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Feng G, Zhang L, Bao W, Ni J, Wang Y, Huang Y, Lyv J, Cao X, Chen T, You K, Khan H, Shen X. Gentisic acid prevents colorectal cancer metastasis via blocking GPR81-mediated DEPDC5 degradation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 129:155615. [PMID: 38615493 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastasis driven by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains a significant contributor to the poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), and requires more effective interventions. GPR81 signaling has been linked to tumor metastasis, while lacks an efficient specific inhibitor. PURPOSE Our study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Gentisic acid on colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. STUDY DESIGN A lung metastasis mouse model induced by tail vein injection and a subcutaneous graft tumor model were used. Gentisic acid (GA) was administered by an intraperitoneal injection. HCT116 was treated with lactate to establish an in vitro model. METHODS MC38 cells with mCherry fluorescent protein were injected into tail vein to investigate lung metastasis ability in vivo. GA was administered by intraperitoneal injection for 3 weeks. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by survival rates, histochemical analysis, RT-qPCR and live imaging. The mechanism was explored using small interfering RNA (siRNA), Western blotting, RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. RESULTS GA had a therapeutic effect on CRC metastasis and improved survival rates and pathological changes in dose-dependent manner. GA emerged as an GPR81 inhibitor, effectively suppressed EMT and mTOR signaling in CRC induced by lactate both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, GA halted lactate-induce degradation of DEPDC5 through impeding the activation of Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). CONCLUSION CMA-mediated DEPDC5 degradation is crucial for lactate/GPR81-induced CRC metastasis, and GA may be a promising candidate for metastasis by inhibiting GPR81 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guize Feng
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Weilian Bao
- Department of Natural Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiahui Ni
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yirui Wang
- Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Incubation (AI³) Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuran Huang
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaren Lyv
- Department of Natural Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Cao
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tongqing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Keyuan You
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Xiaoyan Shen
- Department of Pharmacology & the Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Incubation (AI³) Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Fan K, Wang Y, Bian J, Sun Y, Dou J, Pan J, Yu Y. Study on the effects of rapamycin and the mTORC1/2 dual inhibitor OSI-027 on the metabolism of colon cancer cells based on UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics. Invest New Drugs 2024:10.1007/s10637-024-01438-y. [PMID: 38916794 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-024-01438-y] [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: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
mTORC1/2 dual inhibitors may be more effective than mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. However, their metabolic impacts on colon cancer cells remain unexplored. We conducted a comparative analysis of the anti-proliferative effects of rapamycin and the novel OSI-027 in colon cancer cells HCT-116, evaluating their metabolic influences through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Our results demonstrate that OSI-027 more effectively inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation than rapamycin. Additionally, we identified nearly 600 metabolites from the spectra, revealing significant differences in metabolic patterns between cells treated with OSI-027 and rapamycin. Through VIP value screening, we pinpointed crucial metabolites contributing to these distinctions. For inhibiting glycolysis and reducing glucose consumption, OSI-027 was likely to be more potent than rapamycin. For amino acids metabolism, although OSI-027 has a broad effect as rapamycin, their effects in degrees were not exactly the same. These findings address the knowledge gap regarding mTORC1/2 dual inhibitors and lay a foundation for their further development and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Fan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueyuan Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangyujing Bian
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- College of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yewen Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- College of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaqi Dou
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Pan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yunli Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou City, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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Zang Y, Yang C, Dai MS, Zhang W, Zou L, Hu J, Hu Y, Xu C, Liu R, Wang H, Xiong Z. Protective Autophagy Attenuates the Cytotoxicity of MTI-31 in Renal Cancer Cells by Activating the ERK Pathway. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 196:2233-2245. [PMID: 37493819 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04569-9] [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] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulatory molecular target to treat cancer, and MTI-31 is a potent mTOR inhibitory agent for the therapeutically target of the renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the therapeutic efficacy of MTI-31 is limited by multiple factors, including autophagy. MTI-31 can activate cells to generate autophagy, which may in turn indirectly affect cell proliferation and apoptosis. We aimed to observe changes in cell protective autophagy via the ERK pathway and explore the potential mechanism underlying drug resistance of RCC cells to MTI-31. Different concentrations of 786-O and RCC4 cells were co-cultured with MTI-31 for distinct durations. The result of autophagy marker detection by Western blot showed that MTI-31 could induce RCC cells to produce autophagy in a dose and time-dependent manner. After treating the RCC cells with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ), CCK8 and Western blot assays demonstrated that CQ could effectively enhance cell apoptosis induced by MTI-31 and that the autophagy induced by MTI-31 was cytoprotective. In addition, CCK8 and Western blot demonstrated that MTI-31 exerted its effect by activating the ERK pathway rather than the JNK or p38 pathway. The use of the ERK inhibitor AZD6244 to block the ERK pathway could effectively promote cell apoptosis induced by MTI-31. AZD6244 attenuated the autophagy induced by MTI-31 and increased the cytotoxicity of MTI-31. Western blot also demonstrated that MTI-31-induced autophagy was mediated by the downstream regulators of ERK pathways, including Beclin-1 and Bcl-2. It demonstrated that the MTI-31 mediated activation ERK pathway is associated with the induction of autophagy, and autophagy can attenuate the cytotoxicity of MTI-31 on RCC cells. In summary, inhibition of ERK pathway-mediated autophagy can rectify drug resistance to MTI-31 effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Zang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Meng-Shi Dai
- Department of Geriatrics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Wenye Zhang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Lujia Zou
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jimeng Hu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yun Hu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chenyang Xu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Rongzong Liu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Teaching Center of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 138 Yixueyuan Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zuquan Xiong
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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Feng Y, Hu X, Zhang Y, Wang Y. The Role of Microglia in Brain Metastases: Mechanisms and Strategies. Aging Dis 2024; 15:169-185. [PMID: 37307835 PMCID: PMC10796095 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastases and related complications are one of the major fatal factors in cancer. Patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma are at a high risk of developing brain metastases. However, the mechanisms underlying the brain metastatic cascade remain poorly understood. Microglia, one of the major resident macrophages in the brain parenchyma, are involved in multiple processes associated with brain metastasis, including inflammation, angiogenesis, and immune modulation. They also closely interact with metastatic cancer cells, astrocytes, and other immune cells. Current therapeutic approaches against metastatic brain cancers, including small-molecule drugs, antibody-coupled drugs (ADCs), and immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have compromised efficacy owing to the impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and complex brain microenvironment. Targeting microglia is one of the strategies for treating metastatic brain cancer. In this review, we summarize the multifaceted roles of microglia in brain metastases and highlight them as potential targets for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Feng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xueqing Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yingru Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
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Zhang W, Yang C, Zou L, Zang Y, Hu J, Hu Y, Xu C, Liu R, Wang H, Xiong Z. Combining MTI-31 with RAD001 inhibits tumor growth and invasion of kidney cancer by activating autophagy. J Appl Genet 2024; 65:103-112. [PMID: 37932653 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-023-00796-2] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
At most of the times, patients who are diagnosed with kidney cancer should be provided with systemic treatment as drug resistance is a challenging issue in the treatment of this disease. The progression of the cancer can be inhibited with the help of mTOR inhibitors namely RAD001 (everolimus) and MTI-31. In literature, it has been revealed that these mTOR inhibitors have the potential to stimulate autophagy. This degradation pathway boosts the survival rate of the cancerous cells that are subjected to anti-cancer therapy. In this study, CCK8, colony formation assays, and ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU) analysis were conducted to detect cell proliferation. Furthermore, Transwell assays were also conducted for cell migration analysis. In addition to these, the researchers also performed the flow cytometry process to identify the cells that are undergoing apoptosis. In vivo, experiments were conducted to measure the growth of tumors and metastasis. In this study, the treatment provided through a combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 significantly inhibited the kidney cancer cells' proliferation and tumor growth. Furthermore, there was a notable reduction in the migration and invasion of kidney cancer cells upon the neighboring cells. The outcomes from the mechanistic studies infer that the combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 increases the LC3 levels, which in turn translates into the activation of autophagy. To conclude, the combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 improves the anti-cancerous impact produced by RAD001 in vivo through the promotion of autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenye Zhang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Lujia Zou
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yiwen Zang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jimeng Hu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yun Hu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chenyang Xu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Rongzong Liu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Teaching Center of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 138 Yixueyuan Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zuquan Xiong
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Institute of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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Zhang Y, Liu L, Pei J, Ren Z, Deng Y, Yu K. Tissue factor overexpression promotes resistance to KRAS-G12C inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer. Oncogene 2024; 43:668-681. [PMID: 38191673 PMCID: PMC10890931 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02924-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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The recently approved KRASG12C mutation-specific inhibitors sotorasib and adagrasib (KRASG12C-I) represent a promising therapy for KRASG12C-driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, many eligible patients do not benefit due to intrinsic or acquired drug resistance. Tissue factor (TF) is overexpressed in KRAS-mutated (KRASmut) NSCLC and is the target of the FDA-approved ADC Tivdak. Here, we employed HuSC1-39, the parent antibody of a clinical stage TF-ADC (NCT04843709), to investigate the role of TF in KRASmut NSCLC. We found that patients with TF-overexpression had poor survival, elevated P-ERK/P-AKT activity levels and low immune effector cell infiltration in the tumor. In a panel of KRASG12C cell lines, KRASG12C-I response correlated with suppression of TF mRNA, which was not observed in resistant cells. In the drug resistant cells, TF-overexpression relied on an mTORC2-mediated and proteasome-dependent pathway. Combination treatment of HuSC1-39 or mTORC1/2 inhibitor MTI-31 with KRASG12C-I each produced synergistic antitumor efficacy in cell culture and in an orthotopic lung tumor model. TF-depletion in the resistant cells diminished epithelial mesenchymal transition, reduced tumor growth and greatly sensitized KRASG12C-I response. Moreover, employing immunohistochemistry and coculture studies, we demonstrated that HuSC1-39 or MTI-31 reset the tumor microenvironment and restore KRASG12C-I sensitivity by reshaping an M1-like macrophage profile with greatly enhanced phagocytic capacity toward tumor cell killing. Thus, we have identified the TF/mTORC2 axis as a critical new mechanism for triggering immunosuppression and KRASG12C-I resistance. We propose that targeting this axis with HuSC1-39 or MTI-31 will improve KRASG12C-I response in KRAS-driven NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinpeng Pei
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Ren
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Deng
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China
| | - Ker Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, China.
