterations and clinical outcomes. Among the four subtypes, HIS subtype had features of immunosuppression, oxygen deprivation and active energy metabolism, resulting in a worst prognosis. Thus, for better clinical application of this acquired stratification, we constructed a risk signature by using the LASSO regression model to identify patients in HIS subtype accurately. We found that the risk signature could accurately screen out the patients in HIS subtype and had important reference value for individualized treatment of glioma patients. In brief, the definition of the TME-related subtypes was a valuable tool for risk stratification in gliomas. It might serve as a reliable prognostic classifier and provide rational design of individualized treatment, and follow-up scheduling for patients with gliomas.

Tumor immunity: A brief overview of tumor‑infiltrating immune cells and research advances into tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes in gynecological malignancies (Review)

Tumor immunity is a promising topic in the area of cancer therapy. The 'soil' function of the tumor microenvironment (TME) for tumor growth has attracted wide attention from scientists. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the TME, especially the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), serve a key role in cancer. Firstly, relevant literature was searched in the PubMed and Web of Science databases with the following key words: 'Tumor microenvironment'; 'TME'; 'tumor-infiltrating immunity cells'; 'gynecologic malignancies'; 'the adoptive cell therapy (ACT) of TILs'; and 'TIL-ACT' (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). According to the title and abstract of the articles, relevant items were screened out in the preliminary screening. The most relevant selected items were of two types: All kinds of tumor-infiltrating immune cells; and advanced research on TILs in gynecological malignancies. The results showed that the subsets of TILs were various and complex, while each subpopulation influenced each other and their effects on tumor prognosis were diverse. Moreover, the related research and clinical trials on TILs were mostly concentrated in melanoma and breast cancer, but relatively few focused on gynecological tumors. In conclusion, the present review summarized the biological classification of TILs and the mechanisms of their involvement in the regulation of the immune microenvironment, and subsequently analyzed the development of tumor immunotherapy for TILs. Collectively, the present review provides ideas for the current treatment dilemma of gynecological tumor immune checkpoints, such as adverse reactions, safety, personal specificity and efficacy.

An osteosarcoma-on-a-chip model for studying osteosarcoma matrix-cell interactions and drug responses

Marrow niches in osteosarcoma (OS) are a specialized microenvironment that is essential for the maintenance and regulation of OS cells. However, existing animal xenograft models are plagued by variability, complexity, and high cost. Herein, we used a decellularized osteosarcoma extracellular matrix (dOsEM) loaded with extracellular vesicles from human bone marrow-derived stem cells (hBMSC-EVs) and OS cells as a bioink to construct a micro-osteosarcoma (micro-OS) through 3D printing. The micro-OS was further combined with a microfluidic system to develop into an OS-on-a-chip (OOC) with a built-in recirculating perfusion system. The OOC system successfully integrated bone marrow niches, cell‒cell and cell-matrix crosstalk, and circulation, allowing a more accurate representation of OS characteristics in vivo. Moreover, the OOC system may serve as a valuable research platform for studying OS biological mechanisms compared with traditional xenograft models and is expected to enable precise and rapid evaluation and consequently more effective and comprehensive treatments for OS.

Evaluation of tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors by a 3D immunotumoroid model

Background

Only 20 percent of renal and bladder cancer patients will show a significant response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, and no test currently available accurately predicts ICI response.

Methods

We developed an "immunotumoroid" cell model system that recapitulates the tumor, its microenvironment, and necessary immune system components in patient-derived spheroids to enable ex vivo assessment of tumor response to ICI therapy. Immunotumoroids were developed from surgically resected renal cell carcinomas and bladder carcinomas selected for high tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and survived more than a month without media exchange. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect immune and non-immune cells in cryopreserved source tumors and the resulting immunotumoroids. Immunotumoroid response to ICIs (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and durvalumab) and chemotherapy (cisplatin, gemcitabine, and paclitaxel) was monitored in real-time with Cytotox Red staining in an Incucyte device, and the immunotumoroid response was compared to retrospective clinical drug responses.

