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Xiao T, Lee J, Gauntner TD, Velegraki M, Lathia JD, Li Z. Hallmarks of sex bias in immuno-oncology: mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:338-355. [PMID: 38589557 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences are present across multiple non-reproductive organ cancers, with male individuals generally experiencing higher incidence of cancer with poorer outcomes. Although some mechanisms underlying these differences are emerging, the immunological basis is not well understood. Observations from clinical trials also suggest a sex bias in conventional immunotherapies with male individuals experiencing a more favourable response and female individuals experiencing more severe adverse events to immune checkpoint blockade. In this Perspective article, we summarize the major biological hallmarks underlying sex bias in immuno-oncology. We focus on signalling from sex hormones and chromosome-encoded gene products, along with sex hormone-independent and chromosome-independent epigenetic mechanisms in tumour and immune cells such as myeloid cells and T cells. Finally, we highlight opportunities for future studies on sex differences that integrate sex hormones and chromosomes and other emerging cancer hallmarks such as ageing and the microbiome to provide a more comprehensive view of how sex differences underlie the response in cancer that can be leveraged for more effective immuno-oncology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xiao
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Juyeun Lee
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Timothy D Gauntner
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maria Velegraki
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumour Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Zihai Li
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Eresen A, Pang Y, Zhang Z, Hou Q, Chen Z, Yu G, Wang Y, Yaghmai V, Zhang Z. Sorafenib plus memory like natural killer cell combination therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:344-354. [PMID: 38323279 PMCID: PMC10839321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib, FDA-approved therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leads to limited improvement in overall survival. However, it may indirectly impact the expansion and activity of natural killer (NK) cells. While NK cell-based immunotherapies generally exhibit favorable safety profiles, their effectiveness in controlling solid tumor growth is constrained, primarily due to the absence of antigen specificity and suboptimal expansion and persistence within the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we postulated that enhancing NK cell functionality via cytokine activation could bolster their viability and cytotoxic capabilities, leading to an improved therapeutic response when combined with sorafenib. Memory-like (ML)-NK cells were generated through the supplementation of optimal concentrations of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 cytokines. Following a single day of treatment, cytotoxicity against rat and human HCC cells was evaluated via flow cytometry analysis. A rat HCC model was developed in 30 animals via subcapsular implantation and assigned to control, NK, sorafenib, ML-NK, and combination groups. Sorafenib was administered orally, and NK cells were delivered via the intrahepatic artery. Tumor growth was measured one week after treatment evaluation. Therapeutic efficacy during in-vitro and in-vivo analysis was investigated through a one-way ANOVA test, followed by pairwise two-tailed Student t-tests, considering P < 0.05 statistically significant. The in-vitro experiment results demonstrated that sorafenib and conventional NK cell therapies induced more substantial cell death than the control group (P < 0.01). ML NK cells significantly improved cell death compared to conventional NK cell immunotherapy. Furthermore, sorafenib in combination with ML-NK cells significantly decreased the viability of HCC cells (P < 0.05) compared to sorafenib plus conventional NK cell combination therapy. In vivo experiments have shown that sorafenib and ML-NK cell immunotherapy reduced the growth rate of HCC tumors compared to conventional NK immunotherapy and control groups. Notably, a combination of sorafenib and ML-NK cell immunochemotherapy resulted in the most significant suppression of tumor growth when compared to other therapies. In conclusion, our experimental findings demonstrate that the concurrent administration of sorafenib and ML-NK immunotherapy enhances cytotoxicity against HCC by optimizing the therapeutic response through cytokine activation, resulting in a significant decrease in tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aydin Eresen
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Yongsheng Pang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zigeng Zhang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Qiaoming Hou
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zhilin Chen
- Department of Human Biology and Business Administration, University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Guangbo Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Yining Wang
- Department of Radiology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijing, China
| | - Vahid Yaghmai
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California IrvineIrvine, CA, USA
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3
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Wu F, Zhang X, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Feng Y, Jiang Z, Shi Y, Zhang S, Tu W. Construction of an immune-related lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in radiation-induced esophageal injury in rats. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 122:110606. [PMID: 37423154 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110606] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Radiation-induced esophageal injury (RIEI) is an adverse reaction of radiation therapy in patients with esophageal cancer, lung cancer and other malignant tumors. Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network is known to play a significant role in the onset and progression of many diseases, but the exact mechanism of ceRNA in RIEI has not been fully elucidated. In this study, rat esophaguses were obtained after conducting irradiation under different doses (0 Gy, 25 Gy, 35 Gy). Total RNA was extracted and mRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, and miRNA sequencing was performed. Multiple dose-dependent differentially expressed RNAs (dd-DERs), including 870 lncRNAs, 82 miRNAs, 2478 mRNAs, were obtained through the integration of differential expression analysis and dose-dependent screening (35 Gy ≥ 25 Gy > 0 Gy, or 35 Gy ≤ 25 Gy < 0 Gy). Co-expression analysis and prediction of the binding site in dd-DER were conducted and 27 lncRNAs, 20 miRNAs, and 168 mRNAs were selected to construct a ceRNA network. As the immune microenvironment is crucial for RIEI progression, we constructed an immune-related ceRNA network consisting of 11 lncRNAs, 9 miRNAs, and 9 mRNAs. The expression levels of these immune-related RNAs were verified by RT-qPCR. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the RNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network were mainly associated with the proportion of monocytes, M2 macrophages, activated NK cells, and activated CD4+ memory T cells. Drug sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the expression levels of mRNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network, and small molecule drugs with preventive and therapeutic effects on RIEI were identified. In summary, an immune-related ceRNA network associated with RIEI progression was constructed in this study. The findings provide useful information on new potential targets for the prevention and treatment of RIEI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengping Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Shuaijun Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuehua Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yahui Feng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China
| | - Zhiqiang Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Yuhong Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Shuyu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China.
| | - Wenling Tu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; School of Bioscience and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China.
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4
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Masenga SK, Mweene BC, Luwaya E, Muchaili L, Chona M, Kirabo A. HIV-Host Cell Interactions. Cells 2023; 12:1351. [PMID: 37408185 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) was a great milestone in the management of HIV infection. ARVs suppress viral activity in the host cell, thus minimizing injury to the cells and prolonging life. However, an effective treatment has remained elusive for four decades due to the successful immune evasion mechanisms of the virus. A thorough understanding of the molecular interaction of HIV with the host cell is essential in the development of both preventive and curative therapies for HIV infection. This review highlights several inherent mechanisms of HIV that promote its survival and propagation, such as the targeting of CD4+ lymphocytes, the downregulation of MHC class I and II, antigenic variation and an envelope complex that minimizes antibody access, and how they collaboratively render the immune system unable to mount an effective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepiso K Masenga
- HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone Campus, Livingstone 10101, Zambia
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Room 536 Robinson Research Building, Nashville, TN 37232-6602, USA
| | - Bislom C Mweene
- HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone Campus, Livingstone 10101, Zambia
| | - Emmanuel Luwaya
- HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone Campus, Livingstone 10101, Zambia
| | - Lweendo Muchaili
- HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone Campus, Livingstone 10101, Zambia
| | - Makondo Chona
- HAND Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mulungushi University, Livingstone Campus, Livingstone 10101, Zambia
| | - Annet Kirabo
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Room 536 Robinson Research Building, Nashville, TN 37232-6602, USA
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5
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Wei S, Wei F, Li M, Yang Y, Zhang J, Li C, Wang J. Target immune components to circumvent sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114798. [PMID: 37121146 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114798] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, has been approved for cancer treatment for decades, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although sorafenib produced substantial clinical benefits in the initial stage, a large proportion of cancer patients acquired drug resistance in subsequent treatment, which always disturbs clinical physicians. Cumulative evidence unraveled the underlying mechanism of sorafenib, but few reports focused on the role of immune subpopulations, since the immunological rationale of sorafenib resistance has not yet been defined. Here, we reviewed the immunoregulatory effects of sorafenib on the tumor microenvironment and emphasized the potential immunological mechanisms of therapeutic resistance to sorafenib. Moreover, we also summarized the clinical outcomes and ongoing trials in combination of sorafenib with immunotherapy, highlighted the immunotherapeutic strategies to improve sorafenib efficacy, and put forward several prospective questions aimed at guiding future research in overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhua Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Fenghua Wei
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Mengyuan Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jingwen Zhang
- R & D Management Department, China National Biotec Group, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Chunxiao Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
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Jiang J, Chen Z, Wang H, Wang Y, Zheng J, Guo Y, Jiang Y, Mo Z. Screening and Identification of a Prognostic Model of Ovarian Cancer by Combination of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data. Biomolecules 2023; 13:685. [PMID: 37189432 PMCID: PMC10136255 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The integration of transcriptome and proteome analysis can lead to the discovery of a myriad of biological insights into ovarian cancer. Proteome, clinical, and transcriptome data about ovarian cancer were downloaded from TCGA's database. A LASSO-Cox regression was used to uncover prognostic-related proteins and develop a new protein prognostic signature for patients with ovarian cancer to predict their prognosis. Patients were brought together in subgroups using a consensus clustering analysis of prognostic-related proteins. To further investigate the role of proteins and protein-coding genes in ovarian cancer, additional analyses were performed using multiple online databases (HPA, Sangerbox, TIMER, cBioPortal, TISCH, and CancerSEA). The final resulting prognosis factors consisted of seven protective factors (P38MAPK, RAB11, FOXO3A, AR, BETACATENIN, Sox2, and IGFRb) and two risk factors (AKT_pS473 and ERCC5), which can be used to construct a prognosis-related protein model. A significant difference in overall survival (OS), disease-free interval (DFI), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) curves were found in the training, testing, and whole sets when analyzing the protein-based risk score (p < 0.05). We also illustrated a wide range of functions, immune checkpoints, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in prognosis-related protein signatures. Additionally, the protein-coding genes were significantly correlated with each other. EMTAB8107 and GSE154600 single-cell data revealed that the genes were highly expressed. Furthermore, the genes were related to tumor functional states (angiogenesis, invasion, and quiescence). We reported and validated a survivability prediction model for ovarian cancer based on prognostic-related protein signatures. A strong correlation was found between the signatures, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and immune checkpoints. The protein-coding genes were highly expressed in single-cell RNA and bulk RNA sequencing, correlating with both each other and tumor functional states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghang Jiang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Zhongyuan Chen
