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Hong Z, Liu F, Zhang Z. Ubiquitin modification in the regulation of tumor immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:91. [PMID: 39223632 PMCID: PMC11367865 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00552-0] [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: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Although immune checkpoint-based cancer immunotherapy has shown significant efficacy in various cancers, resistance still limits its therapeutic effects. Ubiquitination modification is a mechanism that adds different types of ubiquitin chains to proteins, mediating protein degradation or altering their function, thereby affecting cellular signal transduction. Increasing evidence suggests that ubiquitination modification plays a crucial role in regulating the mechanisms of resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Drugs targeting ubiquitination modification pathways have been shown to inhibit tumor progression or enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. This review elaborates on the mechanisms by which tumor cells, immune cells, and the tumor microenvironment mediate resistance to cancer immunotherapy and the details of how ubiquitination modification regulates these mechanisms, providing a foundation for enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy by intervening in ubiquitination modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Hong
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Furong Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhanguo Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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Zeng T, Liang L, Deng W, Xie M, Zhao M, Wang S, Liu J, Yang M. BMAL1 plays a crucial role in immune homeostasis during sepsis-induced acute lung injury. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116379. [PMID: 38908531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116379] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Sepsis is a widespread and life-threatening disease characterised by infection-triggered immune hyperactivation and cytokine storms, culminating in tissue damage and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. BMAL1 is a pivotal transcription factor in the circadian clock that plays a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis. BMAL1 dysregulation has been implicated in inflammatory diseases and immunodeficiency. However, the mechanisms underlying BMAL1 disruption in sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) remain poorly understood. In vitro, we used THP1 and mouse peritoneal macrophages to elucidate the potential mechanism of BMAL1 function in sepsis. In vivo, an endotoxemia model was used to investigate the effect of BMAL1 on sepsis and the therapeutic role of targeting CXCR2. We showed that BMAL1 significantly affected the regulation of innate immunity in sepsis-induced ALI. BMAL1 deficiency in the macrophages exacerbated systemic inflammation and sepsis-induced ALI. Mechanistically, BMAL1 acted as a transcriptional suppressor and regulated the expression of CXCL2. BMAL1 deficiency in macrophages upregulated CXCL2 expression, increasing the recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) by binding to the chemokine receptor CXCR2, thereby intensifying lung injury in a sepsis model. Furthermore, a selective inhibitor of CXCR2, SB225002, exerted promising therapeutic effects by markedly reducing neutrophil infiltration and NETs formation and alleviating lung injury. Importantly, CXCR2 blockade mitigated multiple organ dysfunction. Collectively, these findings suggest that BMAL1 controls the CXCL2/CXCR2 pathway, and the therapeutic efficacy of targeting CXCR2 in sepsis has been validated, presenting BMAL1 as a potential therapeutic target for lethal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Long Liang
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Wenjun Deng
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Min Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Mingyi Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Pediatric Cancer, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Shengfeng Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
| | - Minghua Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Pediatric Cancer, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China.
