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Zhang XJ, Yu Y, Zhao HP, Guo L, Dai K, Lv J. Mechanisms of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment formation in esophageal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:2195-2208. [PMID: 38690024 PMCID: PMC11056912 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i16.2195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
As a highly invasive malignancy, esophageal cancer (EC) is a global health issue, and was the eighth most prevalent cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in 2020. Due to its highly immunogenic nature, emer-ging immunotherapy approaches, such as immune checkpoint blockade, have demonstrated promising efficacy in treating EC; however, certain limitations and challenges still exist. In addition, tumors may exhibit primary or acquired resistance to immunotherapy in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME); thus, understanding the TIME is urgent and crucial, especially given the im-portance of an immunosuppressive microenvironment in tumor progression. The aim of this review was to better elucidate the mechanisms of the suppressive TIME, including cell infiltration, immune cell subsets, cytokines and signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment of EC patients, as well as the downregulated expression of major histocompatibility complex molecules in tumor cells, to obtain a better understanding of the differences in EC patient responses to immunotherapeutic strategies and accurately predict the efficacy of immunotherapies. Therefore, personalized treatments could be developed to maximize the advantages of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jun Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yan Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Lei Guo
- Department of Spinal Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Kun Dai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yanliang Railway Hospital of Xi’an, Xi’an 710089, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jing Lv
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China
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2
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Tian H, Cao J, Li B, Nice EC, Mao H, Zhang Y, Huang C. Managing the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma: the outlook for osteosarcoma treatment. Bone Res 2023; 11:11. [PMID: 36849442 PMCID: PMC9971189 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma, with poor survival after metastasis, is considered the most common primary bone cancer in adolescents. Notwithstanding the efforts of researchers, its five-year survival rate has only shown limited improvement, suggesting that existing therapeutic strategies are insufficient to meet clinical needs. Notably, immunotherapy has shown certain advantages over traditional tumor treatments in inhibiting metastasis. Therefore, managing the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma can provide novel and valuable insight into the multifaceted mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity and progression of the disease. Additionally, given the advances in nanomedicine, there exist many advanced nanoplatforms for enhanced osteosarcoma immunotherapy with satisfactory physiochemical characteristics. Here, we review the classification, characteristics, and functions of the key components of the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma. This review also emphasizes the application, progress, and prospects of osteosarcoma immunotherapy and discusses several nanomedicine-based options to enhance the efficiency of osteosarcoma treatment. Furthermore, we examine the disadvantages of standard treatments and present future perspectives for osteosarcoma immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Tian
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Jiangjun Cao
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Bowen Li
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Edouard C. Nice
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia
| | - Haijiao Mao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315020, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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3
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Zhang C, Hu LW, Qiang Y, Cong ZZ, Zheng C, Gu WF, Luo C, Xie K, Shen Y. Home enteral nutrition for patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2022; 9:895422. [PMID: 35967793 PMCID: PMC9366554 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.895422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Home enteral nutrition (HEN) is a relatively new nutritional intervention that provides patients with EN support at home through jejunostomy or nasogastric feeding tubes. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the safety and effect of HEN compared with normal oral diet (NOD) in postoperative patients with esophageal cancer (EC). Methods EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were used to search articles in English-language journals. The intervention effect was expressed using risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcome measures, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The chi-square test and I-square test were used to test heterogeneity among studies. Results Four studies were eventually included in this meta-analysis. Compared with NOD, HEN has a favorable impact on postoperative body mass index (BMI) (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.09–1.30, P = 0.02), lean body mass (LBM) (WMD = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.04–1.48, P = 0.04), and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) (WMD = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.02–0.58, P = 0.03). Physical function (WMD = 9.26, 95% CI: 8.00–10.53, P < 0.001), role function (WMD = 9.96, 95% CI: 8.11–11.82, P < 0.001), and social function (WMD = 8.51, 95% CI: 3.48–13.54, P = 0.001) of the HEN group were better than those of the NOD group at 3 months, and HEN could reduce the fatigue of patients (WMD = −12.73, 