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Wang Y, Yao J, Zhang Z, Wei L, Wang S. Generation of novel lipid metabolism-based signatures to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response for colorectal adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17158. [PMID: 39060344 PMCID: PMC11282063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67549-x] [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: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lipid metabolism reprogramming involves in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stemness and immune checkpoints (ICs), which influence the metastasis of cancer. This study aimed to generate lipid metabolism-based signatures to predict prognosis, immunotherapy and chemotherapy response for colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD). Transcriptome data and clinical information of COAD patients were collected from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of EMT-, stem cell-, and IC-related genes were assessed between COAD and control samples. Modules and genes correlated EMT, ICs and stemness signatures were identified through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Prognostic signatures were generated and then the distribution of risk genes was evaluated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from GSE132465 dataset. COAD patients exhibited increased EMT score and stemness along with decreased ICs. Next, 12 hub genes (PIK3CG, ALOX5AP, PIK3R5, TNFAIP8L2, DPEP2, PIK3CD, PIK3R6, GGT5, ELOVL4, PTGIS, CYP7B1 and PRKD1) were found within green and yellow modules correlated with EMT, stemness and ICs. Lipid metabolism-based prognostic signatures were generated based on PIK3CG, GGT5 and PTGIS. Patients with high-risk group had poor prognosis, elevated ESTIMATEScore and StromalScore, 100% mutation rate and higher TIDE score. Samples in low-risk group had more immunogenicity on ICIs. Notably, PIK3CG was expressed in B cells, while GGT5 and PTGIS were expressed in stromal cells. This study generates lipid metabolism-based signatures correlated with EMT, stemness and ICs for predicting prognosis of COAD, and provides potential therapeutic targets for immunotherapy in COAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215127, China
| | - Jun Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215127, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215127, China
| | - Luxin Wei
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215127, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215127, China.
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Jasmine F, Almazan A, Khamkevych Y, Bissonnette M, Ahsan H, Kibriya MG. Association of KRAS Mutation and Gene Pathways in Colorectal Carcinoma: A Transcriptome- and Methylome-Wide Study and Potential Implications for Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8094. [PMID: 39125664 PMCID: PMC11311678 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158094] [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: 06/29/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) is the most commonly mutated oncogene in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). We have previously reported the interactions between microsatellite instability (MSI), DNA promoter methylation, and gene expression. In this study, we looked for associations between KRAS mutation, gene expression, and methylation that may help with precision medicine. Genome-wide gene expression and DNA methylation were done in paired CRC tumor and surrounding healthy tissues. The results suggested that (a) the magnitude of dysregulation of many major gene pathways in CRC was significantly greater in patients with the KRAS mutation, (b) the up- and down-regulation of these dysregulated gene pathways could be correlated with the corresponding hypo- and hyper-methylation, and (c) the up-regulation of CDKN2A was more pronounced in tumors with the KRAS mutation. A recent cell line study showed that there were higher CDKN2A levels in 5-FU-resistant CRC cells and that these could be down-regulated by Villosol. Our findings suggest the possibility of a better response to anti-CDKN2A therapy with Villosol in KRAS-mutant CRC. Also, the more marked up-regulation of genes in the proteasome pathway in CRC tissue, especially with the KRAS mutation and MSI, may suggest a potential role of a proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib, carfilzomib, or ixazomib) in selected CRC patients if necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzana Jasmine
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (A.A.); (Y.K.); (H.A.); (M.G.K.)
| | - Armando Almazan
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (A.A.); (Y.K.); (H.A.); (M.G.K.)
| | - Yuliia Khamkevych
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (A.A.); (Y.K.); (H.A.); (M.G.K.)
| | - Marc Bissonnette
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA;
| | - Habibul Ahsan
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (A.A.); (Y.K.); (H.A.); (M.G.K.)
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Muhammad G. Kibriya
- Institute for Population and Precision Health, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (A.A.); (Y.K.); (H.A.); (M.G.K.)
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Navasardyan I, Zaravinos A, Bonavida B. Therapeutic Implications of Targeting YY1 in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2074. [PMID: 38893192 PMCID: PMC11171050 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112074] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain tumor. This review systematically explores the diverse roles of YY1 overexpression and activities in GBM, including its impact on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune evasion mechanisms. Due to the poor response of GBM to current therapies, various findings of YY1-associated pathways in the literature provide valuable insights into novel potential targeted therapeutic strategies. Moreover, YY1 acts as a significant regulator of immune checkpoint molecules and, thus, is a candidate therapeutic target in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Different therapeutic implications targeting YY1 in GBM and its inherent associated challenges encompass the use of nanoparticles, YY1 inhibitors, targeted gene therapy, and exosome-based delivery systems. Despite the inherent complexities of such methods, the successful targeting of YY1 emerges as a promising avenue for reshaping GBM treatment strategies, presenting opportunities for innovative therapeutic approaches and enhanced patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inesa Navasardyan
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA;
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Apostolos Zaravinos
- Cancer Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus;
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Benjamin Bonavida
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Lokhandwala J, Smalley TB, Tran TH. Structural perspectives on recent breakthrough efforts toward direct drugging of RAS and acquired resistance. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1394702. [PMID: 38841166 PMCID: PMC11150659 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1394702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncoprotein homolog (KRAS) is currently a primary focus of oncologists and translational scientists, driven by exciting results with KRAS-targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. While KRAS mutations continue to drive high cancer diagnosis and death, researchers have developed unique strategies to target KRAS variations. Having been investigated over the past 40 years and considered "undruggable" due to the lack of pharmacological binding pockets, recent breakthroughs and accelerated FDA approval of the first covalent inhibitors targeting KRASG12C, have largely sparked further drug development. Small molecule development has targeted the previously identified primary location alterations such as G12, G13, Q61, and expanded to address the emerging secondary mutations and acquired resistance. Of interest, the non-covalent KRASG12D targeting inhibitor MRTX-1133 has shown promising results in humanized pancreatic cancer mouse models and is seemingly making its way from bench to bedside. While this manuscript was under review a novel class of first covalent inhibitors specific for G12D was published, These so-called malolactones can crosslink both GDP and GTP bound forms of G12D. Inhibition of the latter state suppressed downstream signaling and cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in mouse xenografts. Moreover, a non-covalent pan-KRAS inhibitor, BI-2865, reduced tumor proliferation in cell lines and mouse models. Finally, the next generation of KRAS mutant-specific and pan-RAS tri-complex inhibitors have revolutionized RAS drug discovery. This review will give a structural biology perspective on the current generation of KRAS inhibitors through the lens of emerging secondary mutations and acquired resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameela Lokhandwala
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Tracess B. Smalley
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Timothy H. Tran
- Chemical Biology Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
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Cong Y, Cai G, Ding C, Zhang H, Chen J, Luo S, Liu J. Disulfidptosis-related signature elucidates the prognostic, immunologic, and therapeutic characteristics in ovarian cancer. Front Genet 2024; 15:1378907. [PMID: 38694875 PMCID: PMC11061395 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1378907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest malignancy in gynecology, but the mechanism of its initiation and progression is poorly elucidated. Disulfidptosis is a novel discovered type of regulatory cell death. This study aimed to develop a novel disulfidptosis-related prognostic signature (DRPS) for OC and explore the effects and potential treatment by disulfidptosis-related risk stratification. Methods The disulfidptosis-related genes were first analyzed in bulk RNA-Seq and a prognostic nomogram was developed and validated by LASSO algorithm and multivariate cox regression. Then we systematically assessed the clinicopathological and mutational characteristics, pathway enrichment analysis, immune cell infiltration, single-cell-level expression, and drug sensitivity according to DRPS. Results The DRPS was established with 6 genes (MYL6, PDLIM1, ACTN4, FLNB, SLC7A11, and CD2AP) and the corresponding prognostic nomogram was constructed based on the DRPS, FIGO stage, grade, and residual disease. Stratified by the risk score derived from DRPS, patients in high-risk group tended to have worse prognosis, lower level of disulfidptosis, activated oncogenic pathways, inhibitory tumor immune microenvironment, and higher sensitivity to specific drugs including epirubicin, stauroporine, navitoclax, and tamoxifen. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed the expression level of genes in the DRPS significantly varied in different cell types between tumor and normal tissues. The protein-level expression of genes in the DRPS was validated by the immunohistochemical staining analysis. Conclusion In this study, the DRPS and corresponding prognostic nomogram for OC were developed, which was important for OC prognostic assessment, tumor microenvironment modification, drug sensitivity prediction, and exploration of potential mechanisms in tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyan Cong
