1
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Xu Q, Liu C, Wang H, Li S, Yan H, Liu Z, Chen K, Xu Y, Yang R, Zhou J, Yang X, Liu J, Wang L. Deciphering the impact of aggregated autophagy-related genes TUBA1B and HSP90AA1 on colorectal cancer evolution: a single-cell sequencing study of the tumor microenvironment. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:431. [PMID: 39259234 PMCID: PMC11390999 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01322-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer worldwide, with the tumor microenvironment (TME) playing a crucial role in its progression. Aggregated autophagy (AA) has been recognized as a factor that exacerbates CRC progression. This study aims to study the relationship between aggregated autophagy and CRC using single-cell sequencing techniques. Our goal is to explain the heterogeneity of the TME and to explore the potential for targeted personalized therapies. OBJECTIVE To study the role of AA in CRC, we employed single-cell sequencing to discern distinct subpopulations within the TME. These subpopulations were characterized by their autophagy levels and further analyzed to identify specific biological processes and marker genes. RESULTS Our study revealed significant correlations between immune factors and both clinical and biological characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly in cells expressing TUBA1B and HSP90AA1. These immune factors were associated with T cell depletion, a reduction in protective factors, diminished efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and enhanced migration of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), resulting in pronounced inflammation. In vitro experiments showd that silencing TUBA1B and HSP90AA1 using siRNA (Si-TUBA1B and Si-HSP90AA1) significantly reduced the expression of IL-6, IL-7, CXCL1, and CXCL2 and inhibition of tumor cell growth in Caco-2 and Colo-205 cell lines. This reduction led to a substantial alleviation of chronic inflammation and highlighted the heterogeneous nature of the TME. CONCLUSION This study marks an initial foray into understanding how AA-associated processes may potentiate the TME and weaken immune function. Our findings provide insights into the complex dynamics of the TME and highlight potential targets for therapeutic intervention, suggesting a key role for AA in the advancement of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianping Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hernial Surgery, Meishan Hospital of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Meishan City People's Hospital, Meishan, 620010, China
| | - Chao Liu
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Hailin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shujuan Li
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Hanshen Yan
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Ziyang Liu
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Kexin Chen
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Yaoqin Xu
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Runqin Yang
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Jingfang Zhou
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China
| | - Xiaolin Yang
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, 635000, China.
| | - Lexin Wang
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
- Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
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2
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Arpinati L, Carradori G, Scherz-Shouval R. CAF-induced physical constraints controlling T cell state and localization in solid tumours. Nat Rev Cancer 2024:10.1038/s41568-024-00740-4. [PMID: 39251836 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00740-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Solid tumours comprise cancer cells that engage in continuous interactions with non-malignant cells and with acellular components, forming the tumour microenvironment (TME). The TME has crucial and diverse roles in tumour progression and metastasis, and substantial efforts have been dedicated into understanding the functions of different cell types within the TME. These efforts highlighted the importance of non-cell-autonomous signalling in cancer, mediating interactions between the cancer cells, the immune microenvironment and the non-immune stroma. Much of this non-cell-autonomous signalling is mediated through acellular components of the TME, known as the extracellular matrix (ECM), and controlled by the cells that secrete and remodel the ECM - the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In this Review, we delve into the complex crosstalk among cancer cells, CAFs and immune cells, highlighting the effects of CAF-induced ECM remodelling on T cell functions and offering insights into the potential of targeting ECM components to improve cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Arpinati
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Giulia Carradori
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ruth Scherz-Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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Guo T, Xu J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: a versatile mediator in tumor progression, metastasis, and targeted therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:1095-1116. [PMID: 38602594 PMCID: PMC11300527 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the major component of TME and exhibit heterogeneous properties in their communication with tumor cells. This heterogeneity of CAFs can be attributed to various origins, including quiescent fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipocytes, pericytes, endothelial cells, and mesothelial cells. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing has identified diverse phenotypes of CAFs, with myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) being the most acknowledged, alongside newly discovered subtypes like antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs). Due to these heterogeneities, CAFs exert multiple functions in tumorigenesis, cancer stemness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metabolism, and metastasis. As a result, targeted therapies aimed at the TME, particularly focusing on CAFs, are rapidly developing, fueling the promising future of advanced tumor-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchen Guo
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junfen Xu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China.
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Li P, Zhang H, Chen T, Zhou Y, Yang J, Zhou J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and immunosuppression in gastric cancer. Matrix Biol 2024; 132:59-71. [PMID: 38936680 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2024.06.004] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite advances in surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, the mortality rate for gastric cancer remains one of the highest in the world. A large body of evidence has demonstrated that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as core members of the stroma, can secrete cytokines, proteins and exosomes to create a tumour microenvironment that is conducive to cancer cell survival. CAFs can also interact with cancer cells to form a complex signalling network, enabling cancer cells to more easily metastasise to other organs and tissues in the body and develop metastatic foci. In this review, we provide an overview of the CAFs concept and activators. We focus on elucidating their effects on immune cells, intratumoural vasculature, extracellular matrix, as well as cancer cell activity, metastatic power and metabolism, and on enhancing the metastatic ability of cancer cells through activation of JAK/STAT, NF/κB and CXCL12/CXCR4. Various therapeutic agents targeting CAFs are also under development and are expected to improve the prognosis of gastric cancer in combination with existing treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyuan Li
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yajing Zhou
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jiaoyang Yang
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of general surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, PR China.
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5
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Zou D, Xin X, Xu Y, Xu H, Huang L, Xu T. Improving the efficacy of immunotherapy for colorectal cancer: Targeting tumor microenvironment-associated immunosuppressive cells. Heliyon 2024; 10:e36446. [PMID: 39262952 PMCID: PMC11388603 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have changed the treatment paradigm for many malignant tumors. As the most common digestive tract malignancy, colorectal cancer (CRC) shows a good response to ICIs only in a small subset of patients with MSI-H/dMMR CRC. In contrast, patients with MSS/pMMR CRC show minimal response to ICIs. The results of the REGONIVO study suggest that targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME) to improve immunotherapy outcomes in MSS/pMMR CRC patients is a feasible strategy. Therefore, this article focuses on exploring the feasibility of targeting the TME to enhance immunotherapy outcomes in CRC, collecting recent basic research on targeting the TME to enhance immunotherapy outcomes in CRC and analyzing ongoing clinical trials to provide a theoretical basis and future research directions for improving immunotherapy outcomes in MSS/pMMR CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daoyang Zou
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Xi Xin
- Ganzhou People's Hospital, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Yunxian Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Huangzhen Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Linyan Huang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Tianwen Xu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
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Li J, Lin N, Zhang S, Weng L, Chen C, Ou W, Cao Y. Characterization of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer brain metastasis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34876. [PMID: 39157383 PMCID: PMC11328047 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34876] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The difference in the tumor microenvironment (TME) between primary breast cancer (PBC) and breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is still unknown. Herein, we present the landscape of the TME in PBC and BCBM to better understand the process of BCBM. Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to obtain suitable PBC and BCBM data. Hub genes that were differentially expressed between the two groups were searched. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG were used to define the gene's function. Single-cell data were also analyzed to determine the difference between PBC and BCBM. Results Two datasets (GSE100534 and GSE125989) were used to search for hub genes, and 79 genes were either upregulated or downregulated between the two groups. Four hub genes (COL1A1, PDGFR, MMP3 and FZD7) were related to prognosis. GO and KEGG analyses showed that extracellular matrix and focal adhesion play major roles in the metastasis process. Another two datasets (GSE176078 and GSE186344) were enrolled for single-cell analysis. Single-cell analysis demonstrated that immune cells (66.6 %) form the main part of PBC, while cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) (21.7 %) are the main component of BCBM. Immune cell proportion analysis showed that CD4+/CD8+ T cells (28.9 % and 14.3 %, respectively) and macrophages(M2) accounted for the majority of cells in PBC and BCBM, respectively. Further analysis of the classification of CAFs showed that apCAFs were significantly higher in PBC. Conclusions This study presents the landscape of BCBM with hub gene searching and single-cell analysis. Showing the difference in the tumor/immune microenvironment of PBC and BCBM, would be beneficial to explore immunotherapy and targeted therapy for BCBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrong Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Nanping Lin
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Shengcen Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Lihong Weng
- Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Wenshi Ou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
| | - Yingping Cao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
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Yu K, Wang J, Wang Y, He J, Hu S, Kuai S. Consensus clustering and development of a risk signature based on trajectory differential genes of cancer-associated fibroblast subpopulations in colorectal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:388. [PMID: 39120743 PMCID: PMC11315798 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05906-z] [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: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a crucial role in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the impact of CAF subpopulation trajectory differentiation on CRC remains unclear. METHODS In this study, we first explored the trajectory differences of CAFs subpopulations using bulk and integrated single-cell sequencing data, and then performed consensus clustering of CRC samples based on the trajectory differential genes of CAFs subpopulations. Subsequently, we analyzed the heterogeneity of CRC subtypes using bioinformatics. Finally, we constructed relevant prognostic signature using machine learning and validated them using spatial transcriptomic data. RESULTS Based on the differential genes of CAFs subpopulation trajectory differentiation, we identified two CRC subtypes (C1 and C2) in this study. Compared to C1, C2 exhibited worse prognosis, higher immune evasion microenvironment and high CAF characteristics. C1 was primarily associated with metabolism, while C2 was primarily associated with cell metastasis and immune regulation. By combining 101 combinations of 10 machine learning algorithms, we developed a High-CAF risk signatures (HCAFRS) based on the C2 characteristic gene. HCAFRS was an independent prognostic factor for CRC and, when combined with clinical parameters, significantly predicted the overall survival of CRC patients. HCAFRS was closely associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and hypoxia. Furthermore, the risk score of HCAFRS was mainly derived from CAFs and was validated in the spatial transcriptomic data. CONCLUSION In conclusion, HCAFRS has the potential to serve as a promising prognostic indicator for CRC, improving the quality of life for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yu
- Wuxi Huishan District People's Hospital, No. 2, Zhan Qian North Road, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Affiliated Huishan Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Wuxi Huishan District People's Hospital, No. 2, Zhan Qian North Road, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Affiliated Huishan Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yueqing Wang
- Wuxi Huishan District People's Hospital, No. 2, Zhan Qian North Road, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Affiliated Huishan Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiayi He
- Wuxi Huishan District People's Hospital, No. 2, Zhan Qian North Road, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Affiliated Huishan Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Shougang Kuai
- Wuxi Huishan District People's Hospital, No. 2, Zhan Qian North Road, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China.