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Jia G, Wang Y, Wang J, Yu B, Zhao H, Zhao Z, Zhao W, Gao Y, Wang B, Song Z. Benzimidazole-based structure optimization to discover novel anti-gastric cancer agents targeting ROS/MAPK pathway. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23762. [PMID: 38967723 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Given the malignancy of gastric cancer, developing highly effective and low-toxic targeted drugs is essential to prolong patient survival and improve patient outcomes. In this study, we conducted structural optimizations based on the benzimidazole scaffold. Notably, compound 8 f presented the most potent antiproliferative activity in MGC803 cells and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that compound 8 f caused the apoptosis of MGC803 cells by elevating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, accompanied by corresponding markers change. In vivo investigations additionally validated the inhibitory effect of compound 8 f on tumor growth in xenograft models bearing MGC803 cells without obvious toxicity. Our studies suggest that compound 8 f holds promise as a potential and safe lead compound for developing anti-gastric cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Jia
- Department of Oncology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuanying Wang
- Academy of Medical Sciences; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jikuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Henan Province; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bingxin Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Haiyang Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ze Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Wenming Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ya Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Henan Province; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Henan Province; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhiyu Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Bai W, Tang X, Xiao T, Qiao Y, Tian X, Zhu B, Chen J, Chen C, Li Y, Lin X, Cai J, Lin Y, Zhu W, Yan G, Liang J, Hu J. Enhancing antitumor efficacy of oncolytic virus M1 via albendazole-sustained CD8 + T cell activation. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200813. [PMID: 38817541 PMCID: PMC11137524 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The immune response plays a crucial role in the functionality of oncolytic viruses. In this study, Albendazole, an antihelminthic drug known to modulate the immune checkpoint PD-L1, was combined with the oncolytic virus M1 (OVM1) to treat mice with either prostate cancer (RM-1) or glioma (GL261) tumors. This combination therapy enhanced anti-tumor effects in immunocompetent mice, but not in immunodeficient ones, without increasing OVM1 replication. Instead, it led to an increase in the number of CD8+ T cells within the tumor, downregulated the expression of PD1 on CD8+ T cells, and upregulated activation markers such as Ki67, CD44, and CD69 and the secretion of cytotoxic factors including interferon (IFN)-γ, granzyme B, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Consistently, it enhanced the in vitro tumor-killing activity of lymphocytes from tumor-draining lymph nodes or spleens. The synergistic effect of Albendazole on OVM1 was abolished by depleting CD8+ T cells, suggesting a CD8+ T cell-dependent mechanism. In addition, Albendazole and OVM1 therapy increased CTLA4 expression in the spleen, and the addition of CTLA4 antibodies further enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy in vivo. In summary, Albendazole can act synergistically with oncolytic viruses via CD8+ T cell activation, and the Albendazole/OVM1 combination can overcome resistance to CTLA4-based immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Bai
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xia Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Tong Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yangyang Qiao
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xuyan Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Bo Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiehong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chaoxin Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xueying Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wenbo Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Guangmei Yan
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Guangzhou Virotech Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, #3 Lanyue Road, Science Park, Guangzhou 510663, China
| | - Jiankai Liang
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
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Nie H, Yu Y, Wang F, Huang X, Wang H, Wang J, Tao M, Ning Y, Zhou J, Zhao Q, Xu F, Fang J. Comprehensive analysis of the relationship between ubiquitin-specific protease 21 (USP21) and prognosis, tumor microenvironment infiltration, and therapy response in colorectal cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:156. [PMID: 38834869 PMCID: PMC11150338 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03731-4] [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: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ubiquitin-specific proteases family is crucial to host immunity against pathogens. However, the correlations between USP21 and immunosurveillance and immunotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been reported. METHODS The differential expression of USP21 between CRC tissues and normal tissues was analyzed using multiple public databases. Validation was carried out in clinical samples through qRT-PCR and IHC. The correlation between USP21 and the prognosis, as well as clinical pathological characteristics of CRC patients, was investigated. Moreover, cell models were established to assess the influence of USP21 on CRC growth and progression, employing CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, and wound-healing assays. Subsequently, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to explore the potential biological functions of USP21 in CRC. The study also examined the impact of USP21 on cytokine levels and immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Finally, the effect of USP21 on the response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy in CRC was analyzed. RESULTS The expression of USP21 was significantly upregulated in CRC. High USP21 is correlated with poor prognosis in CRC patients and facilitates the proliferation and migration capacities of CRC cells. GSVA indicated an association between low USP21 and immune activation. Moreover, low USP21 was linked to an immune-activated TME, characterized by high immune cell infiltration. Importantly, CRC with low USP21 exhibited higher tumor mutational burden, high PD-L1 expression, and better responsiveness to immunotherapy and chemotherapeutic drugs. CONCLUSION This study revealed the role of USP21 in TME, response to therapy, and clinical prognosis in CRC, which provided novel insights for the therapeutic application in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihang Nie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yali Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Haizhou Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mi Tao
- Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yumei Ning
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - JingKai Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiu Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Jun Fang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Department of General Medical, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Guo J, Yu F, Zhang K, Jiang S, Zhang X, Wang T. Beyond inhibition against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway: development of PD-L1 inhibitors targeting internalization and degradation of PD-L1. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:1096-1108. [PMID: 38665824 PMCID: PMC11042118 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00636k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells hijack the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) pathway to suppress the immune response through overexpressing PD-L1 to interact with PD-1 of T cells. With in-depth ongoing research, tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 is found to play important roles in tumor progression without interaction with PD-1 expressed on T cells, which provides an additional important target and therapeutic approach for development of PD-L1 inhibitors. Existing monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway generally behave by conformationally blocking the interactions of PD-1 with PD-L1 on the cell surface. Beyond general inhibition of the protein-protein interaction (PPI), inhibitors targeting PD-L1 currently focus on the functional inhibition of the interaction between PD-1/PD-L1 and degradation of tumor-intrinsic PD-L1. This perspective will clarify the evolution of PD-L1 inhibitors and provide insights into the current development of PD-L1 inhibitors, especially targeting internalization and degradation of PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazheng Guo
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Fengyi Yu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Kuojun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Sheng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
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Zhou Z, Huayu M, Mu Y, Tang F, Ge RL. Ubenimex combined with Albendazole for the treatment of Echinococcus multilocularis-induced alveolar echinococcosis in mice. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1320308. [PMID: 38585297 PMCID: PMC10995866 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1320308] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic disease caused by E. multilocularis metacestodes and it is highly prevalent in the northern hemisphere. We have previously found that vaccination with E. multilocularis-Leucine aminopeptidase (EM-LAP) could inhibit the growth and invasion of E. multilocularis in host liver, and Ubenimex, a broad-spectrum inhibitor of LAP, could also inhibit E. multilocularis invasion but had a limited effect on the growth and development of E. multilocularis. Methods In this study, the therapeutic effect of Ubenimex combined with Albendazole on AE was evaluated. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with protoscoleces and imaging examination was performed at week 8 and week 16 to detect cyst change. During this period, mice were intraperitoneally injected with Ubenimex and intragastrically administered with Albendazole suspension. At last, the therapeutic effect was evaluated by morphological and pathological examination and liver function. Results The results revealed that the combined treatment could inhibit the growth and infiltration of cysts in BALB/c mice infected with E. multilocularis protoscoleces. The weight, number, invasion and fibrosis of cysts were reduced in mice treated with Ubenimex in combination with Albendazole. The same effect was achieved by the single Ubenimex treatment because of its inhibitory effect on LAP activity, but it was less effective in inhibiting the growth of cysts. The levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, DBIL, ALP, and γ-GT were reduced after the combined treatment, indicating that treatment with both Ubenimex and Albendazole could alleviate liver damage. Discussion This study suggests that the combined treatment with Ubenimex and Albendazole could be a potential therapeutic strategy for E. multilocularis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhou
- Research Center for High Altitude Medicine of Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine in Qinghai Provincial, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Meiduo Huayu
- Research Center for High Altitude Medicine of Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine in Qinghai Provincial, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Yalin Mu
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Feng Tang
- Research Center for High Altitude Medicine of Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine in Qinghai Provincial, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Ri-Li Ge
- Research Center for High Altitude Medicine of Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine in Qinghai Provincial, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
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8
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Zhang F, Jiang R, Sun S, Wu C, Yu Q, Awadasseid A, Wang J, Zhang W. Recent advances and mechanisms of action of PD-L1 degraders as potential therapeutic agents. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116267. [PMID: 38422701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116267] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
