High Expression of VSTM2L Induced Resistance to Chemoradiotherapy in Rectal Cancer through Downstream IL-4 Signaling

VSTM2L is a promising therapeutic target and a prognostic soluble-biomarker in cholangiocarcinoma

The aim of the present study is to provide a rational background for silencing the V-set and transmembrane domain containing 2 like (VSTM2L) in consort with recognising soluble VSTM2L against cholangiocarcinoma. A therapeutic target against cholangiocarcinoma was selected using iterative patient partitioning (IPP) calculation, and it was verified by in vitro and in silico analyses. VSTM2L was selected as a potential therapeutic target against cholangiocarcinoma. Silencing the VSTM2L expression significantly attenuated the viability and survival of cholangiocarcinoma cells through blockade of the intracellular signalling pathway. In silico analysis showed that VSTM2L affected the positive regulation of cell growth in cholangiocarcinoma. Liptak's z value revealed that the expression of VSTM2L worsened the prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma patients. In addition, soluble VSTM2L was significantly detected in the whole blood of cholangiocarcinoma patients compared with that of healthy donors. Our report reveals that VSTM2L might be the potential therapeutic target and a soluble prognostic biomarker against cholangiocarcinoma. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(7): 324-329].

PD-1 blockade enhances the effect of targeted chemotherapy on locally advanced pMMR/MSS colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients with DNA mismatch repair-proficient/microsatellite stable (pMMR/MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC), which accounts for 85% of all CRC cases, display a poor respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (i.e., anti-PD-1 antibodies). pMMR/MSS CRC patients with locally advanced cancers need effective combined therapies.

METHODS

In this pilot study, we administered six preoperative doses of each 2-week cycle of the anti-PD-1 antibody sintilimab (at a fixed dose of 200 mg), oxaliplatin, and 5-FU/CF (mFOLFOX6) combined with five doses of bevacizumab (the number of doses was reduced to prevent surgical delays) to patients with cT4NxM0 colon or upper rectal cancers. And radical surgery was performed approximately 2 weeks after the last dose of neoadjuvant therapy. The primary endpoint was a pathologic complete response (pCR). We also evaluated major pathologic response (MPR, ≤10% residual viable tumor), radiological and pathological regression, safety, and tumor mutation burden (TMB), and tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics.

RESULTS

By the cutoff date (September 2023), 22 patients with cT4NxM0 pMMR/MSS colon or upper rectal cancers were enrolled and the median follow-up was 24.7 months (IQR: 21.1-26.1). All patients underwent R0 surgical resection without treatment-related surgical delays. pCR occurred in 12 of 22 resected tumors (54.5%) and MPR occurred in 18 of 22 (81.8%) patients. At the cutoff date, all patients were alive, and 21/22 were recurrence-free. Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in of 2/22 (9.1%) patients. Among the pCR tumors, two were found to harbor POLE mutations. The degree of pathological regression was significantly greater than that of radiological regression (p = 1.35 × 10-8). The number of CD3+/CD4+ cells in the tumor and stroma in pretreated biopsied tissues was markedly lower in pCR tumors than in non-pCR tumors (p = 0.038 and p = 0.015, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant sintilimab combined with bevacizumab and mFOLFOX6 was associated with few side effects, did not delay surgery, and led to pCR and non-pCR in 54.5% and 81.8% of the cases, respectively. Downregulation of CD3/CD4 expression in the tumor and stroma is related to pCR. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PD-1 blockade-enhanced targeted chemotherapy require further investigation.

MIF-Modulated Spinal Proteins Associated with Persistent Bladder Pain: A Proteomics Study

Bladder pain is a prominent symptom in Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS). We studied spinal mechanisms of bladder pain in mice using a model where repeated activation of intravesical Protease Activated Receptor-4 (PAR4) results in persistent bladder hyperalgesia (BHA) with little or no bladder inflammation. Persistent BHA is mediated by spinal macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and is associated with changes in lumbosacral proteomics. We investigated the contribution of individual spinal MIF receptors to persistent bladder pain as well as the spinal proteomics changes associated with relief of persistent BHA by spinal MIF antagonism. Female mice with persistent BHA received either intrathecal (i.t.) MIF monoclonal antibodies (mAb) or mouse IgG1 (isotype control antibody). MIF antagonism temporarily reversed persistent BHA (peak effect: 2 h), while control IgG1 had no effect. Moreover, i.t. antagonism of the MIF receptors CD74 and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) partially reversed persistent BHA. For proteomics experiments, four separate groups of mice received either repeated intravesical scrambled peptide and sham i.t. injection (control, no pain group) or repeated intravesical PAR4 and: sham i.t.; isotype IgG1 i.t. (15 μg); or MIF mAb (15 μg). L6-S1 spinal segments were excised 2 h post-injection and examined for proteomics changes using LC-MS/MS. Unbiased proteomics analysis identified and relatively quantified 6739 proteins. We selected proteins that showed significant changes compared to control (no pain group) after intravesical PAR4 (sham or IgG i.t. treatment) and showed no significant change after i.t. MIF antagonism. Six proteins decreased during persistent BHA (V-set transmembrane domain-containing protein 2-like confirmed by immunohistochemistry), while two proteins increased. Spinal MIF antagonism reversed protein changes. Therefore, spinal MIF and MIF receptors mediate persistent BHA and changes in specific spinal proteins. These novel MIF-modulated spinal proteins represent possible new targets to disrupt spinal mechanisms that mediate persistent bladder pain.