- Affiliated Huishan Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
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8
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Chen Y, Liang Z, Lai M. Targeting the devil: Strategies against cancer-associated fibroblasts in colorectal cancer. Transl Res 2024; 270:81-93. [PMID: 38614213 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as significant constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a pivotal role in the progression of cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this comprehensive review, we presented the origins and activation mechanisms of CAFs in CRC, elaborating on how CAFs drive tumor progression through their interactions with CRC cells, immune cells, vascular endothelial cells, and the extracellular matrix within the TME. We systematically outline the intricate web of interactions among CAFs, tumor cells, and other TME components, and based on this complex interplay, we summarize various therapeutic strategies designed to target CAFs in CRC. It is also essential to recognize that CAFs represent a highly heterogeneous group, encompassing various subtypes such as myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF), inflammatory CAF (iCAF), antigen-presenting CAF (apCAF), vessel-associated CAF (vCAF). Herein, we provide a summary of studies investigating the heterogeneity of CAFs in CRC and the characteristic expression patterns of each subtype. While the majority of CAFs contribute to the exacerbation of CRC malignancy, recent findings have revealed specific subtypes that exert inhibitory effects on CRC progression. Nevertheless, the comprehensive landscape of CAF heterogeneity still awaits exploration. We also highlight pivotal unanswered questions that need to be addressed before CAFs can be recognized as feasible targets for cancer treatment. In conclusion, the aim of our review is to elucidate the significance and challenges of advancing in-depth research on CAFs, while outlining the pathway to uncover the complex roles of CAFs in CRC and underscore their significant potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Chen
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Zhiyong Liang
- Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Maode Lai
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
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9
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Zhu C, Lai Y, Liu C, Teng L, Zhu Y, Lin X, Fu X, Lai Q, Liu S, Zhou X, Fang Y. Comprehensively prognostic and immunological analyses of GLP-1 signaling-related genes in pan-cancer and validation in colorectal cancer. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1387243. [PMID: 39104385 PMCID: PMC11298396 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1387243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has crucial impact on glycemic control and weight loss physiologically. GLP-1 receptor agonists have been approved for treatment of diabetes and obesity. Emerging evidence suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists exert anticancer effect in tumorigenesis and development. However, the role and mechanism of GLP-1 signaling-related genes in pan-cancer still need further study. Methods: We comprehensively investigated the aberrant expression and genetic alterations of GLP-1 signaling-related genes in 33 cancer types. Next, GLP-1 signaling score of each patient in The Cancer Genome Atlas were established by the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis. In addition, we explored the association of GLP-1 signaling score with prognostic significance and immune characteristics. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining were applied to verify the expression profiling of GLP-1 signaling-related genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues. Wound-healing assays and migration assays were carried out to validate the role of GLP-1 receptor agonist in CRC cell lines. Results: The expression profiling of GLP-1 signaling-related genes is commonly altered in pan-cancer. The score was decreased in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues and the lower expression score was associated with worse survival in most of cancer types. Notably, GLP-1 signaling score was strongly correlated with immune cell infiltration, including T cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells and macrophages. In addition, GLP-1 signaling score exhibited close association with tumor mutation burden, microsatellite instability and immunotherapy response in patients with cancer. Moreover, we found that the expression of GLP-1 signaling-related genes ITPR1 and ADCY5 were significantly reduced in CRC tissues, and GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide impaired the migration capacity of CRC cells, indicating its protective role. Conclusion: This study provided a preliminary understanding of the GLP-1 signaling-related genes in pan-cancer, showing the prognosis significance and potential immunotherapeutic values in most cancer types, and verified the potential anticancer effect of GLP-1 receptor agonist in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaojun Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yihong Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengdong Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lan Teng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiuhua Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Side Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Liu W, Kuang T, Liu L, Deng W. The role of innate immune cells in the colorectal cancer tumor microenvironment and advances in anti-tumor therapy research. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1407449. [PMID: 39100676 PMCID: PMC11294098 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1407449] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Innate immune cells in the colorectal cancer microenvironment mainly include macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells and bone marrow-derived suppressor cells. They play a pivotal role in tumor initiation and progression through the secretion of diverse cytokines, chemokines, and other factors that govern these processes. Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, and understanding the role of innate immune cells in the microenvironment of CRC may help to improve therapeutic approaches to CRC and increase the good prognosis. In this review, we comprehensively explore the pivotal role of innate immune cells in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), alongside an extensive evaluation of the current landscape of innate immune cell-based immunotherapies, thereby offering valuable insights for future research strategies and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Wenhong Deng
- Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Li C, Saladin RJ, Cai W, Chen W. STING-targeted PET imaging: unveiling tumor immunogenicity post-chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 51:2758-2760. [PMID: 38771515 PMCID: PMC11334692 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06769-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Rachel J Saladin
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, K6/562 Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705-2275, USA
| | - Weibo Cai
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, K6/562 Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705-2275, USA.
| | - Weiyu Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Center for Oncology Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, 322000, China.
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Lung Cancer, Yiwu, 322000, China.
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12
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Hu X, Wang N, Gao F, Ge S, Lin M, Zhang X, Li T, Li T, Xu C, Huang C, Liang G, Shang W, Xiang F, Feng Y. Prognostic significance of serum Chemerin and neutrophils levels in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32393. [PMID: 38975159 PMCID: PMC11225754 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32393] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Chemerin, as a novel multifunctional adipokine, is proposed to be involved in high cancer risk and mortality. The present study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of serum Chemerin and neutrophils in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods 120 patients with OSCC were included in this prospective cohort study. The levels of serum Chemerin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also explored the possible effects of Chemerin on neutrophils' chemokines in OSCC using a real-time PCR, western blotting. Results Levels of serum Chemerin, neutrophils and NLR were significantly higher among non-survivors compared to survivors of OSCC (both P < 0.05). Higher serum Chemerin levels were associated with advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, differentiation and tumor recurrence (both P < 0.05). Serum Chemerin levels correlated with neutrophils and NLR levels (r = 0.708, r = 0.578, both P < 0.05). Based on ROC analysis, Chemerin + NLR predicted OSCC patient mortality with 81.54 % sensitivity and 87.27 % specificity, with an AUC of 0.8898. In a Kaplan-Meier analysis, high serum Chemerin levels, high neutrophil levels and high NLR levels were associated with shorter overall and disease-free survival (both P < 0.05). A univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that serum Chemerin and neutrophils were independent risk factors for OSCC. (both P < 0.05). QRT-PCR and western blotting results showed that Chemerin upregulated the expression of chemokines IL-17 and CXCL-5 in neutrophils (both P < 0.05). Conclusions Our study suggests that measurement of serum Chemerin and neutrophils might be a useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for OSCC patients. Chemerin may promote neutrophils infiltration in OSCC through upregulation of chemokines IL17 and CXCL-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyuan Hu
- Biological Therapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunzhou Road No. 519, Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Deparment of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Shengyou Ge
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology and The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Jiangsu Road No.16, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China
| | - Mei Lin
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Tongtong Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Tao Li
- Biological Therapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunzhou Road No. 519, Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China
| | - Changting Xu
- Biological Therapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunzhou Road No. 519, Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China
| | - Caixiu Huang
- Biological Therapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunzhou Road No. 519, Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China
| | - Guicai Liang
- Biological Therapy Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunzhou Road No. 519, Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China
| | - Wei Shang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology and The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Jiangsu Road No.16, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China
| | - Fenggang Xiang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yuanyong Feng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology and The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Jiangsu Road No.16, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China
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13
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Xie J, Yang A, Liu Q, Deng X, Lv G, Ou X, Zheng S, Situ MY, Yu Y, Liang JY, Zou Y, Tang H, Zhao Z, Lin F, Liu W, Xiao W. Single-cell RNA sequencing elucidated the landscape of breast cancer brain metastases and identified ILF2 as a potential therapeutic target. Cell Prolif 2024:e13697. [PMID: 38943472 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Distant metastasis remains the primary cause of morbidity in patients with breast cancer. Hence, the development of more efficacious strategies and the exploration of potential targets for patients with metastatic breast cancer are urgently needed. The data of six patients with breast cancer brain metastases (BCBrM) from two centres were collected, and a comprehensive landscape of the entire tumour ecosystem was generated through the utilisation of single-cell RNA sequencing. We utilised the Monocle2 and CellChat algorithms to investigate the interrelationships among each subcluster. In addition, multiple signatures were collected to evaluate key components of the subclusters through multi-omics methodologies. Finally, we elucidated common expression programs of malignant cells, and experiments were conducted in vitro and in vivo to determine the functions of interleukin enhancer-binding factor 2 (ILF2), which is a key gene in the metastasis module, in BCBrM progression. We found that subclusters in each major cell type exhibited diverse characteristics. Besides, our study indicated that ILF2 was specifically associated with BCBrM, and experimental validations further demonstrated that ILF2 deficiency hindered BCBrM progression. Our study offers novel perspectives on the heterogeneity of BCBrM and suggests that ILF2 could serve as a promising biomarker or therapeutic target for BCBrM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jindong Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinpei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangzhao Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueqi Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoquan Zheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min-Yi Situ
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie-Ying Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yutian Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hailin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijin Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fuhua Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Breast, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weikai Xiao
- Department of Breast Cancer, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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14