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Lu S, Huang J, Zhang J, Wu C, Huang Z, Tao X, You L, Stalin A, Chen M, Li J, Tan Y, Wu Z, Geng L, Li Z, Fan Q, Liu P, Lin Y, Zhao C, Wu J. The anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect of Aidi injection was related to the synergistic action of cantharidin, formononetin, and isofraxidin through BIRC5, FEN1, and EGFR. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117209. [PMID: 37757991 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Aidi injection (ADI) is a popular anti-tumor Chinese patent medicine, widely used in clinics for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with remarkable therapeutic effects through multiple targets and pathways. However, the scientific evidence of the synergistic role of the complex chemical component system and the potential mechanism for treating diseases are ignored and remain to be elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to elucidate and verify the cooperative association between the potential active ingredient of ADI, which is of significance to enlarge our understanding of its anti-HCC molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, the anti-HCC effect of ADI was evaluated in various HCC cells and the zebrafish xenograft model. Subsequently, a variety of bioinformatic technologies, including network pharmacology, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), meta-analysis of gene expression profiles, and pathway enrichment analysis were performed to construct the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of ADI intervention in HCC and to establish the relationship between the critical targets/pathways and the key corresponding components, which were involved in ADI against HCC in a synergistic way and were validated by molecular biology experiments. RESULTS ADI exerted remarkable anti-HCC in vitro cells and in vivo zebrafish model, especially that the Hep 3B2.1-7 cell showed substantial sensibility to ADI. The ceRNA network revealed that the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was identified as the promising pathway. Furthermore, the meta-analysis also demonstrated the critical role of BIRC5 and FEN1 as key targets. Finally, the synergistic effect of ADI was revealed by discovering the inhibitory effect of cantharidin on BIRC5, formononetin on FEN1 and EGFR, as well as isofraxidin on EGFR. CONCLUSION Our study unveiled that the incredible protective effect of ADI on HCC resulted from the synergistic inhibition effect of cantharidin, formononetin, and isofraxidin on multiple targets/pathways, including BIRC5, FEN1, and EGFR/PI3K/AKT, respectively, providing a scientific interpretation of ADI against HCC and a typical example of pharmacodynamic evaluation of other proprietary Chinese patent medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiaqi Huang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Zhihong Huang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Tao
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Leiming You
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Antony Stalin
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.
| | - Meilin Chen
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Yingying Tan
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Zhishan Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Libo Geng
- Guizhou Yibai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guiyang, 550008, Guizhou, China.
| | - Zhiqi Li
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Qiqi Fan
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Pengyun Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Yifan Lin
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Chongjun Zhao
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
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Wang J, Peng J, Chen Y, Nasser MI, Qin H. The role of stromal cells in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and its therapeutic potential. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:13. [PMID: 38244071 PMCID: PMC10799841 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00867-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical tumor invasion and metastasis process. EMT enables tumor cells to migrate, detach from their original location, enter the circulation, circulate within it, and eventually exit from blood arteries to colonize in foreign sites, leading to the development of overt metastases, ultimately resulting in death. EMT is intimately tied to stromal cells around the tumor and is controlled by a range of cytokines secreted by stromal cells. This review summarizes recent research on stromal cell-mediated EMT in tumor invasion and metastasis. We also discuss the effects of various stromal cells on EMT induction and focus on the molecular mechanisms by which several significant stromal cells convert from foes to friends of cancer cells to fuel EMT processes via their secretions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). As a result, a better knowledge of the role of stromal cells in cancer cells' EMT may pave the path to cancer eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjing Wang
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Junmei Peng
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonglin Chen
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
| | - M I Nasser
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hui Qin
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
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Xu J, Gao F, Liu W, Guan X. Cell-cell communication characteristics in breast cancer metastasis. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:55. [PMID: 38243240 PMCID: PMC10799417 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01418-4] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, a highly fatal disease due to its tendency to metastasize, is the most prevalent form of malignant tumors among women worldwide. Numerous studies indicate that breast cancer exhibits a unique predilection for metastasis to specific organs including the bone, liver, lung, and brain. However, different types of, The understanding of the heterogeneity of metastatic breast cancer has notably improved with the recent advances in high-throughput sequencing techniques. Focusing on the modification in the microenvironment of the metastatic organs and the crosstalk between tumor cells and in situ cells, noteworthy research points include the identification of two distinct modes of tumor growth in bone metastases, the influence of type II pneumocyte on lung metastases, the paradoxical role of Kupffer cells in liver metastases, and the breakthrough of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) breach in brain metastases. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of breast cancer metastases, shedding light on the pivotal roles of immune and resident cells in the development of distinct metastatic foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtong Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Fangyan Gao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Weici Liu
- The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People's Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Guan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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10
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Wang J, Gui L, Mu Y, Wang J, Chi Y, Liu Z, Li Q, Xu B. Phase I dose escalation study and pilot efficacy analysis of LXI-15029, a novel mTOR dual inhibitor, in Chinese subjects with advanced malignant solid tumors. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1200. [PMID: 38057772 PMCID: PMC10702058 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11578-8] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, a central component of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, plays a critical role in tumor biology as an attractive therapeutic target. We conducted this first-in-human study to investigate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pilot efficacy of LXI-15029, an mTORC1/2 dual inhibitor, in Chinese patients with advanced malignant solid tumors. METHODS Eligible patients with advanced, unresectable malignant solid tumors after failure of routine therapy or with no standard treatment were enrolled to receive ascending doses (10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 110, and 150 mg) of oral LXI-15029 twice daily (BID) (3 + 3 dose-escalation pattern) until disease progression or intolerable adverse events (AEs). The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability. RESULTS Between June 2017 and July 2021, a total of 24 patients were enrolled. LXI-15029 was well tolerated at all doses. Only one dose-limiting toxicity (grade 3 increased alanine aminotransferase) occurred in the 150 mg group, and the maximum tolerated dose was 110 mg BID. The most common treatment-related AEs were leukocytopenia (41.7%), increased alanine aminotransferase (20.8%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (20.8%), prolonged electrocardiogram QT interval (20.8%), and hypertriglyceridemia (20.8%). No other serious treatment-related AEs were reported. LXI-15029 was absorbed rapidly after oral administration. The increases in the peak concentration and the area under the curve were greater than dose proportionality over the dose range. Eight patients had stable disease. The disease control rate was 40.0% (8/20; 95% CI 21.7-60.6). In evaluable patients, the median progression-free survival was 29 days (range 29-141). CONCLUSIONS LXI-15029 demonstrated reasonable safety and tolerability profiles and encouraging preliminary antitumor activity in Chinese patients with advanced malignant solid tumors, which warranted further validation in phase II trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03125746(24/04/2017), http://ClinicalTrials.gov/show/NCT03125746.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiani Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Lin Gui
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yuxin Mu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Jiayu Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yihebali Chi
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Zhenteng Liu
- Shandong Luoxin Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Linyi, 276017, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Binghe Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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11
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García-Pérez BE, Pérez-Torres C, Baltierra-Uribe SL, Castillo-Cruz J, Castrejón-Jiménez NS. Autophagy as a Target for Non-Immune Intrinsic Functions of Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15016. [PMID: 37834467 PMCID: PMC10573536 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241915016] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a catabolic process that is essential to the maintenance of homeostasis through the cellular recycling of damaged organelles or misfolded proteins, which sustains energy balance. Additionally, autophagy plays a dual role in modulating the development and progression of cancer and inducing a survival strategy in tumoral cells. Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) modulates the immune response and is responsible for maintaining self-tolerance. Because tumor cells exploit the PD-L1-PD-1 interaction to subvert the immune response, immunotherapy has been developed based on the use of PD-L1-blocking antibodies. Recent evidence has suggested a bidirectional regulation between autophagy and PD-L1 molecule expression in tumor cells. Moreover, the research into the intrinsic properties of PD-L1 has highlighted new functions that are advantageous to tumor cells. The relationship between autophagy and PD-L1 is complex and still not fully understood; its effects can be context-dependent and might differ between tumoral cells. This review refines our understanding of the non-immune intrinsic functions of PD-L1 and its potential influence on autophagy, how these could allow the survival of tumor cells, and what this means for the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Estela García-Pérez
- Departmento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Christian Pérez-Torres
- Departmento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Shantal Lizbeth Baltierra-Uribe
- Departmento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Juan Castillo-Cruz
- Departmento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
- Departmento de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Nayeli Shantal Castrejón-Jiménez
