The Interleukin (IL)-1R1 pathway is a critical negative regulator of PyMT-mediated mammary tumorigenesis and pulmonary metastasis

Host-derived Interleukin 1α induces an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via regulating monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation

Tumor-associated macrophages exhibit high heterogeneity and contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Although numerous studies have demonstrated that extracellular factors promote macrophage proliferation and polarization, the regulatory mechanisms governing the differentiation process to generate phenotypically, and functionally diverse macrophage subpopulations remain largely unexplored. In this study, we examined the influence of interleukin 1α (IL-1α) on the development of an immunosuppressive TME using orthotopic transplantation murine models of breast cancer. Deletion of host Il1α led to the rejection of inoculated congenic tumors. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed that CX3CR1+ macrophage cells were the primary sources of IL-1α in the TME. The absence of IL-1α reprogrammed the monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation process within the TME, characterized by a notable decrease in the subset of CX3CR+ ductal-like macrophages and an increase in iNOS-expressing inflammatory cells. Comparative analysis of gene signatures in both human and mouse macrophage subsets suggested that IL-1α deficiency shifted the macrophage polarization from M2 to M1 phenotypes, leading to enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity in the TME. Importantly, elevated levels of IL-1α in human cancers were associated with worse prognosis following immunotherapy. These findings underscore the pivotal role of IL-1α in shaping an immune-suppressive TME through the regulation of macrophage differentiation and activity, highlighting IL-1α as a potential target for breast cancer treatment.

Tumor Cell-Associated IL-1α Affects Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis in Mice through Manipulation of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

IL-1α is a dual function cytokine that affects inflammatory and immune responses and plays a pivotal role in cancer. The effects of intracellular IL-1α on the development of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in mice were assessed using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to suppress IL-1α expression in 4T1 breast cancer cells. Knockout of IL-1α in 4T1 cells modified expression of multiple genes, including downregulation of cytokines and chemokines involved in the recruitment of tumor-associated pro-inflammatory cells. Orthotopical injection of IL-1α knockout (KO) 4T1 cells into BALB/c mice led to a significant decrease in local tumor growth and lung metastases, compared to injection of wild-type 4T1 (4T1/WT) cells. Neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells were abundant in tumors developing after injection of 4T1/WT cells, whereas more antigen-presenting cells were observed in the tumor microenvironment after injection of IL-1α KO 4T1 cells. This switch correlated with increased infiltration of CD3+CD8+ and NKp46+cells. Engraftment of IL-1α knockout 4T1 cells into immunodeficient NOD.SCID mice resulted in more rapid tumor growth, with increased lung metastasis in comparison to engraftment of 4T1/WT cells. Our results suggest that tumor-associated IL-1α is involved in TNBC progression in mice by modulating the interplay between immunosuppressive pro-inflammatory cells vs. antigen-presenting and cytotoxic cells.

IL-33 aggravates extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma aggressiveness and angiogenesis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) is an extremely aggressive form of lymphoma and lacks of specific diagnostic markers. The study intended to unearth the role of interleukin-33 (IL-33) in ENKTCL. RT-qPCR was conducted to assess mRNA levels of ENKTCL tissues and cells, while western blot assay was performed for evaluating protein levels. Plate cloning experiment and transwell assay were employed to measure aggressiveness of ENKTCL. Tube formation assay was executed to determine the angiogenesis ability. Mice ENKTCL xenograft model was designed to probe the impacts of IL-33 in vivo. IL-33 and suppression of tumorigenicity 2 receptor (ST2, receptor of IL-33) were enhanced in ENKTCL. IL-33 inhibition suppressed viability, migration, and invasion of ENKTCL cells. Moreover, IL-33 knockdown restricted angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, Wnt/β-catenin pathway associated proteins (β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1) were downregulated by loss of IL-33. However, these impacts were overturned by Wnt/β-catenin signaling agonist lithium chloride (LiCl). Additionally, IL-33 silencing exerted anti-tumor effect via Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vivo. Silencing of IL-33 inhibited ENKTCL tumorigenesis and angiogenesis by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. As such, IL-33 might be a prospective treatment target for ENKTCL.

The Killer's Web: Interconnection between Inflammation, Epigenetics and Nutrition in Cancer

Inflammation is a key contributor to both the initiation and progression of tumors, and it can be triggered by genetic instability within tumors, as well as by lifestyle and dietary factors. The inflammatory response plays a critical role in the genetic and epigenetic reprogramming of tumor cells, as well as in the cells that comprise the tumor microenvironment. Cells in the microenvironment acquire a phenotype that promotes immune evasion, progression, and metastasis. We will review the mechanisms and pathways involved in the interaction between tumors, inflammation, and nutrition, the limitations of current therapies, and discuss potential future therapeutic approaches.

A Cellular Senescence-Related Signature Predicts Cervical Cancer Patient Outcome and Immunotherapy Sensitivity

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most prevalent gynecological malignancies. The rate of mortality and morbidity among patients with CC is high. Cellular senescence is involved in tumorigenesis as well as in the cancer progression. However, the involvement of cellular senescence in CC development is still unclear and requires further investigation. In this study, we retrieved data on cellular senescence-related genes (CSRGs) from the "CellAge" Database. We used the TCGA-CESC and CGCI-HTMCP-CC datasets as the training and validation sets, respectively. Finally, a signature was constructed using "univariate" and "Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator" (LASSO) Cox regression analysis, which contains eight CSRGs. Using this signature, we calculated the risk scores of all patients in the training and validation cohorts and categorized them into the low-risk group (LR-G) and the high-risk group (HR-G). Results showed that, compared to patients in the HR-G, those in the LR-G demonstrated a more positive clinical prognosis, more abundant immune cell infiltrations, and a more active immune response. The signature could also modulate the expression of SASP factors. In vitro studies showed an increased expression of SERPINE1 and IL-1α genes included in the signature in CC cells and tissues. Our findings help to deepen our insights into the etiology of CC, which could be beneficial for prognostic prediction and immunotherapy in clinical practice.

