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Xu S, Wang C, Yang L, Wu J, Li M, Xiao P, Xu Z, Xu Y, Wang K. Targeting immune checkpoints on tumor-associated macrophages in tumor immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1199631. [PMID: 37313405 PMCID: PMC10258331 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Unprecedented breakthroughs have been made in cancer immunotherapy in recent years. Particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors have fostered hope for patients with cancer. However, immunotherapy still exhibits certain limitations, such as a low response rate, limited efficacy in certain populations, and adverse events in certain tumors. Therefore, exploring strategies that can improve clinical response rates in patients is crucial. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the predominant immune cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment and express a variety of immune checkpoints that impact immune functions. Mounting evidence indicates that immune checkpoints in TAMs are closely associated with the prognosis of patients with tumors receiving immunotherapy. This review centers on the regulatory mechanisms governing immune checkpoint expression in macrophages and strategies aimed at improving immune checkpoint therapies. Our review provides insights into potential therapeutic targets to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade and key clues to developing novel tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Chenyang Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Lingge Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Jiaji Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Mengshu Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
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2
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Ailia MJ, Heo J, Yoo SY. Navigating through the PD-1/PDL-1 Landscape: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Their Influence on Immunotherapy and Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076495. [PMID: 37047482 PMCID: PMC10095164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This systematic review aimed to assess the prognostic significance of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PDL-1) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library database searches were conducted, revealing nine relevant cohort studies (seven PDL-1 and three PD-1). Our meta-analysis showed that PD-1/PDL-1 was a marker of poor survival, regardless of the assessment method (PD-1 overall survival (OS): hazard ratio (HR) 2.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.30–4.42; disease-free survival (DFS): HR 2.12; 95% CI, 1.45–3.10; PDL-1: OS: HR 3.61; 95% CI, 2.75–4.75; and DFS: HR 2.74; 95% CI, 2.09–3.59). Additionally, high level of PD-1/PDL-1 expression was associated with aging, multiple tumors, high alpha-fetoprotein levels, and advanced Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage. This high level significantly predicted a poor prognosis for HCC, suggesting that anti-PD-1 therapy is plausible for patients with HCC. Furthermore, HIF-1 induces PD-1 expression, and PD1lowSOCS3high is associated with a better prognosis. Taken together, combination therapy may be the key to effective immunotherapy. Thus, exploring other markers, such as HIF-1 and SOCS3, along with PD-1/PDL-1 immunotherapy, may lead to improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Joan Ailia
- BIO-IT Foundry Technology Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Heo
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National University and Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- BIO-IT Foundry Technology Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +82-51-510-3402
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Chen L, Liu S, Adah D, Sun Q, Liang Z, Ho M, Sun B. Soluble programmed death ligand-1-induced immunosuppressive effects on chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer cells targeting Glypican-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunology 2023; 169:204-218. [PMID: 36640111 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the pre-clinical study of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-natural killer (NK) cell was effective against various tumours, immunosuppression mediated by tumour microenvironment hampers their application and several efforts have been explored to improve their effect in combating solid tumours. Glypican 3 (GPC3) is a promising target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and CAR-T cells targeting GPC3 have been tested in clinical trials. Based on an affinity-enhanced antibody (hYP7) targeting GPC3, we constructed GPC3-CAR-NK cells to explore their potential function in the treatment of HCC. We found that patients with HCC secreted high levels of soluble programmed death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1), which inhibits the function of CAR-NK cells targeting GPC3. In addition, we combined high-affinity sPD-L1 variant (L3C7c-Fc) with GPC3-CAR-NK cells to solve the problem of GPC3-CAR-NK inhibition. Our studies demonstrated that L3C7c-Fc could enhance the therapeutic effect of CAR-NK cells by reversing the suppression of sPD-L1, which provides the experimental evidence for the subsequent development of HCC immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dickson Adah
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Center of Infection and Immunity, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyang Sun
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoduan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Center of Infection and Immunity, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Beicheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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4
