HHLA2 predicts better survival and exhibits inhibited proliferation in epithelial ovarian cancer

HHLA2 promotes hepatoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via SPP1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as one of the most malignant tumors characterized by poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Emerging evidence underscores the crucial role of the B7 protein family in various cancers, including HCC. However, the involvement of the human endogenous retrovirus H long-terminal repeat-associated protein 2 (HHLA2, or B7-H5) in HCC remains unclear. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the differential expression of HHLA2 between HCC and normal liver tissues. A battery of assays, including CCK8, EdU, tablet clone-forming, Transwell, and wound healing assays, were conducted to elucidate the function and potential mechanisms of HHLA2 in the malignant biological behaviors of HCC. Additionally, a xenograft mouse model was established to evaluate the tumorigenicity of hepatoma cell lines exhibiting different HHLA2 expression levels in vivo. Western blot analysis was used to analyze HHLA2, secretory phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), and PI3K/AKT/mTOR levels. HHLA2 exhibited elevated expression in HCC tissues, correlating with poor tumor differentiation and shortened overall survival in HCC patients. In vitro experiments demonstrated that HHLA2 overexpression (OE) promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of hepatoma cells, while in vivo experiments revealed that HHLA2 OE enhanced HCC tumor growth. Conversely, inhibition of HHLA2 expression yielded the opposite effect. Downregulation of SPP1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion induced by HHLA2 OE, and this effect was linked to the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Our findings indicate that HHLA2 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of hepatoma cells via the SPP1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, establishing it as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Current knowledge about immunotherapy resistance for melanoma and potential predictive and prognostic biomarkers

Melanoma still reaches thousands of new diagnoses per year, and its aggressiveness makes recovery challenging, especially for those with stage III/IV unresectable melanoma. Immunotherapy, emerging as a beacon of hope, stands at the forefront of treatments for advanced melanoma. This review delves into the various immunotherapeutic strategies, prominently featuring cytokine immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and vaccinations. Among these, immune checkpoint inhibitors, notably anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibodies, emerge as the leading strategy. However, a significant subset of melanoma patients remains unresponsive to these inhibitors, underscoring the need for potent biomarkers. Efficient biomarkers have the potential to revolutionize the therapeutic landscape by facilitating the design of personalized treatments for patients with melanoma. This comprehensive review highlights the latest advancements in melanoma immunotherapy and potential biomarkers at the epicenter of recent research endeavors.

The Importance of HHLA2 in Solid Tumors-A Review of the Literature

Cancer immunotherapy is a rapidly developing field of medicine that aims to use the host's immune mechanisms to inhibit and eliminate cancer cells. Antibodies targeting CTLA-4, PD-1, and its ligand PD-L1 are used in various cancer therapies. However, the most thoroughly researched pathway targeting PD-1/PD-L1 has many limitations, and multiple malignancies resist its effects. Human endogenous retrovirus-H Long repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2, known as B7H5/B7H7/B7y) is the youngest known molecule from the B7 family. HHLA2/TMIGD2/KIRD3DL3 is one of the critical pathways in modulating the immune response. Recent studies have demonstrated that HHLA2 has a double effect in modulating the immune system. The connection of HHLA2 with TMIGD2 induces T cell growth and cytokine production via an AKT-dependent signaling cascade. On the other hand, the binding of HHLA2 and KIR3DL3 leads to the inhibition of T cells and mediates tumor resistance against NK cells. This review aimed to summarize novel information about HHLA2, focusing on immunological mechanisms and clinical features of the HHLA2/KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 pathway in the context of potential strategies for malignancy treatment.

Prognostic Value of HHLA2 in Patients with Solid Tumors: A Meta-Analysis

HHLA2 is a checkpoint from the B7 family that can play a co-stimulatory or co-inhibitory role in cancer, depending on the binding receptor. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the relationship between HHLA2 levels and its impact on the prognosis of patients with solid cancers. The study used data from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science (WOS), Cochrane and SCOPUS databases. The R studio software was used for the data analysis. The study assessed overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free survival (PFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) by pooling appropriate hazard ratios (HR). Eighteen studies (2880 patients' data) were included. High expression of HHLA2 was associated with worse OS (HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.23-2.03), shorter RFS (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.38-2.77) and worse DFS (HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.01-2.09) in patients with solid cancers. The current study suggests that high expression of HHLA2 is associated with poorer prognosis in patients with solid cancers.