Results

Six of the 13 cases tested grew viable immunotumoroid models, with failed cases attributed to extensive tumor tissue necrosis or excess lymphocytes preventing spheroid formation. One successfully cultured case was excluded from the study due to low TIL infiltration (<5%) in the primary tumor sample. The five remaining models contained immune cells (CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and macrophages), non-immune cells (fibroblasts), and tumor cells. Chemotherapy and ICI drugs were tested in immunotumoroids from 5 cases and compared to clinical outcomes where data was available. Four/five models showed cell killing in response to chemotherapy and two/five showed sensitivity to ICI. In three cases, the immunotumoroid model accurately predicted the patient's clinical response or non-response to ICIs or chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Our immunotumoroid model replicated the multicellular nature of the tumor microenvironment sufficiently for preclinical ICI screening. This model could enable valuable insights into the complex interactions between cancer cells, the immune system, and the microenvironment. This is a feasibility study on a small number of cases, and additional studies with larger case numbers are required including correlation with clinical response.

Analysis of the effect of CCR7 on the microenvironment of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by single-cell RNA sequencing technology

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that CCR7, an important inflammatory factor, can promote the proliferation and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but its role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. This paper explores the role of CCR7 in the TME of OSCC.

METHODS

In this work, we constructed CCR7 gene knockout mice and OSCC mouse models. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bioinformatics were used to analyze the differences in the OSCC microenvironment between three CCR7 gene knockout mice (KO) and three wild-type mice (WT). Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the expression of key genes in significantly different cell types between the KO and WT groups. An in vitro experiment was used to verify the effect of CCR7 on M2 macrophage polarization.

RESULTS

In the mouse OSCC models, the tumor growth rate in the KO group was significantly lower than that in the WT group. Eight main cell types (including tumor cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, granulocytes, T cells, endothelial cells, monocytes, and B cells) were identified by Seurat analysis. The scRNA-seq results showed that the proportion of tumor cells was lower, but the proportion of inflammatory cells was significantly higher in the KO group than in the WT group. CellPhoneDB analysis results indicated a strong interaction relationship between tumor cells and macrophages, T cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Functional enrichment results indicated that the expression level of the Dusp1 gene in the KO group was generally higher than that in the WT group in various cell types. Macrophage subclustering results indicated that the proportion of M2 macrophages in the KO group was lower than that in the WT group. In vitro experimental results showed that CCR7 can promote M2 macrophage polarization, thus promoting the proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

CCR7 gene knockout can significantly inhibit the growth of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by promoting the polarization of M2 macrophages.

Convergence between helminths and breast cancer: intratumoral injection of the excretory/secretory antigens of the human parasite Toxocara canis (EST) increase lung macro and micro metastasis

Introduction

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most important cancer in incidence and prevalence in women. Different risk factors interact to increase the probability of developing it. Biological agents such as helminth parasites, particularly their excretory/secretory antigens, may play a significant role in tumor development. Helminths and their antigens have been recognized as inducers or promoters of cancer due to their ability to regulate the host's immune response. Previously in our laboratory, we demonstrated that chronic infection by Toxocara canis increases the size of mammary tumors, affecting the systemic response to the parasite. However, the parasite does not invade the tumor, and we decided to study if the excretion/secretion of antigens from Toxocara canis (EST) can affect the progression of mammary tumors or the pathophysiology of cancer which is metastasis. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether excretion/secretion T. canis antigens, injected directly into the tumor, affect tumor growth and metastasis.

Methods

We evaluated these parameters through the monitoring of the intra-tumoral immune response.

Results

Mice injected intratumorally with EST did not show changes in the size and weight of the tumors; although the tumors showed an increased microvasculature, they did develop increased micro and macro-metastasis in the lung. The analysis of the immune tumor microenvironment revealed that EST antigens did not modulate the proportion of immune cells in the tumor, spleen, or peripheral lymph nodes. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the lungs showed increased metastasis in the EST-treated animals compared to controls, accompanied by an increase in VEGF systemic levels.

Discussion

Thus, these findings showed that intra-tumoral injection of T. canis EST antigens promote lung metastasis through modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment.

