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Upadhyay R, Dhakal A, Wheeler C, Hoyd R, Jagjit Singh M, Karivedu V, Bhateja P, Bonomi M, Valentin S, Gamez ME, Konieczkowski DJ, Baliga S, Grecula JC, Blakaj DM, Gogineni E, Mitchell DL, Denko NC, Spakowicz D, Jhawar SR. Comparative analysis of the tumor microbiome, molecular profiles, and immune cell abundances by HPV status in mucosal head and neck cancers and their impact on survival. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2350249. [PMID: 38722731 PMCID: PMC11086009 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2350249] [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: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) comprises a diverse group of tumors with variable treatment response and prognosis. The tumor microenvironment (TME), which includes microbiome and immune cells, can impact outcomes. Here, we sought to relate the presence of specific microbes, gene expression, and tumor immune infiltration using tumor transcriptomics from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and associate these with overall survival (OS). RNA sequencing (RNAseq) from HNSCC tumors in TCGA was processed through the exogenous sequences in tumors and immune cells (exotic) pipeline to identify and quantify low-abundance microbes. The detection of the Papillomaviridae family of viruses assessed HPV status. All statistical analyses were performed using R. A total of 499 RNAseq samples from TCGA were analyzed. HPV was detected in 111 samples (22%), most commonly Alphapapillomavirus 9 (90.1%). The presence of Alphapapillomavirus 9 was associated with improved OS [HR = 0.60 (95%CI: 0.40-0.89, p = .01)]. Among other microbes, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was associated with the worst survival (HR = 3.88; p = .008), while Pseudomonas viridiflava had the best survival (HR = 0.05; p = .036). Microbial species found more abundant in HPV- tumors included several gram-negative anaerobes. HPV- tumors had a significantly higher abundance of M0 (p < .001) and M2 macrophages (p = .035), while HPV+ tumors had more T regulatory cells (p < .001) and CD8+ T-cells (p < .001). We identified microbes in HNSCC tumor samples significantly associated with survival. A greater abundance of certain anaerobic microbes was seen in HPV tumors and pro-tumorigenic macrophages. These findings suggest that TME can be used to predict patient outcomes and may help identify mechanisms of resistance to systemic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rituraj Upadhyay
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Aastha Dhakal
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Caroline Wheeler
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rebecca Hoyd
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Malvenderjit Jagjit Singh
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Vidhya Karivedu
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Priyanka Bhateja
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Marcelo Bonomi
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sasha Valentin
- Department of Dentistry, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - David J. Konieczkowski
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sujith Baliga
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John C. Grecula
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Dukagjin M. Blakaj
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Emile Gogineni
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Darrion L. Mitchell
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nicholas C. Denko
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Daniel Spakowicz
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sachin R. Jhawar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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2
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Ostapowicz J, Ostrowska K, Golusiński W, Kulcenty K, Suchorska WM. Improving therapeutic strategies for Head and Neck Cancer: Insights from 3D hypoxic cell culture models in treatment response evaluation. Adv Med Sci 2024; 69:368-376. [PMID: 39047970 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Hypoxia in the tumor core negatively affects the outcome of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Nevertheless, its role in predicting treatment response requires further exploration. Typically, reduced oxygen levels in the tumor core correlate with diminished efficacy of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, which are commonly used for HNSCC patients' treatment. Understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of these varied treatment responses in HNSCC is crucial for enhancing therapeutic outcomes and extending patients' overall survival (OS) rates. Standard monolayer cell culture conditions have major limitations in mimicking tumor physiological features and the complexity of the tumor microenvironment. Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures enable the recreation of the in vivo tumor attributes, encompassing oxygen and nutrient gradients, cellular morphology, and intracellular connections. It is vital to use the 3D model in treatment response studies to mimic the tumor microenvironment, as evidenced by the decreased sensitivity of 3D structures to anticancer therapy. Accordingly, the aim of the study was to delineate the utility of the 3D models of hypoxic head and neck tumors in drug screening and treatment response studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ostapowicz
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Radiobiology Laboratory, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland; Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Kamila Ostrowska
- Radiobiology Laboratory, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wojciech Golusiński
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kulcenty
- Radiobiology Laboratory, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wiktoria M Suchorska
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Radiobiology Laboratory, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
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Smits HJG, Bennink E, Ruiter LN, Breimer GE, Willems SM, Dankbaar JW, Philippens MEP. Spatial correlation between in vivo imaging and immunohistochemical biomarkers: A methodological study. Transl Oncol 2024; 48:102051. [PMID: 39018773 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we present a method that enables voxel-by-voxel comparison of in vivo imaging to immunohistochemistry (IHC) biomarkers. As a proof of concept, we investigated the spatial correlation between dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE-)CT parameters and IHC biomarkers Ki-67 (proliferation), HIF-1α (hypoxia), and CD45 (immune cells). 54 whole-mount tumor slices of 15 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas were immunohistochemically stained and digitized. Heatmaps of biomarker positivity were created and registered to DCE-CT parameter maps. The adiabatic approximation to the tissue homogeneity model was used to fit the following DCE parameters: Ktrans (transfer constant), Ve (extravascular and extracellular space), and Vi (intravascular space). Both IHC and DCE maps were downsampled to 4 × 4 × 3 mm[3] voxels. The mean values per tumor were used to calculate the between-subject correlations between parameters. For the within-subject (spatial) correlation, values of all voxels within a tumor were compared using the repeated measures correlation (rrm). No between-subject correlations were found between IHC biomarkers and DCE parameters, whereas we found multiple significant within-subject correlations: Ve and Ki-67 (rrm = -0.17, P < .001), Ve and HIF-1α (rrm = -0.12, P < .001), Ktrans and CD45 (rrm = 0.13, P < .001), Vi and CD45 (rrm = 0.16, P < .001), and Vi and Ki-67 (rrm = 0.08, P = .003). The strongest correlation was found between IHC biomarkers Ki-67 and HIF-1α (rrm = 0.35, P < .001). This study shows the technical feasibility of determining the 3 dimensional spatial correlation between histopathological biomarker heatmaps and in vivo imaging. It also shows that between-subject correlations do not reflect within-subject correlations of parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde J G Smits
- Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Edwin Bennink
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lilian N Ruiter
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gerben E Breimer
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan M Willems
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jan W Dankbaar
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Tevetoğlu F, Çomunoğlu N, Yener HM. The impact of the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subgroups on laryngeal cancer prognosis. Sci Prog 2024; 107:368504241266087. [PMID: 39044316 PMCID: PMC11271122 DOI: 10.1177/00368504241266087] [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] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
The absence of improvement in survival rates across various cancers, including laryngeal cancer, has led to an increasing interest in understanding the immune response to cancer. In head and neck cancers, immune modulatory mechanisms such as immune microenvironment and immune infiltration are important in cancer pathogenesis. This study aims to explore the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) subgroups in the immune microenvironment and evaluate their impact on tumor histopathological characteristics and prognosis. The study included 50 patients who underwent laryngectomy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, in Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Medicine Department of Otorhinolaryngology, between January 2016 and January 2018. Pathology specimens were evaluated using immunohistochemistry to assess the expressions of the CD3, CD20, CD8, CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 markers, identifying subgroups of TILs. The investigation aimed to uncover how these subgroups influence tumor histopathological features and survival outcomes. The high infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 had a positive impact on disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence-free survival. In addition, overall survival was positively affected by high CD3 and CD4 infiltrations. However, no significant relationship was observed between the expressions of CD8, FoxP3, and CD25 and any of the survival parameters. The infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 positive cells indicative of a robust antitumoral immune response-emerged as favorable prognostic factors in laryngeal cancer. These findings suggest that enhancing the infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 lymphocytes could be a therapeutic strategy worth exploring in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fırat Tevetoğlu
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Nil Çomunoğlu
- Pathology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Haydar Murat Yener
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
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Li X, González-Maroto C, Tavassoli M. Crosstalk between CAFs and tumour cells in head and neck cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:303. [PMID: 38926351 PMCID: PMC11208506 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02053-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are amongst the most aggressive, complex, and heterogeneous malignancies. The standard of care treatments for HNC patients include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or their combination. However, around 50% do not benefit while suffering severe toxic side effects, costing the individuals and society. Decades have been spent to improve HNSCC treatment outcomes with only limited success. Much of the research in HNSCC treatment has focused on understanding the genetics of the HNSCC malignant cells, but it has become clear that tumour microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the progression as well as treatment response in HNSCC. Understanding the crosstalk between cancer cells and TME is crucial for inhibiting progression and treatment resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the predominant component of stroma in HNSCC, serve as the primary source of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and various pro-tumoral composites in TME. The activation of CAFs in HNSCC is primarily driven by cancer cell-secreted molecules, which in turn induce phenotypic changes, elevated secretive status, and altered ECM production profile. Concurrently, CAFs play a pivotal role in modulating the cell cycle, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to targeted and chemoradiotherapy in HNSCC cells. This modulation occurs through interactions with secreted molecules or direct contact with the ECM or CAF. Co-culture and 3D models of tumour cells and other TME cell types allows to mimic the HNSCC tumour milieu and enable modulating tumour hypoxia and reprograming cancer stem cells (CSC). This review aims to provide an update on the development of HNSCC tumour models comprising CAFs to obtain better understanding of the interaction between CAFs and tumour cells, and for providing preclinical testing platforms of current and combination with emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Celia González-Maroto
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahvash Tavassoli
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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6
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Gauss C, Stone LD, Ghafouri M, Quan D, Johnson J, Fribley AM, Amm HM. Overcoming Resistance to Standard-of-Care Therapies for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cells 2024; 13:1018. [PMID: 38920648 PMCID: PMC11201455 DOI: 10.3390/cells13121018] [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: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Although there have been some advances during in recent decades, the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains challenging. Resistance is a major issue for various treatments that are used, including both the conventional standards of care (radiotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy) and the newer EGFR and checkpoint inhibitors. In fact, all the non-surgical treatments currently used for HNSCC are associated with intrinsic and/or acquired resistance. Herein, we explore the cellular mechanisms of resistance reported in HNSCC, including those related to epigenetic factors, DNA repair defects, and several signaling pathways. This article discusses these mechanisms and possible approaches that can be used to target different pathways to sensitize HNSCC to the existing treatments, obtain better responses to new agents, and ultimately improve the patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chester Gauss
- Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (C.G.); (M.G.)
| | - Logan D. Stone
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
| | - Mehrnoosh Ghafouri
- Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (C.G.); (M.G.)
| | - Daniel Quan
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (D.Q.)
| | - Jared Johnson
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (D.Q.)
| | - Andrew M. Fribley
- Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (C.G.); (M.G.)
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; (D.Q.)