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Donoso‐Meneses D, Figueroa‐Valdés AI, Georges N, Tobar HE, Alcayaga‐Miranda F. Turning adversity into opportunity: Small extracellular vesicles as nanocarriers for tumor-associated macrophages re-education. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10349. [PMID: 36684102 PMCID: PMC9842057 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10349] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, small extracellular vesicles (sEV) as a nanoscale drug delivery system, are undergoing biotechnological scaling and clinical validation. Nonetheless, preclinical pharmacokinetic studies revealed that sEV are predominantly uptaken by macrophages. Although this "sEV-macrophage" propensity represents a disadvantage in terms of sEV targeting and their bioavailability as nanocarriers, it also represents a strategic advantage for those therapies that involve macrophages. Such is the case of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which can reprogram/repolarize their predominantly immunosuppressive and tumor-supportive phenotype toward an immunostimulatory and anti-tumor phenotype using sEV as nanocarriers of TAMs reprogramming molecules. In this design, sEV represents an advantageous delivery system, providing precision to the therapy by simultaneously matching their tropism to the therapeutic cell target. Here, we review the current knowledge of the role of TAMs in the tumoral microenvironment and the effect generated by the reprogramming of these phagocytic cells fate using sEV. Finally, we discuss how these vesicles can be engineered by different bioengineering techniques to improve their therapeutic cargo loading and preferential uptake by TAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Donoso‐Meneses
- Laboratory of Nano‐Regenerative Medicine, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CIIB), Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- Consorcio RegeneroChilean Consortium for Regenerative MedicineSantiagoChile
- IMPACTCenter of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular TherapySantiagoChile
| | - Aliosha I. Figueroa‐Valdés
- Laboratory of Nano‐Regenerative Medicine, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CIIB), Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- Consorcio RegeneroChilean Consortium for Regenerative MedicineSantiagoChile
- IMPACTCenter of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular TherapySantiagoChile
| | - Nicolás Georges
- Laboratory of Nano‐Regenerative Medicine, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CIIB), Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- Consorcio RegeneroChilean Consortium for Regenerative MedicineSantiagoChile
- IMPACTCenter of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular TherapySantiagoChile
| | - Hugo E. Tobar
- Laboratory of Nano‐Regenerative Medicine, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CIIB), Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- IMPACTCenter of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular TherapySantiagoChile
| | - Francisca Alcayaga‐Miranda
- Laboratory of Nano‐Regenerative Medicine, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CIIB), Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- Consorcio RegeneroChilean Consortium for Regenerative MedicineSantiagoChile
- IMPACTCenter of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular TherapySantiagoChile
- School of Medicine, Faculty of MedicineUniversidad de Los AndesSantiagoChile
- Cells for CellsSantiagoChile
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Niu ZS, Wang WH, Niu XJ. Recent progress in molecular mechanisms of postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:6433-6477. [PMID: 36569275 PMCID: PMC9782839 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatectomy is currently considered the most effective option for treating patients with early and intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC remains unsatisfactory, predominantly because of high postoperative metastasis and recurrence rates. Therefore, research on the molecular mechanisms of postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence will help develop effective intervention measures to prevent or delay HCC metastasis and recurrence and to improve the long-term survival of HCC patients. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence to lay a foundation for improving the understanding of HCC metastasis and recurrence and for developing more precise prevention and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Shan Niu
- Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wen-Hong Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Niu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Qingdao Shibei District People's Hospital, Qingdao 266033, Shandong Province, China
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Gao M, Guo Y, Li J, Chen X, Yuan Y, Ma W. The Clinicopathological Significance and Prognostic Value of PD-L2 in Patients with HCC, ICC and PAAD: A Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY: ONCOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.29337/ijsonco.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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7
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Tu T, Alba MM, Datta AA, Hong H, Hua B, Jia Y, Khan J, Nguyen P, Niu X, Pammidimukkala P, Slarve I, Tang Q, Xu C, Zhou Y, Stiles BL. Hepatic macrophage mediated immune response in liver steatosis driven carcinogenesis. Front Oncol 2022; 12:958696. [PMID: 36276076 PMCID: PMC9581256 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.958696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity confers an independent risk for carcinogenesis. Classically viewed as a genetic disease, owing to the discovery of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, genetic events alone are not sufficient to explain the progression and development of cancers. Tumor development is often associated with metabolic and immunological changes. In particular, obesity is found to significantly increase the mortality rate of liver cancer. As its role is not defined, a fundamental question is whether and how metabolic changes drive the development of cancer. In this review, we will dissect the current literature demonstrating that liver lipid dysfunction is a critical component driving the progression of cancer. We will discuss the involvement of inflammation in lipid dysfunction driven liver cancer development with a focus on the involvement of liver macrophages. We will first discuss the association of steatosis with liver cancer. This will be followed with a literature summary demonstrating the importance of inflammation and particularly macrophages in the progression of liver steatosis and highlighting the evidence that macrophages and macrophage produced inflammatory mediators are critical for liver cancer development. We will then discuss the specific inflammatory mediators and their roles in steatosis driven liver cancer development. Finally, we will summarize the molecular pattern (PAMP and DAMP) as well as lipid particle signals that are involved in the activation, infiltration and reprogramming of liver macrophages. We will also discuss some of the therapies that may interfere with lipid metabolism and also affect liver cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taojian Tu
