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Yu L, Hu X, Zhu H. Predictive value of procollagen c-protease enhancer protein on the prognosis of glioma patients. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28089. [PMID: 38533063 PMCID: PMC10963382 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Procollagen c-protease enhancer protein (PCOLCE) performs an essential action in improving the recreation of procollagen c-protease and promoting the reconstruction of extracellular matrix. High PCOLCE expression was associated with a negative prognosis of stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteosarcoma. The goal of this work is to investigate the function of PCOLCE in glioma. Multiple bioinformatics techniques have been employed to investigate the roles of PCOLCE in glioma, consisting of the correlation between PCOLCE and prognosis, immune checkpoints, immune cell infiltrates, and tumor microenvironment (TME). The gene ontology (GO) annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to assess the potential function of PCOLCE in glioma. PCOLCE was found to be increased in glioma. We revealed that PCOLCE was a potential prognostic factor and related to tumor grade. Up-regulated PCOLCE was related to poor prognosis in lower-grade glioma (LGG), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and recurrent glioma. PCOLCE was correlated with immune cell infiltration, particularly B cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells (DCs) in LGG, and DCs infiltration in GBM. PCOLCE was co-expressed with many genes related to the immune and the immune checkpoint. In addition, glioma patients with low expression of PCOLCE had a higher response to the immunological checkpoint blockade (ICB). Additionally, PCOLCE may exert its roles via several immune-related biological processes or pathways, such as leukocyte migration, activation of T cells, adaptive immune response, neutrophil-mediated immunity, NF-κB, and TNF signaling pathways. In conclusion, PCOLCE may be a new immune-related gene and regulate tumor development through immunological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luli Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shangrao People's Hospital, Shangrao, 334000, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Xinyao Hu
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Hua Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
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Su J, Huo M, Xu F, Ding L. Molecular mechanism of lycorine in the treatment of glioblastoma based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:1551-1559. [PMID: 37668687 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02702-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Lycorine is a naturally active alkaloid that has been shown to have inhibitory effects on a variety of cancers. However, the underlying mechanism of lycorine in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of lycorine in the treatment of GBM based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Lycorine-related targets overlapped with GBM-related targets to obtain intersections that represent potential anti-GBM targets for lycorine. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING online database and analyzed by Cytoscape software, and 10 key target genes (AKT1, SRC, HSP90AA1, HRAS, MMP9, BCL2L1, IGF1, MAPK14, STAT1, and KDR) were obtained, which played an important role in the therapeutic effect of lycorine on GBM. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that lycorine acts on GBM by multiple pathways, including inducing apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production. The molecular docking results showed that lycorine had strong binding efficiency with the 10 key genes. In addition, we found that the use of lycorine-induced apoptosis in U-87 MG glioblastoma cells. Here, the mechanism of action of lycorine against GBM was elucidated and verified by experiments, which provided evidence support for its clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Su
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Mengmeng Huo
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Fengnan Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China
| | - Liqiong Ding
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
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Zhou Y, Gao W, Xu Y, Wang J, Wang X, Shan L, Du L, Sun Q, Li H, Liu F. Implications of different cell death patterns for prognosis and immunity in lung adenocarcinoma. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:121. [PMID: 37968457 PMCID: PMC10651893 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00456-y] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has become a focus of attention due to its low response to treatment, poor prognosis, and lack of reliable indicators to predict the progression or therapeutic effect of LUAD. Different cell death patterns play a crucial role in tumor development and are promising for predicting LUAD prognosis. From the TCGA and GEO databases, we obtained bulk transcriptomes, single-cell transcriptomes, and clinical information. Genes in 15 types of cell death were analyzed for cell death index (CDI) signature establishment. The CDI signature using necroptosis + immunologic cell death-related genes was established in the TCGA cohort with the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year AUC values were 0.772, 0.736, 0.723, 0.795, and 0.743, respectively. The prognosis was significantly better in the low CDI group than in the high CDI group. We also investigated the relationship between the CDI signature and clinical variables, published prognosis biomarkers, immune cell infiltration, functional enrichment pathways, and immunity biomarkers. In vitro assay showed that HNRNPF and FGF2 promoted lung cancer cell proliferation and migration and were also involved in cell death. Therefore, as a robust prognosis biomarker, CDI signatures can screen for patients who might benefit from immunotherapy and improve diagnostic accuracy and LUAD patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Weitong Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Xu
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, 150030, Harbin, China
| | - Jiale Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China
| | - Liying Shan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Lijuan Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Qingyu Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China.
