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Zhang L, Bonomi PD. Immune System Disorder and Cancer-Associated Cachexia. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1709. [PMID: 38730660 PMCID: PMC11083538 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091709] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) is a debilitating condition marked by muscle and fat loss, that is unresponsive to nutritional support and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. Immune dysfunction, driven by cytokine imbalance, contributes to CAC progression. This review explores the potential relationship between CAC and anti-cancer immune response in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Pre-clinical studies showcase the involvement of cytokines like IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and TGF-β, in CAC. IL-6 and TNF-α, interacting with muscle and adipose tissues, induce wasting through JAK/STAT and NF-κB pathways. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) exacerbate CAC by promoting inflammation. Clinical studies confirm elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNFα) and immune markers like the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with CAC. Thus, immunomodulatory mechanisms involved in CAC may impact the anti-neoplastic immune response. Inhibiting CAC mechanisms could enhance anti-cancer therapies, notably immunotherapy. R-ketorolac, a new immunomodulator, reversed the weight loss and increased survival in mice. Combining these agents with immunotherapy may benefit patients with cancer experiencing CAC. Further research is vital to understand the complex interplay between tumor-induced immune dysregulation and CAC during immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip D. Bonomi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
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2
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Laubenbacher R, Adler F, An G, Castiglione F, Eubank S, Fonseca LL, Glazier J, Helikar T, Jett-Tilton M, Kirschner D, Macklin P, Mehrad B, Moore B, Pasour V, Shmulevich I, Smith A, Voigt I, Yankeelov TE, Ziemssen T. Forum on immune digital twins: a meeting report. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:19. [PMID: 38365857 PMCID: PMC10873299 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00345-5] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Medical digital twins are computational models of human biology relevant to a given medical condition, which are tailored to an individual patient, thereby predicting the course of disease and individualized treatments, an important goal of personalized medicine. The immune system, which has a central role in many diseases, is highly heterogeneous between individuals, and thus poses a major challenge for this technology. In February 2023, an international group of experts convened for two days to discuss these challenges related to immune digital twins. The group consisted of clinicians, immunologists, biologists, and mathematical modelers, representative of the interdisciplinary nature of medical digital twin development. A video recording of the entire event is available. This paper presents a synopsis of the discussions, brief descriptions of ongoing digital twin projects at different stages of progress. It also proposes a 5-year action plan for further developing this technology. The main recommendations are to identify and pursue a small number of promising use cases, to develop stimulation-specific assays of immune function in a clinical setting, and to develop a database of existing computational immune models, as well as advanced modeling technology and infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred Adler
- Department of Mathematics and School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Gary An
- Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Filippo Castiglione
- Biotechnology Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Stephen Eubank
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Luis L Fonseca
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - James Glazier
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Tomas Helikar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | | | - Denise Kirschner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Borna Mehrad
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Beth Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Virginia Pasour
- U.S. Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - Amber Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Isabel Voigt
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas E Yankeelov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Diagnostic Medicine, Oncology, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
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3
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Dos Santos Valsecchi VA, Betoni FR, Ward LS, Cunha LL. Clinical and molecular impact of concurrent thyroid autoimmune disease and thyroid cancer: From the bench to bedside. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2024; 25:5-17. [PMID: 37889392 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-023-09846-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The recent incorporation of immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1 (programmed cell death receptor 1) and CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4) pathways into the therapeutic armamentarium of cancer has increased the need to understand the correlation between the immune system, autoimmunity, and malignant neoplasms. Both autoimmune thyroid diseases and thyroid cancer are common clinical conditions. The molecular pathology of autoimmune thyroid diseases is characterized by the important impact of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, an important inhibitory pathway involved in the regulation of T-cell responses. Insufficient inhibitory pathways may prone the thyroid tissue to a self-destructive immune response that leads to hypothyroidism. On the other hand, the PD-1/PD-L1 axis and other co-inhibitory pathways are the cornerstones of the immune escape mechanisms in thyroid cancer, which is