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical BioResource Development and Application Co-constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Honghong Wang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yifu Wang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yonghua Jiang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical BioResource Development and Application Co-constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Zengnan Mo
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning 530021, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
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Shabbir S, Khurram E, Moorthi VS, Eissa YTH, Kamal MA, Butler AE. The interplay between androgens and the immune response in polycystic ovary syndrome. J Transl Med 2023; 21:259. [PMID: 37062827 PMCID: PMC10105935 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04116-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic-reproductive-endocrine disorder that, while having a genetic component, is known to have a complex multifactorial etiology. As PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion, standardized criteria have been developed for its diagnosis. The general consensus is that hyperandrogenism is the primary feature of PCOS and is associated with an array of physiological dysfunctions; excess androgens, for example, have been correlated with cytokine hypersecretion, adipocyte proliferation, and signaling pathway dysregulation. Another key feature of PCOS is insulin resistance, resulting in aberrant glucose and fatty acid metabolism. Additionally, the immune system plays a key role in PCOS. Hyperandrogenism stimulates some immune cells while it inhibits others, thereby disrupting the normal balance of immune cells and creating a state of chronic inflammation. This low-grade inflammation could contribute to infertility since it induces ovarian dysfunction. This dysregulated immune response in PCOS exhibits autoimmunity characteristics that require further investigation. This review paper examines the relationship between androgens and the immune response and how their malfunction contributes to PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sania Shabbir
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Bahrain, Adliya, 15503, Bahrain
| | - Emaan Khurram
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Bahrain, Adliya, 15503, Bahrain
| | | | | | - Mohammad Azhar Kamal
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Bahrain, Adliya, 15503, Bahrain
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
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Sim JH, Kim KW, Ko Y, Kwon HM, Moon YJ, Jun IG, Kim SH, Kim S, Song JG, Hwang GS. Association of sex-specific donor skeletal muscle index with surgical outcomes in living donor liver transplantation recipients. Liver Int 2023; 43:684-694. [PMID: 36377561 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15478] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A recent study reported a correlation between the muscle mass of male donors and graft failure in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients. We investigated the association of sex-specific donor skeletal muscle index (SMI) with mortality and graft failure in LDLT recipients. METHODS We retrospectively analysed 2750 sets of donors and recipients between January 2008 and January 2018. The recipient outcomes were analysed by dividing the data according to donor sex. Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between donor SMI by sex and 1-year mortality and graft failure in recipients. RESULTS In the male donor group, robust donor (increased SMI) was significantly associated with higher risks for mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.06, p = .023) and graft failure (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, p = .007) at 1 year. In the female donor group, the robust donor was significantly associated with lower risks for mortality (HR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.97, p = .003) and graft failure (HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-1.00, p = .032) at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS Donor SMI was associated with surgical outcomes in recipients. Robust male and female donors were a significant negative and protective factor for grafts respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoon Sim
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Won Kim
- Department of Radiology, Asan Image Metrics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - YouSun Ko
- Department of Radiology, Asan Image Metrics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye-Mee Kwon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Jin Moon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Gu Jun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hoon Kim
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonok Kim
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Gol Song
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyu-Sam Hwang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Zhang L, Wu J, Wu Q, Zhang X, Lin S, Ran W, Zhu L, Tang C, Wang X. Sex steroid axes in determining male predominance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2023; 555:216037. [PMID: 36563929 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.216037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. The mechanisms for male propensity in HCC incidence, prognosis and treatment responses are complicated and remain inconclusive. Sex-biased molecular signatures in carcinogenesis, viral infections and immune responses have been studied predominantly within the context of sex hormones effects. This review integrates current knowledge on the mechanisms through which the hormones regulate HCC development in sexually dimorphic fashion. Firstly, the androgen/androgen receptor (AR) accelerate cell proliferation and virus infection, especially during the initial stage of HCC, while estrogen/estrogen receptor (ER) function in an opposite way to induce cell apoptosis and immune responses. Interestingly, the controversial effects of AR in late stage of HCC metastasis are summarized and the reasons are attributed to inconsistent cancer grading or experimental models between the studies. In addition, the new insights into these intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism are fully discussed. A detailed understanding of sex hormones-associated regulation to male predominance in HCC may help to develop personalized therapeutic strategies in high-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - JinFeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - QiuMei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - XiangJuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - ShuaiCai Lin
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - WanLi Ran
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - ChengYan Tang
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Ministry of Education), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
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Xu Y, Qi W, Wang X, Zhang Y, Han L, Shi J, Wang G, Liu J, Duan H, Cong X, Zhao P, Zhou C, Wang J. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 cooperates with androgen receptor/cell cycle-related kinase signalling pathway in the progression of hepatitis B virus infection and gender differences. J Viral Hepat 2022; 29:569-578. [PMID: 35567395 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the role of androgen receptor (AR)/cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) signalling pathway in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and gender differences, and the contribution of AR regulatory factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in it. AR, CCRK, and phosphorylated STAT3 expressions in liver tissues of chronic HBV-infected patients and non-HBV controls were determined by western blot and compared between genders. The relationships of expression levels with serum HBV DNA levels, liver inflammation activity, and fibrosis score were analysed in chronic HBV-infected patients. The relationships between expression levels of three proteins were also analysed. HBV-infected patients had significantly higher expression levels of AR, CCRK, and p-STAT3Tyr705 compared with controls (p < .01). The expression levels of AR, CCRK, and p-STAT3Tyr705 in chronic HBV-infected patients with severe inflammation were significantly higher than those with mild inflammation (p < .05). Expression levels in patients with heavier fibrosis (stage F4) were higher than in those with less fibrosis (stages F0-3) (p < .01). No gender differences were observed in AR, CCRK, and p-STAT3Tyr705 levels in non-HBV controls; higher levels were observed in HBV-infected males than in HBV-infected females (p < .05). AR, CCRK, and p-STAT3Tyr705 levels in liver tissues positively correlated with each other (p < .0001) and with serum HBV DNA levels (p < .0001). In conclusion, in this study, we first found concordant over-expression of AR, CCRK, and STAT3 in liver tissues of chronic HBV-infected patients who have not yet developed HCC, significantly correlated with the severity of the disease and showed gender differences. STAT3 may be a potential therapeutic co-target for chronic HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Xu
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wenqian Qi
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yonggui Zhang
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Liang Han
- Department of Pathology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingyi Shi
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guohua Wang
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Honglei Duan
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianling Cong
- Department of Dermatology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Changyu Zhou
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiangbin Wang
- Department of Digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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11
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Sajid M, Liu L, Sun C. The Dynamic Role of NK Cells in Liver Cancers: Role in HCC and HBV Associated HCC and Its Therapeutic Implications. Front Immunol 2022; 13:887186. [PMID: 35669776 PMCID: PMC9165341 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains an important complication of chronic liver disease, especially when cirrhosis occurs. Existing treatment strategies include surgery, loco-regional techniques, and chemotherapy. Natural killer cells are distinctive cytotoxic lymphocytes that play a vital role in fighting tumors and infections. As an important constituent of the innate immune system against cancer, phenotypic and functional deviations of NK cells have been demonstrated in HCC patients who also exhibit perturbation of the NK-activating receptor/ligand axis. The rate of recurrence of tumor-infiltrating and circulating NK cells are positively associated with survival benefits in HCC and have prognostic significance, suggesting that NK cell dysfunction is closely related to HCC progression. NK cells are the first-line effector cells of viral hepatitis and play a significant role by directly clearing virus-infected cells or by activating antigen-specific T cells by producing IFN-γ. In addition, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered NK cells suggest an exclusive opportunity to produce CAR-NKs with several specificities with fewer side effects. In the present review, we comprehensively discuss the innate immune landscape of the liver, particularly NK cells, and the impact of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) on the function of NK cells and the biological function of HCC. Furthermore, the role of NK cells in HCC and HBV-induced HCC has also been comprehensively elaborated. We also elaborate on available NK cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches in HCC treatment and summarize current advancements in the treatment of HCC. This review will facilitate researchers to understand the importance of the innate immune landscape of NK cells and lead to devising innovative immunotherapeutic strategies for the systematic treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajid
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
- Transplant and Immunology Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lianxin Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei, China
- Transplant and Immunology Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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12