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Zohair B, Chraa D, Rezouki I, Benthami H, Razzouki I, Elkarroumi M, Olive D, Karkouri M, Badou A. The immune checkpoint adenosine 2A receptor is associated with aggressive clinical outcomes and reflects an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in human breast cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1201632. [PMID: 37753093 PMCID: PMC10518422 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1201632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The crosstalk between the immune system and cancer cells has aroused considerable interest over the past decades. To escape immune surveillance cancer cells evolve various strategies orchestrating tumor microenvironment. The discovery of the inhibitory immune checkpoints was a major breakthrough due to their crucial contribution to immune evasion. The A2AR receptor represents one of the most essential pathways within the TME. It is involved in several processes such as hypoxia, tumor progression, and chemoresistance. However, its clinical and immunological significance in human breast cancer remains elusive. Methods The mRNA expression and protein analysis were performed by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. The log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test was used to estimate Kaplan-Meier analysis for overall survival. Using large-scale microarray data (METABRIC), digital cytometry was conducted to estimate cell abundance. Analysis was performed using RStudio software (7.8 + 2023.03.0) with EPIC, CIBERSORT, and ImmuneCellAI algorithms. Tumor purity, stromal and immune scores were calculated using the ESTIMATE computational method. Finally, analysis of gene set enrichment (GSEA) and the TISCH2 scRNA-seq database were carried out. Results Gene and protein analysis showed that A2AR was overexpressed in breast tumors and was significantly associated with high grade, elevated Ki-67, aggressive molecular and histological subtypes, as well as poor survival. On tumor infiltrating immune cells, A2AR was found to correlate positively with PD-1 and negatively with CTLA-4. On the other hand, our findings disclosed more profuse infiltration of protumoral cells such as M0 and M2 macrophages, Tregs, endothelial and exhausted CD8+ T cells within A2ARhigh tumors. According to the Single-Cell database, A2AR is expressed in malignant, stromal and immune cells. Moreover, it is related to tumor purity, stromal and immune scores. Our results also revealed that CD8+T cells from A2ARhigh patients exhibited an exhausted functional profile. Finally, GSEA analysis highlighted the association of A2AR with biological mechanisms involved in tumor escape and progression. Conclusion The present study is the first to elucidate the clinical and immunological relevance of A2AR in breast cancer patients. In light of these findings, A2AR could be deemed a promising therapeutic target to overcome immune evasion prevailing within the TME of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma Zohair
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory (LIGEP), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Dounia Chraa
- Team Immunity and Cancer, The Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, 41068, CNRS, UMR7258, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, UM 105, Marseille, France
| | - Ibtissam Rezouki
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory (LIGEP), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Hamza Benthami
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory (LIGEP), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ibtissam Razzouki
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Elkarroumi
- Mohamed VI Oncology Center, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Daniel Olive
- Team Immunity and Cancer, The Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, 41068, CNRS, UMR7258, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, UM 105, Marseille, France
| | - Mehdi Karkouri
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory (LIGEP), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research & Innovation, Rabat, Morocco and Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco
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Miftah H, Naji O, Ssi SA, Ghouzlani A, Lakhdar A, Badou A. NR2F6, a new immune checkpoint that acts as a potential biomarker of immunosuppression and contributes to poor clinical outcome in human glioma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1139268. [PMID: 37575237 PMCID: PMC10419227 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1139268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intoroduction Nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 6 (NR2F6) is a promising checkpoint target for cancer immunotherapy. However, there has been no investigation of NR2F6 in glioma. Our study systematically explored the clinical characteristics and biological functions of NR2F6 in gliomas. Methods We extracted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of 663 glioma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as the training cohort and 325 samples from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) as the validation cohort. We also confirmed the NR2F6 gene expression feature in our own cohort of 60 glioma patients. R language and GraphPad Prism softwares were mainly used for statistical analysis and graphical work. Results We found that NR2F6 was significantly related to high tumor aggressiveness and poor outcomes for glioma patients. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that NR2F6 was associated with many biological processes that are related to glioma progression, such as angiogenesis, and with multiple immune-related functions. Moreover, NR2F6 was found to be significantly correlated with stromal and immune infiltration in gliomas. Subsequent analysis based on Gliomas single-cell sequencing datasets showed that NR2F6 was expressed in immune cells, tumor cells, and stromal cells. Mechanistically, results suggested that NR2F6 might act as a potential immunosuppression-mediated molecule in the glioma microenvironment through multiple ways, such as the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells, secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, M2 polarization of macrophages, in addition to combining with other immune checkpoint inhibitors. Conclusion Our findings indicated that intracellular targeting of NR2F6 in both immune cells and tumor cells, as well as stromal cells, may represent a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for glioma. Stromal cells, may represent a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayat Miftah
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Oumayma Naji
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ait Ssi
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Amina Ghouzlani
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdelhakim Lakhdar
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center (UHC) Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco
- Laboratory of Research on Neurologic, Neurosensorial Diseases and Handicap, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco
- Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco
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Petkovic M, Yalçin M, Heese O, Relógio A. Differential expression of the circadian clock network correlates with tumour progression in gliomas. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:154. [PMID: 37400829 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01585-w] [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: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gliomas are tumours arising mostly from astrocytic or oligodendrocytic precursor cells. These tumours are classified according to the updated WHO classification from 2021 in 4 grades depending on molecular and histopathological criteria. Despite novel multimodal therapeutic approaches, the vast majority of gliomas (WHO grade III and IV) are not curable. The circadian clock is an important regulator of numerous cellular processes and its dysregulation had been found during the progression of many cancers, including gliomas. RESULTS In this study, we explore expression patterns of clock-controlled genes in low-grade glioma (LGG) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and show that a set of 45 clock-controlled genes can be used to distinguish GBM from normal tissue. Subsequent analysis identified 17 clock-controlled genes with a significant association with survival. The results point to a loss of correlation strength within elements of the circadian clock network in GBM compared to LGG. We further explored the progression patterns of mutations in LGG and GBM, and showed that tumour suppressor APC is lost late both in LGG and GBM. Moreover, HIF1A, involved in cellular response to hypoxia, exhibits subclonal losses in LGG, and TERT, involved in the formation of telomerase, is lost late in the GBM progression. By examining multi-sample LGG data, we find that the clock-controlled driver genes APC, HIF1A, TERT and TP53 experience frequent subclonal gains and losses. CONCLUSIONS Our results show a higher level of disrgulation at the gene expression level in GBM compared to LGG, and indicate an association between the differentially expressed clock-regulated genes and patient survival in both LGG and GBM. By reconstructing the patterns of progression in LGG and GBM, our data reveals the relatively late gains and losses of clock-regulated glioma drivers. Our analysis emphasizes the role of clock-regulated genes in glioma development and progression. Yet, further research is needed to asses their value in the development of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Petkovic
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Müge Yalçin
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine, Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Heese
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spinal Surgery, HELIOS Medical Center Schwerin, University Campus of MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angela Relógio
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Systems Medicine, Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457, Hamburg, Germany.