a mechanism through which the immune response fails to recognize and eradicate thyroid tumor cells. This common mechanism raises the idea that thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid cancer may be opposite sides of the same coin, meaning that both conditions share similar molecular signatures. When associated with thyroid autoimmunity, thyroid cancer may have a less aggressive presentation, even though the molecular explanation of this clinical consequence is unclear. More studies are warranted to elucidate the molecular link between thyroid autoimmune disease and thyroid cancer. The prognostic impact that thyroid autoimmune disease, especially chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, may exert on thyroid cancer raises important insights that can help physicians to better individualize the management of patients with thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Alexandre Dos Santos Valsecchi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Endocrinology, Division of Endocrinology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Rodrigues Betoni
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Endocrinology, Division of Endocrinology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laura Sterian Ward
- Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Lucas Leite Cunha
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Endocrinology, Division of Endocrinology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Division of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Soldin I, Pereira N. Autoimmunity and Cancer: Two Stations on the Same Continuum. Cureus 2024; 16:e54317. [PMID: 38496074 PMCID: PMC10944658 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54317] [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] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Autoimmunity has been associated with different types of cancer, including hematological malignancies like lymphomas, and solid tumors. Additionally, the potential role of medication-induced immunosuppression should be considered. AIM Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between autoimmunity and the development of cancer, as well as the impact of immunosuppressive drugs on increasing cancer risk. METHODS The study sample was composed of patients who developed cancer after the administration of biological agents for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Selected patients were treated in our hospital between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2021 and followed up in internal medicine, gastroenterology, or dermatology consult. From 434 patients with autoimmune diseases using biological agents, only 20 developed cancer, which was our final study sample. The data analysis was performed using the IQVIR package version 2.0.2 (IQVIA, Durham, NC). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS We found a significant correlation between long-term corticosteroid therapy and an increased risk of cancer. However, the effect of biological therapies on cancer risk was not statistically significant. It's worth noting that our sample size was small, so we cannot extrapolate these findings. CONCLUSIONS Physicians need to be aware that treating autoimmune diseases with immunosuppressive therapies may contribute to the development of cancer. Further research is needed to determine the impact of such treatments on cancer prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Soldin
- Medical Oncology, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, Porto, PRT
| | - Nídia Pereira
- Internal Medicine, Hospital Pedro Hispano, Matosinhos, PRT
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Shi X, Wallach JD, Ma X, Rogne T. Autoimmune diseases and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A Mendelian randomisation study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.20.24301459. [PMID: 38343812 PMCID: PMC10854352 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.20.24301459] [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: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Objective To examine whether genetically predicted susceptibility to ten autoimmune diseases (Behçet's disease, coeliac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes) is associated with risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Design Two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Setting Genome wide association studies (GWASs) of ten autoimmune diseases, NHL, and four NHL subtypes (i.e., follicular lymphoma, mature T/natural killer-cell lymphomas, non-follicular lymphoma, and other and unspecified types of NHL). Analysis We used data from the largest publicly available GWASs of European ancestry for each autoimmune disease, NHL, and NHL subtypes. For each autoimmune disease, we extracted single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated (P < 5×10-8) with that disease and that were independent of one another (R2 < 1×10-3) as genetic instruments. SNPs within the human leukocyte antigen region were not considered due to potential pleiotropy. Our primary MR analysis was the inverse-variance weighted analysis. Additionally, we conducted MR-Egger, weighted mode, and weighted median regression to address potential bias due to pleiotropy, and robust adjusted profile scores to address weak instrument bias. We carried out sensitivity analysis limited to the non-immune pathway for nominally significant findings. To account for multiple testing, we set the thresholds for statistical significance at P < 5×10-3. Participants The number of cases and controls identified in the relevant GWASs were 437 and 3,325 for Behçet's disease, 4,918 and 5,684 for coeliac disease, 435 and 341,188 for dermatitis herpetiformis, 4,576 and 8,039 for lupus, 11,988 and 275,335 for psoriasis, 22,350 and 74,823 for rheumatoid arthritis, 3,597 and 337,121 for sarcoidosis, 2,735 and 332,115 for Sjögren's syndrome, 9,095 and 17,584 for systemic sclerosis, 18,942 and 501,638 for type 1 diabetes, 2,400 and 410,350 for NHL; and 296 to 2,340 cases and 271,463 controls for NHL subtypes. Exposures Genetic variants predicting ten autoimmune diseases: Behçet's disease, coeliac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes. Main