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Grützmann K, Kraft T, Meinhardt M, Meier F, Westphal D, Seifert M. Network-based analysis of heterogeneous patient-matched brain and extracranial melanoma metastasis pairs reveals three homogeneous subgroups. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1036-1050. [PMID: 38464935 PMCID: PMC10920107 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.02.013] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can metastasize to different organs. Molecular differences between brain and extracranial melanoma metastases are poorly understood. Here, promoter methylation and gene expression of 11 heterogeneous patient-matched pairs of brain and extracranial metastases were analyzed using melanoma-specific gene regulatory networks learned from public transcriptome and methylome data followed by network-based impact propagation of patient-specific alterations. This innovative data analysis strategy allowed to predict potential impacts of patient-specific driver candidate genes on other genes and pathways. The patient-matched metastasis pairs clustered into three robust subgroups with specific downstream targets with known roles in cancer, including melanoma (SG1: RBM38, BCL11B, SG2: GATA3, FES, SG3: SLAMF6, PYCARD). Patient subgroups and ranking of target gene candidates were confirmed in a validation cohort. Summarizing, computational network-based impact analyses of heterogeneous metastasis pairs predicted individual regulatory differences in melanoma brain metastases, cumulating into three consistent subgroups with specific downstream target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Grützmann
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Kraft
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Matthias Meinhardt
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Dana Westphal
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Seifert
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), D-01307 Dresden, Germany
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2
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Kjer-Hansen P, Phan TG, Weatheritt RJ. Protein isoform-centric therapeutics: expanding targets and increasing specificity. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024:10.1038/s41573-024-01025-z. [PMID: 39232238 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-024-01025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Most protein-coding genes produce multiple protein isoforms; however, these isoforms are commonly neglected in drug discovery. The expression of protein isoforms can be specific to a disease, tissue and/or developmental stage, and this specific expression can be harnessed to achieve greater drug specificity than pan-targeting of all gene products and to enable improved treatments for diseases caused by aberrant protein isoform production. In recent years, several protein isoform-centric therapeutics have been developed. Here, we collate these studies and clinical trials to highlight three distinct but overlapping modes of action for protein isoform-centric drugs: isoform switching, isoform introduction or depletion, and modulation of isoform activity. In addition, we discuss how protein isoforms can be used clinically as targets for cell type-specific drug delivery and immunotherapy, diagnostic biomarkers and sources of cancer neoantigens. Collectively, we emphasize the value of a focus on isoforms as a route to discovering drugs with greater specificity and fewer adverse effects. This approach could enable the targeting of proteins for which pan-inhibition of all isoforms is toxic and poorly tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kjer-Hansen
- EMBL Australia, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
- St. Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Tri Giang Phan
- St. Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- Precision Immunology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert J Weatheritt
- EMBL Australia, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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3
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Zhou T, Guan Y, Sun L, Liu W. A review: Mechanisms and molecular pathways of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family 3 (SLAMF3) in immune modulation and therapeutic prospects. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 133:112088. [PMID: 38626547 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112088] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
The signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family participates in the modulation of various innate and adaptive immune responses. SLAM family (SLAMF) receptors include nine transmembrane glycoproteins, of which SLAMF3 (also known as CD229 or Ly9) has important roles in the modulation of immune responses, from the fundamental activation and suppression of immune cells to the regulation of intricate immune networks. SLAMF3 is mainly expressed in immune cells, such as T, B, and natural killer cells. It has a unique molecular structure, including four immunoglobulin-like domains in the extracellular domain and two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based signaling motifs in the intracellular structural domains. These unique structures have important implications for protein functioning. SLAMF3 is involved in pathogenesis of various disease, particularly autoimmune diseases and cancer. However, despite its potential clinical significance, a comprehensive overview of the current paradigm of SLAMF3 research is lacking. This review summarizes the structure, functional mechanisms, and therapeutic implications of SLAMF3. Our findings highlight the significance of SLAMF3 in both physiological and pathological contexts, and underline its dual role in autoimmunity and malignancies, and including disease progression and prognosis. The review also proposes that future studies on SLAMF3 should explore its context-specific inhibitory and stimulatory effects, expand on its potential in disease mapping, investigate related signaling pathways, and explore its value as a drug target. Research in these areas related to SLAMF3 can provide more precise directions for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhou
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yanjie Guan
- Department of Oncology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Wentao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun 130021, China.
