Bromodomain protein BRD4 is an epigenetic activator of B7-H6 expression in acute myeloid leukemia

Harnessing B7-H6 for Anticancer Immunotherapy: Expression, Pathways, and Therapeutic Strategies

Cancer therapies have evolved from traditional chemotherapy to more precise molecular-targeted immunotherapies, which have been associated with improved side effects and outcomes. These modern strategies rely on cancer-specific biomarkers that differentiate malignant from normal cells. The B7 family of immune checkpoint molecules is crucial for cancer immune evasion and a prime therapeutic target. B7-H6, a recently identified member of the B7 family, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. Unlike other B7 proteins, B7-H6 is not expressed in healthy tissues but is upregulated in several cancers. It binds to NKp30, activating natural killer (NK) cells and triggering immune responses against cancer cells. This review explores the expression of B7-H6 in different cancers, the factors that regulate its expression, and its intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Additionally, we discuss potential anticancer therapies targeting B7-H6, highlighting its significance in advancing precision medicine. Understanding the role of B7-H6 in cancer immunity may inform the development of appropriate therapies that exploit its cancer-specific expression.

Chemotherapy resistance in acute myeloid leukemia is associated with decreased anti-tumor immune response through MHC molecule and B7 family members

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains challenging due to chemotherapeutic drug-resistance (CDR). Aberrant expression B7 family proteins are involved in tumors evasion. We wonder whether B7 family protein alteration in AML CDR further supports tumor escape. Here, we establish AML cytarabine-resistant cell line U937/Ara-C and report on the expression MHC molecule and B7 family member. HLA-ABC was highly expressed similarly on both cell lines. MIC (MHC class I chain related) A/B and B7-H6 was moderately expressed on the surface of U937 and decreased dramatically by U937/Ara-C. In contrast, enhanced expression of B7-H1 and B7-H7 by U937/Ara-C was observed. HLA-DR and other B7 family members including CD80, CD86, B7-DC, B7-H2, B7-H3, B7-H4, and B7-H5 were not detected by both cell lines. Compared co-cultured with U937, peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed a decreased cytotoxicity when incubated with U937/Ara-C, as indicated by decreased levels of granzyme B and perforin production, accompanied with less TNF-α and lactate dehydrogenase secretion. In conclusion, AML CDR further evades the anti-tumor immune response which may through MHC molecule and B7 family members.

B7H6 silencing increases chemosensitivity to dacarbazine and suppresses cell survival and migration in cutaneous melanoma

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a highly metastatic cancer whose incidence rate is heightening worldwide. B7H6, as one of the co-stimulatory ligands of the B7 family, is expressed in malignant cells, involved in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the significance of B7H6 in CM cell chemosensitivity and metastatic ability. A375 CM cells were transfected with B7H6-siRNA and treated with dacarbazine individually or combined. The MTT assay to estimate half-maximal inhibitory concentration of dacarbazine and cell viability, the apoptotic induction using Annexin V/PI, cell cycle progression via flow cytometry, and wound healing assay for determining the migration ability of cells and assessing the clonogenic potential of A375 cells were executed. Functional analyses were performed to evaluate changes in A375 cells. The results illustrated that B7H6 suppression significantly increased the chemosensitivity of A375 cells to dacarbazine. Apoptosis induction by dacarbazine was enhanced after B7H6 knockdown through modulating Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 mRNA levels. Western blotting indicated enhancement of cleaved caspase-3 protein expression in treatment groups. A375 cells were arrested at the sub-G1 and S phases when using B7H6-siRNA and dacarbazine. B7H6 suppression combined with dacarbazine restrained cell migration through suppression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, including MMP2, MMP3, and MMP9. In addition, the clonogenic ability of A375 cells was decreased by downregulating Sox2, Nanog, and CD44 mRNA levels. A visible decrement in STAT3 protein expression was observed in the combination group. Hence, our findings revealed that B7H6 knockdown with dacarbazine could be a promising treatment approach for cutaneous melanoma.