outcome measures Estimated associations between genetically predicted susceptibility to ten autoimmune diseases and the risk of NHL. Results The variance of each autoimmune disease explained by the SNPs ranged from 0.3% to 3.1%. Negative associations between type 1 diabetes and sarcoidosis and the risk of NHL were observed (odds ratio [OR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92 to 0.98, P = 5×10-3, and OR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.99, P = 2.8×10-2, respectively). These findings were supported by the sensitivity analyses accounting for potential pleiotropy and weak instrument bias. No significant associations were found between the other eight autoimmune diseases and NHL risk. Of the NHL subtypes, type 1 diabetes was most strongly associated with follicular lymphoma (OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.86 to 0.96, P = 1×10-3), while sarcoidosis was most strongly associated with other and unspecified NHL (OR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75 to 0.97, P = 1.8×10-2). Conclusions These findings suggest that genetically predicted susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, and to some extent sarcoidosis, might reduce the risk of NHL. However, future studies with different datasets, approaches, and populations are warranted to further examine the potential associations between these autoimmune diseases and the risk of NHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Shi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Joshua D. Wallach
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Diseases Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Tormod Rogne
- Department of Chronic Diseases Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Shrestha K, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Ormond DR. Diagnostic challenges of neurosarcoidosis in non-endemic areas. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1220635. [PMID: 38274870 PMCID: PMC10809150 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1220635] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Neurosarcoidosis (NS) is a challenging diagnosis, particularly when cases occur in low-prevalence, non-endemic geographic regions. In the United States, the highest incidence is in the Midwest and Northeast, compared to our Southwest location. While it is well known that NS may clinically and neuroradiographically mimic meningeal carcinomatosis, autoimmune or infectious pachymeningitis, neurosyphilis, or tuberculosis, diagnosis may be particularly challenging if systemic signs of sarcoidosis are lacking or unconfirmed or if dural-based masses are present. We reviewed our Colorado experience with NS cases, focusing our study on cases where NS represented the first histological confirmation of disease. Methods A search of departmental databases was conducted with the search term "neurosarcoidosis" to identify cases 1-2008 to 12-2019, inclusive of the given case numbers. Patients were only included if their clinical and neuroimaging features were unusual and only when a biopsy of the central nervous system (CNS) represented the first confirmed diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Results A total of 17 cases were identified, of which the biopsy of the CNS was used for the initial confirmation of the disease in 9 of them. The most unusual findings were two patients with dural-based masses, one of which had pure NS as the cause of meningioma-like lesions and the second of which had coexistent meningioma and intimately admixed non-necrotizing granulomas of NS. Conclusion NS with unusual features, especially in non-endemic areas, continues to yield diagnostic challenges for neurologists, neuroradiologists, and pathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshari Shrestha
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - B. K. Kleinschmidt-DeMasters
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - D. Ryan Ormond
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
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Rithvik A, Samarpita S, Rasool M. Unleashing the pathological imprinting of cancer in autoimmunity: Is ZEB1 the answer? Life Sci 2023; 332:122115. [PMID: 37739160 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122115] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The intriguing scientific relationship between autoimmunity and cancer immunology have been traditionally indulged to throw spotlight on novel pathological targets. Understandably, these "slowly killing" diseases are on the opposite ends of the immune spectrum. However, the immune regulatory mechanisms between autoimmunity and cancer are not always contradictory and sometimes mirror each other based on disease stage, location, and timepoint. Moreover, the blockade of immune checkpoint molecules or signalling pathways that unleashes the immune response against cancer is being leveraged to preserve self-tolerance and treat many autoimmune disorders. Therefore, understanding the common crucial factors involved in cancer is of paramount importance to paint the autoimmune disease spectrum and validate novel drug candidates. In the current review, we will broadly describe how ZEB1, or Zinc-finger E-box Binding Homeobox 1, reinforces immune exhaustion in cancer or contributes to loss of self-tolerance in auto-immune conditions. We made an effort to exchange information about the molecular pathways and pathological responses (immune regulation, cell proliferation, senescence, autophagy, hypoxia, and circadian rhythm) that can be regulated by ZEB1 in the context of autoimmunity. This will help untwine the intricate and closely postured pathogenesis of ZEB1, that is less explored from the perspective of autoimmunity than its counterpart, cancer. This review will further consider several approaches for targeting ZEB1 in autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arulkumaran Rithvik
- Immunopathology Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nādu, India
| | - Snigdha Samarpita
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Mahaboobkhan Rasool
- Immunopathology Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nādu, India.
