Clinical value of CTLA4 combined with clinicopathological factors in evaluating the prognosis of breast cancer

Advances in immunotherapy for breast cancer and feline mammary carcinoma: From molecular basis to novel therapeutic targets

The role of inflammation in cancer is a topic that has been investigated for many years. As established, inflammation emerges as a defining characteristic of cancer, presenting itself as a compelling target for therapeutic interventions in the realm of oncology. Controlling the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained paramount significance, modifying not only the effectiveness of immunotherapy but also modulating the outcomes and prognoses of standard chemotherapy and other anticancer treatments. Immunotherapy has surfaced as a central focus within the domain of tumor treatments, using immune checkpoint inhibitors as cancer therapy. Immune checkpoints and their influence on the tumor microenvironment dynamic are presently under investigation, aiming to ascertain their viability as therapeutic interventions across several cancer types. Cancer presents a significant challenge in humans and cats, where female breast cancer ranks as the most prevalent malignancy and feline mammary carcinoma stands as the third most frequent. This review seeks to summarize the data about the immune checkpoints cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) respective ongoing investigations as prospective targets for therapy for human breast cancer, while also outlining findings from studies reported on feline mammary carcinoma (FMC), strengthening the rationale for employing FMC as a representative model in the exploration of human breast cancer.

Immunohistochemical Expression of Immune Checkpoints; CTLA-4, LAG3, and TIM-3 in Cancer Cells and Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in Colorectal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is considered the third most prevalent cancer in both sexes. Immune checkpoint receptors that regulate T-cell response, stimulation, and development include lymphocyte activating gene 3 (LAG-3), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3). In addition, they are crucial for the advancement of cancer and tumor immune escape.

OBJECTIVE

This work's aim was to assess the immunohistochemistry expression of Tim-3, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 in cancer cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the correlation between these markers and clinicopathological variables and survival data.

METHODS

This study involved 206 CRC specimens processed for CTLA-4, LAG3, and TIM-3 immunohistochemistry and correlated with the clinicopathological and survival parameters of the patients.

RESULTS

High CTLA-4 epithelial expression was highly related to the old age group, large tumor size, low tumor-stroma ratio (TSR), high grade, advanced stage, the presence of distant metastasis (DM), perineural invasion (PNI), necrosis, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), relapse, mortality, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS), while negative CTLA-4 TILs expression was highly linked with the presence of gross perforation, low TSR, high tumor budding (TB) score, high grade, advanced stage, the existence of lymph node (LN) metastasis, DM, necrosis, LVI, PNI, DFS, mortality, and OS. Positive LAG-3 TILs expression was highly correlated with large tumor size, gross perforation, low TSR, high TB score, high grade, advanced phase, the presence of LN, necrosis, LVI, PNI, relapse DFS, mortality, and OS. High Tim-3 epithelial expression was extremely linked with low TSR, advanced phase, the presence of LN, LVI, PNI, relapse, DFS, mortality, and OS, while positive Tim-3 TILs expression was related to gross perforation, low TSR, high TB score, advanced stage, the presence of LN, DM, necrosis, relapse, DFS, mortality, and OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients' poor prognosis may be related to the immunohistochemistry expression of LAG-3, Tim-3, and CTLA-4 in CRC cancer tissue and TILs. Poor patient consequences can result from the CTLA-4, Tim-3, and LAG-3 co-expression, but CTLA-4 TILs' expression of these proteins may inhibit the growth of tumors.

Breast Cancer with Brain Metastasis: Molecular Insights and Clinical Management

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Brain metastases are a primary contributor to mortality, as they often go undetected until late stages due to their dormant nature. Moreover, the clinical management of brain metastases is complicated by the relevant issue of blood-brain barrier penetration. The molecular pathways involved in the formation, progression, and colonization of primary breast tumors and subsequent brain metastases are diverse, posing significant hurdles due to the heterogeneous nature of breast cancer subtypes. Despite advancements in primary breast cancer treatments, the prognosis for patients with brain metastases remains poor. In this review, we aim to highlight the biological mechanisms of breast cancer brain metastases by evaluating multi-step genetic pathways and to discuss currently available and emerging treatment strategies to propose a prospective overview of the management of this complex disease.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility: Evidence from a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is an immune checkpoint and regulates the immune function of T cells. However, previous findings regarding the association of CTLA-4 polymorphisms and breast cancer remain inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the potential effects of five polymorphisms (-1722 T/C, -1661 A/G -318 C/T, +49 A/G, and CT60 A/G) in the CTLA-4 gene on breast cancer susceptibility.

METHODS

Relevant literatures were systematically searched through electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to October 10, 2021. Available data were extracted and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the pooling effect size. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied for assessing the quality of included studies. We conducted subgroup analyses based on ethnicity and control sources to explore levels of heterogeneity. Moreover, sensitivity analysis and publication bias were assessed.

RESULTS

Finally, a total of 12 eligible studies regarding CTLA-4 polymorphisms and breast cancer were included. For overall analyses, only the +49 A/G polymorphism was significantly associated with breast cancer under allelic (OR = 1.19), dominant (OR = 1.27), and recessive (OR = 1.27) models. Ethnicity-based subgroup analysis found that the +49 A/G polymorphism has a significant risk (OR = 2.03) of breast cancer under the recessive model in the non-Asian population. Studies with hospital-based controls showed that the +49 A/G polymorphism has significant breast cancer risks under allelic (OR = 1.44), dominant (OR = 1.86), and recessive (OR = 1.60) models. In addition, those with population-based controls found that -1722 T/C polymorphism has a significant breast cancer risk under allelic (OR = 1.19) and dominant (OR = 1.26) models.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis suggested that CTLA-4 + 49 A/G polymorphism may significantly associate with breast cancer susceptibility. Future studies containing various populations are helpful for evaluating the impacts of CTLA-4 polymorphisms on breast cancer susceptibility.

Identification of prognostic candidate signatures by systematically revealing transcriptome characteristics in lung adenocarcinoma with differing tumor microenvironment immune phenotypes

Accumulated evidence shows that tumor microenvironment plays crucial roles in predicting clinical outcomes of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The current study aimed to identify some potentially prognostic signatures by systematically revealing the transcriptome characteristics in LUADs with differing immune phenotypes. LUAD gene expression data were retrieved from the public TCGA and GEO databases, and the transcriptome characteristics were systematically revealed using a comprehensive bioinformatics method including single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis, protein and protein interaction (PPI) network construction, competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network construction, weighted gene coexpression network analysis and prognostic model establishment. Finally, 1169 key DEGs associated with LUAD immune phenotype, including 88 immune DEGs, were excavated. Five essential and eight immune essential DEGs were separately identified by constructing two PPI networks based on the above DEGs. Totals of 1085 key DElncRNAs and 45 key DEmiRNAs were excavated and one ceRNA network consisting of 26 DEmRNAs, 3 DEmiRNAs and 57 DElncRNAs were established. The most significant gene coexpression module (cor=0.63 and p=3e-55) associated with LUAD immune phenotypes and three genes (FGR, BTK, SPI1) related to the immune cell infiltration were identified. Three robust prognostic signatures including a 9-lncRNA, an 8-lncRNA and an 8-mRNA were established. The areas under the curves of 5-year correlated with overall survival rate were separately 0.7319, 0.7228 and 0.713 in the receiver operating characteristic curve. The findings provide novel insights into the immunological mechanism in LUAD biology and in predicting the prognosis of LUAD patients.