CpG oligodeoxynucleotides enhance the efficacy of adoptive cell transfer using tumor infiltrating lymphocytes by modifying the Th1 polarization and local infiltration of Th17 cells

Modulation of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the liver of Beagle dogs by Toxocara canis infection

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating various physiological and pathological processes. However, the role of lncRNAs and mRNAs in mediating the liver response during Toxocara canis infection remains incompletely understood.

METHODS

In the present study, the expression profile of lncRNAs and mRNAs was investigated in the liver of Beagle dogs infected by T. canis using high-throughput RNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Compared with the control groups, 876 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 288 DEmRNAs were identified at 12 h post-infection (hpi), 906 DElncRNAs and 261 DEmRNAs were identified at 24 hpi, and 876 DElncRNAs and 302 DEmRNAs were identified at 36 days post-infection (dpi). A total of 16 DEmRNAs (e.g. dpp4, crp and gnas) were commonly identified at the three infection stages. Enrichment and co-localization analyses identified several pathways involved in immune and inflammatory responses during T. canis infection. Some novel DElncRNAs, such as LNC_015756, LNC_011050 and LNC_011052, were also associated with immune and inflammatory responses. Also, LNC_005105 and LNC_005401 were associated with the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which may play a role in the healing of liver pathology at the late stage of infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data provided new insight into the regulatory roles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the pathogenesis of T. canis and improved our understanding of the contribution of lncRNAs and mRNAs to the immune and inflammatory response of the liver during T. canis infection.

Association between Foxp3 Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte Expression and Response After Chemoradiation in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a carcinoma originating from the surface epithelium of the nasopharynx with the highest incidence in China and South East Asia. Currently, many researchers are developing tumor microenvironment which can be assessed by tumor-infiltrating lymphochyte, and its association with treatment response in several tumors, including NPC. Foxp3, known as a regulatory T cell (Treg) marker, plays a role in the immunoregulatory environment of tumor cells and can be used as a prognostic factor. The relationship between Foxp3 expression and treatment response is considered as one of the factors affecting the prognosis of NPC. AIM: This study aims to determine the relationship between Foxp3 expression and treatment response in NPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done to analyze the association between Foxp3 and treatment response in NPC. This study included 60 samples who were diagnosed with non-keratinizing NPC at the Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from January 2018 until December 2020. Immunohistochemistry was done to evaluate the expression of Foxp3. Foxp3 expression was evaluated in the intratumoral and peritumoral areas. RESULTS: Among 60 patients, the number of males were more than females (66.7%, 33.3%, respectively) with a ratio of 2:1. There was statistically significant difference between intratumoral and total Foxp3 expression and treatment response (p < 0.05, p = 0.001, respectively); however, no significant differences found between peritumoral Foxp3 expression and treatment response (p = 0.114). CONCLUSION: Foxp3 expression had a statistically significant relationship with response therapy after chemoradiation.

Bacterial cyclomodulins: types and roles in carcinogenesis

Various studies confirmed that bacterial infections contribute to carcinogenesis through the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of toxins that disrupt the cell cycle phases, cellular regulatory mechanisms and stimulate the production of tumorigenic inflammatory mediators. These toxins mimic carcinogens which act upon key cellular targets and result in mutations and genotoxicities. The cyclomodulins are bacterial toxins that incur cell cycle modulating effects rendering the expressing bacterial species of high carcinogenic potentiality. They are either cellular proliferating or cell cycle arrest cyclomodulins. Notably, cyclomodulins expressing bacterial species have been linked to different human carcinomas. For instance, Escherichia coli species producing the colibactin were highly prevalent among colorectal carcinoma patients, CagA⁺ Helicobacter pylori species were associated with MALT lymphomas and gastric carcinomas and Salmonella species producing CdtB were linked to hepatobiliary carcinomas. These species stimulated the overgrowth of pre-existing carcinomas and induced hyperplasia in in vivo animal models suggesting a role for the cyclomodulins in carcinogenesis. Wherefore, the prevalence and mode of action of these toxins were the focus of many researchers and studies. This review discusses different types of bacterial cyclomodulins highlighting their mode of action and possible role in carcinogenesis.