95% CI: −14.8 to −10.66, P < 0.001) and the incidence of postoperative pneumonia (RR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34–0.81, P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in albumin between HEN and NOD groups (WMD = 0.05, 95% CI: −0.03 to 0.13, P = 0.20). Conclusion HEN improved nutritional status and quality of life (QOL) in postoperative patients with EC and reduced fatigue and the incidence of postoperative pneumonia. All in all, the results of our meta-analysis support the use of HEN after esophagectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical School of Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Wen Hu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical School of Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Yong Qiang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhuang-Zhuang Cong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical School of Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Zheng
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen-Feng Gu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical School of Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Luo
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical School of Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Liu C, Li X, Xiong F, Wang L, Chen K, Wu P, Hua L, Zhang Z. Down-regulation of MLLT1 super elongation complex subunit impairs the anti-tumor activity of natural killer cells in esophageal cancer. Immunobiology 2022; 227:152238. [PMID: 35763909 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2022.152238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells actively participate in anti-tumor immunity and are thus regarded as a promising tool in immunotherapy against esophageal cancer (EC). However, the mechanisms regulating NK cell activation and exhaustion have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we characterized the expression and function of MLLT1 super elongation complex subunit (MLLT1) in esophageal NK cells in a mouse EC model. MLLT1 was down-regulated in esophageal NK cells, especially NK cells expressing both T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) and lymphocyte activation gene3(LAG-3). In vitro knockdown of MLLT1 in NK cells resulted in significant decreases in the expression of IFN-γ and perforin, as well as impaired NK cell cytotoxicity on tumor cells. Adoptive transfer of MLLT-deficient NK cells into EC-bearing mice showed consistent impairment of NK cell anti-tumor activity, as evidenced by decreases in IFN-γ and perforin but not granzyme B. Furthermore, EC tissue cells, which were enriched from the esophagus of EC-bearing mice, induced down-regulation of MLLT1 in splenic NK cells. This down-regulation was partially restored by a TIM-3 blocking antibody. Therefore, this study indicated that TIM-3 signaling down-regulated MLLT1 in esophageal NK cells, and MLLT1 down-regulation undermined the tumoricidal function of NK cells in EC. Our study unveils a novel mechanism underlying NK cell exhaustion/dysfunction in the EC microenvironment. MLLT1 could be a potential target in future NK cell-mediated immunotherapy against EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Liu
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Xueman Li
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Fei Xiong
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Lingying Wang
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Kang Chen
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Pingshang Wu
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Li Hua
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- The Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, 241 Pengliuyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China.
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Su R, Cai L, Xiong P, Liu Z, Chen S, Liu X, Lin R, Lei Z, Tian D, Su M. TLR3 Expression is a Potential Prognosis Biomarker and Shapes the Immune-Active Tumor Microenvironment in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:1437-1456. [PMID: 35250293 PMCID: PMC8896387 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s348786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) not only plays a crucial role in innate immune and inflammation but also in anti-cancer immunity. Nevertheless, the clinicopathological outcome of TLR3 in ESCC is still ambiguous. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate TLR3 expression and its impact on survival in 137 ESCC patients (including paired esophageal tissues with different stages of early lesions from 37 patients). Furthermore, we downloaded ESCC RNA-seq datasets (including phenotype and survival data) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The relationship between TLR3 and prognosis, biological landscape, and immune infiltration was assessed to verify the immunohistochemical results of our tissue samples, explore the possible mechanism of prognostic outcomes, and predict the sensitivity of immunotherapy. RESULTS TLR3 protein expression displayed an increasing trend in the progression through different grades of cellular atypia, from normal, esophageal simple hyperplasia (ESSH), intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN) to ESCC (P < 0.0083). TLR3 protein had a positive association with inflammation level (Rho = 0.341, P < 0.001). TLR3 mRNA expression was significantly higher in comparison to adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis indicated high TLR3 protein and mRNA expression conferred good prognosis in our samples and TCGA, especially for advanced ESCC patients (TNM stage III and IV). Overexpression of TLR3 resulted in an immune-active microenvironment via the recruitment of immune-active cells including cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs), CD8+ T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, and M1-type macrophages. TLR3 expression was correlated with the pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines relating to anti-tumor immunity. Moreover, GSEA analysis indicated upregulated expression of TLR3 could activate the apoptotic pathway. CONCLUSION High TLR3 expression in ESCC patients was associated with a more favorable prognosis, immune-active cell infiltration, and an activated apoptotic pathway. TLR3 has potential applications for immunotherapy and immune response prediction in patients with ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibing Su