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Sun BY, Wang ZT, Chen KZ, Song Y, Wu JF, Zhang D, Sun GQ, Zhou J, Fan J, Hu B, Yi Y, Qiu SJ. Mobilization and activation of tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells inhibits lymph node metastasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:304. [PMID: 38926350 PMCID: PMC11208581 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02079-z] [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: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymph node metastasis (LNM) facilitates distant tumor colonization and leads to the high mortality in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, it remains elusive how ICC cells subvert immune surveillance within the primary tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and subsequently metastasize to lymph nodes (LNs). In this study, scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq analyses identified decreased infiltration of dendritic cells (DCs) into primary tumor sites of ICC with LNM, which was further validated via dual-color immunofluorescence staining of 219 surgically resected ICC samples. Tumor-infiltrating DCs correlated with increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and better prognoses in ICC patients. Mechanistically, β-catenin-mediated CXCL12 suppression accounted for the impaired DC recruitment in ICC with LNM. Two mouse ICC cell lines MuCCA1 and mIC-23 cells were established from AKT/NICD or AKT/YAP-induced murine ICCs respectively and were utilized to construct the footpad tumor LNM model. We found that expansion and activation of conventional DCs (cDCs) by combined Flt3L and poly(I:C) (FL-pIC) therapy markedly suppressed the metastasis of mIC-23 cells to popliteal LNs. Moreover, β-catenin inhibition restored the defective DC infiltration into primary tumor sites and reduced the incidence of LNM in ICC. Collectively, our findings identify tumor cell intrinsic β-catenin activation as a key mechanism for subverting DC-mediated anti-tumor immunity in ICC with LNM. FL-pIC therapy or β-catenin inhibitor could merit exploration as a potential regimen for mitigating ICC cell metastasis to LNs and achieving effective tumor immune control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Ye Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Zhu-Tao Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Ke-Zhu Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, PR China
| | - Yang Song
- Department of Dermatology, Clinical Immunology Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, PR China
| | - Jing-Fang Wu
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Dai Zhang
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Guo-Qiang Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Yong Yi
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Shuang-Jian Qiu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
- The Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
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15
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Yang M, Cui M, Sun Y, Liu S, Jiang W. Mechanisms, combination therapy, and biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy resistance. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:338. [PMID: 38898505 PMCID: PMC11186190 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01711-w] [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: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Anti-programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) antibodies exert significant antitumor effects by overcoming tumor cell immune evasion and reversing T-cell exhaustion. However, the emergence of drug resistance causes most patients to respond poorly to these immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Studies have shown that insufficient T-cell infiltration, lack of PD-1 expression, deficient interferon signaling, loss of tumor antigen presentation, and abnormal lipid metabolism are all considered to be closely associated with immunotherapy resistance. To address drug resistance in tumor immunotherapy, a lot of research has concentrated on developing combination therapy strategies. Currently, ICIs such as anti-PD-1 /PD-L1 antibody combined with chemotherapy and targeted therapy have been approved for clinical treatment. In this review, we analyze the mechanisms of resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in terms of the tumor microenvironment, gut microbiota, epigenetic regulation, and co-inhibitory immune checkpoint receptors. We also discuss various promising combination therapeutic strategies to address resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drugs, including combining these therapies with traditional Chinese medicine, non-coding RNAs, targeted therapy, other ICIs, and personalized cancer vaccines. Moreover, we focus on biomarkers that predict resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy as well as combination therapy efficacy. Finally, we suggest ways to further expand the application of immunotherapy through personalized combination strategies using biomarker systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manshi Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China
| | - Mengying Cui
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China
| | - Yang Sun
- Department of Orthopaedic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China
| | - Shui Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China
| | - Weibo Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China.
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16
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Chen X, Cheng G, Zhu L, Liu T, Yang X, Liu R, Ou Z, Zhang S, Tan W, Lin D, Wu C. Alarmin S100A8 imparts chemoresistance of esophageal cancer by reprogramming cancer-associated fibroblasts. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101576. [PMID: 38776909 PMCID: PMC11228400 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101576] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for advanced esophageal cancer. However, durable benefits are achieved by only a limited subset of individuals due to the elusive chemoresistance. Here, we utilize patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma to investigate chemoresistance mechanisms in preclinical settings. We observe that activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are enriched in the tumor microenvironment of PDXs resistant to chemotherapy. Mechanistically, we reveal that cancer-cell-derived S100A8 triggers the intracellular RhoA-ROCK-MLC2-MRTF-A pathway by binding to the CD147 receptor of CAFs, inducing CAF polarization and leading to chemoresistance. Therapeutically, we demonstrate that blocking the S100A8-CD147 pathway can improve chemotherapy efficiency. Prognostically, we found the S100A8 levels in peripheral blood can serve as an indicator of chemotherapy responsiveness. Collectively, our study offers a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance in esophageal cancer and highlights the potential value of S100A8 in the clinical management of esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Chen
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Guoyu Cheng
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Liang Zhu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Tianyuan Liu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Rucheng Liu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Zhengjie Ou
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Shaosen Zhang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Wen Tan
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China
| | - Dongxin Lin
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; CAMS Oxford Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100006, China.
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17
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Rhodes JD, Goldenring JR, Lee SH. Regulation of metaplasia and dysplasia in the stomach by the stromal microenvironment. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:1322-1330. [PMID: 38825636 PMCID: PMC11263556 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01240-z] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Research on the microenvironment associated with gastric carcinogenesis has focused on cancers of the stomach and often underestimates premalignant stages such as metaplasia and dysplasia. Since epithelial interactions with T cells, macrophages, and type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are indispensable for the formation of precancerous lesions in the stomach, understanding the cellular interactions that promote gastric precancer warrants further investigation. Although various types of immune cells have been shown to play important roles in gastric carcinogenesis, it remains unclear how stromal cells such as fibroblasts influence epithelial transformation in the stomach, especially during precancerous stages. Fibroblasts exist as distinct populations across tissues and perform different functions depending on the expression patterns of cell surface markers and secreted factors. In this review, we provide an overview of known microenvironmental components in the stroma with an emphasis on fibroblast subpopulations and their roles during carcinogenesis in tissues including breast, pancreas, and stomach. Additionally, we offer insights into potential targets of tumor-promoting fibroblasts and identify open areas of research related to fibroblast plasticity and the modulation of gastric carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared D Rhodes
- Program in Cancer Biology, Nashville, TN, USA
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - James R Goldenring
- Program in Cancer Biology, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Section of Surgical Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Nashville VA Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Su-Hyung Lee
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Section of Surgical Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.
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18
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Milosevic V, Östman A. Interactions between cancer-associated fibroblasts and T-cells: functional crosstalk with targeting and biomarker potential. Ups J Med Sci 2024; 129:10710. [PMID: 38863724 PMCID: PMC11165253 DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v129.10710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous cell population recognized as a key component of the tumour microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts are known to play an important role in maintaining and remodelling the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tumour stroma, supporting cancer progression and inhibiting the immune system's response against cancer cells. This review aims to summarize the immunomodulatory roles of CAFs, particularly focussing on their T-cell suppressive effects. Cancer-associated fibroblasts have several ways by which they can affect the tumour's immune microenvironment (TIME). For example, their interactions with macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) create an immunosuppressive milieu that can indirectly affect T-cell anticancer immunity and enable immune evasion. In addition, a number of recent studies have confirmed CAF-mediated direct suppressive effects on T-cell anticancer capacity through ECM remodelling, promoting the expression of immune checkpoints, cytokine secretion and the release of extracellular vesicles. The consequential impact of CAFs on T-cell function is then reflected in affecting T-cell proliferation and apoptosis, migration and infiltration, differentiation and exhaustion. Emerging evidence highlights the existence of specific CAF subsets with distinct capabilities to modulate the immune landscape of TME in various cancers, suggesting the possibility of their exploitation as possible prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladan Milosevic
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Arne Östman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Chen Y, Gao R, Jing D, Shi L, Kuang F, Jing R. Classification and prediction of chemoradiotherapy response and survival from esophageal carcinoma histopathology images. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 312:124030. [PMID: 38368818 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Whole slide imaging (WSI) of Hematoxylin and Eosin-stained biopsy specimens has been used to predict chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response and overall survival (OS) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. This retrospective study collected 279 specimens in 89 non-surgical ESCC patients through endoscopic biopsy between January 2010 and January 2019. These patients were divided into a CRT response group (CR + PR group) and a CRT non-response group (SD + PD group). The WSIs have segmented approximately 1,206,000 non-overlapping patches. Two experienced pathologists manually delineated the eight types of tissues on 32 WSIs, including esophagus tumor cell (TUM), cancer-associated stroma (CAS), normal epithelium layer (NEL), smooth muscle (MUS), lymphocytes (LYM), Red cells (RED), debris (DEB), uneven areas (UNE). The chemoradiotherapy response prediction models were built using maximum relevance-minimum redundancy (MRMR) feature selection and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. However, pathological features with p < 0.1 were selected and integrated to be further screened using a LASSO Cox regression model to build a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model for predicting the OS. The testing accuracy of the tissue classification model was 91.3 %. The pathological model created using two CAS in-depth features and eight TUM in-depth features performed best for the prediction of treatment response and achieved an AUC of 0.744. For the prediction of OS, the testing AUC of this model at one year and three years were 0.675 and 0.870, respectively. The TUM model showed the highest AUC at one year (0.712). With its high accuracy rate, the deep learning model has the potential to transform from bench to bedside in clinical practice, improve patient's quality of life, and prolong the OS rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Ruihuan Gao
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Di Jing
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Liting Shi
- Department of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271016, China
| | - Feng Kuang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ran Jing
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008 Changsha, China.