- Department of Oncology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangyao Cai
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengcheng Ding
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieping Chen
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiwei Luo
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jihong Liu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Guangzhou, China
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Xu M, Zhao X, Wen T, Qu X. Unveiling the role of KRAS in tumor immune microenvironment. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116058. [PMID: 38171240 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116058] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Kirsten rats sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), the first discovered human oncogene, has long been recognized as "undruggable". KRAS mutations frequently occur in multiple human cancers including non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), colorectal cancer(CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC), functioning as a "molecule switch" determining the activation of various oncogenic signaling pathways. Except for its intrinsic pro-tumorigenic role, KRAS alteration also exhibits an unique immune signature characterized by elevated PD-L1 level and high tumor mutational burden(TMB). KRAS mutation shape an immune suppressive microenvironment by impeding effective T cells infiltration and recruiting suppressive immune cells including myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs), regulatory T cells(Tregs), cancer associated fibroblasts(CAFs). In immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI) era, NSCLC patients with mutated KRAS tend to be more responsive to ICI than patients with intact KRAS. The hallmark for KRAS mutation is the existence of multiple kinds of co-mutations. Different types of co-alterations have distinct tumor microenvironment(TME) signatures and responses to ICI. TP53 co-mutation possess a "hot" TME and achieve higher response to immunotherapy while other loss of function mutation correlated with a "colder" TME and a poor outcome to ICI-based therapy. The groundbreaking discovery of KRAS G12C inhibitors significantly improved outcomes for this KRAS subtype even though efficacy was limited to NSCLC patients. KRAS G12C inhibitors also restore the suppressive TME, creating an opportunity for combinations with ICI. However, an inevitable challenge to KRAS inhibitors is drug resistance. Promising combination strategies such as combination with SHP2 is an approach deserve further exploration because of their immune modulatory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xing Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Ti Wen
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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Edin S, Gylling B, Li X, Stenberg Å, Löfgren-Burström A, Zingmark C, van Guelpen B, Ljuslinder I, Ling A, Palmqvist R. Opposing roles by KRAS and BRAF mutation on immune cell infiltration in colorectal cancer - possible implications for immunotherapy. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:143-150. [PMID: 38040818 PMCID: PMC10781968 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02483-9] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune response has important clinical value in colorectal cancer (CRC) in both prognosis and response to immunotherapy. This study aims to explore tumour immune cell infiltration in relation to clinically well-established molecular markers of CRC. METHODS Multiplex immunohistochemistry and multispectral imaging was used to evaluate tumour infiltration of cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), Th1 cells (T-bet+), T regulatory cells (FoxP3+), B cells (CD20+), and macrophages (CD68+) in a cohort of 257 CRC patients. RESULTS We found the expected association between higher immune-cell infiltration and microsatellite instability. Also, whereas BRAF-mutated tumours displayed increased immune-cell infiltration compared to BRAF wild-type tumours, the opposite was seen for KRAS-mutated tumours, differences that were most prominent for cytotoxic T cells and Th1 cells. The opposing relationships of BRAF and KRAS mutations with tumour infiltration of cytotoxic T cells was validated in an independent cohort of 608 CRC patients. A positive prognostic importance of cytotoxic T cells was found in wild-type as well as KRAS and BRAF-mutated CRCs in both cohorts. CONCLUSION A combined evaluation of MSI status, KRAS and BRAF mutational status, and immune infiltration (cytotoxic T cells) may provide important insights to prognosis and response to immunotherapy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Edin
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Björn Gylling
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Xingru Li
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Åsa Stenberg
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Carl Zingmark
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bethany van Guelpen
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Ljuslinder
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Agnes Ling
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Richard Palmqvist
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Zheng J, Sun B, Berardi D, Lu L, Yan H, Zheng S, Aladelokun O, Xie Y, Cai Y, Godri Pollitt KJ, Khan SA, Johnson CH. Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid and Perfluorooctanoic Acid Promote Migration of Three-Dimensional Colorectal Cancer Spheroids. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21016-21028. [PMID: 38064429 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are persistent environmental contaminants that are of increasing public concern worldwide. However, their relationship with colorectal cancer (CRC) is poorly understood. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the effect of PFOS and PFOA on the development and progression of CRC in vitro using a series of biological techniques and metabolic profiling. Herein, the migration of three-dimensional (3D) spheroids of two CRC cell lines, SW48 KRAS wide-type (WT) and SW48 KRAS G12A, were observed after exposure to PFOS and PFOA at 2 μM and 10 μM for 7 days. The time and dose-dependent migration phenotype induced by 10 μM PFOS and PFOA was further confirmed by wound healing and trans-well migration assays. To investigate the mechanism of action, derivatization-mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiles were examined from 3D spheroids of SW48 cell lines exposed to PFOS and PFOA (2 μM and 10 μM). Our findings revealed this exposure altered epithelial-mesenchymal transition related metabolic pathways, including fatty acid β-oxidation and synthesis of proteins, nucleotides, and lipids. Furthermore, this phenotype was confirmed by the downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of N-cadherin and vimentin. These findings show novel insight into the relationship between PFOS, PFOA, and CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Boshi Sun
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150086, China
| | - Domenica Berardi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Lingeng Lu
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Hong Yan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Shujian Zheng
- Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, United States
| | - Oladimeji Aladelokun
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Yangzhouyun Xie
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Yujun Cai
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Sajid A Khan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Caroline H Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
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Alzamami A. Implications of single-cell immune landscape of tumor microenvironment for the colorectal cancer diagnostics and therapy. Med Oncol 2023; 40:352. [PMID: 37950801 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02226-z] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) originates from the polyps lining the colon and is among the most common types of cancer. With the increasing popularity of single-cell sequencing technologies, researchers have been able to better understand the immune landscape of colorectal cancer, by analyzing their expression and interactions in detail with the tumor microenvironment (TME) at single-cell level. Since the tumor-immune cell interactions play a critical part in the advancement as well as treatment response in colorectal cancer, the release of inhibitory factors such as T cells are important for recognizing and destroying cancer cells. Such information is vital to identify immunotherapeutic targets for cure and monitoring response to treatments. Therefore, a comprehensive single-cell studies-based overview of key immunogenic agents regulating the TME of CRC is provided in this review. Tumor-associated macrophages can promote tumor growth and resistance to treatment by releasing factors that inhibit the function of other immune cells. Additionally, colorectal cancer cells can express programmed cell death protein 1 and its ligand, which can also inhibit T-cell function. Researchers have found that certain types of immune cells, prominently T cells, natural killer, and dendritic cells, can have a positive impact on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. Treatments like immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T therapies that help to release the inhibitory signals from the cancer cells allow the immune cells to function more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Alzamami
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, 11961, Al-Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia.