HHLA2 is more significantly associated with poor prognosis in TSCC than PD-L1

BACKGROUND

The incidence and mortality of tongue squamous cell carcinoma have shown an alarming increase in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the potential of HHLA2 as an immune checkpoint in comparison to PD-L1.

METHODS

We obtained RNA-seq data from TCGA to study HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression across various tissues. Using the CIBERSORT package, we estimated cell type abundances within mixed populations based on gene expression profiles. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression in Tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Prognostic evaluation was carried out with Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. To explore factors affecting HHLA2, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted with the COX regression model. Additionally, we used single-cell RNA sequencing data from the GEO database for gene set enrichment analysis with genes strongly correlated with HHLA2.

RESULTS

Our analysis of RNA-seq data unveiled a significant upregulation of HHLA2 and PD-L1 expression in primary tumors when compared with normal tissue. HHLA2 exhibited a positive expression rate of 36.9%, while PD-L1 had a positive expression rate of 24.6%. HHLA2 emerged as a noteworthy independent risk factor impacting the overall survival of Tongue squamous cell carcinoma patients. The analysis of scRNA-seq data shed light on the involvement of HHLA2 in key pathways related to cell cycle regulation and interferon alpha/beta signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that in the context of Tongue squamous cell carcinoma, HHLA2 may represent a more promising target for immunotherapy when compared with PD-L1.

A CIC-related-epigenetic factors-based model associated with prediction, the tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is generally considered a cold tumor and is characterized by epigenetic alterations. Although tumor cells are surrounded by many immune cells such as macrophages, T cells may be suppressed, be inactivated, or not be presented due to various mechanisms, which usually results in poor prognosis and insensitivity to immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is considered a promising anti-cancer therapy in osteosarcoma but requires more research, but osteosarcoma does not currently respond well to this therapy. The cancer immunity cycle (CIC) is essential for anti-tumor immunity, and is epigenetically regulated. Therefore, it is possible to modulate the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma by targeting epigenetic factors. In this study, we explored the correlation between epigenetic modulation and CIC in osteosarcoma through bioinformatic methods. Based on the RNA data from TARGET and GSE21257 cohorts, we identified epigenetic related subtypes by NMF clustering and constructed a clinical prognostic model by the LASSO algorithm. ESTIMATE, Cibersort, and xCell algorithms were applied to analyze the tumor microenvironment. Based on eight epigenetic biomarkers (SFMBT2, SP140, CBX5, HMGN2, SMARCA4, PSIP1, ACTR6, and CHD2), two subtypes were identified, and they are mainly distinguished by immune response and cell cycle regulation. After excluding ACTR6 by LASSO regression, the prognostic model was established and it exhibited good predictive efficacy. The risk score showed a strong correlation with the tumor microenvironment, drug sensitivity and many immune checkpoints. In summary, our study sheds a new light on the CIC-related epigenetic modulation mechanism of osteosarcoma and helps search for potential drugs for osteosarcoma treatment.

Novel immune checkpoint targets: A promising therapy for cancer treatments

The immune system frequently comprises immunological checkpoints. They serve as a barrier to keep the immune system from overreacting and damaging cells that are robust. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are utilized in immunotherapy to prevent the synergy of partner proteins of checkpoint proteins with auxiliary proteins. Moreover, the T cells may target malignant cells since the "off" signal cannot be conveyed. ICIs, which are mostly composed of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and anti- programmed death-1/programmed ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1), might transform the context of cancer therapy. Further, more patients continued to exhibit adaptive resistance, even though several ICIs demonstrated convincing therapeutic benefits in selective tumor types. Immune checkpoint therapy's overall effectiveness is still lacking at this time. A popular area of study involves investigating additional immune checkpoint molecules. Recent research has found a number of fresh immune checkpoint targets, including NKG2A ligands, TIGIT, B7-H6 ligands, Galectin 3, TIM3, and so on. These targets have been focus of the study, and recent investigational approaches have shown encouraging outcomes. In this review article, we covered the development and present level understanding of these recently identified immune checkpoint molecules, its effectiveness and limitations.