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Lin Y, Sakuraba S, Massilamany C, Reddy J, Tanaka Y, Miyake S, Yamamura T. Harnessing autoimmunity with dominant self-peptide: Modulating the sustainability of tissue-preferential antigen-specific Tregs by governing the binding stability via peptide flanking residues. J Autoimmun 2023; 140:103094. [PMID: 37716077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103094] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Sensitization to self-peptides induces various immunological responses, from autoimmunity to tumor immunity, depending on the peptide sequence; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and thus, curative therapeutic options considering immunity balance are limited. Herein, two overlapping dominant peptides of myelin proteolipid protein, PLP136-150 and PLP139-151, which induce different forms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), monophasic and relapsing EAE, respectively, were investigated. Mice with monophasic EAE exhibited highly resistant to EAE re-induction with any encephalitogenic peptides, whereas mice with relapsing EAE were susceptible, and progressed, to EAE re-induction. This resistance to relapse and re-induction in monophasic EAE mice was associated with the maintenance of potent CD69+CD103+CD4+CD25high regulatory T-cells (Tregs) enriched with antigen specificity, which expanded preferentially in the central nervous system with sustained suppressive activity. This tissue-preferential sustainability of potent antigen-specific Tregs was correlated with the antigenicity of PLP136-150, depending on its flanking residues. That is, the flanking residues of PLP136-150 enable to form pivotally arranged strong hydrogen bonds that secured its binding stability to MHC-class II. These potent Tregs acting tissue-preferentially were induced only by sensitization of PLP136-150, not by its tolerance induction, independent of EAE development. These findings suggest that, for optimal therapy, "benign autoimmunity" can be critically achieved through inverse vaccination with self-peptides by manipulating their flanking residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwei Lin
- Department of Immunology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan; Department of Neurology, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan.
| | - Shun Sakuraba
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Institute for Quantum Life Science, Chiba, 263-0024, Japan.
| | | | - Jayagopala Reddy
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
| | - Yoshimasa Tanaka
- Center for Medical Innovation, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan.
| | - Sachiko Miyake
- Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
| | - Takashi Yamamura
- Department of Immunology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan.