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10
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Du Z, Zhang Q, Yang J. Prognostic related gene index for predicting survival and immunotherapeutic effect of hepatocellular carcinoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35820. [PMID: 37933057 PMCID: PMC10627638 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant liver tumor. It is an aggressive disease with high mortality rate. In this study, we investigated a new prognosis-related gene index (PRGI) that can predict the survival and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with HCC. RNA-seq data and clinical data of HCC samples were obtained from the cancer genome atlas and ICGC databases. Prognosis-related genes were obtained using log-rank tests and univariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the overall survival rate of patients with prognosis-related genes and multiple clinicopathological factors, and a nomogram was constructed. A PRGI was then constructed based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator or multivariate Cox Iterative Regression. The possible correlation between PRGI and immune cell infiltration or immunotherapy efficacy was discussed. Eight genes were identified to construct the PRGI. PRGI can predict the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment of HCC and the response to immunotherapy. PRGI can accurately predict the survival rate of patients with HCC, reflect the immune microenvironment, and predict the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongxiang Du
- Clinical Laboratory, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Clinical Laboratory, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu, China
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Li J, Sun Y, Cao L, Wang F. Correlation of NPDC1 Expression and Perineural Invasion Status with Clinicopathological Features in Patients with Colon Cancer. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:4549-4563. [PMID: 37822345 PMCID: PMC10563778 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s428590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Colon cancer is a prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy that often exhibits distant metastasis, hindering the effectiveness of surgical interventions. In addition to well-known hematogenous and lymphatic metastasis, perineural invasion (PNI) has emerged as a significant mode of distant metastasis in colon tumors. PNI is closely associated with oncologic pain in advanced cancer patients, but the underlying mechanisms and associated biomarkers, which might be the novel therapeutic targets, remain poorly understood. Methods In this study, we employed large databases and bioinformatics methods to identify genes strongly linked to PNI in colon cancer and investigated their involvement in tumor nerve invasion, progression mechanisms, and chemotherapy resistance. Immunohistochemical techniques were utilized to validate the expression of target genes in 384 colon cancer tissues, and their expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival data in our hospital. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore the potential functions of the target genes and their associated genes. Results Our screening revealed a significant correlation between neural proliferation differentiation and control-1 (NPDC1) expression and patient prognosis, suggesting a potential association with neural infiltration in colon cancer. Additionally, NPDC1 may promote tumorigenesis, progression, and chemoresistance through various related pathways. Conclusion Our study provides novel insights into the utility of NPDC1 as a predictive marker for PNI status, disease-free survival, and overall survival in patients with colon cancer, highlighting the prevalence of NPDC1 overexpression in patients with PNI in colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao Sun
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lanqing Cao
- Department of Pathology, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China
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12
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Qiu X, Quan G, Ou W, Wang P, Huang X, Li X, Shen Y, Yang W, Wang J, Wu X. Unraveling TIMP1: a multifaceted biomarker in colorectal cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1265137. [PMID: 37842645 PMCID: PMC10570617 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1265137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The pathogenic genes of colorectal cancer (CRC) have not yet been fully elucidated, and there is currently a lack of effective therapeutic targets. This study used bioinformatics methods to explore and experimentally validate the most valuable biomarkers for colorectal cancer and further investigate their potential as targets. Methods: We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and screened out hub genes. ROC curve and univariate Cox analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset revealed the most diagnostically and prognostically valuable genes. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) experiments were then conducted to validate the expression level of these selected genes in colorectal cancer. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to evaluate the enriched signaling pathways associated with the gene. Using the CIBERSORT algorithm in R software, we analyzed the immune infiltrating cell abundance in both high and low gene expression groups and examined the gene's correlation with immune cells and immune checkpoints. Additionally, we performed drug sensitivity analysis utilizing the DepMap database, and explored the correlation between gene expression levels and ferroptosis based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Results: The study identified a total of 159 DEGs, including 7 hub genes: SPP1, MMP1, CXCL8, CXCL1, TIMP1, MMP3, and CXCL10. Further analysis revealed TIMP1 as the most valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer, with IHC experiments verifying its high expression. Additionally, GSEA results showed that the high TIMP1 expression group was involved in many cancer signaling pathways. Analysis of the TCGA database revealed a positive correlation between TIMP1 expression and infiltration of macrophages (M0, M1, M2) and neutrophils, as well as the expression of immune checkpoint genes, including CTLA-4 and HAVCR2. Drug sensitivity analysis, conducted using the DepMap database, revealed that colorectal cancer cell lines exhibiting elevated levels of TIMP1 expression were more responsive to certain drugs, such as CC-90003, Pitavastatin, Atuveciclib, and CT7001, compared to those with low levels of TIMP1. Furthermore, TIMP1 expression was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-related genes, such as GPX4 and HSPA5. Conclusion: TIMP1 can be used as a biomarker for colorectal cancer and is associated with the immunological microenvironment, drug sensitivity, and ferroptosis inhibition in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaode Qiu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Guangqian Quan
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Wenquan Ou
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xing Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xinhua Li
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Yufan Shen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Weifeng Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xiaohua Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
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Aktar S, Islam F, Cheng T, Gamage SMK, Choudhury IN, Islam MS, Lu CT, Hamid FB, Ishida H, Abe I, Xie N, Gopalan V, Lam AK. Correlation between KRAS Mutation and CTLA-4 mRNA Expression in Circulating Tumour Cells: Clinical Implications in Colorectal Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1808. [PMID: 37761948 PMCID: PMC10530465 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091808] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Combination strategies of KRAS inhibition with immunotherapy in treating advanced or recurrent colorectal carcinoma (CRC) may need to be assessed in circulating tumour cells (CTCs) to achieve better clinical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the genomic variations of KRAS in CTCs and matched CRC tissues and compared mRNA expression of KRAS and CTLA-4 between wild-type and KRAS-mutated CTCs and CRC tissues. Clinicopathological correlations were also compared. Six known mutations of KRAS were identified at both codon 12 and codon 13 (c.35G>T/G12V, c.35G>A7/G12D, c.35G>C/G12A, c.34G>A/G12S, c.38G>C/G13A, and c.38G>A/G13D). Three CTC samples harboured the identified mutations (16.7%; 3/18), while fifteen matched primary tumour tissues (65.2%, 15/23) showed the mutations. CTCs harbouring the KRAS variant were different from matched CRC tissue. All the mutations were heterozygous. Though insignificant, CTLA-4 mRNA expression was higher in patients carrying KRAS mutations. Patients harbouring KRAS mutations in CTCs were more likely to have poorly differentiated tumours (p = 0.039) and with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.027) and perineural invasion (p = 0.014). KRAS mutations in CTCs were also significantly correlated with overall pathological stages (p = 0.027). These findings imply the genetic basis of KRAS with immunotherapeutic target molecules based on a real-time platform. This study also suggests the highly heterogeneous nature of cancer cells, which may facilitate the assessment of clonal dynamics across a single patient's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmin Aktar
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail 1902, Bangladesh
| | - Farhadul Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh;
| | - Tracie Cheng
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
| | - Sujani Madhurika Kodagoda Gamage
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
- Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4229, Australia
| | - Indra Neil Choudhury
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
| | - Md Sajedul Islam
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
- Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Barishal, Barishal 8254, Bangladesh
| | - Cu Tai Lu
- Department of Surgery, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, QLD 4215, Australia;
| | - Faysal Bin Hamid
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
| | - Hirotaka Ishida
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
| | - Ichiro Abe
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
| | - Nan Xie
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
| | - Vinod Gopalan
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
| | - Alfred K. Lam
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia; (S.A.); (T.C.); (S.M.K.G.); (M.S.I.); (F.B.H.); (H.I.); (I.A.); (N.X.)
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;
- Pathology Queensland, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD 4215, Australia
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Liu Y, Xie B, Chen Q. RAS signaling and immune cells: a sinister crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment. J Transl Med 2023; 21:595. [PMID: 37670322 PMCID: PMC10481548 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04486-9] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rat sarcoma virus (RAS) gene is the most commonly mutated oncogene in cancer, with about 19% of cancer patients carrying RAS mutations. Studies on the interaction between RAS mutation and tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) have been flourishing in recent years. More and more evidence has proved that RAS signals regulate immune cells' recruitment, activation, and differentiation while assisting tumor cells to evade immune surveillance. This review concluded the direct and indirect treatment strategies for RAS mutations. In addition, we updated the underlying mechanisms by which RAS signaling modulated immune infiltration and immune escape. Finally, we discussed advances in RAS-targeted immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapies, with a particular focus on combination strategies with personalized therapy and great potential to achieve lasting clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongting Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Bin Xie
- Department of Geriatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Qiong Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
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15
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Larionova I, Tashireva L. Immune gene signatures as prognostic criteria for cancer patients. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2023; 15:17588359231189436. [PMID: 37547445 PMCID: PMC10399276 DOI: 10.1177/17588359231189436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, the possibility of using immune gene signatures (IGSs) has been considered as a novel prognostic tool for numerous cancer types. State-of-the-art methods of genomic, transcriptomic, and protein analysis have allowed the identification of a number of immune signatures correlated to disease outcome. The major adaptive and innate immune components are the T lymphocytes and macrophages, respectively. Herein, we collected essential data on IGSs consisting of subsets of T cells and tumor-associated macrophages and indicating cancer patient outcomes. We discuss factors that can introduce errors in the recognition of immune cell types and explain why the significance of immune signatures can be interpreted with uncertainty. The unidirectional functions of cell types should be entirely addressed in the signatures constructed by the combination of innate and adaptive immune cells. The state of the antitumor immune response is the key basis for IGSs and should be considered in gene signature construction. We also analyzed immune signatures for the prediction of immunotherapy response. Finally, we attempted to explain the present-day limitations in the use of immune signatures as robust criteria for prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Larionova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, 36 Lenina Av., Tomsk 634050, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Therapy of Cancer, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Liubov Tashireva
- Laboratory of Molecular Therapy of Cancer, Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
