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Hu M, Deng F, Song X, Zhao H, Yan F. The crosstalk between immune cells and tumor pyroptosis: advancing cancer immunotherapy strategies. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:190. [PMID: 38987821 PMCID: PMC11234789 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03115-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a cell death process characterized by cell swelling until membrane rupture and release of intracellular contents. As an effective tumor treatment strategy, inducing tumor cell pyroptosis has received widespread attention. In this process, the immune components within the tumor microenvironment play a key regulatory role. By regulating and altering the functions of immune cells such as cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and neutrophils, tumor cell pyroptosis can be induced. This article provides a comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms of cell pyroptosis, the impact of the tumor immune microenvironment on tumor cell pyroptosis, and its mechanisms. It aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the communication between the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor cells, and to provide theoretical support for the development of new tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Hu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Chenggong District, 1168 Chunrong West Road, Yunhua Street, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Fengying Deng
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Chenggong District, 1168 Chunrong West Road, Yunhua Street, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Xinlei Song
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Chenggong District, 1168 Chunrong West Road, Yunhua Street, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Hongkun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Eye Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Yunnan University, 176 Qingnian Road, Wuhua District, Kunming, 650031, Yunnan, China.
| | - Fei Yan
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Chenggong District, 1168 Chunrong West Road, Yunhua Street, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China.
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Balsano R, Zanuso V, Pirozzi A, Rimassa L, Bozzarelli S. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: The Gray Curtain of Immunotherapy and Spikes of Lights. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:3871-3885. [PMID: 37185406 PMCID: PMC10136659 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30040293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dismal disease with a poor 5-year overall survival rate (~10%). The revolution of immunotherapy in clinical oncology has not substantially changed clinical outcome for patients with PDAC. Despite outstanding efforts, neither immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone, nor in combination with chemotherapy or targeted therapies have shown encouraging results. This failure mirrors the lack of knowledge about the real key players of immune system senescence and the complexity of the tumor microenvironment in PDAC. However, some hope can be derived from PARP-inhibitor combinations, vaccines, and CAR-T-cells therapy. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the latest updates about the use of ICIs in PDAC, focusing on clinical evidence and ongoing studies highlighting explanations for the failure of immunotherapy and possible solutions.
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Revolutionization in Cancer Therapeutics via Targeting Major Immune Checkpoints PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15030335. [PMID: 35337133 PMCID: PMC8952773 DOI: 10.3390/ph15030335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous research reports have witnessed dramatic advancements in cancer therapeutic approaches through immunotherapy. Blocking immunological checkpoint pathways (mechanisms employed by malignant cells to disguise themselves as normal human body components) has emerged as a viable strategy for developing anticancer immunity. Through the development of effective immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in multiple carcinomas, advances in cancer immunity have expedited a major breakthrough in cancer therapy. Blocking a variety of ICIs, such as PD-1 (programmed cell death-1), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) has improved the immune system’s efficacy in combating cancer cells. Recent studies also supported the fact that ICIs combined with other potent antitumor candidates, such as angiogenic agents, could be a solid promising chemopreventive therapeutic approach in improving the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immune checkpoint blockade has aided antiangiogenesis by lowering vascular endothelial growth factor expression and alleviating hypoxia. Our review summarized recent advances and clinical improvements in immune checkpoint blocking tactics, including combinatorial treatment of immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducers with ICIs, which may aid future researchers in creating more effective cancer-fighting strategies.
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Lu S, Gao J, Jia H, Li Y, Duan Y, Song F, Liu Z, Ma S, Wang M, Zhao T, Zhong J. PD-1-siRNA Delivered by Attenuated Salmonella Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Chloroquine in Colon Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:707991. [PMID: 34295341 PMCID: PMC8290856 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.707991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The widespread appearance of drug tolerance and the low efficiency of single treatment have severely affected the survival time of the patients with colorectal cancer. Exploring new treatment options and combined treatment strategies have become the key to improving the prognosis. The combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy have shown good clinical expectations. Here, we studied the cooperative effects of chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that is now widely used in anti-tumor research, and RNA interference (RNAi) targeting the immune checkpoint molecule Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) delivered with attenuated Salmonella. Our results show that chloroquine can not only significantly inhibit the survival of colon cancer cells and induce apoptosis, but also effectively inhibit cell invasion and migration. The results of in vivo experiments show that chloroquine can increase the expression of PD-1 in tumor tissues. Combining chloroquine and PD-1 siRNA can further inhibit the growth and metastases of colon cancer and induce apoptosis. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is the occurrence of chloroquine-induced apoptosis and the effective immune response caused by the attenuated Salmonella carrying PD-1 siRNA. This study suggests that the combined application of PD-1-based immunotherapy and anti-cancer drugs has become a new expectation for clinical treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuya Lu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jianhui Gao
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- College of Forensic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Huijie Jia
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yang Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yongbin Duan
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fuyang Song
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Zhiang Liu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Shuai Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Mingyong Wang
- Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Tiesuo Zhao
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jiateng Zhong
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Vaccine and Immunotherapy, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Tumor Reversal, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
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Popp FC, Capino I, Bartels J, Damanakis AI, Li J, Datta RR, Löser H, Zhao Y, Quaas A, Lohneis P, Bruns CJ. Expression of Immune Checkpoint Regulators IDO, VISTA, LAG3, and TIM3 in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2689. [PMID: 34072549 PMCID: PMC8198722 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer features elaborate mechanisms of immune evasion. The potential of new immune molecules was explored to restore the antitumor immune response. If these immune molecules are associated with poor survival, specific drugs could take effect. Here, we analyze the expression of VISTA, LAG3, IDO, and TIM3 on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and its impact on patient survival. We analyzed 153 pancreatic cancer patients from the prospectively managed database of the multicentered PANCALYZE study. Immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray assessed VISTA, LAG3, IDO, and TIM3 expression of TILs from the patients undergoing primary resection. Complementarily, we analyzed publicly available transcriptomic data (n = 903). Successful completion of chemotherapy, and lymph node status were independent predictors of survival in the multivariate analysis of the clinicopathologic parameters. Fifteen tumors were exclusively VISTA-positive, thirteen tumors expressed VISTA together with TIM3, and ten tumors expressed VISTA together with IDO. Patients featuring tumors with high numbers of IDO-positive TILs had better patient survival (p = 0.037). VISTA, LAG3, and TIM3 expression did not correlate with survival. The analysis of publicly available data did not show survival differences. Tumors rarely co-express more than two immune molecules at the same time, and VISTA is most frequently co-expressed. Although IDO generally inhibits T-cell proliferation, a high expression of IDO was associated with improved survival. We expect immune checkpoint inhibitors against VISTA, LAG3, and TIM3 to be inefficient in a clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix C. Popp
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Ingracia Capino
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Joana Bartels
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Alexander I. Damanakis
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Rabi R. Datta
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Heike Löser
- Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (H.L.); (A.Q.); (P.L.)
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Alexander Quaas
- Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (H.L.); (A.Q.); (P.L.)
| | - Philipp Lohneis
- Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (H.L.); (A.Q.); (P.L.)
| | - Christiane J. Bruns
- Department of General, Visceral, Cancer and Transplantation Surgery, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (F.C.P.); (I.C.); (J.B.); (A.I.D.); (J.L.); (R.R.D.); (Y.Z.)
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