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Ruan X, Li W, Du P, Wang Y. Mechanism of Phellodendron and Anemarrhena Drug Pair on the Treatment of Liver Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics. Front Oncol 2022; 12:838152. [PMID: 35463358 PMCID: PMC9021729 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.838152] [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: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aims to explore the key targets and signaling pathways of the traditional Chinese medicine Phellodendron and Anemarrhena drug pair (PADP) for the treatment of liver cancer. Methods Firstly, bioinformatics technology was used to analyze GSE62232 gene chip to obtain the differential genes of liver cancer. A network pharmacology technology was used to find the active components of PADP and their targets. Secondly, the differential genes were imported into STRING database to draw a PPI network, and network topology structure map combined with Cytoscape software. And the R language was used to identify differential gene targets and pathways through GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. In addition, AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking of core targets and core compounds. Moreover, GEPIA online analysis tool was used to perform survival analysis of the core target genes. Finally, RT-PCR was used to verify the changes of key target genes. CCK−8 assay was performed to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the cell cycle and apoptotic. Transwell invasion assay was performed to detect cell invasion. Results Firstly, a total of 21,654 genes were obtained. After screening, 1019 differential genes were obtained, including 614 down-regulated genes and 405 up-regulated genes. Furthermore, after screening by ADME standards, 52 active ingredients were obtained, of which 37 were Phellodendron and 15 were Anemarrhena. And a total of 36 differential genes have been identified, including 13 up-regulated genes and 23 down-regulated genes. Moreover, through enrichment analysis, we found that PADP may treat liver cancer through multiple channels and multiple pathways including the p53 signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and so on. Secondly, the molecular docking results showed that there was certain affinity between the core compounds and core target genes. In addition, GEPIA online analysis showed that ESR1, AR, CCNB1, CDK1, AKR1C3 and CCNA2 might become potential target genes for the survival and prognosis of PADP for the treatment of liver cancer. Finally, it was found that PADP could up regulate genes ESR1 and AR, down regulate genes CCNB1, CDK1, AKR1C3, and CCNA2. PADP could promote the apoptosis of liver cancer cells, shorten the cell cycle, and inhibit the proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells. Conclusion PADP may treat liver cancer through multiple targets, multiple channels, and multiple pathways, thereby suppressing cancer cells and improving the living quality of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Ruan
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Wenyuan Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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13
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Modulation of the tumour microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma by tyrosine kinase inhibitors: from modulation to combination therapy targeting the microenvironment. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:73. [PMID: 35148789 PMCID: PMC8840552 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02435-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remain the backbone of systematic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Sorafenib and lenvatinib are currently approved as first-line therapeutic drugs, and regorafenib and cabozantinib are applied as second-line treatments. With inhibition of angiogenesis as the main target, TKIs exert a profound effect on the tumour microenvironment (TME). The TME is a complex mixture of cellular and noncellular components surrounding the tumour mass, and is associated with tumour progression partially through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Specifically, the TME of HCC is characterized by profound extracellular matrix remodelling and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of TME remodelling mediated by four Food and Drug Administration approved TKIs in HCC and thus summarize the rationale and potential targets for combination therapy. The modulatory effect of TKIs on the TME of HCC was reported to enhance the antitumour effect of TKIs through pyroptosis of macrophages and subsequent natural killer cell activation, T cell activation, regulatory T cell reduction in HCC. Meanwhile, TKIs also induce drug resistance via M2 polarization and accumulation, recruitment of tumour-associated neutrophils, and induction of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In conclusion, the effect of TKIs on TME can enhance its antitumour effect, but might also partially contribute to the drug resistance that hinders the progression of TKIs as treatment for HCC. Additionally, the effect of TKIs also provides the rationale for combination therapy, including combining TKIs with immune checkpoint inhibitors, to facilitate increased drug efficacy of TKIs.
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14
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Hosseinzadeh F, Ai J, Hajifathali A, Muhammadnejad S, Ebrahimi-Barough S, Seyhoun I, Komeili Movahed T, Shirian S, Hosseinzadeh F, Ahmadpour S, Alijani M, Verdi J. The effects of Sorafenib and Natural killer cell co-injection in combinational treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma; an in vivo approach. Pharmacol Rep 2022; 74:379-391. [PMID: 35089543 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00335-y] [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: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer cells (NKC) and Sorafenib (Sor) are two important agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Over the past decade, the interaction of Sor and NKC against HCC has been widely challenging. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of NKC & Sor for the treatment of HCC in vivo. METHODS Subcutaneous xenograft models of HCC were established in nude mice. For safety assessment of treatment, the kidney and liver functions were analyzed. Paraffin embedded tumor sections were histopathologically studied and immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests were done to evaluate the angiogenesis (CD34) and proliferation (Ki67) indexes. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to identify the tumor cells undergoing apoptosis. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and expression levels of major inflammatory cytokines and cytoplasmic granules in xenograft HCC were quantified using real-time PCR. RESULTS NKC & Sor significantly inhibited necrosis and apoptosis in tumor cells and increased angiogenesis and proliferation of HCC compared to the monotherapy of NKC or Sor alone. The serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ as well as the expression levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, interleukins (ILs)-1, 6, 10, granzyme-B and perforin in the xenograft HCC tissues of the treated mice with NKC & Sor were significantly lower than those of treated with NKC or Sor alone. CONCLUSION Therapy with the specific dosage of NKC & Sor could not inhibit the HCC xenograft growth rate through a synergistic effect in a mouse model of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Tissue Engineering, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. .,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
| | - Jafar Ai
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Hajifathali
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Muhammadnejad
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Ebrahimi-Barough
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Seyhoun
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Sadegh Shirian
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.,Shiraz Molecular Pathology Research Center, Dr. Daneshbod Path Lab, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Sajjad Ahmadpour
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Diseases Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Alijani
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.,Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Verdi
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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15
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Liu Q, You B, Meng J, Huang CP, Dong G, Wang R, Chou F, Gao S, Chang C, Yeh S, Xu W. Targeting the androgen receptor to enhance NK cell killing efficacy in bladder cancer by modulating ADAR2/circ_0001005/PD-L1 signaling. Cancer Gene Ther 2022; 29:1988-2000. [PMID: 35915245 PMCID: PMC9750871 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-022-00506-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Although androgen receptor (AR) can influence bladder cancer (BCa) initiation and progression, its impact on tumor immune escape remains unclear. Here, we found that targeting AR could enhance natural killer (NK) cell tumor-killing efficacy by decreasing PD-L1 expression. Both antiandrogen treatment and AR knockdown effectively reduced membrane PD-LI expression to facilitate NK cell-mediated BCa cell killing by downregulating circ_0001005. Mechanistically, AR upregulated circRNA circ_0001005 expression via the RNA-editing gene ADAR2. circ_0001005 competitively sponged the miRNA miR-200a-3p to promote PD-L1 expression. A preclinical BCa xenograft mouse model further confirmed this newly identified signaling using the small molecule circ_0001005-shRNA to improve NK cell killing of BCa tumor cells. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting the newly identified ADAR2/circ_0001005/miR-200a-3p/PD-L1 pathway to impact antitumor immunity may suppress progression and boost immunotherapeutic efficacy in BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- grid.412463.60000 0004 1762 6325Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology, and Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 China ,grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Bosen You
- grid.412463.60000 0004 1762 6325Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology, and Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 China ,grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Jialin Meng
- grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Chi-Ping Huang
- grid.411508.90000 0004 0572 9415Department of Urology, China Medical University/Hospital, Taichung, 404 Taiwan
| | - Guanglu Dong
- grid.412463.60000 0004 1762 6325Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology, and Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 China
| | - Ronghao Wang
- grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Fuju Chou
- grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Shan Gao
- grid.412463.60000 0004 1762 6325Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology, and Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 China
| | - Chawnshang Chang
- grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA ,grid.411508.90000 0004 0572 9415Department of Urology, China Medical University/Hospital, Taichung, 404 Taiwan
| | - Shuyuan Yeh
- grid.412750.50000 0004 1936 9166Departments of Urology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, and The Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Wanhai Xu
- grid.410736.70000 0001 2204 9268Department of Urology, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 China
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16
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Schoenberg MB, Li X, Li X, Han Y, Börner N, Koch D, Guba MO, Werner J, Bazhin AV. The interactions between major immune effector cells and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A systematic review. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108220. [PMID: 34673334 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108220] [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: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver neoplasm with high morbidity and mortality. Tumor immunotherapy might be promising adjuvant therapy for HCC after surgery. To better develop HCC immunotherapy, comprehensive understanding of cell-cell interactions between immune effector cells and HCC cells remains crucial. AIM To review the existing studies to summarize the cell-cell interactions between major immune effector cells and HCC cells providing new data for HCC immunotherapy. METHODS A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed database covering all papers published in recent five years up to January 2020. The guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews were firmly followed. RESULTS There are 9 studies researching the interactions between CD8+ T lymphocytes and HCC cells and 22 studies researching that between natural killer (NK) cells and HCC cells. Among the 9 studies, 6 studies reported that CD8+ T lymphocytes showed cytotoxicity towards HCC cells while 3 studies found CD8+ T lymphocytes were impaired by HCC cells. Among the 22 studies, 20 studies presented that NK cells could inhibit HCC cells. Two studies were found to report NK cell dysfunction in HCC. CONCLUSION Based on the systematic analysis, we concluded that CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells can inhibit HCC cells. While in turn, HCC cells can also result in the dysfunction of those effector cells through various mechanisms. Organoids and direct contact cell co-culture with primary HCC cells and TILs should be the most innovative way to investigate the interactions and develop novel immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Bo Schoenberg
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yongsheng Han
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Börner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominik Koch
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Otto Guba
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Transplantation Center Munich, Hospital of the LMU, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | - Jens Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.