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20
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Li D, Huang P, Xia L, Leng W, Qin S. Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote gastric cancer cell proliferation by paracrine FGF2-driven ribosome biogenesis. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111836. [PMID: 38479160 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111836] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-derived secretome plays critical roles in tumor progression by remodelling tumor microenvironment. Tumorigenesis is accompanied by the transformation of normal fibroblasts (NF) into CAF, leading to significant changes in their secretome. This work aims to identify the differential components of secretome between NFs and CAFs and reveal their functions in gastric cancer (GC). Firstly, our molecular typing studies and immune infiltration analysis showed that CAF infiltration level was increased and showed a significant association with clinical characteristics and poor prognosis of GC patients. Secondly, RNA-seq analysis revealed that a total of 1531 genes showed significant expression changes between NF and CAF. According to the annotation of the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database, 147 genes encode secreted proteins, including FGF2. Particularly, the cell co-culture and RNA sequencing studies confirmed that exogenous recombinant FGF2 protein treatment promoted GC cell proliferation by enhancing ribosome biogenesis. The rescue assay showed that CAF-secreted FGF2 protein promotes GC cell growth and proliferation in a FGFR1-dependent manner. Our finding provides evidence that targeting blockade of CAF-derived FGF2 protein might be a promising treatment for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Shiyan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Nanoformulation Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China
| | - Pan Huang
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China
| | - Lingyun Xia
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China
| | - Weidong Leng
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China.
| | - Shanshan Qin
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Shiyan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Nanoformulation Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China.
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21
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Olaoba OT, Yang M, Adelusi TI, Maidens T, Kimchi ET, Staveley-O’Carroll KF, Li G. Targeted Therapy for Highly Desmoplastic and Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1470. [PMID: 38672552 PMCID: PMC11048089 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081470] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy with a very poor prognosis. Despite advancements in treatment strategies, PDAC remains recalcitrant to therapies because patients are often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The advanced stage of PDAC is characterized by metastasis, which typically renders it unresectable by surgery or untreatable by chemotherapy. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC comprises highly proliferative myofibroblast-like cells and hosts the intense deposition of a extracellular matrix component that forms dense fibrous connective tissue, a process called the desmoplastic reaction. In desmoplastic TMEs, the incessant aberration of signaling pathways contributes to immunosuppression by suppressing antitumor immunity. This feature offers a protective barrier that impedes the targeted delivery of drugs. In addition, the efficacy of immunotherapy is compromised because of the immune cold TME of PDAC. Targeted therapy approaches towards stromal and immunosuppressive TMEs are challenging. In this review, we discuss cellular and non-cellular TME components that contain actionable targets for drug development. We also highlight findings from preclinical studies and provide updates about the efficacies of new investigational drugs in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olamide T. Olaoba
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
| | - Temitope I. Adelusi
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
- Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Tessa Maidens
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
| | - Eric T. Kimchi
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
- Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Kevin F. Staveley-O’Carroll
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
- Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Guangfu Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (O.T.O.); (M.Y.); (T.I.A.); (T.M.); (E.T.K.)
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
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22
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Huang Q, Ge Y, He Y, Wu J, Tong Y, Shang H, Liu X, Ba X, Xia D, Peng E, Chen Z, Tang K. The Application of Nanoparticles Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:3333-3365. [PMID: 38617796 PMCID: PMC11012801 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s447350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are the most abundant stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), especially in solid tumors. It has been confirmed that it can not only interact with tumor cells to promote cancer progression and metastasis, but also affect the infiltration and function of immune cells to induce chemotherapy and immunotherapy resistance. So, targeting CAF has been considered an important method in cancer treatment. The rapid development of nanotechnology provides a good perspective to improve the efficiency of targeting CAF. At present, more and more researches have focused on the application of nanoparticles (NPs) in targeting CAF. These studies explored the effects of different types of NPs on CAF and the multifunctional nanomedicines that can eliminate CAF are able to enhance the EPR effect which facilitate the anti-tumor effect of themselves. There also exist amounts of studies focusing on using NPs to inhibit the activation and function of CAF to improve the therapeutic efficacy. The application of NPs targeting CAF needs to be based on an understanding of CAF biology. Therefore, in this review, we first summarized the latest progress of CAF biology, then discussed the types of CAF-targeting NPs and the main strategies in the current. The aim is to elucidate the application of NPs in targeting CAF and provide new insights for engineering nanomedicine to enhance immune response in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Huang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Ge
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu He
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yonghua Tong
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haojie Shang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaozhuo Ba
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ding Xia
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ejun Peng
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kun Tang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China
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23
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Xiang M, Li H, Zhan Y, Ma D, Gao Q, Fang Y. Functional CRISPR screens in T cells reveal new opportunities for cancer immunotherapies. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:73. [PMID: 38581063 PMCID: PMC10996278 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01987-z] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells are fundamental components in tumour immunity and cancer immunotherapies, which have made immense strides and revolutionized cancer treatment paradigm. However, recent studies delineate the predicament of T cell dysregulation in tumour microenvironment and the compromised efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. CRISPR screens enable unbiased interrogation of gene function in T cells and have revealed functional determinators, genetic regulatory networks, and intercellular interactions in T cell life cycle, thereby providing opportunities to revamp cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we briefly described the central roles of T cells in successful cancer immunotherapies, comprehensively summarised the studies of CRISPR screens in T cells, elaborated resultant master genes that control T cell activation, proliferation, fate determination, effector function, and exhaustion, and highlighted genes (BATF, PRDM1, and TOX) and signalling cascades (JAK-STAT and NF-κB pathways) that extensively engage in multiple branches of T cell responses. In conclusion, this review bridged the gap between discovering element genes to a specific process of T cell activities and apprehending these genes in the global T cell life cycle, deepened the understanding of T cell biology in tumour immunity, and outlined CRISPR screens resources that might facilitate the development and implementation of cancer immunotherapies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghua Xiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huayi Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qinglei Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yong Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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24
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Zhang X, Ma H, Gao Y, Liang Y, Du Y, Hao S, Ni T. The Tumor Microenvironment: Signal Transduction. Biomolecules 2024; 14:438. [PMID: 38672455 PMCID: PMC11048169 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040438] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the challenging tumor microenvironment (TME), tumors coexist with diverse stromal cell types. During tumor progression and metastasis, a reciprocal interaction occurs between cancer cells and their environment. These interactions involve ongoing and evolving paracrine and proximal signaling. Intrinsic signal transduction in tumors drives processes such as malignant transformation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune evasion, and tumor cell metastasis. In addition, cancer cells embedded in the tumor microenvironment undergo metabolic reprogramming. Their metabolites, serving as signaling molecules, engage in metabolic communication with diverse matrix components. These metabolites act as direct regulators of carcinogenic pathways, thereby activating signaling cascades that contribute to cancer progression. Hence, gaining insights into the intrinsic signal transduction of tumors and the signaling communication between tumor cells and various matrix components within the tumor microenvironment may reveal novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we initially examine the development of the tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, we delineate the oncogenic signaling pathways within tumor cells and elucidate the reciprocal communication between these pathways and the tumor microenvironment. Finally, we give an overview of the effect of signal transduction within the tumor microenvironment on tumor metabolism and tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Haijun Ma
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Protection and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in Western China, School of Life Sciences, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China;
| | - Yue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yabing Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yitian Du
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Shuailin Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (Y.L.); (Y.D.)
