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Bergerud KMB, Berkseth M, Pardoll DM, Ganguly S, Kleinberg LR, Lawrence J, Odde DJ, Largaespada DA, Terezakis SA, Sloan L. Radiation Therapy and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells: Breaking Down Their Cancerous Partnership. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 119:42-55. [PMID: 38042450 PMCID: PMC11082936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.11.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) has been a primary treatment modality in cancer for decades. Increasing evidence suggests that RT can induce an immunosuppressive shift via upregulation of cells such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs inhibit antitumor immunity through potent immunosuppressive mechanisms and have the potential to be crucial tools for cancer prognosis and treatment. MDSCs interact with many different pathways, desensitizing tumor tissue and interacting with tumor cells to promote therapeutic resistance. Vascular damage induced by RT triggers an inflammatory signaling cascade and potentiates hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment (TME). RT can also drastically modify cytokine and chemokine signaling in the TME to promote the accumulation of MDSCs. RT activation of the cGAS-STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway recruits MDSCs through a CCR2-mediated mechanism, inhibiting the production of type 1 interferons and hampering antitumor activity and immune surveillance in the TME. The upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor mobilizes MDSCs to the TME. After recruitment, MDSCs promote immunosuppression by releasing reactive oxygen species and upregulating nitric oxide production through inducible nitric oxide synthase expression to inhibit cytotoxic activity. Overexpression of arginase-1 on subsets of MDSCs degrades L-arginine and downregulates CD3ζ, inhibiting T-cell receptor reactivity. This review explains how radiation promotes tumor resistance through activation of immunosuppressive MDSCs in the TME and discusses current research targeting MDSCs, which could serve as a promising clinical treatment strategy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Berkseth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Drew M Pardoll
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sudipto Ganguly
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lawrence R Kleinberg
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jessica Lawrence
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
| | - David J Odde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - David A Largaespada
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | | | - Lindsey Sloan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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2
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Zhang QY, Ding W, Mo JS, Ou-Yang SM, Lin ZY, Peng KR, Liu GP, Lu JJ, Yue PB, Lei JP, Wang YD, Zhang XL. Novel STAT3 oligonucleotide compounds suppress tumor growth and overcome the acquired resistance to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01261-4. [PMID: 38609562 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01261-4] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of tumors, leading to resistance and poor prognosis. Activation of STAT3 signaling is frequently detected in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but potent and less toxic STAT3 inhibitors have not been discovered. Here, based on antisense technology, we designed a series of stabilized modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting STAT3 mRNA (STAT3 ASOs). Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the STAT3 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells. STAT3 ASOs significantly inhibited the proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion of cancer cells by specifically perturbing STAT3 signaling. Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the tumor burden in an HCC xenograft model. Moreover, aberrant STAT3 signaling activation is one of multiple signaling pathways involved in sorafenib resistance in HCC. STAT3 ASOs effectively sensitized resistant HCC cell lines to sorafenib in vitro and improved the inhibitory potency of sorafenib in a resistant HCC xenograft model. The developed STAT3 ASOs enrich the tools capable of targeting STAT3 and modulating STAT3 activity, serve as a promising strategy for treating HCC and other STAT3-addicted tumors, and alleviate the acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC patients. A series of novel STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide were designed and showed potent anti-cancer efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by targeting STAT3 signaling. Moreover, the selected STAT3 ASOs enhance sorafenib sensitivity in resistant cell model and xenograft model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Yi Zhang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Wen Ding
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jian-Shan Mo
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Shu-Min Ou-Yang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zi-You Lin
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ke-Ren Peng
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guo-Pin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Jin-Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Pei-Bin Yue
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, and Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Jin-Ping Lei
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yan-Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Xiao-Lei Zhang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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3
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Lin C, Chu Y, Zheng Y, Gu S, Hu Y, He J, Shen Z. Macrophages: plastic participants in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1337129. [PMID: 38650924 PMCID: PMC11033442 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1337129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) rank among the most prevalent types of head and neck cancer globally. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients receive their diagnoses at advanced stages, limiting the effectiveness of available treatments. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a pivotal player in HNSCC development, with macrophages holding a central role. Macrophages demonstrate diverse functions within the TME, both inhibiting and facilitating cancer progression. M1 macrophages are characterized by their phagocytic and immune activities, while M2 macrophages tend to promote inflammation and immunosuppression. Striking a balance between these different polarization states is essential for maintaining overall health, yet in the context of tumors, M2 macrophages typically prevail. Recent efforts have been directed at controlling the polarization states of macrophages, paving the way for novel approaches to cancer treatment. Various drugs and immunotherapies, including innovative treatments based on macrophages like engineering macrophages and CAR-M cell therapy, have been developed. This article provides an overview of the roles played by macrophages in HNSCC, explores potential therapeutic targets and strategies, and presents fresh perspectives on the future of HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lin
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yidian Chu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ye Zheng
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanshan Gu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanghao Hu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiali He
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhisen Shen
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Yu J, Gadwa J, Ross RB, Knitz M, Darragh LB, Abdelazeem KNM, Beynor J, Neupert B, Nguyen A, Nguyen D, Olimpo N, Corbo S, Van Court B, D'Alessandro A, Saviola A, Karam SD. IL7 in combination with radiotherapy stimulates a memory T-cell response to improve outcomes in HNSCC models. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:90. [PMID: 38554147 PMCID: PMC10981637 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03664-y] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Clinically approved head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) immunotherapies manipulate the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) axis but have had limited success outside of recurrent/metastatic disease. Interleukin-7 (IL7) has been shown to be essential for effector T-cell survival, activation, and proliferation. Here, we show that IL7 in combination with radiotherapy (RT) is effective in activating CD8 + T-cells for reducing tumor growth. Our studies were conducted using both human papillomavirus related and unrelated orthotopic HNSCC murine models. Immune populations from the tumor, draining lymph nodes, and blood were compared between treatment groups and controls using flow cytometry, proteomics, immunofluorescence staining, and RNA sequencing. Treatment with RT and IL7 (RT + IL7) resulted in significant tumor growth reduction, high CD8 T-cell tumor infiltration, and increased proliferation of T-cell progenitors in the bone marrow. IL7 also expanded a memory-like subpopulation of CD8 T-cells. These results indicate that IL7 in combination with RT can serve as an effective immunotherapy strategy outside of the conventional ICB axis to drive the antitumor activity of CD8 T-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Richard B Ross
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michael Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Khalid N M Abdelazeem
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Radiation Biology Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jessica Beynor
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Brooke Neupert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Alexander Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Nicholas Olimpo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Anthony Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Yang H, Lei Z, He J, Zhang L, Lai T, Zhou L, Wang N, Tang Z, Sui J, Wu Y. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals recruitment of the M2-like CCL8 high macrophages in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice following hypofractionated radiotherapy. J Transl Med 2024; 22:306. [PMID: 38528587 PMCID: PMC10964592 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05118-6] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a pivotal role in reshaping the tumor microenvironment following radiotherapy. The mechanisms underlying this reprogramming process remain to be elucidated. METHODS Subcutaneous Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) murine model was treated with hypofrationated radiotherapy (8 Gy × 3F). Single-cell RNA sequencing was utilized to identify subclusters and functions of TAMs. Multiplex assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to measure serum chemokine levels. Bindarit was used to inhibit CCL8, CCL7, and CCL2. The infiltration of TAMs after combination treatment with hypofractionated radiotherapy and Bindarit was quantified with flow cytometry, while the influx of CD206 and CCL8 was assessed by immunostaining. RESULTS Transcriptome analysis identified a distinct subset of M2-like macrophages characterized by elevated Ccl8 expression level following hypofractionated radiotherapy in LLC-bearing mice. Remarkbly, hypofractionated radiotherapy not only promoted CCL8high macrophages infiltration but also reprogrammed them by upregulating immunosuppressive genes, thereby fostering an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Additioinally, hypofractionated radiotherapy enhanced the CCL signaling pathway, augmenting the pro-tumorigenic functions of CCL8high macrophages and boosting TAMs recruitment. The adjunctive treatment combining hypofractionated radiotherapy with Bindarit effectively reduced M2 macrophages infiltration and prolonged the duration of local tumor control. CONCLUSIONS Hypofractionated radiotherapy enhances the infiltration of CCL8high macrophages and amplifies their roles in macrophage recruitment through the CCL signaling pathway, leading to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. These findings highlight the potential of targeting TAMs and introduces a novel combination to improve the efficacy of hypofractionated radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haonan Yang
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Zheng Lei
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Jiang He
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Tangmin Lai
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Liu Zhou
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Nuohan Wang
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Zheng Tang
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jiangdong Sui
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
| | - Yongzhong Wu
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, No. 181 Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
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Zhang L, Wang WQ, Chen JH, Feng J, Liao YZ, Zou Y, Liu R. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells and survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective computational study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6390. [PMID: 38493212 PMCID: PMC10944537 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56738-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune infiltration profiles of the tumor microenvironment have effects on the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Whereas, HNSCC is a heterogeneous group of tumors, but past work has not taken this into consideration. Herein, we investigate the associations between survival and the function of immune cells in different tumorigenic sites of HNSCC. 1149 samples of HNSCC were collected from publicly accessible databases. Based on gene expression data, CIBERSORTx was applied to determine the proportion of 22 immune cell subpopulations. In the Cox regression model, the associations between overall survival, disease-free survival, and immune cells were examined, modeling gene expression and immune cell proportion as quartiles. Consensus cluster analysis was utilized to uncover immune infiltration profiles. Regardless of tumor sites, CD8+ T cells and activated CD4 memory T cells were associated with favorable survival, while eosinophils were the opposite. The survival of the hypopharynx, oral cavity, and larynx subsites was somewhat affected by immune cells, while the survival of the oropharynx subsite potentially was the most impacted. High expression of TIGIT, CIITA, and CXCR6 was linked to better survival, mainly in the oropharynx subsite. Immune cell clusters with four distinct survival profiles were discovered, of which the cluster with a high CD8+ T cell content had a better prognosis. The immune-infiltration pattern is related to the survival of HNSCC to varying degrees depending on the tumor sites; forthcoming studies into immune-mediated infiltration profiles will lay the groundwork for treating HNSCC with precision therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Quan Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Hong Chen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Feng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Zhou Liao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - You Zou
- High Performance Computing Center, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China.
- Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410078, People's Republic of China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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Darragh LB, Nguyen A, Pham TT, Idlett-Ali S, Knitz MW, Gadwa J, Bukkapatnam S, Corbo S, Olimpo NA, Nguyen D, Van Court B, Neupert B, Yu J, Ross RB, Corbisiero M, Abdelazeem KNM, Maroney SP, Galindo DC, Mukdad L, Saviola A, Joshi M, White R, Alhiyari Y, Samedi V, Van Bokhoven A, St John M, Karam SD. Sensory nerve release of CGRP increases tumor growth in HNSCC by suppressing TILs. MED 2024; 5:254-270.e8. [PMID: 38423011 PMCID: PMC10939743 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.02.002] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perineural invasion (PNI) and nerve density within the tumor microenvironment (TME) have long been associated with worse outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This prompted an investigation into how nerves within the tumor microenvironment affect the adaptive immune system and tumor growth. METHODS We used RNA sequencing analysis of human tumor tissue from a recent HNSCC clinical trial, proteomics of human nerves from HNSCC patients, and syngeneic orthotopic murine models of HPV-unrelated HNSCC to investigate how sensory nerves modulate the adaptive immune system. FINDINGS Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) directly inhibited CD8 T cell activity in vitro, and blocking sensory nerve function surgically, pharmacologically, or genetically increased CD8 and CD4 T cell activity in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our data support sensory nerves playing a role in accelerating tumor growth by directly acting on the adaptive immune system to decrease Th1 CD4 T cells and activated CD8 T cells in the TME. These data support further investigation into the role of sensory nerves in the TME of HNSCC and points toward the possible treatment efficacy of blocking sensory nerve function or specifically inhibiting CGRP release or activity within the TME to improve outcomes. FUNDING 1R01DE028282-01, 1R01DE028529-01, 1P50CA261605-01 (to S.D.K.), 1R01CA284651-01 (to S.D.K.), and F31 DE029997 (to L.B.D.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alexander Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tiffany T Pham
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Shaquia Idlett-Ali
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas A Olimpo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brooke Neupert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Justin Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Richard B Ross
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michaele Corbisiero
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Khalid N M Abdelazeem
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Radiation Biology Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sean P Maroney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - David C Galindo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Laith Mukdad
- Department of Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anthony Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Molishree Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ruth White
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yazeed Alhiyari
- Department of Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Von Samedi
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Adrie Van Bokhoven
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Maie St John
- Department of Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Ma X, Geng R, Zhao Y, Xu W, Li Y, Jiang Y, Liu Y, Zhao L, Li Y. CHRNA9 as a New Prognostic Marker and Potential Therapeutic Target in Glioma. J Cancer 2024; 15:2095-2109. [PMID: 38495483 PMCID: PMC10937273 DOI: 10.7150/jca.92080] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit alpha-9 (CHRNA9) is a unique cholinergic receptor, which is involved in tumor proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. However, the correlation between the expression level of CHRNA9 in glioma and the clinical features and prognosis of glioma patients has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to verify the expression level of CHRNA9 in glioma and its effect on prognosis by bioinformatics methods. Methods: The RNA-seq data of glioma and normal samples were obtained from the TCGA and GTEx databases. Bioinformatics methods were utilized to analyze the differential expression of CHRNA9 between tumor samples and normal samples. The potential association between CHRNA9 and the clinicopathological features of glioma patients was also investigated. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were utilized to analyze the relationship between CHRNA9 expression level and survival time and prognostic value of glioma patients. Enrichment analysis was applied to predict gene function and signaling pathways associated with CHRNA9. Experimental verification was performed using tumor tissues and paracancerous tissues from glioma patients. Results: The results of bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of CHRNA9 was increased in glioma tissues, correlating with poor prognosis and reduced patient survival time. Enrichment analysis suggested that CHRNA9 may interact with the JAK/STAT pathway. CHRNA9 was also found to be abnormally expressed in various other tumors and associated with the expression levels of numerous immune checkpoints in glioma. The findings from the analysis of clinical samples revealed that the expression levels of both mRNA and protein of CHRNA9 in glioma tissues were higher than those in paracancerous tissues. Similarly, the mRNA expression levels of STAT3, IL-6, and TNF-α, which are crucial factors in the STAT3 pathway, were elevated in glioma tissues compared to paracancerous tissues. Conclusion: CHRNA9 is a potential prognostic marker and immunotherapy target for glioma, with its mechanism of action potentially linked to the STAT3 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshan Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ren Geng
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wanzhen Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Dezhou Hospital, Dezhou, China
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yining Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuanhao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Liyan Zhao
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunqian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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9
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Naidu A, Lulu S. S. Systems and computational analysis of gene expression datasets reveals GRB-2 suppression as an acute immunomodulatory response against enteric infections in endemic settings. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1285785. [PMID: 38433833 PMCID: PMC10906661 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1285785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Enteric infections are a major cause of under-5 (age) mortality in low/middle-income countries. Although vaccines against these infections have already been licensed, unwavering efforts are required to boost suboptimalefficacy and effectiveness in regions that are highly endemic to enteric pathogens. The role of baseline immunological profiles in influencing vaccine-induced immune responses is increasingly becoming clearer for several vaccines. Hence, for the development of advanced and region-specific enteric vaccines, insights into differences in immune responses to perturbations in endemic and non-endemic settings become crucial. Materials and methods For this reason, we employed a two-tiered system and computational pipeline (i) to study the variations in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with immune responses to enteric infections in endemic and non-endemic study groups, and (ii) to derive features (genes) of importance that keenly distinguish between these two groups using unsupervised machine learning algorithms on an aggregated gene expression dataset. The derived genes were further curated using topological analysis of the constructed STRING networks. The findings from these two tiers are validated using multilayer perceptron classifier and were further explored using correlation and regression analysis for the retrieval of associated gene regulatory modules. Results Our analysis reveals aggressive suppression of GRB-2, an adaptor molecule integral for TCR signaling, as a primary immunomodulatory response against S. typhi infection in endemic settings. Moreover, using retrieved correlation modules and multivariant regression models, we found a positive association between regulators of activated T cells and mediators of Hedgehog signaling in the endemic population, which indicates the initiation of an effector (involving differentiation and homing) rather than an inductive response upon infection. On further exploration, we found STAT3 to be instrumental in designating T-cell functions upon early responses to enteric infections in endemic settings. Conclusion Overall, through a systems and computational biology approach, we characterized distinct molecular players involved in immune responses to enteric infections in endemic settings in the process, contributing to the mounting evidence of endemicity being a major determiner of pathogen/vaccine-induced immune responses. The gained insights will have important implications in the design and development of region/endemicity-specific vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshayata Naidu
- Integrative Multi-omics Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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10
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Liang J, Liao L, Xie L, Tang W, Yu X, Lu Y, Chen H, Xu J, Sun L, Wu H, Cui C, Tan Y. PITPNC1 Suppress CD8 + T cell immune function and promote radioresistance in rectal cancer by modulating FASN/CD155. J Transl Med 2024; 22:117. [PMID: 38291470 PMCID: PMC10826121 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04931-3] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radioresistance is a primary factor contributing to the failure of rectal cancer treatment. Immune suppression plays a significant role in the development of radioresistance. We have investigated the potential role of phosphatidylinositol transfer protein cytoplasmic 1 (PITPNC1) in regulating immune suppression associated with radioresistance. METHODS To elucidate the mechanisms by which PITPNC1 influences radioresistance, we established HT29, SW480, and MC38 radioresistant cell lines. The relationship between radioresistance and changes in the proportion of immune cells was verified through subcutaneous tumor models and flow cytometry. Changes in the expression levels of PITPNC1, FASN, and CD155 were determined using immunohistochemistry and western blotting techniques. The interplay between these proteins was investigated using immunofluorescence co-localization and immunoprecipitation assays. Additionally, siRNA and lentivirus-mediated gene knockdown or overexpression, as well as co-culture of tumor cells with PBMCs or CD8+ T cells and establishment of stable transgenic cell lines in vivo, were employed to validate the impact of the PITPNC1/FASN/CD155 pathway on CD8+ T cell immune function. RESULTS Under irradiation, the apoptosis rate and expression of apoptosis-related proteins in radioresistant colorectal cancer cell lines were significantly decreased, while the cell proliferation rate increased. In radioresistant tumor-bearing mice, the proportion of CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ production within immune cells decreased. Immunohistochemical analysis of human and animal tissue specimens resistant to radiotherapy showed a significant increase in the expression levels of PITPNC1, FASN, and CD155. Gene knockdown and rescue experiments demonstrated that PITPNC1 can regulate the expression of CD155 on the surface of tumor cells through FASN. In addition, co-culture experiments and in vivo tumor-bearing experiments have shown that silencing PITPNC1 can inhibit FASN/CD155, enhance CD8+ T cell immune function, promote colorectal cancer cell death, and ultimately reduce radioresistance in tumor-bearing models. CONCLUSIONS PITPNC1 regulates the expression of CD155 through FASN, inhibits CD8+ T cell immune function, and promotes radioresistance in rectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxian Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Limin Liao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lang Xie
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - WenWen Tang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Yu
- Department of General Surgery & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinghao Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongzhen Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juanli Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huanmei Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunhui Cui
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yujing Tan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Hu Y, Dong Z, Liu K. Unraveling the complexity of STAT3 in cancer: molecular understanding and drug discovery. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:23. [PMID: 38245798 PMCID: PMC10799433 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-02949-5] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcriptional factor involved in almost all cancer hallmark features including tumor proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, tumor inflammation, metabolism reprogramming, drug resistance, cancer stemness. Therefore, STAT3 has become a promising therapeutic target in a wide range of cancers. This review focuses on the up-to-date knowledge of STAT3 signaling in cancer. We summarize both the positive and negative modulators of STAT3 together with the cancer hallmarks involving activities regulated by STAT3 and highlight its extremely sophisticated regulation on immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment and metabolic reprogramming. Direct and indirect inhibitors of STAT3 in preclinical and clinical studies also have been summarized and discussed. Additionally, we highlight and propose new strategies of targeting STAT3 and STAT3-based combinations with established chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and combination therapy. These efforts may provide new perspectives for STAT3-based target therapy in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamei Hu
- Tianjian Laboratory for Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
- Medical Research Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Zigang Dong
- Tianjian Laboratory for Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, 450008, Henan, China.
