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Yan Z, Huang L, Zhang X, Yu X, Huang R. Anti-tumor effect of innovative tumor treatment device OM-100 through enhancing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in glioblastoma growth. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18444. [PMID: 39117725 PMCID: PMC11310191 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67437-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is associated with a median survival rate of less than 15 months, necessitating innovative treatment approaches. This study investigates the safety and efficacy of the low-frequency magnetic field (LFMF) OM-100 instrument in GBM therapy. In vitro experiments utilized normal astrocyte and GBM cell lines, determining that OM-100 at 100 kHz for 72 h selectively targeted GBM cells without harming normal cells. Subsequent analyses revealed OM-100's impact on cell viability, apoptosis, migration, invasion, reactive oxide species levels, and PD-L1 expression. In vivo studies on mice with U87-induced GBM demonstrated OM-100's synergy with anti-PD-1 therapy, leading to significant tumor volume reduction and increased apoptosis. Notably, OM-100 exhibited safety in healthy mice. Overall, OM-100 could enhance anti-PD-1 immunotherapy effectiveness probably by directly inhibiting tumor proliferation and migration as well as promoting PD-L1 expression, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxian Yan
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lifa Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinyan Yu
- Department of Medical, Ci Xing Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310051, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Medical, Ci Xing Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310051, Zhejiang, China.
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2
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Hu X, Gan L, Tang Z, Lin R, Liang Z, Li F, Zhu C, Han X, Zheng R, Shen J, Yu J, Luo N, Peng W, Tan J, Li X, Fan J, Wen Q, Wang X, Li J, Zheng X, Liu Q, Guo J, Shi G, Mao H, Chen W, Yin S, Zhou Y. A Natural Small Molecule Mitigates Kidney Fibrosis by Targeting Cdc42-mediated GSK-3β/β-catenin Signaling. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307850. [PMID: 38240457 PMCID: PMC10987128 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Kidney fibrosis is a common fate of chronic kidney diseases (CKDs), eventually leading to renal dysfunction. Yet, no effective treatment for this pathological process has been achieved. During the bioassay-guided chemical investigation of the medicinal plant Wikstroemia chamaedaphne, a daphne diterpenoid, daphnepedunin A (DA), is characterized as a promising anti-renal fibrotic lead. DA shows significant anti-kidney fibrosis effects in cultured renal fibroblasts and unilateral ureteral obstructed mice, being more potent than the clinical trial drug pirfenidone. Leveraging the thermal proteome profiling strategy, cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42) is identified as the direct target of DA. Mechanistically, DA targets to reduce Cdc42 activity and down-regulates its downstream phospho-protein kinase Cζ(p-PKCζ)/phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK-3β), thereby promoting β-catenin Ser33/37/Thr41 phosphorylation and ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis to block classical pro-fibrotic β-catenin signaling. These findings suggest that Cdc42 is a promising therapeutic target for kidney fibrosis, and highlight DA as a potent Cdc42 inhibitor for combating CKDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrong Hu
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Lu Gan
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Ziwen Tang
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Ruoni Lin
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Zhou Liang
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Changjian Zhu
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Xu Han
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Ruilin Zheng
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jiani Shen
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Ning Luo
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Wenxing Peng
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jiaqing Tan
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jinjin Fan
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Qiong Wen
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jianbo Li
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Xunhua Zheng
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Qinghua Liu
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Jianping Guo
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Guo‐Ping Shi
- Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
| | - Haiping Mao
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Sheng Yin
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of NephrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityNHC Key Laboratory of Clinical NephrologyGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of NephrologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
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Bhamidipati D, Subbiah V. Tumor-agnostic drug development in dMMR/MSI-H solid tumors. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:828-839. [PMID: 37517955 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.07.002] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) represents a distinct phenotype among solid tumors characterized by frequent frameshift mutations resulting in the generation of neoantigens that are highly immunogenic. Seminal studies identified that dMMR/MSI-H tumors are exquisitely sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors, which has dramatically improved outcomes for patients harboring dMMR/MSI-H tumors. Nevertheless, many patients develop resistance to single-agent immune checkpoint blockade, prompting the need for improved therapeutic options for this patient population. In this review, we highlight key studies examining the efficacy of PD1 inhibitors in the metastatic and neoadjuvant setting for patients with dMMR/MSI-H tumors, describe resistance mechanisms to immune checkpoint blockade, and discuss novel treatment approaches that are currently under investigation for dMMR/MSI-H tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Bhamidipati
- Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vivek Subbiah
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Guo CH, Wang SY, Chung CH, Shih MY, Li WC, Chen PC, Lee SY, Hsia S. Selenium modulates AR/IGF-1R/EGFR and TROP2 signaling pathways and improves anticancer efficacy in murine mammary carcinoma 4T1. J Nutr Biochem 2023; 120:109417. [PMID: 37482256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2023.109417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The micronutrient selenium (Se) has been shown to exert potential anticancer properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Se (in Se yeast form) on the selenoproteins (SELENO), AR/IGF-1R/EGFR, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/Raf/ERK cascades, and immune checkpoint blockade in TNBC murine 4T1 cells. We also assessed the effects of combination treatment with chemotherapeutic doxorubicin and Se on trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) levels. Compared with the control groups, cells incubated with Se (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5 µg Se/mL) have lower viability, raised intracellular Se concentrations and SELENO expression, and higher malondialdehyde products in a dose-dependent manner. Se induced the inactivation of AR/IGF-1R/EGFR and downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/Raf/ERK signaling molecules. Se-treated cells also exhibited decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced levels of the cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1, cancer stemness, metastatic and EMT-related markers, and increased apoptosis. Subsequently, Se treatment significantly suppressed PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 mRNA levels and proteins. Doxorubicin decreased 4T1 cell viability and TROP2 expression levels, but the addition of Se to doxorubicin contributed to further reductions. Similar responses to Se treatment were also observed in the human MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These results show that Se upregulates SELENO and anti-AR/IGF-1R/EGFR signaling in TNBC cells, thus inducing oxidative stress-dependent apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, stemness, EMT, and metastasis, as well as blocking the immune checkpoint molecules. TROP2 down-regulation with Se is also a potential anti-TNBC therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hung Guo
- Micronutrition and Biomedical Nutrition Laboratories, Institute of Biomedical Nutrition, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan; Taiwan Nutraceutical Association, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Shiou-Yue Wang
- Micronutrition and Biomedical Nutrition Laboratories, Institute of Biomedical Nutrition, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan; Taiwan Nutraceutical Association, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Min-Yi Shih
- Taiwan Nutraceutical Association, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chin Li
- Taiwan Nutraceutical Association, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Shih-Yu Lee
- Biotechnology, Health, and Innovation Research Center, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Simon Hsia
- Taiwan Nutraceutical Association, Taipei, Taiwan.
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5
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Satapathy SR, Ghatak S, Sjölander A. The tumor promoter cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 regulates PD-L1 expression in colon cancer cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:138. [PMID: 37316937 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01157-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy targeting programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) or PD-1 in solid tumors has been shown to be clinically beneficial. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC), only a subset of patients benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. Previously, we showed that high cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1R) levels are associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. Recently, we have revealed the role of the tumor promoter CysLT1R in drug resistance and stemness in colon cancer (CC) cells. Here, we show the role of the CysLT1R/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis in the regulation of PD-L1 using both in vitro and in vivo preclinical model systems. Interestingly, we found that both endogenous and IFNγ-induced PD-L1 expression in CC cells is mediated through upregulation of CysLT1R, which enhances Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Therapeutic targeting of CysLT1R with its antagonist montelukast (Mo), as well as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated or doxycycline-inducible functional absence of CysLT1R, negatively regulated PD-L1 expression in CC cells. Interestingly, an anti-PD-L1 neutralizing antibody exhibited stronger effects together with the CysLT1R antagonist in cells (Apcmut or CTNNB1mut) with either endogenous or IFNγ-induced PD-L1 expression. Additionally, mice treated with Mo showed depletion of PD-L1 mRNA and protein. Moreover, in CC cells with combined treatment of a Wnt inhibitor and an anti-PD-L1 antibody was effective only in β-catenin-dependent (APCmut) context. Finally, analysis of public dataset showed positive correlations between the PD-L1 and CysLT1R mRNA levels. These results elucidate a previously underappreciated CysLT1R/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the context of PD-L1 inhibition in CC, which might be considered for improving the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy in CC patients. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakti Ranjan Satapathy
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Jan Waldenströms Gata 35, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Souvik Ghatak
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Jan Waldenströms Gata 35, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Anita Sjölander
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Jan Waldenströms Gata 35, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden.