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Hope M. Amm
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
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Yang L, Tang L, Min Q, Tian H, Li L, Zhao Y, Wu X, Li M, Du F, Chen Y, Li W, Li X, Chen M, Gu L, Sun Y, Xiao Z, Shen J. Emerging role of RNA modification and long noncoding RNA interaction in cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:816-830. [PMID: 38351139 PMCID: PMC11192634 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00734-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
RNA modification, especially N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine methylation, participates in the occurrence and progression of cancer through multiple pathways. The function and expression of these epigenetic regulators have gradually become a hot topic in cancer research. Mutation and regulation of noncoding RNA, especially lncRNA, play a major role in cancer. Generally, lncRNAs exert tumor-suppressive or oncogenic functions and its dysregulation can promote tumor occurrence and metastasis. In this review, we summarize N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine modifications in lncRNAs. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship between epigenetic RNA modification and lncRNA interaction and cancer progression in various cancers. Therefore, this review gives a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which RNA modification affects the progression of various cancers by regulating lncRNAs, which may shed new light on cancer research and provide new insights into cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiong Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Lu Tang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Qi Min
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Hua Tian
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Linwei Li
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Wanping Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Meijuan Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Li Gu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yuhong Sun
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China.
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, 646000, China.
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, 646000, China.
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Su L, Yang R, Sheng Y, Ullah S, Zhao Y, Shunjiayi H, Zhao Z, Wang Q. Insights into the oral microbiota in human systemic cancers. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1369834. [PMID: 38756728 PMCID: PMC11098135 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1369834] [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: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The oral cavity stands as one of the pivotal interfaces facilitating the intricate interaction between the human body and the external environment. The impact of diverse oral microorganisms on the emergence and progression of various systemic cancers, typified by oral cancer, has garnered increasing attention. The potential pathogenicity of oral bacteria, notably the anaerobic Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, has been extensively studied and exhibits obvious correlation with different carcinoma types. Furthermore, oral fungi and viruses are closely linked to oropharyngeal carcinoma. Multiple potential mechanisms of oral microbiota-induced carcinogenesis have been investigated, including heightened inflammatory responses, suppression of the host immune system, influence on the tumor microenvironment, anti-apoptotic activity, and promotion of malignant transformation. The disturbance of microbial equilibrium and the migration of oral microbiota play a pivotal role in facilitating oncogenic functions. This review aims to comprehensively outline the pathogenic mechanisms by which oral microbiota participate in carcinogenesis. Additionally, this review delves into their potential applications in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. It proves to be a valuable resource for researchers investigating the intricate connection between oral microbiota and systemic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Su
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanan Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Saif Ullah
- Department of Microbiology School of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Yuheng Zhao
- College of Biology and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hu Shunjiayi
- School of Stomatology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo Zhao
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Qingjing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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9
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Blažek T, Petráš M, Hurník P, Matoušek P, Knybel L, Čermáková ZZ, Štembírek J, Cvek J, Soumarová R. High PD-L1 expression on immune cells along with increased density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predicts a favorable survival outcome for patients with loco-regionally advanced head and neck cancer: early results from a prospective study. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1346793. [PMID: 38638854 PMCID: PMC11024328 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1346793] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the era of personalized medicine and treatment optimization, use of immune biomarkers holds promise for estimating the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing definitive treatment. Methods To evaluate the prognostic potential of immune biomarkers, we conducted a prospective monocentric cohort study with loco-regionally advanced HNSCC patients indicated for definitive radiotherapy/radiochemotherapy at the Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Czech Republic, between June 2020 and August 2023. We focused on the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) relative to overall survival (OS) and specific survival rates. Associations between biomarkers and survival rates were assessed by crude and adjusted hazard ratios (cHR, aHR, respectively) obtained from Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Among a total of 55 patients within a median follow-up of 19.7 months, there were 21 (38.2%) all-cause deaths and 15 (27.3%) cancer-related deaths. An overall survival (OS) rate of 61.8% and a disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 72.7% were recorded. A significant association between survival rates and a ≥10% difference in PD-L1 expression on immune versus tumor cells (high PD-L1IC expression) was documented regardless of the type of analysis (univariate or multivariate). In addition, a stronger association was confirmed for OS and the composite biomarker high PD-L1IC expression along with either median-higher CD8+ TIL count or increased TIL density ≥30%, as indicated by an aHR of 0.08 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.52) and 0.07 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.46), respectively. Similar results were demonstrated for other specific survival rates. Discussion The early outcomes of the present study suggest the utility of a strong prognostic factor involving a composite biomarker high PD-L1IC expression along with increased TIL density in HNSCC patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy. Trial registration The study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov. - NCT05941676.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Blažek
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Marek Petráš
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Hurník
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Pathology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Petr Matoušek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Lukáš Knybel
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Zděblová Čermáková
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Jan Štembírek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Orofacial Surgery, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Jakub Cvek
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Renata Soumarová
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Oncology, Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
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10
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Oshin M, Kulkarni PG, D SPR, Deepthi G, S KS, S JK. Salivary and Serum Interleukin-6: A Credible Marker for Predicting Oral Leukoplakia and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Cureus 2024; 16:e59113. [PMID: 38803729 PMCID: PMC11128725 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59113] [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] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent subtype of oral cancer. Detecting oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) in their early stages is crucial to prevent their advancement into OSCC. One of the primary factors contributing to OSCC is tobacco use, which can lead to increased production of cytokines. Among these cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), an immune molecule involved in inflammation, may serve as a valuable indicator for assessing the progression of OPMDs and OSCCs. AIMS The aim of this study is to assess the levels of IL6 in both serum and saliva using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and to determine the prognostic value of these measurements in individuals with oral leukoplakia and OSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The research involved 45 participants, who were categorized into three groups: OSCC (15), leukoplakia (15), and a control group consisting of healthy individuals (15). Saliva and serum samples were collected from each individual within all three groups and analyzed using the ELISA method. Subsequently, the gathered data underwent statistical analysis for evaluation. RESULTS There were elevated levels of IL-6 in both saliva and serum among individuals with OSCC in comparison to those with leukoplakia and the healthy control group, and this difference was statistically significant. The analysis of ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves demonstrated that salivary IL-6 was a more effective indicator than serum IL-6 for detecting the advancement of OSCC. As the histological grade of differentiation increased in both OSCC and leukoplakia cases, there was a corresponding rise in salivary IL-6 levels. CONCLUSION Both salivary and serum IL-6 levels have the potential to serve as valuable prognostic biomarkers for oral leukoplakia and OSCC which shows possible involvement of IL-6 in the development and progression of these conditions. Salivary IL-6 is a superior prognostic marker compared to serum IL-6 due to its non-invasive nature which makes it a useful tool for mass screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Oshin
- Department of Oral Pathology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Narketpally, IND
| | - Pavan G Kulkarni
- Department of Oral Pathology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Narketpally, IND
| | - Shyam Prasad Reddy D
- Department of Oral Pathology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Narketpally, IND
| | - G Deepthi
- Department of Oral Pathology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Narketpally, IND
| | - Keerthi Sai S
- Department of Oral Pathology, Kamineni Institute of Dental Sciences, Narketpally, IND
| | - Jishnu K S
- Department of Computing Technologies, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, IND
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11
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Guo Z, Zhao Y, Xu M, Zhao L, Wang X. Natural killer cell-based signature: Prognostic analysis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3671. [PMID: 38384136 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3671] [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: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is a challenging cancer with significant clinical implications. Natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as important players in tumor immunosurveillance, yet their role and potential as prognostic biomarkers in HNSC remain unclear. METHODS Quantitative analysis using multiple algorithms identified FCRL1, KIR3DL2 and ZNF541 as molecules significantly associated with local NK cell infiltration and patient survival. A prognostic model based on these molecules demonstrated robust predictive performance. RESULTS Analysis of high- and low-risk patient groups revealed distinct differences in the tumor microenvironment, indicating an inhibitory immune microenvironment in high-risk patients. Notably, low-risk patients exhibited potential sensitivity to immunotherapy and showed favorable responses to specific drugs such as axitinib, methotrexate, rapamycin and vorinostat. NK cells, important effectors of the innate immune response, were found to play a crucial role in HNSC immunity. The present study provides valuable insights into the correlation between FCRL1, KIR3DL2, ZNF541 and NK cell infiltration, paving the way for future investigations into their roles in HNSC. Activation of NOTCH signaling, MYC targets, DNA repair, E2F targets, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, G2M checkpoint and mitotic spindle pathways in high-risk patients suggests their involvement in disease progression and poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS The present study reveals the significance of NK cells in HNSC and their potential as prognostic biomarkers. The CFKZ score offers a promising approach for predicting patient outcomes and guiding personalized treatment decisions in HNSC. These findings contribute to our understanding of HNSC immunobiology and hold implications for precision medicine in HNSC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhao Guo
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxia Zhao
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Xu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolei Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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12
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Einhaus J, Gaudilliere DK, Hedou J, Feyaerts D, Ozawa MG, Sato M, Ganio EA, Tsai AS, Stelzer IA, Bruckman KC, Amar JN, Sabayev M, Bonham TA, Gillard J, Diop M, Cambriel A, Mihalic ZN, Valdez T, Liu SY, Feirrera L, Lam DK, Sunwoo JB, Schürch CM, Gaudilliere B, Han X. Spatial subsetting enables integrative modeling of oral squamous cell carcinoma multiplex imaging data. iScience 2023; 26:108486. [PMID: 38125025 PMCID: PMC10730356 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a prevalent and aggressive neoplasm, poses a significant challenge due to poor prognosis and limited prognostic biomarkers. Leveraging highly multiplexed imaging mass cytometry, we investigated the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in OSCC biopsies, characterizing immune cell distribution and signaling activity at the tumor-invasive front. Our spatial subsetting approach standardized cellular populations by tissue zone, improving feature reproducibility and revealing TIME patterns accompanying loss-of-differentiation. Employing a machine-learning pipeline combining reliable feature selection with multivariable modeling, we achieved accurate histological grade classification (AUC = 0.88). Three model features correlated with clinical outcomes in an independent cohort: granulocyte MAPKAPK2 signaling at the tumor front, stromal CD4+ memory T cell size, and the distance of fibroblasts from the tumor border. This study establishes a robust modeling framework for distilling complex imaging data, uncovering sentinel characteristics of the OSCC TIME to facilitate prognostic biomarkers discovery for recurrence risk stratification and immunomodulatory therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Einhaus
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dyani K. Gaudilliere
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julien Hedou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dorien Feyaerts
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael G. Ozawa
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Masaki Sato
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Edward A. Ganio
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amy S. Tsai
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ina A. Stelzer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Karl C. Bruckman
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jonas N. Amar
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maximilian Sabayev
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas A. Bonham
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Gillard
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maïgane Diop
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amelie Cambriel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Zala N. Mihalic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tulio Valdez
- Division of Pediatrics, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stanley Y. Liu
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Sleep Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Leticia Feirrera
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David K. Lam
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John B. Sunwoo
- Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christian M. Schürch
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoyuan Han
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA
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13
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Sacconi A, Muti P, Pulito C, Urbani G, Allegretti M, Pellini R, Mehterov N, Ben-David U, Strano S, Bossi P, Blandino G. Immunosignatures associated with TP53 status and co-mutations classify prognostically head and neck cancer patients. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:192. [PMID: 38031025 PMCID: PMC10687972 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01905-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a therapeutic strategy for various cancers although only a subset of patients respond to the therapy. Identifying patients more prone to respond to ICIs may increase the therapeutic benefit and allow studying new approaches for resistant patients. METHODS We analyzed the TCGA cohort of HNSCC patients in relation to their activation of 26 immune gene expression signatures, as well as their cell type composition, in order to define signaling pathways associated with resistance to ICIs. Results were validated on two cohorts of 102 HNSCC patients and 139 HNSCC patients under treatment with PD-L1 inhibitors, respectively, and a cohort of 108 HNSCC HPV negative patients and by in vitro experiments in HNSCC cell lines. RESULTS We observed a significant association between the gene set and TP53 gene status and OS and PFS of HNSCC patients. Surprisingly, the presence of a TP53 mutation together with another co-driver mutation was associated with significantly higher levels of the immune gene expression, in comparison to tumors in which the TP53 gene was mutated alone. In addition, the higher level of TP53 mutated-dependent MYC signature was associated with lower levels of the immune gene expression signature. In vitro and three different patient cohorts validation analyses corroborated these findings. CONCLUSIONS Immune gene signature sets associated with TP53 status and co-mutations classify with more accuracy HNSCC patients. These biomarkers may be easily implemented in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sacconi
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Paola Muti
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical Science and Oral Health, Milan University, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dental Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Pulito
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Giulia Urbani
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Matteo Allegretti
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Raul Pellini
- Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Nikolay Mehterov
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University-Plovdiv, Plodvid, Bulgaria
- Research Institute, Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Uri Ben-David
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sabrina Strano
- SAFU Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Bossi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Blandino
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy.