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mario M. Alba
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Aditi A. Datta
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Handan Hong
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Brittney Hua
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yunyi Jia
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jared Khan
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Phillip Nguyen
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Xiatoeng Niu
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Pranav Pammidimukkala
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ielyzaveta Slarve
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Qi Tang
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chenxi Xu
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yiren Zhou
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Bangyan L. Stiles
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Bangyan L. Stiles,
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Jiang Y, Lin L, Lv H, Zhang H, Jiang L, Ma F, Wang Q, Ma X, Yu S. Immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2022; 19:7178-7200. [PMID: 35730302 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2022339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly malignant tumor and patients yield limited benefits from the existing treatments. The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors is promising but the results described in the literature are not favorable. It is therefore urgent to systematically analyze the immune microenvironment of HCC and screen the population best suited for the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors to provide a basis for clinical treatment. In this study, we collected The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC)-related data sets to evaluate the immune microenvironment and immune cell infiltration (ICI) in HCC. Three independent ICI subtypes showing significant differences in survival were identified. Further, TCGA-LIHC immunophenoscore (IPS) was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between high- and low-IPS in HCC, so as to identify the immune gene subtypes in HCC tumors. The ICI score model for HCC was constructed, whereby we divided HCC samples into high- and low-score groups based on the median ICI score. The differences between these groups in genomic mutation load and immunotherapy benefit in HCC were examined in detail to provide theoretical support for accurate immunotherapy strategy in HCC. Finally, four genes were screened, which could accurately predict the subtype based on the tumor immune infiltration score. The findings may provide a basis and simplify the process for screening clinical drugs suitable for relevant subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jiang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Lijuan Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Huiming Lv
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - He Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Lili Jiang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Fenfen Ma
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Qiuyue Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Xue Ma
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
| | - Shengjin Yu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong 118000, China
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Synergistic antitumor efficacy of PD-1-conjugated PTX- and ZSQ-loaded nanoliposomes against multidrug-resistant liver cancers. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 12:2550-2560. [PMID: 35031972 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-01106-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with poor chemotherapeutic efficiency due to multidrug resistance (MDR); it is very important to develop a targeted nanocarrier for the treatment of HCC. In this study, a programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-conjugated nanoliposome was constructed for co-delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor zosuquidar (ZSQ) to overcome MDR in human HCC cells and tumors in vivo. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were used to examine the nanoparticles morphology and size; PD-1-conjugated PTX and ZSQ-loaded nanoliposomes (PD-PZLP) revealed a spherical shape with a size of 139.5 ± 10.7 nm. Then, the physicochemical properties, as well as the drug loading capacity, release profile, cellular uptake, and cytotoxicity of the dual drug-encapsulated nanoliposomes were characterized. PD-PZLP displayed a high drug loading capacity of 20 ~ 30% for both PTX and ZSQ; the drug release of PTX and ZSQ in pH 5.0 was significantly faster than in pH 7.4. Cellular uptake study demonstrated PD-PZLP had higher internalization efficiency than non-targeted PZLP. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis demonstrated that PD-PZLP triggered an excessive ROS reaction and cell apoptosis compared with that of free PTX or ZSQ, which was also consistent with the cell antiproliferative effects in MTT assay. Furthermore, PD-PZLP could enhance synergistic antitumor effects on 7721/ADM xenograft tumor model, which also significantly alleviated hepatotoxicity as evident from the decreased aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Overall, PD-PZLP exhibited high loading capacity, significant synergistic effects, promising antitumor efficacy, and the lowest toxicity, which provide a promising strategy to overcome MDR in HCC.