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17
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Zhou HC, Liu CX, Pan WD, Shang LR, Zheng JL, Huang BY, Chen JY, Zheng L, Fang JH, Zhuang SM. Dual and opposing roles of the androgen receptor in VETC-dependent and invasion-dependent metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2021; 75:900-911. [PMID: 34004215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.04.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Contradictory roles of the androgen receptor (AR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis have been reported. We have shown that VETC (vessels encapsulating tumor clusters) mediates invasion-independent metastasis, whereas VETC- HCCs metastasize in an invasion-dependent manner. Herein, we aimed to reveal the roles of AR in HCC metastasis. METHODS Mouse xenograft models, clinical samples, and cell models were used. RESULTS AR expression was significantly lower in HCCs with a VETC pattern, portal vein tumor thrombus, endothelium-coated microemboli or high recurrence rates. Overexpressing AR in VETC+ hepatoma cells suppressed VETC formation and intrahepatic metastasis but promoted pulmonary metastasis of mouse xenografts. AR decreased the transcription of Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2), a factor essential for VETC formation, by binding to the Angpt2 promoter. The roles of AR in inhibiting VETC formation and intrahepatic metastasis were attenuated by restoring Angpt2 expression, suggesting that AR may repress VETC-dependent intrahepatic metastasis by inhibiting Angpt2 expression and VETC formation. On the other hand, AR upregulated Rac1 expression, promoted lamellipodia formation and increased cell migration/invasion. A Rac1 inhibitor abrogated the AR-mediated promotion of migration/invasion and pulmonary metastasis of VETC+ hepatoma cells, but did not affect the AR-mediated inhibition of intrahepatic metastasis. Furthermore, an AR inhibitor decreased Rac1 expression and attenuated both intrahepatic and pulmonary metastasis of VETC- xenografts, an effect which was abrogated by restoring Rac1 expression. These data indicate that AR may facilitate the lung metastasis of VETC+ HCCs and both the liver/lung metastases of VETC- HCCs by upregulating Rac1 expression and then promoting migration/invasion. CONCLUSION AR plays dual and opposing roles in VETC-dependent and invasion-dependent metastasis, which highlights the complex functions of AR and the importance of individualized cancer therapy. LAY SUMMARY In this study, we uncovered the dual and opposing roles of the androgen receptor in VETC (vessels encapsulating tumor clusters)-dependent and invasion-dependent metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We elucidated the underlying mechanisms of these processes, which provided novel insights into the complex regulatory network of the androgen receptor in HCC metastasis and may have important implications for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Chao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Liver Disease of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Chu-Xing Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Wei-Dong Pan
- Key Laboratory of Liver Disease of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Li-Ru Shang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jia-Lin Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Bi-Yu Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jie-Ying Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Limin Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jian-Hong Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
| | - Shi-Mei Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Liver Disease of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
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18
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Vázquez-Jiménez A, Avila-Ponce De León UE, Matadamas-Guzman M, Muciño-Olmos EA, Martínez-López YE, Escobedo-Tapia T, Resendis-Antonio O. On Deep Landscape Exploration of COVID-19 Patients Cells and Severity Markers. Front Immunol 2021; 12:705646. [PMID: 34603282 PMCID: PMC8481922 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is a disease with a spectrum of clinical responses ranging from moderate to critical. To study and control its effects, a large number of researchers are focused on two substantial aims. On the one hand, the discovery of diverse biomarkers to classify and potentially anticipate the disease severity of patients. These biomarkers could serve as a medical criterion to prioritize attention to those patients with higher prone to severe responses. On the other hand, understanding how the immune system orchestrates its responses in this spectrum of disease severities is a fundamental issue required to design new and optimized therapeutic strategies. In this work, using single-cell RNAseq of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of nine patients with COVID-19 and three healthy controls, we contribute to both aspects. First, we presented computational supervised machine-learning models with high accuracy in classifying the disease severity (moderate and severe) in patients with COVID-19 starting from single-cell data from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Second, we identified regulatory mechanisms from the heterogeneous cell populations in the lungs microenvironment that correlated with different clinical responses. Given the results, patients with moderate COVID-19 symptoms showed an activation/inactivation profile for their analyzed cells leading to a sequential and innocuous immune response. In comparison, severe patients might be promoting cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory responses in a systemic fashion involving epithelial and immune cells without the possibility to develop viral clearance and immune memory. Consequently, we present an in-depth landscape analysis of how transcriptional factors and pathways from these heterogeneous populations can regulate their expression to promote or restrain an effective immune response directly linked to the patients prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarón Vázquez-Jiménez
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ugo Enrique Avila-Ponce De León
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Meztli Matadamas-Guzman
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Erick Andrés Muciño-Olmos
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yoscelina E. Martínez-López
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Médicas y de la Salud, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Thelma Escobedo-Tapia
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Maestría y Doctorado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Osbaldo Resendis-Antonio
- Human Systems Biology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
- Coordinación de la Investigación Científica - Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
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Yan LH, Liu XL, Mo SS, Zhang D, Mo XW, Tang WZ. OX40 as a novel target for the reversal of immune escape in colorectal cancer. Am J Transl Res 2021; 13:923-934. [PMID: 33841630 PMCID: PMC8014382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
First-generation immunological checkpoint inhibitors, such as CTLA-4, PD-L1 and PD-1 exhibit significant advantages over conventional cytotoxic drugs, such as oxaliplatin and 5-FU, for the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, these inhibitors are not ideal due to their low objective response rate and the vulnerability of these treatment methods when faced with emerging drug resistant cancers. This study summarizes the immunological characteristics of colorectal cancer treatment, and analyzes the ways in which OX40 may improve the efficacy of these treatments. Activation of the OX40 signaling pathway can enhance the activity of CD4+/CD8+ T cells and inhibit the function of Treg. Simultaneously, OX40 can directly inhibit the expression of Foxp3, affect the inhibitory function of Treg, and inhibit the immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment so as to reverse immune escape and reverse drug resistance. Therefore, OX40 is an important target for treating colorectal cancer in "cold tumors" with less immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Hai Yan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Colorectal CancerNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xiao-Liang Liu
- Department of Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Si-Si Mo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Colorectal CancerNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Colorectal CancerNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xian-Wei Mo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Colorectal CancerNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Wei-Zhong Tang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer HospitalNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Colorectal CancerNanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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20
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Peng X, Chen R, Cai S, Lu S, Zhang Y. SLC1A4: A Powerful Prognostic Marker and Promising Therapeutic Target for HCC. Front Oncol 2021; 11:650355. [PMID: 33777811 PMCID: PMC7991385 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.650355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
SLC1A4, a Na-dependent neutral amino acid transporter, was considered to participate in the various pathobiological process, including tumorigenesis. However, the correlation between SLC1A4 and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In our study, integrative bioinformatics and functional profiling were performed to reveal the prognosis and potential function of SLC1A4 in HCC. The results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of SLC1A4 were elevated in HCC, and it was a powerful independent prognostic marker for overall survival (OS). The co-expressed genes analysis and GSEA analysis showed that SLC1A4 was related to cell cycle, metabolism, cancer-related pathway. Furthermore, the functional analysis revealed that silenced SLC1A4 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and promoted cell apoptosis in HCC. Next, immune analysis showed that SLC1A4 expression was positively associated with immune infiltration and immune-related chemokine expression in HCC. Silenced SLC1A4 evidently reduced these chemokines expression in HCC cells. Finally, drug sensitivity analysis revealed potential five sensitivity drugs for HCC patients with high-expressed SLC1A4. In conclusion, our results suggested that SLCIA4 could be a novel predictor prognosis and immunotherapeutic targets of HCC, and the sensitivity drugs may be effective therapeutic strategy for HCC patients with high-expressed SLC1A4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozhen Peng
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Huaihua Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Novel Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, School of Public Health & Laboratory Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ruochan Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shenglan Cai
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shanshan Lu
- The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Cancer Proteomics and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yiya Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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21