Expression of ZNF281 in colorectal cancer correlates with response to radiotherapy and survival

BACKGROUND

The treatment of Colorectal cancer (CRC) is extremely complex and survival rates vary depending on the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT), is the conventional treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC); however, the resistance to chemoradiotherapy in LARC is difficult to predict.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, clinical data of 126 LARC patients were collected and analyzed, and relevant validation was performed using GEO database and in vitro and in vivo experiments, including Western blotting and Real-time quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, clonogenic cell survival assays, and nude-mouse xenograft models.

RESULTS

In patients with LARC who were treated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NART), higher ZNF281 expression in malignant tissue was associated with a poorer prognosis and lesser degree of tumor regression. Cell and mouse experiments have shown that ZNF281 reduces the damage caused by X-rays to CRC cells and tumors grown in mice.

CONCLUSION

We found that the expression of ZNF281 predicted the radiation response of CRC cells and suggested the prognosis of patients with LARC who received neoadjuvant radiation therapy.

Identification of Tumor Antigens and Immune Subtypes of High-grade Serous Ovarian Cancer for mRNA Vaccine Development

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common pathology of ovarian cancer and has aggressive characteristics and poor prognosis. mRNA vaccines are a novel tool for cancer immune treatment and may play an important role in HGSC therapy. Our study aimed to explore tumour antigens for vaccine development and identify potential populations amenable to vaccine treatment. Based on transcription data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we identified four tumour-specific antigens for vaccine production: ARPC1B, ELF3, VSTM2L, and IL27RA. In addition to being associated with HGSC patient prognosis, the expression of these antigens was positively correlated with the abundances of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Furthermore, we stratified HGSC samples into three immune subtypes (IS1-IS3) with different immune characteristics. A corhort from ICGC (International Cancer Genome Consortium) was used to validate. Patients of IS3 had the best prognosis, while patients of IS1 were most likely to benefit from vaccination. There was substantial heterogeneity in immune signatures and immune-associated molecule expression in HGSC. Finally, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to cluster immune-related genes and explore potential biomarkers related to vaccination. In conclusion, we identified four potential tumour antigens for mRNA vaccine production for HGSC treatment, and the immune subtype could be an important indicator to select suitable HGSC patients to receive vaccination.

VSTM2L contributes to anoikis resistance and acts as a novel biomarker for metastasis and clinical outcome in ovarian cancer

The majority of patients are diagnosed when ovarian cancer (OC) has metastasized, making surgery and chemotherapy less effective. Thus, there is an urgent need to elucidate the mechanisms underlying metastasis and to further explore novel diagnostic biomarkers of OC metastasis. Here, we conducted a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen for anoikis resistance to identify key genes associated with OC metastasis. Further, bioinformatic analysis was performed using TCGA and GTEx datasets to explore the genes associated with OC progression and prognosis. After integrated analysis, the V-set and transmembrane domain-containing protein 2-like (VSTM2L) was identified as a crucial gene closely associated with OC metastasis, progression, and prognosis. Further validation using a patient-based cohort suggested that VSTM2L expression was significantly higher in metastatic lesions than in primary lesions. Subsequently, an in vitro assay showed that VSTM2L silencing increased SKOV3 cell death and hampered spheroid formation. Mechanistically, GSEA highlighted that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related pathways was positively associated with VSTM2L expression. Consistently, the validation based on the VSTM2L silence suggested the involvement of VSTM2L in EMT-related TGF-β and NF-κB signaling. Meanwhile, the addition of VSTM2L-containing medium did not provoke those signaling, indicating VSTM2L functions as an intracellular protein to activate TGF-β and NF-κB signaling. In summary, our study revealed that VSTM2L is a novel player involved in anoikis resistance and is a promising biomarker of OC metastasis and prognosis.