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6
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Zhang C, Zhang C, Wang H. Immune-checkpoint inhibitor resistance in cancer treatment: Current progress and future directions. Cancer Lett 2023; 562:216182. [PMID: 37076040 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Cancer treatment has been advanced with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) exemplified by anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) drugs. Patients have reaped substantial benefit from ICIs in many cancer types. However, few patients benefit from ICIs whereas the vast majority undergoing these treatments do not obtain survival benefit. Even for patients with initial responses, they may encounter drug resistance in their subsequent treatments, which limits the efficacy of ICIs. Therefore, a deepening understanding of drug resistance is critically important for the explorations of approaches to reverse drug resistance and to boost ICI efficacy. In the present review, different mechanisms of ICI resistance have been summarized according to the tumor intrinsic, tumor microenvironment (TME) and host classifications. We further elaborated corresponding strategies to battle against such resistance accordingly, which include targeting defects in antigen presentation, dysregulated interferon-γ (IFN-γ) signaling, neoantigen depletion, upregulation of other T cell checkpoints as well as immunosuppression and exclusion mediated by TME. Moreover, regarding the host, several additional approaches that interfere with diet and gut microbiome have also been described in reversing ICI resistance. Additionally, we provide an overall glimpse into the ongoing clinical trials that utilize these mechanisms to overcome ICI resistance. Finally, we summarize the challenges and opportunities that needs to be addressed in the investigation of ICI resistance mechanisms, with the aim to benefit more patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyue Zhang
- Department of Integrated Therapy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenxing Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyong Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.
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7
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Vitale C, Bottino C, Castriconi R. Monocyte and Macrophage in Neuroblastoma: Blocking Their Pro-Tumoral Functions and Strengthening Their Crosstalk with Natural Killer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:885. [PMID: 36980226 PMCID: PMC10047506 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, immunotherapy has represented an enormous step forward in the fight against cancer. Immunotherapeutic approaches have increasingly become a fundamental part of the combined therapies currently adopted in the treatment of patients with high-risk (HR) neuroblastoma (NB). An increasing number of studies focus on the understanding of the immune landscape in NB and, since this tumor expresses low or null levels of MHC class I, on the development of new strategies aimed at enhancing innate immunity, especially Natural Killer (NK) cells and macrophages. There is growing evidence that, within the NB tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which mainly present an M2-like phenotype, have a crucial role in mediating NB development and immune evasion, and they have been correlated to poor clinical outcomes. Importantly, TAM can also impair the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated by NK cells upon the administration of anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), the current standard immunotherapy for HR-NB patients. This review deals with the main mechanisms regulating the crosstalk among NB cells and TAMs or other cellular components of the TME, which support tumor development and induce drug resistance. Furthermore, we will address the most recent strategies aimed at limiting the number of pro-tumoral macrophages within the TME, reprogramming the TAMs functional state, thus enhancing NK cell functions. We also prospectively discuss new or unexplored aspects of human macrophage heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Vitale
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Cristina Bottino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Roberta Castriconi
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
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Hargadon KM. Genetic dysregulation of immunologic and oncogenic signaling pathways associated with tumor-intrinsic immune resistance: a molecular basis for combination targeted therapy-immunotherapy for cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:40. [PMID: 36629955 PMCID: PMC11072992 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04689-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Since the turn of the century, advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Although these approaches have far outperformed traditional therapies in various clinical settings, both remain plagued by mechanisms of innate and acquired resistance that limit therapeutic efficacy in many patients. With a focus on tumor-intrinsic resistance to immunotherapy, this review highlights our current understanding of the immunologic and oncogenic pathways whose genetic dysregulation in cancer cells enables immune escape. Emphasis is placed on genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic aberrations that influence the activity of these pathways in the context of immune resistance. Specifically, the role of pathways that govern interferon signaling, antigen processing and presentation, and immunologic cell death as determinants of tumor immune susceptibility are discussed. Likewise, mechanisms of tumor immune resistance mediated by dysregulated RAS-MAPK, WNT, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, and cell cycle pathways are described. Finally, this review highlights the ways in which recent insight into genetic dysregulation of these immunologic and oncogenic signaling pathways is informing the design of combination targeted therapy-immunotherapy regimens that aim to restore immune susceptibility of cancer cells by overcoming resistance mechanisms that often limit the success of monotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian M Hargadon
- Hargadon Laboratory, Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA, 23943, USA.