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Yang J, Eresen A, Scotti A, Cai K, Zhang Z. Combination of NK-based immunotherapy and sorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:337-349. [PMID: 33575075 PMCID: PMC7868752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent malignancy of the liver, which is considered the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Liver transplant and surgical resection are curative treatments for HCC, but only 10-15% of HCC patients are eligible candidates. The FDA-approved sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor systemic therapy for advanced HCC that extends the overall survival by over 3 months when compared with placebo. Adoptive transfer of Natural Killer (NK) cells holds great promise for clinical cancer treatment. However, only limited clinical benefit has been achieved in cancer patients. Therefore, there is currently considerable interest in development of the combination of sorafenib and NK cells for the treatment of HCC patients. However, the mechanism of how sorafenib affects the function of NK cells remains to be comprehensively clarified. In this paper, we will discuss NK cell-based immunotherapies that are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation and its potential combination with sorafenib for improving the survival of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Aydin Eresen
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Alessandro Scotti
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Kejia Cai
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
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22
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Hu H, Zhou H, Xu D. A review of the effects and molecular mechanisms of dimethylcurcumin (ASC-J9) on androgen receptor-related diseases. Chem Biol Drug Des 2021; 97:821-835. [PMID: 33277796 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dimethylcurcumin (ASC-J9) is a curcumin analogue capable of inhibiting prostate cancer cell proliferation. The mechanism is associated with the unique role of ASC-J9 in enhancing androgen receptor (AR) degradation. So far, ASC-J9 has been investigated in typical AR-associated diseases such as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, bladder cancer, renal diseases, liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cutaneous wound, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, ovarian cancer and melanoma, exhibiting great potentials in disease control. In this review, the effects and molecular mechanisms of ASC-J9 on various AR-associated diseases are summarized. Importantly, the effects of ASC-J9 and AR antagonists enzalutamide/bicalutamide on prostate cancer are compared in detail and crucial differences are highlighted. At last, the pharmacological effects of ASC-J9 are summarized and the future applications of ASC-J9 in AR-associated disease control are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Hu
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for High-efficiency Refining and High-quality Utilization of Biomass, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, China
| | - Huan Zhou
- Center for Health Science and Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Defeng Xu
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for High-efficiency Refining and High-quality Utilization of Biomass, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, China
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23
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Özdemir BC. Androgen Signaling in the Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1270:169-183. [PMID: 33123999 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-47189-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The key function of mesenchymal/stromal androgen receptor (AR) signaling for prostate development has been well documented by tissue recombination experiments. Some studies have addressed the expression and function of AR in stromal cells in prostate cancer, yet our understanding of the role of stromal AR in other tissues beyond prostate is still insufficient.Genomic analysis has revealed that cellular responses to androgens differ between epithelial and stromal cells. AR in stromal cells seems not to act via classical AR transcription factors such as FOXA1 but rather depends on the JUN/AP1 complex. Stromal AR appears to have tumor-promoting and tumor-protective functions depending on tumor stage. Loss of AR signaling in fibroblasts has been detected already in premalignant lesions in the skin and prostate and has been associated with tumor induction in xenografts of skin cancer and aggressive disease features and poor patient prognosis in prostate cancer. Moreover, AR expression is found on virtually all tissue-infiltrating immune cells and plays critical roles in immune cell function. These findings suggest a potential deleterious impact of current androgen deprivation therapies which inhibit both epithelial and stromal AR, highlighting the need to develop tissue-specific AR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna C Özdemir
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,International Cancer Prevention Institute, Epalinges, Switzerland.
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24
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Sex Hormone-Dependent Physiology and Diseases of Liver. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17082620. [PMID: 32290381 PMCID: PMC7216036 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is associated not only with somatic and behavioral differences between men and women, but also with physiological differences reflected in organ metabolism. Genes regulated by sex hormones differ in expression in various tissues, which is especially important in the case of liver metabolism, with the liver being a target organ for sex hormones as its cells express estrogen receptors (ERs: ERα, also known as ESR1 or NR3A; ERβ; GPER (G protein-coupled ER, also known as GPR 30)) and the androgen receptor (AR) in both men and women. Differences in sex hormone levels and sex hormone-specific gene expression are mentioned as some of the main variations in causes of the incidence of hepatic diseases; for example, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is more common in men, while women have an increased risk of autoimmune liver disease and show more acute liver failure symptoms in alcoholic liver disease. In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the distinction is less pronounced, but increased incidences are suggested among men and postmenopausal women, probably due to an increased tendency towards visceral fat accumulation.
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25
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Wu C, Tang G, Wang X, Zhang J, Chen S, Lu C, Zhang D, Li Y. Micro-RNA-21 rs1292037 A>G polymorphism can predict hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis (HCC), and plays a key role in cell proliferation and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in HCC cell model of IRI. Saudi Med J 2020; 41:383-392. [PMID: 32291425 PMCID: PMC7841620 DOI: 10.15537/smj.2020.4.24994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the predictive function of miR-21 rs1292037 A greater than G polymorphism in survival and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS The experiment was carried out between July 2018 and July 2019, whereas the prospective clinical study was carried out between January 2014 and January 2019. In this study, 62 HCC patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV), 17 HCC patients without HBV, and 13 healthy controls were investigated. Micro-RNA-21 levels in the blood were identified using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and allele specific PCR for miR-21 rs1292037. Partial hepatectomy was performed in all patients, and the tumor development indicators and survival time were evaluated in a subsequent follow-up. Cell-based simulated IRI model of HCC huh7 cell line was used to determine the functions of miR-21 with respect to IRI and proliferation. RESULTS Micro-RNA-21 levels were significantly increased in HCC patients. Furthermore, an miR- 21 rs1292037 A greater than G polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with HCC prognosis and severity of liver injury after hepatectomy. In vitro study revealed that miR-21 might prevent IRI from occurring, and can induce proliferation in HCC huh7 cells. These functions of miR-21 were demonstrated to be triggered by IL-12A inhibition. CONCLUSION Micro-RNA-21 rs1292037 A greater than G polymorphism can predict IRI and tumor progression by regulating the miR-21/IL-12A.axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyu Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Linyi Central Hospital, Linyi, China. E-mail.
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26
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Hu C, Pang B, Ma Z, Yi H. Immunophenotypic Profiles in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Mediators Inflamm 2020; 2020:5894768. [PMID: 32256193 PMCID: PMC7106920 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5894768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) a long-known endocrinopathy and one of the most common endocrine-reproductive-metabolic disorders in women, which can lead to infertility. Although the precise etiology remains unclear, PCOS is considered as a complex genetic trait, with a high degree of heterogeneity. Besides, hormones and immune cells, including both innate and adaptive immune cells, are reportedly a cross talk in PCOS. Chronic low-grade inflammation increases autoimmune disease risk. This proinflammatory condition may, in turn, affect vital physiological processes that ultimately cause infertility, such as ovulation failure and embryo implantation. Here, we review the accumulating evidence linking PCOS with inflammatory status providing an overview of the underlying hormone-mediated dysregulation of immune cells. We mainly focus on the correlational evidence of associations between immune status in women and the increased prevalence of PCOS, along with the specific changes in immune responses. Further recognition and exploration of these interactions may help elucidate PCOS pathophysiology and highlight targets for its treatment and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Hu
- Central Laboratory of the Eastern Division, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Center for Prenatal Diagnosis, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Central Laboratory of the Eastern Division, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhanchuan Ma
- Central Laboratory of the Eastern Division, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
| | - Huanfa Yi
- Central Laboratory of the Eastern Division, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
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27