The stage-dependent prognostic role of ARID1A in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death. Although novel treatment currently achieves a better response, the majority of HCC patients develop resistance and cannot benefit. Hence, novel biomarkers for guiding therapy and predicting the prognosis are needed.

Methods

Tissue microarrays of 206 HCC patients were used, and ARID1A expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Databases were used for the verification and expansion of our results. The "rms" package of R software was used for the construction of the nomogram.

Results

ARID family alterations were associated with disease-free survival (P=0.0325) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.0076). Subgroup analysis confirmed the prognostic effect of ARID1A, ARID1B, and ARID2 alterations. In addition, ARID family genomic alterations, especially ARID1A, were closely related to poor progression-free survival (ARID: P=0.0011; ARID1A: P=0.0082) and OS (ARID: P=0.0161; ARID1A: P=0.0220) after sorafenib treatment. ARID1A expression was found to display a stage-dependent effect on the prognosis, serving as a risk factor in stage I-II patients (P<0.0001) and a protective factor in stage III-IV patients (P=0.0180).

Conclusions

ARID1A has dual roles in HCC in a tumor stage-dependent manner, and further study is required to uncover the complex function of ARID1A in HCC development, disease progression, and therapy.

IFI16 Induced by Direct Interaction between Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Macrophages Promotes Tumor Progression via Secretion of IL-1α

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), one of the major components of the tumor microenvironment, contribute to the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We previously established a direct co-culture system of human ESCC cells and macrophages and reported the promotion of malignant phenotypes, such as survival, growth, and migration, in ESCC cells. These findings suggested that direct interactions between cancer cells and macrophages contribute to the malignancy of ESCC, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we compared the expression levels of the interferon-induced genes between mono- and co-cultured ESCC cells using a cDNA microarray and found that interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) was most significantly upregulated in co-cultured ESCC cells. IFI16 knockdown suppressed malignant phenotypes and also decreased the secretion of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) from ESCC cells. Additionally, recombinant IL-1α enhanced malignant phenotypes of ESCC cells through the Erk and NF-κB signaling. Immunohistochemistry revealed that high IFI16 expression in human ESCC tissues tended to be associated with disease-free survival and was significantly associated with tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, and macrophage infiltration. The results of this study reveal that IFI16 is involved in ESCC progression via IL-1α and imply the potential of IFI16 as a novel prognostic factor for ESCC.

Invasive Breast Cancer: miR-24-2 Targets Genes Associated with Survival and Sensitizes MDA-MB-231 Cells to Berberine

MicroRNA aberrations including that of miR-24-2 have been reported in various cancers. However, the target genes for miR-24-2 are yet to be identified and validated in invasive breast cancer and the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Using in silico approaches and gene expression analyses, we identified and validated the target genes of miR-24-2 in invasive breast cancer, majority of which were TNBC. We studied the translational potential of these target genes using berberine in a TNBC cell line. Differentially expressed genes targeted by miR-24-2 were identified and analyzed for their survival effects using the The Cancer Genome Atlas-Breast Invasive Carcinoma (-BRCA) samples. Furthermore, we carried out protein-protein interaction, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, gene expression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses using common targets of miR-24-2 in invasive breast cancer/TNBC. We identified 11 biomarker candidate genes as crucial targets of miR-24-2. The survival of breast cancer patients was significantly associated with the low expressions of nine genes, including RACGAP1, KIAA1199, TIMM17A, LYRM7, IL1R1, SLC1A3, DTX4, L1CAM, and SAP30-like (SAP30L), and high expressions of two genes, SOD2 and HLA-DQB2. These in silico findings were validated by overexpressing miR-24-2 and assessing the expression pattern of these target genes in the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. miR-24-2 overexpression inhibited (by 20%; p < 0.001) cell proliferation and sensitized the anticancer effect of berberine. In all, this study reports on the novel target genes of miR-24-2 in invasive breast cancer/TNBC, and that miR-24-2 sensitizes MDA-MB-231 cells to berberine. These data lend evidence for the translational potentials of miR-24-2 for invasive breast cancer diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.

A Cellular Senescence-Related Signature Predicts Cervical Cancer Patient Outcome and Immunotherapy Sensitivity

Cervical cancer (CC) is among the most prevalent gynaecological malignancy. The rate of mortality and morbidity of patients with CC is high. Cellular senescence is involved in tumorigenesis as well as cancer progression. However, the involvement of cellular senescence in CC development is still unclear and requires further investigation. We retrieved data on cellular senescence-related genes (CSRGs) from the "CellAge" Database. We used TCGA-CESC and the CGCI-HTMCP-CC datasets as the training and validation sets, respectively. Eight CSRGs signatures based on the data extracted from these sets were constructed using "univariate" and "Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Cox regression analyses". Using this model, we calculated the risk scores of all patients in the training and validation cohort and categorised these patients into the low-risk group (LR-G) and the high-risk group (HR-G). Finally, compared to patients in the HR-G, CC patients in the LR-G demonstrated a more positive clinical prognosis; the expression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) markers and immune cell infiltration was higher, and these patients had more active immune responses. In vitro studies showed increased SERPINE1 and IL-1α ((genes included in the signature) expression in CC cells and tissues. The eight-gene prognostic signatures could modulate the expression of SASP factors and the tumour immune micro-environment (TIME). It could be used as a reliable biomarker for predicting the patient's prognosis and response to immunotherapy in CC.

Small-molecule PIK-93 modulates the tumor microenvironment to improve immune checkpoint blockade response

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-L1 immunotherapy are state-of-the-art treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the treatment response of certain patients with NSCLC is unsatisfactory because of an unfavorable tumor microenvironment (TME) and poor permeability of antibody-based ICIs. In this study, we aimed to discover small-molecule drugs that can modulate the TME to enhance ICI treatment efficacy in NSCLC in vitro and in vivo. We identified a PD-L1 protein-modulating small molecule, PIK-93, using a cell-based global protein stability (GPS) screening system. PIK-93 mediated PD-L1 ubiquitination by enhancing the PD-L1-Cullin-4A interaction. PIK-93 reduced PD-L1 levels on M1 macrophages and enhanced M1 antitumor cytotoxicity. Combined PIK-93 and anti-PD-L1 antibody treatment enhanced T cell activation, inhibited tumor growth, and increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) recruitment in syngeneic and human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) line-derived xenograft mouse models. PIK-93 facilitates a treatment-favorable TME when combined with anti-PD-L1 antibodies, thereby enhancing PD-1/PD-L1 blockade cancer immunotherapy.