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25
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Nishida N, Kudo M. Genetic/Epigenetic Alteration and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Transforming the Immune Microenvironment with Molecular-Targeted Agents. Liver Cancer 2024; 13:136-149. [PMID: 38751556 PMCID: PMC11095601 DOI: 10.1159/000534443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. So far, standard systemic therapy for advanced iCCA has been a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin. However, recent advancements in the understanding of the molecular characteristics of iCCA have opened new possibilities for molecular-targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Summary Reportedly, 9-36% of iCCA cases have an inflamed tumor immune microenvironment (TME) based on the immune gene expression signature, which is characterized by the presence of immune cells involved in anti-tumor immune responses. The majority of iCCA cases have a non-inflamed TME with a lack of effector T cells, rendering immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) ineffective in these cases. Interestingly, alterations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR2) gene and IDH1/2 gene mutations are often observed in the non-inflamed TME in iCCA. Several mechanisms have been reported for the role of driver mutations on the establishment of TME unique for iCCA. For example, IDH1/2 mutations, which cause an increase in DNA methylation, are associated with the downregulation and hypermethylation of antigen processing and presentation machinery, which may contribute to the establishment of a non-inflamed TME. Therefore, inhibitors targeting IDH1/2 may restore the DNA methylation and expression status of molecules involved in antigen presentation, potentially improving the efficacy of ICIs. FGFR inhibitors may also have the potential to modulate immunosuppressive TME by inhibitingthe suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 and activating the interferon-γ signaling as a consequence of inhibition of the FGFR signal. From this perspective, understanding the molecular characteristics of iCCA, including the TME and driver mutations, is essential for the effective application of ICIs and molecular-targeted therapies. Key Messages Combination approaches that target both the tumor and immune system hold promise for improving the outcomes of patients with iCCA. Further research and clinical trials are needed to validate these approaches and optimize the treatment strategies for iCCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoshi Nishida
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Japan
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26
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Wang F, Li Z, Xu T, Zhang Q, Ma T, Li S, Wang X. A comprehensive multi-omics analysis identifies a robust scoring system for cancer-associated fibroblasts and intervention targets in colorectal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:124. [PMID: 38478111 PMCID: PMC10937804 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05548-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) play a critical role in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and immune evasion. While numerous studies have investigated CAF, there remains a paucity of research on their clinical application in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS In this study, we collected differentially expressed genes between CAF and normal fibroblasts (NF) from previous CRC studies, and utilized machine learning analysis to differentiate two distinct subtypes of CAF in CRC. To enable practical application, a CAF-related genes (CAFGs) scoring system was developed based on multivariate Cox regression. We then conducted functional enrichment analysis, Kaplan-Meier plot, consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) classification, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm to investigate the relationship between the CAFGs scoring system and various biological mechanisms, prognostic value, tumor microenvironment, and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Moreover, single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics analyses have been employed to validate the significance of scoring system-related molecules in the identity and function of CAF. RESULTS We unveiled significant distinctions in tumor immune status and prognosis not only between the CAF clusters, but also across high and low CAFGs groups. Specifically, patients in CAF cluster 2 or with high CAFGs scores exhibited higher CAF markers and were enriched for CAF-related biological pathways such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis. In addition, CAFGs score was identified as a risk index and correlated with poor overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). High CAFGs scores were observed in patients with advanced stages, CMS4, as well as lymphatic invasion. Furthermore, elevated CAFG scores in patients signified a suppressive tumor microenvironment characterized by the upregulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), T-cell dysfunction, exclusion, and TIDE score. And high CAFGs scores can differentiate patients with lower response rates and poor prognosis under ICB therapy. Notably, single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics analyses identified several molecules related to CAF identity and function, such as FSTL1, IGFBP7, and FBN1. CONCLUSION We constructed a robust CAFGs score system with clinical significance using multiple CRC cohorts. In addition, we identified several molecules related to CAF identity and function that could be potential intervention targets for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhenlin Li
- Department of Surgical Clinical, School of Heze Medical College, Heze, China
| | - Tianlei Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyi Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sijia Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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27
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Tai Y, Chen M, Wang F, Fan Y, Zhang J, Cai B, Yan L, Luo Y, Li Y. The role of dendritic cells in cancer immunity and therapeutic strategies. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 128:111548. [PMID: 38244518 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111548] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are asserted as the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that orchestrate both innate and adaptive immunity, being extremely effective in the induction of robust anti-cancer T cell responses. Hence, the modulation of DCs function represents an attractive target for improving cancer immunotherapy efficacy. A better understanding of the immunobiology of DCs, the interaction among DCs, immune effector cells and tumor cells in tumor microenvironment (TME) and the latest advances in biomedical engineering technology would be required for the design of optimal DC-based immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on elaborating the immunobiology of DCs in healthy and cancer environments, the recent advances in the development of enhancing endogenous DCs immunocompetence via immunomodulators as well as DC-based vaccines. The rapidly developing field of applying nanotechnology to improve DC-based immunotherapy is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunze Tai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Man Chen
- Hebei Yanda Lu Daopei Hospital, Langfang 065201, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Kaili, Guizhou 556000, China
| | - Yu Fan
- Department of Urology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics and Organ Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Xiang, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Junlong Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bei Cai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lin Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yao Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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28
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Wang D, Li L, Zhang Y, Ye K. Lipopolysaccharide-Educated Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Facilitate Malignant Progression of Ovarian Cancer Cells via the NF-kB/IL-6/JAK2 Signal Transduction. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01055-3. [PMID: 38305842 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01055-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria increase in ovarian cancer (OC) tissues, but its association with OC progression remains largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate whether and how cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) pretreated by the main components of bacterial outer membrane lipopolysaccharide (LPS) influence the malignancy of OC cells. Specifically, the culture medium of LPS-preconditioned CAFs (LPS-CM) further accelerated cell proliferation, colony formation and tumorigenesis of OC cells SKOV3 and HEY A8, compared with culture medium of CAFs. Next, we found that LPS pretreatment activated the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) pathway in CAFs to secret cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), etc. Neutralization of IL-6 in LPS-CM abolished the promoting effect of LPS-CM on cell proliferation, survival and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in SKOV3 and HEY A8 cells. Mechanistically, LPS-CM activated the Janus kinases 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway, while application with JAK2 inhibitor also reversed the promoting effect of LPS-CM on malignancy of OC cells. In summary, LPS-pretreated CAFs IL-6-dependently accelerate OC progression via activating the JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway, which enriches our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ovaries-colonized gram-negative bacteria in OC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongjie Wang
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, 650032, China
- The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Lingchuan Li
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, 650032, China
- The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, 650032, China.
- The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China.
| | - Kefan Ye
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, 650032, China.
- The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China.
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Zhang X, Zhang M, Sun H, Wang X, Wang X, Sheng W, Xu M. The role of transcription factors in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00046-8. [PMID: 38309692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.033] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factors (TFs) fulfill a critical role in the formation and maintenance of different cell types during the developmental process as well as disease. It is believed that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activation status of tissue-resident fibroblasts or derived from form other cell types via transdifferentiation or dedifferentiation. Despite a subgroup of CAFs exhibit anti-cancer effects, most of them are reported to exert effects on tumor progression, further indicating their heterogeneous origin. AIM OF REVIEW This review aimed to summarize and review the roles of TFs in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, discuss the emerging mechanisms, and their roles in cell-fate decision, cellular reprogramming and advancing our understanding of the gene regulatory networks over the period of cancer initiation and progression. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW This manuscript delves into the key contributory factors of TFs that are involved in activating CAFs and maintaining their unique states. Additionally, it explores how TFs play a pivotal and multifaceted role in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells. This includes their involvement in processes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, as well as metabolic reprogramming. TFs also have a role in constructing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, inducing resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, facilitating angiogenesis, and even 'educating' CAFs to support the malignancies of tumor cells. Furthermore, this manuscript delves into the current status of TF-targeted therapy and considers the future directions of TFs in conjunction with anti-CAFs therapies to address the challenges in clinical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weiqi Sheng
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Midie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Su X, Fu C, Liu F, Bian R, Jing P. T-cell exhaustion prediction algorithm in tumor microenvironment for evaluating prognostic stratification and immunotherapy effect of esophageal cancer. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024; 39:592-611. [PMID: 37493251 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common digestive malignancy that ranks sixth in cancer deaths, with a 5-year survival rate of 15%-25%. As a result, reliable prognostic biomarkers are required to accurately predict the prognosis of EC. T-cell exhaustion (TEX) is associated with poorer prognosis and immune infiltration in EC. In this study, nine risk genes were finally screened to constitute the prognostic model using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis. Patients were divided into two groups based on the expression of the TEX-related genes: high-risk group and low-risk group. The expression of TEX-related genes differed significantly between the two groups. The findings revealed that the risk model developed was highly related to the clinical prognosis and amount of immune cell infiltration in EC patients. It was also significantly correlated with the therapeutic sensitivity of multiple chemotherapeutic agents in EC patients. Subsequently, we successfully constructed drug-resistant cell lines KYSE480/CDDP-R and KYSE180/CDDP-R to verify the correlation between PD-1 and drug resistance in EC. Then, we examined the mRNA and protein expression levels of PD-1 in parental and drug-resistant cells using qPCR and WB. It was found that the expression level of PD-1 was significantly increased in the plasma red of drug-resistant cells. Next, we knocked down PD-1 in drug-resistant cells and found that the resistance of EC cells to CDDP was significantly reduced. And the proportion of apoptotic cells in cells treated with 6 μM CDDP for 24 h was significantly in increase. The TEX-based risk model achieved good prediction results for prognosis prediction in EC patients. And it was also significantly associated with the level of immune cell infiltration and drug therapy sensitivity of EC patients. Additionally, the downregulation of PD-1 may be associated with increased drug sensitivity in EC and enhanced T-cell infiltration. The high-risk group had lower TIDE scores, indicating that the high-risk group benefits more after receiving immunotherapy. Thus, the TEX-based risk model can be used as a novel tumor prognostic biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Su