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Liu M, Yan W, Chen D, Luo J, Dai L, Chen H, Chen KN. IGFBP1 hiWNT3A lo Subtype in Esophageal Cancer Predicts Response and Prolonged Survival with PD-(L)1 Inhibitor. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11111575. [PMID: 36358276 PMCID: PMC9687176 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PD-(L)1 inhibitor could improve the survival of locally advanced esophageal cancer (ESCA) patients, but we cannot tailor the treatment to common biomarkers. WNT signaling activation was associated with primary resistance to immunotherapy. In this study, we used our two clinical cohorts (BJCH n = 95, BJIM n = 21) and three public cohorts to evaluate and verify a new immunotherapeutic biomarker based on WNT signaling in ESCA patients. Our findings showed that WNT signaling-related genes stratified TCGA patients into Cluster 1, 2, and 3, among which, Cluster 3 had the worst prognosis. The most up- and down-regulated genes in Cluster 3 were IGFBP1 and WNT3A. Further analysis validated that IGFBP1hiWNT3Alo ESCA patients had significantly poor RFS and OS in the TCGA and BJCH cohorts. Interestingly, IGFBP1hiWNT3Alo patients had a good response and prognosis with immunotherapy in three independent cohorts, exhibiting better predictive value than PD-L1 expression (signature AUC = 0.750; PD-L1 AUC = 0.571). Moreover, IGFBP1hiWNT3Alo patients may benefit more from immunotherapy than standard treatment (p = 0.026). Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed a significant increase in DC infiltration in IGFBP1hiWNT3Alo patients post-immunotherapy (p = 0.022), which may enhance immune response. The IGFBP1hiWNT3Alo signature could predict patients who benefited from PD-(L)1 inhibitor treatment and may serve as a biomarker in ESCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meichen Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52, Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Wanpu Yan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52, Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Dongbo Chen
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Disease, No.11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Jiancheng Luo
- Aiyi Technology Co., Ltd., Room 1004, Building 3, Greenland Qihang, Biomedical Industry Base, Daxing District, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Liang Dai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52, Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Hongsong Chen
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Disease, No.11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (K.-N.C.)
| | - Ke-Neng Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52, Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (K.-N.C.)
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10
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Lei ZN, Teng QX, Tian Q, Chen W, Xie Y, Wu K, Zeng Q, Zeng L, Pan Y, Chen ZS, He Y. Signaling pathways and therapeutic interventions in gastric cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:358. [PMID: 36209270 PMCID: PMC9547882 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01190-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) ranks fifth in global cancer diagnosis and fourth in cancer-related death. Despite tremendous progress in diagnosis and therapeutic strategies and significant improvements in patient survival, the low malignancy stage is relatively asymptomatic and many GC cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, which leads to unsatisfactory prognosis and high recurrence rates. With the recent advances in genome analysis, biomarkers have been identified that have clinical importance for GC diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Modern molecular classifications have uncovered the vital roles that signaling pathways, including EGFR/HER2, p53, PI3K, immune checkpoint pathways, and cell adhesion signaling molecules, play in GC tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic responsiveness. These biomarkers and molecular classifications open the way for more precise diagnoses and treatments for GC patients. Nevertheless, the relative significance, temporal activation, interaction with GC risk factors, and crosstalk between these signaling pathways in GC are not well understood. Here, we review the regulatory roles of signaling pathways in GC potential biomarkers, and therapeutic targets with an emphasis on recent discoveries. Current therapies, including signaling-based and immunotherapies exploited in the past decade, and the development of treatment for GC, particularly the challenges in developing precision medications, are discussed. These advances provide a direction for the integration of clinical, molecular, and genomic profiles to improve GC diagnosis and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Ning Lei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Qiu-Xu Teng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Qin Tian
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuhao Xie
- Institute for Biotechnology, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Kaiming Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Qianlin Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Leli Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yihang Pan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
- Institute for Biotechnology, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Yulong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Digestive Diseases Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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11