- Cancer Chemoprevention International Collaboration Laboratory, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Tianjian Laboratory for Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, 450008, Henan, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
- Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
- Cancer Chemoprevention International Collaboration Laboratory, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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12
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Singh R, Srivastava P, Manna PP. Evaluation of regulatory T-cells in cancer immunotherapy: therapeutic relevance of immune checkpoint inhibition. Med Oncol 2024; 41:59. [PMID: 38238513 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02289-y] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of the complex immune system is equipped to defend against perilous intruders and concurrently negatively regulate the deleterious effect of immune-mediated inflammation caused by self and nonself antigens. Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are specialized cells that minimize immune-mediated inflammation, but in malignancies, this feature has been exploited toward cancer progression by keeping the antitumor immune response in check. The modulation of Treg cell infiltration and their induction in the TME (tumor microenvironment) alongside associated inhibitory molecules, both soluble or membranes tethered in the TME, have proven clinically beneficial in boosting the tumoricidal activity of the immune system. Moreover, Treg-associated immune checkpoints pose a greater obstruction in cancer immunotherapy. Inhibiting or blocking active immune checkpoint signaling in combination with other therapies has proven clinically beneficial. This review summarizes the ontogeny of Treg cells and their migration, stability, and function in the TME. We also elucidate the Treg-associated checkpoint moieties that impede effective antitumor activity and harness these molecules for effective and targeted immunotherapy against cancer nuisance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjeet Singh
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India
| | - Prateek Srivastava
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India
| | - Partha Pratim Manna
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, 221005, India.
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13
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Kinney BLC, Gunti S, Kansal V, Parrish CJ, Saba NF, Teng Y, Henry MK, Su FY, Kwong GA, Schmitt NC. Rescue of NLRC5 expression restores antigen processing machinery in head and neck cancer cells lacking functional STAT1 and p53. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:10. [PMID: 38231444 PMCID: PMC10794329 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03589-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The antigen processing machinery (APM) components needed for a tumor cell to present an antigen to a T cell are expressed at low levels in solid tumors, constituting an important mechanism of immune escape. More than most other solid tumors, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells tend to have low APM expression, rendering them insensitive to immune checkpoint blockade and most other forms of immunotherapy. In HNSCC, this APM deficiency is largely driven by high levels of EGFR and SHP2, leading to low expression and activation of STAT1; however, recent studies suggest that p53, which is often mutated in HNSCCs, may also play a role. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the extent to which STAT1 and p53 individually regulate APM component expression in HNSCC cells. We found that in cells lacking functional p53, APM expression could still be induced by interferon-gamma or DNA-damaging chemotherapy (cisplatin) as long as STAT1 expression remained intact; when both transcription factors were knocked down, APM component expression was abolished. When we bypassed these deficient pathways by rescuing the expression of NLRC5, APM expression was also restored. These results suggest that dual loss of functional STAT1 and p53 may render HNSCC cells incapable of processing and presenting antigens, but rescue of downstream NLRC5 expression may be an attractive strategy for restoring sensitivity to T cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L C Kinney
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street NE, 11Th Floor Otolaryngology, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sreenivasulu Gunti
- National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vikash Kansal
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street NE, 11Th Floor Otolaryngology, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Nabil F Saba
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yong Teng
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Fang-Yi Su
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gabriel A Kwong
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nicole C Schmitt
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street NE, 11Th Floor Otolaryngology, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA.
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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14
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Wang Y, Li Y, Yang Y, Swift M, Zhang Z, Wu S, Sun Y, Yang K. In situ vaccination caused by diverse irradiation-driven cell death programs. Theranostics 2024; 14:1147-1167. [PMID: 38323315 PMCID: PMC10845208 DOI: 10.7150/thno.86004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Interest surrounding the effect of irradiation on immune activation has exponentially grown within the last decade. This includes work regarding mechanisms of the abscopal effect and the success achieved by combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. It is hypothesized that irradiation triggers the immune system to eliminate tumors by inducing tumor cells immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells. Activation of the ICD pathways can be exploited as an in situ vaccine. In this review, we provide fundamental knowledge of various forms of ICD caused by irradiation, describe the relationship between various cell death pathways and the immune activation effect driven by irradiation, and focus on the therapeutic value of exploiting these cell death programs in the context of irradiation. Furthermore, we summarize the immunomodulatory effect of different cell death programs on combinative radiotherapy and immunotherapy. In brief, differences in cell death programs significantly impact the irradiation-induced immune activation effect. Evaluating the transition between them will provide clues to develop new strategies for radiotherapy and its combination with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Wang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Yan Li
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Yuxin Yang
- University of Southern California, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
| | - Michelle Swift
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1772, USA
| | - Shuhui Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yajie Sun
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Kunyu Yang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
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15
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Song D, Ding Y. A new target of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy: regulatory T cells. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1330099. [PMID: 38259489 PMCID: PMC10800811 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1330099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is one important treatment for malignant tumours. It is widely believed today that radiotherapy has not only been used as a local tumour treatment method, but also can induce systemic anti-tumour responses by influencing the tumour microenvironment, but its efficacy is limited by the tumour immunosuppression microenvironment. With the advancement of technology, immunotherapy has entered a golden age of rapid development, gradually occupying a place in clinical tumour treatment. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) widely distributing in the tumour microenvironment play an important role in mediating tumour development. This article analyzes immunotherapy, the interaction between Tregs, tumours and radiotherapy. It briefly introduces immunotherapies targeting Tregs, aiming to provide new strategies for radiotherapy combined with Immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
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16
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Chen Y, Chen C, Gao G, Zeng C, Chen Z, Lin G, Yao G, Nian S, Chen X, Weng S, Gu X, Lin C. Identification and validation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-related lncRNAs signature for predicting the prognosis of laryngeal carcinoma, especially for smoking patients. Front Genet 2023; 14:1292164. [PMID: 38028627 PMCID: PMC10666777 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1292164] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal cancer (LC), a highly fatal tumor in the head and neck region, has been the focus of research in recent years. The study of LC has primarily focused on the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating gene expression, as they have emerged as pivotal factors in this biological process. Additionally, a reversible RNA modification called N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been observed to have a significant impact on gene expression as well. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of m6A-related lncRNAs on the prognosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Specifically, this investigation analyzed the m6A-related regulators' patterns of expression and mutation, encompassing a total of 15 regulators. Drawing upon the expression levels of prognostic m6A-regulated lncRNAs, two distinct lncRNA clusters were identified. Further analysis revealed differentially expressed lncRNAs between these clusters. In addition to studying the expression of lncRNAs, the researchers also examined the distribution of clinical characteristics and the tumor microenvironment (TME) in relation to the identified lncRNA clusters. This provided valuable insights into potential associations between lncRNA expression patterns and the clinical features of LSCC. Through the establishment of a risk model associated with lncRNAs, we were able to further investigate their clinical features, prognosis, and immune status. Additionally, we conducted a separate analysis of LINC00528, a lncRNA associated with smoking, examining its expression, overall survival time, correlated mRNAs, and conducting enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), as well as determining the sensitivity of related drugs. RT-qPCR results also indicated an increase in LINC00528 expression among smoking LSCC patients. The findings suggest that a high expression level of LINC00528 in LSCC patients may lead to a more favorable prognosis, providing new insights for the management and treatment of LSCC patients, particularly those with high expression of LINC00528. Overall, this research sheds light on the prognostic impact of m6A-regulated lncRNAs in LSCC. The implications of these findings for the advancement of innovative therapeutic approaches for LSCC patients are noteworthy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chenyu Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Gufeng Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chaojun Zeng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zhifeng Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Gongbiao Lin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Guangnan Yao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Shenqing Nian
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xihang Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Simin Weng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xi Gu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Chang Lin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Ear, Nose and Throat Difficulty Diseases, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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17
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Dong Y, Chen J, Chen Y, Liu S. Targeting the STAT3 oncogenic pathway: Cancer immunotherapy and drug repurposing. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115513. [PMID: 37741251 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115513] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune effector cells in the microenvironment tend to be depleted or remodeled, unable to perform normal functions, and even promote the malignant characterization of tumors, resulting in the formation of immunosuppressive microenvironments. The strategy of reversing immunosuppressive microenvironment has been widely used to enhance the tumor immunotherapy effect. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was found to be a crucial regulator of immunosuppressive microenvironment formation and activation as well as a factor, stimulating tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasiveness and metastasis. Therefore, regulating the immune microenvironment by targeting the STAT3 oncogenic pathway might be a new cancer therapy strategy. This review discusses the pleiotropic effects of STAT3 on immune cell populations that are critical for tumorigenesis, and introduces the novel strategies targeting STAT3 oncogenic pathway for cancer immunotherapy. Lastly, we summarize the conventional drugs used in new STAT3-targeting anti-tumor applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushan Dong
- Graduate School of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24, Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jingyu Chen
- Department of Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 1 Xiyuan Playground, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhan Chen
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Songjiang Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No.26, Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.