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Constantin M, Mătanie C, Petrescu L, Bolocan A, Andronic O, Bleotu C, Mitache MM, Tudorache S, Vrancianu CO. Landscape of Genetic Mutations in Appendiceal Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3591. [PMID: 37509254 PMCID: PMC10377024 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In appendiceal cancers, the most frequently mutated genes are (i) KRAS, which, when reactivated, restores signal transduction via the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway and stimulates cell proliferation in the early stages of tumor transformation, and then angiogenesis; (ii) TP53, whose inactivation leads to the inhibition of programmed cell death; (iii) GNAS, which, when reactivated, links the cAMP pathway to the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway, stimulating cell proliferation and angiogenesis; (iv) SMAD4, exhibiting typical tumor-suppressive activity, blocking the transmission of oncogenic TGFB signals via the SMAD2/SMAD3 heterodimer; and (v) BRAF, which is part of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway. Diverse mutations are reported in other genes, which are part of secondary or less critical signaling pathways for tumor progression, but which amplify the phenotypic diversity of appendiceal cancers. In this review, we will present the main genetic mutations involved in appendix tumors and their roles in cell proliferation and survival, and in tumor invasiveness, angiogenesis, and acquired resistance to anti-growth signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Constantin
- Institute of Biology of Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), 050095 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristina Mătanie
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics (DAFAB), Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Livia Petrescu
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics (DAFAB), Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandra Bolocan
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Octavian Andronic
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Coralia Bleotu
- Life, Environmental and Earth Sciences Division, The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), 050095 Bucharest, Romania
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Sorin Tudorache
- Faculty of Medicine, "Titu Maiorescu" University, 040441 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), 050095 Bucharest, Romania
- Microbiology-Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
- National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
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17
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Zhu Y, Tao L, Liu J, Wang Y, Huang H, Jiang Y, Qian W. Construction of a prognostic model for triple-negative breast cancer based on immune-related genes, and associations between the tumor immune microenvironment and immunological therapy. Cancer Med 2023; 12:15704-15719. [PMID: 37306188 PMCID: PMC10417082 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6176] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the subtype of breast cancer with the worst prognosis, and it is highly heterogeneous. There is growing evidence that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a crucial role in tumor development, maintenance, and treatment responses. Notably however, the full effects of the TIME on prognosis, TIME characteristics, and immunotherapy responses in TNBC patients have not been fully elucidated. METHODS Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas data were used to data analysis. Single-cell sequencing and tissue microarray analysis were used to investigate gene expression. The concentrations and distributions of immune cell types were determined and analyzed using the CIBERSORT strategy. Tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score and the IMvigor210 cohort were used to estimate the sensitivity of TNBC patients with different prognostic statuses to immune checkpoint treatment. RESULTS Five immune-related genes associated with TNBC prognosis (IL6ST, NR2F1, CKLF, TCF7L2, and HSPA2) was identified and a prognostic evaluation model was constructed based on those genes. The respective areas under the curve of the prognostic nomogram model at 3 and 5 years were 0.791 and 0.859. The group with a lower nomogram score, with a better prognosis survival status and clinical treatment benefit rate. CONCLUSION A prognostic model for TNBC that was closely related to the immune landscape and therapeutic responses was constructed. This model may help clinicians to make more precise and personalized treatment decisions pertaining to TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Lin‐Feng Tao
- Department of Critical Care Medicinethe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Jin‐Yan Liu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Yi‐Xuan Wang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Hai Huang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Yan‐Nan Jiang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Wei‐Feng Qian
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgerythe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
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18
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Lin CY, Shen MY, Chen WTL, Yang CA. Evaluation of the Prognostic Value of Low-Frequency KRAS Mutation Detection in Circulating Tumor DNA of Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1051. [PMID: 37511664 PMCID: PMC10381461 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS mutation in tumor tissue is a well-known predictor of resistance to the treatment of anti-EGFR antibodies in metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC). However, the prognostic value of low-frequency plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) KRAS mutation in predicting treatment resistance in pretreated mCRC patients remains controversial. This study retrospectively reviewed the clinical course, including response to anti-EGFR and anti-VEGF therapies, and changes in serum tumor marker levels along with image studies in mCRC patients with <1.5% KRAS mutations detected in plasma ctDNA by next-generation sequencing (NGS) at a single center in Taiwan. We identified six pretreated mCRC patients with low-frequency KRAS G12V/G12D/G12S/G13D mutations (variant allele frequency 0.26~1.23%) in plasma ctDNA. Co-occurring low-frequency ctDNA mutations in APC, TP53, MAP2K1, KEAP1, or CTNNB1 were also detected. Although all six patients had treatment adjustments within one month after the ctDNA genetic test, image-evident tumor progression was noted in all patients within a median of 4 months afterwards. Re-challenge therapy with a combination of anti-EGFR, anti-VEGF, and FOLFIRI chemotherapy was found to be ineffective in a patient with 0.38% KRAS G12D mutation in baseline ctDNA. Our study suggests that the detection of low-frequency KRAS mutations in ctDNA could be used as a predictor of treatment response in mCRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Yu Lin
- Integrated Precision Health and Immunodiagnostic Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Zhubei City 302, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yin Shen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Zhubei City 302, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Zhubei City 302, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | - Chin-An Yang
- Integrated Precision Health and Immunodiagnostic Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Zhubei City 302, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
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19
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Yan H, Talty R, Jain A, Cai Y, Zheng J, Shen X, Muca E, Paty PB, Bosenberg MW, Khan SA, Johnson CH. Discovery of decreased ferroptosis in male colorectal cancer patients with KRAS mutations. Redox Biol 2023; 62:102699. [PMID: 37086630 PMCID: PMC10172914 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant tumor metabolism is a hallmark of cancer in which metabolic rewiring can support tumor growth under nutrient deficient conditions. KRAS mutations occur in 35-45% of all colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and are difficult to treat. The relationship between mutant KRAS and aberrant metabolism in CRCs has not been fully explored and could be a target for intervention. We previously acquired non-targeted metabolomics data from 161 tumor tissues and 39 normal colon tissues from stage I-III chemotherapy naïve CRC patients. In this study, we revealed that only in male patients, tumors with KRAS mutations had several altered pathways that suppress ferroptosis, including glutathione biosynthesis, transsulfuration activity, and methionine metabolism. To validate this phenotype, MC38 CRC cells (KRASG13R) were treated with a ferroptosis inducer; RAS-selected lethal (RSL3). RSL3 altered metabolic pathways in the opposite direction to that seen in KRAS mutant tumors from male patients confirming a suppressed ferroptosis metabolic phenotype in these patients. We further validated gene expression data from an additional CRC patient cohort (Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)), and similarly observed differences in ferroptosis-related genes by sex and KRAS status. Further examination of the relationship between these genes and overall survival (OS) in the GEO cohort showed that KRAS mutant tumors are associated with poorer 5-year OS compared to KRAS wild type tumors, and only in male patients. Additionally, high compared to low expression of GPX4, FTH1, FTL, which suppress ferroptosis, were associated with poorer 5-year OS only in KRAS mutant tumors from male CRC patients. Additionally, low compared to high expression of ACSL4 was associated with poorer OS for this group. Our results show that KRAS mutant tumors from male CRC patients have suppressed ferroptosis, and gene expression changes that suppress ferroptosis associate with adverse outcomes for these patients, revealing a novel potential avenue for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Ronan Talty
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Abhishek Jain
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Yuping Cai
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Xinyi Shen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Engjel Muca
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
| | - Philip B Paty
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
| | - Marcus W Bosenberg
- Departments of Pathology, Dermatology, and Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Sajid A Khan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Caroline H Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA.
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Chandramohan K, Balan DJ, Devi KP, Nabavi SF, Reshadat S, Khayatkashani M, Mahmoodifar S, Filosa R, Amirkhalili N, Pishvaei S, Aval OS, Nabavi SM. Short interfering RNA in colorectal cancer: is it wise to shoot the messenger? Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 949:175699. [PMID: 37011722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the leading cause of gastrointestinal cancer death. 90% of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are over the age of 50; nevertheless, the illness is more aggressive among those detected at a younger age. Chemotherapy-based treatment has several adverse effects on both normal and malignant cells. The primary signaling pathways implicated in the advancement of CRC include hedgehog (Hh), janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), Wingless-related integration site (Wnt)/β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β (TNF-β), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and Notch. Loss of heterozygosity in tumor suppressor genes like adenomatous polyposis coli, as well as mutation or deletion of genes like p53 and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), are all responsible for the occurrence of CRC. Novel therapeutic targets linked to these signal-transduction cascades have been identified as a consequence of advances in small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatments. This study focuses on many innovative siRNA therapies and methodologies for delivering siRNA therapeutics to the malignant site safely and effectively for the treatment of CRC. Treatment of CRC using siRNA-associated nanoparticles (NPs) may inhibit the activity of oncogenes and MDR-related genes by targeting a range of signaling mechanisms. This study summarizes several siRNAs targeting signaling molecules, as well as the therapeutic approaches that might be employed to treat CRC in the future.
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Gene Expression Analysis of Immune Regulatory Genes in Circulating Tumour Cells and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Patients with Colorectal Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24055051. [PMID: 36902476 PMCID: PMC10003441 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24055051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Information regarding genetic alterations of driver cancer genes in circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and their surrounding immune microenvironment nowadays can be employed as a real-time monitoring platform for translational applications such as patient response to therapeutic targets, including immunotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the expression profiling of these genes along with immunotherapeutic target molecules in CTCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Expression of p53, APC, KRAS, c-Myc, and immunotherapeutic target molecules PD-L1, CTLA-4, and CD47 in CTCs and PBMCs were analysed by qPCR. Their expression in high versus low CTC-positive patients with CRC was compared and clinicopathological correlations between these patient groups were analysed. CTCs were detected in 61% (38 of 62) of patients with CRC. The presence of higher numbers of CTCs was significantly correlated with advanced cancer stages (p = 0.045) and the subtypes of adenocarcinoma (conventional vs. mucinous, p = 0.019), while being weakly correlated with tumour size (p = 0.051). Patients with lower numbers of CTCs had higher expression of KRAS. Higher KRAS expression in CTCs was negatively correlated with tumour perforation (p = 0.029), lymph node status (p = 0.037), distant metastasis (p = 0.046) and overall staging (p = 0.004). CTLA-4 was highly expressed in both CTCs and PBMCs. In addition, CTLA-4 expression was positively correlated with KRAS (r = 0.6878, p = 0.002) in the enriched CTC fraction. Dysregulation of KRAS in CTCs might evade the immune system by altering the expression of CTLA-4, providing new insights into the selection of therapeutic targets at the onset of the disease. Monitoring CTCs counts, as well as gene expression profiling of PBMCs, can be helpful in predicting tumour progression, patient outcome and treatment.