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Zhou ZY, Liu SR, Xu LB, Liu C, Zhang R. Clinicopathological and Prognostic Value of Programmed Cell Death 1 Expression in Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-analysis. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2021; 9:889-897. [PMID: 34966652 PMCID: PMC8666368 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2021.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The efficacy of targeted programmed cell death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been confirmed in many solid malignant tumors. The overexpression of PD-1/PD-L1 serves as a biomarker to predict prognosis and clinical progression. However, the role of PD-1 in patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) remains indeterminate. Given that HBV is the most important cause for HCC, this study aimed to investigate the prognostic and clinicopathological value of PD-1 in HBV-HCC via a meta-analysis. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Google Scholar up to January 2021 for studies on the correlation between clinicopathology/prognosis and PD-1 in patients with HBV-HCC. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to investigate the prognostic significance of PD-1 expression. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were determined to explore the association between PD-1 expression and clinicopathological features. RESULTS Our analysis included seven studies with 658 patients, which showed that high PD-1 expression was statistically correlated with poorer overall survival (HR=2.188, 95% CI: [1.262-3.115], p<0.001) and disease-free survival (HR=2.743, 95% CI: [1.980-3.506], p<0.001). PD-1 overexpression was correlated with multiple tumors (OR=2.268, 95% CI: [1.209-4.257], p=0.011), high level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP; OR=1.495, 95% CI: [1.005-2.223], p=0.047) and advanced Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage (OR=3.738, 95% CI: [2.101-6.651], p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis revealed that the high level of PD-1 expression was associated with multiple tumors, high level of AFP and advanced BCLC stage. It significantly predicted a poor prognosis of HBV-HCC, which suggests that anti-PD-1 therapy for HBV-HCC patients is plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chao Liu
- Correspondence to: Rui Zhang and Chao Liu, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation and Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3335-0931 (RZ), https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6659-4372 (CL). Tel: +86-20-34070133, Fax: +86-20-34071091, E-mail: (RZ) or (CL)
| | - Rui Zhang
- Correspondence to: Rui Zhang and Chao Liu, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation and Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3335-0931 (RZ), https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6659-4372 (CL). Tel: +86-20-34070133, Fax: +86-20-34071091, E-mail: (RZ) or (CL)
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11
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Zhao Q, Wongpoomchai R, Chariyakornkul A, Xiao Z, Pilapong C. Identification of Gene-Set Signature in Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Relevant Immune Characteristics. Front Oncol 2021; 11:740484. [PMID: 34745960 PMCID: PMC8570321 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.740484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising worldwide, and there is limited therapeutic efficacy due to tumor microenvironment heterogeneity and difficulty in early-stage screening. This study aimed to develop and validate a gene set-based signature for early-stage HCC (eHCC) patients and further explored specific marker dysregulation mechanisms as well as immune characteristics. Methods We performed an integrated bioinformatics analysis of genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical data with three independent cohorts. We systematically reviewed the crosstalk between specific genes, tumor prognosis, immune characteristics, and biological function in the different pathological stage samples. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) patients with survival data. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC in Wistar rats was employed to verify the reliability of the predictions. Results We identified a Cluster gene that potentially segregates patients with eHCC from non-tumor, through integrated analysis of expression, overall survival, immune cell characteristics, and biology function landscapes. Immune infiltration analysis showed that lower infiltration of specific immune cells may be responsible for significantly worse prognosis in HCC (hazard ratio, 1.691; 95% CI: 1.171–2.441; p = 0.012), such as CD8 Tem and cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) in eHCC. Our results identified that Cluster C1 signature presented a high accuracy in predicting CD8 Tem and CTL immune cells (receiver operating characteristic (ROC) = 0.647) and cancerization (ROC = 0.946) in liver. As a central member of Cluster C1, overexpressed PRKDC was associated with the higher genetic alteration in eHCC than advanced-stage HCC (aHCC), which was also connected to immune cell-related poor prognosis. Finally, the predictive outcome of Cluster C1 and PRKDC alteration in DEN-induced eHCC rats was also confirmed. Conclusions As a tumor prognosis-relevant gene set-based signature, Cluster C1 showed an effective approach to predict cancerization of eHCC and its related immune characteristics with considerable clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qijie Zhao
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Imaging (CEMI), Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.,Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Rawiwan Wongpoomchai
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Arpamas Chariyakornkul
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chalermchai Pilapong
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Imaging (CEMI), Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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12
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Comprehensive Analysis of YTH Domain Family in Lung Adenocarcinoma: Expression Profile, Association with Prognostic Value, and Immune Infiltration. DISEASE MARKERS 2021; 2021:2789481. [PMID: 34497675 PMCID: PMC8420974 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2789481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background All YTH domain family members are m6A reader proteins accounting for the methylation modulation involved in the process of tumorgenesis and tumor progression. However, the expression profiles and roles of the YTH domain family in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain to be further illustrated. Methods GEPIA2 and TNMplot databases were used to generate the expression profiles of the YTH family. Kaplan-Meier plotter database was employed to analysis the prognostic value of the YTH family. Coexpression profiles and genetic alterations analysis of the YTH family were undertaken using the cBioPortal database. YTH family protein-associated protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was identified by using STRING. Functional enrichment analysis was performed with the help of the WebGestalt database. The correlation analysis between the YTH family and immune cell infiltration in LUAD was administrated by using the TIMER2.0 database. Results mRNA expression of YTHDC1 and YTHDC2 was significantly lower in LUAD, whereas YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and YTHDF3 with apparently higher expression. YTHDF2 expression was observed to be the highest in the nonsmoker subgroup, and its expression gradually decreased with the increased severity of smoking habit. LUAD patients with low expression of YTHDC2, YTHDF1, and YTHDF2 were correlated with a better overall survival (OS) time. The YTHDF1 genetic alteration rate was 26%, which was the highest in the YTH family. The major cancer-associated functions of YTH family pointed in the direction of immunomodulation, especially antigen processing and presentation. Most of the YTH family members were significantly correlated with the infiltration of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, indicating the deep involvement of the YTH domain family in the immune cell infiltration in LUAD. Conclusion The molecular and expression profiles of the YTH family were dysregulated in LUAD. YTH family members (especially YTHDC2) were promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets that may bring benefit for the patients with LUAD.