Bacterial DnaK reduces the activity of anti-cancer drugs cisplatin and 5FU

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is a primary treatment for cancer, but its efficacy is often limited by cancer-associated bacteria (CAB) that impair tumor suppressor functions. Our previous research found that Mycoplasma fermentans DnaK, a chaperone protein, impairs p53 activities, which are essential for most anti-cancer chemotherapeutic responses.

METHODS

To investigate the role of DnaK in chemotherapy, we treated cancer cell lines with M. fermentans DnaK and then with commonly used p53-dependent anti-cancer drugs (cisplatin and 5FU). We evaluated the cells' survival in the presence or absence of a DnaK-binding peptide (ARV-1502). We also validated our findings using primary tumor cells from a novel DnaK knock-in mouse model. To provide a broader context for the clinical significance of these findings, we investigated human primary cancer sequencing datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We identified F. nucleatum as a CAB carrying DnaK with an amino acid composition highly similar to M. fermentans DnaK. Therefore, we investigated the effect of F. nucleatum DnaK on the anti-cancer activity of cisplatin and 5FU.

RESULTS

Our results show that both M. fermentans and F. nucleatum DnaKs reduce the effectiveness of cisplatin and 5FU. However, the use of ARV-1502 effectively restored the drugs' anti-cancer efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings offer a practical framework for designing and implementing novel personalized anti-cancer strategies by targeting specific bacterial DnaKs in patients with poor response to chemotherapy, underscoring the potential for microbiome-based personalized cancer therapies.

Mycoplasma DnaK expression increases cancer development in vivo upon DNA damage

Well-controlled repair mechanisms are involved in the maintenance of genomic stability, and their failure can precipitate DNA abnormalities and elevate tumor risk. In addition, the tumor microenvironment, enriched with factors inducing oxidative stress and affecting cell cycle checkpoints, intensifies DNA damage when repair pathways falter. Recent research has unveiled associations between certain bacteria, including Mycoplasmas, and various cancers, and the causative mechanism(s) are under active investigation. We previously showed that Mycoplasma fermentans DnaK, an HSP70 family chaperone protein, hampers the activity of proteins like PARP1 and p53, crucial for genomic integrity. Moreover, our analysis of its interactome in human cancer cell lines revealed DnaK's engagement with several components of DNA-repair machinery. Finally, in vivo experiments performed in our laboratory using a DnaK knock-in mouse model generated by our group demonstrated that DnaK exposure led to increased DNA copy number variants, indicative of genomic instability. We present here evidence that expression of DnaK is linked to increased i) incidence of tumors in vivo upon exposure to urethane, a DNA damaging agent; ii) spontaneous DNA damage ex vivo; and iii) expression of proinflammatory cytokines ex vivo, variations in reactive oxygen species levels, and increased β-galactosidase activity across tissues. Moreover, DnaK was associated with increased centromeric instability. Overall, these findings highlight the significance of Mycoplasma DnaK in the etiology of cancer and other genetic disorders providing a promising target for prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

Multiomics data identifies RSPO2 as a prognostic biomarker in human tumors associated with pan-cancer

RSPO2 protein may provide valuable insights into the mechanism underlying various types of tumorigenesis. The role of RSPO2 in pan-cancer has not been reported so far. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of RSPO2 from a pan-cancer perspective employing multiomics data. The expression profile and function of RSPO2 across different tumors were investigated using various web-based tools UALCAN, GEPIA, TIMER, Human Protein Atlas, cBioPortal, TISIDB, STRING, and Metascape to interpret the expression profile, promoter methylation status, genomic alterations, survival analysis, protein-protein interaction, correlation with immune cell subtypes, tumor immune microenvironment and enrichment analysis. Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis indicated that RSPO2 was significantly downregulated in eleven and upregulated in five tumor types compared to normal tissues, validation results further suggest RSPO2 was downregulated in most of the tumors. The protein level expression of RSPO2 was mostly low in malignant tissues. We found that RSPO2 was significantly related to individual pathological stages in BLCA, COAD, LUAD and LUSC. Prognostic analysis indicates that the high RSPO2 expression was significantly correlated with the poor prognosis in BRCA, KICH, KIRP, READ, and UCES. Furthermore, RSPO2 is frequently amplified, exhibits hypermethylated promoter in most cancers, and is associated with immune subtypes, molecular subtypes and immune cell infiltration. Finally, enrichment analysis showed that RSPO2 is involved in the regulation of the canonical Wnt pathway and neuronal development. The overall comprehensive pan-cancer analysis affirms that RSPO2 could be a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and latent therapy target in the future.