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14
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Jumaniyazova E, Lokhonina A, Dzhalilova D, Kosyreva A, Fatkhudinov T. Role of Microenvironmental Components in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1616. [PMID: 38003931 PMCID: PMC10672525 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13111616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is one of the ten most common malignant neoplasms, characterized by an aggressive course, high recurrence rate, poor response to treatment, and low survival rate. This creates the need for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of this cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCC consists of stromal and immune cells, blood and lymphatic vessels, and extracellular matrix. It is known that HNSCC is characterized by complex relationships between cancer cells and TME components. TME components and their dynamic interactions with cancer cells enhance tumor adaptation to the environment, which provides the highly aggressive potential of HNSCC and resistance to antitumor therapy. Basic research aimed at studying the role of TME components in HNSCC carcinogenesis may serve as a key to the discovery of both new biomarkers-predictors of prognosis and targets for new antitumor drugs. This review article focuses on the role and interaction with cancer of TME components such as newly formed vessels, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enar Jumaniyazova
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (A.L.); (A.K.); (T.F.)
| | - Anastasiya Lokhonina
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (A.L.); (A.K.); (T.F.)
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Street, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dzhuliia Dzhalilova
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (A.L.); (A.K.); (T.F.)
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Kosyreva
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (A.L.); (A.K.); (T.F.)
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Timur Fatkhudinov
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (A.L.); (A.K.); (T.F.)
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
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15
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Francois A, Dirheimer L, Chateau A, Lassalle HP, Yakavets I, Bezdetnaya L. A Macrophages-Enriched Head and Neck Tumor Spheroid Model to Study Foslip ® Behavior in Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:6545-6562. [PMID: 37965282 PMCID: PMC10642551 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s427350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of various stromal components, including immune cells such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which play a crucial role in cancer initiation and progression. TAMs can exhibit either a tumor-suppressive M1 or a tumor-promoting M2 phenotype. First, we aimed to develop a 3D human heterotypic model consisting of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells and different subtypes of macrophages to replicate the interactions between immune cells and cancer cells. We further investigated the behavior of Foslip®, a liposomal formulation of temoporfin, using a macrophage-enriched 3D model. Methods Monocytes were differentiated into M1 and M2 macrophages, which represent two distinct subtypes. Following histological and molecular characterization, these macrophages were used to establish a 3D spheroid model of HNSCC enriched with either polarized macrophages or conditioned media. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy were used to assess the accumulation and distribution of Foslip®. The cytotoxic effect of Foslip®-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) was evaluated using flow cytometry. Results We developed heterotypic spheroids characterized by a mixed phenotype of evenly distributed macrophages. In this 3D co-culture model, both M1 and M2 macrophages showed significantly higher accumulation of Foslip® compared to the cancer cells. Although this differential accumulation did not drastically affect the overall PDT efficiency, spheroids generated with conditioned media exhibited a significant enhancement in photo-induced cell death, suggesting that the microenvironment could modulate the response to Foslip®-PDT. Conclusion 3D models of HNSCC cells and macrophages provide valuable insights into the complex response of HNSCC cells to PDT using Foslip® in vitro. This model can be used to screen immunomodulatory nanomedicines targeting TAMs in solid head and neck tumors, either alone or in combination with standard therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Francois
- Research Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7039, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Luca Dirheimer
- Research Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7039, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Alicia Chateau
- Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7039, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Henri-Pierre Lassalle
- Research Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7039, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Ilya Yakavets
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lina Bezdetnaya
- Research Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7039, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
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16
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Lin X, Zhou W, Liu Z, Cao W, Lin C. Targeting cellular metabolism in head and neck cancer precision medicine era: A promising strategy to overcome therapy resistance. Oral Dis 2023; 29:3101-3120. [PMID: 36263514 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most prevalent cancer worldwide, with the most severe impact on quality of life of patients. Despite the development of multimodal therapeutic approaches, the clinical outcomes of HNSCC are still unsatisfactory, mainly caused by relatively low responsiveness to treatment and severe drug resistance. Metabolic reprogramming is currently considered to play a pivotal role in anticancer therapeutic resistance. This review aimed to define the specific metabolic programs and adaptations in HNSCC therapy resistance. An extensive literature review of HNSCC was conducted via the PubMed including metabolic reprogramming, chemo- or immune-therapy resistance. Glucose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism are closely related to the malignant biological characteristics of cancer, anti-tumor drug resistance, and adverse clinical results. For HNSCC, pyruvate, lactate and almost all lipid categories are related to the occurrence and maintenance of drug resistance, and targeting amino acid metabolism can prevent tumor development and enhance the response of drug-resistant tumors to anticancer therapy. This review will provide a better understanding of the altered metabolism in therapy resistance of HNSCC and promote the development of new therapeutic strategies against HNSCC, thereby contribute to a more efficacious precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Lin
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenkai Zhou
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheqi Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Nursing, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengzhong Lin
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- The 2nd Dental Center, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Jayaraman S, Natarajan SR, Veeraraghavan VP, Jasmine S. Unveiling the anti-cancer mechanisms of calotropin: Insights into cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, and metabolic regulation in human oral squamous carcinoma cells (HSC-3). J Oral Biol Craniofac Res 2023; 13:704-713. [PMID: 37731845 PMCID: PMC10507650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jobcr.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Calotropin, a cardiac glycoside obtained from the plant Calotropis gigantea, has demonstrated promising potential as an anti-tumorigenesis compound. Objective The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential anti-cancer properties of calotropin against HSC-3 oral squamous cancer cells and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in its action. Material and method Calotropin were treated in HSC-3 to evaluate cell viability by MTT assay. Flow cytometry analysis divulged that calotropin G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HSC-3 cells. Calotropin displayed inhibitory properties against aerobic glycolysis, a metabolic alteration using glucose uptaken, lactose production and LDHA activity assays. Furthermore, migration and invasion assays help that calotropin has ability to reduce the migratory and invasive of HSC-3 cells, using transwell and Matrigel assay. Validation of mRNA expression through RT-PCR. Molecular docking was implemented to validate the binding association of calotropin with apoptosis and metastatic regulating targets. Result The results exemplify that increasing doses of calotropin effectively hold back the HSC-3 cell progression. Migration and invasion assays help that calotropin has ability to reduce the migratory and invasive of HSC-3 cells, indicating its potential to inhibit cancer metastasis. These results imply that calotropin may influence genes linked to metastasis and apoptosis in order to achieve its beneficial effects on cancer. Docking results provided further support, showing a high binding energy between calotropin and metastasis-mediated pathways. Conclusion Overall, our findings shed an experimental evidence on how calotropin inhibits the HSC-3 oral squamous cancer cell growth, highlighting the drug's potential as a treatment for oral cancer. Further, investigation on in-vivo experiment is warranted to explore its potential mechanism of action and to develop a novel drug towards clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selvaraj Jayaraman
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
| | - Sathan Raj Natarajan
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
| | - Sharmila Jasmine
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Kavalkinaru, Tirunelveli, 627105, Tamil Nadu, India
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18
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Ko H, Peng H, Cheng AN, Chou HE, Hou H, Kuo W, Liu W, Kuo MY, Lee AY, Cheng S. Metastasis and immunosuppression promoted by mtDNA and PD-L1 in extracellular vesicles are reversed by WGP β-glucan in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:3857-3872. [PMID: 37525561 PMCID: PMC10551585 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15919] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The suppressive regulatory T cells (Treg) are frequently upregulated in cancer patients. This study aims to demonstrate the hypothesis that arecoline could induce the secretion of mitochondrial (mt) DNA D-loop and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in extracellular vesicles (EVs), and attenuate T-cell immunity by upregulated Treg cell numbers. However, the immunosuppression could be reversed by whole glucan particle (WGP) β-glucan in oral squamous cell (OSCC) patients. Arecoline-induced reactive oxygen specimen (ROS) production and cytosolic mtDNA D-loop were analyzed in OSCC cell lines. mtDNA D-loop, PD-L1, IFN-γ, and Treg cells were also identified for the surgical specimens and sera of 60 OSCC patients. We demonstrated that higher mtDNA D-loop, PD-L1, and Treg cell numbers were significantly correlated with larger tumor size, nodal metastasis, advanced clinical stage, and areca quid chewing. Furthermore, multivariate analysis confirmed that higher mtDNA D-loop levels and Treg cell numbers were unfavorable independent factors for survival. Arecoline significantly induced cytosolic mtDNA D-loop leakage and PD-L1 expression, which were packaged by EVs to promote immunosuppressive Treg cell numbers. However, WGP β-glucan could elevate CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell numbers, mitigate Treg cell numbers, and promote oral cancer cell apoptosis. To sum up, arecoline induces EV production carrying mtDNA D-loop and PD-L1, and in turn elicits immune suppression. However, WGP β-glucan potentially enhances dual effects on T-cell immunity and cell apoptosis and we highly recommend its integration with targeted and immune therapies against OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui‐Hsin Ko
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu BranchHsin‐ChuTaiwan
| | - Hsin‐Hui Peng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu BranchHsin‐ChuTaiwan
| | | | - Han‐Yi Elizabeth Chou
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hsin‐Han Hou
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Ting Kuo
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Wen Liu
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Mark Yen‐Ping Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Alan Yueh‐Luen Lee
- National Institute of Cancer ResearchNational Health Research InstitutesMiaoliTaiwan
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life ScienceKaohsiung Medical UniversityKaohsiungTaiwan
| | - Shih‐Jung Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of DentistryNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
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Sherapura A, Siddesh BM, Malojirao VH, Thirusangu P, Avin BRV, Kumari NS, Ramachandra YL, Prabhakar BT. Steroidal alkaloid solanidine impedes hypoxia-driven ATM phosphorylation to switch on anti-angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 119:154981. [PMID: 37531902 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The declined oxygen tension in the cancer cell leads to the hypoxic adaptive response and favors establishment of tumor micro environment [TEM]. The complex TME consists of interwoven hypoxic HIF-1α and DNA damage repair ATM signaling. The ATM/HIF-1α phosphorylation switch on angiogenesis and abort apoptosis. Targeting this signaling nexus would be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. BACKGROUND Steroidal alkaloid solanidine is known for varied pharmacological role but with less molecular evidences. Our earlier findings on solanidine proven its anti-neoplastic activity by inducing apoptosis in lung cancer. In continued research, efforts have been made to establish the underlying molecular signaling in induction of DNA damage in prevailing hypoxic TME. METHODS The solanidine induced DNA damage was assessed trough alkali COMET assay; signaling nexus and gene expression profile analysis through IB, qRT-PCR, Gelatin Zymography, IHC, IF and ELISA. Pathophysiological modulations assessed through tube formation, migration, invasion assays. Anti-angiogenic studies through CAM, rat aorta, matrigel assays and corneal neovascularization assay. Anti-tumor activity through in-vivo DLA ascites tumor model and LLC model. RESULTS The results postulates, inhibition of hypoxia driven DDR proteins pATMser1981/pHIF-1αser696 by solanidine induces anti-angiogenesis. Systematic study of both non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic models in-vitro as well as in-vivo experimental system revealed the angio-regression mediated anticancer effect in lung cancer. These effects are due to the impeded expression of angiogenic mediators such as VEGF, MMP2&9 and inflammatory cytokines IL6 and TNFα to induce pathophysiological changes CONCLUSION: The study establishes new role of solanidine by targeting ATM/HIF-1α signaling to induce anti-angiogenesis for the first time. The study highlights the potentiality of plant based phytomedicine solanidine which can targets the multiple hallmarks of cancer by targeting interwoven signaling crosstalk. Such an approach through solanidine necessary to counteract heterogeneous complexity of cancer which could be nearly translated into drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankith Sherapura
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India
| | - B M Siddesh
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India
| | - Vikas H Malojirao
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India; Division for DNA Repair Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Centre for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist, Fannin Street, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Prabhu Thirusangu
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India; Department of Experidmental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - B R Vijay Avin
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India; Department of Pharmacology and Centre for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 60612, USA
| | - N Suchetha Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, K.S. Hegde Medical College, Nitte University, Mangalore, India
| | - Y L Ramachandra
- Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, 577 451, Karnataka, India
| | - B T Prabhakar
- Molecular Biomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, 577203, Karnataka, India.