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Han Q, Yang D, Yin C, Zhang J. Androgen Receptor (AR)-TLR4 Crosstalk Mediates Gender Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence and Progression. J Cancer 2020; 11:1094-1103. [PMID: 31956356 PMCID: PMC6959060 DOI: 10.7150/jca.30682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Androgen receptor (AR) has a role in regulating malignancies and gender disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, TLR4 activation is demonstrated to be required for HCC progression; however, whether and how TLR4 interacts with AR is largely unknown. Methods: The tumorigenesis was detected in female and male mice induced by DEN/CCL4, then TLR4 and AR signals were detected in liver tissues by qPCR and FACS. The proliferation, colony formation and migration of HCC cell treated with TLR4 agonist LPS, or/and androgen DHT were evaluated in vitro. Furthermore, the expression of TLR4 and AR was detected by IHC in tissue microarray of HCC, and correlation of AR and TLR4 was defined. Results: Male mice are more susceptible to develop HCC than female mice. Meanwhile, we found baseline TLR4 levels were higher in male mice than in female mice. AR expression in male mice was increased by treatment with DEN/CCL4. And, AR was constitutively expressed in human HCC cell lines. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) stimulated TLR4 expression in both HepG2 and HepG2 2.15 cells, which could be blocked by silencing AR. On the other hand, treatment with LPS stimulated AR expression, but it was blocked by treatment with TLR4 antagonist and in cells deficient for TLR4. DHT treatment exacerbated TLR4-induced cellular proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 cells. The positive relationship between AR and TLR4 was confirmed in human HCC samples. Conclusions: DHT-AR-TLR4 signaling enhances the development of HCC cells and facilitates their migration and invasion, demonstrating a mechanism underlying gender disparity in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuju Han
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Chunlai Yin
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China
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28
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Hu J, Wang E, Liu L, Wang Q, Xia D, Bai W, Tie J, Li X, Yuan J, Yang S, Jiang D, Shi J, Sun Y, Wang J, Zhang C, Niu J, Li K, He C, Guo W, Lv Y, Chen H, Yuan X, Yu T, Wang Z, Luo B, Han N, Zhu Y, Yin Z, Fan D, Zhang Z, Yang K, Han G. Sorafenib may enhance antitumour efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients by modulating the proportions and functions of natural killer cells. Invest New Drugs 2019; 38:1247-1256. [PMID: 31832851 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-019-00885-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunction of natural killer (NK) cells is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We explored the phenotypic and functional characteristics of peripheral blood NK cells in HCC patients following sorafenib treatment.Peripheral blood samples were collected from 60 HCC patients in a single centre (2015~2017) and 45 healthy donors. The percentage and cytoplasmic granule production of NK cells were analysed. Subset proportions were evaluated for their associations with the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST), time to progression, and median overall survival (OS).Compared with baseline, the percentages of total and CD56dimCD16+ NK cells increased after two months of treatment, while the percentage of CD56brightCD16- NK cells decreased, leading to a dramatically reduced ratio of CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells (ratiobri/dim). Patients with low ratiobri/dim exhibited better mRECIST responses and longer median OS than those with high ratiobri/dim. The expression levels of granzyme B and perforin in total NK cells and in both subsets of cells were increased after treatment.This study showed that sorafenib could affect the proportions and functions of peripheral CD56brightCD16- and CD56dimCD16+ NK cells, which was associated with the outcomes including OS of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hu
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Enxin Wang
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiuhe Wang
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongdong Xia
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Bai
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jun Tie
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuya Yang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongbo Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingqi Shi
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chunmei Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Niu
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chuangye He
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wengang Guo
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yong Lv
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xulong Yuan
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianlei Yu
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhengyu Wang
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bohan Luo
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Na Han
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhanxin Yin
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Daiming Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Guohong Han
- Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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Hosseinzadeh F, Ai J, Ebrahimi-Barough S, Seyhoun I, Hajifathali A, Muhammadnejad S, Hosseinzadeh F, Shadnoush M, Dabiri Oskouei F, Verdi J. Natural Killer Cell Expansion with Autologous Feeder Layer and Anti-CD3 Antibody for Immune Cell Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2019; 20:3797-3803. [PMID: 31870124 PMCID: PMC7173374 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2019.20.12.3797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: one of the promising approaches for treatment of some cancers is adoptive cell therapy using natural killer (NK) cells. Various methods have been investigated for ex vivo expansion of NK cells in large-scale, but most of them involved cancer or genetically modified cells as feeder layer and also some of them have the risk of T cell contamination and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Method: In this study, irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as feeder layer with an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) were used. For activation and expansion of NK cells, human recombinant IL2 and IL15 were used. After co-culturing of expanded NK cells (eNKC) and isolated NK cells (iNKC) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, the viability of eNKC in compared to iNKC were analyzed by CCK-8 assay and degranulation of NK cells after co-culturing was assayed by measuring CD107a expression. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) assay was used for the ability of NK cells to secretion of IFN-γ (interferon-γ) and TNF-α (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α) after co-culture with HCC cells. Real Time PCR analysis was used for expression of human Perforin and Granzyme B genes in the NK cells exposed to target HepG2 cells. Result: This method strongly expanded highly purified NK cells with powerful cytotoxicity against HCC cells. The expanded NK cells showed high level of expression of degranulation marker and human Perforin and Granzyme B genes, and also was secreted larger amounts of TNF-α and IFN-γ compared with fresh isolated NK cells. Conclusion: we proposed an effective method for expansion of cytotoxic NK cells using irradiated autologous PBMC as feeder layer for more successful transfer of allogeneic NK cell in immuno cell therapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Tissue Engineering, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Jafar Ai
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Ebrahimi-Barough
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Seyhoun
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Hajifathali
- Taleghani Bone Marrow Transplantation Center,Taleghani Hospital,Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Muhammadnejad
- Cell-Based Therapies Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mahdi Shadnoush
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition & Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Javad Verdi
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences,School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Juengpanich S, Shi L, Iranmanesh Y, Chen J, Cheng Z, Khoo AKJ, Pan L, Wang Y, Cai X. The role of natural killer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma development and treatment: A narrative review. Transl Oncol 2019; 12:1092-1107. [PMID: 31176993 PMCID: PMC6558093 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle for treatment of HCC is the inadequate efficacy and limitation of the available therapeutic options. Despite the recent advances in developing novel treatment options, HCC still remains one of the major causes of cancer morbidity and mortality around the world. Achieving effective treatment and eradication of HCC is a challenging task, however recent studies have shown that targeting Natural Killer cells, as major regulators of immune system, can help with the complete treatment of HCC, restoration of normal liver function and subsequently higher survival rate of HCC patients. Studies have shown that decrease in the frequency of NK cells, their dysfunction due to several factors such as dysregulation of receptors and their ligands, and imbalance of different types of inhibitory and stimulating microRNA expression is associated with higher rate of HCC progression and development, and poor survival outcome. Here in our review, we mainly focused on the importance of NK cells in HCC development and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarun Juengpanich
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Liang Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
| | | | - Jiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Zhenzhe Cheng
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Aaron Kah-Jin Khoo
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4027, Australia.
| | - Long Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China; School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, Province, China.
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Response to Comment on "Risk of Posttransplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence is Higher in Recipients of Livers From Male Than Female Living Donors". Ann Surg 2019; 269:e71. [PMID: 30985363 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Yu J, Zhang C, Yu Q, Yu H, Zhang B. ADAR1 p110 Enhances Adhesion of Tumor Cells to Extracellular Matrix in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Up-Regulating ITGA2 Expression. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:1469-1479. [PMID: 30798327 PMCID: PMC6398282 DOI: 10.12659/msm.911944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrahepatic and distant metastases could be the major cause of treatment failure in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The deep mechanism of HCC metastasis is closely related to the interaction between integrins and extracellular matrix (ECM) in tumor microenvironment. MATERIAL AND METHODS In vitro cell adhesion assay was performed to determine the capability of adhering to ECM elements of HCC cells. To modulate the expression status of ADAR1 p110 in tumor cells, lentivirus system was applied. Meanwhile, patients' HCC samples and orthotopic xenograft mouse model were used for verifying our in vitro data. RESULTS ADAR1 p110 could strongly enhance the adhesion of HCC tumor cells to ECM, which was usually regarded as the initiation of tumor invasion. Such phenotype was caused due to up-regulation of ITGA2 both in mRNA and protein level. Moreover, specimen collected from HCC patients revealed a positive correlation between ADAR1 and ITGA2. Finally, ADAR1 p110 promoted HCC metastasis was verified when we applied orthotopic xenograft mouse model. CONCLUSIONS ADAR1 could enhance HCC metastasis by promoting tumor cells adhering to ECM via increasing ITGA2 expression. This phenomenon could provide novel information to better understanding the mechanism of HCC metastasis procedure.