Emerging Strategies for Immunotherapy of Solid Tumors Using Lipid-Based Nanoparticles

The application of lipid-based nanoparticles for COVID-19 vaccines and transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis treatment have highlighted their potential for translation to cancer therapy. However, their use in delivering drugs to solid tumors is limited by ineffective targeting, heterogeneous organ distribution, systemic inflammatory responses, and insufficient drug accumulation at the tumor. Instead, the use of lipid-based nanoparticles to remotely activate immune system responses is an emerging effective strategy. Despite this approach showing potential for treating hematological cancers, its application to treat solid tumors is hampered by the selection of eligible targets, tumor heterogeneity, and ineffective penetration of activated T cells within the tumor. Notwithstanding, the use of lipid-based nanoparticles for immunotherapy is projected to revolutionize cancer therapy, with the ultimate goal of rendering cancer a chronic disease. However, the translational success is likely to depend on the use of predictive tumor models in preclinical studies, simulating the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (e.g., the fibrotic extracellular matrix that impairs therapeutic outcomes) and stimulating tumor progression. This review compiles recent advances in the field of antitumor lipid-based nanoparticles and highlights emerging therapeutic approaches (e.g., mechanotherapy) to modulate tumor stiffness and improve T cell infiltration, and the use of organoids to better guide therapeutic outcomes.

A novel prognostic predictor of immune microenvironment and therapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on angiogenesis-immune-related gene signature

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of RCC, typically produces no symptoms initially. Patients with ccRCC are at increased risk of developing advanced metastatic disease due to the absence of dependable and effective prognostic biomarkers. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to find optimal stratification of patients with ccRCC to distinguish the clinical benefits of different malignant degrees. Angiogenesis has a profound impact on the malignant behavior of renal cancer cells, and anti-angiogenic drugs have been applied to metastatic renal cancer patients. Moreover, immune function dysregulation is also a significant factor in tumorigenesis. We aim to construct a predictive model that combines angiogenesis and immune-related genes (AIRGs) to aid clinicians in predicting ccRCC prognosis.

Methods

We gathered transcriptome and clinicopathology data from two datasets, the E-MTAB-1980 dataset and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We utilized consensus clustering to find new molecular subgroups. A predictive model for the prognosis of angiogenesis-immune-associated genes (AIRGs) was conducted by the lasso and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The signature's predictive ability was then tested in different datasets. Meticulous scrutiny and comprehensive assessment were undertaken, both internally and externally, to establish the prognostic model. Analyses of immunogenomics were carried out to examine the relationship between risk scores and clinical/immune features, including immune cell infiltration, genomic alterations, and response to targeted and immunotherapy therapy.

Results

Our prognostic signature, comprising 4 AIRGs, stood as an independent prognostic factor for ccRCC, while risk scores emerged as a novel indicator for forecasting overall survival. Risk scores exhibited significant associations with various immunophenotypic factors, such as oncogenic pathways, antitumor response, different immune cell infiltration, antitumor immunity, and response to targeted and immunotherapy therapy.

Conclusions

AIRGs-based prognostic prediction model could effectively predict immunotherapy responses and survival outcomes of ccRCC.