The Role of CREBBP/EP300 and Its Therapeutic Implications in Hematological Malignancies

Disordered histone acetylation has emerged as a key mechanism in promoting hematological malignancies. CREB-binding protein (CREBBP) and E1A-binding protein P300 (EP300) are two key acetyltransferases and transcriptional cofactors that regulate gene expression by regulating the acetylation levels of histone proteins and non-histone proteins. CREBBP/EP300 dysregulation and CREBBP/EP300-containing complexes are critical for the initiation, progression, and chemoresistance of hematological malignancies. CREBBP/EP300 also participate in tumor immune responses by regulating the differentiation and function of multiple immune cells. Currently, CREBBP/EP300 are attractive targets for drug development and are increasingly used as favorable tools in preclinical studies of hematological malignancies. In this review, we summarize the role of CREBBP/EP300 in normal hematopoiesis and highlight the pathogenic mechanisms of CREBBP/EP300 in hematological malignancies. Moreover, the research basis and potential future therapeutic implications of related inhibitors were also discussed from several aspects. This review represents an in-depth insight into the physiological and pathological significance of CREBBP/EP300 in hematology.

The epigenetic regulation of the germinal center response

In response to T-cell-dependent antigens, antigen-experienced B cells migrate to the center of the B-cell follicle to seed the germinal center (GC) response after cognate interactions with CD4⁺ T cells. These GC B cells eventually mature into memory and long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells, thus generating long-lived humoral immunity. Within GC, B cells undergo somatic hypermutation of their B cell receptors (BCR) and positive selection for the emergence of high-affinity antigen-specific B-cell clones. However, this process may be dangerous, as the accumulation of aberrant mutations could result in malignant transformation of GC B cells or give rise to autoreactive B cell clones that can cause autoimmunity. Because of this, better understanding of GC development provides diagnostic and therapeutic clues to the underlying pathologic process. A productive GC response is orchestrated by multiple mechanisms. An emerging important regulator of GC reaction is epigenetic modulation, which has key transcriptional regulatory properties. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the biology of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of GC reaction and outline its importance in identification of immunotherapy decision making.

B7H6 Serves as a Negative Prognostic Marker and an Immune Modulator in Human Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC), the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., is frequently found too late to be cured by traditional chemotherapy. Expression of B7 homolog 6 (B7H6), a member of the B7 family of immunoreceptors, has been found in PC and several other cancers. B7H6 is a ligand for cytotoxicity triggering receptor 3 (NKp30), which is expressed on NK cells. Here, we demonstrate that B7H6 can be detected in PC tissues but not normal organs. Its expression in patients associated significantly with tumor differentiation grade and lymphatic metastasis. The soluble form of B7H6 was detected in the PC patients’ sera, and its concentration associated with tumor differentiation grade and tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stages. Also, higher levels of B7H6 in PC patients’ malignant tissues or serum correlated with shorter overall survival. In vitro, downregulation of B7H6 by CRISPR/Cas9 or siRNA technology had no significant impact on the viability or mobility of PC cells. Instead, knocking out B7H6 sensitized PC cells to NK-mediated cytotoxicity and cytokine production. These results indicate that B7H6 not only serves as a negative prognostic marker but also acts as an immune modulator in PC.

Gene Signature Associated With Bromodomain Genes Predicts the Prognosis of Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Bromodomain (BRD) proteins exhibit a variety of activities, such as histone modification, transcription factor recruitment, chromatin remodeling, and mediator or enhancer complex assembly, that affect transcription initiation and elongation. These proteins also participate in epigenetic regulation. Although specific epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cancer, the characteristics of the BRD family in renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) have not been determined. In this study, we investigated the expression of BRD family genes in KIRC at the transcriptome level and examined the relationship of the expression of these genes with patient overall survival. mRNA levels of tumor tissues and adjacent tissues were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Seven BRD genes (KAT2A, KAT2B, SP140, BRD9, BRPF3, SMARCA2, and EP300) were searched by using LASSO Cox regression and the model with prognostic risk integration. The patients were divided into two groups: high risk and low risk. The combined analysis of these seven BRD genes showed a significant association with the high-risk groups and lower overall survival (OS). This analysis demonstrated that total survival could be predicted well in the low-risk group according to the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The prognosis was determined to be consistent with that obtained using an independent dataset from TCGA. The relevant biological functions were identified using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). In summary, this study provides an optimized survival prediction model and promising data resources for further research investigating the role of the expression of BRD genes in KIRC.