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijun Cai
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pan Xiong
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaobin Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xi Liu
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Runhua Lin
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhijin Lei
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongping Tian
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Su
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Huai Q, Guo W, Han L, Kong D, Zhao L, Song P, Peng Y, Gao S. Identification of prognostic genes and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Transl Cancer Res 2022; 10:1787-1803. [PMID: 35116502 PMCID: PMC8797718 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-20-3078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly aggressive malignancy that is classified as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Infiltrating stromal/immune cells, a major component of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), have prognostic significance in various cancers. METHODS In this study we investigated genes and immune factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of ESCC and EAC that can serve as prognostic biomarkers. Stromal and immune scores were calculated using the Estimation of Stromal and Immune Cells in Malignant Tumor Tissues Using Expression Data (ESTIMATE) algorithm based on gene expression profiles of patient-derived tumor tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The correlation between ESTIMATE scores and survival rates in EC were analyzed. A comparison of high and low stromal/immune score groups revealed multiple differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as candidate prognostic genes; their role in immune-related biological processes was evaluated by functional and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses, and the genes were validated using Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. Additionally, 22 tumor-infiltrating immune cell (TIIC) subsets were analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. RESULTS Median stromal score was higher whereas immune score was lower in ESCC than in EAC (both P<0.01). Stromal score was lower in female as compared to male ESCC patients (P<0.05), and was significantly correlated with T stage (P<0.05). In EAC, median immune score was higher in female as compared to male patients (P<0.05) and was correlated with tumor-node-metastasis stage (P<0.05). The identified DEGs were mainly involved in lymphocyte (especially T-lymphocyte) activation and carbohydrate binding. Moreover, the levels of infiltrating resting-stage dendritic cells, CD8+ T cells, naïve B cells, activated mast cells, and resting memory CD4+ T cells were significantly correlated with EC prognosis (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The immune microenvironment of ESCC and EAC are quite different. We have found genes with prognostic value in multiple tumor databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Huai
- Department of Graduate School, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Liankui Han
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Demiao Kong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Peng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shugeng Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Wang DK, Zuo Q, He QY, Li B. Targeted Immunotherapies in Gastrointestinal Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Implications. Front Immunol 2021; 12:705999. [PMID: 34447376 PMCID: PMC8383067 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality and remains a major challenge for cancer treatment. Despite the combined administration of modern surgical techniques and chemoradiotherapy (CRT), the overall 5-year survival rate of gastrointestinal cancer patients in advanced stage disease is less than 15%, due to rapid disease progression, metastasis, and CRT resistance. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cancer progression and optimized treatment strategies for gastrointestinal cancer are urgently needed. With increasing evidence highlighting the protective role of immune responses in cancer initiation and progression, immunotherapy has become a hot research topic in the integrative management of gastrointestinal cancer. Here, an overview of the molecular understanding of colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer and gastric cancer is provided. Subsequently, recently developed immunotherapy strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, tumor vaccines and therapies targeting other immune cells, have been described. Finally, the underlying mechanisms, fundamental research and clinical trials of each agent are discussed. Overall, this review summarizes recent advances and future directions for immunotherapy for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bin Li
- Ministry of Education (MOE), Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and Key Laboratory of Functional Protein Research of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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8