Modulating ferroptosis sensitivity: environmental and cellular targets within the tumor microenvironment

Ferroptosis, a novel form of cell death triggered by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation, presents significant therapeutic potential across diverse cancer types. Central to cellular metabolism, the metabolic pathways associated with ferroptosis are discernible in both cancerous and immune cells. This review begins by delving into the intricate reciprocal regulation of ferroptosis between cancer and immune cells. It subsequently details how factors within the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as nutrient scarcity, hypoxia, and cellular density modulate ferroptosis sensitivity. We conclude by offering a comprehensive examination of distinct immunophenotypes and environmental and metabolic targets geared towards enhancing ferroptosis responsiveness within the TME. In sum, tailoring precise ferroptosis interventions and combination strategies to suit the unique TME of specific cancers may herald improved patient outcomes.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy and FAPα-based cancer vaccine suppresses metastatic tumor growth in 4T1 mouse breast cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This study tested the hypothesis that a novel combination of stereotactic ablation radiotherapy (SABR) and a cancer vaccine against fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAPα) can suppress established tumor growth and impede potential metastasis.

METHODS

The poorly immunogenic metastatic mouse mammary carcinoma 4T1 was used as a model. Mice were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: (1) untreated control, (2) FAPα-based cancer vaccine, (3) SABR, (4) SABR + pCDH (lentiviral control vector), (5) SABR + FAPα-based cancer vaccine (SABR/FAPα-Vax). FAPα-based cancer vaccine were administered subcutaneously every week for a total of three treatments. SABR was delivered to the primary tumor by 3 × 8 Gy after the first vaccination.

RESULTS

Consistent with the poorly immunogenic nature of 4T1, tumor-bearing mice receiving FAPα-based cancer vaccine or SABR monotherapy showed a modest reduction in tumor volume and increased animal lifespan. In contrast, SABR/FAPα-Vax was well-tolerated, significantly reduced tumor burden, and increased survival compared to monotherapy. The increased survival correlated with inhibition of extracellular matrix (ECM) production, tumor vascularization and lymphangiogenesis. SABR/FAPα-Vax also resulted in an abscopal effect capable of eliminating lung metastases. SABR/FAPα-Vax recruited and activated CD8 + T cells to attack tumor cells and FAPα + stromal cells, and initiated suppressor cell reprogramming, including facilitating macrophage polarization toward an anti-tumor (M1) state, as well as depleting myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs).

CONCLUSION

These findings provide a novel therapeutic combination of radiation and FAPα-based cancer vaccine with promising results against poorly immunogenic metastatic cancer. This study may pave the way to overcome the therapeutic resistance caused by FAPα + CAFs.

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in tumour progression and its potential roles in tumour therapy

Tumour-associated endothelial cells (TECs) are a critical stromal cell type in the tumour microenvironment and play central roles in tumour angiogenesis. Notably, TECs have phenotypic plasticity, as they have the potential to transdifferentiate into cells with a mesenchymal phenotype through a process termed endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT). Many studies have reported that EndoMT influences multiple malignant biological properties of tumours, such as abnormal angiogenesis and tumour metabolism, growth, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Thus, the value of targeting EndoMT in tumour treatment has received increased attention. In this review, we comprehensively explore the phenomenon of EndoMT in the tumour microenvironment and identify influencing factors and molecular mechanisms responsible for EndoMT induction. Furthermore, the pathological functions of EndoMT in tumour progression and potential therapeutic strategies for targeting EndoMT in tumour treatment are also discussed to highlight the pivotal roles of EndoMT in tumour progression and therapy.

Hypoxia is correlated with the tumor immune microenvironment: Potential application of immunotherapy in bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

Hypoxia, which can considerably affect the tumor microenvironment, hinders the use of immunotherapy in bladder cancer (BLCA). Therefore, we aimed to identify reliable hypoxia-related biomarkers to guide clinical immunotherapy in BLCA.

METHODS

Using data downloaded from TCGA-BLCA cohort, we determined BLCA subtypes which divide 408 samples into different subtypes. Tumor immune infiltration levels of two clusters were quantified using ssGSEA, MCPcounter, EPIC, ESTIMATE, and TIMER algorithms. Next, we constructed a hypoxia score based on the expression of hypoxia-related genes. The IMvigor210 cohort and SubMap analysis were used to predict immunotherapeutic responses in patients with different hypoxia scores. Hub genes were screened using cytoscape, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and multispectral immunofluorescence were used to detect the spatial distribution of immune markers.