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18
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Yuan S, Zhu T, Wang J, Jiang R, Shu A, Zhang Z, Zhang P, Feng X, Zhao L. miR-22 promotes immunosuppression via activating JAK/STAT3 signaling in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Carcinogenesis 2023; 44:549-561. [PMID: 37466677 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgad055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is the only approved systemic therapy for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), however, roughly 50% of patients do not respond to the therapy and resistance often occurs over time to those who initially respond. Immunosuppression could have a critical role in developing treatment resistance, thus, understanding the mechanisms of how immunosuppression is developed and regulated may be the key to improving clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for cSCC. Here, through using a series of immunocompetent genetically engineered mouse models, we demonstrate that miR-22 promotes cSCC development by establishing regulatory T cells (Tregs)-mediated immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in a tumor cell autonomous manner. Mechanism investigation revealed that miR-22 elicits the constitutive activation of JAK/STAT3 signaling by directly targeting its suppressor SOCS3, which augments cancer cell-derived chemokine secretion and Tregs recruitment. Epithelial-specific and global knockouts of miR-22 repress papilloma and cSCC development and progression, manifested with reduced Tregs infiltration and elevated CD8+ T cell activation. Transcriptomic analysis and functional rescue study confirmed CCL17, CCL20 and CCL22 as the main affected chemokines that mediate the chemotaxis between miR-22 highly expressing keratinocyte tumor cells and Tregs. Conversely, overexpression of SOCS3 reversed miR-22-induced Tregs recruitment toward tumor cells. Clinically, gradually increasing Tregs infiltration during cSCC progression was negatively correlated with SOCS3 abundance, supported by previously documented elevated miR-22 levels. Thus, our study uncovers a novel miR-22-SOCS3-JAK/STAT3-chemokines regulatory mechanism in defining the immunosuppressive TME and highlights the promising clinical application value of miR-22 as a common targeting molecule against JAK/STAT3 signaling and immune escape in cSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukai Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Tong Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Jianan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Ruoyu Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Aofeng Shu
- School of Basic Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Zhenlei Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Peitao Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Xuequan Feng
- Neurosurgical Department, Tianjin First Central Hospital, No. 24 Fukang Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
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19
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Chang CH, Chen CJ, Yu CF, Tsai HY, Chen FH, Chiang CS. Targeting M-MDSCs enhances the therapeutic effect of BNCT in the 4-NQO-induced murine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma model. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1263873. [PMID: 37886177 PMCID: PMC10598372 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1263873] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Malignant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterized by a poor prognosis and resistance to conventional radiotherapy. Infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) is prominent in HNSCC and is linked to immune suppression and tumor aggressiveness. This study aimed to investigate the impact of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) on the MDSCs in the tumor microenvironment and peripheral blood and to explore the potential for MDSCs depletion combined with BNCT to reactivate antitumor immunity. Methods and materials Carcinogen, 4-NQO, -induced oral tumors were irradiated with a total physical dose of 2 Gy BNCT in Tsing Hua Open Reactor (THOR). Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry accessed the dynamics of peripheral MDSCs and infiltrated MDSCs within the tumor microenvironment. Mice were injected with an inhibitor of CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1R), PLX3397, to determine whether modulating M-MDSCs could affect mice survival after BNCT. Results Peripheral CD11b+Ly6ChighLy6G- monocytic-MDSCs (M-MDSCs), but not CD11b+Ly6CloLy6Ghigh polymorphonuclear-MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs), increased as tumor progression. After BNCT treatment, there were temporarily decreased and persistent increases of M-MDSCs thereafter, either in peripheral blood or in tumors. The administration of PLX-3397 hindered BNCT-caused M-MDSCs infiltration, prolonged mice survival, and activated tumor immunity by decreasing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and increasing CD8+ T cells. Conclusion M-MDSCs were recruited into 4-NQO-induced tumors after BNCT, and their number was also increased in peripheral blood. Assessment of M-MDSCs levels in peripheral blood could be an index to determine the optimal intervention window. Their temporal alteration suggests an association with tumor recurrence after BNCT, making M-MDSCs a potential intervention target. Our preliminary results showed that PLX-3397 had strong M-MDSCs, TAMs, and TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) modulating effects that could synergize tumor control when combined with BNCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hsiang Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environment Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Jui Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environment Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Fang Yu
- Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yu Tsai
- Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Hsin Chen
- Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Shiun Chiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environment Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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20
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Budi HS, Farhood B. Tumor microenvironment remodeling in oral cancer: Application of plant derived-natural products and nanomaterials. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116432. [PMID: 37331557 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Oral cancers consist of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and other malignancies in the mouth with varying degrees of invasion and differentiation. For many years, different modalities such as surgery, radiation therapy, and classical chemotherapy drugs have been used to control the growth of oral tumors. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the remarkable effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on the development, invasion, and therapeutic resistance of tumors like oral cancers. Therefore, several studies have been conducted to modulate the TME in various types of tumors in favor of cancer suppression. Natural products are intriguing agents for targeting cancers and TME. Flavonoids, non-flavonoid herbal-derived molecules, and other natural products have shown promising effects on cancers and TME. These agents, such as curcumin, resveratrol, melatonin, quercetin and naringinin have demonstrated potency in suppressing oral cancers. In this paper, we will review and discuss about the potential efficacy of natural adjuvants on oral cancer cells. Furthermore, we will review the possible therapeutic effects of these agents on the TME and oral cancer cells. Moreover, the potential of nanoparticles-loaded natural products for targeting oral cancers and TME will be reviewed. The potentials, gaps, and future perspectives for targeting TME by nanoparticles-loaded natural products will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Setia Budi
- Department of Oral Biology, Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.
| | - Bagher Farhood
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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21
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Huang P, Zhou X, Zheng M, Yu Y, Jin G, Zhang S. Regulatory T cells are associated with the tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy response in triple-negative breast cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1263537. [PMID: 37767092 PMCID: PMC10521732 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1263537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a high risk of distant metastasis, an extremely poor prognosis, and a high risk of death. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) contribute to the formation of a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment, which plays an important role in the progression and treatment resistance of TNBC. Methods A public single-cell sequencing dataset demonstrated increased infiltration of Tregs in TNBC tissues relative to normal breast tissue. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify Treg infiltration-related modules for METABRIC TNBC samples. Subsequently, we obtained two Treg infiltration-associated clusters of TNBC by applying consensus clustering and further constructed a prognostic model based on this Treg infiltration-associated gene module. The ability of the selected gene in the prognostic model, thymidine kinase-1 (TK1), to promote the progression of TNBC was evaluated in vitro. Results We concluded that two Treg infiltration-associated clusters had different prognoses and sensitivities to drugs commonly used in breast cancer treatment, and multi-omics analysis revealed that the two clusters had different copy number variations of key tumor progression genes. The 7-gene risk score based on TNBC Treg infiltration was a reliable prognostic indicator both in the training and validation cohorts. Moreover, patients with TNBC with high Treg infiltration-related scores lacked the activation of immune activation pathways and exhibited resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Knocking down TK1 led to impaired proliferation, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells in vitro. In addition, specimens from patients with TNBC with high TK1 expression showed significantly higher Treg infiltration in tumors. Results of spatial transcriptome analysis showed that TK1 positive cells mainly localize in tumor area, and Treg cell infiltration in TNBC tissues was associated with high expression of TK1. Pan-cancer analysis also demonstrated that TK1 is associated with poor prognosis and activation of proliferation pathways in multiple cancers. Discussion We established a prognostic model related to Treg infiltration and this model can be used to establish a clinically relevant classification of TNBC progression. Additionally, our work revealed the underestimable potential of TK1 as a tumor biomarker and immunotherapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Huang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Xinyue Zhou
- Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Minying Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongjun Yu
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Gongsheng Jin
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
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22
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Zajac KK, Malla S, Babu RJ, Raman D, Tiwari AK. Ethnic disparities in the immune microenvironment of triple negative breast cancer and its role in therapeutic outcomes. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2023; 6 Suppl 1:e1779. [PMID: 36632988 PMCID: PMC10440847 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2020, newly diagnosed breast cancer (BC) cases surpassed that of lung cancer among women, making it the most common female cancer globally. In spite of recent increases in incidence rates, mortality due to BC has declined since 1989. These declines have been attributed to advancements in treatment modalities as well as increased mammography surveillance. Despite these advances, African American (AA) women are 40% more likely to die from BC than Caucasian women. Multifactorial etiology has been implicated in the disparity of BC mortality rates among AA women. As an example, AA women have a disproportionate incidence of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which has a poor prognosis and marginal treatment options. Increasingly, the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained relevance as it relates to primary tumor progression, metastasis and treatment possibilities. The treatment outcomes or pathological complete response (pCR) in TNBC among AA women are affected by differences in TME. The TME of AA women exhibit several variances in acellular and cellular components associated with pro-tumorigenic effects. For example, increased levels of the adipocyte-related hormone, resistin, the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, and the CC chemokine, CCL2, within the TME of AA women gives rise to an increased density of M2 macrophages, also known as tumor-associated macrophages. Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in the TME of AA women increase the vascular density or vascularity, which facilitate aggressive tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, a pro-tumorigenic TME is supported by increased levels of the CXC chemokine, CXCL12 that results in the recruitment of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs ). Due to these and other differences in the TME of AA women, precision oncology can target specific aspects of the TME that may contribute to a poorer prognosis. In addition to the discrepancies in the TME, AA women face socio-economic barriers that limit their ability to access state-of-the-art, novel therapies against metastatic TNBC. In this review, we will provide a brief overview of the tumor immune microenvironment, immune-based treatment options for TNBC and their potential to decrease health disparities due to ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsee K. Zajac
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsThe University of ToledoToledoOhioUSA
| | - Saloni Malla
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsThe University of ToledoToledoOhioUSA
| | - Ramapuram Jayachandra Babu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of PharmacyAuburn UniversityAuburnAlabamaUSA
| | - Dayanidhi Raman
- Department of Cell and Cancer BiologyUniversity of Toledo Health Science CampusToledoOhioUSA
| | - Amit K. Tiwari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsThe University of ToledoToledoOhioUSA
- Department of Cell and Cancer BiologyUniversity of Toledo Health Science CampusToledoOhioUSA
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23
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An L, Li M, Jia Q. Mechanisms of radiotherapy resistance and radiosensitization strategies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:140. [PMID: 37598158 PMCID: PMC10439611 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01839-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with more than half of them occurred in China. Radiotherapy (RT) has been widely used for treating ESCC. However, radiation-induced DNA damage response (DDR) can promote the release of cytokines and chemokines, and triggers inflammatory reactions and changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby inhibiting the immune function and causing the invasion and metastasis of ESCC. Radioresistance is the major cause of disease progression and mortality in cancer, and it is associated with heterogeneity. Therefore, a better understanding of the radioresistance mechanisms may generate more reversal strategies to improve the cure rates and survival periods of ESCC patients. We mainly summarized the possible mechanisms of radioresistance in order to reveal new targets for ESCC therapy. Then we summarized and compared the current strategies to reverse radioresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingbo An
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
- College of Medical Technology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mingyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Qingge Jia
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.