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Baba Y, Nomoto D, Okadome K, Ishimoto T, Iwatsuki M, Miyamoto Y, Yoshida N, Baba H. Tumor immune microenvironment and immune checkpoint inhibitors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3132-3141. [PMID: 32579769 PMCID: PMC7469863 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the main prevalent histological type of esophageal cancer, predominantly constituting 90% of cases worldwide. Despite the development of multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches, its prognosis remains unfavorable. Recently, the development of monoclonal antibodies inhibiting programmed death 1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has led to marked therapeutic responses among multiple malignancies including ESCC. However, only a few patients achieved clinical benefits due to resistance. Therefore, precise and accurate predictive biomarkers should be identified for personalized immunotherapy in clinical settings. Because the tumor immune microenvironment can potentially influence the patient's response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, tumor immunity, such as PD-L1 expression on tumors, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tumor-associated macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, in ESCC should be further investigated. In this review, accumulated evidence regarding the tumor immune microenvironment and immune checkpoint inhibitors in ESCC are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Baba
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Department of Next‐Generation Surgical Therapy DevelopmentGraduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Daichi Nomoto
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Kazuo Okadome
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Takatsugu Ishimoto
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Masaaki Iwatsuki
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yuji Miyamoto
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Naoya Yoshida
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Hideo Baba
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryGraduate School of Medical ScienceKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
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9
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Li XK, Cong ZZ, Wu WJ, Ji SG, Zhou H, Liu KC, Xu Y, Shen Y. Efficacy of 4 wk of home enteral feeding supplementation after esophagectomy on immune function: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrition 2020; 77:110787. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2020.110787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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10
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Han P, Cao P, Hu S, Kong K, Deng Y, Zhao B, Li F. Esophageal Microenvironment: From Precursor Microenvironment to Premetastatic Niche. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:5857-5879. [PMID: 32765088 PMCID: PMC7371556 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s258215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth most deadly cancer, and its incidence is still increasing year by year. Although the researches on the molecular mechanisms of EC have been widely carried out and incremental progress has been made, its overall survival rate is still low. There is cumulative evidence showing that the esophageal microenvironment plays a vital role in the development of EC. In precancerous lesions of the esophagus, high-risk environmental factors can promote the development of precancerous lesions by inducing the production of inflammatory factors and the recruitment of immune cells. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-promoting cells can inhibit anti-tumor immunity and promote tumor progression through a variety of pathways, such as bone marrow-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs). The formation of extracellular hypoxia and acidic microenvironment and the change of extracellular matrix stiffness are also important factors affecting tumor progression and metastasis. Simultaneously, primary tumor-derived cytokines and bone marrow-derived immune cells can also promote the formation of pre-metastasis niche of EC lymph nodes, which are beneficial to EC lymph node metastasis. Further research on the specific mechanism of these processes in the occurrence, development, and metastasis of each EC subtype will support us to grasp the overall pre-cancerous prevention, targeted treatment, and metastatic assessment of EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Han
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Cao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Kangle Kong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China
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11
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Recent Advances in Molecular Mechanisms of the NKG2D Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10020301. [PMID: 32075046 PMCID: PMC7094213 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common malignant tumor with high mortality. Its malignant proliferation, invasion, and metastasis are closely related to the cellular immune function of the patients. NKG2D is a key activated and type II membrane protein molecule expressed on the surface of almost all NK cells. The human NKG2D gene is 270 kb long, located at 12p12.3-p13.1, and contains 10 exons and 9 introns. The three-dimensional structure of the NKG2D monomeric protein contains two alpha-helices, two beta-lamellae, and four disulfide bonds, and its' signal of activation is transmitted mainly by the adaptor protein (DAP). NKG2D ligands, including MICA, MICB, and ULBPs, can be widely expressed in hepatoma cells. After a combination of NKG2D and DAP10 in the form of homologous two polymers, the YxxM motif in the cytoplasm is phosphorylated and then signaling pathways are also gradually activated, such as PI3K, PLCγ2, JNK-cJunN, and others. Activated NK cells can enhance the sensitivity to hepatoma cells and specifically dissolve by releasing a variety of cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ), perforin, and high expression of FasL, CD16, and TRAIL. NK cells may specifically bind to the over-expressed MICA, MICB, and ULBPs of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the surface activating receptor NKG2D, which can help to accurately identify hepatoma, play a critical role in anti-hepatoma via the pathway of cytotoxic effects, and obviously delay the poor progress of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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