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20
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Sekiguchi S, Yorozu A, Okazaki F, Niinuma T, Takasawa A, Yamamoto E, Kitajima H, Kubo T, Hatanaka Y, Nishiyama K, Ogi K, Dehari H, Kondo A, Kurose M, Obata K, Kakiuchi A, Kai M, Hirohashi Y, Torigoe T, Kojima T, Osanai M, Takano K, Miyazaki A, Suzuki H. ACLP Activates Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Inhibits CD8+ T-Cell Infiltration in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4303. [PMID: 37686580 PMCID: PMC10486706 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously showed that upregulation of adipocyte enhancer-binding protein 1 (AEBP1) in vascular endothelial cells promotes tumor angiogenesis. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the role of stromal AEBP1/ACLP expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that ACLP is abundantly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in primary OSCC tissues and that upregulated expression of ACLP is associated with disease progression. Analysis using CAFs obtained from surgically resected OSCCs showed that the expression of AEBP1/ACLP in CAFs is upregulated by co-culture with OSCC cells or treatment with TGF-β1, suggesting cancer-cell-derived TGF-β1 induces AEBP1/ACLP in CAFs. Collagen gel contraction assays showed that ACLP contributes to the activation of CAFs. In addition, CAF-derived ACLP promotes migration, invasion, and in vivo tumor formation by OSCC cells. Notably, tumor stromal ACLP expression correlated positively with collagen expression and correlated inversely with CD8+ T cell infiltration into primary OSCC tumors. Boyden chamber assays suggested that ACLP in CAFs may attenuate CD8+ T cell migration. Our results suggest that stromal ACLP contributes to the development of OSCCs, and that ACLP is a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Sekiguchi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Akira Yorozu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Fumika Okazaki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Takeshi Niinuma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Akira Takasawa
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.T.)
| | - Eiichiro Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Hiroshi Kitajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Toshiyuki Kubo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Yui Hatanaka
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Koyo Nishiyama
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Ogi
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Hironari Dehari
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kondo
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Sapporo Teishinkai Hospital, Sapporo 065-0033, Japan
| | - Makoto Kurose
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Obata
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Akito Kakiuchi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Yoshihiko Hirohashi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.T.)
| | - Toshihiko Torigoe
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.T.)
| | - Takashi Kojima
- Department of Cell Science, Research Institute of Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan;
| | - Makoto Osanai
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.T.)
| | - Kenichi Takano
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Akihiro Miyazaki
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Hiromu Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan (T.K.); (M.K.)
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Dalir Abdolahinia E, Han X. The Three-Dimensional In Vitro Cell Culture Models in the Study of Oral Cancer Immune Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4266. [PMID: 37686542 PMCID: PMC10487272 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The onset and progression of oral cancer are accompanied by a dynamic interaction with the host immune system, and the immune cells within the tumor microenvironment play a pivotal role in the development of the tumor. By exploring the cellular immunity of oral cancer, we can gain insight into the contribution of both tumor cells and immune cells to tumorigenesis. This understanding is crucial for developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies to combat oral cancer. Studies of cancer immunology present unique challenges in terms of modeling due to the extraordinary complexity of the immune system. With its multitude of cellular components, each with distinct subtypes and various activation states, the immune system interacts with cancer cells and other components of the tumor, ultimately shaping the course of the disease. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture methods fall short of capturing these intricate cellular interactions. Mouse models enable us to learn about tumor biology in complicated and dynamic physiological systems but have limitations as the murine immune system differs significantly from that of humans. In light of these challenges, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems offer an alternative approach to studying cancer immunology and filling the existing gaps in available models. These 3D culture models provide a means to investigate complex cellular interactions that are difficult to replicate in 2D cultures. The direct study of the interaction between immune cells and cancer cells of human origin offers a more relevant and representative platform compared to mouse models, enabling advancements in our understanding of cancer immunology. This review explores commonly used 3D culture models and highlights their significant contributions to expanding our knowledge of cancer immunology. By harnessing the power of 3D culture systems, we can unlock new insights that pave the way for improved strategies in the battle against oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaozhe Han
- Department of Oral Science and Translation Research, College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
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Pyo JS, Kim NY, Min KW, Kang DW. Significance of Tumor-Stroma Ratio (TSR) in Predicting Outcomes of Malignant Tumors. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1258. [PMID: 37512068 PMCID: PMC10384099 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59071258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to elucidate the distribution and the prognostic implications of tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) in various malignant tumors through a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: This meta-analysis included 51 eligible studies with information for overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS), according to TSR. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed based on criteria for high TSR. Results: The estimated rate of high TSR was 0.605 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.565-0.644) in overall malignant tumors. The rates of high TSR ranged from 0.276 to 0.865. The highest rate of high TSR was found in endometrial cancer (0.865, 95% CI 0.827-0.895). The estimated high TSR rates of colorectal, esophageal, and stomach cancers were 0.622, 0.529, and 0.448, respectively. In overall cases, patients with high TSR had better OS and DFS than those with low TSR (hazard ratio (HR) 0.631, 95% CI 0.542-0.734, and HR 0.564, 95% CI 0.0.476-0.669, respectively). Significant correlations with OS were found in the breast, cervical, colorectal, esophagus, head and neck, ovary, stomach, and urinary tract cancers. In addition, there were significant correlations of DFS in breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, larynx, lung, and stomach cancers. In endometrial cancers, high TSR was significantly correlated with worse OS and DFS. Conclusions: The rate of high TSR was different in various malignant tumors. TSR can be useful for predicting prognosis through a routine microscopic examination of malignant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Soo Pyo
- Department of Pathology, Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu-si 11759, Republic of Korea
| | - Nae Yu Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu-si 11759, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyueng-Whan Min
- Department of Pathology, Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu-si 11759, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Kang
- Department of Pathology, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, 20 Bodeum 7-ro, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munhwa Street, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
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De Virgilio A, Veneroni MV, Costantino A, Festa BM, Fiamengo B, Sebastiani D, Spriano G, Di Tommaso L. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor-associated macrophages as potential predictors of lymph node metastases in major salivary gland cancers. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1163565. [PMID: 37465638 PMCID: PMC10350643 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1163565] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study is to define if tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) could represent potential predictors of lymph node metastases (LNM) in salivary gland cancers (SGC). Methods A selected number of immunohistochemical markers related to TILs (CD3, CD4, CD68, and FOXP3) and TAMs (CD68 and CD163) were investigated on major salivary gland cancers. TIL and TAM densities were measured on digital images using the open-source QuPath both in the tumor interior (TI) and invasive margin (IM). Correlation with pathologic N classification and follow-up clinical data was investigated. Results A total of 25 consecutive patients (men: 11; median age: 62.0) were included. Densities of CD3+ IM (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.2-51.2), CD8+ TI (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.2-51.2), CD8+ IM (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.2-51.2), FOXP3+ TI (OR = 24.0, 95% CI 2.2-255.9), CD68+ TI (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.2-51.2), and CD163+ IM (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.2 - 51.2), and the Immunoscore CD8/CD3 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.4) were significantly associated with LNM (p < 0.05). CD3+ TI density was significantly associated with tumor recurrence and death (HR = 5.8, 95% CI 1.5-22.6; p < 0.05). Conclusion A high density of specific TIL and TAM subpopulations might be correlated with a higher probability of LNM in SGC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando De Virgilio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Costantino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Bianca Maria Festa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Barbara Fiamengo
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Daniela Sebastiani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Spriano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Luca Di Tommaso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, MI, Italy
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
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24
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Arcovito G, Palomba A, Gallo O, Franchi A. The Histological Background of Recurrence in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Insight into the Modifications of Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3259. [PMID: 37370868 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrent laryngeal carcinoma presents differences from the primary tumor that largely depend on the treatment. In this article, we review the histologic and molecular treatment-induced changes that may affect the diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal carcinoma, the assessment of predictive markers, and the response to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Radiotherapy induces profound modifications that are strictly related to necrosis of different tissue components, fibrosis, and damage of the tumor vessels. Postradiotherapy recurrent/persistent laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma typically presents a discohesive growth pattern within a fibrotic background associated with significant changes of the tumor immune microenvironment, with both important immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory effects. Overall, the increase of immunoregulatory cells and immune checkpoints such as CTLA-4, TIM-3, PD-1, and PD-L1 induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy strongly supports the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in recurrent/persistent laryngeal carcinoma. Future studies aiming to identify predictive factors of the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors should consider such treatment-induced modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Arcovito
- Section of Pathology, Department of Translational Research, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Annarita Palomba
- Unit of Histopathology and Molecular Diagnostic, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Oreste Gallo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Franchi
- Section of Pathology, Department of Translational Research, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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25