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Risk of Post-transplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence Is Higher in Recipients of Livers From Male Than Female Living Donors. Ann Surg 2018. [DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Xiao Y, Sun Y, Liu G, Zhao J, Gao Y, Yeh S, Gong L, Chang C. Androgen receptor (AR)/miR-520f-3p/SOX9 signaling is involved in altering hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell sensitivity to the Sorafenib therapy under hypoxia via increasing cancer stem cells phenotype. Cancer Lett 2018; 444:175-187. [PMID: 30448543 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Early studies indicated that the androgen receptor (AR) might play key roles to impact hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression at different stages. Its linkage to hypoxia, a condition that occurs frequently during the HCC progression, however, remains unclear. Here we found that AR/miR-520f-3p/SOX9 signaling is involved in altering HCC cells sensitivity to the Sorafenib therapy under hypoxia via increasing the cancer stem cells (CSC) population. Mechanism dissection revealed that AR might alter the miR-520f-3p/SOX9 signaling through transcriptional regulation via binding to the androgen-response-elements (AREs) on the promoter region of miR-520f, which could then suppress SOX9 mRNA translation via targeting its 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). The in vivo mouse model with orthotopic xenografts of HCC cells also validated the in vitro data, and a human HCC sample survey confirmed the positive linkage of AR/miR-520f-3p/SOX9 signaling to the CSC population during HCC progression. Together, these preclinical findings suggest that hypoxia may increase the HCC CSC population via altering the AR/miR-520f-3p/SOX9 signaling, and targeting this newly identified signaling with the small molecule, miR-520f-3p, may help in the development of the novel therapy to better suppress the HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Yin Sun
- George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Guodong Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China; George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Jie Zhao
- George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Yuan Gao
- George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Shuyuan Yeh
- George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Liansheng Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
| | - Chawnshang Chang
- George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, Radiation Oncology, The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA; Sex Hormone Research Center, China Medical University/Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
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Ma Y, Zhang C, Zhang B, Yu H, Yu Q. circRNA of AR-suppressed PABPC1 91 bp enhances the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells against hepatocellular carcinoma via upregulating UL16 binding protein 1. Oncol Lett 2018; 17:388-397. [PMID: 30655779 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy type with limited approaches for treatment. Additionally, inappropriate immune therapy indicates that the understanding the underlying mechanism of HCC is necessary. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of a novel circular RNA (circRNA), circRNA of AR-suppressed PABPC1 91 bp (CircARSP91), on immune surveillance induced by natural killer (NK) cells. An in vitro cell cytotoxicity assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity of NK cells against HCC cells. A specific plasmid for circRNA overexpression was used to establish stable cell lines. Additionally, samples from patients with HCC were analyzed to determine the association between the present in vitro data and those of clinical settings. CircARSP91 could increase the susceptibility of HCC cells to NK cell cytotoxicity. Following screening multiple factors that could influence the activation of NK cells, it was determined that such a phenotype may be caused by upregulating UL16 binding protein 1 (ULBP1) expression in HCC cells at the mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, the data generated from patient samples significantly support a positive association between CircARSP91 and ULBP1. In conclusion, CircARSP91 could enhance innate immune surveillance by strengthening the cytotoxicity of NK cells, implying that circRNA may serve a role in tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanming Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang 312400, P.R. China
| | - Chunjun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang 312400, P.R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang 312400, P.R. China
| | - Haibo Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang 312400, P.R. China
| | - Qingsong Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengzhou People's Hospital, Branch of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shengzhou, Zhejiang 312400, P.R. China
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Hosseinzadeh F, Verdi J, Ai J, Hajighasemlou S, Seyhoun I, Parvizpour F, Hosseinzadeh F, Iranikhah A, Shirian S. Combinational immune-cell therapy of natural killer cells and sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a review. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:133. [PMID: 30214375 PMCID: PMC6131874 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and typically poor prognosis of this disease that lead to late stage diagnosis when potentially curative therapies are least effective; therefore, development of an effective and systematic treatment is an urgent requirement. Main body In this review, several current treatments for HCC patients and their advantages or disadvantages were summarized. Moreover, various recent preclinical and clinical studies about the performances of "two efficient agents, sorafenib or natural killer (NK) cells", against HCC cells were investigated. In addition, the focus this review was on the chemo-immunotherapy approach, correlation between sorafenib and NK cells and their effects on the performance of each other for better suppression of HCC. Conclusion It was concluded that combinational therapy with sorafenib and NK cells might improve the outcome of applied therapeutic approaches for HCC patients. Finally, it was also concluded that interaction between sorafenib and NK cells is dose and time dependent, therefore, a careful dose and time optimizing is necessary for development of a combinational immune-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Hosseinzadeh
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Verdi
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Ai
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saieh Hajighasemlou
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Iran Food and Drug Administration, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Seyhoun
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Frzad Parvizpour
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Abolfazl Iranikhah
- 4Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Sadegh Shirian
- 5Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.,6Shiraz Molecular Pathology Research Center, Dr. Daneshbod Lab, Shiraz, Iran
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Zhao RL, He YM. Network pharmacology analysis of the anti-cancer pharmacological mechanisms of Ganoderma lucidum extract with experimental support using Hepa1-6-bearing C57 BL/6 mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2018; 210:287-295. [PMID: 28882624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is an oriental medical fungus, which was used to prevent and treat many diseases. Previously, the effective compounds of Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE) were extracted from two kinds of GL, [Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. Ex Fr.) Karst.] and [Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang], which have been used for adjuvant anti-cancer clinical therapy for more than 20 years. However, its concrete active compounds and its regulation mechanisms on tumor are unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we aimed to identify the main active compounds from GLE and to investigate its anti-cancer mechanisms via drug-target biological network construction and prediction. MATERIALS AND METHODS The main active compounds of GLE were identified by HPLC, EI-MS and NMR, and the compounds related targets were predicted using docking program. To investigate the functions of GL holistically, the active compounds of GL and related targets were predicted based on four public databases. Subsequently, the Identified-Compound-Target network and Predicted-Compound-Target network were constructed respectively, and they were overlapped to detect the hub potential targets in both networks. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR and western-blot assays were used to validate the expression levels of target genes in GLE treated Hepa1-6-bearing C57 BL/6 mice. RESULTS In our work, 12 active compounds of GLE were identified, including Ganoderic acid A, Ganoderenic acid A, Ganoderic acid B, Ganoderic acid H, Ganoderic acid C2, Ganoderenic acid D, Ganoderic acid D, Ganoderenic acid G, Ganoderic acid Y, Kaemferol, Genistein and Ergosterol. Using the docking program, 20 targets were mapped to 12 compounds of GLE. Furthermore, 122 effective active compounds of GL and 116 targets were holistically predicted using public databases. Compare with the Identified-Compound-Target network and Predicted-Compound-Target network, 6 hub targets were screened, including AR, CHRM2, ESR1, NR3C1, NR3C2 and PGR, which was considered as potential markers and might play important roles in the process of GLE treatment. GLE effectively inhibited tumor growth in Hepa1-6-bearing C57 BL/6 mice. Finally, consistent with the results of qRT-PCR data, the results of western-blot assay demonstrated the expression levels of PGR and ESR1 were up-regulated, as well as the expression levels of NR3C2 and AR were down-regulated, while the change of NR3C1 and CHRM2 had no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that these 4 hub target genes, including NR3C2, AR, ESR1 and PGR, might act as potential markers to evaluate the curative effect of GLE treatment in tumor. And, the combined data provide preliminary study of the pharmacological mechanisms of GLE, which may be a promising potential therapeutic and chemopreventative candidate for anti-cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Lin Zhao
- School of Basic Medicine College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Yu-Min He
- School of Basic Medicine College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
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Circular RNA expression is suppressed by androgen receptor (AR)-regulated adenosine deaminase that acts on RNA (ADAR1) in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e3171. [PMID: 29144509 PMCID: PMC5775411 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy as a result of complex genetic and epigenetic alterations. HCC is characterized by a clear gender disparity for which there is lack of a clear mechanistic understanding. Androgen receptor (AR) is thought to be critical for such bias. Meanwhile, the potential function of circular RNA (circRNA), regulated by RNA editing enzyme, remained largely unknown in malignancy till now. By utilizing circRNA microarray survey coupled with in vitro analysis, we analyzed the influence of AR on circRNA expression in HCC. Our results indicated that AR could suppress circRNA expression by upregulating ADAR1 p110. Such effect is because AR served as a transcriptional activator of ADAR1 promoter. More significantly, data collected from our center strongly suggest that ADAR1 expression can effectively predict HCC patients' prognosis and an abnormal overexpression of ADAR1 is positively correlated with AR in HCC. In addition, we found CircARSP91 (hsa_circ_0085154), one of the circRNAs downregulated by AR in an ADAR1-dependent manner, could inhibit HCC tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. These findings highlight the fact that AR as a contributing factor for gender disparity in HCC can cause complex consequences though regulation of circRNA expression. Better understanding of the roles of circRNA during HCC initiation and progression will provide a novel angle to develop potential HCC therapies.
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Increasing AR by HIF-2α inhibitor (PT-2385) overcomes the side-effects of sorafenib by suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma invasion via alteration of pSTAT3, pAKT and pERK signals. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e3095. [PMID: 29022906 PMCID: PMC5680567 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although sorafenib is currently used as a standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, low response rate, transient and limited efficacy, primary and acquired resistance and negative side-effects gain increasing attentions, suggesting the need for better efficacious combination therapy. Here, we demonstrated that the sorafenib-induced or hypoxia-induced hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-2α could bind to an hypoxia responsive element within 500 bp region of androgen receptor (AR) promoter and thus transcriptionally suppress AR. Importantly, In vitro and In vivo studies suggested a specific and potent HIF-2α inhibitor, PT-2385, could significantly enhance sorafenib efficacy by suppressing HIF-2α, increasing AR and suppressing downstream pSTAT3/pAKT/pERK pathways. Clinical samples further confirmed the role of HIF-2α and AR. It is promising that PT-2385 could alleviate the undesirable side-effects of sorafenib treatment by sorafenib-PT-2385 combination therapy, which may shed light for late-stage HCC patients.