- Área Académica de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Av. Universidad km. 1. Exhacienda de Aquetzalpa A.P. 32, Tulancingo 43600, Mexico
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12
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Chen X, Li B, Wang Y, Jin J, Yang Y, Huang L, Yang M, Zhang J, Wang B, Shao Z, Ni T, Huang S, Hu X, Tao Z. Low level of ARID1A contributes to adaptive immune resistance and sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2023; 43:1003-1026. [PMID: 37434394 PMCID: PMC10508140 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) shed new light on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but only a minority of patients demonstrate response. Therefore, adaptive immune resistance (AIR) needs to be further defined to guide the development of ICI regimens. METHODS Databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Ontology Resource, University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser, and Pubmed, were used to screen epigenetic modulators, regulators for CD8+ T cells, and transcriptional regulators of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (Hu-PBMC) reconstruction mice were adopted for xenograft transplantation. Tumor specimens from a TNBC cohort and the clinical trial CTR20191353 were retrospectively analyzed. RNA-sequencing, Western blotting, qPCR and immunohistochemistry were used to assess gene expression. Coculture assays were performed to evaluate the regulation of TNBC cells on T cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing were used to determine chromatin-binding and accessibility. RESULTS The epigenetic modulator AT-rich interaction domain 1A (ARID1A) gene demonstrated the highest expression association with AIR relative to other epigenetic modulators in TNBC patients. Low ARID1A expression in TNBC, causing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, promoted AIR and inhibited CD8+ T cell infiltration and activity through upregulating PD-L1. However, ARID1A did not directly regulate PD-L1 expression. We found that ARID1A directly bound the promoter of nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) and that low ARID1A expression increased NPM1 chromatin accessibility as well as gene expression, further activating PD-L1 transcription. In Hu-PBMC mice, atezolizumab demonstrated the potential to reverse ARID1A deficiency-induced AIR in TNBC by reducing tumor malignancy and activating anti-tumor immunity. In CTR20191353, ARID1A-low patients derived more benefit from pucotenlimab compared to ARID1A-high patients. CONCLUSIONS In AIR epigenetics, low ARID1A expression in TNBC contributed to AIR via the ARID1A/NPM1/PD-L1 axis, leading to poor outcome but sensitivity to ICI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin‐Yu Chen
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Juan Jin
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic EngineeringCollaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and DevelopmentHuman Phenome InstituteSchool of Life SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Lei‐Huan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic EngineeringCollaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and DevelopmentHuman Phenome InstituteSchool of Life SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Meng‐Di Yang
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Bi‐Yun Wang
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Zhi‐Ming Shao
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in ShanghaiDepartment of Breast SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Precision Cancer Medicine CenterFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic EngineeringCollaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and DevelopmentHuman Phenome InstituteSchool of Life SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Sheng‐Lin Huang
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical EpigeneticsInternational Co‐laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and MetabolismInstitutes of Biomedical SciencesShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Xi‐Chun Hu
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Zhong‐Hua Tao
- Department of Breast and Urologic Medical OncologyFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
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13
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Cheng D, Ge K, Yao X, Wang B, Chen R, Zhao W, Fang C, Ji M. Tumor-associated macrophages mediate resistance of EGFR-TKIs in non-small cell lung cancer: mechanisms and prospects. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1209947. [PMID: 37649478 PMCID: PMC10463184 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1209947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are the first-line standard treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutation. However, resistance to EGFR-TKIs is inevitable. Currently, most studies on the mechanism of EGFR-TKIs resistance mainly focus on the spontaneous resistance phenotype of NSCLC cells. Studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment (TME) also mediates EGFR-TKIs resistance in NSCLC. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), one of the central immune cells in the TME of NSCLC, play an essential role in mediating EGFR-TKIs resistance. This study aims to comprehensively review the current mechanisms underlying TAM-mediated resistance to EGFR-TKIs and discuss the potential efficacy of combining EGFR-TKIs with targeted TAMs therapy. Combining EGFR-TKIs with TAMs targeting may improve the prognosis of NSCLC with EGFR mutation to some extent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Cheng Fang
- Departments of Oncology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Mei Ji
- Departments of Oncology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
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14
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Chhichholiya Y, Ruthuparna M, Velagaleti H, Munshi A. Brain metastasis in breast cancer: focus on genes and signaling pathways involved, blood-brain barrier and treatment strategies. Clin Transl Oncol 2023; 25:1218-1241. [PMID: 36897508 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-03050-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in women. Despite advancement in early detection and efficient treatment, recurrence and metastasis continue to pose a significant risk to the life of BC patients. Brain metastasis (BM) reported in 17-20 percent of BC patients is considered as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in these patients. BM includes various steps from primary breast tumor to secondary tumor formation. Various steps involved are primary tumor formation, angiogenesis, invasion, extravasation, and brain colonization. Genes involved in different pathways have been reported to be associated with BC cells metastasizing to the brain. ADAM8 gene, EN1 transcription factor, WNT, and VEGF signaling pathway have been associated with primary breast tumor; MMP1, COX2, XCR4, PI3k/Akt, ERK and MAPK pathways in angiogenesis; Noth, CD44, Zo-1, CEMIP, S0X2 and OLIG2 are involved in invasion, extravasation and colonization, respectively. In addition, the blood-brain barrier is also a key factor in BM. Dysregulation of cell junctions, tumor microenvironment and loss of function of microglia leads to BBB disruption ultimately resulting in BM. Various therapeutic strategies are currently used to control the BM in BC. Oncolytic virus therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, mTOR-PI3k inhibitors and immunotherapy have been developed to target various genes involved in BM in BC. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi) and CRISPR/Cas9 are novel interventions in the field of BCBM where research to validate these and clinical trials are being carried out. Gaining a better knowledge of metastasis biology is critical for establishing better treatment methods and attaining long-term therapeutic efficacies against BC. The current review has been compiled with an aim to evaluate the role of various genes and signaling pathways involved in multiple steps of BM in BC. The therapeutic strategies being used currently and the novel ones being explored to control BM in BC have also been discussed at length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogita Chhichholiya
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Malayil Ruthuparna
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Harini Velagaleti
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Anjana Munshi
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
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15
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Barnestein R, Galland L, Kalfeist L, Ghiringhelli F, Ladoire S, Limagne E. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment modulation by chemotherapies and targeted therapies to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2120676. [PMID: 36117524 PMCID: PMC9481153 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2120676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rapid clinical development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the standard of care in cancer management has evolved rapidly. However, immunotherapy is not currently beneficial for all patients. In addition to intrinsic tumor factors, other etiologies of resistance to ICIs arise from the complex interplay between cancer and its microenvironment. Recognition of the essential role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in cancer progression has led to a shift from a tumor-cell-centered view of cancer development, to the concept of a complex tumor ecosystem that supports tumor growth and metastatic dissemination. The expansion of immunosuppressive cells represents a cardinal strategy deployed by tumor cells to escape detection and elimination by the immune system. Regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and type-2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAM2) are major components of these inhibitory cellular networks, with the ability to suppress innate and adaptive anticancer immunity. They therefore represent major impediments to anticancer therapies, particularly immune-based interventions. Recent work has provided evidence that, beyond their direct cytotoxic effects on cancer cells, several conventional chemotherapeutic (CT) drugs and agents used in targeted therapies (TT) can promote the elimination or inactivation of suppressive immune cells, resulting in enhanced antitumor immunity. In this review, we will analyze findings pertaining to this concept, discuss the possible molecular bases underlying the selective targeting of these immunosuppressive cells by antineoplastic agents (CT and/or TT), and consider current challenges and future prospects related to the integration of these molecules into more efficient anticancer strategies, in the era of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robby Barnestein
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
| | - Loïck Galland
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Center, Dijon, France
| | - Laura Kalfeist
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
- Centre de Recherche INSERM LNC-UMR1231, Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - François Ghiringhelli
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Center, Dijon, France
- Centre de Recherche INSERM LNC-UMR1231, Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Sylvain Ladoire
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Center, Dijon, France
- Centre de Recherche INSERM LNC-UMR1231, Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Emeric Limagne
- University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Center, Dijon, France
- Centre de Recherche INSERM LNC-UMR1231, Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
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16
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Wang W, Zhang Z, Zhao M, Wang Y, Ge Y, Shan L. Zinc-finger protein CXXC5 promotes breast carcinogenesis by regulating the TSC1/mTOR signaling pathway. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102812. [PMID: 36539038 PMCID: PMC9860500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