RESULTS

Patients with BLCA were categorized into cluster1 (n = 227) and Cluster2 (n = 181). Immune infiltration and expression of immune markers were higher in Cluster1. Immune infiltration was also more obvious in the high-hypoxia score group which related to a better predicted response to immunotherapy. IHC, and multispectral immunofluorescence confirmed the importance of TLR8 in immune infiltration and immune phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

BLCA subtype can evaluate the infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of different patients. Hypoxia score in this study could effectively predict immunotherapeutic responses in patients with BLCA. TLR8 may be a potential target for clinical immunotherapy.

The expression of two immunosuppressive SIGLEC family molecules in papillary thyroid cancer and their effect on prognosis

BACKGROUND

The thyroid cancer (THCA) subtype that occurs more frequently is papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Despite a favorable postoperative outcome, traditional antitumor therapy does not offer ideal results for patients with metastasis, relapse, and radioiodine resistance. Recent studies demonstrated the remarkable effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors on solid tumors, of which the immunoglobulin superfamily member SIGLEC10 and SIGLEC15 act as novel immunotherapy targets for tumors. Nevertheless, their role in PTC prognosis is still indefinite.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was utilized to examine the expression of SIGLEC10 and SIGLEC15 in 244 PTC tissue specimens. Then the expression correlation between the two was analyzed in normal tissues (NT), tumor cells (TC), and tumor stroma (TS), respectively. Subsequently, the retrospective data on patients with PTC were collected to examine whether the two immunosuppressive SIGLEC family members could affect their prognosis.

RESULTS

We confirmed that TC expressed higher levels of SIGLEC10 than NT. However, SIGLEC10 was down-regulated in TS and predicted poor outcomes. Meanwhile, down-regulation of SIGLEC15 expression was observed in both TC and TS, indicating a favorable prognosis. PTC patients with both SIGLEC10-SIGLEC15+ expression in TC and TS had a significantly higher recurrence risk. The expression of SIGLEC10 in TS and SIGLEC15 in TC or TS was an independent predictor of PFS, and a positive correlation was shown between SIGLEC10 and SIGLEC15 expression in TS.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, our results indicate that SIGLEC10 and SIGLEC15 may be applied as significant prognostic markers for PTC and attractive targets for THCA immunotherapy.

Comparative immunological landscape between pre- and early-stage LUAD manifested as ground-glass nodules revealed by scRNA and scTCR integrated analysis

BACKGROUND

Mechanism underlying the malignant progression of precancer to early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) as well as their indolence nature remains elusive.

METHODS

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA) with simultaneous T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing on 5 normal lung tissues, 3 precancerous and 4 early-stage LUAD manifested as pulmonary ground-glass nodules (GGNs) were performed.

RESULTS

Through this integrated analysis, we have delineated five key modules that drive the malignant progression of early-stage LUAD in a disease stage-dependent manner. These modules are related to cell proliferation and metabolism, immune response, mitochondria, cilia, and cell adhesion. We also find that the tumor micro-environment (TME) of early-stage LUAD manifested as GGN are featured with regulatory T (Tregs) cells accumulation with three possible origins, and loss-functional state (decreased clonal expansion and cytotoxicity) of CD8 + T cells. Instead of exhaustion, the CD8 + T cells are featured with a shift to memory phenotype, which is significantly different from the late stage LUAD. Furthermore, we have identified monocyte-derived macrophages that undergo a lipid-phenotype transition and may contribute to the suppressive TME. Intense interaction between stromal cells, myeloid cells including lipid associated macrophages and LAMP3 + DCs, and lymphocytes were also characterized.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work provides new insight into the molecular and cellular mechanism underlying malignant progression of LUAD manifested as GGN, and pave way for novel immunotherapies for GGN. Video Abstract.