Evaluation of HHLA2 and CD8 Immunohistochemical Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma and Their Prognostic Significance

BACKGROUND

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2) is a novel immune checkpoint molecule. The association between HHLA2 expression and clinicopathological features and its prognostic significance in CRC patients are still controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of HHLA2 and CD8 in CRC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 134 cases diagnosed with primary CRC at the Gastrointestinal Surgery Center (GISC) department, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, during the period from December 2014 to December 2018. Clinicopathological and survival data were collected. IHC for HHLA2 and CD8 was performed, and they were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient prognosis.

RESULTS

Among 134 CRC cases, high HHLA2 expression was detected in 73 (54.5%). High HHLA2 expression was significantly related to the depth of invasion (P = 0.005*), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01*), tumor stage )P = 0.002*), and distant recurrence )P = 0.012*). Multivariate analysis spotted HHLA2 high expression as an independent prognostic predictor for OS in CRC (P = 0.03*) and DFS (P = 0.008*). CD8 shows a significant correlation with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (P ≤ 0.001*), absence of metastasis ((P = 0.029*), absence of tumor deposits (P=0.014*). However, CD8 shows no significant association with survival or HHLA2.

CONCLUSION

HHLA2 is an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival and disease free survival of CRC patients and can predict poor prognosis in CRC patients.

Alternative immune checkpoints in immunoregulatory profile of cancer stem cells

Tumor-mediated bypass of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, also called B7-H1 or CD274) or anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a challenge of current years in the area of cancer immunotherapy. Alternative immune checkpoints (AICs) are molecules beyond the common PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, and are upregulated in patients who show low/no ICI responses. These are members of B7 family including B7-H2 (ICOS-L), B7-H3 (CD276), B7-H4 (B7x), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), B7-H6, HHLA2 (B7-H5/B7-H7) and catabolic enzymes like indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), and others that are also contributed to the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). There is also strong evidence supporting the implication of AICs in regulation of cancer stemness and expanding the population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs display immunoregulatory capacity and represent multiple immune checkpoints either on their surface or inside. Besides, they are active promoters of resistance to the common ICIs. The aim of this review is to investigate interrelations between AICs with stemness and differentiation profile of cancer. The key message of this paper is that targeted checkpoints can be selected based on their impact on CSCs along with their effect on immune cells. Studies published so far mainly focused on immune cells as a target for anti-checkpoints. Ex vivo engineering of extracellular vesicles (EVs) equipped with CSC-targeted anti-checkpoint antibodies is without a doubt a key therapeutic target that can be under consideration in future research.

B7-H7: A potential target for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy enhances the body's immunity against tumors by mitigating immune escape. Compared with traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapy has the advantages of fewer drugs, a wider range of action and fewer side effects. B7-H7 (also known as HHLA2, B7y) is a member of the B7 family of costimulatory molecules that was discovered more than 20 years ago. B7-H7 is mostly expressed in organs such as the breast, intestine, gallbladder and placenta and is detected predominantly in monocytes/macrophages in the immune system. Its expression is upregulated after stimulation by inflammatory factors such as lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ. B7-H7/transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2) and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 3 (KIR3DL3)-B7-H7 are the two currently confirmed signaling pathways for B7-H7. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that B7-H7 is widely present in a variety of human tumor tissues, especially in programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1)-negative human tumors. B7-H7 promotes tumor progression, disrupts T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity, and inhibits immune surveillance. B7-H7 also triggers tumor immune escape and is associated with clinical stage, depth of tumor infiltration, metastasis, prognosis, and survival related to different tumor types. Multiple studies have shown that B7-H7 is a promising immunotherapeutic target. Herein, review the current literature on the expression, regulation, receptors and function of B7-H7 and its regulation/function in tumors.

HHLA2 immune-regulatory roles in cancer

Human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2 or B7-H7) is a newly discovered B7 family member. HHLA2 is aberrantly expressed in solid tumors and exerts co-stimulatory or co-inhibitory activities dependent on interaction with counter receptors. HHLA2 represents co-stimulatory effects upon interaction with transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2, also called CD28H), but its interaction with killer cell Ig-like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 3 (KIR3DL3) renders co-inhibitory effects. TMIGD2 is mainly expressed on resting or naïve T cells, whereas expression of KIR3DL3 occurs on activated T cells. HHLA2/KIR3DL3 attenuates responses from both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immunity, and the activity within this axis is regarded as a biomarker of weak prognosis in cancer patients. HHLA2/KIR3DL3 promotes CD8⁺ T cell exhaustion and induces macrophage polarity toward pro-tumor M2 phenotype. HHLA2 represents diverse expression profile and activity in tumor and stroma. Tumoral expression of HHLA2 is presumably higher compared with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and HHLA2 co-expression with PD-L1 is indicative of more severe outcomes. A suggested strategy in patients with HHLA2^high cancer is to use monoclonal antibodies for specifically suppressing the HHLA2 inhibitory receptor KIR3DL3, not the HHLA2 ligand. TMIGD2 can be a target for development of agonistic bispecific antibodies for hampering tumor resistance to the programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 blockade therapy.