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Yan H, Talty R, Jain A, Cai Y, Zheng J, Shen X, Muca E, Paty PB, Bosenberg MW, Khan SA, Johnson CH. Discovery of decreased ferroptosis in male colorectal cancer patients with KRAS mutations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.28.530478. [PMID: 36909561 PMCID: PMC10002683 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.28.530478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant tumor metabolism is a hallmark of cancer in which metabolic rewiring can support tumor growth under nutrient deficient conditions. KRAS mutations occur in 35-45% of all colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and are difficult to treat. The relationship between mutant KRAS and aberrant metabolism in CRCs has not been fully explored and could be a target for intervention. We previously acquired non-targeted metabolomics data from 161 tumor tissues and 39 normal colon tissues from stage I-III chemotherapy naïve CRC patients. In this study, we revealed that tumors from male patients with KRAS mutations only, had several altered pathways that suppress ferroptosis, including glutathione biosynthesis, transsulfuration activity, and methionine metabolism. To validate this phenotype, MC38 CRC cells (KRAS G13R ) were treated with a ferroptosis inducer; RAS-selected lethal (RSL3). RSL3 altered metabolic pathways in the opposite direction to that seen in KRAS mutant tumors from male patients confirming a suppressed ferroptosis metabolic phenotype in these patients. We further validated gene expression data from an additional CRC patient cohort (Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and similarly observed differences in ferroptosis-related genes by sex and KRAS status. Further examination of the relationship between these genes and overall survival (OS) in the GEO cohort showed that KRAS mutant tumors are associated with poorer 5-year OS compared to KRAS wild type tumors, and only in male patients. Additionally, high compared to low expression of GPX4, FTH1, FTL , which suppressed ferroptosis, were associated with poorer 5-year OS only in KRAS mutant tumors from male CRC patients. Low compared to high expression of ACSL4 was associated with poorer OS for this group. Our results show that KRAS mutant tumors from male CRC patients have suppressed ferroptosis, and gene expression changes that suppress ferroptosis associate with adverse outcomes for these patients, revealing a novel potential avenue for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Ronan Talty
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Abhishek Jain
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Yuping Cai
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Xinyi Shen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Engjel Muca
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
| | - Philip B. Paty
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
| | - Marcus W. Bosenberg
- Departments of Pathology, Dermatology, and Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Sajid A. Khan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Caroline H. Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
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Phenotypic screening platform identifies statins as enhancers of immune cell-induced cancer cell death. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:164. [PMID: 36803614 PMCID: PMC9938546 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10645-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-throughput screening (HTS) of small molecule drug libraries has greatly facilitated the discovery of new cancer drugs. However, most phenotypic screening platforms used in the field of oncology are based solely on cancer cell populations and do not allow for the identification of immunomodulatory agents. METHODS We developed a phenotypic screening platform based on a miniaturized co-culture system with human colorectal cancer- and immune cells, providing a model that recapitulates part of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) complexity while simultaneously being compatible with a simple image-based readout. Using this platform, we screened 1,280 small molecule drugs, all approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and identified statins as enhancers of immune cell-induced cancer cell death. RESULTS The lipophilic statin pitavastatin had the most potent anti-cancer effect. Further analysis demonstrated that pitavastatin treatment induced a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile as well as an overall pro-inflammatory gene expression profile in our tumor-immune model. CONCLUSION Our study provides an in vitro phenotypic screening approach for the identification of immunomodulatory agents and thus addresses a critical gap in the field of immuno-oncology. Our pilot screen identified statins, a drug family gaining increasing interest as repurposing candidates for cancer treatment, as enhancers of immune cell-induced cancer cell death. We speculate that the clinical benefits described for cancer patients receiving statins are not simply caused by a direct effect on the cancer cells but rather are dependent on the combined effect exerted on both cancer and immune cells.
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Alterations in Natural Killer Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients with Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA). Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030994. [PMID: 36765951 PMCID: PMC9913252 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, our group introduced Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as an independent prognostic predictor for a poorer outcome in colon cancer patients, which is probably based on immunologic alterations combined with a direct tumor-adipocyte interaction: the two together reflecting a distinct tumor biology. Considering it is already known that peripheral immune cells are altered in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, this study aims to investigate the changes in lymphocyte subsets in SARIFA-positive cases and correlate these changes with the local immune response. METHODS Flow cytometry was performed to analyze B, T, and natural killer (NK) cells in the peripheral blood (PB) of 45 CRC patients. Consecutively, lymphocytes in PB, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and CD56+ and CD57+ lymphocytes at the invasion front and the tumor center were compared between patients with SARIFA-positive and SARIFA-negative CRCs. RESULTS Whereas no differences could be observed regarding most PB lymphocyte populations as well as TILs, NK cells were dramatically reduced in the PB of SARIFA-positive cases. Moreover, CD56 and CD57 immunohistochemistry suggested SARIFA-status-dependent changes regarding NK cells and NK-like lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION This study proves that our newly introduced biomarker, SARIFA, comes along with distinct immunologic alterations, especially regarding NK cells.
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Kunac N, Degoricija M, Viculin J, Omerović J, Terzić J, Vilović K, Korac-Prlic J. Activation of cGAS-STING Pathway Is Associated with MSI-H Stage IV Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010221. [PMID: 36612217 PMCID: PMC9818394 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in adults. Understanding colorectal tumorigenesis at both the cellular and molecular levels is crucial for developing effective treatment options. Forty-one biopsy samples from patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) were collected at Split University Hospital in Croatia. A total of 41 patients (21 with microsatellite unstable tumours and 20 with microsatellite stable tumours) were randomly included in the study. Immunolabelling of cGAS and STING in metastatic CRC was performed and further complemented by histological classification, tumour grade, and KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutational status of mCRC. In bivariate analysis, elevated expression of cGAS and STING was positively associated with MSI-H colon cancer (Fisher's exact test, both p = 0.0203). Combined expression analysis of cGAS and STING showed a significantly higher percentage of patients with mCRC MSI-H with a fully or partially activated cGAS-STING signalling pathway (chi-square test, p = 0.0050). After adjusting for age, sex, and STING expression, increased cGAS expression remained significantly associated with MSI-H colon cancer in a multiple logistic regression model (β = 1.588, SE = ±0.799, p = 0.047). The cGAS-STING signalling axis represents a compelling new target for optimization of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapeutic approaches in patients with MSI-H stage IV CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nenad Kunac
- Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Cytology, University Hospital Centre Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Marina Degoricija
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Jelena Viculin
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital Centre Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Jasminka Omerović
- Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Janoš Terzić
- Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Katarina Vilović
- Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Cytology, University Hospital Centre Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Jelena Korac-Prlic
- Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-21557877; Fax: +385-21557880
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Wang H, Wang Y, Luo W, Zhang X, Cao R, Yang Z, Duan J, Wang K. Integrative stemness characteristics associated with prognosis and the immune microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma. BMC Pulm Med 2022; 22:463. [PMID: 36471379 PMCID: PMC9724367 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-022-02184-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To comprehensively analyze the stemness characteristics related to prognosis and the immune microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). METHODS The OCLR machine learning method was used to calculate the stemness index (mRNAsi) of the LUAD samples. DEGs common between the low mRNAsi, normal, and high mRNAsi groups were screened and the immune-stemness genes were obtained. Then the PPI network was created and enrichment analyses were performed. Moreover, different subtypes based on immune-stemness genes associated with prognosis were identified, and the relationships between LUAD stemness and TIME variables were systematically analyzed, followed by TMB analysis. RESULTS Patients in the high mRNAsi groups with poor prognosis were screened along with 144 immune-stemness genes. IL-6, FPR2, and RLN3 showed a higher degree in the PPI network. A total of 26 immune-stemness genes associated with prognosis were screened. Two clusters were obtained (cluster 1 and cluster 2). Survival analysis revealed that patients in cluster 2 had a poor prognosis. A total of 12 immune cell subpopulations exhibited significant differences between cluster 1 and cluster 2 (P < 0.05). A total of 10 immune checkpoint genes exhibited significantly higher expression in cluster 1 (P < 0.05) than in cluster 2. Further, the TMB value in cluster 2 was higher than that in cluster 1 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Immune-stemness genes, including L-6, FPR2, and RLN3, might play significant roles in LUAD development via cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, neuroactive ligand‒receptor interaction, and the JAK‒STAT pathway. Immune-stemness genes were related to tumor-infiltrating immune cells, TMB, and expression of immune checkpoint gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- grid.414918.1Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650031 Kunming, Yunnan China
| | - Ying Wang
- grid.452826.fDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Yan’an Hospital of Kunming, 650000 Kunming, Yunnan China