Involvement of inflammasomes in tumor microenvironment and tumor therapies

Inflammasomes are macromolecular platforms formed in response to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns, whose formation would cause maturation of interleukin-1 (IL-1) family members and gasdermin D (GSDMD), leading to IL-1 secretion and pyroptosis respectively. Several kinds of inflammasomes detecting different types of dangers have been found. The activation of inflammasomes is regulated at both transcription and posttranscription levels, which is crucial in protecting the host from infections and sterile insults. Present findings have illustrated that inflammasomes are involved in not only infection but also the pathology of tumors implying an important link between inflammation and tumor development. Generally, inflammasomes participate in tumorigenesis, cell death, metastasis, immune evasion, chemotherapy, target therapy, and radiotherapy. Inflammasome components are upregulated in some tumors, and inflammasomes can be activated in cancer cells and other stromal cells by DAMPs, chemotherapy agents, and radiation. In some cases, inflammasomes inhibit tumor progression by initiating GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in cancer cells and stimulating IL-1 signal-mediated anti-tumor immunity. However, IL-1 signal recruits immunosuppressive cell subsets in other cases. We discuss the conflicting results and propose some possible explanations. Additionally, we also summarize interventions targeting inflammasome pathways in both preclinical and clinical stages. Interventions targeting inflammasomes are promising for immunotherapy and combination therapy.

COL8A1 enhances the invasion/metastasis in MDA-MB-231 cells via the induction of IL1B and MMP1 expression

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a high probability of metastasis and a lack of specific targets and targeted therapeutics. Previously, we have reported that COL8A1, which is highly expressed in the mesenchymal stem-like (MSL) subtype of TNBC, facilitates TNBC growth via FAK/Src activation. Furthermore, we have found that COL8A1 enhances the invasion and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells, classified into MSL. However, the mechanism of invasion and metastasis by COL8A1 remains unclear. Here, we investigated the biological function of COL8A1 on the invasion and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells.

METHODS

The invasion and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells were evaluated using three-dimensional (3D) culture methods and xenograft mouse models. DNA microarray analysis examined the gene expression in COL8A1-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells and control cells. Gene expression was verified using RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

COL8A1-deficient cells showed little or no metastasis, whereas forced expression of COL8A1 in MDA-MB-231 cells, the MSL subtype of TNBC cell lines, significantly promoted distant metastasis after tumor resection. As with in vivo, 3D invasion assay revealed that COL8A1 increased the invasion capacity of MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells, classified into the MSL subtype of TNBC. DNA microarray analysis for COL8A1-overexpressing cells indicated that COL8A1 induces interleukin 1B (IL1B) and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) expression, both of which are correlated with COL8A1 expression in the mesenchymal subtypes of TNBC, and the Kaplan-Meier plotter provided evidence that the prognosis in the MSL subtype was strongly associated with both gene expressions and COL8A1 expression. Pharmacological inhibitor treatment showed that COL8A1 regulated IL1B and MMP1 expression through a different pathway. Moreover, the knockdown of each gene expression reduced the invasion capacity of COL8A1-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that COL8A1-induced IL1B and MMP1 enhanced the invasion and metastasis of the MSL subtype of TNBC. Considering our previous findings that COL8A1 promotes tumor growth, COL8A1 may be a prognostic and practical therapeutic target in TNBC.

Immunogenic cell death-related classifications in breast cancer identify precise immunotherapy biomarkers and enable prognostic stratification

Background: Immunogenic cell death (ICD) remodels the tumor immune microenvironment, plays an inherent role in tumor cell apoptosis, and promotes durable protective antitumor immunity. Currently, appropriate biomarker-based ICD immunotherapy for breast cancer (BC) is under active exploration. Methods: To determine the potential link between ICD genes and the clinical risk of BC, TCGA-BC was used as the training set and GSE58812 was used as the validation set. Gene expression, consistent clustering, enrichment analysis, and mutation omics analyses were performed to analyze the potential biological pathways of ICD genes involved in BC. Furthermore, a risk and prognosis model of ICD was constructed to evaluate the correlation between risk grade and immune infiltration, clinical stage, and survival prognosis. Results: We identified two ICD-related subtypes by consistent clustering and found that the C2 subtype was associated with good survival prognosis, abundant immune cell infiltration, and high activity of immune biological processes. Based on this, we constructed and validated an ICD risk and prognosis model of BC, including ATG5, HSP90AA1, PIK3CA, EIF2AK3, MYD88, IL1R1, and CD8A. This model can effectively predict the survival rate of patients with BC and is negatively correlated with the immune microenvironment and clinical stage. Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the role of ICD in BC. The novel classification risk model based on ICD in BC established in this study can aid in estimating the potential prognosis of patients with BC and the clinical outcomes of immunotherapy and postulates targets that are more useful in comprehensive treatment strategies.

Novel Methods of Targeting IL-1 Signalling for the Treatment of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis

Simple Summary

The pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL1β, plays a pivotal role in breast cancer bone metastasis. Inhibiting IL-1 signalling with the IL1β specific antibody, Canakinumab, or the IL1R1 antagonist Anakinra almost eliminates bone metastases but has adverse effects on tumours growing outside of the bone and immune regulation. This current study demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of other members of the IL-1 signalling pathway Caspase-1, IL1β and IL1R reduced migration and invasion of E0771 and Py8119 cells in vitro and also reduced spontaneous metastasis and metastatic outgrowth of breast cancer in the bone, in vivo. Interestingly, targeting IRAK1 had no anti-tumour effects. Importantly, inhibiting Caspase-1 reduces bone metastasis without adversely affecting tumours outside of bone or immune cell regulation, suggesting that targeting immediately upstream of IL1β may be a good therapeutic strategy for treating patients with breast-cancer-induced bone disease.