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13
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Okada N, Sugiyama K, Shichi S, Shirai Y, Goto K, Sakane F, Kitamura H, Taketomi A. Combination therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with diacylglycerol kinase alpha inhibition and anti-programmed cell death-1 ligand blockade. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 71:889-903. [PMID: 34482409 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-03041-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Activation of diacylglycerol kinase alpha (DGKα) augments proliferation and suppresses apoptosis of cancer cells and induces T lymphocyte anergy. We investigated the dual effects of DGKα inhibition on tumorigenesis and anti-tumor immunity with the aim of establishing a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer. We examined the effects of a DGKα inhibitor (DGKAI) on liver cancer cell proliferation and cytokine production by immune cells in vitro and on tumorigenesis and host immunity in a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mouse model. Oral DGKAI significantly suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival in model mice. Tumor infiltration of T cells and dendritic cells was also enhanced in mice treated with DGKAI, and the production of cytokines and cytotoxic molecules by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was increased. Depletion of CD8+ T cells reduced the effect of DGKAI. Furthermore, interferon-γ stimulation augmented the expression of programmed cell death-1 ligand (PD-L1) on cancer cells, and DGKAI plus an anti-PD-L1 antibody strongly suppressed the tumor growth. These results suggest that DGKα inhibition may be a promising new treatment strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Okada
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15 W7 Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Ko Sugiyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15 W7 Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Shichi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15 W7 Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Shirai
- Department of Applied Chemistry in Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kaoru Goto
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Fumio Sakane
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hidemitsu Kitamura
- Division of Functional Immunology, Section of Disease Control, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akinobu Taketomi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15 W7 Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
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14
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Montella L, Sarno F, Ambrosino A, Facchini S, D’Antò M, Laterza MM, Fasano M, Quarata E, Ranucci RAN, Altucci L, Berretta M, Facchini G. The Role of Immunotherapy in a Tolerogenic Environment: Current and Future Perspectives for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cells 2021; 10:1909. [PMID: 34440678 PMCID: PMC8393830 DOI: 10.3390/cells10081909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to several tumors whose prognoses are radically affected by novel immunotherapeutic approaches and/or targeted therapies, the outcomes of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor. The underlying cirrhosis that is frequently associated with it complicates medical treatment and often determines survival. The landscape of HCC treatment had included sorafenib as the only drug available for ten years, until 2018, when lenvatinib was approved for treatment. The second-line systemic treatments available for hepatocellular carcinoma include regorafenib, cabozantinib, ramucirumab, and, more recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the median survival remains below 15 months. The results obtained in clinics should be interpreted whilst considering the peculiar role of the liver as an immune organ. A healthy liver microenvironment ordinarily experiences stimulation by gut-derived antigens. This setup elucidates the response to chronic inflammation and the altered balance between tolerance and immune response in HCC development. This paper provides an overview of the mechanisms involved in HCC pathogenesis, with a special focus on the immune implications, along with current and future clinical perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Montella
- ASL NA2 NORD, Oncology Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (M.M.L.); (E.Q.)
| | - Federica Sarno
- Precision Medicine Department, “Luigi Vanvitelli” University of Campania, 80138 Naples, Italy; (F.S.); (L.A.)
| | - Annamaria Ambrosino
- ASL NA2 NORD, Internal Medicine Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (A.A.); (M.D.); (R.A.N.R.)