CXXC5, a member of the CXXC family of zinc-finger proteins, is associated with numerous pathological processes. However, the pathophysiological function of CXXC5 has not been clearly established. Herein, we found that CXXC5 interacts with the CRL4B and NuRD complexes. Screening of transcriptional targets downstream of the CXXC5-CRL4B-NuRD complex by next-generation sequencing (chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) revealed that the complex regulates the transcriptional repression process of a cohort of genes, including TSC1 (tuberous sclerosis complex subunit 1), which play important roles in cell growth and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway regulation, and whose abnormal regulation results in the activation of programmed cell death-ligand protein 1 (PD-L1). Intriguingly, CXXC5 expression increased after stimulation with vitamin B2 but decreased after vitamin D treatment. We also found that the CXXC5-CRL4B-NuRD complex promotes the proliferation of tumor cells in vitro and accelerates the growth of breast cancer in vivo. The expression of CXXC5, CUL4B, and MTA1 increased during the occurrence and development of breast cancer, and correspondingly, TSC1 expression decreased. Meanwhile, a high expression of CXXC5 was positively correlated with the histological grade of high malignancy and poor survival of patients. In conclusion, our study revealed that CXXC5-mediated TSC1 suppression activates the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, reduces autophagic cell death, induces PD-L1-mediated immune suppression, and results in tumor development, shedding light on the mechanism of the pathophysiological function of CXXC5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Minghui Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuze Ge
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Shan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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cyy-287, a novel pyrimidine-2,4-diamine derivative, inhibits tumor growth of EGFR-driven non-small cell lung cancer via the ERK pathway. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 54:1540-1551. [PMID: 36239356 PMCID: PMC9828441 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022139] [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] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, EGFR-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been proven to be an effective therapy for EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, resistance to EGFR-TKIs limits their clinical application. In the present study, we investigate the antitumor effect and underlying mechanism of a novel pyrimidine-2,4-diamine derivative, cyy-287, in NSCLC. We find that cyy-287 has a high affinity for lung tissue and inhibits the proliferation of NSCLC cells. Interestingly, the significant suppression of migration and induction of apoptosis by cyy-287 are only observed in EGFR-driven but not in EGFR-wild-type (wt) cells. According to the RNA sequencing and KEGG enrichment analysis results, cyy-287 markedly inhibits the MAPK pathway in EGFR-driven PC9 cells, and western blot analysis results further indicate that cyy-287 selectively blocks the ERK pathway in EGFR-driven cells. Meanwhile, apoptosis induced by cyy-287 could be partially reversed by ERK pathway inhibition. Further experiment indicates that cyy-287 inhibits the EGFR pathway in both EGFR-driven and EGFR-overexpressing cells. Interestingly, it only induces apoptosis in EGFR-driven cells, not in EGFR-overexpressing cells. The growth of EGFR-driven cells is suppressed by cyy-287 in vivo, with fewer side effects. Our results suggest that cyy-287 may be a potential therapeutic drug with promising antitumor effects against NSCLC.
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Giannopoulos S, Bozkus CC, Zografos E, Athanasiou A, Bongiovanni AM, Doulaveris G, Bakoyiannis CN, Theodoropoulos GE, Zografos GC, Witkin SS, Orfanelli T. Targeting Both Autophagy and Immunotherapy in Breast Cancer Treatment. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12100966. [PMID: 36295867 PMCID: PMC9607060 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12100966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As clinical efforts towards breast-conserving therapy and prolonging survival of those with metastatic breast cancer increase, innovative approaches with the use of biologics are on the rise. Two areas of current focus are cancer immunotherapy and autophagy, both of which have been well-studied independently but have recently been shown to have intertwining roles in cancer. An increased understanding of their interactions could provide new insights that result in novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies. In this breast cancer-focused review, we explore the interactions between autophagy and two clinically relevant immune checkpoint pathways; the programmed cell death-1 receptor with its ligand (PD-L1)/PD-1 and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4)/CD80 and CD86 (B7-1 and B7-2). Furthermore, we discuss emerging preclinical and clinical data supporting targeting both immunotherapy and autophagy pathway manipulation as a promising approach in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spyridon Giannopoulos
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Cansu Cimen Bozkus
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eleni Zografos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Athanasiou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Ann Marie Bongiovanni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Georgios Doulaveris
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Chris N Bakoyiannis
- First Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Laikon General Hospital, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios E Theodoropoulos
- First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios C Zografos
- First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
| | - Steven S Witkin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Theofano Orfanelli
- First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippocration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
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19
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Ni Z, Xu S, Yu Z, Ye Z, Li R, Chen C, Yang J, Liu H, Zhou Z, Zhang X. Comparison of dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor AZD8055 and mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin on the metabolism of breast cancer cells using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics. Invest New Drugs 2022; 40:1206-1215. [PMID: 36063263 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-022-01268-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dual mTORC1/2 inhibitors may be more effective than mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. Nevertheless, their metabolic effects on breast cancer cells have not been reported. We compared the anti-proliferative capacity of rapamycin and a novel mTORC1/2 dual inhibitor (AZD8055) in two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453) and analyzed their metabolic effects using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics. We found that AZD8055 more strongly inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation than rapamycin. The half-inhibitory concentration of AZD8055 in breast cancer cells was almost one-tenth that of rapamycin. We identified 22 and 23 metabolites from the 1H NMR spectra of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cells. The patterns of AZD8055- and rapamycin-treated breast cancer cells differed significantly; we then selected the metabolites that contributed to these differences. For inhibiting glycolysis and reducing glucose consumption, AZD8055 was likely to be more potent than rapamycin. For amino acids metabolism, although AZD8055 has a broad effect as rapamycin, their effects in degrees were not exactly the same. AZD8055 and rapamycin displayed cell-specific metabolic effects on breast cancer cells, a finding that deserves further study. These findings help fill the knowledge gap concerning dual mTORC1/2 inhibitors and provide a theoretical basis for their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitao Ni
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaolin Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongjiang Ye
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rongqi Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chuang Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianhui Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huamin Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ziye Zhou
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xiuhua Zhang
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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20
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Blockade of STAT3/IL-4 overcomes EGFR T790M-cis-L792F-induced resistance to osimertinib via suppressing M2 macrophages polarization. EBioMedicine 2022; 83:104200. [PMID: 35932642 PMCID: PMC9358434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanism of missense alteration at EGFR L792F in patients with non-small cell lung cancer resistant to osimertinib has not been sufficiently clarified. We aimed to explore the critical molecular events and coping strategies in osimertinib resistance due to acquired L792F mutation. METHODS Circulating tumor DNA-based sequencing data of 1153 patients with osimertinib resistance were collected to illustrate the prevalence of EGFR L792F mutation. Sensitivity to osimertinib was tested with constructed EGFR 19Del/T790M-cis-L792F cell lines in vitro and in vivo. The correlation and linked pathways between M2 macrophage polarization and EGFR L792Fcis-induced osimertinib resistance were investigated. Possible interventions to suppress osimertinib resistance by targeting IL-4 or STAT3 were explored. FINDINGS The concomitant EGFR L792F was identified as an independent mutation following the acquisition of T790M after osimertinib resistance, in that 5 of the 946 patients with osimertinib resistance harbored EGFR T790M-cis-L792F mutation. Transfected EGFR 19Del/T790M-cis-L792F in cell lines had decreased sensitivity to osimertinib and enhanced infiltrating macrophage with M2 polarization. Silico analyses confirmed the role of M2 polarization in osimertinib resistance induced by EGFR T790M-cis-L792F mutation. EGFR T790M-cis-L792F mutation upregulated phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr705 and promoted its specific binding to IL4 promoter, enhancing IL-4 expression and secretion and inducing macrophage M2 polarization. Furthermore, blockade of STAT3/IL-4 (SH-4-54 or dupilumab) suppressed macrophage M2 polarization and regressed tumor sensitivity to osimertinib. INTERPRETATION Our results proved that targeting EGFR T790M-cis-L792F/STAT3 Tyr705/IL-4 pathway could be a potential strategy to suppress osimertinib resistance in NSCLC. FUNDING This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871889, 82072586, 81902910), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7212084, 7214249), the China National Natural Science Foundation Key Program (81630071), the National Key Research and Development Project (2019YFC1315704), CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS 2021-1-I2M-012), Aiyou Foundation (KY201701) and CAMS Key Laboratory of translational research on lung cancer (2018PT31035).
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21
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PD-L1/pS6 in Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) during Osimertinib Treatment in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081893. [PMID: 36009440 PMCID: PMC9405335 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 axis provides CTCs an escape route from the immune system. Phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 is implicated in the same pathway, following mTOR activation. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of PD-L1 and pS6 in CTCs from NSCLC patients under Osimertinib treatment at a single cell level. CTCs were isolated using ISET from NSCLC patients’ blood [37 at baseline, 25 after the 1st cycle, and 23 at the end of treatment (EOT)]. Staining was performed using immunofluorescence. Cytokeratin-positive (CK+) CTCs were detected in 62% of patients. CK+PD-L1+CD45− and CK+pS6+ phenotypes were detected in 38% and 41% of the patients at baseline, in 28% and 32% after 1st cycle, and in 30% and 35% at EOT, respectively. Spearman’s analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between PD-L1 and pS6 phenotypes at all time points. Survival analysis revealed that CK+pS6+ (p = 0.003) and CKlowpS6+ (p = 0.021) phenotypes after 1st cycle were related to significantly decreased one-year progression-free survival (PFS12m) and PFS, respectively. CK+PD-L1+CD45−phenotype at baseline and after 1st cycle showed a trend for decreased PFS12m. Increased expression of PD-L1/pS6 in CTCs of Osimertinib-treated NSCLC patients implies the activation of the corresponding pathway, which is potentially associated with poor clinical outcomes.