PD-L1 is an important immune checkpoint protein that can bind to T cells' PD-1 receptor, thereby promoting immune escape from tumors. In recent years, many researchers have developed strategies to degrade PD-L1 to improve the effect of immunotherapy. The study of degrading PD-L1 provides new opportunities for immunotherapy. Here, we mainly summarize and review the current active molecules and mechanisms that mediate the degradation of immature and mature PD-L1 during the post-translational modification stages, involving PD-L1 phosphorylation, glycosylation, palmitoylation, ubiquitination, and the autophagy-lysosomal process. This review expects that by degrading PD-L1 protein, we will not only gain a better understanding of oncogenic mechanisms involving tumor PD-L1 protein but also provide a new way to improve immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Ruiya Jiang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Shishi Sun
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Caiyun Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Qimeng Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Annoor Awadasseid
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Moganshan Institute, Zhejiang University of Technology, Deqing, China
| | - Jianwei Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
| | - Wen Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
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9
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Wen Y, Ye S, Li Z, Zhang X, Liu C, Wu Y, Zheng R, Xu C, Tian J, Shu L, Yan Q, Ai F, Ma J. HDAC6 inhibitor ACY-1215 enhances STAT1 acetylation to block PD-L1 for colorectal cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:7. [PMID: 38231305 PMCID: PMC10794344 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03624-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The search for effective combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has become important for cancer patients who do not respond to the ICI well. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitors have attracted wide attention as anti-tumor agents. ACY-1215 is a selective inhibitor of HDAC6, which can inhibit the growth of a variety of tumor. We previously revealed that HDAC family is highly expressed in colorectal cancer specimens and mouse models. In this study, ACY-1215 was combined with anti-PD1 to treat tumor-bearing mice associated with colorectal cancer. ACY-1215 combined with anti-PD1 effectively inhibited the colorectal tumor growth. The expression of PD-L1 in tumor of mice were inhibited by ACY-1215 and anti-PD1 combination treatment, whereas some biomarkers reflecting T cell activation were upregulated. In a co-culture system of T cells and tumor cells, ACY-1215 helped T cells to kill tumor cells. Mechanically, HDAC6 enhanced the acetylation of STAT1 and inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT1, thus preventing STAT1 from entering the nucleus to activate PD-L1 transcription. This study reveals a novel regulatory mechanism of HDAC6 on non-histone substrates, especially on protein acetylation. HDAC6 inhibitors may be of great significance in tumor immunotherapy and related combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuyu Ye
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhengshuo Li
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoyue Zhang
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Can Liu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yangge Wu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Run Zheng
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chenxiao Xu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Junrui Tian
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lanjun Shu
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qun Yan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Feiyan Ai
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Jian Ma
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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10
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Lin Q, Wang X, Hu Y. The opportunities and challenges in immunotherapy: Insights from the regulation of PD-L1 in cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2023:216318. [PMID: 37454966 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The immunosuppressive molecule programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is frequently upregulated in human cancers. Binding of PD-L1 to its receptor, programmed death-1 (PD-1), on activated T cells facilitates cancer cells to evade the host immune system. Antibody-based PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors can inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 interaction allowing reactivate cytotoxic T cells to eradicate advanced cancer cells. However, the majority of cancer patients fail to respond to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies and the molecular mechanisms for this remain poorly understood. Recent studies show that PD-L1 expression level on tumor cells affect the clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint therapies. Thus, furthering our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of PD-L1 expression in cancer cells will be critical to improve clinical response rates and the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 immune therapies. Here we review recent studies, primarily focusing on the mechanisms that regulate PD-L1 expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional and protein level, with the purpose to drive the development of more targeted and effective anti-PD-1/PD-L1 cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyu Lin
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150001, China; Key Laboratory of Science and Engineering for the Multi-modal Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China
| | - Xingwen Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150001, China; Key Laboratory of Science and Engineering for the Multi-modal Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China
| | - Ying Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150001, China; Key Laboratory of Science and Engineering for the Multi-modal Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China.