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Boulhen C, AIT SSI S, Benthami H, Razzouki I, Lakhdar A, Karkouri M, Badou A. TMIGD2 as a potential therapeutic target in glioma patients. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1173518. [PMID: 37261362 PMCID: PMC10227580 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1173518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Among all types of central nervous system cancers, glioma remains the most frequent primary brain tumor in adults. Despite significant advances in immunomodulatory therapies, notably immune checkpoint inhibitors, their effectiveness remains constrained due to glioma resistance. The discovery of TMIGD2 (Transmembrane and Immunoglobulin Domain Containing 2) as an immuno-stimulatory receptor, constitutively expressed on naive T cells and most natural killer (NK) cells, has emerged as an attractive immunotherapy target in a variety of cancers. The expression profile of TMIGD2 and its significance in the overall survival of glioma patients remains unknown. Methods In the present study, we first assessed TMIGD2 mRNA expression using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) glioma transcriptome dataset (667 patients), followed by validation with the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) cohort (693 patients). Secondly, we examined TMIGD2 protein staining in a series of 25 paraffin-embedded blocks from Moroccan glioma patients. The statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8 software. Results TMIGD2 expression was found to be significantly higher in astrocytoma, IDH-1 mutations, low-grade, and young glioma patients. TMIGD2 was expressed on immune cells and, surprisingly, on tumor cells of glioma patients. Interestingly, our study demonstrated that TMIGD2 expression was negatively correlated with angiogenesis, hypoxia, G2/M checkpoint, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition signaling pathways. We also demonstrated that dendritic cells, monocytes, NK cells, gd T cells, and naive CD8 T cell infiltration correlates positively with TMIGD2 expression. On the other hand, Mantel-Cox analysis demonstrated that increased expression of TMIGD2 in human gliomas is associated with good overall survival. Cox multivariable analysis revealed that TMIGD2 is an independent predictor of a good prognosis in glioma patients. Discussion Taken together, our results highlight the tight implication of TMIGD2 in glioma progression and show its promising therapeutic potential as a stimulatory target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaimae Boulhen
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Saadia AIT SSI
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Hamza Benthami
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ibtissam Razzouki
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdelhakim Lakhdar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mehdi Karkouri
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco and Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco
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Rafii S, Ghouzlani A, Naji O, Ait Ssi S, Kandoussi S, Lakhdar A, Badou A. A2AR as a Prognostic Marker and a Potential Immunotherapy Target in Human Glioma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076688. [PMID: 37047660 PMCID: PMC10095519 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are considered one of the most malignant tumors in the body. The immune system has the ability to control the initiation and development of tumors, including gliomas. Thus, immune cells find themselves controlled by various molecular pathways, inhibiting their activation, such as the immunosuppressive adenosine 2A receptor (A2AR). Our objective was to establish the expression profile and role of A2AR at the transcriptomic level, using real-time RT-PCR in Moroccan glioma patients, in addition to TCGA and CGGA cohorts. The real-time RT-PCR results in Moroccan patients showed that high expression of this gene was associated with poor survival in males. Our study on the CGGA cohort corroborated these results. In addition, there was a positive association of A2AR with T-cell exhaustion genes. A2AR also correlated strongly with genes that are primarily enriched in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix interactions, inducing epithelial mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and glioma growth. However, in the TCGA cohort, the A2AR showed results that were different from the two previously examined cohorts. In fact, this gene was instead linked to a good prognosis in patients with the astrocytoma histological type. The correlation and enrichment results reinforced the prognostic role of A2AR in this TCGA cohort, in which its high expression was shown to be related to lymphocyte differentiation and a successful cytolytic response, suggesting a more efficient anti-tumor immune response. Correlations and differential analyses based on A2AR gene expression, to understand the cause of the association of this gene with two different prognoses (CGGA males and TCGA Astrocytoma), showed that the overexpression of A2AR in Chinese male patients could be associated with the overexpression of extracellular adenosine, which binds to A2AR to induce immunosuppression and consequently a poor prognosis. However, in the second group (TCGA astrocytomas), the overexpression of the gene could be associated with an adenosine deficiency, and therefore this receptor does not undergo activation. The absence of A2AR activation in these patients may have protected them from immunosuppression, which could reflect the good prognosis. A2AR can be considered a promising therapeutic target in male CGGA and Moroccan patients with gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumaya Rafii
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Amina Ghouzlani
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Oumayma Naji
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ait Ssi
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Sarah Kandoussi
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | | | - Abdallah Badou
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco and Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca 82403, Morocco