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chenchun Fu
- Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Oncology, Luhe People's Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing, China
| | - Rongrong Bian
- Department of Oncology, Luhe People's Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing, China
| | - Ping Jing
- Department of Gastroenterology, Luhe People's Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing, China
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31
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Peng C, Xu Y, Wu J, Wu D, Zhou L, Xia X. TME-Related Biomimetic Strategies Against Cancer. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:109-135. [PMID: 38192633 PMCID: PMC10773252 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s441135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in various stages of tumor generation, metastasis, and evasion of immune monitoring and treatment. TME targeted therapy is based on TME components, related pathways or active molecules as therapeutic targets. Therefore, TME targeted therapy based on environmental differences between TME and normal cells has been widely studied. Biomimetic nanocarriers with low clearance, low immunogenicity, and high targeting have enormous potential in tumor treatment. This review introduces the composition and characteristics of TME, including cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs), extracellular matrix (ECM), tumor blood vessels, non-tumor cells, and the latest research progress of biomimetic nanoparticles (NPs) based on TME. It also discusses the opportunities and challenges of clinical transformation of biomimetic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yilin Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Donghai Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lili Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinhua Xia
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
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Li W, Xu T, Jin H, Li M, Jia Q. Emerging role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 253:155002. [PMID: 38056131 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.155002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal carcinoma is the sixth leading cause of cancer death globally and the majority of global cases are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Difficulty in diagnosis exists as more than 70% of ESCC patients are diagnosed at the intermediate or advanced stage. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been considered one of the crucial components in the process of tumor growth, promoting communications between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). CAFs grow alongside malignancies dynamically and interact with ESCC cells to promote their progression, proliferation, invasion, tumor escape, chemo- and radio-resistance, etc. It is believed that CAFs qualify as a promising direction for treatment. Analyzing CAFs' subtypes and functions will elucidate the involvement of CAFs in ESCC and aid in therapeutics. This review summarizes current information on CAFs in ESCC and focuses on the latest interaction between CAFs and ESCC cancer cell discoveries. The origin of CAFs and their communication with ESCC cells and TME are also demonstrated. On the foundation of a thorough analysis, we highlight the clinical prospects and CAFs-related therapies in ESCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianqi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hai Jin
- Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, 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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Peng X, Zheng J, Liu T, Zhou Z, Song C, Geng Y, Wang Z, Huang Y. Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity, Potential Therapeutic Avenues, and Emerging Therapies. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:288-307. [PMID: 37537777 DOI: 10.2174/1568009623666230712095021] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This review describes the comprehensive portrait of tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, we provided a panoramic perspective on the transformation and functions of the diverse constituents in TME, and the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance, beginning with the immune cells and metabolic dynamics within TME. Lastly, we summarized the most auspicious potential therapeutic strategies. RESULTS TME is a unique realm crafted by malignant cells to withstand the onslaught of endogenous and exogenous therapies. Recent research has revealed many small-molecule immunotherapies exhibiting auspicious outcomes in preclinical investigations. Furthermore, some pro-immune mechanisms have emerged as a potential avenue. With the advent of nanosystems and precision targeting, targeted therapy has now transcended the "comfort zone" erected by cancer cells within TME. CONCLUSION The ceaseless metamorphosis of TME fosters the intransigent resilience and proliferation of tumors. However, existing therapies have yet to surmount the formidable obstacles posed by TME. Therefore, scientists should investigate potential avenues for therapeutic intervention and design innovative pharmacological and clinical technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Peng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jingfan Zheng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Tianzi Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Ziwen Zhou
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Chen Song
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yan Geng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Zichuan Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
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Yuan WC, Zhang JX, Chen HB, Yuan Y, Zhuang YP, Zhou HL, Li MH, Qiu WL, Zhou HG. A bibliometric and visual analysis of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1323115. [PMID: 38173726 PMCID: PMC10762783 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1323115] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the predominant stromal component within the tumour microenvironment (TME), exhibiting considerable heterogeneity and plasticity that significantly impact immune response and metabolic reprogramming within the TME, thereby influencing tumour progression. Consequently, investigating CAFs is of utmost importance. The objective of this study is to employ bibliometric analysis in order to evaluate the current state of research on CAFs and predict future areas of research and emerging trends. Methods Conduct a comprehensive search for scholarly publications within the Web of Science Core Collection database, encompassing the time period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2022. Apply VOSviewer, CiteSpace, R software and Microsoft Excel for bibliometric analysis and visualisation. Results This study involved a comprehensive analysis of 5,925 publications authored by 33,628 individuals affiliated with 4,978 institutions across 79 countries/regions. These publications were published in 908 journals, covering 14,495 keywords and 203,947 references. Notably, there was a significant increase in articles published between 2019 and 2022. China had the highest count of articles, while the United States emerged as the most frequently cited country. The primary research institutions in this field were Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Harvard University, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Sotgia, Federica and Lisanti, Michael P from the University of Manchester, and Martinet, Wim from the University of Antwerp were the most prolific and highly cited authors. The journal Cancers had the highest number of publications, while Cancer Research was the most frequently cited journal. Molecular, biology, immunology, medicine and genetics were the main research disciplines in the field of CAFs. Key directions in CAFs research encompassed the study of transforming growth factor-β, Fibroblast Activation Protein, breast cancer, as well as growth and metastasis. The findings from the analysis of keyword co-occurrence and literature co-citation have revealed several emerging hotspots and trends within the field of CAFs. These include STAT3, multidrug resistance, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pan-cancer analysis, preclinical evaluation, ionizing radiation, and gold nanoparticles. Conclusion Targeting CAFs is anticipated to be a novel and effective strategy for cancer treatment. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research on CAFs from 2001 to 2022, utilizing bibliometric analysis. The study identified the prominent areas of investigation and anticipated future research directions, with the aim of providing valuable insights and recommendations for future studies in the field of CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chen Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie-Xiang Zhang
- The First Clinical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hai-Bin Chen
- Science and Technology Department, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Oral Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, China
| | - Yu-Pei Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Li Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mu-Han Li
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen-Li Qiu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Guang Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Ye Y, Zhang S, Jiang Y, Huang Y, Wang G, Zhang M, Gui Z, Wu Y, Bian G, Li P, Zhang M. Identification of a cancer associated fibroblasts-related index to predict prognosis and immune landscape in ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21565. [PMID: 38057405 PMCID: PMC10700659 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48653-w] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a role in ovarian cancer (OV) evolution, immunosuppression and promotion of drug resistance. Exploring the value of CAFs-related biomarker in OV is of great importance. In the present work, we developed a CAFs-related index (CAFRI) based on an integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing and highlighted the value of CAFRI in predicting clinical outcomes in individuals with OV, tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The GSE151214 cohort was used for cell subpopulation localization and analysis, the TCGA-OV patients as a training set. Moreover, the ICGC-OV, GSE26193, GSE26712 and GSE19829 cohorts were used for the validation of CAFRI. The TIMER 2.0, CIBERSORT and ssGSEA algorithms were used for analysis of TIME characteristics based on the CAFRI. The GSVA, GSEA, GO, KEGG and tumour mutation burden (TMB) analyses were used for mechanistic exploration. Additionally, the IMvigor210 cohort was conducted to validate the predictive value of CAFRI on the efficacy of ICIs. Finally, CAFRI-based antitumour drug sensitivity was analysed. The findings demonstrate that the CAFRI can served as an excellent predictor of prognosis for individuals with OV, as well as identifying patients with different TIME characteristics, differentiating between immune 'hot' and 'cold' tumour populations, and providing new insights into the selection of ICIs and personalised treatment regimens. CAFRI provides new perspectives for the development of novel prognostic and immunotherapy efficacy predictive biomarkers for OV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingquan Ye
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zhang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yue Jiang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Gaoxiang Wang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhongxuan Gui
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Geng Bian
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ping Li
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Graduate School of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
| | - Mei Zhang
- Oncology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Graduate School of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
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Gao D, Fang L, Liu C, Yang M, Yu X, Wang L, Zhang W, Sun C, Zhuang J. Microenvironmental regulation in tumor progression: Interactions between cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115622. [PMID: 37783155 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME), the "soil" on which tumor cells grow, has an important role in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells as well as their response to treatment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as the most abundant stromal cells of the TME, can not only directly alter the immunosuppressive effect of the TME through their own metabolism, but also influence the aggregation and function of immune cells by secreting a large number of cytokines and chemokines, reducing the body's immune surveillance of tumor cells and making them more prone to immune escape. Our study provides a comprehensive review of fibroblast chemotaxis, malignant transformation, metabolic characteristics, and interactions with immune cells. In addition, the current small molecule drugs targeting CAFs have been summarized, including both natural small molecules and targeted drugs for current clinical therapeutic applications. A complete review of the role of fibroblasts in TME from an immune perspective is presented, which has important implications in improving the efficiency of immunotherapy by targeting fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Gao
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, China
| | - Liguang Fang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, China
| | - Mengrui Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, China
| | - Xiaoyun Yu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, China
| | - Longyun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, 999078, Macao Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, 999078, Macao Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261000, China; Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang 261000, China.
| | - Jing Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang 261000, China.