Abstract

Breast cancer bone metastasis is currently incurable. Evidence suggests that inhibiting IL-1 signalling with the IL1R antagonist, Anakinra, or the IL1β antibody, Canakinumab, prevents metastasis and almost eliminates breast cancer growth in the bone. However, these drugs increase primary tumour growth. We, therefore, investigated whether targeting other members of the IL-1 pathway (Caspase-1, IL1β or IRAK1) could reduce bone metastases without increasing tumour growth outside of the bone. Inhibition of IL-1 via MLX01 (IL1β secretion inhibitor), VRT043198/VX765 (Caspase-1 inhibitor), Pacritinib (IRAK1 inhibitor) or Anakinra (IL1R antagonist) on tumour cell viability, migration and invasion were assessed in mouse mammary E0771 and Py8119 cells in vitro and on primary tumour growth, spontaneous metastasis and metastatic outgrowth in vivo. In vitro, Inhibition of IL-1 signalling by MLX01, VRT043198 and Anakinra reduced migration of E0771 and Py8119 cells and reversed tumour-derived IL1β induced-increased invasion and migration towards bone cells. In vivo, VX765 and Anakinra significantly reduced spontaneous metastasis and metastatic outgrowth in the bone, whereas MLX01 reduced primary tumour growth and bone metastasis. Pacritinib had no effect on metastasis in vitro or in vivo. Targeting IL-1 signalling with small molecule inhibitors may provide a new therapeutic strategy for breast cancer bone metastasis.

Interleukin-1 and Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Promote Breast Cancer Progression and Treatment Resistance

While meant for wound healing and immunity in response to injury and infection, inflammatory signaling is usurped by cancerous tumors to promote disease progression, including treatment resistance. The interleukin-1 (IL-1) inflammatory cytokine family functions in wound healing and innate and adaptive immunity. Two major, closely related IL-1 family members, IL-1α and IL-1β, promote tumorigenic phenotypes and contribute to treatment resistance in cancer. IL-1 signaling converges on transactivation of the Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) and Activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factors. NF-κB and AP-1 signaling are also activated by the inflammatory cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNFα) and microbe-sensing Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs). As reviewed elsewhere, IL-1, TNFα, and TLR can promote cancer progression through NF-κB or AP-1. In this review, we focus on what is known about the role of IL-1α and IL-1β in breast cancer (BCa) progression and therapeutic resistance, and state evidence for the role of NF-κB in mediating IL-1-induced BCa progression and therapeutic resistance. We will present evidence that IL-1 promotes BCa cell proliferation, BCa stem cell expansion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. IL-1 also regulates intracellular signaling and BCa cell hormone receptor expression in a manner that confers a growth advantage to the tumor cells and allows BCa cells to evade therapy. As such, the IL-1 receptor antagonist, anakinra, is in clinical trials to treat BCa and multiple other cancer types. This article presents a review of the literature from the 1990s to the present, outlining the evidence supporting a role for IL-1 and IL-1-NF-κB signaling in BCa progression.

Monoclonal Antibodies Generation: Updates and Protocols on Hybridoma Technology

Since its inception in 1975, the hybridoma technology revolutionized science and medicine, facilitating discoveries in almost any field from the laboratory to the clinic. Many technological advancements have been developed since then, to create these "magical bullets." Phage and yeast display libraries expressing the variable heavy and light domains of antibodies, single B-cell cloning from immunized animals of different species including humans or in silico approaches, all have rendered a myriad of newly developed antibodies or improved design of existing ones. However, still the majority of these antibodies or their recombinant versions are from hybridoma origin, a preferred methodology that trespass species barriers, due to the preservation of the natural functions of immune cells in producing the humoral response: antigen specific immunoglobulins. Remarkably, this methodology can be reproduced in small laboratories without the need of sophisticate equipment. In this chapter, we will describe the most recent methods utilized by our Monoclonal Antibodies Core Facility at the University of Texas-M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. During the last 10 years, the methods, techniques, and expertise implemented in our core had generated more than 350 antibodies for various applications.

Multi-omics integration and interactomics reveals molecular networks and regulators of the beneficial effect of yoga and exercise

Background

Yoga is a multifaceted spiritual tool that helps in maintaining health, peace of mind, and positive thoughts. In the context of asana, yoga is similar to physical exercise. This study aims to construct a molecular network to find hub genes that play important roles in physical exercise and yoga.

Methodology

We combined differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in yoga and exercise using computational bioinformatics from publicly available gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets and identified the codifferentially expressed mRNAs with GEO2R. The co-DEGs were divided into four different groups and each group was subjected to protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, pathways analysis, and gene ontology.

Results

Our study identified immunological modulation as a dominant target of differential expression in yoga and exercise. Yoga predominantly modulated genes affecting the Th1 and NK cells, whereas Cytokines, Macrophage activation, and oxidative stress were affected by exercise. We also observed that while yoga regulated genes for two main physiological functions of the body, namely Circadian Rhythm (BHLHE40) and immunity (LBP, T-box transcription factor 21, CEACAM1), exercise-regulated genes involved in apoptosis (BAG3, protein kinase C alpha), angiogenesis, and cellular adhesion (EPH receptor A1).

Conclusion

The dissimilarity in the genetic expression patterns in Yoga and exercise highlights the discrete effect of each in biological systems. The integration and convergences of multi-omics signals can provide deeper and comprehensive insights into the various biological mechanisms through which yoga and exercise exert their beneficial effects and opens up potential newer research areas.

Interleukin-1 signaling in solid organ malignancies

As inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of cancer, therapeutic targeting of cytokine pathways involved in both tumorigenesis and dictating response to clinical treatments are of significant interest. Recent evidence has highlighted the importance of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) as a key mediator of tumor growth, metastatic disease spread, immunosuppression, and drug resistance in cancer. IL-1 promotes tumorigenesis through diverse mechanisms, including the activation of oncogenic signaling pathways directly in tumor cells and via orchestrating crosstalk between the cellular constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby driving cancer growth. This review will provide an overview of IL-1 signaling and physiology and summarize the disparate mechanisms involving IL-1 in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Additionally, clinical studies targeting IL-1 signaling in the management of solid organ tumors will be summarized herein.