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22
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Zeng H, Tong F, Bin Y, Peng L, Gao X, Xia X, Yi X, Dong X. The Predictive Value of PAK7 Mutation for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Therapy in Non-Small Cell Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:834142. [PMID: 35242138 PMCID: PMC8886445 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.834142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To date, immunotherapy has improved the 5-year survival rate of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 4% to 15%. However, only 30%-50% of the NSCLC patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) immunotherapy. Therefore, screening patients for potential benefit with precise biomarkers may be of great value. Methods First, an immunotherapy NSCLC cohort was analyzed to identify the gene mutations associated with the prognosis of ICI treatment. Further analyses were conducted using NSCLC cohort in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project to validate the correlations between the specific gene mutations and tumor immunogenicity, antitumor immunity, and alterations in the tumor-related pathways using Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results In the immunotherapy NSCLC cohort (n = 266), significantly longer overall survival (OS) rates were observed in the PAK7-mutant type (PAK7-MT) group (n = 13) than the PAK7-wild type (PAK7-WT) group (n = 253) (P = 0.049, HR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.23-0.79). In the TCGA cohort, PAK7 mutations were correlated with the higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) (14.18 vs. 7.13, P <0.001), increased neoantigen load (NAL) (7.52 vs. 4.30, P <0.001), lower copy number variation (CNV), and higher mutation rate in the DNA damage response (DDR)-related pathways. In addition, PAK7 mutations were also positively correlated with immune-related genes expressions and infiltrating CD8+ T cells (0.079 vs. 0.054, P = 0.005). GSEA results showed that several tumor-related pathways varied in the PAK7-MT group, suggesting the potential mechanisms that regulate the tumor immune-microenvironment. Conclusions This study suggested that the PAK7 mutations might be a potential biomarker to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy for NSCLC patients. Considering the heterogeneity among the patients and other confounding factors, a prospective clinical trial is proposed to further validate the impact of PAK7 mutation on the immunotherapy outcomes in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zeng
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan Tong
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yawen Bin
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling Peng
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Research and Development Department, GenePlus- Shenzhen Clinical Laboratory, ShenZhen, China
| | - Xuefeng Xia
- Research and Development Department, Geneplus-Beijing Clinical Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yi
- Research and Development Department, Geneplus-Beijing Clinical Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaorong Dong
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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23
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Xia W, Zhang S, Duan H, Wang C, Qian S, Shen H. The combination therapy of Everolimus and anti-PD-1 improves the antitumor effect by regulating CD8+ T cells in bladder cancer. Med Oncol 2022; 39:37. [DOI: 10.1007/s12032-021-01624-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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Wang J, Xu Y, Rao X, Zhang R, Tang J, Zhang D, Jie X, Zhu K, Wang X, Xu Y, Zhang S, Dong X, Zhang T, Yang K, Xu S, Meng R, Wu G. BRD4-IRF1 axis regulates chemoradiotherapy-induced PD-L1 expression and immune evasion in non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e718. [PMID: 35083874 PMCID: PMC8792480 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemoradiotherapy-induced PD-L1 upregulation leads to therapeutic resistance and treatment failure. The PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies sensitize cancers to chemoradiotherapy by blocking extracellular PD-1 and PD-L1 binding without affecting the oncogenic function of intracellular PD-L1. Reversing the chemoradiation-induced PD-L1 expression could provide a new strategy to achieve a greater anti-tumour effect of chemoradiotherapy. Here, we aimed to identify candidate small molecular inhibitors that might boost the anti-tumour immunity of chemoradiotherapy by decreasing treatment-induced PD-L1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS A drug array was used to recognize compounds that can suppress the cisplatin-induced and radiation-induced PD-L1 expression in NSCLC via the flow cytometry-based assay. We examined whether and how targeting bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) inhibits chemoradiation-induced PD-L1 expression and evaluated the effect of BRD4 inhibition and chemoradiation combination in vivo. RESULTS BRD4 inhibitors JQ1 and ARV-771 were identified as the most promising drugs both in the cisplatin and radiation screening projects in two NSCLC cell lines. Targeting BRD4 was supposed to block chemoradiotherapy inducible PD-L1 expression by disrupting the recruitment of BRD4-IRF1 complex to PD-L1 promoter. A positive correlation between BRD4 and PD-L1 expression was observed in human NSCLC tissues. Moreover, BRD4 inhibition synergized with chemoradiotherapy and PD-1 blockade to show a robust anti-tumour immunity dependent on CD8+ T cell through limiting chemoradiation-induced tumour cell surface PD-L1 upregulation in vivo. Notably, the BRD4-targeted combinatory treatments did not show increased toxicities. CONCLUSION The data showed that BRD4-targeted therapy synergized with chemoradiotherapy and anti-PD-1 antibody by boosting anti-tumour immunity in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Yingzhuo Xu
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Xinrui Rao
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Ruiguang Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Jing Tang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Xiaohua Jie
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Kuikui Zhu
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Xu Wang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Yunhong Xu
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Xiaorong Dong
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Kunyu Yang
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Shuangbing Xu
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Rui Meng
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
| | - Gang Wu
- Cancer Center, Union HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430022China
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25
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Bai Y, Sha J, Okui T, Moriyama I, Ngo HX, Tatsumi H, Kanno T. The Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Influences the Resistance of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Monoclonal Antibodies via Its Effect on Energy Homeostasis and the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5905. [PMID: 34885013 PMCID: PMC8657021 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major type of cancer that accounts for over 90% of all oral cancer cases. Recently developed evidence-based therapeutic regimens for OSCC based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), such as cetuximab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab, have attracted considerable attention worldwide due to their high specificity, low toxicity, and low rates of intolerance. However, the efficacy of those three mAbs remains poor because of the low rate of responders and acquired resistance within a short period of time. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process is fundamental for OSCC growth and metastasis and is also responsible for the poor response to mAbs. During EMT, cancer cells consume abundant energy substrates and create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to support their growth and evade T cells. In this review, we provide an overview of the complex roles of major substrates and signaling pathways involved in the development of therapeutic resistance in OSCC. In addition, we summarize potential therapeutic strategies that may help overcome this resistance. This review aims to help oral oncologists and researchers aiming to manage OSCC and establish new treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Bai
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
| | - Jingjing Sha
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
| | - Tatsuo Okui
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
| | - Ichiro Moriyama
- Department of Medical Oncology/Innovative Cancer Center, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan;
| | - Huy Xuan Ngo
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
| | - Hiroto Tatsumi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
| | - Takahiro Kanno
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan; (Y.B.); (J.S.); (T.O.); (H.X.N.); (H.T.)