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24
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Gadwa J, Amann M, Bickett TE, Knitz MW, Darragh LB, Piper M, Van Court B, Bukkapatnam S, Pham TT, Wang XJ, Saviola AJ, Deak LC, Umaña P, Klein C, D'Alessandro A, Karam SD. Selective targeting of IL2Rβγ combined with radiotherapy triggers CD8- and NK-mediated immunity, abrogating metastasis in HNSCC. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101150. [PMID: 37586327 PMCID: PMC10439274 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101150] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The implementation of cancer immunotherapies has seen limited clinical success in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Interleukin-2 (IL-2), which modulates the survival and functionality of lymphocytes, is an attractive target for new immunotherapies but one that is limited by presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs) expressing the high-affinity IL-2Rα. The bispecific immunocytokine PD1-IL2v preferentially delivers IL-2 signaling through IL-2Rβγ on PD-1-expressing cells. Selectively targeting the intermediate-affinity IL-2Rβγ can be leveraged to induce anti-tumor immune responses in effector T cells and natural killer (NK) cells while limiting the negative regulation of IL-2Rα activation on Tregs. Using radiation therapy (RT) in combination with PD1-IL2v improves local tumor control and survival, and controls metastatic spread in orthotopic HNSCC tumor models. PD1-IL2v drives systemic activation and expansion of circulating and tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T cells and NK cells while limiting Treg-mediated immunosuppression. These data show that PD1-L2v induces durable systemic tumor control in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Maria Amann
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Thomas E Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Tiffany T Pham
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anthony J Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Laura Codarri Deak
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Umaña
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Christian Klein
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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25
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Sharon S, Daher-Ghanem N, Zaid D, Gough MJ, Kravchenko-Balasha N. The immunogenic radiation and new players in immunotherapy and targeted therapy for head and neck cancer. FRONTIERS IN ORAL HEALTH 2023; 4:1180869. [PMID: 37496754 PMCID: PMC10366623 DOI: 10.3389/froh.2023.1180869] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although treatment modalities for head and neck cancer have evolved considerably over the past decades, survival rates have plateaued. The treatment options remained limited to definitive surgery, surgery followed by fractionated radiotherapy with optional chemotherapy, and a definitive combination of fractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Lately, immunotherapy has been introduced as the fourth modality of treatment, mainly administered as a single checkpoint inhibitor for recurrent or metastatic disease. While other regimens and combinations of immunotherapy and targeted therapy are being tested in clinical trials, adapting the appropriate regimens to patients and predicting their outcomes have yet to reach the clinical setting. Radiotherapy is mainly regarded as a means to target cancer cells while minimizing the unwanted peripheral effect. Radiotherapy regimens and fractionation are designed to serve this purpose, while the systemic effect of radiation on the immune response is rarely considered a factor while designing treatment. To bridge this gap, this review will highlight the effect of radiotherapy on the tumor microenvironment locally, and the immune response systemically. We will review the methodology to identify potential targets for therapy in the tumor microenvironment and the scientific basis for combining targeted therapy and radiotherapy. We will describe a current experience in preclinical models to test these combinations and propose how challenges in this realm may be faced. We will review new players in targeted therapy and their utilization to drive immunogenic response against head and neck cancer. We will outline the factors contributing to head and neck cancer heterogeneity and their effect on the response to radiotherapy. We will review in-silico methods to decipher intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity and how these algorithms can predict treatment outcomes. We propose that (a) the sequence of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy should be designed not only to annul cancer directly, but to prime the immune response. (b) Fractionation of radiotherapy and the extent of the irradiated field should facilitate systemic immunity to develop. (c) New players in targeted therapy should be evaluated in translational studies toward clinical trials. (d) Head and neck cancer treatment should be personalized according to patients and tumor-specific factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shay Sharon
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Narmeen Daher-Ghanem
- The Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Deema Zaid
- The Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael J. Gough
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Nataly Kravchenko-Balasha
- The Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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26
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Chi A, Nguyen NP. Mechanistic rationales for combining immunotherapy with radiotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1125905. [PMID: 37377970 PMCID: PMC10291094 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1125905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy consisted mainly of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has led to significantly improved antitumor response. However, such response has been observed only in tumors possessing an overall responsive tumor immune micro-environment (TIME), in which the presence of functional tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is critical. Various mechanisms of immune escape from immunosurveillance exist, leading to different TIME phenotypes in correlation with primary or acquired resistance to ICIs. Radiotherapy has been shown to induce antitumor immunity not only in the irradiated primary tumor, but also at unirradiated distant sites of metastases. Such antitumor immunity is mainly elicited by radiation's stimulatory effects on antigenicity and adjuvanticity. Furthermore, it may be significantly augmented when irradiation is combined with immunotherapy, such as ICIs. Therefore, radiotherapy represents one potential therapeutic strategy to restore anti-tumor immunity in tumors presenting with an unresponsive TIME. In this review, the generation of anti-tumor immunity, its impairment, radiation's immunogenic properties, and the antitumor effects of combining radiation with immunotherapy will be comprehensively discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Chi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Capital Medical University Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Nam Phong Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States
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27
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Mao L, Zhou JJ, Xiao Y, Yang QC, Yang SC, Wang S, Wu ZZ, Xiong HG, Yu HJ, Sun ZJ. Immunogenic hypofractionated radiotherapy sensitising head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to anti-PD-L1 therapy in MDSC-dependent manner. Br J Cancer 2023; 128:2126-2139. [PMID: 36977825 PMCID: PMC10206106 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02230-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enhancing the response rate of immunotherapy will aid in the success of cancer treatment. Here, we aimed to explore the combined effect of immunogenic radiotherapy with anti-PD-L1 treatment in immunotherapy-resistant HNSCC mouse models. METHODS The SCC7 and 4MOSC2 cell lines were irradiated in vitro. SCC7-bearing mice were treated with hypofractionated or single-dose radiotherapy followed by anti-PD-L1 therapy. The myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) were depleted using an anti-Gr-1 antibody. Human samples were collected to evaluate the immune cell populations and ICD markers. RESULTS Irradiation increased the release of immunogenic cell death (ICD) markers (calreticulin, HMGB1 and ATP) in SCC7 and 4MOSC2 in a dose-dependent manner. The supernatant from irradiated cells upregulated the expression of PD-L1 in MDSCs. Mice treated with hypofractionated but not single-dose radiotherapy were resistant to tumour rechallenge by triggering ICD, when combined with anti-PD-L1 treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of combination treatment partially relies on MDSCs. The high expression of ICD markers was associated with activation of adaptive immune responses and a positive prognosis in HNSCC patients. CONCLUSION These results present a translatable method to substantially improve the antitumor immune response by combining PD-L1 blockade with immunogenic hypofractionated radiotherapy in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Mao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun-Jie Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi-Chao Yang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-Chen Yang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-Zhong Wu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong-Gang Xiong
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China
| | - Hai-Jun Yu
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Hubei Province Cancer Clinical Study Center, Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430071, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 430079, Wuhan, China.
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Benavente S. Remodeling the tumor microenvironment to overcome treatment resistance in HPV-negative head and neck cancer. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:291-313. [PMID: 37457128 PMCID: PMC10344731 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite intensive efforts and refined techniques, overall survival in HPV-negative head and neck cancer remains poor. Robust immune priming is required to elicit a strong and durable antitumor immune response in immunologically cold and excluded tumors like HPV-negative head and neck cancer. This review highlights how the tumor microenvironment could be affected by different immune and stromal cell types, weighs the need to integrate metabolic regulation of the tumor microenvironment into cancer treatment strategies and summarizes the emerging clinical applicability of personalized immunotherapeutic strategies in HPV-negative head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Benavente
- Correspondence to: Dr. Sergi Benavente, Department of Radiation Oncology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119, Barcelona 08035, Spain. E-mail:
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Budi HS, Farhood B. Targeting oral tumor microenvironment for effective therapy. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:101. [PMID: 37221555 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02943-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral cancers are among the common head and neck malignancies. Different anticancer therapy modalities such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, and also targeted molecular therapy may be prescribed for targeting oral malignancies. Traditionally, it has been assumed that targeting malignant cells alone by anticancer modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy suppresses tumor growth. In the last decade, a large number of experiments have confirmed the pivotal role of other cells and secreted molecules in the tumor microenvironment (TME) on tumor progression. Extracellular matrix and immunosuppressive cells such as tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs) play key roles in the progression of tumors like oral cancers and resistance to therapy. On the other hand, infiltrated CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells are key anti-tumor cells that suppress the proliferation of malignant cells. Modulation of extracellular matrix and immunosuppressive cells, and also stimulation of anticancer immunity have been suggested to treat oral malignancies more effectively. Furthermore, the administration of some adjuvants or combination therapy modalities may suppress oral malignancies more effectively. In this review, we discuss various interactions between oral cancer cells and TME. Furthermore, we also review the basic mechanisms within oral TME that may cause resistance to therapy. Potential targets and approaches for overcoming the resistance of oral cancers to various anticancer modalities will also be reviewed. The findings for targeting cells and potential therapeutic targets in clinical studies will also be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Setia Budi
- Department of Oral Biology, Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.
