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Riaz F, Wei P, Pan F. Fine-tuning of regulatory T cells is indispensable for the metabolic steatosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: A review. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:949603. [PMID: 35912096 PMCID: PMC9337771 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.949603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of chronic hepatic diseases are caused by nutritional imbalance. These nutritional inequities include excessive intake of alcohol and fat, which causes alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), respectively. The pathogenesis of hepatic diseases is mainly dependent on oxidative stress, autophagy, DNA damage, and gut microbiota and their metabolites. These factors influence the normal physiology of the liver and impact the hepatic microenvironment. The hepatic microenvironment contains several immune cells and inflammatory cytokines which interact with each other and contribute to the progression of chronic hepatic diseases. Among these immune cells, Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are the crucial subset of CD4+ T cells that create an immunosuppressive environment. This review emphasizes the function of Tregs in the pathogenesis of ALD and NAFLD and their role in the progression of NAFLD-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Briefly, Tregs establish an immunosuppressive landscape in the liver by interacting with the innate immune cells and gut microbiota and their metabolites. Meanwhile, with the advancement of steatosis, these Tregs inhibit the proliferation, activation and functions of other cytotoxic T cells and support the progression of simple steatosis to HCC. Briefly, it can be suggested that targeting Tregs can act as a favourable prognostic indicator by modulating steatosis and insulin resistance during the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and NAFLD-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farooq Riaz
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Department of otolaryngology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Fan Pan
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Fan Pan,
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Gao Y, You M, Fu J, Tian M, Zhong X, Du C, Hong Z, Zhu Z, Liu J, Markowitz GJ, Wang FS, Yang P. Intratumoral stem-like CCR4+ regulatory T cells orchestrate the immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC associated with hepatitis B. J Hepatol 2022; 76:148-159. [PMID: 34689996 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion increases antitumor immunity. However, severe autoimmunity can occur following systemic loss of Tregs, which could be avoided by selectively depleting intratumoral Tregs. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of tumor-infiltrating CCR4+ Tregs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to provide a potential target strategy for immunotherapy. METHODS CCR4+ Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry in murine models and clinical samples. The function of tumor-infiltrating and induced CCR4+ Tregs was interrogated by genetic and epigenetic approaches. To block CCR4+ Treg chemotaxis, we developed an N-terminus recombinant protein of CCR4 (N-CCR4-Fc) as a neutralizing pseudo-receptor that effectively bound to its ligand CCL22. The efficacy of CCR4 antagonism as an immunotherapeutic agent was evaluated by tumor weights, growth kinetics and survival curves. RESULTS CCR4+ Tregs were the predominant type of Tregs recruited to hepatitis B-associated HCC (HBV+ HCC), correlating with sorafenib resistance and HBV load titers. Compared with CCR4- Tregs, CCR4+ Tregs exhibited increased IL-10 and IL-35 expression, and enhanced functionality in suppressing CD8+ T cells. CCR4+ Tregs also displayed PD-1+TCF1+ stem-like properties. ATAC-seq data revealed substantial chromatin remodeling between tumor-infiltrating Tregs (TIL-Tregs) and induced Tregs, suggesting that long-term chromatin reprogramming accounted for the acquisition of enhanced immunosuppressive stem-like specificity by CCR4+ TIL-Tregs. Treatment with a CCR4 antagonist or N-CCR4-Fc blocked intratumoral Treg accumulation, overcame sorafenib resistance, and sensitized tumors to PD-1 checkpoint blockade. CONCLUSIONS Intratumoral stem-like CCR4+ Tregs orchestrated immunosuppressive resource cells in the tumor microenvironment. CCR4 could be targeted to enhance antitumor immunity by specifically blocking infiltration of Tregs into the tumor microenvironment and inhibiting maintenance of the TIL-Treg pool. LAY SUMMARY Targeting regulatory T cells is a promising approach in cancer immunotherapy; however, severe autoimmunity can occur following systemic regulatory T cell loss. This could be avoided by selectively depleting intratumoral regulatory T cells. Herein, targeting intratumoral stem-like CCR4+ regulatory T cells helped to overcome sorafenib resistance and sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade in mouse models of liver cancer. This approach could have wide clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing 401338, China
| | - Maojun You
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing 401338, China
| | - Junliang Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Meijie Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xinyue Zhong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chengzhi Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhixian Hong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Junliang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Geoffrey J Markowitz
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Neuberger Berman Lung Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Fu-Sheng Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing 100039, China.
| | - Pengyuan Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing 401338, China.