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26
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Yi C, Chen L, Lin Z, Liu L, Shao W, Zhang R, Lin J, Zhang J, Zhu W, Jia H, Qin L, Lu L, Chen J. Lenvatinib Targets FGF Receptor 4 to Enhance Antitumor Immune Response of Anti-Programmed Cell Death-1 in HCC. Hepatology 2021; 74:2544-2560. [PMID: 34036623 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Recently, clinical trials of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in HCC have displayed an impressive objective response rate. This study aimed to clarify the mechanism for optimal patient selection. APPROACH AND RESULTS First, in patients with HCC, lenvatinib-treated recurrent tumors had lower programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration compared with matched primary tumors. Consistently, in C57BL/6 wild-type mice receiving anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) therapy, PD-L1 expression and Treg infiltration in s.c. tumors were reduced when adding lenvatinib to the scheme. Mechanistically, on the one hand, FGF receptor 4 (FGFR4) was the most pivotal target in PD-L1 down-regulation by lenvatinib in vitro. Furthermore, lenvatinib reinforced the proteasomal degradation of PD-L1 by blocking the FGFR4-glycogen synthase kinase 3β axis and rescued the sensitivity of interferon-γ-pretreated HCC cells to T-cell killing by targeting FGFR4. On the other hand, the level of IL-2 increased after anti-PD-1 treatment, but IL-2-mediated Treg differentiation was blocked by lenvatinib through targeting FGFR4 to restrain signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) phosphorylation. By regulating the variations in the number of Tregs and the tumor FGFR4 level in C57BL/6-forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3DTR ) mice, we found that high levels of FGFR4 and Treg infiltration sensitized tumors to the combination treatment. Finally, high levels of FGFR4 and Foxp3 conferred immune tolerance but better response to the combined therapy in patient cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Lenvatinib reduced tumor PD-L1 level and Treg differentiation to improve anti-PD-1 efficacy by blocking FGFR4. Levels of FGFR4 expression and Treg infiltration in tumor could serve as biomarkers for screening patients with HCC using lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 combination therapy.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/administration & dosage
- B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Cell Differentiation/drug effects
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cohort Studies
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Synergism
- Female
- Humans
- Immunity
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/immunology
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism
- Phenylurea Compounds/administration & dosage
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/antagonists & inhibitors
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/immunology
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/administration & dosage
- Quinolines/administration & dosage
- Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Signal Transduction/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- Treatment Outcome
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenhe Yi
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Lirong Chen
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zhifei Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Weiqing Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jing Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jubo Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Wenwei Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Huliang Jia
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Lunxiu Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jinhong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
- Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
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Guan Z, Lan H, Cai X, Zhang Y, Liang A, Li J. Blood-Brain Barrier, Cell Junctions, and Tumor Microenvironment in Brain Metastases, the Biological Prospects and Dilemma in Therapies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:722917. [PMID: 34504845 PMCID: PMC8421648 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.722917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis is the most commonly seen brain malignancy, frequently originating from lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. Brain tumor has its unique cell types, anatomical structures, metabolic constraints, and immune environment, which namely the tumor microenvironment (TME). It has been discovered that the tumor microenvironment can regulate the progression, metastasis of primary tumors, and response to the treatment through the particular cellular and non-cellular components. Brain metastasis tumor cells that penetrate the brain–blood barrier and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier to alter the function of cell junctions would lead to different tumor microenvironments. Emerging evidence implies that these tumor microenvironment components would be involved in mechanisms of immune activation, tumor hypoxia, antiangiogenesis, etc. Researchers have applied various therapeutic strategies to inhibit brain metastasis, such as the combination of brain radiotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies. Unfortunately, they hardly access effective treatment. Meanwhile, most clinical trials of target therapy patients with brain metastasis are always excluded. In this review, we summarized the clinical treatment of brain metastasis in recent years, as well as their influence and mechanisms underlying the differences between the composition of tumor microenvironments in the primary tumor and brain metastasis. We also look forward into the feasibility and superiority of tumor microenvironment-targeted therapies in the future, which may help to improve the strategy of brain metastasis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyu Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yichi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Annan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Li J, Zhang H, Bei S, Zhang X, Li H, Ye L, Feng L. Disruption of Wnt/β-catenin Pathway Elevates the Sensitivity of Gastric Cancer Cells to PD-1 Antibody. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:557-569. [PMID: 34139974 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210617163821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common malignancy tumor and the third cause of cancer-related death around the world. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibodies play an active role in tumor therapy. A recent study reveals that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is negatively correlated with T-cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby influencing the therapeutic efficacy of the PD-1 antibody. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to uncover the relationship of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway to CD8+ T cell activity as well as its effect on anti-PD-1 therapeutic efficacy in GC. METHODS We first collected clinical samples and went through an immunohistochemical analysis and found that a high β-catenin expression in GC tissues was often associated with a significant absence of CD8+ T-cell infiltration. RESULTS In addition, our data further indicated that disruption of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in GC cells inhibited their migratory and invasive ability. Meanwhile, enhanced sensitivity of GC cells to PD-1 blockade therapy was evident by decreased Jurkat cell apoptosis rate and increased GC cell apoptosis rate in a tumor and Jurkat cells co-culture system with the presence of Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition. CONCLUSION Collectively, these findings indicated that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway might play a significant role in modulating the activity of Jurkat cells, and downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin may enhance the sensitivity of GC cells to PD-1 antibody in vitro. This result further indicated that β-catenin and PD-1 targeted inhibition might become a potential and effective therapy for GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Endoscopy center, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immuno Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Songhua Bei
- Endoscopy center, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- Endoscopy center, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China
| | - Huanqing Li
- Endoscopy center, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China
| | - Li Ye
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immuno Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Li Feng
- Endoscopy center, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China
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29
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Zhang H, Bi Y, Wei Y, Liu J, Kuerban K, Ye L. Blocking Wnt/β-catenin Signal Amplifies Anti-PD-1 Therapeutic Efficacy by Inhibiting Tumor Growth, Migration, and Promoting Immune Infiltration in Glioblastomas. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:1305-1315. [PMID: 34001635 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM), as the immunologically cold tumor, respond poorly to programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors because of insufficient immune infiltration. Herein, through the analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data and clinical glioma samples, we found Wnt/β-catenin signal was activated in GBM and inversely related to the degree of immune cell (CD8+) infiltration and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Blockade of Wnt/β-catenin signal could inhibit GBM U118 cells' growth and migration, and upregulate their PD-L1 expression which indicated the possible better response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Besides, in a co-culture system comprising U118 cells and Jurkat cells, Wnt inhibition alleviated Jurkat cell's apoptosis and enhanced its cytotoxic function as evidenced by obviously increased effector cytokine IFNγ secretion and lactate dehydrogenase release. Moreover, the enhanced anti-GBM effect of PD-1 antibody triggered by Wnt inhibition was observed in GL261 homograft mouse model, and the upregulation of immune cell (CD4+/CD8+) infiltration and IFNγ secretion in tumor tissues suggested that Wnt/β-catenin inhibition could inflame cold tumor and then sensitize GBM to PD-1 blockade therapy. Taken together, our study verified the blockade of Wnt/β-catenin signal could augment the efficacy of PD-1 blockade therapy on GBM through directly inhibiting tumor proliferation and migration, as well as facilitating T-cell infiltration and PD-L1 expression in tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yongyan Bi
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yuxi Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jiayang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Kudelaidi Kuerban
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Li Ye
- Department of Neurosurgery at Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China. .,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
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30
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Xu G, Zhang P, Liang H, Xu Y, Shen J, Wang W, Li M, Huang J, Ni C, Zhang X, Zhu X. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0003288 induces EMT and invasion by regulating hsa_circ_0003288/miR-145/PD-L1 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:212. [PMID: 33858418 PMCID: PMC8048300 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01902-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been associated with wound healing, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are functional non-coding RNAs involved in multiple human cancers. However, whether and how circRNAs contribute to the EMT in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) remains to be deciphered. In this study, we investigated the regulation and function of hsa_circ_0003288 on programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) during EMT and HCC invasiveness. Methods Hsa_circ_0003288 expression was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). Luciferase reporter assays, RNA pull-down assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to determine the correlation between hsa_circ_0003288 and miR-145 and between miR-145 and PD-L1. Furthermore, ectopic overexpression and siRNA-mediated downregulation of hsa_circ_0003288, transwell assays, and in vivo studies were used to determine the function of hsa_circ_0003288 on the EMT and invasiveness of L02 and HCC cells. Results miR-145 directly targeted the PD-L1 3′-untranslated region (UTR) region, and hsa_circ_0003288 acted as a miR-145 sponge to regulate PD-L1 expression. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0003288 increased PD-L1 levels and promoted EMT, migration, and invasiveness of L02 cells. These observations were reversed after knockdown of hsa_circ_0003288 in HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Overexpression of PD-L1 rescued EMT, migration, and invasiveness of HepG2 and Huh7 cells after knockdown of hsa_circ_0003288. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0003288 knockdown reduced EMT in in vivo studies. Hsa_circ_0003288/PD-L1 axis was found to mediate the metastatic phenotypes via the PI3K/Akt pathway in HCC. Additionally, expression levels of hsa_circ_0003288 were increased and positively correlated with PD-L1 expression in HCC tissues. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that hsa_circ_0003288 promoted EMT and invasion of HCC via the hsa_circ_0003288/miR-145/PD-L1 axis through the PI3K/Akt pathway. Targeting hsa_circ_0003288 may be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guili Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Hansi Liang
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Yunhua Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Jian Shen
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Wansheng Wang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Mingming Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Jintao Huang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China
| | - Caifang Ni
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China.
| | - Xueguang Zhang
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China.
| | - Xiaoli Zhu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, China.