| | - Bagher Farhood
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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An D, Zhai D, Wan C, Yang K. The role of lipid metabolism in cancer radioresistance. Clin Transl Oncol 2023:10.1007/s12094-023-03134-4. [PMID: 37079212 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03134-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Radiotherapy is one of the main therapies for cancer. The process leading to radioresistance is still not fully understood. Cancer radiosensitivity is related to the DNA reparation of cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME), which supports cancer cell survival. Factors that affect DNA reparation and the TME can directly or indirectly affect the radiosensitivity of cancer. Recent studies have shown that lipid metabolism in cancer cells, which is involved in the stability of cell membrane structure, energy supply and signal transduction of cancer cells, can also affect the phenotype and function of immune cells and stromal cells in the TME. In this review, we discussed the effects of lipid metabolism on the radiobiological characteristics of cancer cells and the TME. We also summarized recent advances in targeted lipid metabolism as a radiosensitizer and discussed how these scientific findings could be translated into clinical practice to improve the radiosensitivity of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan An
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Danyi Zhai
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Chao Wan
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Kunyu Yang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Starska-Kowarska K. The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1642. [PMID: 36980527 PMCID: PMC10046400 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061642] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Starska-Kowarska
- Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 Lodz, Poland; ; Tel.: +48-604-541-412
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, EnelMed Center Expert, Drewnowska 58, 91-001 Lodz, Poland
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Sun Y, Hu H, Liu Z, Xu J, Gao Y, Zhan X, Zhou S, Zhong W, Wu D, Wang P, Rao Z, Kong L, Zhou H. Macrophage STING signaling promotes NK cell to suppress colorectal cancer liver metastasis via 4-1BBL/4-1BB co-stimulation. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-006481. [PMID: 36927529 PMCID: PMC10030919 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Macrophage innate immune response plays an important role in tumorigenesis. However, the role and mechanism of macrophage STING signaling in modulating tumor microenvironment to suppress tumor growth at secondary sites remains largely unclear. METHODS STING expression was assessed in liver samples from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis. Global or myeloid stimulator of interferon gene (STING)-deficient mice, myeloid NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-deficient mice, and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to a mouse model of CRC liver metastasis by intrasplenic injection of murine colon carcinoma cells (MC38). Liver non-parenchymal cells including macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells were isolated for flow cytometry analysis. Bone marrow-derived macrophages pretreated with MC38 were co-cultured with splenic NK cells for in vitro studies. RESULTS Significant activation of STING signaling were detected in adjacent and tumor tissues and intrahepatic macrophages. Global or myeloid STING-deficient mice had exacerbated CRC liver metastasis and shorten survival, with decreased intrahepatic infiltration and impaired antitumor function of NK cells. Depletion of NK cells in WT animals increased their metastatic burden, while no significant effects were observed in myeloid STING-deficient mice. STING activation contributed to the secretion of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-1β by macrophages, which optimized antitumor activity of NK cells by promoting the expression of 4-1BBL in macrophages and 4-1BB in NK cells, respectively. Moreover, MC38 treatment activated macrophage NLRP3 signaling, which was inhibited by STING depletion. Myeloid NLRP3 deficiency increased tumor burden and suppressed activation of NK cells. NLRP3 activation by its agonist effectively suppressed CRC liver metastasis in myeloid SITNG-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that STING signaling promoted NLRP3-mediated IL-18 and IL-1β production of macrophages to optimize the antitumor function of NK cells via the co-stimulation signaling of 4-1BBL/4-1BB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Haoran Hu
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiyun Gao
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinyu Zhan
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shun Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weizhe Zhong
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dongming Wu
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhuqing Rao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lianbao Kong
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haoming Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation (Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Jiang Y, Zhang H, Wang J, Chen J, Guo Z, Liu Y, Hua H. Exploiting RIG-I-like receptor pathway for cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:8. [PMID: 36755342 PMCID: PMC9906624 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01405-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) are intracellular pattern recognition receptors that detect viral or bacterial infection and induce host innate immune responses. The RLRs family comprises retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I), melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) and laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2) that have distinctive features. These receptors not only recognize RNA intermediates from viruses and bacteria, but also interact with endogenous RNA such as the mislocalized mitochondrial RNA, the aberrantly reactivated repetitive or transposable elements in the human genome. Evasion of RLRs-mediated immune response may lead to sustained infection, defective host immunity and carcinogenesis. Therapeutic targeting RLRs may not only provoke anti-infection effects, but also induce anticancer immunity or sensitize "immune-cold" tumors to immune checkpoint blockade. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of RLRs signaling and discuss the rationale for therapeutic targeting RLRs in cancer. We describe how RLRs can be activated by synthetic RNA, oncolytic viruses, viral mimicry and radio-chemotherapy, and how the RNA agonists of RLRs can be systemically delivered in vivo. The integration of RLRs agonism with RNA interference or CAR-T cells provides new dimensions that complement cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, we update the progress of recent clinical trials for cancer therapy involving RLRs activation and immune modulation. Further studies of the mechanisms underlying RLRs signaling will shed new light on the development of cancer therapeutics. Manipulation of RLRs signaling represents an opportunity for clinically relevant cancer therapy. Addressing the challenges in this field will help develop future generations of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangfu Jiang
- Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China
| | - Jinzhu Chen
- Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zeyu Guo
- Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongliang Liu
- Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hui Hua
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Gong S, Wu C, Duan Y, Fu J, Wang Y, Wu H, Zhang B, Tang J, Wu P. PLODs: Novel prognostic biomarkers and potential immunotherapy targets for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13479. [PMID: 36820030 PMCID: PMC9937984 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13479] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) comprise a group of malignant tumors arising from the squamous epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. HNSCC is the 6th most common cancer in the world, with approximately 650,000 new cases and 400,000 deaths annually. Although survival rates have improved, HNSCC therapy may result in short - or long-term morbidity in approximately 50% of cases. Previous studies have also indicated that the overexpression of procollagen-Lysine, 2-Oxoglutarate 5-Dioxygenases (PLOD) family proteins could lead to certain diseases or even tumors. However, there has been no dedicated evaluation of the relationship between PLOD family members and HNSCC. Here we used data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases to explore the potential role of PLOD family proteins in HNSCC. Our evaluations suggest that increased expression of PLOD family proteins may be associated with poorer prognosis and increased immune infiltration in HNSCC, making these proteins a potential biomarker for personalized treatment of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siming Gong
- Department of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China,Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Changwu Wu
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yingjuan Duan
- Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jinfei Fu
- Department of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuling Wang
- Department of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bixi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Juyu Tang
- Department of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Panfeng Wu
- Department of Hand and Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China,Corresponding author.
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Palumbo C, Benvenuto M, Focaccetti C, Albonici L, Cifaldi L, Rufini A, Nardozi D, Angiolini V, Bei A, Masuelli L, Bei R. Recent findings on the impact of ErbB receptors status on prognosis and therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1066021. [PMID: 36817764 PMCID: PMC9932042 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1066021] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer type, has often an aggressive course and is poorly responsive to current therapeutic approaches, so that 5-year survival rates for patients diagnosed with advanced disease is lower than 50%. The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) has emerged as an established oncogene in HNSCC. Indeed, although HNSCCs are a heterogeneous group of cancers which differ for histological, molecular and clinical features, EGFR is overexpressed or mutated in a percentage of cases up to about 90%. Moreover, aberrant expression of the other members of the ErbB receptor family, ErbB2, ErbB3 and ErbB4, has also been reported in variable proportions of HNSCCs. Therefore, an increased expression/activity of one or multiple ErbB receptors is found in the vast majority of patients with HNSCC. While aberrant ErbB signaling has long been known to play a critical role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion, metastatization and resistance to therapy, more recent evidence has revealed its impact on other features of cancer cells' biology, such as the ability to evade antitumor immunity. In this paper we will review recent findings on how ErbB receptors expression and activity, including that associated with non-canonical signaling mechanisms, impacts on prognosis and therapy of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Palumbo
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Benvenuto
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy,Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Focaccetti
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Albonici
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Cifaldi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy,Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rufini
- Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy,Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Nardozi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Angiolini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Bei
- Medical School, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Masuelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Bei
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Roberto Bei,
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Kazakova A, Sudarskikh T, Kovalev O, Kzhyshkowska J, Larionova I. Interaction of tumor‑associated macrophages with stromal and immune components in solid tumors: Research progress (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 62:32. [PMID: 36660926 PMCID: PMC9851132 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor‑associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which belong to the innate immune system and regulate primary tumor growth, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling and metastasis. The review discusses current knowledge of essential cell‑cell interactions of TAMs within the TME of solid tumors. It summarizes the mechanisms of stromal cell (including cancer‑associated fibroblasts and endothelial cells)‑mediated monocyte recruitment and regulation of differentiation, as well as pro‑tumor and antitumor polarization of TAMs. Additionally, it focuses on the perivascular TAM subpopulations that regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. It describes the possible mechanisms of reciprocal interactions of TAMs with other immune cells responsible for immunosuppression. Finally, it highlights the perspectives for novel therapeutic approaches to use combined cellular targets that include TAMs and other stromal and immune cells in the TME. The collected data demonstrated the importance of understanding cell‑cell interactions in the TME to prevent distant metastasis and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kazakova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Tatiana Sudarskikh
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Oleg Kovalev
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
| | - Julia Kzhyshkowska
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Irina Larionova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
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37
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Yang L, Zhao Q, Wang X, Pilapong C, Li Y, Zou J, Jin J, Rong J. Investigation on the regulatory T cells signature and relevant Foxp3/STAT3 axis in esophageal cancer. Cancer Med 2023; 12:4993-5008. [PMID: 36226375 PMCID: PMC9972178 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5194] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have an important role in accelerating the immunosuppression of tumor. Tregs regulation is a hopeful strategy to improve the dismal prognosis of Esophageal cancer (EC), while its mechanisms have not yet been fully clarified. METHODS To characterize the role of Tregs in EC, we comprehensively explored its prognostic value, clinical pathology partnership, related biological functions and potential mechanisms at transcriptome level. Through the integrated analysis of GEO and TCGA datasets, we comprehensively evaluated the Tregs infiltration patterns in EC patients. The correlation between Tregs infiltration and genomic characteristics, as well as biological functions were analyzed by a variety of computational algorithms. RESULTS We observed that Tregs were significantly upregulated in EC and involved in various immune processes. According to TCGA and GEO transcriptional classification schemes, Tregs specific genes were observed to be highly expressed in tumor samples, as well as were closely associated with poor prognosis and worse clinical outcomes. In addition, EC patients can be stratified into high-risk and low-risk immune subgroups according to Tregs/macrophages infiltration level, and the results showed significant differences in tumor development, biological processes and probe gene expression pattern. The multi-variate analysis revealed that the interaction between STAT3 and Foxp3 was a potential prognostic signature of Tregs in EC, especially the modulation effect of STAT3 on Foxp3 expression, which has not been well studied in EC. We also identified that STAT3 and Foxp3 expression presented a high accuracy in predicting Tregs infiltration level in EC patients (AUC: 0.817; 95% CI: 0.756-0.878). CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed that Tregs have the potential to predict prognosis and tumor deterioration in EC patients. A comprehensive landscape of Tregs regulation mechanisms will help us interpret the immunosuppression of tumor microenvironment (TME) and novel strategies for EC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yang
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qijie Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.,Center of Excellence for Molecular Imaging (CEMI), Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Xing Wang
- Shichuan Nursing Vocational College, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chalermchai Pilapong
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Imaging (CEMI), Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zou
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Rong
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, People's Republic of China
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38
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Li H, Luo Q, Zhang H, Ma X, Gu Z, Gong Q, Luo K. Nanomedicine embraces cancer radio-immunotherapy: mechanism, design, recent advances, and clinical translation. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:47-96. [PMID: 36427082 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00437b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cancer radio-immunotherapy, integrating external/internal radiation therapy with immuno-oncology treatments, emerges in the current management of cancer. A growing number of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials have recently validated the synergistic antitumor effect of radio-immunotherapy, far beyond the "abscopal effect", but it suffers from a low response rate and toxicity issues. To this end, nanomedicines with an optimized design have been introduced to improve cancer radio-immunotherapy. Specifically, these nanomedicines are elegantly prepared by incorporating tumor antigens, immuno- or radio-regulators, or biomarker-specific imaging agents into the corresponding optimized nanoformulations. Moreover, they contribute to inducing various biological effects, such as generating in situ vaccination, promoting immunogenic cell death, overcoming radiation resistance, reversing immunosuppression, as well as pre-stratifying patients and assessing therapeutic response or therapy-induced toxicity. Overall, this review aims to provide a comprehensive landscape of nanomedicine-assisted radio-immunotherapy. The underlying working principles and the corresponding design strategies for these nanomedicines are elaborated by following the concept of "from bench to clinic". Their state-of-the-art applications, concerns over their clinical translation, along with perspectives are covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haonan Li
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Qiang Luo
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Hu Zhang
- Amgen Bioprocessing Centre, Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China. .,Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kui Luo
- Department of Radiology, Department of Biotherapy, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Cancer Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, China. .,Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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Zhou Q, Shen B, Huang R, Liu H, Zhang W, Song M, Liu K, Lin X, Chen S, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhi F. Bacteroides fragilis strain ZY-312 promotes intestinal barrier integrity via upregulating the STAT3 pathway in a radiation-induced intestinal injury mouse model. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1063699. [PMID: 36590229 PMCID: PMC9798896 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1063699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation-induced intestinal injury is characterized by intestinal barrier impairment. However, the therapeutic effects of probiotics for intestinal epithelial barrier repair in a mouse model of radiation-induced intestinal injury remain unclear. Previously, we isolated a strain of Bacteroides fragilis from the feces of a healthy infant and named it as B. fragilis strain ZY-312 (B. fragilis). In this study, we showed that B. fragilis can ameliorate radiation-induced intestinal injury in mice, manifested by decreased weight loss, intestinal length shortening, and intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) shedding. Moreover, we found that B. fragilis promoted IEC proliferation, stem cell regeneration, mucus secretion, and tight junction integrity by upregulating the STAT3 signaling pathway, through an experimental verification in Stat3 △IEC mice (STAT3 defects in intestinal epithelial cells). Thus, the underlying protective mechanism of B. fragilis in radiation-induced intestinal injury is related to IEC proliferation, stem cell regeneration, goblet cell secretion, and tight junction repair via activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway. In addition, the therapeutic effects of B. fragilis were studied to provide new insights into its application as a functional and clinical drug for radiation-induced intestinal injury after radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Binhai Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruo Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wendi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengyao Song
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinlong Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuze Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Guangzhou Zhiyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Guangzhou Zhiyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Fachao Zhi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Fachao Zhi, ; orcid.org/0000-0001-8674-4737
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IGFBP2 Drives Regulatory T Cell Differentiation through STAT3/IDO Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12122005. [PMID: 36556226 PMCID: PMC9785430 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12122005] [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: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents one of the deadliest malignancies. Elevated regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration has a potent immunosuppressive function in tumor biology, which contributes to low survival in PDAC. Nonetheless, the crosstalk between malignant cells and tumor-infiltrating Tregs in PDAC is not well understood. Here, clinical data demonstrates that the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) is associated with Treg accumulation in the microenvironment of PDAC in humans. Additionally, IGFBP2 increases Treg infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and promotes disease progression in mouse PDAC. Bioinformatic analysis and mechanistic assessment reveals IGFBP2 upregulated indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) by activating signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in PDAC cells, thus inducing Treg differentiation and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. These findings provide mechanistic insights into an important molecular pathway that promotes an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which suggests the IGFBP2 axis as a potential target for improved immune response in PDAC.