Message in a bubble: the translational potential of extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane-enclosed vesicles released by cells into the extracellular milieu. They are found in all body fluids and contain a variety of functional cargo including DNA, RNA, proteins, glycoproteins and lipids, able to provoke phenotypic responses in cells, both locally and at distant sites. They are implicated in a wide array of physiological and pathological processes and hence have attracted considerable attention in recent years as potential therapeutic targets, drug delivery vehicles and biomarkers of disease. In this review we summarise the major functions of EVs in health and disease and discuss their translational potential, highlighting opportunities of - and challenges to - capitalising on our rapidly increasing understanding of EV biology for patient benefit.

Microdissection of cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration subtypes unveils the secreted SERPINE2 contributing to immunosuppressive microenvironment and immuotherapeutic resistance in gastric cancer: A large-scale study integrating bulk and single-cell transcriptome profiling

In the era of immunotherapy, the suboptimal response rate and the development of acquired resistance among the initial beneficiaries continue to present significant challenges across multiple malignancies, including gastric cancer (GC). Considering that the interactions of tumor stroma, especially the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), with immune and tumor cells, play indispensable roles in tumor progression, tumor microenvironment remodeling and therapeutic responsiveness, in-depth exploration on the roles of CAFs and pivotal mediators of their functions may provide novel clues to increase the effectiveness of current immunotherapeutic drugs and further achieve synergistic antitumor response. Herein, through the consensus clustering of canonical biomarkers, three GC subclasses with different abundance of CAFs were virtually microdissected in four integrated bulk cohorts encompassing 2148 GC patients from 11 independent datasets. An extensive immunogenomic analysis revealed that tumors with high CAFs infiltration were characterized with unfavorable outcomes, aggressive phenotypes, decreased tumor immunogenicity, high risk of immune evasion and thus immunotherapeutic resistance. By leveraging large-scale single-cell transcriptomic profiling, a series of CAF-secreted proteins were identified, among which the SERPINE2 was confirmed to be restrictively enriched in stromal fibroblasts of GC tissues and contribute to promoting a protumor milieu and fostering an immunosuppressive microenvironment via bioinformatics computations and tissue microarray analysis. Moreover, pan-cancer investigations generalized the immunological roles of SERPINE2, especially in pan-gastrointestinal malignancies, with multiple real-world immunotherapy cohorts further confirming its implications on predicting immunotherapeutic efficacy. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the CAF-derived SERPINE2 is a promising immune-oncology target with therapeutic implications to further synergize the immunotherapeutic combinations.

Application of single-cell sequencing to the research of tumor microenvironment

Single-cell sequencing is a technique for detecting and analyzing genomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes at the single-cell level, which can detect cellular heterogeneity lost in conventional sequencing hybrid samples, and it has revolutionized our understanding of the genetic heterogeneity and complexity of tumor progression. Moreover, the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the formation, development and response to treatment of tumors. The application of single-cell sequencing has ushered in a new age for the TME analysis, revealing not only the blueprint of the pan-cancer immune microenvironment, but also the heterogeneity and differentiation routes of immune cells, as well as predicting tumor prognosis. Thus, the combination of single-cell sequencing and the TME analysis provides a unique opportunity to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor development and progression. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in single-cell sequencing and the TME analysis, highlighting their potential applications in cancer research and clinical translation.

Human cerebrospinal fluid affects chemoradiotherapy sensitivities in tumor cells from patients with glioblastoma

Cancers in the central nervous system resist therapies effective in other cancers, possibly due to the unique biochemistry of the human brain microenvironment composed of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, the impact of CSF on cancer cells and therapeutic efficacy is unknown. Here, we examined the effect of human CSF on glioblastoma (GBM) tumors from 25 patients. We found that CSF induces tumor cell plasticity and resistance to standard GBM treatments (temozolomide and irradiation). We identified nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1), a transcription factor hampering ferroptosis, as a mediator of therapeutic resistance in CSF. NUPR1 inhibition with a repurposed antipsychotic, trifluoperazine, enhanced the killing of GBM cells resistant to chemoradiation in CSF. The same chemo-effective doses of trifluoperazine were safe for human neurons and astrocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells. These findings reveal that chemoradiation efficacy decreases in human CSF and suggest that combining trifluoperazine with standard care may improve the survival of patients with GBM.