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Wang X, Huang Y, Li S, Zhang H. Integrated machine learning methods identify FNDC3B as a potential prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in glioma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1027154. [PMID: 36275754 PMCID: PMC9582524 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1027154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent discoveries have revealed that fibronectin type III domain containing 3B (FNDC3B) acts as an oncogene in various cancers; however, its role in glioma remains unclear. Methods In this study, we comprehensively investigated the expression, prognostic value, and immune significance of FNDC3B in glioma using several databases and a variety of machine learning algorithms. RNA expression data and clinical information of 529 patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 1319 patients from Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases were downloaded for further investigation. To evaluate whether FNDC3B expression can predict clinical prognosis of glioma, we constructed a clinical nomogram to estimate long-term survival probabilities. The predicted nomogram was validated by CGGA cohorts. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by the Wilcoxon test based on the TCGA-LGG dataset and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was implemented to identify the significant module associated with the expression level of FNDC3B. Furthermore, we investigated the correlation between FNDC3B with cancer immune infiltrates using TISIDB, ESTIMATE, and CIBERSORTx. Results Higher FNDC3B expression displayed a remarkably worse overall survival and the expression level of FNDC3B was an independent prognostic indicator for patients with glioma. Based on TCGA LGG dataset, a co-expression network was established and the hub genes were identified. FNDC3B expression was positively correlated to the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immune infiltration score, and high FNDC3B expression was accompanied by the increased expression of B7-H3, PD-L1, TIM-3, PD-1, and CTLA-4. Moreover, expression of FNDC3B was significantly associated with infiltrating levels of several types of immune cells and most of their gene markers in glioma. Conclusion This study demonstrated that FNDC3B may be involved in the occurrence and development of glioma and can be regarded as a promising prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker for the treatment of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yeping Huang
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Hong Zhang,
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12
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Tumor-Intrinsic PD-L1 Exerts an Oncogenic Function through the Activation of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911031. [PMID: 36232331 PMCID: PMC9569632 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) strongly inhibits T cell activation, thereby aiding tumors in escaping the immune response. PD-L1 inhibitors have proven to be effective in the treatment of different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Yet, the knowledge regarding the biological function of tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 in lung cancer remains obscure. In our study, we set the goal of determining the function of PD-L1 using overexpression and knockdown strategies. PD-L1 silencing resulted in decreased migratory and invasive ability of tumor cells, together with attenuated colony-forming capacity. Ectopic expression of PD-L1 showed the opposite effects, along with increased activities of MAPK and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, and the upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin target genes. Additionally, overexpression of PD-L1 was associated with dysregulated cellular and exosomal miRNAs involved in tumor progression and metastasis. In primary lung tumors, immunohistochemistry revealed that both PD1 and PD-L1 were highly expressed in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to adenocarcinoma (p = 0.045 and p = 0.036, respectively). In SCC, PD1 expression was significantly associated with tumor grading (p = 0.016). Taken together, our data suggest that PD-L1 may exert an oncogenic function in NSCLC through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and may act as a potential diagnostic marker for lung SCC.
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13
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Current Uses of Mushrooms in Cancer Treatment and Their Anticancer Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810502. [PMID: 36142412 PMCID: PMC9504980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Various chemotherapeutic drugs have been extensively used for cancer treatment. However, current anticancer drugs cause severe side effects and induce resistance. Therefore, the development of novel and effective anticancer agents with minimal or no side effects is important. Notably, natural compounds have been highlighted as anticancer drugs. Among them, many researchers have focused on mushrooms that have biological activities, including antitumor activity. The aim of this review is to discuss the anticancer potential of different mushrooms and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We provide information regarding the current clinical status and possible modes of molecular actions of various mushrooms and mushroom-derived compounds. This review will help researchers and clinicians in designing evidence-based preclinical and clinical studies to test the anticancer potential of mushrooms and their active compounds in different types of cancers.