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Nowosad A, Marine JC, Karras P. Perivascular niches: critical hubs in cancer evolution. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:897-910. [PMID: 37453870 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Tumors are heterogeneous ecosystems in which cancer cells coexist within a complex tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The malignant, stromal, and immune cell compartments establish a plethora of bidirectional cell-cell communication crosstalks that influence tumor growth and metastatic dissemination, which we are only beginning to understand. Cancer cells either co-opt or promote the formation of new blood and lymphatic vessels to cope with their need for nutrients and oxygen. Recent studies have highlighted additional key roles for the tumor vasculature and have identified the perivascular niche as a cellular hub, where intricate and dynamic cellular interactions promote cancer stemness, immune evasion, dormancy, and metastatic spreading. Here, we review these findings, and discuss how they may be exploited therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada Nowosad
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Panagiotis Karras
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Wu J, Dong W, Pan Y, Wang J, Wu M, Yu Y. Crosstalk between gut microbiota and metastasis in colorectal cancer: implication of neutrophil extracellular traps. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1296783. [PMID: 37936694 PMCID: PMC10626548 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1296783] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary colorectal cancer (CRC) often leads to liver metastasis, possibly due to the formation of pre-metastatic niche (PMN) in liver. Thus, unravelling the key modulator in metastasis is important for the development of clinical therapies. Gut microbiota dysregulation is a key event during CRC progression and metastasis. Numerous studies have elucidated the correlation between specific gut bacteria strains (e.g., pks + E. coli and Bacteroides fragilis) and CRC initiation, and gut bacteria translocation is commonly witnessed during CRC progression. Gut microbiota shapes tumor microenvironment (TME) through direct contact with immune cells or through its functional metabolites. However, how gut microbiota facilitates CRC metastasis remains controversial. Meanwhile, recent studies identify the dissemination of bacteria from gut lumen to liver, suggesting the role of gut microbiota in shaping tumor PMN. A pro-tumoral PMN is characterized by the infiltration of immunosuppressive cells and increased pro-inflammatory immune responses. Notably, neutrophils form web-like structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) both in primary TME and metastatic sites, NETs are involved in cancer progression and metastasis. In this review, we focus on the role of gut microbiota in CRC progression and metastasis, highlight the multiple functions of different immune cell types in TME, especially neutrophils and NETs, discuss the possible mechanisms of gut microbiota in shaping PMN formation, and provide therapeutical indications in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Clinical Research and Lab Center, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Kunshan, China
| | - Wenyan Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yayun Pan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Kunshan, China
| | - Minliang Wu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Xue M, Tong Y, Xiong Y, Yu C. Role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the progression, therapeutic resistance and targeted therapy of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1257266. [PMID: 37927475 PMCID: PMC10623436 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1257266] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive malignant tumours with high morbidity and mortality. Although surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are common treatment options available for oesophageal cancer, the 5-year survival rate remains low after treatment. On the one hand, many oesophageal cancers are are discovered at an advanced stage and, on the other hand, treatment resistance is a major obstacle to treating locally advanced ESCC. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the main type of stromal cell in the tumour microenvironment, enhance tumour progression and treatment resistance and have emerged as a major focus of study on targeted therapy of oesophageal cancer.With the aim of providing potential, prospective targets for improving therapeutic efficacy, this review summarises the origin and activation of CAFs and their specific role in regulating tumour progression and treatment resistance in ESCC. We also emphasize the clinical potential and emerging trends of ESCC CAFs-targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Changhua Yu
- Department of Radiotherapy, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
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Zhao C, Zhou X, Cao Z, Ye L, Cao Y, Pan J. Curcumin and analogues against head and neck cancer: From drug delivery to molecular mechanisms. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 119:154986. [PMID: 37506572 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154986] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most life-threatening diseases which also causes economic burden worldwide. To overcome the limitations of traditional therapies, investigation into alternative adjuvant treatments is crucial. PURPOSE Curcumin, a turmeric-derived compound, demonstrates significant therapeutic potential in diverse diseases, including cancer. Furthermore, research focuses on curcumin analogues and novel drug delivery systems, offering approaches for improved efficacy. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of curcumin's current findings, emphasizing its mechanisms of anti-HNSCC effects and potential for clinical application. METHOD An electronic search of Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Embase was conducted to identify literature about the application of curcumin or analogues in HNSCC. Titles and abstracts were screened to identify potentially eligible studies. Full-text articles will be obtained and independently evaluated by two authors to make the decision of inclusion in the review. RESULTS Curcumin's clinical application is hindered by poor bioavailability, prompting the exploration of methods to enhance it, such as curcumin analogues and novel drug delivery systems. Curcumin could exhibit anti-cancer effects by targeting cancer cells and modulating the tumor microenvironment in HNSCC. Mechanisms of action include cell cycle arrest, apoptosis promotion, reactive oxygen species induction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, attenuation of extracellular matrix degradation, and modulation of tumor metabolism in HNSCC cells. Curcumin also targets various components of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer-associated fibroblasts, innate and adaptive immunity, and lymphovascular niches. Furthermore, curcumin enhances the anti-cancer effects of other drugs as adjunctive therapy. Two clinical trials report its potential clinical applications in treating HNSCC. CONCLUSION Curcumin has demonstrated therapeutic potential in HNSCC through in vitro and in vivo studies. Its effectiveness is attributed to its ability to modulate cancer cells and interact with the intricate tumor microenvironment. The development of curcumin analogues and novel drug delivery systems has shown promise in improving its bioavailability, thereby expanding its clinical applications. Further research and exploration in this area hold great potential for harnessing the full therapeutic benefits of curcumin in HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengzhi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Xueer Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Zhiwei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Li Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Yubin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
| | - Jian Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 1 Section 3rd, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
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Tan XY, Li YT, Li HH, Ma LX, Zeng CM, Zhang TT, Huang TX, Zhao XD, Fu L. WNT2-SOX4 positive feedback loop promotes chemoresistance and tumorigenesis by inducing stem-cell like properties in gastric cancer. Oncogene 2023; 42:3062-3074. [PMID: 37634009 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02816-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by its vigorous chemoresistance to current therapies, which is attributed to the highly heterogeneous and immature phenotype of cancer stem cells (CSCs) during tumor initiation and progression. The secretory WNT2 ligand regulates multiple cancer pathways and has been demonstrated to be a potential therapeutic target for gastrointestinal tumors; however, its role involved in gastric CSCs (GCSCs) remains unclear. Here, we found that overexpression of WNT2 enhanced stemness properties to promote chemoresistance and tumorigenicity in GCSCs. Mechanistically, WNT2 was positively regulated by its transcription factor SOX4, and in turn, SOX4 was upregulated by the canonical WNT2/FZD8/β-catenin signaling pathway to form an auto-regulatory positive feedback loop, resulting in the maintenance of GCSCs self-renewal and tumorigenicity. Furthermore, simultaneous overexpression of both WNT2 and SOX4 was correlated with poor survival and reduced responsiveness to chemotherapy in clinical GC specimens. Blocking WNT2 using a specific monoclonal antibody significantly disrupted the WNT2-SOX4 positive feedback loop in GCSCs and enhanced the chemotherapeutic efficacy when synergized with the chemo-drugs 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin in a GCSC-derived mouse xenograft model. Overall, this study identified a novel WNT2-SOX4 positive feedback loop as a mechanism for GCSCs-induced chemo-drugs resistance and suggested that the WNT2-SOX4 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Yu Tan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu-Ting Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen University-Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Hua-Hui Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen University-Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Xiang Ma
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Chui-Mian Zeng
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Tian-Tian Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Tu-Xiong Huang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Di Zhao
- Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Li Fu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pharmacology and International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
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Xi Y, Shen Y, Chen L, Tan L, Shen W, Niu X. Exosome-mediated metabolic reprogramming: Implications in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2023; 73:78-92. [PMID: 37696716 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.08.010] [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: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal carcinoma is among the most fatal malignancies with increasing incidence globally. Tumor onset and progression can be driven by metabolic reprogramming, especially during esophageal carcinoma development. Exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, display an average size of ∼100 nanometers, containing multifarious components (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, etc.). An increasing number of studies have shown that exosomes are capable of transferring molecules with biological functions into recipient cells, which play crucial roles in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment that is a highly heterogeneous ecosystem through rewriting the metabolic processes in tumor cells and environmental stromal cells. The review introduces the reprogramming of glucose, lipid, amino acid, mitochondrial metabolism in esophageal carcinoma, and summarize current pharmaceutical agents targeting such aberrant metabolism rewiring. We also comprehensively overview the biogenesis and release of exosomes, and recent advances of exosomal cargoes and functions in esophageal carcinoma and their promising clinical application. Moreover, we discuss how exosomes trigger tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunosuppression as well as tumor microenvironment remodeling through focusing on their capacity to transfer materials between cells or between cells and tissues and modulate metabolic reprogramming, thus providing a theoretical reference for the design potential pharmaceutical agents targeting these mechanisms. Altogether, our review attempts to fully understand the significance of exosome-based metabolic rewriting in esophageal carcinoma progression and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, bringing novel insights into the prevention and treatment of esophageal carcinoma in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Xi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315040, Zhejiang, China; Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yaxing Shen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lijie Chen
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China; China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Lijie Tan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Weiyu Shen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315040, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xing Niu
- China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, Liaoning, China.
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Roux Q, Boiy R, De Vuyst F, Tkach M, Pinheiro C, de Geyter S, Miinalainen I, Théry C, De Wever O, Hendrix A. Depletion of soluble cytokines unlocks the immunomodulatory bioactivity of extracellular vesicles. J Extracell Vesicles 2023; 12:e12339. [PMID: 37548263 PMCID: PMC10405237 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12339] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite an enormous interest in understanding the bioactivity of extracellular vesicles (EV) in physiology and disease for the development of therapeutic applications, the impact of EV preparation methods remains minimally explored. In this study, we implemented density gradient ultracentrifugation combined with size-exclusion chromatography (DG-SEC), differential ultracentrifugation (dUC) and/or stand-alone SEC (sSEC) to fractionate media conditioned by different cancer cells and/or cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). EV-enriched but protein-depleted versus EV-depleted but protein-enriched DG-SEC fractions, and EV-containing dUC and sSEC preparations were quality controlled for particle number, protein concentration, selected protein composition and ultrastructure, characterized for their cytokine content, and dose-dependently evaluated for monocyte-derived dendritic cell (MoDC) maturation by measuring surface marker expression and/or cytokine secretion. EV preparations obtained by DG-SEC from media conditioned by different cancer cell lines or CAF, were depleted from soluble immune suppressive cytokines such as VEGF-A and MCP-1 and potently stimulated MoDC maturation. In contrast, EV-containing dUC or sSEC preparations were not depleted from these soluble cytokines and were unable to mature MoDC. Subsequent processing of dUC EV preparations by SEC dose-dependently restored the immunomodulatory bioactivity. Overall, our results demonstrate that method-dependent off-target enrichment of soluble cytokines has implications for the study of EV immunomodulatory bioactivity and warrants careful consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Roux
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Robin Boiy
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Felix De Vuyst
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Mercedes Tkach
- Institute CuriePSL Research University, INSERM U932ParisFrance
| | - Claudio Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Sofie de Geyter
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | | | - Clotilde Théry
- Institute CuriePSL Research University, INSERM U932ParisFrance
| | - Olivier De Wever
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - An Hendrix
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and RepairGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
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Li Y, Liu F. The extracellular vesicles targeting tumor microenvironment: a promising therapeutic strategy for melanoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1200249. [PMID: 37575250 PMCID: PMC10419216 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1200249] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small particles secreted by numerous cell types and circulate in almost all body fluids, acting as crucial messengers for cell-to-cell communication. EVs involves multiple physiological and pathological processes, including tumor progression, via their multiple cargoes. Therefore, EVs have become attractive candidates for the treatment of tumor, including melanoma. Notably, due to the crucial role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in promoting tumor malignant phenotype, and the close intercellular communication in TME, EVs-based therapy by targeting TME has become a cutting-edge and prospective strategy for inhibiting melanoma progression and strengthening the anti-tumor immunity. In this review, we aimed to summarize and discuss the role of therapeutic EVs, which target the components of TME in melanoma, thereby providing insights into these promising clinical strategies for the treatment of melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
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Huang J, Tsang WY, Li ZH, Guan XY. The Origin, Differentiation, and Functions of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Gastrointestinal Cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:503-511. [PMID: 37451403 PMCID: PMC10462789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence has shown the importance of the tumor microenvironment in tumorigenesis and progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most infiltrated stroma cells of the tumor microenvironment in gastrointestinal tumors. CAFs play crucial roles in tumor development and therapeutic response by biologically secreting soluble factors or structurally remodeling the extracellular matrix. Conceivably, CAFs may become excellent targets for tumor prevention and treatment. However, the limited knowledge of the heterogeneity of CAFs represents a huge challenge for clinically targeting CAFs. In this review, we summarize the newest understanding of gastrointestinal CAFs, with a special focus on their origin, differentiation, and function. We also discuss the current understanding of CAF subpopulations as shown by single-cell technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Huang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai-Ying Tsang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhi-Hong Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou, China.