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Prieto-Fernández L, Montoro-Jiménez I, de Luxan-Delgado B, Otero-Rosales M, Rodrigo JP, Calvo F, García-Pedrero JM, Álvarez-Teijeiro S. Dissecting the functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts to therapeutically target head and neck cancer microenvironment. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114502. [PMID: 37002578 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNC) are a diverse group of aggressive malignancies with high morbidity and mortality, leading to almost half-million deaths annually worldwide. A better understanding of the molecular processes governing tumor formation and progression is crucial to improve current diagnostic and prognostic tools as well as to develop more personalized treatment strategies. Tumors are highly complex and heterogeneous structures in which growth and dissemination is not only governed by the cancer cells intrinsic mechanisms, but also by the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) emerge as predominant TME components and key players in the generation of permissive conditions that ultimately impact in tumor progression and metastatic dissemination. Although CAFs were initially considered a consequence of tumor development, it is now well established that they actively contribute to numerous cancer hallmarks i.e., tumor cell growth, migration and invasion, cancer cell stemness, angiogenesis, metabolic reprograming, inflammation, and immune system modulation. In this scenario, therapeutic strategies targeting CAF functions could potentially have a major impact in cancer therapeutics, providing avenues for new treatment options or for improving efficacy in established approaches. This review is focused on thoroughly dissecting existing evidences supporting the contribution of CAFs in HNC biology with an emphasis on current knowledge of the key molecules and pathways involved in CAF-tumor crosstalk, and their potential as novel biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets to effectively interfere the tumor-stroma crosstalk for HNC patients benefit. involved in CAF-tumor crosstalk, and their potential as novel biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets to effec- tively interfere the tumor-stroma crosstalk for HNC patients benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Llara Prieto-Fernández
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Montoro-Jiménez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz de Luxan-Delgado
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - María Otero-Rosales
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juan P Rodrigo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Calvo
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
| | - Juana M García-Pedrero
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Saúl Álvarez-Teijeiro
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
Head and neck cancers are a heterogeneous group of highly aggressive tumors and collectively represent the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Current multimodal treatment concepts combine surgery, chemotherapy, irradiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapeutics. Recent scientific advancements have enabled a more precise molecular characterization of HNSCC and revealed novel therapeutic targets and prognostic/predictive biomarkers. Notably, HNSCC is characterized by complex relations between stromal, epithelial, and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME consists of different subsets of immune cells that infiltrate the tumors and interact with the tumor cells or with each other. Understanding multiple pivotal factors in HNSCC tumorigenesis and tumor progression may help define novel targets and develop more effective therapies for patients. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in the molecular biology of HNSCC and their effects on clinical oncology; it is meant for a broad readership in the head and neck cancers field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subramanya Pandruvada
- Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
| | - Remi Kessler
- Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Ann Thai
- Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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27
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Hung J, Perez SM, Dasa SSK, Hall SP, Heckert DB, Murphy BP, Crawford HC, Kelly KA, Brinton LT. A Bitter Taste Receptor as a Novel Molecular Target on Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:389. [PMID: 36986488 PMCID: PMC10058050 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) execute diverse and complex functions in cancer progression. While reprogramming the crosstalk between CAFs and cancer epithelial cells is a promising avenue to evade the adverse effects of stromal depletion, drugs are limited by their suboptimal pharmacokinetics and off-target effects. Thus, there is a need to elucidate CAF-selective cell surface markers that can improve drug delivery and efficacy. Here, functional proteomic pulldown with mass spectrometry was used to identify taste receptor type 2 member 9 (TAS2R9) as a CAF target. TAS2R9 target characterization included binding assays, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and database mining. Liposomes conjugated to a TAS2R9-specific peptide were generated, characterized, and compared to naked liposomes in a murine pancreatic xenograft model. Proof-of-concept drug delivery experiments demonstrate that TAS2R9-targeted liposomes bind with high specificity to TAS2R9 recombinant protein and exhibit stromal colocalization in a pancreatic cancer xenograft model. Furthermore, the delivery of a CXCR2 inhibitor by TAS2R9-targeted liposomes significantly reduced cancer cell proliferation and constrained tumor growth through the inhibition of the CXCL-CXCR2 axis. Taken together, TAS2R9 is a novel cell-surface CAF-selective target that can be leveraged to facilitate small-molecule drug delivery to CAFs, paving the way for new stromal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | | | - Siva Sai Krishna Dasa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | | | | | | | - Howard C. Crawford
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- ZielBio Inc., Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA
| | - Lindsey T. Brinton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- ZielBio Inc., Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA
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28
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Dong L, Sun Q, Song F, Song X, Lu C, Li Y, Song X. Identification and verification of eight cancer-associated fibroblasts related genes as a prognostic signature for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14003. [PMID: 36938461 PMCID: PMC10018481 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can exert their immunosuppressive effects by secreting various effectors that are involved in the regulation of tumor-infiltrating immune cells as well as other immune components in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), thereby promoting tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Although a large number of studies suggest that CAFs play a key regulatory role in the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there are limited studies on the relevance of CAFs to the prognosis of HNSCC. In this study, we identified a prognostic signature containing eight CAF-related genes for HNSCC by univariate Cox analysis, lasso regression, stepwise regression, and multivariate Cox analysis. Our validation in primary cultures of CAFs from human HNSCC and four human HNSCC cell lines confirmed that these eight genes are indeed characteristic markers of CAFs. Immune cell infiltration differences analysis between high-risk and low-risk groups according to the eight CAF-related genes signature hinted at CAFs regulatory roles in the TIME, further revealing its potential role on prognosis. The signature of the eight CAF-related genes was validated in different independent validation cohorts and all showed that it was a valid marker for prognosis. The significantly higher overall survival (OS) in the low-risk group compared to the high-risk group was confirmed by Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis, suggesting that the signature of CAF-related genes can be used as a non-invasive predictive tool for HNSCC prognosis. The low-risk group had significantly higher levels of tumor-killing immune cell infiltration, as confirmed by CIBERSORT analysis, such as CD8+ T cells, follicular helper T cells, and Dendritic cells (DCs) in the low-risk group. In contrast, the level of infiltration of pro-tumor cells such as M0 macrophages and activated Mast cells (MCs) was lower. It is crucial to delve into the complex mechanisms between CAFs and immune cells to find potential regulatory targets and may provide new evidence for subsequently targeted immunotherapy. These results suggest that the signature of the eight CAF-related genes is a powerful indicator for the assessment of the TIME of HNSCC. It may provide a new and reliable potential indicator for clinicians to predict the prognosis of HNSCC, which may be used to guide treatment and clinical decision-making in HNSCC patients. Meanwhile, CAF-related genes are expected to become tumor biomarkers and effective targets for HNSCC.
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Key Words
- CAFs, Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- CSCs, cancer stem cells
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- DCs, Dendritic cells
- EMT, epithelial mesenchymal transition
- GEO, Gene Expression Omnibus
- GEPIA, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis
- GO, Gene Ontology
- GSEA, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis
- HNSCC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- HR, Hazard Ratio
- Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- Immune cell infiltration
- K-M, Kaplan-Meier
- KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
- MCs, Mast cells
- NFs, normal fibroblasts
- OS, overall survival
- OSCC, oral squamous cell carcinomas
- Prognostic signature
- ROC, receiver operating characteristic
- TAMs, tumor-associated macrophages
- TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas
- TIME, tumor immune microenvironment
- TME, tumor microenvironment
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Dong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Fei Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Xiaoyu Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Congxian Lu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Yumei Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
- Corresponding author. Yumei Li: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, No.20, Yuhuangding East Road, Zhifu District, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
| | - Xicheng Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
- Corresponding author. Xicheng Song: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, No.20, Yuhuangding East Road, Zhifu District, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
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29
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Liao Y, Wang J, Zou J, Liu Y, Liu Z, Huang Z. Multi-omics analysis reveals genomic, clinical and immunological features of SARS-CoV-2 virus target genes in pan-cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1112704. [PMID: 36875081 PMCID: PMC9982007 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1112704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, also known as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has raised great threats to humans. The connection between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and cancer is currently unclear. In this study, we thus evaluated the multi-omics data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database utilizing genomic and transcriptomic techniques to fully identify the SARS-CoV-2 target genes (STGs) in tumor samples from 33 types of cancers. The expression of STGs was substantially linked with the immune infiltration and may be used to predict survival in cancer patients. STGs were also substantially associated with immunological infiltration, immune cells, and associated immune pathways. At the molecular level, the genomic changes of STGs were frequently related with carcinogenesis and patient survival. In addition, pathway analysis revealed that STGs were involved in the control of signaling pathways associated with cancer. The prognostic features and nomogram of clinical factors of STGs in cancers have been developed. Lastly, by mining the cancer drug sensitivity genomics database, a list of potential STG-targeting medicines was compiled. Collectively, this work demonstrated comprehensively the genomic alterations and clinical characteristics of STGs, which may offer new clues to explore the mechanisms on a molecular level between SARS-CoV-2 virus and cancers as well as provide new clinical guidance for cancer patients who are threatened by the COVID-19 epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liao
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Maoming People's Hospital, Maoming, China
- Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Jiaojiao Wang
- Center of Scientific Research, Department of Cardiology, Maoming People's Hospital, Maoming, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiami Zou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Zhiping Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zunnan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
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30
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Influence of 2-Nitroimidazoles in the Response of FaDu Cells to Ionizing Radiation and Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Stress. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12020389. [PMID: 36829948 PMCID: PMC9951954 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020389] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular adaptations to hypoxia promote resistance to ionizing radiation (IR). This presents a challenge for treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) that relies heavily on radiotherapy. Standard radiosensitizers often fail to reach diffusion-restricted hypoxic cells, whereas nitroimidazoles (NIs) [such as iodoazomycin arabinofuranoside (IAZA) and fluoroazomycin arabinofuranoside (FAZA)] can preferentially accumulate in hypoxic tumours. Here, we explored if the hypoxia-selective uptake of IAZA and FAZA could be harnessed to make HNC cells (FaDu) susceptible to radiation therapy. Cellular response to treatment was assessed through clonogenic survival assays and by monitoring DNA damage (immunofluorescence staining of DNA damage markers, γ-H2AX and p-53BP1, and by alkaline comet assay). The effects of reoxygenation were studied using the following assays: estimation of nucleoside incorporation to assess DNA synthesis rates, immunofluorescent imaging of chromatin-associated replication protein A as a marker of replication stress, and quantification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both IAZA and FAZA sensitized hypoxic HNC cells to IR, albeit the former is a better radiosensitizer. Radiosensitization by these compounds was restricted only to hypoxic cells, with no visible effects under normoxia. IAZA and FAZA impaired cellular adaptation to reoxygenation; high levels of ROS, reduced DNA synthesis capacity, and signs of replication stress were observed in reoxygenated cells. Overall, our data highlight the therapeutic potentials of IAZA and FAZA for targeting hypoxic HNC cells and provide rationale for future preclinical studies.