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11
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Wang M, Zhang Z, Li Z, Zhu Y, Xu C. E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases in bladder cancer tumorigenesis and implications for immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1226057. [PMID: 37497216 PMCID: PMC10366618 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1226057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With the rapidly increasing incidence of bladder cancer in China and worldwide, great efforts have been made to understand the detailed mechanism of bladder cancer tumorigenesis. Recently, the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy has changed the treatment strategy for bladder cancer, especially for advanced bladder cancer, and has improved the survival of patients. The ubiquitin-proteasome system, which affects many biological processes, plays an important role in bladder cancer. Several E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases target immune checkpoints, either directly or indirectly. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases in bladder cancer tumorigenesis and further highlight the implications for bladder cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoyu Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhensheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhizhou Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yasheng Zhu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanliang Xu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Hernández-Cerón M, Chavarria V, Ríos C, Pineda B, Palomares-Alonso F, Rojas-Tomé IS, Jung-Cook H. Melatonin in Combination with Albendazole or Albendazole Sulfoxide Produces a Synergistic Cytotoxicity against Malignant Glioma Cells through Autophagy and Apoptosis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:869. [PMID: 37371349 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060869] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor in adults, presenting diffuse brain infiltration, necrosis, and drug resistance. Although new drugs have been approved for recurrent patients, the median survival rate is two years; therefore, new alternatives to treat these patients are required. Previous studies have reported the anticancer activity of albendazole, its active metabolite albendazole sulfoxide, and melatonin; therefore, the present study was performed to evaluate if the combination of melatonin with albendazole or with albendazole sulfoxide induces an additive or synergistic cytotoxic effect on C6 and RG2 rat glioma cells, as well as on U87 human glioblastoma cells. Drug interaction was determined by the Chou-Talalay method. We evaluated the mechanism of cell death by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and crystal violet staining. The cytotoxicity of the combinations was mainly synergistic. The combined treatments induced significantly more apoptotic and autophagic cell death on the glioma cell lines. Additionally, albendazole and albendazole sulfoxide inhibited proliferation independently of melatonin. Our data justify continuing with the evaluation of this proposal since the combinations could be a potential strategy to aid in the treatment of glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Hernández-Cerón
- Doctorate in Biological and Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Víctor Chavarria
- Neuroimmunology and Neuro-Oncology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City 14269, Mexico
| | - Camilo Ríos
- Doctorate in Biological and Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular, Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Benjamin Pineda
- Neuroimmunology and Neuro-Oncology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN), Mexico City 14269, Mexico
| | | | - Irma Susana Rojas-Tomé
- Neuropsycopharmacology Lab, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City 14269, Mexico
| | - Helgi Jung-Cook
- Pharmacy Department, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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13
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Qiao W, Zhang P, Jiang N, Zhang S, Bai H, Xie L, Sun L, Wang X. Albumin nanostructure assisted ABZ anti-parasite immune therapy for T. spiralis muscle infection. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 150:213434. [PMID: 37087912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the treatment of Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) intracellular infection by oral administration of albendazole (ABZ) is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility and rapid metabolism. Herein, the nanoparticles with BSA and ABZ (ABZ-BSA Nps) were constructed by a desolvation technique in the study. The anti-parasite activity and pharmacokinetics of ABZ-BSA Nps were evaluated for T. spiralis muscle larvae during the encysted phase. The immune-responsive cytokines of ABZ-BSA Nps were quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that ABZ-BSA Nps could eliminate the muscle larvae by triggering the unbalance of Th1/Th2 immune-response in the infection mice. For ABZ-BSA Nps treatment group, the plasma concentration of ABZSO (ABZ active metabolite) was higher than ABZ and the muscle larvae were reduced by 70.2 %. In conclusion, the study had constructed a successful prospective protein nanoparticle delivery ABZ and evidenced the ABZ could be used for intracellular parasite therapy by triggering the anti-parasite immunity of hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Qiao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Peng Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China; Electron Microscope Center, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China
| | - Ning Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Shuyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Huifang Bai
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Lingfeng Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Lin Sun
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China.
| | - Xuelin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China.