| | - Wei Luo
- grid.218292.20000 0000 8571 108XDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Anning First People’s Hospital, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming Fourth People’s Hospital, No. 2 Ganghe Road, Wanghu Neighborhood Committee, Jinfang Street, 650302 Anning, Yunnan China
| | - Xugang Zhang
- grid.218292.20000 0000 8571 108XDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Anning First People’s Hospital, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming Fourth People’s Hospital, No. 2 Ganghe Road, Wanghu Neighborhood Committee, Jinfang Street, 650302 Anning, Yunnan China
| | - Ran Cao
- grid.218292.20000 0000 8571 108XDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Anning First People’s Hospital, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming Fourth People’s Hospital, No. 2 Ganghe Road, Wanghu Neighborhood Committee, Jinfang Street, 650302 Anning, Yunnan China
| | - Zhi Yang
- The IVD Medical Marketing Department, 3D Medicines Inc, 201114 Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Duan
- grid.414902.a0000 0004 1771 3912Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 650031 Kunming, Yunman China
| | - Kun Wang
- grid.218292.20000 0000 8571 108XDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Anning First People’s Hospital, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming Fourth People’s Hospital, No. 2 Ganghe Road, Wanghu Neighborhood Committee, Jinfang Street, 650302 Anning, Yunnan China
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Wang J, Song J, Liu Z, Zhang T, Liu Y. High tumor mutation burden indicates better prognosis in colorectal cancer patients with KRAS mutations. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1015308. [PMID: 36452508 PMCID: PMC9702324 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1015308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common type of malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is a potential prognostic indicator of numerous malignant tumors. This study investigated the prognostic value of TMB in CRC. METHODS This study analyzed the clinical and somatic mutation data of patients with CRC from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohorts. The genetic landscape was visualized using the maftools package in R software. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression analysis was performed to confirm that TMB is an independent prognostic indicator. A nomogram was developed to construct the prognostic model, which was evaluated using the C-index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS In patients with CRC, APC mutations indicated longer overall survival (OS), whereas KRAS mutations indicated shorter OS. For all included patients, there was no significant difference in the OS between the TMB-high and TMB-low groups. For patients with KRAS mutations, the OS in the TMB-high group was longer than that in the TMB-low group. Cox regression analysis showed that TMB was an independent prognostic factor in CRC patients with KRAS mutations. This explains the good accuracy of the nomogram prognostic model using TMB and indicates its good prospect in clinical applications. CONCLUSIONS A high TMB indicates better prognosis in CRC patients with KRAS mutations, thus confirming the value of TMB in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlei Wang
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jianping Song
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zeyang Liu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Tingxiao Zhang
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Drugging KRAS: current perspectives and state-of-art review. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:152. [PMID: 36284306 PMCID: PMC9597994 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01375-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
After decades of efforts, we have recently made progress into targeting KRAS mutations in several malignancies. Known as the ‘holy grail’ of targeted cancer therapies, KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human malignancies. Under normal conditions, KRAS shuttles between the GDP-bound ‘off’ state and the GTP-bound ‘on’ state. Mutant KRAS is constitutively activated and leads to persistent downstream signaling and oncogenesis. In 2013, improved understanding of KRAS biology and newer drug designing technologies led to the crucial discovery of a cysteine drug-binding pocket in GDP-bound mutant KRAS G12C protein. Covalent inhibitors that block mutant KRAS G12C were successfully developed and sotorasib was the first KRAS G12C inhibitor to be approved, with several more in the pipeline. Simultaneously, effects of KRAS mutations on tumour microenvironment were also discovered, partly owing to the universal use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we discuss the discovery, biology, and function of KRAS in human malignancies. We also discuss the relationship between KRAS mutations and the tumour microenvironment, and therapeutic strategies to target KRAS. Finally, we review the current clinical evidence and ongoing clinical trials of novel agents targeting KRAS and shine light on resistance pathways known so far.
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Zheng D, Xia K, Wei Z, Wei Z, Guo W. Identification of a novel gene signature with regard to ferroptosis, prognosis prediction, and immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:944978. [PMID: 36330451 PMCID: PMC9623102 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.944978] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a novel form of non-apoptotic cell death that mainly results from the iron-dependent lethal accumulation of lipid peroxidation products. Here, we defined differentially expressed genes between control and RSL3-treated osteosarcoma cells as ferroptosis-associated genes (FAGs). These FAGs were then subjected to weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA), and we found that the turquoise module, containing 71 FAGs, was markedly related to the patient’s vital status. After that, FAGs in the turquoise module were utilized to construct a prognostic multigene (COL5A2, HOXB4, and UNC5B) signature for risk stratification in osteosarcoma. Validation in internal and external cohorts indicated the accuracy and clinical applicability of this signature in predicting the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses suggested that the signature-derived risk score is an independent indicator of patient prognosis. Immunological analysis indicated that significant variations in stromal and ESTIMATE scores, as well as tumor purity, were found when the high- and low-risk groups were compared. Regarding immune cell infiltration, the proportion of activated CD4 memory T cells was significantly lower in the high-risk group than that in the low-risk group. The ssGSEA results suggested that CD8+ T, Tfh, and Th1 cell scores were consistently lower in the high-risk group than those in the low-risk group. In terms of immune-related activities, the high-risk group had considerably lower scores for promoting inflammation, T-cell co-inhibition, and T-cell co-stimulation than the low-risk group, indicating the differential immunological state of the high- and low-risk groups. Of the three FAGs included in the signature, the expression of COL5A2, HOXB4, and UNC5B was higher in the high-risk groups, and the expression of COL5A2 and UNC5B was negatively associated with patient prognosis. Additionally, the mRNA levels of COL5A2 and HOXB4 were lower and those of UNC5B were higher in RSL3-treated cells than in control cells. In all, we systematically analyzed the transcriptional changes of osteosarcoma cells induced by RSL3 and constructed a novel three-gene signature with regard to ferroptosis, prognosis prediction, and immune microenvironment. We also identified COL5A2, HOXB4, and UNC5B as potential therapeutic targets and important regulators of ferroptosis in osteosarcoma.
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HAUS Augmin-Like Complex Subunit 1 Influences Tumour Microenvironment and Prognostic Outcomes in Glioma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:8027686. [PMID: 35865089 PMCID: PMC9296284 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8027686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background. The expression of HAUS Augmin-like complex subunit 1 (HAUS1), a protein-coding gene, is low in normal samples among various cancers with pan-cancer analysis. The depletion of HAUS1 in cells decreases the G2/M cell compartment and induces apoptosis. However, the detailed expression pattern of HAUS1 and its correlation with immune infiltration in glioma (LGG and GBM) (LGG: low-grade glioma; GBM: glioblastoma) remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, we examined the role and prognostic value of HAUS1 in glioma. Methods. Transcriptional expression data of HAUS1 were collected from the CGGA and TCGA databases. The Kaplan–Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyse the clinical significance of HAUS1 in glioma. The STRING database was used to analyse protein-protein interactions (PPI), and the “ClusterProfiler” package was used for functional enrichment analysis to examine the possible biological roles of HAUS1. In addition, the HAUS1 promoter methylation modification was analysed using MEXPRESS, and the association between HAUS1 expression and tumour-infiltrating immune cells was investigated using CIBERSORT. Results. Based on the data retrieved from TCGA (703 samples) and CGGA (1018 samples), an elevated expression of HAUS1 was observed in glioma samples, which was associated with poorer survival of patients, unfavourable clinical characteristics, 1p/19q codeletion status, WHO grade, and IDH mutation status. Furthermore, multivariate and univariate Cox analyses revealed that HAUS1 was an independent predictor of glioma. HAUS1 expression level was associated with several tumour-infiltrating immune cells, such as Th2 cells, macrophages, and activated dendritic cells. The outcomes of ROC curve analysis showed that HAUS1 was good to prognosticate immune infiltrating levels in glioma with a higher area under the curve (AUC) value (AUC = 0.974). Conclusions. HAUS1 was upregulated and served as a biomarker for poor prognosis in patients with glioma. High HAUS1 expression was associated with several tumour-infiltrating immune cells such as Th2 cells, macrophages, and activated dendritic cells, which had high infiltration levels. Therefore, these findings suggest that HAUS1 is a potential biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with glioma and plays a pivotal role in immune infiltration in glioma.
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Mutant RAS and the tumor microenvironment as dual therapeutic targets for advanced colorectal cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2022; 109:102433. [PMID: 35905558 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2022.102433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
RAS genes are the most frequently mutated oncogenes in cancer. These mutations occur in roughly half of the patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). RAS mutant tumors are resistant to therapy with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies. Therefore, patients with RAS mutant CRC currently have few effective therapy options. RAS mutations lead to constitutively active RAS GTPases, involved in multiple downstream signaling pathways. These alterations are associated with a tumor microenvironment (TME) that drives immune evasion and disease progression by mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. In this review, we focus on the available evidence in the literature explaining the potential effects of RAS mutations on the CRC microenvironment. Ongoing efforts to influence the TME by targeting mutant RAS and thereby sensitizing these tumors to immunotherapy will be discussed as well.