Establishment of tumor inflammasome clusters with distinct immunogenomic landscape aids immunotherapy

Inflammasome signaling is a reaction cascade that influences immune response and cell death. Although the inflammasomes participate in tumorigenesis, their role as an oncogenic booster or a tumor suppresser is still controversial. Therefore, it is important to comprehensively investigate the inflammasome signaling status across various cancers to clarify its clinical and therapeutic significance.

Methods: A total of 9881 patients across 33 tumor types from The Cancer Genome Atlas database were included in this study. Five gene sets were identified to step-wisely profile inflammasome signaling. Unsupervised clustering was used for sample classification based on gene set enrichment. Machine learning and in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to confirm the implications of inflammasome classification.

Results: A hundred and forty-one inflammasome-signaling-related genes were identified to construct five gene sets representing the sensing, activation, and termination steps of the inflammasome signaling. Six inflammasome clusters were robustly established with distinct molecular, biological, clinical, and therapeutic features. Importantly, clusters with inflammasome signaling activation were found to be immunosuppressive and resistant to ICB treatment. Inflammasome inhibition reverted the therapeutic failure of ICB in inflammasome-activated tumors. Moreover, based on the proposed classification and therapeutic implications, an open website was established to provide tumor patients with comprehensive information on inflammasome signaling.

Conclusions: Our study conducted a systematical investigation on inflammasome signaling in various tumor types. These findings highlight the importance of inflammasome evaluation in tumor classification and provide a foundation for improving relevant therapeutic regimens.

Key Factor Regulating Inflammatory Microenvironment, Metastasis, and Resistance in Breast Cancer: Interleukin-1 Signaling

Breast cancer is one of the top-ranked cancers for incidence and mortality worldwide. The biggest challenges in breast cancer treatment are metastasis and drug resistance, for which work on molecular evaluation, mechanism studies, and screening of therapeutic targets is ongoing. Factors that lead to inflammatory infiltration and immune system suppression in the tumor microenvironment are potential therapeutic targets. Interleukin-1 is known as a proinflammatory and immunostimulatory cytokine, which plays important roles in inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have shown that interleukin-1 cytokines drive the formation and maintenance of an inflammatory/immunosuppressive microenvironment through complex intercellular signal crosstalk and tight intracellular signal transduction, which were found to be potentially involved in the mechanism of metastasis and drug resistance of breast cancer. Some preclinical and clinical treatments or interventions to block the interleukin-1/interleukin-1 receptor system and its up- and downstream signaling cascades have also been proven effective. This study provides an overview of IL-1-mediated signal communication in breast cancer and discusses the potential of IL-1 as a therapeutic target especially for metastatic breast cancer and combination therapy and current problems, aiming at enlightening new ideas in the study of inflammatory cytokines and immune networks in the tumor microenvironment.

The interleukin-1 cytokine family members: Role in cancer pathogenesis and potential therapeutic applications in cancer immunotherapy

The interleukin-1 (IL-1) family is one of the first described cytokine families and consists of eight cytokines (IL-1β, IL-1α, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36α, IL-36β, IL-36γ and IL-37) and three receptor antagonists (IL-1Ra, IL-36Ra and IL-38). The family members are known to play an essential role in inflammation. The importance of inflammation in cancer has been well established in the past decades. This review sets out to give an overview of the role of each IL-1 family member in cancer pathogenesis and show their potential as potential anticancer drug candidates. First, the molecular structure is described. Next, both the pro- and anti-tumoral properties are highlighted. Additionally, a critical interpretation of current literature is given. To conclude, the IL-1 family is a toolbox with a collection of powerful tools that can be considered as potential drugs or drug targets.

IL-1B drives opposing responses in primary tumours and bone metastases; harnessing combination therapies to improve outcome in breast cancer

Breast cancer bone metastasis is currently incurable, ~75% of patients with late-stage breast cancer develop disease recurrence in bone and available treatments are only palliative. We have previously shown that production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1B (IL-1B) by breast cancer cells drives bone metastasis in patients and in preclinical in vivo models. In the current study, we have investigated how IL-1B from tumour cells and the microenvironment interact to affect primary tumour growth and bone metastasis through regulation of the immune system, and whether targeting IL-1 driven changes to the immune response improves standard of care therapy for breast cancer bone metastasis. Using syngeneic IL-1B/IL1R1 knock out mouse models in combination with genetic manipulation of tumour cells to overexpress IL-1B/IL1R1, we found that IL-1B signalling elicited an opposite response in primary tumours compared with bone metastases. In primary tumours, IL-1B inhibited growth, by impairing the infiltration of innate immune cell subsets with potential anti-cancer functions but promoted enhanced tumour cell migration. In bone, IL-1B stimulated the development of osteolytic metastases. In syngeneic models of breast cancer, combining standard of care treatments (Doxorubicin and Zoledronic acid) with the IL-1 receptor antagonist Anakinra inhibited both primary tumour growth and metastasis. Anakinra had opposite effects on the immune response compared to standard of care treatment, and its anti-inflammatory signature was maintained in the combination therapy. These data suggest that targeting IL-1B signalling may provide a useful therapeutic approach to inhibit bone metastasis and improve efficacy of current treatments for breast cancer patients.

Gene expression analysis of MCF7 cell lines of breast cancer treated with herbal extract of Cissampelos pareira revealed association with viral diseases

BACKGROUND

It is necessary to assess the cellular, molecular, and pathogenetic characteristics of COVID-19 and attention is required to understand highly effective gene targets and mechanisms. In this study, we suggest understandings into the fundamental pathogenesis of COVID-19 through gene expression analyses using the microarray data set GSE156445 publicly reachable at NIH/NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database. The data set consists of MCF7 which is a human breast cancer cell line with estrogen, progesterone and glucocorticoid receptors. The cell lines treated with different quantities of Cissampelos pareira (Cipa). Cipa is a traditional medicinal plant which would possess an antiviral potency in preventing viral diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

METHODS

Utilizing Biobase, GEOquery, gplots packages in R studio, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The gene ontology (GO) of pathway enrichments employed by utilizing DAVID and KEGG enrichment analyses were studied. We further constructed a human protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and performed, based upon that, a subnetwork module analysis for significant signaling pathways.