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Rezouki I, Zohair B, Ssi SA, Karkouri M, Razzouki I, Elkarroumi M, Badou A. High VISTA expression is linked to a potent epithelial-mesenchymal transition and is positively correlated with PD1 in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1154631. [PMID: 37152039 PMCID: PMC10157209 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1154631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common type of tumor in women worldwide. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly anti-PDL1, have shown promise as a therapeutic approach for managing this disease. However, this type of immunotherapy still fails to work for some patients, leading researchers to explore alternative immune checkpoint targets. The Ig suppressor of T cell activation domain V (VISTA) has emerged as a novel immune checkpoint that delivers inhibitory signals to T cells and has demonstrated encouraging results in various cancers. Our study investigated the association of VISTA expression with clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer patients, its involvement in the Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) process, and its correlation with PD1 expression. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that VISTA was associated with lobular and metaplastic histological type, tumor size, lymph node status, ER and PR negative status, and the TNBC molecular subtype. Furthermore, VISTA expression was strongly associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Immunohistochemistry analysis corroborated the transcriptomic results, indicating that VISTA was expressed in most immune cells (94%) and was significantly expressed in breast cancer tumor cells compared to matched adjacent tissues. Our study also showed for the first time that VISTA overexpression in breast cancer cells could be associated with the EMT process. Additionally, we identified a positive correlation between VISTA and PD-1 expression. Together, these results highlight the immunosuppressive effect of VISTA in breast cancer patients and suggest that bi-specific targeting of VISTA and PD-1 in combination therapy could be beneficial for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtissam Rezouki
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Basma Zohair
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ait Ssi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mehdi Karkouri
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ibtissam Razzouki
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Elkarroumi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco, and Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco
- *Correspondence: Abdallah Badou, ; ;
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Kone AS, Ait Ssi S, Sahraoui S, Badou A. BTN3A: A Promising Immune Checkpoint for Cancer Prognosis and Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13424. [PMID: 36362212 PMCID: PMC9653866 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Butyrophilin-3A (BTN3A) subfamily members are a group of immunoglobulins present on the surface of different cell types, including innate and cancer cells. Due to their high similarity with the B7 family members, different studies have been conducted and revealed the involvement of BTN3A molecules in modulating T cell activity within the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, a great part of this research focused on γδ T cells and how BTN3A contributes to their functions. In this review, we will depict the roles and various aspects of BTN3A molecules in distinct tumor microenvironments and review how BTN3A receptors modulate diverse immune effector functions including those of CD4+ (Th1), cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and NK cells. We will also highlight the potential of BTN3A molecules as therapeutic targets for effective immunotherapy and successful cancer control, which could represent a bright future for patient treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdou-samad Kone
- Laboratory of Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ait Ssi
- Laboratory of Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Souha Sahraoui
- Mohammed VI Center of Oncology, CHU Ibn Rochd, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Laboratory of Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
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11
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He S, Yu J, Sun W, Sun Y, Tang M, Meng B, Liu Y, Li J. A comprehensive pancancer analysis reveals the potential value of RAR-related orphan receptor C (RORC) for cancer immunotherapy. Front Genet 2022; 13:969476. [PMID: 36186454 PMCID: PMC9520743 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.969476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: RAR-related orphan receptor C (RORC) plays an important role in autoimmune responses and inflammation. However, its function in cancer immunity is still unclear. Its potential value in cancer immunotherapy (CIT) needs to be further studied. Methods: Expression and clinical data for 33 cancers were obtained from UCSC-Xena. The correlation between RORC expression and clinical parameters was analyzed using the limma software package to assess the prognostic value of RORC. Timer2.0 and DriverDBv3 were used to analyze the RORC mutation and methylation profiles. RORC-associated signaling pathways were identified by GSEA. The correlations of RORC expression with tumor microenvironment factors were further assessed, including immune cell infiltration (obtained by CIBERSORT) and immunomodulators (in pancancer datasets from the Tumor-Immune System Interactions and Drug Bank [TISIDB] database). In addition, the correlations of RORC with four CIT biomarkers (tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, programmed death ligand-1, and mismatch repair) were explored. Furthermore, three CIT cohorts (GSE67501, GSE168204, and IMvigor210) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and a previously published study were used to determine the association between RORC expression and CIT response. Results: RORC was differentially expressed in many tumor tissues relative to normal tissues (20/33). In a small number of cancers, RORC expression was correlated with age (7/33), sex (4/33), and tumor stage (9/33). Furthermore, RORC expression showed prognostic value in many cancers, especially in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), brain lower grade glioma (LGG), and mesothelioma (MESO). The mutation rate of RORC in most cancer types was low, while RORC was hypermethylated or hypomethylated in multiple cancers. RORC was associated with a variety of biological processes and signal transduction pathways in various cancers. Furthermore, RORC was strongly correlated with immune cell infiltration, immunomodulators, and CIT biomarkers. However, no significant association was found between RORC and CIT response in the three CIT cohorts. Conclusion Our findings revealed the potential immunotherapeutic value of RORC for various cancers and provides preliminary evidence for the application of RORC in CIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengfu He