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14
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Fan K, Zhang BH, Han D, Sun YC. EZH2 as a prognostic-related biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma correlating with cell cycle and immune infiltrates. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:149. [PMID: 37069494 PMCID: PMC10111667 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05271-7] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS It has been observed that high levels of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expression are associated with unsatisfactory prognoses and can be found in a wide range of malignancies. However, the effects of EZH2 on Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain elusive. Through the integration of bioinformatic analyses, the present paper sought to ascertain the effects of EZH2 in LUAD. METHODS The TIMER and UALCAN databases were applied to analyze mRNA and protein expression data for EZH2 in LUAD. The result of immunohistochemistry was obtained from the HPA database, and the survival curve was drawn according to the library provided by the HPA database. The LinkedOmics database was utilized to investigate the co-expressed genes and signal transduction pathways with EZH2. Up- and down-regulated genes from The Linked Omics database were introduced to the CMap database to predict potential drug targets for LUAD using the CMap database. The association between EZH2 and cancer-infiltrating immunocytes was studied through TIMER and TISIDB. In addition, this paper explores the relationship between EZH2 mRNA expression and NSCLC OS using the Kaplan-Meier plotter database to further validate and complement the research. Furthermore, the correlation between EZH2 expression and EGFR genes, KRAS genes, BRAF genes, and smoking from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database is analyzed. RESULTS In contrast to paracancer specimens, the mRNA and protein levels of EZH2 were higher in LUAD tissues. Significantly, high levels of EZH2 were associated with unsatisfactory prognoses in LUAD patients. Additionally, the coexpressed genes of EZH2 were predominantly associated with numerous cell growth-associated pathways, including the cell cycle, DNA replication, RNA transport, and the p53 signaling pathway, according to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The results of TCGA database revealed that the expression of EZH2 was lower in normal tissues than in lung cancer tissues (p < 0.05). Smoking was associated with elevated EZH2 expression (p < 0.001). EZH2 was highly expressed in lung cancers with positive KRAS expression, and the correlation was significant in lung adenocarcinoma (r = 0.3129, p < 0.001). CMap was applied to determine the top 15 positively correlated drugs/molecules and the top 15 negatively correlated drugs/molecules. MK-1775, MK-5108, fenbendazole, albendazole, BAY-K8644, evodiamine, purvalanol-a, mycophenolic-acid, PHA-793887, and cyclopamine are potential drugs for patients with lung adenocarcinoma and high EZH2 expression. CONCLUSIONS Highly expressed EZH2 is a predictor of a suboptimal prognosis in LUAD and may serve as a prognostic marker and target gene for LUAD. The underlying cause may be associated with the synergistic effect of KRAS, immune cell infiltration, and metabolic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Fan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, No. 31, Huanghe West Road, Yunhe District, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China
| | - Bo-Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China
| | - Deng Han
- Division of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100105, China
| | - Yun-Chuan Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, No. 31, Huanghe West Road, Yunhe District, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China.
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15
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Fu PP, Wang Q, Zhang Q, Jin Y, Liu J, Chen KX, Guo YW, Liu SH, Li XW. Bioactivity-Driven Synthesis of the Marine Natural Product Naamidine J and Its Derivatives as Potential Tumor Immunological Agents by Inhibiting Programmed Death-Ligand 1. J Med Chem 2023; 66:5427-5438. [PMID: 37040446 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The total synthesis of the marine natural product naamidine J and a rapid structure modification toward its derivatives were achieved on the basis of several rounds of structure-relationship analyses of their tumor immunological activities. These compounds were tested for programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein expression in human colorectal adenocarcinoma RKO cells. Among them, compound 11c was found to efficiently suppress constitutive PD-L1 expression in RKO cells with low toxicity and further exerted its antitumor effect in MC38 tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice by reducing PD-L1 expression and enhancing tumor-infiltrating T-cell immunity. This research work may provide insight for the discovery of new marine natural product-derived tumor immunological drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan-Pan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yang Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Kai-Xian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yue-Wei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
| | - San-Hong Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xu-Wen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
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16
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Stolfi C, Pacifico T, Luiz-Ferreira A, Monteleone G, Laudisi F. Anthelmintic Drugs as Emerging Immune Modulators in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076446. [PMID: 37047419 PMCID: PMC10094506 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in treatment approaches, cancer is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Restoration of tumor immune surveillance represents a valid strategy to overcome the acquired resistance and cytotoxicity of conventional therapies in oncology and immunotherapeutic drugs, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and immunogenic cell death inducers, and has substantially progressed the treatment of several malignancies and improved the clinical management of advanced disease. Unfortunately, because of tumor-intrinsic and/or -extrinsic mechanisms for escaping immune surveillance, only a fraction of patients clinically respond to and benefit from cancer immunotherapy. Accumulating evidence derived from studies of drug repositioning, that is, the strategy to identify new uses for approved or investigational drugs that are outside the scope of the original medical indication, has suggested that some anthelmintic drugs, in addition to their antineoplastic effects, exert important immunomodulatory actions on specific subsets of immune cell and related pathways. In this review, we report and discuss current knowledge on the impact of anthelmintic drugs on host immunity and their potential implication in cancer immunotherapy.