RESULTS

The study identified 418 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using bioinformatics tools. The gene ontology of pathway enrichments employed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of down-regulated and up-regulated DEGs were studied. Gene expression analysis utilizing gene ontology and KEGG results uncovered biological and signaling pathways such as "cell adhesion molecules", "plasma membrane adhesion molecules", "synapse assembly", and "Interleukin-3-mediated signaling" which are mostly linked to COVID-19. Our results provide in silico evidence for candidate genes which are vital for the inhibition, adhesion, and encoding cytokine protein including LYN, IGFBP5, IL-1R1, and IL-13RA1 that may have strong biomarker potential for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 related therapy targets.

NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated cytokine production and pyroptosis cell death in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed malignancy in women. Increasing evidence has highlighted the importance of chronic inflammation at the local and/or systemic level in breast cancer pathobiology, influencing its progression, metastatic potential and therapeutic outcome by altering the tumor immune microenvironment. These processes are mediated by a variety of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors that exert their biological functions either locally or distantly. Inflammasomes are protein signaling complexes that form in response to damage- and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPS and PAMPS), triggering the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The dysregulation of inflammasome activation can lead to the development of inflammatory diseases, neurodegeneration, and cancer. A crucial signaling pathway leading to acute and chronic inflammation occurs through the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome followed by caspase 1-dependent release of IL-1β and IL-18 pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as, by gasdermin D-mediated pyroptotic cell death. In this review we focus on the role of NLRP3 inflammasome and its components in breast cancer signaling, highlighting that a more detailed understanding of the clinical relevance of these pathways could significantly contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.

Molecular mediators of breast cancer metastasis

Breast cancer has the highest incidence rate of malignancy in women worldwide. A major clinical challenge faced by patients with breast cancer treated by conventional therapies is frequent relapse. This relapse has been attributed to the cancer stem cell (CSC) population that resides within the tumor and possess stemness properties. Breast CSCs are generated when breast cancer cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition resulting in aggressive, highly metastatic, and invasive phenotypes that exhibit resistance towards chemotherapeutics. Metastasis, a phenomenon that aids in the migration of breast CSCs, occurs through any of three different routes: hematogenous, lymphatic, and transcoelomic. Hematogenous dissemination of breast CSCs leads to metastasis towards distant unrelated organs like lungs, liver, bone, and brain causing secondary tumor generation. Activation of metastasis genes or silencing of metastasis suppressor genes often leads to the advancement of metastasis. This review focuses on various genes and molecular factors that have been implicated to regulate organ-specific breast cancer metastasis by defying the available therapeutic interventions.

c-Myb interferes with inflammatory IL1α-NF-κB pathway in breast cancer cells

The transcription factor c-Myb can be involved in the activation of many genes with protumorigenic function; however, its role in breast cancer (BC) development is still under discussion. c-Myb is considered as a tumor-promoting factor in the early phases of BC, on the other hand, its expression in BC patients relates to a good prognosis. Previously, we have shown that c-Myb controls the capacity of BC cells to form spontaneous lung metastasis. Reduced seeding of BC cells to the lungs is linked to high expression of c-Myb and a decline in expression of a specific set of inflammatory genes. Here, we unraveled a c-Myb-IL1α-NF-κB signaling axis that takes place in tumor cells. We report that an overexpression of c-Myb interfered with the activity of NF-κB in several BC cell lines. We identified IL1α to be essential for this interference since it was abrogated in the IL1α-deficient cells. Overexpression of IL1α, as well as addition of recombinant IL1α protein, activated NF-κB signaling and restored expression of the inflammatory signature genes suppressed by c-Myb. The endogenous levels of c-Myb negatively correlated with IL1α on both transcriptional and protein levels across BC cell lines. We concluded that inhibition of IL1α expression by c-Myb reduces NF-κB activity and disconnects the inflammatory circuit, a potentially targetable mechanism to mimic the antimetastatic effect of c-Myb with therapeutic perspective.

IL-1α Processing, Signaling and Its Role in Cancer Progression

Interleukin-1α (IL-1α) is a major alarmin cytokine which triggers and boosts the inflammatory responses. Since its discovery in the 1940s, the structure and bioactivity of IL-1α has been extensively studied and emerged as a vital regulator in inflammation and hematopoiesis. IL-1α is translated as a pro-form with minor bioactivity. The pro-IL-1α can be cleaved by several proteases to generate the N terminal and C terminal form of IL-1α. The C terminal form of IL-1α (mature form) has several folds higher bioactivity compared with its pro-form. IL-1α is a unique cytokine which could localize in the cytosol, membrane, nucleus, as well as being secreted out of the cell. However, the processing mechanism and physiological significance of these differentially localized IL-1α are still largely unknown. Accumulating evidence suggests IL-1α is involved in cancer pathogenesis. The role of IL-1α in cancer development is controversial as it exerts both pro- and anti-tumor roles in different cancer types. Here, we review the recent development in the processing and signaling of IL-1α and summarize the functions of IL-1α in cancer development.

TILRR (FREM1 isoform 2) is a prognostic biomarker correlated with immune infiltration in breast cancer

In atherosclerosis, upregulated TILRR (FREM1 isoform 2) expression increases immune cell infiltration. We hypothesized that TILRR expression is also correlated with cancer progression. By analyzing data from Oncomine and the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, we found that TILRR mRNA expression was significantly lower in breast cancer tissue than adjacent normal tissue. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and immunohistochemical staining revealed shortened overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with low TILRR expression. TILRR transcript expression was positively correlated with immune score, immune cell biomarkers and the expression of CXCL10 and CXCL11. TILRR expression was also positively correlated with CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell infiltration. These correlations were verified using the ESTIMATE algorithm, gene set enrichment analysis and Q-PCR. We concluded that impaired TILRR expression is correlated with breast cancer prognosis and immune cell infiltration.