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Prieto-Fernandez L, Villaronga MDLA, Hermida-Prado F, Hijazi M, Montoro-Jimenez I, Pevida M, Llames S, Rodrigo JP, Cutillas P, Calvo F, Garcia-Pedrero JM, Alvarez-Teijeiro S. Driving role of head and neck cancer cell secretome on the invasion of stromal fibroblasts: Mechanistic insights by phosphoproteomics. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 158:114176. [PMID: 36916400 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major players in tumor-stroma communication, and participate in several cancer hallmarks to drive tumor progression and metastatic dissemination. This study investigates the driving effects of tumor-secreted factors on CAF biology, with the ultimate goal of identifying effective therapeutic targets/strategies for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). METHODS Functionally, conditioned media (CM) from different HNSCC-derived cell lines and normal keratinocytes (Kc) were tested on the growth and invasion of populations of primary CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) using 3D invasion assays in collagen matrices. The changes in MMPs expression were evaluated by RT-qPCR and kinase enrichment was analyzed using mass spectrometry phosphoproteomics. RESULTS Our results consistently demonstrate that HNSCC-secreted factors (but not Kc CM) specifically and robustly promoted pro-invasive properties in both CAFs and NFs, thereby reflecting the plasticity of fibroblast subtypes. Concomitantly, HNSCC-secreted factors massively increased metalloproteinases levels in CAFs and NFs. By contrast, HNSCC CM and Kc CM exhibited comparable growth-promoting effects on stromal fibroblasts. Mechanistically, phosphoproteomic analysis predominantly revealed phosphorylation changes in fibroblasts upon treatment with HNSCC CM, and various promising kinases were identified: MKK7, MKK4, ASK1, RAF1, BRAF, ARAF, COT, PDK1, RSK2 and AKT1. Interestingly, pharmacologic inhibition of RAF1/BRAF using sorafenib emerged as the most effective drug to block tumor-promoted fibroblast invasion without affecting fibroblast viability CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that HNSCC-secreted factors specifically fine tune the invasive potential of stromal fibroblasts, thereby generating tumor-driven pro-invasive niches, which in turn to ultimately facilitate cancer cell dissemination. Furthermore, the RAF/BRAF inhibitor sorafenib was identified as a promising candidate to effectively target the onset of pro-invasive clusters of stromal fibroblasts in the HNSCC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Llara Prieto-Fernandez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria de Los Angeles Villaronga
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Hermida-Prado
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maruan Hijazi
- Cell Signalling & Proteomics Group, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Montoro-Jimenez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Pevida
- Tissue engineering unit, Centro Comunitario Sangre y Tejidos de Asturias (CCST), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario Fernández-Vega, Fundación de Investigación Oftalmológica, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Sara Llames
- Tissue engineering unit, Centro Comunitario Sangre y Tejidos de Asturias (CCST), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario Fernández-Vega, Fundación de Investigación Oftalmológica, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Rodrigo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Cutillas
- Cell Signalling & Proteomics Group, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Calvo
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom; Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
| | - Juana Maria Garcia-Pedrero
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Saul Alvarez-Teijeiro
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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32
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Rao YJ, Goodman JF, Haroun F, Bauman JE. Integrating Immunotherapy into Multimodal Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030672. [PMID: 36765627 PMCID: PMC9913370 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have a poor prognosis, with a significant risk of progression or death despite multimodal treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed death receptor-1 (PD1) have dramatically changed the treatment landscape for recurrent/metastatic disease, improving overall survival in both the first- and second-line palliative settings. This success has driven the investigation of treatment strategies incorporating immunotherapy earlier into the multimodal curative-intent or salvage treatment of both locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. This review encompassed the following three subjects, with a focus on recently reported and ongoing clinical trials: (1) the use of neoadjuvant immunotherapy prior to surgery for locally advanced HNSCC, (2) the use of immunochemoradiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancers, and (3) novel uses of immunotherapy in the salvage of recurrent/metastatic HNSCC via a combined modality, including reirradiation paradigms. The results of these studies are eagerly awaited to improve patient outcomes in this challenging disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan James Rao
- Division of Radiation Oncology, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Joseph F. Goodman
- Division of Head and Neck Surgery, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Faysal Haroun
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Julie E. Bauman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA
- Correspondence:
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Boss MK, Harrison LG, Gold A, Karam SD, Regan DP. Canine oral squamous cell carcinoma as a spontaneous, translational model for radiation and immunology research. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1033704. [PMID: 36698398 PMCID: PMC9868558 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1033704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Improving outcomes for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients has been hindered by a lack of effective predictive animal models. Spontaneously occurring canine OSCC could help fill this gap. The objective of this study was to characterize the immune landscape of canine OSCC to advance understanding of how dogs could serve as a surrogate for human OSCC. Methods/Results Canine OSCC contains a heterogenous tumor immune microenvironment. CD3+ T cells were the predominant tumor infiltrating immune cell population; however, there was a wide range CD3+ T cell density across samples. The most common CD3+ T cell micro-anatomical distribution was defined as "pre-existing immunity", but the remaining 20% of tumors were characterized as "immunologically ignorant" or "excluded infiltrates" patterns. When compared to normal oral mucosa, the tumor gene expression pattern suggests that canine OSCC microenvironment is highly inflamed and characterized by the presence of an anti-tumor immune response dominated by cytotoxic\effector T cells and NK cells (CD8a, GZMA, OX40, and HLA-A); however, overexpression of genes associated with effector T cell exhaustion and microenvironmental immunosuppression was also identified (PD-1, LAG3, CXCL2). Correlations between CD3+ T cell density and immune gene expression revealed key genes associated with cytotoxic anti-tumor T cell responses (GZMA, GZMB, PRF1), co-stimulation of T cells (CD27, CD28, ICOS), and other immune processes, including Type I IFN response (TNF, TNFSF10), and T cell exhaustion (CTLA4, PD-1). CD3+ T cell density in canine OSCC was significantly correlated with a cytolytic activity score (mean PRF1 and GZMA expression), suggestive of active effector CD8 T cell function. CD204+ macrophages were the second most abundant tumor infiltrating immune cell, and when comparing to normal oral mucosa, two differently expressed genes linked to tumor associated macrophages and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were identified: CXCL2, CD70. Overexpression of CXCL2 was also identified in canine OSCC "T cell-high" tumors compared to "T cell-low" tumors. Discussion This study identified actionable immunotherapy targets which could inform future comparative oncology trials in canine OSCC: CTLA-4, PD-1, CXCL2. These data provide a good first step towards utilizing spontaneous canine OSCC as a comparative model for human OSCC radiation and immuno-oncology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Keara Boss
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Lauren G. Harrison
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Alexandra Gold
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sana D. Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Daniel P. Regan
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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Lin D, Chen Z, Zeng Y, Ding Y, Zhao L, Xu Q, Yu F, Song X, Zhu X. A pyroptosis-related gene signature provides an alternative for predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:2. [PMID: 36611208 PMCID: PMC9826587 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01431-z] [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: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant neoplasm with limited treatment options and poor outcomes. Thus, there is an urgent need to find sensitive biomarkers for HCC. METHODS Gene expression and clinicopathological information were obtained from public databases, based on which a pyroptosis-related gene signature was constructed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. The applicability of the signature was evaluated via Kaplan-Meier curve and time-dependent ROC curve. TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPCOUNTER, EPIC, CIBERSORT, ssGSEA, and ESTIMATE were employed to assess the immune status. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Wilcoxon test. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were adopted for linear correlation analysis. Genetic knockdown was conducted using siRNA transfection and the mRNA expression levels of interest genes were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Finally, protein levels in 10 paired tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from HCC patients were measured using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS A pyroptosis-related gene signature was established successfully to calculate independent prognostic risk scores. It was found that survival outcomes varied significantly between different risk groups. In addition, an attenuated antitumor immune response was found in the high-risk group. Meanwhile, multiple immune checkpoints were up-regulated in high-risk score patients. Cell cycle-related genes, angiogenesis-related genes and tumor drug resistance genes were also markedly elevated. Knockdown of prognostic genes in the signature significantly inhibited the expression of immune checkpoint genes and angiogenesis-related genes. Besides, each prognostic gene was expressed at a higher level in HCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. CONCLUSIONS We successfully established a novel pyroptosis-related gene signature which could help predict the overall survival and assess the immune status of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezhao Lin
- grid.478150.f0000 0004 1771 6371Department of Surgical Oncology, Wenzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhuoyan Chen
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinrong Ding
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Luying Zhao
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Xu
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Fujun Yu
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Xian Song
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohong Zhu
- grid.414906.e0000 0004 1808 0918Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang People’s Republic of China
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Wang B, Liu F, Li Y, Chen N. Role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Related Genes in Tumour Immune Cell Infiltration and Prognosis of Cutaneous Melanoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:3754094. [PMID: 37205232 PMCID: PMC10188268 DOI: 10.1155/2023/3754094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Advances in cancer research have allowed for early diagnosis and improved treatment of cutaneous melanoma (CM). However, its invasiveness and recurrent metastasis, along with rising resistance to newer therapies, have lent urgency to the search for novel biomarkers and the underlying molecular mechanisms of CM. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphism- (SNP-) related genes were obtained from the sequencing data of 428 CM samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas. Functional enrichment of these genes was analysed in clusterProfiler. Additionally, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Gene (STRING) database. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) was used to identify the expression and prognostic value of mutated genes. Finally, the Tumour Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) analysed the relationship between gene expression and immune cell infiltration. Results We constructed a PPI network from the top 60 SNP-related genes. Mutated genes were mainly involved in calcium and oxytocin signalling pathways, as well as circadian entrainment. In addition, three SNP-related genes, BRAF, FLG, and SORL1, were significantly associated with patient prognosis. BRAF and SORL1 were positively associated with infiltration abundance of B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, neutrophils, and dendritic cells, whereas FLG expression was negatively associated. Furthermore, higher immune cell infiltration was positively correlated with good prognosis. Conclusions Our study provides vital bioinformatic data and a relevant theoretical basis to further explore the molecular pathogenesis of CM and improve patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baihe Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Fanxiao Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
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Zhang P, Zhao Y, Xia X, Mei S, Huang Y, Zhu Y, Yu S, Chen X. Expression of OLR1 gene on tumor-associated macrophages of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and its correlation with clinical outcome. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2203073. [PMID: 37089448 PMCID: PMC10120517 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2203073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most heavily immune infiltrated human tumors, having distinct immune subtypes associated with different molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCC which was dominated by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) had a relatively inferior prognosis. High levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1) expression are associated with more aggressive and metastatic characteristics in multiple cancers. However, the link between the OLR1 expression and immunosuppression of TME, and the molecular mechanisms which govern intratumoral TAMs behavior are unclear. Here, we performed the transcriptional analysis based on a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of HNSCC, and found that the OLR1 expression was specifically enriched on the TAMs. Evaluation of protein expression within histologic sections of primary HNSCC patient samples showed a co-expression pattern of OLR1 and CD68 on macrophages. A total of 498 tumor samples of HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were also analyzed. Remarkably, OLR1 expression was dramatically higher in HNSCC tissues than that in adjacent normal tissues, and the patients with high levels of OLR1 expression had significantly unfavorable overall survival (Hazard Ratio = 1.724, log-rank P-value = 0.0066) when compared to patients harboring low expression levels of OLR1. In summary, we reported that the specific expression of OLR1 on the TAMs was significantly correlated with poor survival outcomes, revealing that OLR1 could serve as a potential prognosis marker and promising target for immunotherapy in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute; MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children; Rare Disease Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- CONTACT Peng Zhang Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute; MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children; Rare Disease Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing100045, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Xia
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Song Mei
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yixuan Huang
- Division of Immunotherapy, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yingying Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuting Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingming Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xingming Chen Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100005, China
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Norouzian M, Mehdipour F, Ashraf MJ, Khademi B, Ghaderi A. Regulatory and effector T cell subsets in tumor-draining lymph nodes of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. BMC Immunol 2022; 23:56. [PMCID: PMC9664675 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-022-00530-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
A crucial role for the immune system has been proposed in the establishment and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this study, we investigated the cytokine and regulatory profiles of T cells in tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) of patients with HNSCC.