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46
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Xiao Z, Wang R, Wang X, Yang H, Dong J, He X, Yang Y, Guo J, Cui J, Zhou Z. Impaired function of dendritic cells within the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1213629. [PMID: 37441069 PMCID: PMC10333501 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1213629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs), a class of professional antigen-presenting cells, are considered key factors in the initiation and maintenance of anti-tumor immunity due to their powerful ability to present antigen and stimulate T-cell responses. The important role of DCs in controlling tumor growth and mediating potent anti-tumor immunity has been demonstrated in various cancer models. Accordingly, the infiltration of stimulatory DCs positively correlates with the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in a variety of solid tumors. However, accumulating evidence indicates that DCs exhibit a significantly dysfunctional state, ultimately leading to an impaired anti-tumor immune response due to the effects of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Currently, numerous preclinical and clinical studies are exploring immunotherapeutic strategies to better control tumors by restoring or enhancing the activity of DCs in tumors, such as the popular DC-based vaccines. In this review, an overview of the role of DCs in controlling tumor progression is provided, followed by a summary of the current advances in understanding the mechanisms by which the TME affects the normal function of DCs, and concluding with a brief discussion of current strategies for DC-based tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Xiao
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiqi Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xuyan Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Haikui Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiamei Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xin He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiahao Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Cui
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiling Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
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Zhu Z, Liu Q, Zhu K, Wang K, Lin L, Chen Y, Shao F, Qian R, Song Y, Gao Y, Yang B, Jiang D, Lan X, An R. Aggregation-Induced Emission Photosensitizer/Bacteria Biohybrids Enhance Cerenkov Radiation-Induced Photodynamic Therapy by Activating Anti-Tumor Immunity for Synergistic Tumor Treatment. Acta Biomater 2023:S1742-7061(23)00334-3. [PMID: 37328041 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.06.009] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cerenkov radiation-induced photodynamic therapy (CR-PDT) gets rid of the limited tissue penetration depth of the external light source and provides a feasible scheme for the PDT excited by the internal light. However, due to the low luminescence intensity of Cerenkov radiation, CR-PDT alone cannot effectively inhibit tumor growth, curbing the potential clinical translation of CR-PDT. Herein, we reported an AIE-PS/bacteria biohybrid (EcN@TTVP) composed of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) loaded with aggregation-induced emission photosensitizer (AIE-PS) termed TTVP, which enhanced CR-PDT by activating anti-tumor immunity for synergistic tumor treatment. The preferential tumor-colonized EcN@TTVP and radiopharmaceutical 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) were administered sequentially to enable them to co-enrich in the tumor site, thereby triggering CR-PDT and promoting immunogenic tumor cell death. Most importantly, EcN acting as immunoadjuvants enhanced the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) and priming of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). Therefore, under the synergistic treatment of CR-PDT and immunotherapy, AIE-PS/bacteria biohybrids resulted in either efficient tumor remission or a survival prolongation in tumor-bearing mice, which presented significant advantages over single CR-PDT. Remarkably, no obvious toxic effects were observed during the treatment. In this study, we proposed a synergistic therapeutic strategy based on EcN@TTVP for combined CR-PDT and immunotherapy against tumors. Moreover, this strategy may have great potential in clinical translation and provide references for deep-seated tumor treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: PDT is restricted due to the shallow penetration depth of light into tumor tissues. Using CR as the excitation light source for PDT can overcome the aforementioned issue and greatly expand the application of PDT. However, the low efficacy of single CR-PDT limits further its applications. Therefore, the design and development of feasible strategies to improve the efficacy of CR-PDT are of immediate importance. Introducing probiotics to our study can be used not only as tumor-targeting carriers of photosensitizers but also as immunoadjuvants. Under co-stimulation by immunogenic tumor cell death triggered by CR-PDT and probiotics acting as immunoadjuvants, anti-tumor immune responses were effectively activated, thus remarkably enhancing the efficacy of CR-PDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qingyao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Ke Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong Academy of Medical Sciences, Zigong, 643000, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Lan Lin
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yaqi Chen
- Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430077, China
| | - Fuqiang Shao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong Academy of Medical Sciences, Zigong, 643000, China
| | - Ruijie Qian
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yangmeihui Song
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Biao Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Dawei Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Rui An
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Liu H, Zhang L, Wang Y, Wu R, Shen C, Li G, Shi S, Mao Y, Hua D. High Wnt2 Expression Confers Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer, and Represents a Novel Therapeutic Target in BRAF-Mutated Colorectal Cancer. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1133. [PMID: 37374338 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59061133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: We aimed to investigate the role of Wnt2 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target in BRAF-mutated CRC. Materials and Methods: Exactly 136 samples of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CRC tissue specimens were obtained from patients who underwent surgical resection for CRC. The gene mutation status of the samples was detected using fluorescence PCR. Wnt2 expression was detected using immunohistochemistry. Survival curves with high Wnt2 expression and BRAF mutations were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. A nomogram was constructed to determine the estimated overall survival probability. We also predicted the 3-year and 5-year survival rates for patients with high Wnt2 expression and BRAF mutations. In total, 50 samples of BRAF-mutated CRC were collected and detected Wnt2 expression by immunohistochemistry. The Chi-squared test was used to analyze the association between Wnt2 expression and BRAF-mutated CRC. Results: High Wnt2 expression and BRAF mutations are associated with poor prognosis of CRC. Multivariate survival analyses indicated that high Wnt2 expression and BRAF mutations are significant independent predictors of CRC prognosis. Furthermore, high Wnt2 expression was significantly associated with BRAF-mutated CRC, and Wnt2 may be a potential therapeutic target for BRAF-mutated CRC. Conclusions: High Wnt2 expression confers poor prognosis in colorectal cancer and represents a novel therapeutic target in BRAF-mutated CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liu
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China
| | - Rendi Wu
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Chenjie Shen
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Guifang Li
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Shiqi Shi
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Yong Mao
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Dong Hua
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
- Wuxi People's Hospital, Wuxi 214000, China
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Ladjevac N, Milovanovic M, Jevtovic A, Arsenijevic D, Stojanovic B, Dimitrijevic Stojanovic M, Stojanovic B, Arsenijevic N, Arsenijevic A, Milovanovic J. The Role of IL-17 in the Pathogenesis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9874. [PMID: 37373022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the inflammatory mechanisms underlying formation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is crucial for discovering new targeted therapeutics. The proinflammatory cytokine IL-17 has proven roles in tumor formation, growth, and metastasis. The presence of IL-17 is demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo models, and in OSCC patients, is mostly accompanied by enhanced proliferation and invasiveness of cancer cells. Here we review the known facts regarding the role of IL-17 in OSCC pathogenesis, namely the IL-17 mediated production of proinflammatory mediators that mobilize and activate myeloid cells with suppressive and proangiogenic activities and proliferative signals that directly induce proliferation of cancer cells and stem cells. The possibility of a potential IL-17 blockade in OSCC therapy is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevena Ladjevac
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, General Hospital Uzice, 31000 Uzice, Serbia
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Marija Milovanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Andra Jevtovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Dragana Arsenijevic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Bojana Stojanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Milica Dimitrijevic Stojanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Bojan Stojanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nebojsa Arsenijevic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Aleksandar Arsenijevic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Jelena Milovanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Histology end Embryology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
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50
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Wang Y, Yang W, Wang Q, Zhou Y. Mechanisms of esophageal cancer metastasis and treatment progress. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1206504. [PMID: 37359527 PMCID: PMC10285156 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1206504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is a prevalent tumor of the digestive tract worldwide. The detection rate of early-stage esophageal cancer is very low, and most patients are diagnosed with metastasis. Metastasis of esophageal cancer mainly includes direct diffusion metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and lymphatic metastasis. This article reviews the metabolic process of esophageal cancer metastasis and the mechanisms by which M2 macrophages, CAF, regulatory T cells, and their released cytokines, including chemokines, interleukins, and growth factors, form an immune barrier to the anti-tumor immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, impeding their ability to kill tumor cells during tumor immune escape. The effect of Ferroptosis on the metastasis of esophageal cancer is briefly mentioned. Moreover, the paper also summarizes common drugs and research directions in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy for advanced metastatic esophageal cancer. This review aims to serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mechanism and management of esophageal cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qianyun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
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