Inflammasome Deletion Promotes Anti-tumor NK Cell Function in an IL-1/IL-18 Independent Way in Murine Invasive Breast Cancer

Inflammasomes are molecular complexes that trigger an inflammatory response upon detection of pathogens or danger signals. Recent studies suggest that they are also involved in cancer progression. However, their roles during tumorigenesis remain poorly understood and controversial. Here, we investigated whether inflammasome activation supports mammary tumor growth. Using mouse models of invasive breast cancer, our results demonstrate that the absence of a functional inflammasome impairs tumor growth. Importantly, tumors implanted into inflammasome-deficient mice recruited significantly less neutrophils and more natural killer (NK) cells, and these latter cells displayed a more active phenotype. Interestingly, NK cell depletion abolished the anti-tumoral effect observed in inflammasome-deficient mice, although inflammasome-regulated cytokine neutralization had no effect. Thus, our work identifies a novel role for the inflammasome in supporting mammary tumor growth by attenuating NK cell recruitment and activity. These results suggest that inflammasome inhibition could be a putative target for treating invasive breast cancers.

Multi-site clonality analysis uncovers pervasive heterogeneity across melanoma metastases

Metastatic melanoma carries a poor prognosis despite modern systemic therapies. Understanding the evolution of the disease could help inform patient management. Through whole-genome sequencing of 13 melanoma metastases sampled at autopsy from a treatment naïve patient and by leveraging the analytical power of multi-sample analyses, we reveal evidence of diversification among metastatic lineages. UV-induced mutations dominate the trunk, whereas APOBEC-associated mutations are found in the branches of the evolutionary tree. Multi-sample analyses from a further seven patients confirmed that lineage diversification was pervasive, representing an important mode of melanoma dissemination. Our analyses demonstrate that joint analysis of cancer cell fraction estimates across multiple metastases can uncover previously unrecognised levels of tumour heterogeneity and highlight the limitations of inferring heterogeneity from a single biopsy.

microRNA-21 negatively regulates NF-κB signaling pathway via targeting IL1R1 in miiuy croaker

microRNAs (miR) are non-coding RNAs that regulates many biochemical processes, such as cell growth, proliferation and immune response. In this study, the regulation of microRNA-21 (miR-21) to the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway by target IL1R1 has been researched in miiuy croaker. First, we predicted the target gene of miR-21 through bioinformatics, and found that IL1R1 is a direct target of miR-21. Then, we found that the over-expression of miR-21 mimics and the pre-miR-21 plasmid inhibits the luciferase levels of the wild-type of IL1R1-3'UTR. miR-21 inhibitors increase the luciferase levels of IL1R1-3'UTR. Additionally, we also observed that the miR-21 could negative regulate the IL1R1 at the level of translation. At last, this study will help to further understand the immunomodulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in teleost fish after being invaded by pathogens.

IL-1 Signaling in Tumor Microenvironment

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) has long been known for its pleiotropic effects on inflammation that plays a complex, and sometimes contrasting, role in different stages of cancer development. As a major proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1β is mainly expressed by innate immune cells. IL-1α, however, is expressed by various cell types under physiological and pathological conditions. IL-1R1 is the main receptor for both ligands and is expressed by various cell types, including innate and adaptive immune cell types, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, adipocytes, chondrocytes, fibroblasts, etc. IL-1 and IL-1R1 receptor interaction leads to a set of common signaling pathways, mainly the NF-kB and MAP kinase pathways, as a result of complex positive and negative regulations. The variety of cell types with IL-1R1 expression dictates the role of IL-1 signaling at different stages of cancer, which under certain circumstances leads to contrasting roles in tumor development. Recent availability of IL-1R1 conditional knockout mouse model has made it possible to dissect the role of IL-1/IL-1R1 signaling transduction in different cell types within the tumor microenvironment. This chapter will focus on the role of IL-1/IL-1R1 in different cell types within the tumor microenvironment and discuss the potential of targeting this pathway in cancer therapy.

Weighted Fused Pathway Graphical Lasso for Joint Estimation of Multiple Gene Networks

Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are often inferred based on Gaussian graphical models that could identify the conditional dependence among genes by estimating the corresponding precision matrix. Classical Gaussian graphical models are usually designed for single network estimation and ignore existing knowledge such as pathway information. Therefore, they can neither make use of the common information shared by multiple networks, nor can they utilize useful prior information to guide the estimation. In this paper, we propose a new weighted fused pathway graphical lasso (WFPGL) to jointly estimate multiple networks by incorporating prior knowledge derived from known pathways and gene interactions. Based on the assumption that two genes are less likely to be connected if they do not participate together in any pathways, a pathway-based constraint is considered in our model. Moreover, we introduce a weighted fused lasso penalty in our model to take into account prior gene interaction data and common information shared by multiple networks. Our model is optimized based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Experiments on synthetic data demonstrate that our method outperforms other five state-of-the-art graphical models. We then apply our model to two real datasets. Hub genes in our identified state-specific networks show some shared and specific patterns, which indicates the efficiency of our model in revealing the underlying mechanisms of complex diseases.

IL-1 Family Members in Cancer; Two Sides to Every Story

The IL-1 family of cytokines currently comprises of seven ligands with pro-inflammatory activity (IL-1α and IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36α, IL-36β, IL-36γ) as well as two ligands with anti-inflammatory activity (IL-37, IL-38). These cytokines are known to play a key role in modulating both the innate and adaptive immunes response, with dysregulation linked to a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Given the increasing appreciation of the link between inflammation and cancer, the role of several members of this family in the pathogenesis of cancer has been extensively investigated. In this review, we highlight both the pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects identified for almost all members of this family, and explore potential underlying mechanisms accounting for these divergent effects. Such dual functions need to be carefully assessed when developing therapeutic intervention strategies targeting these cytokines in cancer.

Modulating inflammation for cancer therapy

This review provides a concise overview of pro- and anti-inflammatory approaches in current tumor therapy.