Patient-derived rectal cancer organoids—applications in basic and translational cancer research

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and among the leading causes of death in both men and women. Rectal cancer (RC) is particularly challenging compared with colon cancer as the treatment after diagnosis of RC is more complex on account of its narrow anatomical location in the pelvis adjacent to the urogenital organs. More and more existing studies have begun to refine the research on RC and colon cancer separately. Early diagnosis and multiple treatment strategies optimize outcomes for individual patients. However, the need for more accurate and precise models to facilitate RC research is underscored due to the heterogeneity of clinical response and morbidity interrelated with radical surgery. Organoids generated from biopsies of patients have developed as powerful models to recapitulate many aspects of their primary tissue, consisting of 3-D self-organizing structures, which shed great light on the applications in both biomedical and clinical research. As the preclinical research models for RC are usually confused with colon cancer, research on patient-derived RC organoid models enable personalized analysis of cancer pathobiology, organizational function, and tumor initiation and progression. In this review, we discuss the various applications of patient-derived RC organoids over the past two years in basic cancer biology and clinical translation, including sequencing analysis, drug screening, precision therapy practice, tumor microenvironment studies, and genetic engineering opportunities.

A risk model of gene signatures for predicting platinum response and survival in ovarian cancer

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest tumor in the female reproductive tract. And increased resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy represents the major obstacle in the treatment of OC currently. Robust and accurate gene expression models are crucial tools in distinguishing platinum therapy response and evaluating the prognosis of OC patients.

Methods

In this study, 230 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) OV dataset were subjected to mRNA expression profiling, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and copy number variation (CNV) analysis comprehensively to screen out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). An SVM classifier and a prognostic model were constructed using the Random Forest algorithm and LASSO Cox regression model respectively via R. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was applied as the validation set.

Results

Forty-eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were figured out through integrated analysis of gene expression, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and copy number variation (CNV) data. A 10-gene classifier was constructed which could discriminate platinum-sensitive samples precisely with an AUC of 0.971 in the training set and of 0.926 in the GEO dataset (GSE638855). In addition, 8 optimal genes were further selected to construct the prognostic risk model whose predictions were consistent with the actual survival outcomes in the training cohort (p = 9.613e-05) and validated in GSE638855 (p = 0.04862). PNLDC1, SLC5A1, and SYNM were then identified as hub genes that were associated with both platinum response status and prognosis, which was further validated by the Fudan University Shanghai cancer center (FUSCC) cohort.

Conclusion

These findings reveal a specific risk model that could serve as effective biomarkers to identify patients’ platinum response status and predict survival outcomes for OC patients. PNLDC1, SLC5A1, and SYNM are the hub genes that may serve as potential biomarkers in OC treatment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-022-00969-3.

Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals the Multidimensional Expression and Prognostic and Immunologic Roles of VSTM2L in Cancer

Immunotherapy can improve survival in a variety of cancers by modulating the interaction between tumors and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). V-set and transmembrane domain containing 2 like (VSTM2L) regulates interleukin (IL)-4 signaling pathway—which involves immune-related factors—and has been linked to some cancers. However, the expression profile and prognostic significance of VSTM2L in different cancers as well as its relationship to the TIME are not known. This study investigated the pan-cancer expression profile, prognostic value, and immunologic relevance of VSTM2L. VSTM2L expression in different cancers was analyzed using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and Genotype–Tissue Expression (GTEx) portal. We examined the association between VSTM2L expression and clinical outcomes by Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses using TCGA and Kaplan–Meier Plotter, and the results were validated in a Gene Expression Omnibus cohort. The correlations between VSTM2L expression and immune cell infiltration, immunomodulators, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and immune and stromal scores across cancers were analyzed using TCGA, TIMER, and Tumor–Immune System Interactions and Drugbank databases (TISIDB). The results showed that VSTM2L expression varied across cancers and its aberrant expression was associated with clinical outcomes: upregulation of VSTM2L was positively associated with advanced stage and reduced overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free interval (PFI), and disease-free interval (DFI) in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD); and its upregulation was associated with early-stage disease and improved OS, DSS, PFI, and DFI in kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP). VSTM2L expression level was correlated with immune cell infiltration, expression of immunomodulators, TMB, MSI, and immune and stromal scores in multiple cancers. In conclusion, VSTM2L has prognostic value in various cancers and can predict both poor (STAD) and good (KIRP) outcomes. The relationship between VSTM2L expression and immune markers suggests a role in modulating the TIME.