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Diegeler S, Hellweg CE. Intercellular Communication of Tumor Cells and Immune Cells after Exposure to Different Ionizing Radiation Qualities. Front Immunol 2017. [PMID: 28638385 PMCID: PMC5461334 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation can affect the immune system in many ways. Depending on the situation, the whole body or parts of the body can be acutely or chronically exposed to different radiation qualities. In tumor radiotherapy, a fractionated exposure of the tumor (and surrounding tissues) is applied to kill the tumor cells. Currently, mostly photons, and also electrons, neutrons, protons, and heavier particles such as carbon ions, are used in radiotherapy. Tumor elimination can be supported by an effective immune response. In recent years, much progress has been achieved in the understanding of basic interactions between the irradiated tumor and the immune system. Here, direct and indirect effects of radiation on immune cells have to be considered. Lymphocytes for example are known to be highly radiosensitive. One important factor in indirect interactions is the radiation-induced bystander effect which can be initiated in unexposed cells by expression of cytokines of the irradiated cells and by direct exchange of molecules via gap junctions. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the indirect effects observed after exposure to different radiation qualities. The different immune cell populations important for the tumor immune response are natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the modulation of their functions due to ionizing radiation exposure of tumor cells. After radiation exposure, cytokines are produced by exposed tumor and immune cells and a modulated expression profile has also been observed in bystander immune cells. Release of damage-associated molecular patterns by irradiated tumor cells is another factor in immune activation. In conclusion, both immune-activating and -suppressing effects can occur. Enhancing or inhibiting these effects, respectively, could contribute to modified tumor cell killing after radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Diegeler
- Division of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln, Germany
| | - Christine E Hellweg
- Division of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln, Germany
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Zheng B, Zhu YJ, Wang HY, Chen L. Gender disparity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): multiple underlying mechanisms. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2017; 60:575-584. [PMID: 28547581 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-016-9043-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
On the global scale, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) especially in regions of Asia where HBV infection is endemic. Epidemiological studies show that the incidence of inflammation-driven HCC in males is three times as high as in females. Recent studies suggest that sex hormones have a crucial role in the pathogenesis and development of HBV-induced HCC. We found that the estrogen/androgen signaling pathway is associated with decreased/increased transcription and replication of HBV genes and can promote the development of HBV infections by up/downregulating HBV RNA transcription and inflammatory cytokines levels, which in turn slow down the progression of HBV-induced HCC. Additionally, sex hormones can also affect HBV-related HCC by inducing epigenetic changes. The evidence that both morphology and function of the human liver are affected by sex hormones was found over 60 years ago. However, the underlying molecular mechanism largely remains to be elucidated. This review focuses mainly on the molecular mechanisms behind the sex difference in HCC associated with HBV and other factors. In addition, several potential treatment and therapeutic strategies for inflammation-driven HCC will be introduced in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zheng
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China.,National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Yan-Jing Zhu
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China.,National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Hong-Yang Wang
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China. .,National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, 201805, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lei Chen
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China. .,National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai, 201805, China.
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Kanda T, Takahashi K, Nakamura M, Nakamoto S, Wu S, Haga Y, Sasaki R, Jiang X, Yokosuka O. Androgen Receptor Could Be a Potential Therapeutic Target in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9050043. [PMID: 28475115 PMCID: PMC5447953 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9050043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a male-dominant disease with poor prognosis. Sorafenib is the only approved systemic chemotherapeutic drug for patients with advanced HCC. Previous studies have shown that androgen and androgen receptor (AR) are involved in human hepatocarcinogenesis and the development of HCC. Here, we discuss the recent data on AR and HCC, and the combination of sorafenib and inhibitors of AR for advanced-HCC patients. Androgen-dependent and androgen-independent AR activation exist in human hepatocarcinogenesis. AR could directly control hepatocarcinogenesis and regulate the innate immune system to influence HCC progression. Combination of sorafenib with AR inhibitors might represent a potential treatment for patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuo Kanda
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Koji Takahashi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Masato Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Shingo Nakamoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Shuang Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Yuki Haga
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Reina Sasaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
| | - Xia Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Donggang Road No. 89, Shijiazhuang 050031, China.
| | - Osamu Yokosuka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
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Park W, Gordon AC, Cho S, Huang X, Harris KR, Larson AC, Kim DH. Immunomodulatory Magnetic Microspheres for Augmenting Tumor-Specific Infiltration of Natural Killer (NK) Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:13819-13824. [PMID: 28406012 PMCID: PMC5719880 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b02258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to develop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visible immunomodulatory microspheres (IMM-MS) for efficient image guided cancer immunotherapy. IMM-MS composed of recombinant interferon gamma (IFN-γ), iron oxide nanocubes (IONC), and biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were successfully prepared via a double-emulsion method. The prepared IMM-MS exhibited a sustained IFN-γ release and highly sensitive MR T2 contrast effects. Finally, in an orthotopic liver tumor VX2 rabbit model, successful hepatic intra-arterial (IA) transcatheter delivery of IMM-MS to liver tumors was confirmed with MR images. The deposition of IMM-MS significantly increased NK-cell infiltration into the liver tumor site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooram Park
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Andrew C. Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Soojeong Cho
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Xiaoke Huang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Kathleen R. Harris
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Andrew C. Larson
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- International Institute of Nanotechnology (IIN), Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Dong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
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Sarmento-Cabral A, L-López F, Gahete MD, Castaño JP, Luque RM. Metformin Reduces Prostate Tumor Growth, in a Diet-Dependent Manner, by Modulating Multiple Signaling Pathways. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 15:862-874. [PMID: 28385910 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prostate-cancer is strongly influenced by obesity, wherein metformin could represent a promising treatment; however, the endocrine metabolic/cellular/molecular mechanisms underlying these associations and effects are still unclear. To determine the beneficial antitumoral effects of metformin on prostate cancer progression/aggressiveness and the relative contribution of high-fat diet (HFD; independently of obesity), we used HFD-fed immunosuppressed mice inoculated with PC3 cells (which exhibited partial resistance to diet-induced obesity) compared with low-fat diet (LFD)-fed control mice. Moreover, gene expression analysis was performed on cancer-associated genes in the xenografted tumors, and the antitumorigenic role of metformin on tumoral (PC3/22Rv1/LNCaP) and normal (RWPE1) prostate cells was evaluated. The results demonstrate that HFD is associated with enhanced prostate cancer growth irrespective of body weight gain and endocrine metabolic dysregulations and that metformin can reduce prostate cancer growth under LFD but more prominently under HFD, acting through the modulation of several tumoral-associated processes (e.g., cell cycle, apoptosis, and/or necrosis). Moreover, the actions observed in vivo could be mediated by the modulation of the local expression of GH/IGF1 axis components. Finally, it was demonstrated that metformin had disparate effects on proliferation, migration, and prostate-specific antigen secretion from different cell lines. Altogether, these data reveal that metformin inhibits prostate cancer growth under LFD and, specially, under HFD conditions through multiple metabolic/tumoral signaling pathways.Implications: The current study linking dietary influence on metformin-regulated signaling pathways and antitumoral response provides new and critical insight on environment-host interactions in cancer and therapy. Mol Cancer Res; 15(7); 862-74. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Sarmento-Cabral
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain.,ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Fernando L-López
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain.,ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel D Gahete
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain.,ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Justo P Castaño
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain.,ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Raúl M Luque
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain. .,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital (HURS), Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain.,ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain
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Zhang XF, Yang X, Jia HL, Zhu WW, Lu L, Shi W, Zhang H, Chen JH, Tao YF, Wang ZX, Yang J, Wang LX, Lu M, Zheng Y, Zhao J, Dong QZ, Qin LX. Bcl-2 expression is a poor predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis of andropause-age patients. Cancer Biol Med 2016; 13:459-468. [PMID: 28154777 PMCID: PMC5250603 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2016.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) seems to be influenced by the endocrine environment. Numerous reports demonstrate the diverse expression of Bcl-2 family members under sex steroid regulation. With the exception of estrogen-related tumors, androgen-related tumors have shown their characteristics in Bcl-2 expression. In this study, the status of Bcl-2 expression in male hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients was examined to verify the high incidence of HCC in males. METHODS Tumor tissue microarray was used to examine Bcl-2 expression levels in 374 HCC cases including 306 males and 68 females. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to investigate the predictive value of Bcl-2 in HCC patients. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that male patients with higher Bcl-2 levels had significantly longer median survival time and recurrence time than those with lower levels. However, no significant differences in outcomes were found between different Bcl-2 levels in female patients. When the male patients were stratified into several age points, the level of Bcl-2 expression showed poorer predictive efficiency in the 45-49 and 55-60 age groups in andropause-age patients compared with other age groups. Bcl-2 was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (P < 0.0001) and recurrence time (P = 0.0001) in male patients. After excluding male patients in the 45-60 age group, the predictive efficiency was enhanced (n = 147, OS, P = 0.0002, TTR, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Bcl-2 expression is an independent predictor of survival and recurrence in male HCC. Bcl-2 levels may also be regulated by androgens or androgen receptors in male HCC patients. Bcl-2 levels change and exhibit poor predictive efficiency when androgen levels vary dramatically (andropause age).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Hu-Liang Jia
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Wen-Wei Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jin-Hong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yi-Feng Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zheng-Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Qidong Hospital, Qidong 226200, China
| | - Lian-Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Qidong Hospital, Qidong 226200, China
| | - Ming Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Qiong-Zhu Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
- Cancer Research Center, Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lun-Xiu Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital & Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
- Cancer Research Center, Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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