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jiawen Yu
- Department of Oncology, Anqing First People’s Hospital of Anhui Medical University/Anqing First People’s Hospital of Anhui Province, Anqing, China
| | - Weijie Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yating Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mingyang Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Bao Meng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Center for Surveillance of Bacterial Resistance, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Yanyan Liu, ; Jiabin Li,
| | - Jiabin Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Center for Surveillance of Bacterial Resistance, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Yanyan Liu, ; Jiabin Li,
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12
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Lin YJ, Wu CYJ, Wu JY, Lim M. The Role of Myeloid Cells in GBM Immunosuppression. Front Immunol 2022; 13:887781. [PMID: 35711434 PMCID: PMC9192945 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887781] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are intrinsic brain tumors that originate from glial cells. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive glioma type and resistant to immunotherapy, mainly due to its unique immune environment. Dimensional data analysis reveals that the intra-tumoral heterogeneity of immune cell populations in the glioma microenvironment is largely made up of cells of myeloid lineage. Conventional therapies of combined surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have achieved limited improvements in the prognosis of glioma patients, as myeloid cells are prominent mediators of immune and therapeutic responses—like immunotherapy resistance—in glioma. Myeloid cells are frequently seen in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and they are polarized to promote tumorigenesis and immunosuppression. Reprogramming myeloid cells has emerged as revolutionary, new types of immunotherapies for glioma treatment. Here we detail the current advances in classifying epigenetic, metabolic, and phenotypic characteristics and functions of different populations of myeloid cells in glioma TME, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), glioma-associated microglia/macrophages (GAMs), glioma-associated neutrophils (GANs), and glioma-associated dendritic cells (GADCs), as well as the mechanisms underlying promotion of tumorigenesis. The final goal of this review will be to provide new insights into novel therapeutic approaches for specific targeting of myeloid cells to improve the efficacy of current treatments in glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jui Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Caren Yu-Ju Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Janet Yuling Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Michael Lim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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13
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Liang L, Mai S, Mai G, Chen Y, Liu L. DNA damage repair-related gene signature predicts prognosis and indicates immune cell infiltration landscape in skin cutaneous melanoma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:882431. [PMID: 35957812 PMCID: PMC9361349 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.882431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA damage repair plays an important role in the onset and progression of cancers and its resistance to treatment therapy. This study aims to assess the prognostic potential of DNA damage repair markers in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). METHOD In this study, we have analyzed the gene expression profiles being downloaded from TCGA, GTEx, and GEO databases. We sequentially used univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses to screen DNA repair genes associated with prognosis. Then, we have conducted a multivariate regression analysis to construct the prognostic profile of DNA repair-related genes (DRRGs). The risk coefficient is used to calculate the risk scores and divide the patients into two cohorts. Additionally, we validated our prognosis model on an external cohort as well as evaluated the link between immune response and the DRRGs prognostic profiles. The risk signature is compared to immune cell infiltration, chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment. RESULTS An analysis using LASSO-Cox stepwise regression established a prognostic signature consisting of twelve DRRGs with strong predictive ability. Disease-specific survival (DSS) is found to be lower among high-risk patients group as compared to low-risk patients. The signature may be employed as an independent prognostic predictor after controlling for clinicopathological factors, as demonstrated by validation on one external GSE65904 cohort. A strong correlation is also found between the risk score and the immune microenvironment, along with the infiltrating immune cells, and ICIs key molecules. The gene enrichment analysis results indicate a wide range of biological activities and pathways to be exhibited by high-risk groups. Furthermore, Cisplatin exhibited a considerable response sensitivity in low-risk groups as opposed to the high-risk incidents, while docetaxel exhibited a considerable response sensitivity in high-risk groups. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a thorough investigation of DRRGs to develop an DSS-related prognostic indicator which may be useful in forecasting SKCM progression and enabling more enhanced clinical benefits from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Liang