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Exploring immune-related signatures for predicting immunotherapeutic responsiveness, prognosis, and diagnosis of patients with colon cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:5131-5152. [PMID: 35748788 PMCID: PMC9271306 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The present study focused on identifying the immune-related signatures and exploring their performance in predicting the prognosis, immunotherapeutic responsiveness, and diagnosis of patients with colon cancer. Firstly, the immunotherapeutic response-related differential expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing responders and non-responders from an anti-PD-L1 cohort using the edgeR R package. Then, the immunotherapeutic response related DEGs was intersected with immune-related genes (IRGs) to obtain the immunotherapeutic response and immune-related genes (IRIGs). Then, an immunotherapeutic response and immune-related risk score (IRIRScore) model consisting of 6 IRIGs was constructed using the univariable Cox regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis based on the COAD cohort from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database, which was further validated in two independent gene expression omnibus database (GEO) datasets (GSE39582 and GSE17536) and anti-PD-L1 cohort. A nomogram with good accuracy was established based on the immune-related signatures and clinical factors (C-index = 0.75). In the training dataset and GSE39582, higher IRIRScore was significantly associated with higher TMN and advanced pathological stages. Based on the anti-PD-L1 cohort, patients who were sensitive to immunotherapy had significantly lower risk score than non-responders. Furthermore, we explored the immunotherapy-related signatures based on the training dataset. Kaplan-Meier curve revealed a high level of T cells regulatory (Tregs) was significantly related to poor overall survival (OS), while a high level of T cells CD4 memory resting was significantly related to better OS. Besides, the TMB value of patients in the high-risk group was significantly higher than those in a low-risk group. Moreover, patients in the high-risk group had significantly higher expression levels of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In addition, the immune-related signatures were applied to establish prediction models using the random forest algorithm. Among them, TDGF1 and NRG1 revealed excellent diagnostic predictive performance (AUC >0.8). In conclusion, the current findings provide new insights into immune-related immunotherapeutic responsiveness, prognosis, and diagnosis of colon cancer.
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Dong J, Qian Y, Zhang G, Lu L, Zhang S, Ji G, Zhao A, Xu H. Can Natural Products be Used to Overcome the Limitations of Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy? Front Oncol 2022; 12:884423. [PMID: 35600371 PMCID: PMC9114697 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.884423] [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: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common cancer of the digestive system that endangers human health. Immunotherapy is widely used in the treatment of patients with cancer. Some patients with dMMR/MSI-H CRC benefit from treatments that use immune checkpoint inhibitors, but most CRC patients are not sensitive to immunotherapy. Furthermore, internal resistance and immune escape lead to a reduced immunotherapy response. Therefore, the development of an effective combination therapy to improve the response rate to immunotherapy is a goal of cancer research. Natural products are potential candidates for comprehensive cancer treatments due to their wide range of immunomodulatory effects through multifactorial underlying mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the challenges in the treatment of CRC and assess the immunomodulatory effects of natural products and their active components. Our work suggests that natural products represent potential options for combined CRC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahuan Dong
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufan Qian
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangtao Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengan Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang Ji
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Aiguang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanchen Xu
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Huyghe N, Benidovskaya E, Stevens P, Van den Eynde M. Biomarkers of Response and Resistance to Immunotherapy in Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer: Toward a New Personalized Medicine. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2241. [PMID: 35565369 PMCID: PMC9105843 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) are well recognized as a major immune treatment modality for multiple types of solid cancers. However, for colorectal cancer (CRC), ICIs are only approved for the treatment of Mismatch-Repair-Deficient and Microsatellite Instability-High (dMMR/MSI-H) tumors. For the vast majority of CRC, that are not dMMR/MSI-H, ICIs alone provide limited to no clinical benefit. This discrepancy of response between CRC and other solid cancers suggests that CRC may be inherently resistant to ICIs alone. In translational research, efforts are underway to thoroughly characterize the immune microenvironment of CRC to better understand the mechanisms behind this resistance and to find new biomarkers of response. In the clinic, trials are being set up to study biomarkers along with treatments targeting newly discovered immune checkpoint molecules or treatments combining ICIs with other existing therapies to improve response in MSS CRC. In this review, we will focus on the characteristics of response and resistance to ICIs in CRC, and discuss promising biomarkers studied in recent clinical trials combining ICIs with other therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Huyghe
- Institut de Recherche Clinique et Expérimentale (Pole MIRO), UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.H.); (E.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Elena Benidovskaya
- Institut de Recherche Clinique et Expérimentale (Pole MIRO), UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.H.); (E.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Philippe Stevens
- Institut de Recherche Clinique et Expérimentale (Pole MIRO), UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.H.); (E.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Marc Van den Eynde
- Institut de Recherche Clinique et Expérimentale (Pole MIRO), UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.H.); (E.B.); (P.S.)
- Institut Roi Albert II, Department of Medical Oncology and Gastroenterology, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
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Yang K, Li C, Liu Y, Gu X, Jiang L, Shi L. Prognostic and Immunotherapeutic Roles of KRAS in Pan-Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091427. [PMID: 35563733 PMCID: PMC9105487 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS is one well-established tumor-driver gene associated with cancer initiation, development, and progression. Nonetheless, comparative studies of the relevance of KRAS across diverse tumors remain sparse. We explored the KRAS expression and prognostic values in diverse cancer types via multiple web-based bioinformatics tools, including cBioPortal, Oncomine, PrognoScan, Kaplan–Meier Plotter, etc. We found that KRAS is highly expressed in various malignancies compared to normal cohorts (BRCA, CHOL, ESCA, HNSC, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, and STAD) and less expressed in COAD, KIRC, READ, and THCA than in normal samples. We observed the dysregulation of the DNA methylation of KRAS in cancers and discovered that numerous oncogenic and tumor-suppressive transcription factors bind the KRAS promoter region. Pan-cancer analysis also showed that a high level of KRAS is associated with poor outcomes. Additionally, KRAS is remarkably correlated with the level of immune cell infiltration and tumorigenic gene signatures. In conclusion, our findings reveal novel insights into KRAS expression and its biological functions in diverse cancer types, indicating that KRAS could serve as a prognostic biomarker and is associated with immune infiltrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Yang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (K.Y.); (C.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Chengyun Li
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (K.Y.); (C.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Yang Liu
- Gansu Provincial People’s Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China;
| | - Xueyan Gu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (K.Y.); (C.L.); (X.G.)
| | - Longchang Jiang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (L.S.); Tel.: +86-21-3880-4518 (L.J.); +86-93-1891-3592(L.S.)
| | - Lei Shi
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (K.Y.); (C.L.); (X.G.)
- Transcriptional Networks in Lung Cancer Group, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Alderley Park, Manchester SK10 4TG, UK
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (L.S.); Tel.: +86-21-3880-4518 (L.J.); +86-93-1891-3592(L.S.)
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Yang H, Yan M, Li W, Xu L. SIRPα and PD1 expression on tumor-associated macrophage predict prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. J Transl Med 2022; 20:140. [PMID: 35317832 PMCID: PMC8939174 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03342-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The phagocytosis checkpoints of CD47/SIRPα, PD1/PDL1, CD24/SIGLEC10, and MHC/LILRB1 have shown inhibited phagocytosis of macrophages in distinct tumors. However, phagocytosis checkpoints and their therapeutic significance remain largely unknown in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients. Methods We analyzed sequencing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified differently expressed genes between tumors and para‐tumors. Then, we investigated the expression of CD68, SIRPα, PD1, and SIGLEC10 by IHC in 81 ICC patients, and the clinical significance of these markers with different risk factors was also measured. Results Tumor infiltration immune cells analysis from the TCGA data revealed that macrophages significantly increased. Further analysis showed that M0 macrophages were significantly higher and M2 macrophages were significantly lower in ICC compared with paracancerous tissues, while there was no significant difference in M1 macrophages. We then examined some of M1 and M2 markers, and we found that M1 markers (iNOS, TNF, IL12A, and B) increased, while M2 markers (ARG1 and CD206) decreased in ICCs compared with paracancerous tissues. Furthermore, the expression of CD68, SIRPα, PD1, and SIGLEC10 increased significantly, but LILRB1 expression did not. We also examined the expression of CD68, SIRPα, PD1, and SIGLEC10 in 81 ICC patients by IHC, which revealed a similar expression pattern to that which emerged from the TCGA data. Upon analyzing the correlation between these markers and the progression of ICC patients, we found that the high expression of CD68, SIRPα, and PD1 are correlated with poor progression among ICC patients, while SIGLEC10 shows no correlation. More SIRPα+ or PD1+ TAMs were observed in the tumor tissues of ICC patients with HBV infections compared to non‐HBV‐infected patients. Multivariate analysis indicated that SIRPα and PD1 expression are independent indicators of ICC patient prognosis. Conclusion Hyperactivated CD47/SIRPα and PD1/PD‐L1 signals in CD68+ TAMs in tumor tissues are negative prognostic markers for ICCs after resection. Furthermore, anti-CD47 in combination with anti-PD1 or CD47/PD1 bispecific antibody (BsAb) may represent promising treatments for ICC. Further studies are also required in the future to confirmed our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China
| | - Meimei Yan
- Department of Research and Foreign Affairs, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Linping Xu
- Department of Research and Foreign Affairs, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China.