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4
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Kocikowski M, Dziubek K, Węgrzyn K, Hrabal V, Zavadil-Kokas F, Vojtesek B, Alfaro JA, Hupp T, Parys M. Comparative characterization of two monoclonal antibodies targeting canine PD-1. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1382576. [PMID: 38779661 PMCID: PMC11110041 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1382576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoints have revolutionized oncology. Yet, the effectiveness of these treatments varies significantly among patients, and they are associated with unexpected adverse events, including hyperprogression. The murine research model used in drug development fails to recapitulate both the functional human immune system and the population heterogeneity. Hence, a novel model is urgently needed to study the consequences of immune checkpoint blockade. Dogs appear to be uniquely suited for this role. Approximately 1 in 4 companion dogs dies from cancer, yet no antibodies are commercially available for use in veterinary oncology. Here we characterize two novel antibodies that bind canine PD-1 with sub-nanomolar affinity as measured by SPR. Both antibodies block the clinically crucial PD-1/PD-L1 interaction in a competitive ELISA assay. Additionally, the antibodies were tested with a broad range of assays including Western Blot, ELISA, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. The antibodies appear to bind two distinct epitopes as predicted by molecular modeling and peptide phage display. Our study provides new tools for canine oncology research and a potential veterinary therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikolaj Kocikowski
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Katarzyna Dziubek
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Vaclav Hrabal
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Filip Zavadil-Kokas
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Borivoj Vojtesek
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Javier Antonio Alfaro
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ted Hupp
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Institute of Genetic and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Maciej Parys
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
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5
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Bauer M, Schöbel CM, Wickenhauser C, Seliger B, Jasinski-Bergner S. Deciphering the role of alternative splicing in neoplastic diseases for immune-oncological therapies. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1386993. [PMID: 38736877 PMCID: PMC11082354 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1386993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is an important molecular biological mechanism regulated by complex mechanisms involving a plethora of cis and trans-acting elements. Furthermore, AS is tissue specific and altered in various pathologies, including infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases. Recently developed immuno-oncological therapies include monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting, among others, immune checkpoint (ICP) molecules. Despite therapeutic successes have been demonstrated, only a limited number of patients showed long-term benefit from these therapies with tumor entity-related differential response rates were observed. Interestingly, splice variants of common immunotherapeutic targets generated by AS are able to completely escape and/or reduce the efficacy of mAb- and/or CAR-based tumor immunotherapies. Therefore, the analyses of splicing patterns of targeted molecules in tumor specimens prior to therapy might help correct stratification, thereby increasing therapy success by antibody panel selection and antibody dosages. In addition, the expression of certain splicing factors has been linked with the patients' outcome, thereby highlighting their putative prognostic potential. Outstanding questions are addressed to translate the findings into clinical application. This review article provides an overview of the role of AS in (tumor) diseases, its molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance, and therapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Bauer
- Institute of Pathology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Chiara-Maria Schöbel
- Institute for Translational Immunology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
| | - Claudia Wickenhauser
- Institute of Pathology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Barbara Seliger
- Institute for Translational Immunology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
- Department of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Development & Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) Design, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Simon Jasinski-Bergner
- Institute for Translational Immunology, Brandenburg Medical School (MHB), Theodor Fontane, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
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6
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Oba T, Long MD, Ito KI, Ito F. Clinical and immunological relevance of SLAMF6 expression in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer and melanoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2394. [PMID: 38287061 PMCID: PMC10825192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50062-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Compelling evidence shows that the frequency of T cells in the tumor microenvironment correlates with prognosis as well as response to immunotherapy. However, considerable heterogeneity exists within tumor-infiltrating T cells, and significance of their genomic and transcriptomic landscape on clinical outcomes remains to be elucidated. Signaling lymphocyte activation molecule 6 (SLAMF6) is expressed on intra-tumoral progenitor-exhausted T cells, which exhibit the capacity to proliferate, self-renew and produce terminally-exhausted T cells in pre-clinical models and patients. Here, we investigated the impact of SLAMF6 expression on prognosis in two immunologically different tumor types using publicly available databases. Our findings demonstrate that high SLAMF6 expression is associated with better prognosis, expression of TCF7 (encoding T-cell factor 1), and increased gene signatures associated with conventional type 1 dendritic cells and effector function of T cells in melanoma and breast cancer. Single-cell profiling of breast cancer tumor microenvironment reveals SLAMF6 expression overlaps CD8 T cells with a T-effector signature, which includes subsets expressing TCF7, memory and effector-related genes, analogous to progenitor-exhausted T cells. These findings illustrate the significance of SLAMF6 in the tumor as a marker for better effector responses, and provide insights into the predictive and prognostic determinants for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaaki Oba
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Mark D Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ken-Ichi Ito