- Department of Gastroenterology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijie Mai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Genghui Mai
- Department of Gastroenterology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Clinical Microecology Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Le Liu, ; Ye Chen,
| | - Le Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Clinical Microecology Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Le Liu, ; Ye Chen,
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14
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Barca C, Foray C, Hermann S, Herrlinger U, Remory I, Laoui D, Schäfers M, Grauer OM, Zinnhardt B, Jacobs AH. The Colony Stimulating Factor-1 Receptor (CSF-1R)-Mediated Regulation of Microglia/Macrophages as a Target for Neurological Disorders (Glioma, Stroke). Front Immunol 2021; 12:787307. [PMID: 34950148 PMCID: PMC8688767 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.787307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunomodulatory therapies have fueled interest in targeting microglial cells as part of the innate immune response after infection or injury. In this context, the colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) and its receptor (CSF-1R) have gained attention in various neurological conditions to deplete and reprogram the microglia/macrophages compartment. Published data in physiological conditions support the use of small-molecule inhibitors to study microglia/macrophages dynamics under inflammatory conditions and as a therapeutic strategy in pathologies where those cells support disease progression. However, preclinical and clinical data highlighted that the complexity of the spatiotemporal inflammatory response could limit their efficiency due to compensatory mechanisms, ultimately leading to therapy resistance. We review the current state-of-art in the field of CSF-1R inhibition in glioma and stroke and provide an overview of the fundamentals, ongoing research, potential developments of this promising therapeutic strategy and further application toward molecular imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Barca
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claudia Foray
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sven Hermann
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Herrlinger
- Division of Clinical Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Centre of Integrated Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Isabel Remory
- In vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Damya Laoui
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium.,Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michael Schäfers
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Oliver M Grauer
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bastian Zinnhardt
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Biomarkers & Translational Technologies (BTT), Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas H Jacobs
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Centre of Integrated Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Geriatrics and Neurology, Johanniter Hospital, Bonn, Germany
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15
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Ghouzlani A, Lakhdar A, Rafii S, Karkouri M, Badou A. The immune checkpoint VISTA exhibits high expression levels in human gliomas and associates with a poor prognosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21504. [PMID: 34728682 PMCID: PMC8563991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00835-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In human gliomas, anti-tumor T cell responses are inhibited through induction of local and systemic immunosuppression. Immune checkpoint blockade is proving to be a success in several types of cancers. However, many studies reported that the treatment of glioblastoma patients with anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1 has no survival benefit compared to standard chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the expression and role of VISTA, a newly described immune checkpoint regulator, in human gliomas. mRNA expression was assessed in a total of 87 samples from glioma patients. 57 glioma tissues were taken at different grades. 20 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) samples were taken before surgery and ten after surgery, all from the same set of patients. As for the control, ten specimens of PBMC were taken from healthy donors. Protein expression using immunohistochemistry was performed for 30 patients. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set, was also used to investigate VISTA expression through analysis of RNA-seq data of 667 glioma patients. In the Moroccan cohort, VISTA gene expression was significantly upregulated in glioma tissues related to PBMC of healthy donors. This high expression was specific to patient tissues since VISTA expression in PBMC was low when assessed either before or after surgery. Besides, VISTA exhibited higher expression levels in grade III/IV relative to grade I/II glioma patients. Interestingly, VISTA correlated positively with PD-1 expression. PD-1 also showed elevated expressions in higher glioma grades. The TCGA cohort corroborated these observations. Indeed, VISTA was also found to be strongly expressed in high grades. It was positively correlated with other critical immune checkpoints. Finally, increased VISTA transcript levels were associated with weak overall survival of glioma patients. Our study highlighted a correlation between high levels of VISTA expression and poor prognosis in glioma patients. VISTA might be involved in glioma progression and could be considered as a possible new therapeutic target, especially in advanced gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Ghouzlani
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdelhakim Lakhdar
- Department of Neurosurgery, UHC Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.,Laboratory of Research on Neurologic, Neurosensorial Diseases and Handicap, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Soumaya Rafii
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mehdi Karkouri
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.,Department of Pathology, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.
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