Downregulation of HHLA2 inhibits ovarian cancer progression via the NF-κB signaling pathway and suppresses the expression of CA9

HHLA2 has been recently demonstrated to play multifaceted roles in several types of cancers. However, its underlying mechanism in the progression of human ovarian cancer (OC) remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether downregulation of HHLA2 inhibited malignant phenotypes of human OC cells and explore its specific mechanism. Our results revealed that downregulation of HHLA2 by transfection with a lentiviral vector significantly suppressed the viability, invasion, and migration of OC cells. Interaction study showed that downregulation of HHLA2 in OC cells reduced the expression of CA9 and increased the expressions of p-IKKβ and p-RelA. Conversely, the viability, invasion, and migration of HHLA2-depleted OC cells were increased when CA9 was upregulated. In vivo, we found that downregulation of HHLA2 significantly inhibited tumor growth, which was reversed by CA9 overexpression. In addition, downregulation of HHLA2 inhibited the OC progression via activating the NF-κB signaling pathway and decreasing the expression of CA9. Collectively, our data suggested a link between HHLA2 and NF-κB axis in the pathogenesis of OC, and these findings might provide valuable insights into the development of novel potential therapeutic targets for OC.

KIR3DL3-HHLA2 and TMIGD2-HHLA2 pathways: The dual role of HHLA2 in immune responses and its potential therapeutic approach for cancer immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

T cells and natural killer (NK) cells are essential components of the immune system and are regulated by coinhibitory and costimulatory molecules in which the B7 family and CD28 family play significant roles. Previous immune checkpoint studies on B7/CD28 family members, such as PD-1, have led to remarkable success in cancer immunotherapy. However, there is still a need to find new immune checkpoint molecules. Recent studies have demonstrated that HHLA2 exerts inhibitory and stimulatory functions on the immune system by binding to different receptors on different sites. However, the pathways between HHLA2 and its two receptors on T cells and NK cells remain controversial.

AIM OF REVIEW

Here, we reviewed recent studies about HHLA2 ligand interactions with KIR3DL3 and TMIGD2. We focused on elucidating the pathways between KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 and HHLA2 as well as their function in tumour progression. We also addressed the relationship between HHLA2 expression and the clinical prognosis of cancer patients.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

KIR3DL3/TMIGD2-HHLA2 may represent novel pathways within the tumour microenvironment and serve as crucial immune checkpoints for developing novel therapeutic drugs against human cancer.

HHLA2 promotes tumor progression by long non‑coding RNA H19 in human gallbladder cancer

Advanced gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of the most malignant of all types of biliary tract cancers that is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. Accumulating evidence suggest that the B7 family of proteins serve an essential role in various types of cancers, including GBC. However, the potential function and regulatory mechanism of human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 (HHLA2; also known as B7-H7 or B7H5) in GBC remain poorly understood. In the present study, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression pattern of HHLA2 in samples from 89 patients with GBC. The possible association between HHLA2 expression and the clinicopathological parameters, including prognosis, were then assessed. Using lentiviruses, overexpression of HHLA2 plasmid or short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) of HHLA2 were transfected into GBC-SD cells to overexpress or knock down HHLA2 expression, respectively. The effects of HHLA2 overexpression and knockdown on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process on GBC-SD cells were measured by the western blotting and immunofluorescence staining of collagen I, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, vimentin and α-SMA. By contrast, changes in cell proliferation were measured using EdU assay. Cell invasion and migration were assessed using Transwell and wound-healing assays, respectively. In addition, a xenograft mouse model was established to evaluate the tumorigenic ability of the GBC cell line in vivo after stable transfection with lentivirus for HHLA2 overexpression or shRNA for HHLA2 knockdown. The regulatory relationships among TGF-β1, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 (H19) and HHLA2 were then investigated. The mRNA expression of lncRNA H19 were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, whereas the expression levels of HHLA2 were detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. HHLA2 expression was found to gradually increase as the stages of the GBC samples become more advanced. In addition, the expression level of HHLA2 was calculated to be positively associated with the Nevin stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, tumor invasion and regional lymph node metastasis but was negatively associated with the overall patient survival (OS). In vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of HHLA2 promoted GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT, whereas in vivo experiments found a promoting role of HHLA2 overexpression on GBC tumor growth. After transfection with lentiviruses encoding the overexpression plasmid of lncRNA H19, GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT were increased. By contrast, knocking down HHLA2 expression suppressed TGF-β1- or lncRNA H19 overexpression-induced GBC migration, invasion, proliferation and EMT. In addition, HHLA2 knockdown significantly reduced the sizes of the GBC tumors in vivo. These results suggest that HHLA2 overexpression can promote GBC progression. Conversely, ablation of HHLA2 expression inhibited both TGF-β1- and lncRNA H19-induced GBC progression, suggesting that HHLA2 is a potential therapeutic target for this disease.

Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating 2: The next immune checkpoint for antitumour therapy

Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2) is a newly emerging immune checkpoint that belongs to B7 family. HHLA2 has a co-stimulatory receptor transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain containing 2 (TMIGD2) and a newly discovered co-inhibitory receptor killer cell Ig-like receptor, three Ig domains, and long cytoplasmic tail (KIR3DL3), which endows it with both immunostimulant and immunosuppression functions in cancer development. In this review, we summarize the HHLA2 expression profile in human cancers, its association with cancer prognosis and clinical features, and its dual roles in regulating cancer immune response through up-to-date literatures. Furthermore, we highlight that precision cancer immunotherapy through manipulating HHLA2-KIR3DL3/TMIGD2 interaction is a promising antitumour strategy.

Different clinical significance of novel B7 family checkpoints VISTA and HHLA2 in human lung adenocarcinoma

Background: VISTA and HHLA2 are two recently identified members of the B7 homologue family of immune-regulatory molecules. But the expression patterns and clinical significance of VISTA and HHLA2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain largely unknown. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of VISTA, HHLA2, PD-L1 and CD8⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in 74 cases of LUAD. The expression of VISTA, HHLA2, PD-L1, CD68 and CD8 proteins was detected by multiplex immunofluorescence staining in the LUAD tissues. Results: High expression of VISTA and HHLA2 was observed in LUAD compared with noncancerous tissues. High VISTA expression in immune cells predicted a high mortality rate and worse survival. Conclusion: VISTA and HHLA2 are potential immunotherapeutic targets that possess different prognostic significance in LUAD.

Human Endogenous Retrovirus-H Long Terminal Repeat-Associating Protein 2 Possesses Prognostic Significance and Promotes Progression of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Purpose

Patients and Methods

Results

Conclusion

Long Noncoding RNA 00472: A Novel Biomarker in Human Diseases

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in human diseases. They control gene expression levels and influence various biological processes through multiple mechanisms. Functional abnormalities in lncRNAs are strongly associated with occurrence and development of various diseases. LINC00472, which is located on chromosome 6q13, is involved in several human diseases, particularly cancers of the breast, lung, liver, osteosarcoma, bladder, colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic and stomach. Importantly, LINC00472 can be used as a biomarker for breast cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic regimens, including doxorubicin. LINC00472 is regulated by microRNAs and several signaling pathways. However, the significance of LINC00472 in human diseases has not been clearly established. In this review, we elucidate on the significance of LINC00472 in various human diseases, indicating that LINC00472 may be a diagnostic, prognostic as well as therapeutic target for these diseases.

Downregulation of the Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 80 and Its Perspective Mechanisms in Ovarian Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Study

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to explore the downregulation of the coiled-coil domain containing 80 (CCDC80) and its underlying molecular mechanisms in ovarian carcinoma (OVCA). Materials/Methods. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to confirm the expression status of CCDC80 protein. Combining the data from in-house tissue microarrays and high-throughput datasets, we identified the expression level of CCDC80 in OVCA. We utilized cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) to explore the relationship between CCDC80 and the tumor microenvironment (TME) landscape in OVCA. Pathway enrichment, function annotation, and transcription factor (TFs) exploration were conducted to study the latent molecular mechanisms. Moreover, the cell line data in the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database was used to discover the relationship between CCDC80 and drug sensitivity.