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17
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Liu Z, Yu X, Xu L, Li Y, Zeng C. Current insight into the regulation of PD-L1 in cancer. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:44. [PMID: 35907881 PMCID: PMC9338491 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00297-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying cancer immune escape are a core topic in cancer immunology research. Cancer cells can escape T cell-mediated cellular cytotoxicity by exploiting the inhibitory programmed cell-death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1, CD274) immune checkpoint. Studying the PD-L1 regulatory pattern of tumor cells will help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of tumor immune evasion and improve cancer treatment. Recent studies have found that tumor cells regulate PD-L1 at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels and influence the anti-tumor immune response by regulating PD-L1. In this review, we focus on the regulation of PD-L1 in cancer cells and summarize the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuandi Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xibao Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Ling Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, 510632, Guangdong, China.
| | - Chengwu Zeng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, 510632, Guangdong, China.
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18
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Thuru X, Magnez R, El-Bouazzati H, Vergoten G, Quesnel B, Bailly C. Drug Repurposing to Enhance Antitumor Response to PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3368. [PMID: 35884428 PMCID: PMC9322126 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143368] [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: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint have considerably improved the treatment of some cancers, but novel drugs, new combinations, and treatment modalities are needed to reinvigorate immunosurveillance in immune-refractory tumors. An option to elicit antitumor immunity against cancer consists of using approved and marketed drugs known for their capacity to modulate the expression and functioning of the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint. Here, we have reviewed several types of drugs known to alter the checkpoint, either directly via the blockade of PD-L1 or indirectly via an action on upstream effectors (such as STAT3) to suppress PD-L1 transcription or to induce its proteasomal degradation. Specifically, the repositioning of the approved drugs liothyronine, azelnidipine (and related dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers), niclosamide, albendazole/flubendazole, and a few other modulators of the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint (repaglinide, pimozide, fenofibrate, lonazolac, propranolol) is presented. Their capacity to bind to PD-L1 or to repress its expression and function offer novel perspectives for combination with PD-1 targeted biotherapeutics. These known and affordable drugs could be useful to improve the therapy of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Thuru
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-UMR1277—Canther—Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, F-59000 Lille, France; (X.T.); (R.M.); (H.E.-B.); (B.Q.)
| | - Romain Magnez
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-UMR1277—Canther—Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, F-59000 Lille, France; (X.T.); (R.M.); (H.E.-B.); (B.Q.)
| | - Hassiba El-Bouazzati
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-UMR1277—Canther—Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, F-59000 Lille, France; (X.T.); (R.M.); (H.E.-B.); (B.Q.)
| | - Gérard Vergoten
- Institut de Chimie Pharmaceutique Albert Lespagnol (ICPAL), Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Lille, Inserm, INFINITE—U1286, 3 Rue du Professeur Laguesse, BP-83, F-59006 Lille, France;
| | - Bruno Quesnel
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-UMR1277—Canther—Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, F-59000 Lille, France; (X.T.); (R.M.); (H.E.-B.); (B.Q.)
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