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Ghanem P, Murray JC, Marrone KA, Scott SC, Feliciano JL, Lam VK, Hann CL, Ettinger DS, Levy BP, Forde PM, Shah AA, Mecoli C, Brahmer J, Cappelli LC. Improved lung cancer clinical outcomes in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. RMD Open 2023; 9:e003471. [PMID: 37914179 PMCID: PMC10619011 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003471] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Concomitant autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) can add morbidity and complicate treatment decisions for patients with lung cancer. We evaluated the tumour characteristics at diagnosis and clinical outcomes in lung cancer patients with or without ARD. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included 10 963 patients with lung cancer, treated at Johns Hopkins. Clinical data including tumour characteristics and outcomes were extracted from the cancer registry. Data on patients' history of 20 ARD were extracted from the electronic medical record. Logistic regression was used to compare tumour characteristics between those with and without ARD; Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were performed to compare survival outcomes. RESULTS ARD was present in 3.6% of patients (n=454). The mean age at diagnosis was 69 (SD 10) and 68 (SD 12) in patients with and without ARD (p=0.02). Female sex and smoking history were significantly associated with a history of ARD (OR: 1.75, OR: 1.46, p<0.05). Patients with ARD were more likely to be diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer (36.8% vs 26.9%, p<0.001) and with smaller tumour size (OR: 0.76, p=0.01), controlling for sex, race and histology. Notably, lung cancer patients with ARD had a significantly prolonged median overall survival (OS) (7.11 years vs 1.7 years, p<0.001), independent of stage. CONCLUSION Patients with ARD and lung cancer had better OS compared with their counterparts, independent of cancer stage and treatments and were less likely to have advanced stage lung cancer at diagnosis. Additional studies are needed to investigate the differential immunological anti-tumour immune activity and genomic variations in patients with and without ARD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Ghanem
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph C Murray
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kristen A Marrone
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan C Scott
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Josephine L Feliciano
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Vincent K Lam
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine L Hann
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David S Ettinger
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Benjamin P Levy
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patrick M Forde
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ami A Shah
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Mecoli
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Julie Brahmer
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura C Cappelli
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Wu X, Zhou Z, Cao Q, Chen Y, Gong J, Zhang Q, Qiang Y, Lu Y, Cao G. Reprogramming of Treg cells in the inflammatory microenvironment during immunotherapy: a literature review. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1268188. [PMID: 37753092 PMCID: PMC10518452 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1268188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Treg), as members of CD4+ T cells, have garnered extensive attention in the research of tumor progression. Treg cells have the function of inhibiting the immune effector cells, preventing tissue damage, and suppressing inflammation. Under the stimulation of the tumor inflammatory microenvironment (IM), the reprogramming of Treg cells enhances their suppression of immune responses, ultimately promoting tumor immune escape or tumor progression. Reducing the number of Treg cells in the IM or lowering the activity of Treg cells while preventing their reprogramming, can help promote the body's anti-tumor immune responses. This review introduces a reprogramming mechanism of Treg cells in the IM; and discusses the regulation of Treg cells on tumor progression. The control of Treg cells and the response to Treg inflammatory reprogramming in tumor immunotherapy are analyzed and countermeasures are proposed. This work will provide a foundation for downregulating the immunosuppressive role of Treg in the inflammatory environment in future tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Wu
- Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhigang Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changde, China
| | - Qiang Cao
- Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- School of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Yuquan Chen
- Institute of Medical Information/Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junling Gong
- School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Qianhu, Nanchang, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Undergraduate Department, Taishan University, Taian, China
| | - Yi Qiang
- Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yanfeng Lu
- Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Guangzhu Cao
- Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
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11
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Singh A, Rao S, Rana DY, Choudhary M, Singh R. An Autobiographical Case Report on Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Positive Antithyroid Antibodies: Coincidence or Correlated? Cureus 2023; 15:e44651. [PMID: 37799266 PMCID: PMC10549782 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44651] [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] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between autoimmunity and cancer has been a gray area, with many theories but no solid proof so far. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder and a major cause of hypothyroidism, while papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common thyroid malignancy generally found in patients younger than 45 years of age. The literature on the correlation between these two disorders is somewhat based on potentially biased histopathological examination from pre-operative fine needle aspiration and post-thyroidectomy samples. Although recent studies are evaluating a possible holistic molecular, hormonal, and histopathological foundation for this correlation, a clear causal relationship has not been established yet. This report illustrates the author's case presentation, treatment, and eventual outcome of the disease when she was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer at the age of 25 years, with positive antithyroid peroxidase and antithyroglobulin antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkaja Singh
- Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, IND
| | - Sameer Rao
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Medicine, Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College, Jaipur, IND
| | | | | | - Romil Singh
- Critical Care, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, USA
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Műzes G, Sipos F. Autoimmunity and Carcinogenesis: Their Relationship under the Umbrella of Autophagy. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041130. [PMID: 37189748 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system and autophagy share a functional relationship. Both innate and adaptive immune responses involve autophagy and, depending on the disease’s origin and pathophysiology, it may have a detrimental or positive role on autoimmune disorders. As a “double-edged sword” in tumors, autophagy can either facilitate or impede tumor growth. The autophagy regulatory network that influences tumor progression and treatment resistance is dependent on cell and tissue types and tumor stages. The connection between autoimmunity and carcinogenesis has not been sufficiently explored in past studies. As a crucial mechanism between the two phenomena, autophagy may play a substantial role, though the specifics remain unclear. Several autophagy modifiers have demonstrated beneficial effects in models of autoimmune disease, emphasizing their therapeutic potential as treatments for autoimmune disorders. The function of autophagy in the tumor microenvironment and immune cells is the subject of intensive study. The objective of this review is to investigate the role of autophagy in the simultaneous genesis of autoimmunity and malignancy, shedding light on both sides of the issue. We believe our work will assist in the organization of current understanding in the field and promote additional research on this urgent and crucial topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Györgyi Műzes
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Sipos
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
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Khadka S, Druffner SR, Duncan BC, Busada JT. Glucocorticoid regulation of cancer development and progression. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1161768. [PMID: 37143725 PMCID: PMC10151568 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1161768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that regulate a host of cellular and physiological functions. However, they are arguably best known for their potent anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is well-known to promote the development and progression of numerous types of cancer, and emerging evidence suggests that glucocorticoid regulation of inflammation affects cancer development. However, the timing, intensity, and duration of glucocorticoid signaling have important but often contradictory effects on cancer development. Moreover, glucocorticoids are widely used in parallel with radiation and chemotherapy to control pain, dyspnea, and swelling, but their use may compromise anti-tumor immunity. This review will explore the effects of glucocorticoids on cancer development and progression with particular focus on pro and anti-tumor immunity.
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Islam MZ, Tran M, Xu T, Tierney BT, Patel C, Kostic AD. Reproducible and opposing gut microbiome signatures distinguish autoimmune diseases and cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:218. [PMID: 36482486 PMCID: PMC9733034 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01373-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiome promotes specific immune responses, and in turn, the immune system has a hand in shaping the microbiome. Cancer and autoimmune diseases are two major disease families that result from the contrasting manifestations of immune dysfunction. We hypothesized that the opposing immunological profiles between cancer and autoimmunity yield analogously inverted gut microbiome signatures. To test this, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on gut microbiome signatures and their directionality in cancers and autoimmune conditions. METHODOLOGY We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase to identify relevant articles to be included in this study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements and PRISMA 2009 checklist. Study estimates were pooled by a generic inverse variance random-effects meta-analysis model. The relative abundance of microbiome features was converted to log fold change, and the standard error was calculated from the p-values, sample size, and fold change. RESULTS We screened 3874 potentially relevant publications. A total of 82 eligible studies comprising 37 autoimmune and 45 cancer studies with 4208 healthy human controls and 5957 disease cases from 27 countries were included in this study. We identified a set of microbiome features that show consistent, opposite directionality between cancers and autoimmune diseases in multiple studies. Fusobacterium and Peptostreptococcus were the most consistently increased genera among the cancer cases which were found to be associated in a remarkable 13 (+0.5 log fold change in 5 studies) and 11 studies (+3.6 log fold change in 5 studies), respectively. Conversely, Bacteroides was the most prominent genus, which was found to be increased in 12 autoimmune studies (+0.2 log fold change in 6 studies) and decreased in six cancer studies (-0.3 log fold change in 4 studies). Sulfur-metabolism pathways were found to be the most frequent pathways among the member of cancer-increased genus and species. CONCLUSIONS The surprising reproducibility of these associations across studies and geographies suggests a shared underlying mechanism shaping the microbiome across cancers and autoimmune diseases. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Zohorul Islam
