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Rannikko JH, Hollmén M. Clinical landscape of macrophage-reprogramming cancer immunotherapies. Br J Cancer 2024; 131:627-640. [PMID: 38831013 PMCID: PMC11333586 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02715-6] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) sustain a tumour-supporting and immunosuppressive milieu and therefore aggravate cancer prognosis. To modify TAM behaviour and unlock their anti-tumoural potential, novel TAM-reprogramming immunotherapies are being developed at an accelerating rate. At the same time, scientific discoveries have highlighted more sophisticated TAM phenotypes with complex biological functions and contradictory prognostic associations. To understand the evolving clinical landscape, we reviewed current and past clinically evaluated TAM-reprogramming cancer therapeutics and summarised almost 200 TAM-reprogramming agents investigated in more than 700 clinical trials. Observable overall trends include a high frequency of overlapping strategies against the same therapeutic targets, development of more complex strategies to improve previously ineffective approaches and reliance on combinatory strategies for efficacy. However, strong anti-tumour efficacy is uncommon, which encourages re-directing efforts on identifying biomarkers for eligible patient populations and comparing similar treatments earlier. Future endeavours will benefit from considering the shortcomings of past treatment strategies and accommodating the emerging complexity of TAM biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna H Rannikko
- MediCity Research Laboratory and InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Doctoral Program of Molecular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Maija Hollmén
- MediCity Research Laboratory and InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
- Faron Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Turku, Finland.
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2
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Ma F, Yao J, Niu X, Zhang J, Shi D, Da M. MARK4 promotes the malignant phenotype of gastric cancer through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 261:155471. [PMID: 39079384 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4 (MARK4), which is overexpressed in various tumors, is involved in the regulation of cell division, proliferation, migration, and the cell cycle, and has been considered a potential marker for cancer; however, its mechanism of action in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of MARK4 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cell through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway by targeting MARK4 knockdown. METHODS Using The Cancer Genome Atlas data and clinical information, MARK4 expression and its relationship with prognosis were analyzed. Possible pathways involving MARK4 were explored using enrichment analysis. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect MARK4 expression in GC. After targeted transfection of siRNA, the transfection efficiency of the experimental group was detected in AGS and HGC-27 cells. The effects of knockdown MARK4 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells were verified using CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays. Finally, the relationship between MARK4, the MAPK/ERK pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in GC was verified by western blotting. RESULTS MARK4 expression was upregulated in GC and associated with poor prognosis in patients with GC. Enrichment analysis showed that MARK4 was involved in the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Western blotting results indicated that MARK4 overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells through the MAPK/ERK pathway. CONCLUSION MARK4 expression was upregulated in GC and promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells through the MAPK/ERK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fubin Ma
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, PR China.
| | - Jibin Yao
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, PR China.
| | - Xingdong Niu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, PR China.
| | - Junrui Zhang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, PR China.
| | - Donghai Shi
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, PR China.
| | - Mingxu Da
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, PR China.
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3
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Laury AR, Zheng S, Aho N, Fallegger R, Hänninen S, Saez-Rodriguez J, Tanevski J, Youssef O, Tang J, Carpén OM. Opening the Black Box: Spatial Transcriptomics and the Relevance of Artificial Intelligence-Detected Prognostic Regions in High-Grade Serous Carcinoma. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100508. [PMID: 38704029 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100508] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Image-based deep learning models are used to extract new information from standard hematoxylin and eosin pathology slides; however, biological interpretation of the features detected by artificial intelligence (AI) remains a challenge. High-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary (HGSC) is characterized by aggressive behavior and chemotherapy resistance, but also exhibits striking variability in outcome. Our understanding of this disease is limited, partly due to considerable tumor heterogeneity. We previously trained an AI model to identify HGSC tumor regions that are highly associated with outcome status but are indistinguishable by conventional morphologic methods. Here, we applied spatially resolved transcriptomics to further profile the AI-identified tumor regions in 16 patients (8 per outcome group) and identify molecular features related to disease outcome in patients who underwent primary debulking surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. We examined formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from (1) regions identified by the AI model as highly associated with short or extended chemotherapy response, and (2) background tumor regions (not identified by the AI model as highly associated with outcome status) from the same tumors. We show that the transcriptomic profiles of AI-identified regions are more distinct than background regions from the same tumors, are superior in predicting outcome, and differ in several pathways including those associated with chemoresistance in HGSC. Further, we find that poor outcome and good outcome regions are enriched by different tumor subpopulations, suggesting distinctive interaction patterns. In summary, our work presents proof of concept that AI-guided spatial transcriptomic analysis improves recognition of biologic features relevant to patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ray Laury
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Shuyu Zheng
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Niina Aho
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robin Fallegger
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Satu Hänninen
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Julio Saez-Rodriguez
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jovan Tanevski
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Omar Youssef
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jing Tang
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Olli Mikael Carpén