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14
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Wang S, Fu Y, Kuerban K, Liu J, Huang X, Pan D, Chen H, Zhu Y, Ye L. Discoidin domain receptor 1 is a potential target correlated with tumor invasion and immune infiltration in gastric cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:933165. [PMID: 35935941 PMCID: PMC9353406 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.933165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) has been demonstrated to be able to promote tumor invasion and metastasis and being closely related to tumor immune infiltration. However, DDR1 has rarely been studied in gastric cancer. Here, we primarily evaluated DDR1 expression in gastric cancer and its cell lines using multiple databases. Subsequently, the cancer prognosis was investigated in relation to DDR1 expression. After analysis, we discovered that DDR1 was highly expressed and significantly connected with poor prognosis in gastric cancer. To comprehensively understand the molecular mechanism of DDR1, we explored genes and proteins interacting with DDR1 in gastric cancer using databases. Additionally, we found that the expression level of DDR1 was inversely correlated with immune infiltration and significantly relative to various immune cell markers. Overall, DDR1 was implicated in invasion, metastasis, and immune infiltration of gastric cancer. Inhibition of DDR1 may have the potential to alleviate the strong invasiveness and metastasis of advanced gastric cancer. Meanwhile, immune exclusion by DDR1 may also provide a new strategy for improving the efficacy of immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songna Wang
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Fu
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kudelaidi Kuerban
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayang Liu
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Danjie Pan
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaning Chen
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yizhun Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Li Ye
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Li Ye,
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15
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Seliger B, Massa C. Modulation of Lymphocyte Functions in the Microenvironment by Tumor Oncogenic Pathways. Front Immunol 2022; 13:883639. [PMID: 35663987 PMCID: PMC9160824 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.883639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the broad application of different immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of solid as well as hematopoietic cancers, the efficacy of these therapies is still limited, with only a minority of patients having a long-term benefit resulting in an improved survival rate. In order to increase the response rates of patients to the currently available immunotherapies, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic and/or extrinsic resistance to treatment is required. There exist increasing evidences that activation of different oncogenic pathways as well as inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) in tumor cells inhibit the immune cell recognition and influegnce the composition of the tumor microenvironment (TME), thus leading to an impaired anti-tumoral immune response. A deeper understanding of the link between the tumor milieu and genomic alterations of TSGs and oncogenes is indispensable for the optimization of immunotherapies and to predict the patients’ response to these treatments. This review summarizes the role of different cancer-related, oncogene- and TSG-controlled pathways in the context of anti-tumoral immunity and response to different immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Seliger
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chiara Massa
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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16
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Chida K, Kawazoe A, Suzuki T, Kawazu M, Ueno T, Takenouchi K, Nakamura Y, Kuboki Y, Kotani D, Kojima T, Bando H, Mishima S, Kuwata T, Sakamoto N, Watanabe J, Mano H, Ikeda M, Shitara K, Endo I, Nakatsura T, Yoshino T. Transcriptomic Profiling of MSI-H/dMMR Gastrointestinal Tumors to Identify Determinants of Responsiveness to Anti-PD-1 Therapy. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:2110-2117. [PMID: 35254400 PMCID: PMC9365358 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Transcriptomic profiling was performed for microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H)/mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) gastrointestinal tumors to determine the predictors of response to PD-1 blockade. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Thirty-six patients with MSI-H/dMMR gastrointestinal tumors, including gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, small intestine cancer, and pancreatic cancer, being treated with PD-1 blockade were analyzed. We conducted the transcriptomic analysis of gastrointestinal tumors using RNA sequencing data, including the consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) of colorectal cancer. RESULTS Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) demonstrated that non-responders had upregulations of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, hypoxia, mTORC1, TNF-α, KRAS, Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β, and various metabolism-related signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the IFNγ pathway was enriched in responders. On the basis of the leading-edge analysis of GSEA, VEGF-A was significantly correlated with enriched pathways in non-responders. Patients with high VEGF-A expression, compared with those with low expression, had significantly shorter progression-free survival [PFS; median 4.8 months vs. not reached (NR), P = 0.032] and overall survival (median 11.1 months vs. NR, P = 0.045). Among 13 patients with colorectal cancer evaluable for CMS classification, the objective response rate was 100%, 0%, 0%, and 16.7% in CMS1, CMS2, CMS3, and CMS4, respectively. Patients with CMS1 had significantly longer PFS (NR vs. 4.8 months, P = 0.017) than those with CMS2, CMS3, or CMS4. CONCLUSIONS Several transcriptomic features, including CMS classification and related genes, were associated with response to PD-1 blockade in MSI-H/dMMR gastrointestinal tumors. These findings can help develop predictive biomarkers or combination immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keigo Chida
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Akihito Kawazoe
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.,Corresponding Author: Akihito Kawazoe, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan. Phone: 81-47-133-1111; Fax: 81-47-134-6928; E-mail:
| | - Toshihiro Suzuki
- Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan.,General Medicinal Education and Research Center, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahito Kawazu
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshihide Ueno
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Takenouchi
- Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | | | | | - Daisuke Kotani
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Kojima
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hideaki Bando
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Saori Mishima
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kuwata
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Naoya Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Jun Watanabe
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Mano
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masafumi Ikeda
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kohei Shitara
- National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Nakatsura
- Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
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17
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Crosstalk between β-Catenin and CCL2 Drives Migration of Monocytes towards Glioblastoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094562. [PMID: 35562953 PMCID: PMC9101913 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype glioblastoma (GBM) is a fast growing and highly heterogeneous tumor, often characterized by the presence of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). The plasticity of GSCs results in therapy resistance and impairs anti-tumor immune response by influencing immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Previously, β-catenin was associated with stemness in GBM as well as with immune escape mechanisms. Here, we investigated the effect of β-catenin on attracting monocytes towards GBM cells. In addition, we evaluated whether CCL2 is involved in β-catenin crosstalk between monocytes and tumor cells. Our analysis revealed that shRNA targeting β-catenin in GBMs reduces monocytes attraction and impacts CCL2 secretion. The addition of recombinant CCL2 restores peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) migration towards medium (TCM) conditioned by shβ-catenin GBM cells. CCL2 knockdown in GBM cells shows similar effects and reduces monocyte migration to a similar extent as β-catenin knockdown. When investigating the effect of CCL2 on β-catenin activity, we found that CCL2 modulates components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and alters the clonogenicity of GBM cells. In addition, the pharmacological β-catenin inhibitor MSAB reduces active β-catenin, downregulates the expression of associated genes and alters CCL2 secretion. Taken together, we showed that β-catenin plays an important role in attracting monocytes towards GBM cells in vitro. We hypothesize that the interactions between β-catenin and CCL2 contribute to maintenance of GSCs via modulating immune cell interaction and promoting GBM growth and recurrence.
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18
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Kim CW, Chon HJ, Kim C. Combination Immunotherapies to Overcome Intrinsic Resistance to Checkpoint Blockade in Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4906. [PMID: 34638390 PMCID: PMC8507875 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promising results in the treatment of treating various malignancies, progress has been severely limited in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). ICIs are effective in a fraction of patients with microsatellite instability-high mCRC but have little clinical efficacy in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) mCRC, which accounts for 95% of mCRC cases. MSS mCRCs are considered to have intrinsic resistance to ICI monotherapy through multiple mechanisms. (1) They are poorly immunogenic because of their low tumor mutation burden; (2) frequent activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway excludes intratumoral CD8+ T cell immunity; (3) the tumor microenvironment is immunosuppressive because of the presence of various immunosuppressive cells, including tumor-associated macrophages and regulatory T cells; and (4) frequent liver metastasis in MSS mCRC may reduce the efficacy of ICIs. To overcome these resistance mechanisms, combination approaches using various agents, including STING agonists, MEK inhibitors, VEGF/R inhibitors, WNT/β-catenin inhibitors, oncolytic viruses, and chemo/radiotherapy, are actively ongoing. Preliminary evidence of the efficacy of some has been shown in early clinical trials. This review summarizes novel combination immunotherapy strategies described in recent preclinical and clinical studies to overcome the limitations of ICI monotherapy in MSS mCRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Woo Kim
- Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164 World Cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16499, Korea;
| | - Hong Jae Chon
- Medical Oncology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 13496, Korea
| | - Chan Kim
- Medical Oncology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 13496, Korea
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19
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Lai KKY, Kahn M. Pharmacologically Targeting the WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Cascade: Avoiding the Sword of Damocles. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 269:383-422. [PMID: 34463849 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
WNT/β-catenin signaling plays fundamental roles in numerous developmental processes and in adult tissue homeostasis and repair after injury, by controlling cellular self-renewal, activation, division, differentiation, movement, genetic stability, and apoptosis. As such, it comes as no surprise that dysregulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling is associated with various diseases, including cancer, fibrosis, neurodegeneration, etc. Although multiple agents that specifically target the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway have been studied preclinically and a number have entered clinical trials, none has been approved by the FDA to date. In this chapter, we provide our insights as to the reason(s) it has been so difficult to safely pharmacologically target the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway and discuss the significant efforts undertaken towards this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keane K Y Lai
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Michael Kahn
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
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