- Section on Pathophysiology and Molecular Pharmacology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Section of Experimental Animal Models, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Melissa Tran
- Section on Pathophysiology and Molecular Pharmacology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tao Xu
- Section on Pathophysiology and Molecular Pharmacology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Braden T Tierney
- Section on Pathophysiology and Molecular Pharmacology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chirag Patel
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aleksandar David Kostic
- Section on Pathophysiology and Molecular Pharmacology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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Zhou F, Lu Y, Sun T, Sun L, Wang B, Lu J, Li Z, Zhu B, Huang S, Ding Z. Antitumor effects of polysaccharides from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg via regulation of intestinal flora and enhancing immunomodulatory effects in vivo. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1009530. [PMID: 36389762 PMCID: PMC9650377 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1009530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with high medicinal value, and antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biological activities. However, while several studies have focused on flavonoids in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum tubers, there are few studies on the enhanced immune effect of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum polysaccharides (THP). In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effect of THP in a lung tumor model and explored the mechanism of antitumor activity through intestinal flora. In addition, a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression model was used to declare the immunomodulatory effect of THP in the immunosuppressive state induced by antitumor drugs. The results showed that THP increased the content of ileum secreted immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cecum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and improved microbial community diversity, regulating the relative abundance of dominant microbiota flora from the phylum level to the genus level, and recovering the intestinal microflora disorder caused by tumors. Additionally, THP can increase the organ indices and improve immune organ atrophy. THP can upregulate routine blood counts and stimulate the production of the serum cytokines. THP also promoted the macrophage phagocytic index, NK-cell activation, and complement and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels. The detection of Splenic lymphocyte proliferation and T lymphocyte subsets also sideways reflects that THP can restore CTX-induced immune inhibition in mice. In conclusion, this study suggests that THP can effectively achieve the enhanced antitumor effects, regulate gut microbiota and improve the immunosuppression induced by antitumor drugs. Therefore, THP can enhance the immune capacity and provide novel immunomodulatory and antineoplastic adjuvant agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangmei Zhou
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Lu
- First College of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tong Sun
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ling Sun
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bixu Wang
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Lu
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- Information Technology Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bingqi Zhu
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shigao Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi an, China
| | - Zhishan Ding
- School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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Uliński R, Kwiecień I, Domagała-Kulawik J. Lung Cancer in the Course of COPD-Emerging Problems Today. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153819. [PMID: 35954482 PMCID: PMC9367492 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153819] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tobacco smoking remains the main cause of tobacco-dependent diseases like lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in addition to cardiovascular diseases and other cancers. Whilst the majority of smokers will not develop either COPD or lung cancer, they are closely related diseases, occurring as co-morbidities at a higher rate than if they were independently triggered by smoking. A patient with COPD has a four- to six-fold greater risk of developing lung cancer independent of smoking exposure, when compared to matched smokers with normal lung function. The 10 year risk is about 8.8% in the COPD group and only 2% in patients with normal lung function. COPD is not a uniform disorder: there are different phenotypes. One of them is manifested by the prevalence of emphysema and this is complicated by malignant processes most often. Here, we present and discuss the clinical problems of COPD in patients with lung cancer and against lung cancer in the course of COPD. There are common pathological pathways in both diseases. These are inflammation with participation of macrophages and neutrophils and proteases. It is known that anticancer immune regulation is distorted towards immunosuppression, while in COPD the elements of autoimmunity are described. Cytotoxic T cells, lymphocytes B and regulatory T cells with the important role of check point molecules are involved in both processes. A growing number of lung cancer patients are treated with immune check point inhibitors (ICIs), and it was found that COPD patients may have benefits from this treatment. Altogether, the data point to the necessity for deeper analysis and intensive research studies to limit the burden of these serious diseases by prevention and by elaboration of specific therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Uliński
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Iwona Kwiecień
- Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Domagała-Kulawik
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
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