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Fumito Ito
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1450 Biggy St. NRT 3505, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
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7
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Farhangnia P, Ghomi SM, Mollazadehghomi S, Nickho H, Akbarpour M, Delbandi AA. SLAM-family receptors come of age as a potential molecular target in cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1174138. [PMID: 37251372 PMCID: PMC10213746 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1174138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family receptors were discovered in immune cells for the first time. The SLAM-family receptors are a significant player in cytotoxicity, humoral immune responses, autoimmune diseases, lymphocyte development, cell survival, and cell adhesion. There is growing evidence that SLAM-family receptors have been involved in cancer progression and heralded as a novel immune checkpoint on T cells. Previous studies have reported the role of SLAMs in tumor immunity in various cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, hepatocellular carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pancreas, lung, and melanoma. Evidence has deciphered that the SLAM-family receptors may be targeted for cancer immunotherapy. However, our understanding in this regard is not complete. This review will discuss the role of SLAM-family receptors in cancer immunotherapy. It will also provide an update on recent advances in SLAM-based targeted immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooya Farhangnia
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Shamim Mollazadeh Ghomi
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Shabnam Mollazadehghomi
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Nickho
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahzad Akbarpour
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Advanced Cellular Therapeutics Facility (ACTF), Hematopoietic Cellular Therapy Program, Section of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ali-Akbar Delbandi
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Rietdijk S, Keszei M, Castro W, Terhorst C, Abadía-Molina AC. Characterization of Ly108-H1 Signaling Reveals Ly108-3 Expression and Additional Strain-Specific Differences in Lupus Prone Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5024. [PMID: 36902453 PMCID: PMC10003074 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24055024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ly108 (SLAMF6) is a homophilic cell surface molecule that binds SLAM-associated protein (SAP), an intracellular adapter protein that modulates humoral immune responses. Furthermore, Ly108 is crucial for the development of natural killer T (NKT) cells and CTL cytotoxicity. Significant attention has been paid towards expression and function of Ly108 since multiple isoforms were identified, i.e., Ly108-1, Ly108-2, Ly108-3, and Ly108-H1, some of which are differentially expressed in several mouse strains. Surprisingly, Ly108-H1 appeared to protect against disease in a congenic mouse model of Lupus. Here, we use cell lines to further define Ly108-H1 function in comparison with other isoforms. We show that Ly108-H1 inhibits IL-2 production while having little effect upon cell death. With a refined method, we could detect phosphorylation of Ly108-H1 and show that SAP binding is retained. We propose that Ly108-H1 may regulate signaling at two levels by retaining the capability to bind its extracellular as well as intracellular ligands, possibly inhibiting downstream pathways. In addition, we detected Ly108-3 in primary cells and show that this isoform is also differentially expressed between mouse strains. The presence of additional binding motifs and a non-synonymous SNP in Ly108-3 further extends the diversity between murine strains. This work highlights the importance of isoform awareness, as inherent homology can present a challenge when interpreting mRNA and protein expression data, especially as alternatively splicing potentially affects function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svend Rietdijk
- Unidad de Inmunología, IBIMER, CIBM, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Division of Immunology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, OLVG Hospital, 1091 AC Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marton Keszei
- Division of Immunology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wilson Castro
- Division of Immunology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cox Terhorst
- Division of Immunology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ana C. Abadía-Molina
- Unidad de Inmunología, IBIMER, CIBM, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular III e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
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Fu J, Cao Z, Zhang J, Chen Q, Wang Y, Wang S, Fang X, Xu X. Identification of two immune-related risk score signatures through integrated analysis of multi-omics data in hepatocellular carcinoma. Gene X 2022; 829:146519. [PMID: 35447248 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146519] [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: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Immunotherapy has become a major treatment for advanced HCC, but the therapeutic effects remain unsatisfactory. In this study, we constructed an immune cell risk score (ICS) and an immune cell-related gene risk score (ICRGS) for the prognosis prediction of HCC through integrated analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing data. These two risk score signatures both showed good predictive values in the training and validation cohorts. The potential interactions among these prognostic immune cell types were elucidated by cell-cell communication analysis. The results of enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the prognostic genes showed that metabolic-related processes were involved in the immune response of HCC. Furthermore, the results of correlation analyses further confirmed the hub genes that were strongly correlated with immune cells. Finally, potential therapeutic drugs targeting these hub genes were screened by CellMiner based on NCI-60 cell line set. Taken together, two useful models for the prognosis prediction of HCC patients were constructed in this study. The functional differences between the two groups of HCC patients separated by ICS or ICRGS provide fundamental knowledge for finding synergistic therapeutic targets for HCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Fu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenyu Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ju Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qilin Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Sixue Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xiaoling Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xundi Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of General Surgery, South China Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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