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Darragh LB, Gadwa J, Pham TT, Van Court B, Neupert B, Olimpo NA, Nguyen K, Nguyen D, Knitz MW, Hoen M, Corbo S, Joshi M, Zhuang Y, Amann M, Wang XJ, Dow S, Kedl RM, Samedi V, Boss MK, Karam SD. Elective nodal irradiation mitigates local and systemic immunity generated by combination radiation and immunotherapy in head and neck tumors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7015. [PMID: 36385142 PMCID: PMC9668826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the setting of conventional radiation therapy, even when combined with immunotherapy, head and neck cancer often recurs locally and regionally. Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) is commonly employed to decrease regional recurrence. Given our developing understanding that immune cells are radio-sensitive, and that T cell priming occurs in the draining lymph nodes (DLNs), we hypothesize that radiation therapy directed at the primary tumor only will increase the effectiveness of immunotherapies. We find that ENI increases local, distant, and metastatic tumor growth. Multi-compartmental analysis of the primary/distant tumor, the DLNs, and the blood shows that ENI decreases the immune response systemically. Additionally, we find that ENI decreases antigen-specific T cells and epitope spreading. Treating the primary tumor with radiation and immunotherapy, however, fails to reduce regional recurrence, but this is reversed by either concurrent sentinel lymph node resection or irradiation. Our data support using lymphatic sparing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tiffany T Pham
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brooke Neupert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas A Olimpo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Maureen Hoen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Molishree Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Yonghua Zhuang
- Department of Pediatrics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Maria Amann
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED) Schlieren, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Steven Dow
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ross M Kedl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Von Samedi
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mary-Keara Boss
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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42
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Rutihinda C, Haroun R, Saidi NE, Ordoñez JP, Naasri S, Lévesque D, Boisvert FM, Fortier PH, Belzile M, Fradet L, Hubert-Tremblay V, Turgeon GA, Wang CS, Delage P, Rousseau É, Paquette B, Oweida AJ. Inhibition of the CCR6-CCL20 axis prevents regulatory T cell recruitment and sensitizes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to radiation therapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 72:1089-1102. [PMID: 36326893 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03313-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radioresistance of HNSCCs remains a major challenge for effective tumor control. Combined radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy (IT) treatment improved survival for a subset of patients with inflamed tumors or tumors susceptible to RT-induced inflammation. To overcome radioresistance and improve treatment outcomes, an understanding of factors that suppress anti-tumor immunity is necessary. In this regard, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical mediators of immune suppression in HNSCCs. In this study, we investigated how radiation modulates Treg infiltration in tumors through the chemokine CCL20. We hypothesized that radiation induces CCL20 secretion resulting in Treg infiltration and suppression of anti-tumor immunity. METHODS Human and mouse HNSCC cell lines with different immune phenotypes were irradiated at doses of 2 or 10 Gy. Conditioned media, RNA and protein were collected for assessment of CCL20. qPCR was used to determine CCL20 gene expression. In vivo, MOC2 cells were implanted into the buccal cavity of mice and the effect of neutralizing CCL20 antibody was determined alone and in combination with RT. Blood samples were collected before and after RT for analysis of CCL20. Tumor samples were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine immune infiltrates, including CD8 T cells and Tregs. Mass-spectrometry was performed to analyze proteomic changes in the tumor microenvironment after anti-CCL20 treatment. RESULTS Cal27 and MOC2 HNSCCs had a gene signature associated with Treg infiltration, whereas SCC9 and MOC1 tumors displayed a gene signature associated with an inflamed TME. In vitro, tumor irradiation at 10 Gy significantly induced CCL20 in Cal27 and MOC2 cells relative to control. The increase in CCL20 was associated with increased Treg migration. Neutralization of CCL20 reversed radiation-induced migration of Treg cells in vitro and decreased intratumoral Tregs in vivo. Furthermore, inhibition of CCL20 resulted in a significant decrease in tumor growth compared to control in MOC2 tumors. This effect was further enhanced after combination with RT compared to either treatment alone. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that radiation promotes CCL20 secretion by tumor cells which is responsible for the attraction of Tregs. Inhibition of the CCR6-CCL20 axis prevents infiltration of Tregs in tumors and suppresses tumor growth resulting in improved response to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cleopatra Rutihinda
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ryma Haroun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Nour Elhouda Saidi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Pablo Ordoñez
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Sahar Naasri
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Dominique Lévesque
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculté de Médecine Et Des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - François-Michel Boisvert
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculté de Médecine Et Des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre-Hugues Fortier
- Department of Surgery, Faculté de Médecine Et Des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Mathieu Belzile
- Department of Surgery, Faculté de Médecine Et Des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Laurent Fradet
- Department of Surgery, Faculté de Médecine Et Des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Vincent Hubert-Tremblay
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Anne Turgeon
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Chang Shu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Patrick Delage
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Étienne Rousseau
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Benoît Paquette
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ayman J Oweida
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de La Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
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Darragh LB, Knitz MM, Hu J, Clambey ET, Backus J, Dumit A, Samedi V, Bubak A, Greene C, Waxweiler T, Mehrotra S, Bhatia S, Gadwa J, Bickett T, Piper M, Fakhoury K, Liu A, Petit J, Bowles D, Thaker A, Atiyeh K, Goddard J, Hoyer R, Van Bokhoven A, Jordan K, Jimeno A, D'Alessandro A, Raben D, McDermott JD, Karam SD. A phase I/Ib trial and biological correlate analysis of neoadjuvant SBRT with single-dose durvalumab in HPV-unrelated locally advanced HNSCC. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:1300-1317. [PMID: 36434392 PMCID: PMC9701140 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00450-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Five-year survival for human papilloma virus-unrelated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas remain below 50%. We assessed the safety of administering combination hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy with single-dose durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) neoadjuvantly (n = 21) ( NCT03635164 ). The primary endpoint of the study was safety, which was met. Secondary endpoints included radiographic, pathologic and objective response; locoregional control; progression-free survival; and overall survival. Among evaluable patients at an early median follow-up of 16 months (448 d or 64 weeks), overall survival was 80.1% with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) (62.0%, 100.0%), locoregional control and progression-free survival were 75.8% with 95% CI (57.5%, 99.8%), and major pathological response or complete response was 75% with 95% exact CI (51.6%, 100.0%). For patients treated with 24 Gy, 89% with 95% CI (57.1%, 100.0%) had MPR or CR. Using high-dimensional multi-omics and spatial data as well as biological correlatives, we show that responders had: (1) an increase in effector T cells; (2) a decrease in immunosuppressive cells; and (3) an increase in antigen presentation post-treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel B Darragh
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael M Knitz
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Junxiao Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Eric T Clambey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer Backus
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Dumit
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Von Samedi
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Bubak
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Casey Greene
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Timothy Waxweiler
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sanjana Mehrotra
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas Bickett
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Miles Piper
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kareem Fakhoury
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Arthur Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joshua Petit
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Daniel Bowles
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ashesh Thaker
- Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kimberly Atiyeh
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado, Memorial South Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
| | - Julie Goddard
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Robert Hoyer
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Adrie Van Bokhoven
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kimberly Jordan
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - David Raben
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jessica D McDermott
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Baysal H, Siozopoulou V, Zaryouh H, Hermans C, Lau HW, Lambrechts H, Fransen E, De Pauw I, Jacobs J, Peeters M, Pauwels P, Vermorken JB, Smits E, Lardon F, De Waele J, Wouters A. The prognostic impact of the immune signature in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1001161. [PMID: 36268020 PMCID: PMC9576890 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1001161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous group of tumors that retain their poor prognosis despite recent advances in their standard of care. As the involvement of the immune system against HNSCC development is well-recognized, characterization of the immune signature and the complex interplay between HNSCC and the immune system could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets that are required now more than ever. In this study, we investigated RNA sequencing data of 530 HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for which the immune composition (CIBERSORT) was defined by the relative fractions of 10 immune-cell types and expression data of 45 immune checkpoint ligands were quantified. This initial investigation was followed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for a curated selection of immune cell types and checkpoint ligands markers in tissue samples of 50 advanced stage HNSCC patients. The outcome of both analyses was correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient overall survival. Our results indicated that HNSCC tumors are in close contact with both cytotoxic and immunosuppressive immune cells. TCGA data showed prognostic relevance of dendritic cells, M2 macrophages and neutrophils, while IHC analysis associated T cells and natural killer cells with better/worse prognostic outcome. HNSCC tumors in our TCGA cohort showed differential RNA over- and underexpression of 28 immune inhibitory and activating checkpoint ligands compared to healthy tissue. Of these, CD73, CD276 and CD155 gene expression were negative prognostic factors, while CD40L, CEACAM1 and Gal-9 expression were associated with significantly better outcomes. Our IHC analyses confirmed the relevance of CD155 and CD276 protein expression, and in addition PD-L1 expression, as independent negative prognostic factors, while HLA-E overexpression was associated with better outcomes. Lastly, the co-presence of both (i) CD155 positive cells with intratumoral NK cells; and (ii) PD-L1 expression with regulatory T cell infiltration may hold prognostic value for these cohorts. Based on our data, we propose that CD155 and CD276 are promising novel targets for HNSCC, possibly in combination with the current standard of care or novel immunotherapies to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Baysal
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Hasan Baysal,
| | - Vasiliki Siozopoulou
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hannah Zaryouh
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Hermans