RESULTS

An integrated standard mean difference (SMD) of -0.919 (95% CI: -1.515-0.324, P = 0.002) identified the downregulation of CCDC80 in OVCA based on 1048 samples, and the sROC (AUC = 0.76) showed a moderate discriminatory ability of CCDC80 in OVCA. The fraction of infiltrating naive B cells showed significant differences between the high- and low-CCDC80 expression groups. Also, CCDC80-related genes are enriched in the Ras signaling pathway and metabolic of lipid. Nuclear receptor subfamily three group C member 1 (NR3C1) may be an upstream TF of CCDC80, and CCDC80 may be related to the sensitivity of mitocycin C and nilotinib.

CONCLUSION

CCDC80 was downregulated in OVCA and may play a role as a tumor suppressor in OVCA.

A novel 10-gene immune-related lncRNA signature model for the prognosis of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The tumor immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer (CRC) affects tumor development, prognosis and immunotherapy strategies. Recently, immune-related lncRNA were shown to play vital roles in the tumor immune microenvironment. The objective of this study was to identify lncRNAs involved in the immune response, tumorigenesis and progression of CRC and to establish an immune-related lncRNA signature for predicting the prognosis of CRC.

METHODS

We used data retrieved from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) dataset to construct a 10-gene immune-related lncRNA pair (IRLP) signature model using a method based on the ranking and comparison of paired gene expression in CRC. The clinical prognosis, immune checkpoints and lncRNA-protein networks were analyzed to evaluate the signature.

RESULTS

The signature was closely associated with overall survival of CRC patients (p < 0.001 in both of the training and validating cohorts) and the 3-year AUC values for the training and validating cohorts were 0.884 and 0.739, respectively. And, there were positive correlations between the signature and age (p = 0.048), clinical stage (p < 0.01), T stage (p < 0.01), N stage (p < 0.001) and M stage (p < 0.01). In addition, the signature model appeared to be highly relevant to some checkpoints, including CD160, TNFSF15, HHLA2, IDO2 and KIR3DL1. Further, molecular functional analysis and lncRNA-protein networks were applied to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic effect and progression.

CONCLUSION

The 10-gene IRLP signature model is an independent prognostic factor for CRC patient and can be utilized for the development of immunotherapy.

Soluble B7-H5 Is a Novel Diagnostic, Severity, and Prognosis Marker in Acute Pancreatitis

As an important ligand in T lymphocyte costimulatory pathways, B7-H5 is involved deeply in the immune response in various diseases. However, its clinical usefulness as an early indicator in acute pancreatitis (AP) remains unclear. In this study, the levels of sB7-H5 and cytokines in plasma samples of 75 AP patients, 20 abdominal pain patients without AP, and 20 healthy volunteers were determined. Then, the correlation of sB7-H5 and clinical features, cytokines, the Ranson score, APACHE II score, Marshall score, and BISAP score was analysed, and the value of sB7-H5 for diagnostic, severity, and prognosis of AP was evaluated. We found that the levels of sB7-H5 were specifically upregulated in AP patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that sB7-H5 can identify AP patients from healthy or abdominal pain patients with 78.9% or 86.4% sensitivity and 93.3% or 90.0% specificity. Further analysis showed that the levels of sB7-H5 were significantly correlated with WBC (p = 0.004), GLU (p = 0.008), LDH (p < 0.001), Ca²⁺ (p = 0.006), AST (p = 0.009), PLT (p = 0.041), IL-6 (p < 0.001), IL-10 (p < 0.001), and TNF-α (p < 0.001). And levels of sB7-H5 were gradually increased among patients with mildly acute pancreatitis (MAP), moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP), and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). It can distinguish the severity of AP with good sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, when dividing the patients into two groups according to the median level of sB7-H5, the local complication and length of stay of low levels of the sB7-H5 group were significantly less than those in high levels of the sB7-H5 group. And the levels of sB7-H5 in AP patients were significantly correlated with the Ranson score (p < 0.001), APACHE II score (p < 0.001), Marshall score (p < 0.001), and BISAP score (p < 0.001). The AUCs of assessing local complications of sB7-H5 at day 1 and day 3 were 0.704 (p = 0.0024) and 0.727 (p = 0.0373). These results showed the potential value of sB7-H5 as a diagnostic, severity, and prognosis marker of AP.