The Preliminary Study for Postoperative Radiotherapy Survival Associated with RUNX3 and TLR9 Expression in Lung Cancer

Background

Many studies have reported that the inflammatory immune response related to TLR9 signaling activation participates in tumor development and affects the treatment outcome. RUNX3 functions as a tumor suppressor by regulating DNA methylation. RUNX3 protein plays an important role in TGF-β signaling pathway that is involved in tumor growth inhibition and apoptosis. At present, radiotherapy is still an important treatment in lung cancer, which induces immune response and affects the therapeutic outcome. The role of TLR9 signaling activation and RUNX3 in this process is not clear.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the expression of TLR9 in tumor and RUNX3 in surrounding tissues by immunohistochemical methods and analyzed the relationship on postoperative survival in lung cancer.

Results

We found that the high expression of TLR9 was the risk factor in postoperative survival of lung cancer with no difference in lifetime. The high expression of RUNX3 in lung cancer with TLR9 signaling activation was in favor of progression-free survival and overall survival in postoperative radiotherapy. It suggested that RUNX3 played an important role in lung cancer radiotherapy. In order to determine the effect of RUNX3 in lung cancer radiation with TLR9 signaling activation, we introduced 5-Aza-2ʹ-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) and exposed lung cancer A459 cells repeatedly. The high expression of RUNX3 especially RUNX3-B in cells treated with 5-Aza-CdR was observed. We examined that 5-Aza-CdR induced more cell blocking in G2/M phase in combining irradiation.

Conclusion

The result implied that it was feasible to improve radiosensitivity of lung cancer with TLR9 signaling activation by increasing RUNX3 expression, and 5-Aza-CdR was an option in this process.

TLR9 signaling activation at different stages in colorectal cancer and NF-kappaB expression

Background

The relationship of inflammation and tumor is becoming more and more important in the study on the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. The role of TLR9-mediated immune inflammation reaction in the process is not currently clear. The purpose of the study was to discuss the correlation of TLR9 signal activation with tumor progression by detecting the expression of TLR9 and its downstream molecule NF-kappaB in colorectal cancer tissues at different stages.

Methods

TLR9 expression in colorectal cancer tissues was detected by immunohistochemical streptavidin-perosidase method and Western blot.

Results

The result showed that the high expression of TLR9 was correlated with tumor poorly differentiation, invasion and liver metastasis, the abnomal increasing levels of CEA in blood. With the signal activation, the levels of TLR9 protein raised more in advanced colorectal cancer than in early colorectal cancer. Afterward, we found that the activation of specific expression of TLR9 signal was related to histologic origin. TLR9-C expression displayed in both advanced cancer and para-carcinoma tissues, and TLR9-R protein was predominat in partial sigmoid and rectal cancer tissues. With the differential expression of TLR9, the levels of its downstream molecule NF-kappaB protein increased in colon cancer tissues and decreased in rectal cancer tissues.

Conclusion

The results confirmed that TLR9 signaling activation participated in the clinical process of colorectal cancer and influenced NF-kappaB expression.

Conditions for the generation of cytotoxic CD4(+) Th cells that enhance CD8(+) CTL-mediated tumor regression

Adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) using tumor-reactive T cells have shown clinical benefit and potential for cancer treatment. While the majority of the current ACT are focused on using CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), others have shown that the presence of tumor-reactive CD4⁺ T helper (Th) cells can greatly enhance the anti-tumor activity of CD8⁺ CTL. However, difficulties in obtaining adequate numbers of CD4⁺ Th cells through in vitro expansion can limit the application of CD4 Th cells in ACT. This study aims to optimize the culture conditions for mouse CD4 T cells to provide basic information for animal studies of ACT using CD4 T cells. Taking advantage of the antigen-specificity of CD4⁺ Th cells from OT-II transgenic mice, we examined different methodologies for generating antigen-specific CD4⁺ Th1 cells in vitro. We found that cells grown in complete advanced-DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with low-dose IL-2 and IL-7 induced substantial cell expansion. These Th cells were Th1-like, as they expressed multiple Th1-cytokines and exhibited antigen-specific cytotoxicity. In addition co-transfer of these CD4⁺ Th1-like cells with CD8⁺ CTL significantly enhanced tumor regression, leading to complete cure in 80% of mice bearing established B16-OVA. These observations indicate that the CD4⁺ Th1-like cells generated using the method we optimized are functionally active to eliminate their target cells, and can also assist CD8⁺ CTL to enhance tumor regression. The findings of this study provide valuable data for further research into in vitro expansion of CD4⁺ Th1-like cells, with potential applications to cancer treatment involving ACT.