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Du Y, Wang B, Jiang X, Cao J, Yu J, Wang Y, Wang X, Liu H. Identification and Validation of a Stromal EMT Related LncRNA Signature as a Potential Marker to Predict Bladder Cancer Outcome. Front Oncol 2021; 11:620674. [PMID: 33747932 PMCID: PMC7970757 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.620674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BLCA) has become one of the most common malignant tumors in the genitourinary system. BLCA is one of the tumors considered suitable for immunotherapy because of the large proportion of immune cells in TME. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to tumor immunity through its crosstalk with immune cells. A recent study validated that EMT-related genes were mainly expressed by stromal cells and could influence immunotherapy responsiveness. Stromal EMT-related gene signature was also demonstrated to affect the prognosis of multiple tumors, including BLCA. To further explore the prognostic roles of stromal components, we performed a comprehensive analysis of LncRNAs closely associated with stromal EMT-related genes in the TCGA BLCA cohort. We identified a signature including five stromal EMT gene-related LncRNAs that showed significant prognostic value for BLCA patients. By the CIBERSORT and MCP-COUNTER algorithm, we found the signature was markedly correlated with infiltrated immune cells and stromal components of the tumor microenvironment, which may further influence patient’s responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Through immunohistochemical analysis, we confirmed the correlation of the signature with macrophages M2 and CAFs. Meanwhile, key genes related to these LncRNAs, including VIM, MMP2, were also differentially expressed in the stromal components concerning the signature. Our research confirmed the prognostic and immune-associated role of stromal EMT-related LncRNAs. Meantime, we further confirmed that EMT-related genes were mainly expressed in stromal components. Targeting these LncRNAs as well as their related stromal EMT genes may provide potential therapeutic targets for BLCA immunotherapy and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- YiHeng Du
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiang Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Jin Cao
- Department of Pathology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Jiang Yu
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - XiZhi Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - HaiTao Liu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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32
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Kang Y, Jin Y, Li Q, Yuan X. Advances in Lung Cancer Driver Genes Associated With Brain Metastasis. Front Oncol 2021; 10:606300. [PMID: 33537237 PMCID: PMC7848146 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.606300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis, one of the common complications of lung cancer, is an important cause of death in patients with advanced cancer, despite progress in treatment strategies. Lung cancers with positive driver genes have higher incidence and risk of brain metastases, suggesting that driver events associated with these genes might be biomarkers to detect and prevent disease progression. Common lung cancer driver genes mainly encode receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), which are important internal signal molecules that interact with external signals. RTKs and their downstream signal pathways are crucial for tumor cell survival, invasion, and colonization in the brain. In addition, new tumor driver genes, which also encode important molecules closely related to the RTK signaling pathway, have been found to be closely related to the brain metastases of lung cancer. In this article, we reviewed the relationship between lung cancer driver genes and brain metastasis, and summarized the mechanism of driver gene-associated pathways in brain metastasis. By understanding the molecular characteristics during brain metastasis, we can better stratify lung cancer patients and alert those at high risk of brain metastasis, which helps to promote individual therapy for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalin Kang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Jin
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qianxia Li
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianglin Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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33
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Singh P, Kumar V, Gupta SK, Kumari G, Verma M. Combating TKI resistance in CML by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in combination with TKIs: a review. Med Oncol 2021; 38:10. [PMID: 33452624 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-021-01462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a myeloproliferative hematopoietic cancer, is caused by a genetic translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. This translocation produces a small Philadelphia chromosome, which contains the Bcr-Abl oncogene. The Bcr-Abl oncogene encodes the BCR-ABL protein, upregulates various signaling pathways (JAK-STAT, MAPK/ERK, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR), and out of which the specifically highly active pathway is the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Among early treatments for CML, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) were found to be the most effective, but drug resistance against kinase inhibitors led to the discovery of novel alternative therapies. At this point, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway components became new targets due to stimulation of this pathway in TKIs-resistant CML patients. The current review article deals with reviewing the scientific literature on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitors listed in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) drug dictionary and proved effective against multiple cancers. And out of those enlisted inhibitors, the US FDA has also approved some PI3K inhibitors (Idelalisib, Copanlisib, and Duvelisib) and mTOR inhibitors (Everolimus, Sirolimus, and Temsirolimus) for cancer therapy. So far, several inhibitors have been tested, and further investigations are still ongoing. Even in Imatinib, Nilotinib, and Ponatinib-resistant CML cells, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, BEZ235, showed antiproliferative activity. Therefore, by considering the literature data of these reviews and further examining some of the reported inhibitors, which proved effective against the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in multiple cancers, may improve the therapeutic approaches towards TKI-resistant CML cells where the respective signaling pathway gets upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151001, India
| | - Veerandra Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Sonu Kumar Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151001, India
| | - Gudia Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151001, India
| | - Malkhey Verma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151001, India. .,School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India.
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Gou Q, Dong C, Xu H, Khan B, Jin J, Liu Q, Shi J, Hou Y. PD-L1 degradation pathway and immunotherapy for cancer. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:955. [PMID: 33159034 PMCID: PMC7648632 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03140-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1, CD274) is an essential immune checkpoint protein that binds to programmed death 1 (PD-1) on T-lymphocytes. T cell plays a critical role in killing cancer cells while the cancer cell exhibits immune escape by the expression of PD-L1. The binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 inhibits T cell proliferation and activity, leading to tumor immunosuppression. Increasing evidence shows that PD-L1 protein undergoes degradation in proteasomes or lysosomes by multiple pathways, leading to enhanced immunotherapy for cancer. Although some specific drugs induce PD-L1 degradation and increase antitumor activity, the combination of these drugs with PD-L1/PD-1 blockade significantly enhances cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we have discussed the interaction of PD-L1 degradation with cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Gou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213017, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China.,School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Chen Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Huihui Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Bibimaryam Khan
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Jianhua Jin
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213017, China.,Department of Oncology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 212017, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213017, China.,Department of Oncology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 212017, China
| | - Juanjuan Shi
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Yongzhong Hou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213017, China. .,School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China.
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35
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Cong Y, Li Q, Zhang X, Chen Y, Yu K. mTOR Promotes Tissue Factor Expression and Activity in EGFR-Mutant Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1615. [PMID: 32923403 PMCID: PMC7456926 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway mediates the function of oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). We aimed to elucidate new role of mTOR in EGFR-mutant (EGFR-mut) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and glioblastoma (GBM) with a focus on tumor microenvironments. Here, we report a novel regulatory link between mTOR complexes (mTORCs) and tissue factor (TF), an initiator of tumor-derived thrombosis. TF is elevated in EGFR-mut NSCLC/GBM cell lines and tumors from patients with poor prognosis. Application of mTORC1/2 inhibitors (AZD8055, WYE-125132, MTI-31, and rapamycin) or genetic mTORC-depletion all reduced TF expression, which appeared to be differentially mediated depending on cellular context. In U87MG and HCC827 cells, mTORC1 exerted a dominant role via promoting TF mRNA transcription. In EGFR-TKI-resistant H1975 and PC9 cells, it was mTORC2 that played a major role in specific repression of lysosomal-targeted TF protein degradation. Successful inhibition of TF expression was demonstrated in AZD8055- or MTI-31-treated H1975 and U87MG tumors in mice, while a TF-targeted antibody antagonized TF activity without reducing TF protein. Both the mTOR- and TF-targeted therapy induced a multifaceted remodeling of tumor microenvironment reflecting not only a diminished hypercoagulopathy state (fibrin level) but also a reduced stromal fibrosis (collagen distribution), compromised vessel density and/or maturity (CD31 and/or α-SMA) as well as a substantially decreased infiltration of immune-suppressive M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (CD206/F4/80 ratio). Thus, our results have identified TF as a functional biomarker of mTOR. Downregulation of mTOR-TF axis activity likely contributes to the therapeutic mechanism of mTORC1/2- and TF-targeted agents in EGFR-mut advanced NSCLC and GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingrou Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuesai Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaqing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ker Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Xu GL, Ni CF, Liang HS, Xu YH, Wang WS, Shen J, Li MM, Zhu XL. Upregulation of PD-L1 expression promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf) 2020; 8:390-398. [PMID: 33163195 PMCID: PMC7603871 DOI: 10.1093/gastro/goaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) status is associated with programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in various cancers. However, the role and molecular mechanism of PD-L1 in the EMT of sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remain elusive. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulation of PD-L1 on the EMT in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Methods Initially, the sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR were established. Western-blot assays were used to detect the expression of PD-L1, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin. The intervention and overexpression of PD-L1 were used to explore the role of PD-L1 in the regulation of EMT in HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR cells. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assays. PD-L1 or Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) overexpression and knock-down were performed in order to study the mechanism of PD-L1 in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Results PD-L1 expression was upregulated, whereas E-cadherin levels were downregulated and N-cadherin expression was increased in HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR cells. The cell viabilities of HepG2 and Huh7 cells were lower than those of HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR cells. PD-L1 overexpression reduced E-cadherin expression and increased N-cadherin levels, whereas PD-L1 knock-down increased E-cadherin expression and decreased N-cadherin expression. PD-L1 expression promoted EMT and the migratory and invasive abilities of HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR cells. PD-L1 promoted the EMT of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells via the PI3K/Akt pathway by activating SREBP-1 expression in HepG2 SR and Huh7 SR cells. Conclusions The findings reveal that PD-L1 expression promotes EMT of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Li Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Cai-Fang Ni
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Han-Si Liang
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Yun-Hua Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Wan-Sheng Wang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Jian Shen
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Ming-Ming Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Li Zhu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
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Sun SY. Searching for the real function of mTOR signaling in the regulation of PD-L1 expression. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100847. [PMID: 32854033 PMCID: PMC7451686 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), via forming two important complexes: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and complex 2 (mTORC2), plays an important role in the regulation of immunity in addition to exerting many other biological funcions. Beyond its regulatory effects on immune cells, the mTOR axis also regulates the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in cancer cells; accordingly, inhibition of mTOR alters PD-L1 levels in different cancer cell types. However, the currently published studies on mTOR inhibition-induced PD-L1 alteration have generated conflicting results. This review will focus on summarizing current findings in this regard and discussing possible reasons for the discrepancies and their potential implications for PD-L1 modulation in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Yong Sun
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University of School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
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CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 enhances antiPD-1 therapy efficacy via the p38α/MYC/PD-L1 signaling in non-small cell lung cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:99. [PMID: 32690037 PMCID: PMC7370470 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00926-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) subunit of TFIIH regulates RNA polymerase-II-based transcription and promotes tumor progression. However, the mechanisms involved in CDK7-mediated immune evasion are unclear in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods RNA silencing and pharmacologic inhibitors were used to evaluate the functions of CDK7/p38α/MYC/PD-L1 axis in cancer cell proliferation and antiPD-1 therapy resistance. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the status of the immune microenvironment after CDK7 inhibition and antiPD-1 therapy in vivo. CD8 depletion antibodies were used to assess the role of CD8+ T cells in combined CDK7 and PD-1 blockade. The associations among CDK7, p38α, MYC, PD-L1, infiltrating T cells, and survival outcomes were validated in two tissue microarrays and public transcriptomic data of NSCLC. Results High CDK7 mRNA and protein levels were identified to be associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC. CDK7 silencing and CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 elicited apoptosis and suppressed tumor growth. Moreover, CDK7 ablation specifically suppressed p38α/MYC-associated genes, and THZ1 inhibited MYC transcriptional activity through downregulating p38α. CDK7 inhibition sensitized NSCLC to p38α inhibitor. Further, THZ1 suppressed PD-L1 expression by inhibiting MYC activity. THZ1 boosted antitumor immunity by recruiting infiltrating CD8+ T cells and synergized with antiPD-1 therapy. The CDK7/MYC/PD-L1 signature and infiltrating T cell status collectively stratified NSCLC patients into different risk groups. Conclusion These data suggest that the combined CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 and antiPD-1 therapy can be an effective treatment in NSCLC.