Results
The frequencies of CD4+TNF-α+ and CD4+TNF-αhi negatively were associated with poor prognostic factors such as LN involvement (P = 0.015 and P = 0.019, respectively), stage of the disease (P = 0.032 and P = 0.010, respectively) and tumor size (P = 0.026 and P = 0.032, respectively). Frequencies of CD8+IFN-γ+ and CD8+IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ T cells showed negative relationship with tumor grade (P = 0.035 and P = 0.043, respectively). While, the frequencies of CD4+IL-4+, CD8+IL-10+, CD8+IL-4+T cells were higher in advanced stages of the disease (P = 0.042, P = 0.041 and P = 0.030, respectively) and CD4+IFN-γ+TNF-α−, CD8+IL-4+ and CD8+IFN-γ+TNF-α− T cells were higher in patients with larger tumor size (P = 0.026 and P = 0.032, respectively). Negative associations were found between the frequencies of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+CD127low/− Treg cells and cancer stage (P = 0.015 and P = 0.059).
Conclusion
This study shed more lights on the changes in immune profile of T cells in TDLNs of HNSCC. Larger tumor size and/or LN involvement were associated with lower frequencies of CD4+TNF-α+, CD8+IFN-γ+ and CD8+IFN-γ+TNF-α+ but higher frequency of CD4+IL-4+ T cells. Moreover, Foxp3+Tregs correlated with good prognostic indicators.
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Damasio MPS, Nascimento CS, Andrade LM, de Oliveira VL, Calzavara-Silva CE. The role of T-cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: From immunity to immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1021609. [PMID: 36338731 PMCID: PMC9632296 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1021609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) encompass a group of complex entities of tumours affecting the aerodigestive upper tract. The main risk factors are strongly related to tobacco and alcohol consumption, but also HPV infection is often associated. Surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy are the standard treatments, though the 5-year overall survival is less than 50%. The advances in genomics, molecular medicine, immunology, and nanotechnology have shed a light on tumour biology which helps clinical researchers to obtain more efficacious and less toxic therapies. Head and neck tumours possess different immune escape mechanisms including diminishing the immune response through modulating immune checkpoints, in addition to the recruitment and differentiation of suppressive immune cells. The insights into the HNSCC biology and its strong interaction with the tumour microenvironment highlights the role of immunomodulating agents. Recently, the knowledge of the immunological features of these tumours has paved the way for the discovery of effective biomarkers that allow a better selection of patients with odds of improving overall survival through immunotherapy. Specially biomarkers regarding immune checkpoint inhibitors antibodies, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 in combination with standard therapy or as monotherapy. New immunotherapies to treat head and neck cancer carcinomas, such as CAR T cells and nanoparticles have been the center of attention and in this review, we discuss the necessity of finding targets for the T cell in the cancer cells to generate CAR T cells, but also the relevance of evaluating specificity and safety of those therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Paulo S. Damasio
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Camila Sales Nascimento
- Grupo de pesquisa em Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Rene Rachou, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lidia M. Andrade
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Física, Nanobiomedical Research Group, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vivian L. de Oliveira
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Imunologia, LIM19, Instituto do Coração (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo Calzavara-Silva
- Grupo de pesquisa em Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Rene Rachou, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Jumaniyazova E, Lokhonina A, Dzhalilova D, Kosyreva A, Fatkhudinov T. Immune Cells in Head-and-Neck Tumor Microenvironments. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12091521. [PMID: 36143308 PMCID: PMC9506052 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Head-and-neck cancers constitute a heterogeneous group of aggressive tumors with high incidence and low survival rates, collectively being the sixth most prevalent cancer type globally. About 90% of head-and-neck cancers are classified as squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). The innate and adaptive immune systems, indispensable for anti-cancer immune surveillance, largely define the rates of HNSCC emergence and progression. HNSCC microenvironments harbor multiple cell types that infiltrate the tumors and interact both with tumor cells and among themselves. Gradually, tumor cells learn to manipulate the immune system, either by adapting their own immunogenicity or through the release of immunosuppressive molecules. These interactions continuously evolve and shape the tumor microenvironment, both structurally and functionally, facilitating angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis. Our understanding of this evolution is directly related to success in the development of advanced therapies. This review focuses on the key mechanisms that rule HNSCC infiltration, featuring particular immune cell types and their roles in the pathogenesis. A close focus on the tumor-immunity interactions will help identify new immunotherapeutic targets in patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enar Jumaniyazova
- Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-9254258360
| | - Anastasiya Lokhonina
- Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Street, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dzhuliia Dzhalilova
- Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Kosyreva
- Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Timur Fatkhudinov
- Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
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Blocker SJ, Cook J, Everitt JI, Austin WM, Watts TL, Mowery YM. Automated Nuclear Segmentation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathology Reveals Relationships between Cytometric Features and ESTIMATE Stromal and Immune Scores. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2022; 192:1305-1320. [PMID: 35718057 PMCID: PMC9484476 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Currently, pathologic assessment of TME is nonstandardized and subject to observer bias. Genome-wide transcriptomic approaches to understanding the TME, while less subject to bias, are expensive and not currently a part of the standard of care for HNSCC. To identify pathology-based biomarkers that correlate with genomic and transcriptomic signatures of TME in HNSCC, cytometric feature maps were generated in a publicly available data set from a cohort of patients with HNSCC, including whole-slide tissue images and genomic and transcriptomic phenotyping (N = 49). Cytometric feature maps were generated based on whole-slide nuclear detection, using a deep-learning algorithm trained for StarDist nuclear segmentation. Cytometric features in each patient were compared to transcriptomic measurements, including Estimation of Stromal and Immune Cells in Malignant Tumor Tissues Using Expression Data (ESTIMATE) scores and stemness scores. With correction for multiple comparisons, one feature (nuclear circularity) demonstrated a significant linear correlation with ESTIMATE stromal score. Two features (nuclear maximum and minimum diameter) correlated significantly with ESTIMATE immune score. Three features (nuclear solidity, nuclear minimum diameter, and nuclear circularity) correlated significantly with transcriptomic stemness score. This study provides preliminary evidence that observer-independent, automated tissue-slide analysis can provide insights into the HNSCC TME which correlate with genomic and transcriptomic assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie J Blocker
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
| | - James Cook
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Wyatt M Austin
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Tammara L Watts
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Yvonne M Mowery
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite a dearth of activating driver mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), aberrant activation of the oncogenes, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-Met is near-universal in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative disease. Although EGFR activation drove the successful development of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab in HNSCC, no c-Met-targeting therapy has gained regulatory approval. Inhibition of the c-Met pathway may subvert oncogenesis within the tumor-intrinsic compartment, blocking tumoral proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, or the tumor-extrinsic compartment, modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This review discusses the rationale and current drug development strategies for targeting c-Met or its exclusive ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in HNSCC.
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Li D, Li X, Zhao J, Tan F. Advances in nuclear medicine-based molecular imaging in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 2022; 20:358. [PMID: 35962347 PMCID: PMC9373390 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03559-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are often aggressive, making advanced disease very difficult to treat using contemporary modalities, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, targeted therapy, e.g., cetuximab, an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor, has demonstrated survival benefit in HNSCC patients with locoregional failure or distant metastasis. Molecular imaging aims at various biomarkers used in targeted therapy, and nuclear medicine-based molecular imaging is a real-time and non-invasive modality with the potential to identify tumor in an earlier and more treatable stage, before anatomic-based imaging reveals diseases. The objective of this comprehensive review is to summarize recent advances in nuclear medicine-based molecular imaging for HNSCC focusing on several commonly radiolabeled biomarkers. The preclinical and clinical applications of these candidate imaging strategies are divided into three categories: those targeting tumor cells, tumor microenvironment, and tumor angiogenesis. This review endeavors to expand the knowledge of molecular biology of HNSCC and help realizing diagnostic potential of molecular imaging in clinical nuclear medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Li
- Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuran Li
- Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Tan
- Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. .,The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. .,The Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, UK.