Detection and significance of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17 cells in peripheral blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between TregFoxP3(+) cells and Th17 cells and occurrence of lung cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The proportions of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17 cells, the expression of FoxP3 and RORγt mRNA, and the levels of related cell factors such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin IL-17 (IL-17) and IL-23 were determined respectively by flow cytometry analysis, real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ELISA in peripheral blood of 18 healthy people and 26 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

RESULTS

The levels of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17, expression of FoxP3 and RORγt mRNA, and ratios of TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 and FoxP3/RORγt in peripheral blood with NSCLC were higher than those in healthy controls (p < 0.05). The proportion of Th17 cells from NSCLC patients was positively correlated with that of TregFoxP3(+) (r = 0.81, p < 0.05). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrates that the increased level of TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 in the peripheral blood may be a useful indicator in early diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 and FoxP3/RORγt levels for patients in stage IV were higher than those of patients in stages I, II, and III (p < 0.05). The levels of TGF-β, IL-17, and IL-23 were higher in NSCLC patients than those in healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that ratios of Treg/Th17 correlate with the stage of NSCLC.

MicroRNA-7–regulated TLR9 signaling–enhanced growth and metastatic potential of human lung cancer cells by altering the phosphoinositide-3-kinase, regulatory subunit 3/Akt pathway

This article reports that TLR9 signaling can reduce intrinsic microRNA-7 (miR-7) expression in human lung cancer cells and that overexpression of miR-7 can significantly inhibit TLR9 signaling–enhanced growth and metastatic potential of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Recent evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the biological effects of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling on various cells. Our previous data showed that TLR9 signaling could enhance the growth and metastatic potential of human lung cancer cells. However, the potential role of miRNAs in the effects of TLR9 signaling on tumor biology remains unknown. In this paper, we first report that TLR9 signaling could reduce intrinsic miR-7 expression in human lung cancer cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-7 can significantly inhibit TLR9 signaling–enhanced growth and metastatic potential of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Notably, we identify phosphoinositide-3-kinase, regulatory subunit 3 (PIK3R3) as a novel target molecule of miR-7 in lung cancer cells by Western blotting and luciferase report assay. Further study shows that miR-7 inhibits the effects of TLR9 signaling on lung cancer cells through regulation of the PIK3R3/Akt pathway. These data suggest that miR-7 could act as a fine-tuner in regulating the biological effects of TLR9 signaling on human lung cancer cells, which might be helpful to the understanding of the potential role of miRNAs in TLR signaling effects on tumor biology.

CpG oligonucleotides induce the differentiation of CD4(+)Th17 cells by triggering plasmacytoid dendritic cells in adoptively cell transfer immunotherapy

Our previous data showed that CpG-ODNs could significantly enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of adoptively cell transfer (ACT), which was closely correlated to accumulation of Th17 cells in tumor mass. Here we further investigated that CpG-ODNs had no significant effect on the migration and proliferation capacity of Th17 cells in tumor mass. Instead, we showed that CpG-ODNs could induce the differentiation of Th17 cells via dendritic cells (DCs) in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Notably, we found that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), but not myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs), were responsible for the Th17 differentiation induced by CpG-ODNs via IL-6, TGF-β and IFN-α in vitro. Finally, we revealed that CpG-ODNs could stimulate pDCs to induce the differentiation of Th17 cells in vivo, which subsequently reduced the tumor size and prolonged the survival of tumor bearing nude mice. These data provided a novel insight into the mechanism of anti-tumor efficacy of CpG-ODNs based therapeutic strategy.