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Tan Y, Chen Q, Li X, Zeng Z, Xiong W, Li G, Li X, Yang J, Xiang B, Yi M. Pyroptosis: a new paradigm of cell death for fighting against cancer. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:153. [PMID: 33941231 PMCID: PMC8091792 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01959-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unraveling the mystery of cell death is one of the most fundamental progresses of life sciences during the past decades. Regulated cell death (RCD) or programmed cell death (PCD) is not only essential in embryonic development, but also plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of diseases, especially cancers. Escaping of cell death is one of hallmarks of cancer. MAIN BODY Pyroptosis is an inflammatory cell death usually caused by microbial infection, accompanied by activation of inflammasomes and maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). Gasdermin family proteins are the executors of pyroptosis. Cytotoxic N-terminal of gasdermins generated from caspases or granzymes proteases mediated cleavage of gasdermin proteins oligomerizes and forms pore across cell membrane, leading to release of IL-1β, IL-18. Pyroptosis exerts tumor suppression function and evokes anti-tumor immune responses. Therapeutic regimens, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immune therapy, induce pyroptosis in cancer, which potentiate local and systemic anti-tumor immunity. On the other hand, pyroptosis of normal cells attributes to side effects of anti-cancer therapies. CONCLUSION In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of pyroptosis and the tumor suppressive function of pyroptosis. We discuss the attribution of pyroptosis in reprogramming tumor microenvironments and restoration of anti-tumor immunity and its potential application in cancer immune therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Tan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, The Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Quanzhu Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoling Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Guiyuan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Xiayu Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Jianbo Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Bo Xiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Mei Yi
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China. .,Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, The Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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Hadamitzky M, Lückemann L, Pacheco-López G, Schedlowski M. Pavlovian Conditioning of Immunological and Neuroendocrine Functions. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:357-405. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00033.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of behaviorally conditioned immunological and neuroendocrine functions has been investigated for the past 100 yr. The observation that associative learning processes can modify peripheral immune functions was first reported and investigated by Ivan Petrovic Pavlov and his co-workers. Their work later fell into oblivion, also because so little was known about the immune system’s function and even less about the underlying mechanisms of how learning, a central nervous system activity, could affect peripheral immune responses. With the employment of a taste-avoidance paradigm in rats, this phenomenon was rediscovered 45 yr ago as one of the most fascinating examples of the reciprocal functional interaction between behavior, the brain, and peripheral immune functions, and it established psychoneuroimmunology as a new research field. Relying on growing knowledge about efferent and afferent communication pathways between the brain, neuroendocrine system, primary and secondary immune organs, and immunocompetent cells, experimental animal studies demonstrate that cellular and humoral immune and neuroendocrine functions can be modulated via associative learning protocols. These (from the classical perspective) learned immune responses are clinically relevant, since they affect the development and progression of immune-related diseases and, more importantly, are also inducible in humans. The increased knowledge about the neuropsychological machinery steering learning and memory processes together with recent insight into the mechanisms mediating placebo responses provide fascinating perspectives to exploit these learned immune and neuroendocrine responses as supportive therapies, the aim being to reduce the amount of medication required, diminishing unwanted drug side effects while maximizing the therapeutic effect for the patient’s benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hadamitzky
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Health Sciences Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), Campus Lerma, Mexico; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Lückemann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Health Sciences Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), Campus Lerma, Mexico; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustavo Pacheco-López
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Health Sciences Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), Campus Lerma, Mexico; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Manfred Schedlowski
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Health Sciences Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), Campus Lerma, Mexico; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Clinical efficacy and safety of synthetic thymic peptides with chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials following the PRISMA guidelines. Int Immunopharmacol 2019; 75:105747. [PMID: 31326719 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.105747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synthetic thymic peptides (sTPs) are used with chemotherapy to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we have performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published trials to confirm the clinical efficacy and safety of sTPs, and determine the optimal types, usages, and sTP/chemotherapy combinations to produce the desired responses. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected all studies regarding combined sTP therapy and chemotherapy for NSCLC from the Chinese and English databases (up to October 2018). Bias risk was evaluated for each. Data for meta-analysis was extracted using a pre-designed form. Evidence quality was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS We included 27 randomized controlled trials containing 1925 patients, most with unclear bias risk. Combining sTPs with chemotherapy significantly increased the objective response rate [1.28, (1.13 to 1.45)], disease control rate [1.10, (1.01 to 1.18)], quality of life (QOL) [2.05, (1.62, 2.60)], and 1-year overall survival rate [1.43, (1.15 to 1.78)], with decreased risks of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal reactions. Optimal conditions included treatment in combination with gemcitabine or navelbine and cisplatin, twice a week, with one 3-week cycle. In these conditions, thymosin α1 improved both antitumor immunity and tumor response. Most results had good robustness, and their quality ranged from moderate to very low. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that treatment with sTPs, especially thymosin α1, and concomitant chemotherapy is beneficial to the patient, and provide evidence for optimal treatment regimens that may increase patient QOL and survival.
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