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miR-24-3p/KLF8 Signaling Axis Contributes to LUAD Metastasis by Regulating EMT. J Immunol Res 2020; 2020:4036047. [PMID: 32411796 PMCID: PMC7204180 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4036047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment is a salient feature during metastasis in LUAD. miR-24-3p and KLF8, which are key regulators of the tumor immune microenvironment, had been proved to show metastasis-promoting property in LUAD. However, whether miR-24-3p could regulate LUAD metastasis by targeting KLF8 remains unclear. This study explored the functions and mechanisms of miR-24-3p/KLF8 signaling in advanced LUAD. The expression level of miR-24-3p and KLF8 were tested in LUAD patients, and the corelation of miR-24-3p and KLF8 was evaluated. The interaction of miR-24-3p and KLF8 was demonstrated by luciferase reporter activity assay, in vitro migration and invasion studies, and in vivo metastatic studies. miR-24-3p level was downregulated in LUAD and negatively associated with KLF8 mRNA expression. miR-24-3p controls LUAD metastasis by directly targeting KLF8 and inducing Snail and E-cadherin expressions. Targeting the miR-24-3p/KLF8/EMT axis might be of great therapeutic value to advanced LUAD patients.
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40
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NPM1 upregulates the transcription of PD-L1 and suppresses T cell activity in triple-negative breast cancer. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1669. [PMID: 32245950 PMCID: PMC7125142 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15364-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) interaction plays a crucial role in tumor-associated immune escape. Here, we verify that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has higher PD-L1 expression than other subtypes. We then discover that nucleophosmin (NPM1) binds to PD-L1 promoter specifically in TNBC cells and activates PD-L1 transcription, thus inhibiting T cell activity in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PARP1 suppresses PD-L1 transcription through its interaction with the nucleic acid binding domain of NPM1, which is required for the binding of NPM1 at PD-L1 promoter. Consistently, the PARP1 inhibitor olaparib elevates PD-L1 expression in TNBC and exerts a better effect with anti-PD-L1 therapy. Together, our research has revealed NPM1 as a transcription regulator of PD-L1 in TNBC, which could lead to potential therapeutic strategies to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. PD-L1 is highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). Here, the authors show that nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) transcriptionally activates PD-L1 expression and inhibits T cell activity in TNBC.
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41
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Lingling Z, Jiewei L, Li W, Danli Y, Jie Z, Wen L, Dan P, Lei P, Qinghua Z. Molecular regulatory network of PD-1/PD-L1 in non-small cell lung cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2020; 216:152852. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.152852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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42
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Chang HL, Kuo YH, Wu LH, Chang CM, Cheng KJ, Tyan YC, Lee CH. The extracts of Astragalus membranaceus overcome tumor immune tolerance by inhibition of tumor programmed cell death protein ligand-1 expression. Int J Med Sci 2020; 17:939-945. [PMID: 32308547 PMCID: PMC7163360 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.42978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A polysaccharide isolated from the radix of Astragalus membranaceus, called PG2, used in traditional Chinese medicine, with potential hematopoiesis inducing and immunomodulation activities. PG2 extracted from A. membranaceus has been demonstrated as a novel alternative medicine for cancer patients. Recently, we demonstrated that PG2 enhanced chemotherapy through bystander effect and reduced the expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 in tumor cells. Many tumors have been proven to have a high expression of programmed cell death protein ligand-1 (PD-L1), which binds with programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1) in immune cells, thus causing immune tolerance within the tumor microenvironment. With decreased expression of PD-L1, increased immune response can be observed, which might be helpful when developing tumor immunotherapy. The antitumor therapeutic effect mediated by PG2 may associate with an inflammatory immune response at the tumor site. However, the molecular mechanism that by which PG2 inhibits PD-L1 is still incompletely known. The expression of PD-L1 was decreased after tumor cells were treated with PG2. In addition, the cell signaling pathway in tumor cells was evaluated by Western blotting analysis after PG2 treatment. PG2 can downregulate the expression of PD-L1 on the cell surface via the protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (p70S6K) pathway. In conclusion, our results indicate that PG2 inhibits PD-L1 expression and plays a crucial role in immunotherapy, which might be a promising strategy combined with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsu-Liang Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80145, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Kuo
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Li-Hsien Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Min Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.,Division of Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Jen Cheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.,Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital, Kaohsiung 80457, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chang Tyan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80145, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsin Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan.,Doctoral Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.,Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 80424, Taiwan
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Non-immunogenic, low-toxicity and effective glioma targeting MTI-31 liposomes. J Control Release 2019; 316:381-392. [PMID: 31730912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Liposomes with peptide motifs have been successfully used in glioma-targeted delivery of various general chemotherapy agents. However, their use for the encapsulation of low-toxicity molecularly targeted anticancer agents has been limited. In the present study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel low-toxicity mTORC1/mTORC2 inhibitor (MTI-31) as a treatment for glioma when encapsulated in appropriate liposomes. Since some of the peptide-modified liposomes have been determined to be immunogenic and may have life-threatening consequences in mice, an immunogenicity-based investigation with candidate liposomal carriers was conducted. Following this study, DVAP (DPDADVDRDTDNDS) modified liposomes (DVAP-liposomes) were identified as an immunologically safe carrier and therefore utilized for MTI-31 encapsulation. DVAP is a tumor homing peptide exhibiting high binding affinity to glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) overexpressed in glioma, glioma stem cells, vasculogenic mimicry and neovasculature. Modification of liposomes with DVAP imparts a glioma-directing property. In vitro, the developed DVAP-liposomes/MTI-31 were efficiently internalized by U87 cells and consequently showed a potent antiproliferation effect. In vivo, the safety and anti-glioma efficiency of DVAP-liposomes/MTI-31 were validated in intracranial glioma bearing BALB/c nude mice. While showing both systemic and immunological safety, DVAP-liposome/MTI-31 treatment resulted in a significant improvement in the median survival time (24.5 days for saline, 26 days for free MTI-31, 25 days for liposomes/MTI-31 and 36 days for DVAP-liposome/MTI-31). The results highlight MTI-31 as an effective anti-glioma agent when encapsulated in non-immunogenic glioma-targeted liposomes, which may contribute to the development of better anti-glioma treatment.
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Jiang Y, Zhan H. Communication between EMT and PD-L1 signaling: New insights into tumor immune evasion. Cancer Lett 2019; 468:72-81. [PMID: 31605776 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockage has been considered a breakthrough in cancer treatment, achieving encouraging anti-tumor effects in some advanced solid malignancies. However, low response rate and therapeutic resistance represent significant challenges in this field. In addition to its typical role in embryonic development and tissue fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in tumor immunosuppression and immune evasion. Previous studies revealed that EMT is associated with activation of different immune checkpoint molecules, including PD-L1. EMT-induced immune escape promotes cancer progression and may also provide a platform for discovery of novel therapeutic approaches and predictive biomarkers for checkpoint inhibitor therapeutic response. Here, we summarize recent findings focused on EMT-induced immune suppression and evasion in the tumor microenvironment (TME). EMT transcription factors (EMT-TFs), immune cells, cell plasticity and their regulatory role in the immune response are thoroughly reviewed. Bidirectional regulation between EMT and PD-L1 signaling is discussed in terms of cancer immune escape and possible combined therapies. Additionally, we investigated the value of preclinical or clinical trials using EMT targeted therapy combined with PD-L1 inhibitors. This review may help to further understand the role of EMT and PD-L1 signaling in cancer immune evasion. Meanwhile, additional molecular mechanistic studies and clinical trials are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Jiang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Hanxiang Zhan
- Division of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China.
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