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Huldani H, Abdul-Jabbar Ali S, Al-Dolaimy F, Hjazi A, Denis Andreevich N, Oudaha KH, Almulla AF, Alsaalamy A, Kareem Oudah S, Mustafa YF. The potential role of interleukins and interferons in ovarian cancer. Cytokine 2023; 171:156379. [PMID: 37757536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156379] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer poses significant challenges and remains a highly lethal disease with limited treatment options. In the context of ovarian cancer, interleukins (ILs) and interferons (IFNs), important cytokines that play crucial roles in regulating the immune system, have emerged as significant factors influencing its development. This article provides a comprehensive review of the involvement of various ILs, including those from the IL-1 family, IL-2 family, IL-6 family, IL-8 family, IL-10 family, and IL-17 family, in ovarian cancer. The focus is on their impact on tumor growth, metastasis, and their role in evading immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, the article conducts an in-depth examination of the oncogenic or antitumor roles of each IL in the context of ovarian cancer pathogenesis and progression. Besides, we elucidated the enhancements in the treatment of ovarian cancer through the utilization of type-I IFN and type-II IFN. Recent research has shed light on the intricate mechanisms through which specific ILs and IFNs contribute to the advancement of the disease. By incorporating recent findings, this review also seeks to inspire further investigations into unexplored mechanisms, fostering ongoing research to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer. Moreover, through an in-depth analysis of IL- and IFN-associated clinical trials, we have highlighted their promising potential of in the treatment of ovarian cancer. These clinical trials serve to reinforce the significant outlook for utilizing ILs and IFNs as therapeutic agents in combating this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huldani Huldani
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Khulood H Oudaha
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, Iraq
| | - Abbas F Almulla
- College of Technical Engineering, the Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq; College of Technical Engineering, the Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Iraq; College of Technical Engineering, the Islamic University of Babylon, Iraq
| | - Ali Alsaalamy
- College of Technical Engineering, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Al-Muthanna 66002, Iraq
| | - Shamam Kareem Oudah
- College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul 41001, Iraq
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In Vitro Human Haematopoietic Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060896. [PMID: 36980237 PMCID: PMC10046976 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The haematopoietic system plays an essential role in our health and survival. It is comprised of a range of mature blood and immune cell types, including oxygen-carrying erythrocytes, platelet-producing megakaryocytes and infection-fighting myeloid and lymphoid cells. Self-renewing multipotent haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and a range of intermediate haematopoietic progenitor cell types differentiate into these mature cell types to continuously support haematopoietic system homeostasis throughout life. This process of haematopoiesis is tightly regulated in vivo and primarily takes place in the bone marrow. Over the years, a range of in vitro culture systems have been developed, either to expand haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells or to differentiate them into the various haematopoietic lineages, based on the use of recombinant cytokines, co-culture systems and/or small molecules. These approaches provide important tractable models to study human haematopoiesis in vitro. Additionally, haematopoietic cell culture systems are being developed and clinical tested as a source of cell products for transplantation and transfusion medicine. This review discusses the in vitro culture protocols for human HSC expansion and differentiation, and summarises the key factors involved in these biological processes.
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Liu T, Li Y, Wang X, Yang X, Fu Y, Zheng Y, Gong H, He Z. The role of interferons in ovarian cancer progression: Hinderer or promoter? Front Immunol 2022; 13:1087620. [PMID: 36618371 PMCID: PMC9810991 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1087620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common gynecologic malignancy with poor prognosis and high mortality. Changes in the OC microenvironment are closely related to the genesis, invasion, metastasis, recurrence, and drug-resistance. The OC microenvironment is regulated by Interferons (IFNs) known as a type of important cytokines. IFNs have a bidirectional regulation for OC cells growth and survival. Meanwhile, IFNs positively regulate the recruitment, differentiation and activation of immune cells. This review summarizes the secretion and the role of IFNs. In particular, we mainly elucidate the actions played by IFNs in various types of therapy. IFNs assist radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and biotherapy for OC, except for some IFN pathways that may cause chemo-resistance. In addition, we present some advances in OC treatment with the help of IFN pathways. IFNs have the ability to powerfully modulate the tumor microenvironment and can potentially provide new combination strategies for OC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiqing Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yinqi Li
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunhai Fu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yeteng Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanlin Gong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Hanlin Gong, ; Zhiyao He,
| | - Zhiyao He
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Hanlin Gong, ; Zhiyao He,
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Targeting TRAIL Death Receptors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancers: Challenges and Strategies for Cancer Therapy. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233717. [PMID: 36496977 PMCID: PMC9739296 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily member TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in cancer cells via death receptor (DR) activation with little toxicity to normal cells or tissues. The selectivity for activating apoptosis in cancer cells confers an ideal therapeutic characteristic to TRAIL, which has led to the development and clinical testing of many DR agonists. However, TRAIL/DR targeting therapies have been widely ineffective in clinical trials of various malignancies for reasons that remain poorly understood. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis among breast cancers. Targeting the TRAIL DR pathway has shown notable efficacy in a subset of TNBC in preclinical models but again has not shown appreciable activity in clinical trials. In this review, we will discuss the signaling components and mechanisms governing TRAIL pathway activation and clinical trial findings discussed with a focus on TNBC. Challenges and potential solutions for using DR agonists in the clinic are also discussed, including consideration of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of DR agonists, patient selection by predictive biomarkers, and potential combination therapies. Moreover, recent findings on the impact of TRAIL treatment on the immune response, as well as novel strategies to address those challenges, are discussed.
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