A link between chronic inflammation and development of tumors is well established. Moreover, it has become evident that tumorigenesis is not a cell autonomous disease, and an inflammatory microenvironment is a prerequisite of basically all tumors, including those that emerge in the absence of overt inflammation. This knowledge has led to the development of anti-inflammatory concepts to treat and prevent cancer. In contrast, immunotherapies, in particular checkpoint inhibitors, representing the most significant progress in the therapy of several malignancies depend on the presence of a pro-inflammatory “hot” environment. Here, we discuss pro- and anti-inflammatory concepts for the treatment of cancer.

Diverging inflammasome signals in tumorigenesis and potential targeting

Inflammasomes are molecular platforms that assemble upon sensing various intracellular stimuli. Inflammasome assembly leads to activation of caspase 1, thereby promoting the secretion of bioactive interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 and inducing an inflammatory cell death called pyroptosis. Effectors of the inflammasome efficiently drive an immune response, primarily providing protection against microbial infections and mediating control over sterile insults. However, aberrant inflammasome signalling is associated with pathogenesis of inflammatory and metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration and malignancies. Chronic inflammation perpetuated by inflammasome activation plays a central role in all stages of tumorigenesis, including immunosuppression, proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Conversely, inflammasome signalling also contributes to tumour suppression by maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, which portrays the diverse roles of inflammasomes in tumorigenesis. Studies have underscored the importance of environmental factors, such as diet and gut microbiota, in inflammasome signalling, which in turn influences tumorigenesis. In this Review, we deliver an overview of the interplay between inflammasomes and tumorigenesis and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets.

Cell-Type-Specific Responses to Interleukin-1 Control Microbial Invasion and Tumor-Elicited Inflammation in Colorectal Cancer

Chronic inflammation drives the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Increased expression of interleukin (IL)-17A is associated with poor prognosis, and IL-17A blockade curbs tumor progression in preclinical models of CRC. Here we examined the impact of IL-1 signaling, a key regulator of the IL-17 pathway, in different cell types within the CRC microenvironment. Genetic deletion of the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R1) in epithelial cells alleviated tumorigenesis in the APC model of CRC, demonstrating a cell-autonomous role for IL-1 signaling in early tumor seed outgrowth. T cell specific ablation of IL-1R1 decreased tumor-elicited inflammation dependent on IL-17 and IL-22, thereby reducing CRC progression. The pro-tumorigenic roles of IL-1 were counteracted by its effects on myeloid cells, particularly neutrophils, where IL-1R1 ablation resulted in bacterial invasion into tumors, heightened inflammation and aggressive CRC progression. Thus, IL-1 signaling elicits cell-type-specific responses, which, in aggregate, set the inflammatory tone of the tumor microenvironment and determine the propensity for disease progression.

The role of IL-1B in breast cancer bone metastasis

Approximately 75% of patients with late-stage breast cancer will develop bone metastasis. This condition is currently considered incurable and patients' life expectancy is limited to 2-3 years following diagnosis of bone involvement. Interleukin (IL)-1B is a pro-inflammatory cytokine whose expression in primary tumours has been identified as a potential biomarker for predicting breast cancer patients at increased risk for developing bone metastasis. In this review, we discuss how IL-1B from both the tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment influence growth of primary breast tumours, dissemination into the bone metastatic niche and proliferation into overt metastases. Recent evidence indicates that targeting IL-1B signalling may provide promising new treatments that can hold tumour cells in a dormant state within bone thus preventing formation of overt bone metastases.

Tumor-Associated Fatigue in Cancer Patients Develops Independently of IL1 Signaling

Fatigue is the most common symptom of cancer at diagnosis, yet causes and effective treatments remain elusive. As tumors can be highly inflammatory, it is generally accepted that inflammation mediates cancer-related fatigue. However, evidence to support this assertion is mostly correlational. In this study, we directly tested the hypothesis that fatigue results from propagation of tumor-induced inflammation to the brain and activation of the central proinflammatory cytokine, IL1. The heterotopic syngeneic murine head and neck cancer model (mEER) caused systemic inflammation and increased expression of Il1b in the brain while inducing fatigue-like behaviors characterized by decreased voluntary wheel running and exploratory activity. Expression of Il1b in the brain was not associated with any alterations in motivation, measured by responding in a progressive ratio schedule of food reinforcement, depression-like behaviors, or energy balance. Decreased wheel running occurred prior to Il1b detection in the brain, when systemic inflammation was minimal. Furthermore, mice null for two components of IL1β signaling, the type 1 IL1 receptor or the receptor adapter protein MyD88, were not protected from tumor-induced decreases in wheel running, despite attenuated cytokine action and expression. Behavioral and inflammatory analysis of four additional syngeneic tumor models revealed that tumors can induce fatigue regardless of their systemic or central nervous system inflammatory potential. Together, our results show that brain IL1 signaling is not necessary for tumor-related fatigue, dissociating this type of cancer sequela from systemic cytokine expression.Significance: These findings challenge the current understanding of fatigue in cancer patients, the most common and debilitating sequela associated with malignancy. Cancer Res; 78(3); 695-705. ©2017 AACR.

Arid1a Has Context-Dependent Oncogenic and Tumor Suppressor Functions in Liver Cancer

ARID1A, an SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling gene, is commonly mutated in cancer and hypothesized to be tumor suppressive. In some hepatocellular carcinoma patients, ARID1A was highly expressed in primary tumors but not in metastatic lesions, suggesting that ARID1A can be lost after initiation. Mice with liver-specific homozygous or heterozygous Arid1a loss were resistant to tumor initiation while ARID1A overexpression accelerated initiation. In contrast, homozygous or heterozygous Arid1a loss in established tumors accelerated progression and metastasis. Mechanistically, gain of Arid1a function promoted initiation by increasing CYP450-mediated oxidative stress, while loss of Arid1a within tumors decreased chromatin accessibility and reduced transcription of genes associated with migration, invasion, and metastasis. In summary, ARID1A has context-dependent tumor-suppressive and oncogenic roles in cancer.