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ho Wa Lau
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hilde Lambrechts
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Ines De Pauw
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Julie Jacobs
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marc Peeters
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Patrick Pauwels
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jan Baptist Vermorken
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Evelien Smits
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Filip Lardon
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jorrit De Waele
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - An Wouters
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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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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46
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Yang G, Jiang J, Yin R, Li Z, Li L, Gao F, Liu C, Zhan X. Two novel predictive biomarkers for osteosarcoma and glycolysis pathways: A profiling study on HS2ST1 and SDC3. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30192. [PMID: 36086752 PMCID: PMC10980373 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prognostic biomarkers for osteosarcoma (OS) are still very few, and this study aims to examine 2 novel prognostic biomarkers for OS through combined bioinformatics and experimental approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS Expression profile data of OS and paraneoplastic tissues were downloaded from several online databases, and prognostic genes were screened by differential expression analysis, Univariate Cox analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis to construct prognostic models. The accuracy of the model was validated using principal component analysis, constructing calibration plots, and column line plots. We also analyzed the relationship between genes and drug sensitivity. Gene expression profiles were analyzed by immunocytotyping. Also, protein expressions of the constructed biomarkers in OS and paraneoplastic tissues were verified by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase 1 (HS2ST1) and Syndecan 3 (SDC3, met all our requirements after screening. The constructed prognostic model indicated that patients in the high-risk group had a much lower patient survival rate than in the low-risk group. Moreover, these genes were closely related to immune cells (P < .05). Drug sensitivity analysis showed that the 2 genes modeled were strongly correlated with multiple drugs. Immunohistochemical analysis showed significantly higher protein expression of both genes in OS than in paraneoplastic tissues. CONCLUSIONS HS2ST1 and SDC3 are significantly dysregulated in OS, and the prognostic models constructed based on these 2 genes have much lower survival rates in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. HS2ST1 and SDC3 can be used as glycolytic and immune-related prognostic biomarkers in OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhi Yang
- Department of Spine Osteopathic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P. R. China
- Department of Orthopedic, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Ruifeng Yin
- Department of Orthopedic, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Zhian Li
- Department of Orthopedic, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Orthopedic, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Orthopedic, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Chong Liu
- Department of Spine Osteopathic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Xinli Zhan
- Department of Spine Osteopathic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P. R. China
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Ni W, Xiao Z, Zhou Z, Chen D, Feng Q, Liang J, Lv J. Severe radiation-induced lymphopenia during postoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy has poor prognosis in patients with stage IIB-III after radical esophagectomy: A post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Front Oncol 2022; 12:936684. [PMID: 36158699 PMCID: PMC9492938 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.936684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate whether radiation-induced lymphopenia (RIL) affects survival and identify the predictors of RIL in postoperative esophageal cancer. Materials and methods Post hoc analysis was conducted on data from 116 patients with esophageal cancer from a randomized controlled trial comparing adjuvant therapy with surgery alone. Doses of 54 Gy in 27 fractions was delivered in the postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) group and 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions combined with chemotherapy was delivered in postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (POCRT) group. Blood counts were obtained before, during, and at first follow-up after treatment. Lymphopenia was graded per version 4.03 of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and compared between groups using the log-rank test. Receiver operating characteristic curves identified thresholds for preventing grade 4 (G4) lymphopenia. Results Median follow-up duration was 56.0 months. During treatment, 16 patients (13.8%) had G4 lymphopenia. All cases of G4 lymphopenia occurred in group PORT (30.2% vs 0.0%, p<0.001). Baseline absolute lymphocyte count was comparable between G1-3 and G4 patients (2.0 ± 0.8 *109/L vs 1.7 ± 0.5 *109/L; p=0.101). The 3-year DFS was significantly lower in group G4 lymphopenia than that in group G1-3 (31.3% vs 57.6%, p=0.036). The 3-year OS was comparable between both groups (50.0% vs 66.5%, p=0.095). Logistic regression analysis revealed that exposed more thoracic marrow (TM V20 ≥75%; TVB V20 ≥71%), heart (V15 ≥40%) and PTV (volume ≥507 ml) were associated with G4 lymphopenia (p<0.05). Conclusions G4 RIL had poor disease-free survival, which may be related to more dose exposure of thoracic marrow and heart due to larger PTV. Reasonably reducing the radiation field combined with concurrent chemotherapy, or radiation dose constraints for these normal tissues may be sufficient to decrease the incidence of G4 lymphopenia, but further prospective trials are needed to verify the results. Clinical Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02279134
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Ni
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zefen Xiao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zefen Xiao,
| | - Zongmei Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dongfu Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qinfu Feng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jima Lv
- Department of Radiation Oncology, 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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48
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Kono M, Saito S, Egloff AM, Allen CT, Uppaluri R. The mouse oral carcinoma (MOC) model: A 10-year retrospective on model development and head and neck cancer investigations. Oral Oncol 2022; 132:106012. [PMID: 35820346 PMCID: PMC9364442 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical models of cancer have long been paramount to understanding tumor development and advancing the treatment of cancer. Creating preclinical models that mimic the complexity and heterogeneity of human tumors is a key challenge in the advancement of cancer therapy. About ten years ago, we created the mouse oral carcinoma (MOC) cell line models that were derived from 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA)-induced mouse oral squamous cell cancers. This model has been used in numerous investigations, including studies on tumor biology and therapeutics. We have seen remarkable progress in cancer immunology in recent years, and these cell lines, which are syngeneic to C57BL/6 background, have also been used to study the anti-tumor immune response. Herein, we aim to review the MOC model from its development and characterization to its use in non-immunological and immunological preclinical head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) studies. Integrating and refining these MOC model studies and extending findings to other systems will provide crucial insights for translational approaches aimed at improving head and neck cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michihisa Kono
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.
| | - Shin Saito
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Ann Marie Egloff
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Surgery/Otolaryngology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States.
| | - Clint T Allen
- Section on Translational Tumor Immunology, National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Ravindra Uppaluri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Surgery/Otolaryngology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States.
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49
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Alfwuaires M, Elsawy H, Sedky A. Acacetin Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175361. [PMID: 36080130 PMCID: PMC9457933 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of death across the world. Recent evidence suggests that STAT3 regulates proliferative, survival, metastasis, and angiogenesis genes in HCC. Novel agents that suppress STAT3 activation can be used to prevent or treat HCC. We used a functional proteomics tumor pathway technology platform and multiple HCC cell lines to investigate the effects of acacetin (ACN) on STAT3 activation, protein kinases, phosphatases, products of STAT3-regulated genes, and apoptosis. ACN was found to inhibit STAT3 activation in a dose- and time-dependent manner in HCC cells. Upstream kinases c-Src, Janus-activated kinase 1, and Janus-activated kinase 2 were also inhibited. The ACN inhibition of STAT3 was abolished by vanadate treatment, suggesting the involvement of tyrosine phosphatase activity. ACN was found to suppress the protein expression of genes involved in proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis via STAT3 inhibition. ACN appears to be a novel STAT3 inhibitor and may be a promising therapeutic compound for application in the treatment of HCC and other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Alfwuaires
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (M.A.); (H.E.); Tel.: +96-61-3589-1008 (M.A.); +96-61-3589-7402 (H.E.)
| | - Hany Elsawy
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
- Correspondence: (M.A.); (H.E.); Tel.: +96-61-3589-1008 (M.A.); +96-61-3589-7402 (H.E.)
| | - Azza Sedky
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21526, Egypt
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50
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Khatoon E, Hegde M, Kumar A, Daimary UD, Sethi G, Bishayee A, Kunnumakkara AB. The multifaceted role of STAT3 pathway and its implication as a potential therapeutic target in oral cancer. Arch Pharm Res 2022; 45:507-534. [PMID: 35987863 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-022-01398-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oral cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and it has become a matter of serious concern due to the alarming rise in its incidence rate worldwide. Despite recent advancements in oral cancer treatment strategies, there are no significant improvements in patient's survival rate. Among the numerous cell signaling pathways involved in oral cancer development and progression, STAT3 is known to play a multifaceted oncogenic role in shaping the tumor pathophysiology. STAT3 hyperactivation in oral cancer contributes to survival, proliferation, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, metastasis, immunosuppression, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis. A plethora of pre-clinical and clinical studies have documented the role of STAT3 in the initiation and development of oral cancer and showed that STAT3 inhibition holds significant potential in the prevention and treatment of this cancer. However, to date, targeting STAT3 activation mainly involves inhibiting the upstream signaling molecules such as JAK and IL-6 receptors. The major challenge in targeting STAT3 lies in the complexity of its phosphorylation- and dimerization-independent functions, which are not affected by disrupting the upstream regulators. The present review delineates the significance of the STAT3 pathway in regulating various hallmarks of oral cancer. In addition, it highlights the STAT3 inhibitors identified to date through various preclinical and clinical studies that can be employed for the therapeutic intervention in oral cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Khatoon
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India.,DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India
| | - Mangala Hegde
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India.,DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India
| | - Aviral Kumar
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India.,DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India
| | - Uzini Devi Daimary
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India.,DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Anupam Bishayee
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, 34211, USA.
| | - Ajaikumar B Kunnumakkara
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India. .,DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, 781 039, Assam, India.
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