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Moya-Garcia CR, Okuyama H, Sadeghi N, Li J, Tabrizian M, Li-Jessen NYK. In vitro models for head and neck cancer: Current status and future perspective. Front Oncol 2022; 12:960340. [PMID: 35992863 PMCID: PMC9381731 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.960340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The 5-year overall survival rate remains approximately 50% for head and neck (H&N) cancer patients, even though new cancer drugs have been approved for clinical use since 2016. Cancer drug studies are now moving toward the use of three-dimensional culture models for better emulating the unique tumor microenvironment (TME) and better predicting in vivo response to cancer treatments. Distinctive TME features, such as tumor geometry, heterogenous cellularity, and hypoxic cues, notably affect tissue aggressiveness and drug resistance. However, these features have not been fully incorporated into in vitro H&N cancer models. This review paper aims to provide a scholarly assessment of the designs, contributions, and limitations of in vitro models in H&N cancer drug research. We first review the TME features of H&N cancer that are most relevant to in vitro drug evaluation. We then evaluate a selection of advanced culture models, namely, spheroids, organotypic models, and microfluidic chips, in their applications for H&N cancer drug research. Lastly, we propose future opportunities of in vitro H&N cancer research in the prospects of high-throughput drug screening and patient-specific drug evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hideaki Okuyama
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nader Sadeghi
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jianyu Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maryam Tabrizian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Maryam Tabrizian, ; Nicole Y. K. Li-Jessen,
| | - Nicole Y. K. Li-Jessen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Maryam Tabrizian, ; Nicole Y. K. Li-Jessen,
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Xiang J, He Y, Li Y, Wu K, Cheng M, Wang Y, Chen R. A hypoxia-related lncRNA model for prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis. Cancer Med 2022; 12:3773-3785. [PMID: 35920349 PMCID: PMC9939198 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common and highly heterogeneous malignancies worldwide. Increasing studies have proven that hypoxia and related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) are involved in the occurrence and prognosis of HNSCC. The goal of this work is to construct a risk assessment model using hypoxia-related lncRNAs (hrlncRNAs) for HNSCC prognosis prediction and personalized treatment. METHODS Transcriptome expression matrix, clinical follow-up data, and somatic mutation data of HNSCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We used co-expression analysis to identify hrlncRNAs, then screened for differentially expressed lncRNAs (DEhrlncRNAs), and paired these DEhrlncRNAs. The risk model was established through univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and stepwise multivariate Cox regression. Finally, we assessed the model from multiple perspectives of tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor immune infiltration, chemotherapeutic sensitivity, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), and functional enrichment. RESULTS The risk assessment model included 14 hrlncRNA pairs. The risk score was observed to be a reliable prognostic factor. The high-risk patients had an unfavorable prognosis and significant differences from the low-risk group in TMB and tumor immune infiltration. In the high-risk patients, the common immune checkpoints were down-regulated, including CTLA4 and PDCD1, and the sensibility to paclitaxel and docetaxel was higher. The functional enrichment analysis suggested that the low-risk group was accompanied by activated immune function. CONCLUSIONS The risk assessment model of 14-hrlncRNA-pairs demonstrated a promising prognostic prediction for HNSCC patients and can guide personalized clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Xiang
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Yaodong He
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Yunshan Li
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Kexuan Wu
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Mengxiang Cheng
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Yuanyin Wang
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
| | - Ran Chen
- Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui ProvinceCollege & Hospital of StomatologyHefeiChina
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45
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The interplay of cytokine signaling and non-coding RNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma pathobiology. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:10825-10847. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07770-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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46
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Tassone P, Caruso C, White M, Tavares Dos Santos H, Galloway T, Dooley L, Zitsch R, Lester Layfield J, Baker O. The role of matrixmetalloproteinase-2 expression by fibroblasts in perineural invasion by oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2022; 132:106002. [PMID: 35779484 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The mechanisms of perineural invasion (PNI) in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma are only partially understood, and no studies have specifically investigated the role of perineural fibroblasts in PNI. Here, we identified fibroblasts within the microenvironment of perineural invasion and assessed their expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). MATERIALS AND METHODS Tumor specimens from 12 patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and pathologically-confirmed perineural invasion were stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for vimentin (positive control) and MMP-2. Scoring was quantified and compared at nerves involved with PNI and nerves uninvolved with PNI. RESULTS All 12 patients had perineural fibroblasts around involved and uninvolved nerves as marked by vimentin IHC staining. Perineural fibroblasts had detectable MMP-2 expression at areas of perineural invasion in all 12 patients, but no patients had MMP-2 expression by fibroblasts at nerves without PNI. CONCLUSION MMP-2 is expressed by fibroblasts within the microenvironment of perineural invasion, and MMP-2 expression by fibroblasts is a possible mechanism of perineural invasion by oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. MMP-2 may be an anti-cancer target among oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma patients with PNI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tassone
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.
| | - Carla Caruso
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Meghan White
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Harim Tavares Dos Santos
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Tabitha Galloway
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Laura Dooley
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Robert Zitsch
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - J Lester Layfield
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Olga Baker
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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Su K, Zhou Z, Yi Q, Liu J, Luo T, Cui X, Zhang H. Systemic Analysis on the Features of Immune Microenvironment Related to Prognostic Signature in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:860712. [PMID: 35646054 PMCID: PMC9130752 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.860712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma's tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays an important role in tumorigenesis and progression, but its clinical significance remains unclear. Therefore, the TIME needs to be better understood in order to improve the response of diagnosis and therapy. Methods: The gene expression and clinical data of 569 HNSCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Immune-related genes (IRGs) from the ImmPort database were used for immunotyping of HNSCC patients, and independent GEO datasets were used for subtype verification and comprehensive molecular identification. Results: The patients were divided into three subtypes (C1, C2, and C3) related to different gene expression profiles. The three subtypes showed widely different patterns in tumor genetic distortion, immune cell composition, cytokine profile, and so on, verifying that the immune-enhanced C2 subtype was associated with better prognosis. In addition, the stroma-deficient C1 subtype may be more efficient for the immune response than the C3 subtype. Furthermore, using WGCNA on the IRGs of those three subtypes, we found two C2-positive gene modules closely related to infection- and immune-associated pathways in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, and the two modules had 22 common pathways. Conclusion: This study improves the power for prognosis prediction and develops new therapeutic strategies to stratify HNSCC patients into clinically significant groups through TIME-related prognostic signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Su
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zekun Zhou
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiao Yi
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Junjie Liu
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tiao Luo
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinyan Cui
- Academician Workstation for Oral-Maxilofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Oral Health Research, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan 3D Printing Engineering Research Center of Oral Care, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haixia Zhang
- The Oncology Department of Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Yang JI, Lee HL, Yun JJ, Kim J, So KH, Jeong YIL, Kang DH. pH and Redox-Dual Sensitive Chitosan Nanoparticles Having Methyl Ester and Disulfide Linkages for Drug Targeting against Cholangiocarcinoma Cells. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15113795. [PMID: 35683095 PMCID: PMC9181436 DOI: 10.3390/ma15113795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to prepare pH- and redox-sensitive nanoparticles for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery against DOX-resistant HuCC-T1 human cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cells. For this purpose, L-histidine methyl ester (HIS) was attached to chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) via dithiodipropionic acid (abbreviated as ChitoHISss). DOX-incorporated nanoparticles of ChitoHISss conjugates were fabricated by a dialysis procedure. DOX-resistant HuCC-T1 cells were prepared by repetitive exposure of HuCC-T1 cells to DOX. ChitoHISss nanoparticles showed spherical morphology with a small diameter of less than 200 nm. The acid pH and glutathione (GSH) addition induced changes in the size distribution pattern of ChitoHISss nanoparticles from a narrow/monomodal distribution pattern to a wide/multimodal pattern and increased the fluorescence intensity of the nanoparticle solution. These results indicate that a physicochemical transition of nanoparticles can occur in an acidic pH or redox state. The more acidic the pH or the higher the GSH concentration the higher the drug release rate was, indicating that an acidic environment or higher redox states accelerated drug release from ChitoHISss nanoparticles. Whereas free DOX showed decreased anticancer activity at DOX-resistant HuCC-T1 cells, DOX-incorporated ChitoHISss nanoparticles showed dose-dependent anticancer activity. Intracellular delivery of DOX-incorporated ChitoHISss nanoparticles was relatively increased at an acidic pH and in the presence of GSH, indicating that DOX-incorporated ChitoHISss nanoparticles have superior acidic pH- and redox-sensitive behavior. In an in vivo tumor xenograft model, DOX-incorporated ChitoHISss nanoparticles were specifically delivered to tumor tissues and then efficiently inhibited tumor growth. We suggest that ChitoHISss nanoparticles are a promising candidate for treatment of CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Il Yang
- Department of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea;
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea
| | - Hye Lim Lee
- Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea; (H.L.L.); (J.K.)
| | - Je-Jung Yun
- Research Center for Environmentally Friendly Agricultural Life Science, Jeonnam Bioindustry Foundation, Gokseong-gun 57509, Korea;
| | - Jungsoo Kim
- Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea; (H.L.L.); (J.K.)
| | - Kyoung-Ha So
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Correspondence: (K.-H.S.); (Y.-I.J.); (D.-H.K.)
| | - Young-IL Jeong
- Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea; (H.L.L.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.-H.S.); (Y.-I.J.); (D.-H.K.)
| | - Dae-Hwan Kang
- Department of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea;
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea
- Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University, Busan 50612, Korea; (H.L.L.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.-H.S.); (Y.-I.J.); (D.-H.K.)
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Zhang Q, Yu X, Zhang S, Guo W, He Y. Molecular characteristics of novel immune subtypes of HCC based on lncRNAs related to immune disorders. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8905. [PMID: 35618810 PMCID: PMC9135727 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13013-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the most malignant cancers and despite various treatment breakthroughs, the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfactory. The immune status of the tumor microenvironment (TME) relates closely to HCC progression; however, the mechanism of immune cell infiltration in the TME remains unclear. In this study, we performed a new combination algorithm on lncRNA expression profile data from the TCGA-LIHC cohort to identify lncRNAs related to immune disorders. We identified 20 immune disorder-related lncRNAs and clustered HCC samples based on these lncRNAs. We identified four clusters with differences in immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression. We further analyzed differences between groups 1 and 3 and found that the poor prognosis of group 3 may be due to specific and non-specific immunosuppression of the TME, upregulation of immune checkpoint pathways, and activation of tumor proliferation and migration pathways in group 3. We also developed a prognostic model and verified that it has good stability, effectiveness, and prognostic power. This study provides a basis for further exploration of the immune cell infiltration mechanism in HCC, differential HCC prognosis, and improvement of the efficacy of ICIs for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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50
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Entezari M, Sadrkhanloo M, Rashidi M, Asnaf SE, Taheriazam A, Hashemi M, Ashrafizadeh M, Zarrabi A, Rabiee N, Hushmandi K, Mirzaei S, Sethi G. Non-coding RNAs and macrophage interaction in tumor progression. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 173:103680. [PMID: 35405273 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The macrophages are abundantly found in TME and their M2 polarization is in favor of tumor malignancy. On the other hand, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can modulate macrophage polarization in TME to affect cancer progression. The miRNAs can dually induce/suppress M2 polarization of macrophages and by affecting various molecular pathways, they modulate tumor progression and therapy response. The lncRNAs can affect miRNAs via sponging and other molecular pathways to modulate macrophage polarization. A few experiments have also examined role of circRNAs in targeting signaling networks and affecting macrophages. The therapeutic targeting of these ncRNAs can mediate TME remodeling and affect macrophage polarization. Furthermore, exosomal ncRNAs derived from tumor cells or macrophages can modulate polarization and TME remodeling. Suppressing biogenesis and secretion of exosomes can inhibit ncRNA-mediated M2 polarization of macrophages and prevent tumor progression. The ncRNAs, especially exosomal ncRNAs can be considered as non-invasive biomarkers for tumor diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maliheh Entezari
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohsen Rashidi
- Department Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; The Health of Plant and Livestock Products Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Sholeh Etehad Asnaf
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Afshin Taheriazam
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Hashemi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Orta Mahalle, Üniversite Caddesi No. 27, Orhanlı, Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul 34396, Turkey
| | - Navid Rabiee
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Sepideh Mirzaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cancer Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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