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Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer: Mechanisms and Predictive Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14041028. [PMID: 35205776 PMCID: PMC8869923 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14041028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Late-stage colorectal cancer treatment often involves chemotherapy and radiation that can cause dose-limiting toxicity, and therefore there is great interest in developing targeted therapies for this disease. Immunotherapy is a targeted therapy that uses peptides, cells, antibodies, viruses, or small molecules to engage or train the immune system to kill cancer. Here, we discuss the preclinical and clinical development of immunotherapy for treatment of colorectal cancer and provide an overview of predictive biomarkers for such treatments. We also consider open questions including optimal combination treatments and sensitization of colorectal cancer patients with proficient mismatch repair enzymes. Abstract Though early-stage colorectal cancer has a high 5 year survival rate of 65–92% depending on the specific stage, this probability drops to 13% after the cancer metastasizes. Frontline treatments for colorectal cancer such as chemotherapy and radiation often produce dose-limiting toxicities in patients and acquired resistance in cancer cells. Additional targeted treatments are needed to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Immunotherapy involves treatment with peptides, cells, antibodies, viruses, or small molecules to engage or train the immune system to kill cancer cells. Preclinical and clinical investigations of immunotherapy for treatment of colorectal cancer including immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive cell therapy, monoclonal antibodies, oncolytic viruses, anti-cancer vaccines, and immune system modulators have been promising, but demonstrate limitations for patients with proficient mismatch repair enzymes. In this review, we discuss preclinical and clinical studies investigating immunotherapy for treatment of colorectal cancer and predictive biomarkers for response to these treatments. We also consider open questions including optimal combination treatments to maximize efficacy, minimize toxicity, and prevent acquired resistance and approaches to sensitize mismatch repair-proficient patients to immunotherapy.
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Qin Y, Liu H, Huang X, Huang L, Liao L, Li J, Zhang L, Li W, Yang J. GIMAP7 as a Potential Predictive Marker for Pan-Cancer Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:1047-1061. [PMID: 35210811 PMCID: PMC8858002 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s342503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qin
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research Center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - He Liu
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research Center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoliang Huang
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lihaoyun Huang
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lixian Liao
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiasheng Li
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research Center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianrong Yang
- Department of Health Management, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region & Research Center of Health Management, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Jianrong Yang; Wei Li, Health Examination Center, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Email ;
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Wang D, Peng L, Hua L, Li J, Liu Y, Zhou Y. Mapk14 is a Prognostic Biomarker and Correlates with the Clinicopathological Features and Immune Infiltration of Colorectal Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:817800. [PMID: 35141222 PMCID: PMC8818961 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.817800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors, ranking in the top 5 of all common tumors in terms of incidence and mortality. However, the mechanisms driving the evolution of colorectal cancer remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the association between Mapk14 expression and clinicopathological and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Methods: In this study, we collected CRC patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), compared the expression level in CRC and normal colorectal tissue using the Wilcoxon rank sum test and assessed the relationship between Mapk14 and clinicopathological features using the Welch one-way ANOVA test. Kaplan-Meier and timeROC GSE17537 datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset to assess the prognostic impact of the Mapk14 gene on colorectal cancer. Second, we further explored the methylation level of Mapk14 and its influencing factors. Single-cell sequencing of Mapk14 in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) was analyzed using the GSE108989 dataset. Further analyses based on the TIMER method were performed to assess the correlation between Mapk14 and tumor immune infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor mutational load and microsatellite instability. Finally, the results of the bioinformatics analysis were verified by an immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The results showed that the expression of Mapk14 was upregulated in CRC tumor tissues compared with normal colorectal tissues and the high expression of Mapk14 was associated with poor clinicopathological features and poor prognoses in the CRC array. In addition, cg05798012 and cg25375420 of Mapk14 are the main DNA methylation sites affecting OS. Single-cell sequencing of the tumor immune microenvironment showed that the abundance and cell state of dysfunctional T cells changed greatly. Importantly, the abnormal overexpression of Mapk14 in colorectal cancer is related to the level of immune infiltration of immune cells (including CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, B cells, CD4+ T cells, and macrophages). The high expression of Mapk14 was significantly correlated with immune checkpoints (including SIGLEC15, TIGIT, LAG3, CTLA4 and PDCDILG2), while the high expression of Mapk14 was negatively correlated with TMB and MSI but mostly positively correlated with drug sensitivity. Finally, the immunohistochemical results confirmed that the clinical stage (Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ) and M stage (M0 and M1) affected the abnormally high expression of Mapk14. Conclusion: A comprehensive bioinformatics study and experimental validation revealed that Mapk14 could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker associated with immune infiltration and pharmacotherapy and may represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yifei Liu
- *Correspondence: Yifei Liu, ; Yanhong Zhou,
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Jin Y, Deng J, Luo B, Zhong Y, Yu S. Construction and validation of an immune-related genes prognostic index (IRGPI) model in colon cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:963382. [PMID: 36440228 PMCID: PMC9682206 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.963382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though immunotherapy has become one of the standard therapies for colon cancer, the overall effective rate of immunotherapy is very low. Constructing an immune-related genes prognostic index (IRGPI) model may help to predict the response to immunotherapy and clinical outcomes. METHODS Differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) between normal tissues and colon cancer tissues were identified and used to construct the co-expression network. Genes in the module with the most significant differences were further analyzed. Independent prognostic immune-related genes (IRGs) were identified by univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis. Independent prognostic IRGs were used to construct the IRGPI model using the multivariate cox proportional hazards regression model, and the IRGPI model was validated by independent dataset. ROC curves were plotted and AUCs were calculated to estimate the predictive power of the IRGPI model to prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to screen the enriched KEGG pathways in the high-risk and low-risk phenotype. Correlations between IRGPI and clinical characteristic, immune checkpoint expression, TMB, immune cell infiltration, immune function, immune dysfunction, immune exclusion, immune subtype were analyzed. RESULTS Totally 680 DEIRGs were identified. Three independent IRGs,NR5A2, PPARGC1A and LGALS4, were independently related to survival. NR5A2, PPARGC1A and LGALS4 were used to establish the IRGPI model. Survival analysis showed that patients with high-risk showed worse survival than patients in the low-risk group. The AUC of the IRGPI model for 1-year, 3-year and 5-year were 0.584, 0.608 and 0.697, respectively. Univariate analysis and multivariate cox regression analysis indicated that IRGPI were independent prognostic factors for survival. Stratified survival analysis showed that patients with IRGPI low-risk and low TMB had the best survival, which suggested that combination of TMB and IRGPI can better predict clinical outcome. Immune cell infiltration, immune function, immune checkpoint expression and immune exclusion were different between IRGPI high-risk and low-risk patients. CONCLUSION An immune-related genes prognostic index (IRGPI) was constructed and validated in the current study and the IRGPI maybe a potential biomarker for evaluating response to immunotherapy and clinical outcome for colon cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yabin Jin
- Institute of Clinical Research, The First People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Jianzhong Deng
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Bing Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Yubo Zhong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Si Yu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Si Yu,
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Role of oncogenic KRAS in the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:143. [PMID: 34742312 PMCID: PMC8571891 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease at the cellular and molecular levels. Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) is a commonly mutated oncogene in CRC, with mutations in approximately 40% of all CRC cases; its mutations result in constitutive activation of the KRAS protein, which acts as a molecular switch to persistently stimulate downstream signaling pathways, including cell proliferation and survival, thereby leading to tumorigenesis. Patients whose CRC harbors KRAS mutations have a dismal prognosis. Currently, KRAS mutation testing is a routine clinical practice before treating metastatic cases, and the approaches developed to detect KRAS mutations have exhibited favorable sensitivity and accuracy. Due to the presence of KRAS mutations, this group of CRC patients requires more precise therapies. However, KRAS was historically thought to be an undruggable target until the development of KRASG12C allele-specific inhibitors. These promising inhibitors may provide novel strategies to treat KRAS-mutant CRC. Here, we provide an overview of the role of KRAS in the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of CRC.
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Wu Y, Fu Y, He K, Song H. Pan-cancer analysis of nemo-like kinase (NLK) expression convergence to pancreatic adenocarcinoma that has diagnostic, prognostic and treatment value. GENE REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2021.101260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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