| | - Sergio Facchini
- Department of Precision Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, “Luigi Vanvitelli” University of Campania, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.F.); (M.F.)
| | - Maria D’Antò
- ASL NA2 NORD, Internal Medicine Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (A.A.); (M.D.); (R.A.N.R.)
| | - Maria Maddalena Laterza
- ASL NA2 NORD, Oncology Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (M.M.L.); (E.Q.)
| | - Morena Fasano
- Department of Precision Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, “Luigi Vanvitelli” University of Campania, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.F.); (M.F.)
| | - Ermelinda Quarata
- ASL NA2 NORD, Oncology Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (M.M.L.); (E.Q.)
| | - Raffaele Angelo Nicola Ranucci
- ASL NA2 NORD, Internal Medicine Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (A.A.); (M.D.); (R.A.N.R.)
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Precision Medicine Department, “Luigi Vanvitelli” University of Campania, 80138 Naples, Italy; (F.S.); (L.A.)
| | - Massimiliano Berretta
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy;
| | - Gaetano Facchini
- ASL NA2 NORD, Oncology Operative Unit, “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy; (M.M.L.); (E.Q.)
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Sukowati CHC, El-Khobar KE, Tiribelli C. Immunotherapy against programmed death-1/programmed death ligand 1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: Importance of molecular variations, cellular heterogeneity, and cancer stem cells. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:795-824. [PMID: 34367478 PMCID: PMC8316870 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i7.795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy related to diverse etiological factors. Different oncogenic mechanisms and genetic variations lead to multiple HCC molecular classifications. Recently, an immune-based strategy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was presented in HCC therapy, especially with ICIs against the programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1. However, despite the success of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 in other cancers, a substantial proportion of HCC patients fail to respond. In this review, we gather current information on biomarkers of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment and the contribution of HCC heterogeneity and hepatic cancer stem cells (CSCs). Genetic variations of PD-1 and PD-L1 are associated with chronic liver disease and progression to cancer. PD-L1 expression in tumoral tissues is differentially expressed in CSCs, particularly in those with a close association with the tumor microenvironment. This information will be beneficial for the selection of patients and the management of the ICIs against PD-1/PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Centro Studi Fegato, Fondazione Italiana Fegato ONLUS, Trieste 34149, Italy
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16
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Identification of m6A methyltransferase-related lncRNA signature for predicting immunotherapy and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:228714. [PMID: 34027555 PMCID: PMC8188173 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase has been shown to be an oncogene in a variety of cancers. Nevertheless, the relationship between the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive. We integrated the gene expression data of 371 HCC and 50 normal tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed protein-coding genes (DE-PCGs)/lncRNAs (DE-lncRs) analysis and univariate regression and Kaplan–Meier (K–M) analysis were performed to identify m6A methyltransferase-related lncRNAs. Three prognostic lncRNAs were selected by univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses to construct the m6A methyltransferase-related lncRNA signature. Multivariate Cox regression analyses illustrated that this signature was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) prediction. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) suggested that the m6A methyltransferase-related lncRNAs were involved in the immune-related biological processes (BPs) and pathways. Besides, we discovered that the lncRNAs signature was correlated with the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the expression of critical immune checkpoints. Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) analysis revealed that the lncRNAs could predict the clinical response to immunotherapy. Our study had originated a prognostic signature for HCC based on the potential prognostic m6A methyltransferase-related lncRNAs. The present study had deepened the understanding of the TME status of HCC patients and laid a theoretical foundation for the choice of immunotherapy.
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17
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Exploration of prognostic index based on immune-related genes in patients with liver hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:225490. [PMID: 32579175 PMCID: PMC7327182 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20194240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to screen the immune-related genes (IRGs) in patients with liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and construct a synthetic index for indicating the prognostic outcomes. The bioinformatic analysis was performed on the data of 374 cancer tissues and 50 normal tissues, which were downloaded from TCGA database. We observed that 17 differentially expressed IRGs were significantly associated with survival in LIHC patients. These LIHC-specific IRGs were validated with function analysis and molecular characteristics. Cox analysis was applied for constructing a RiskScore for predicting the survival. The RiskScore involved six IRGs and corresponding coefficients, which was calculated with the following formula: RiskScore = [Expression level of FABP5 *(0.064)] + [Expression level of TRAF3 * (0.198)] + [Expression level of CSPG5 * (0.416)] + [Expression level of IL17D * (0.197)] + [Expression level of STC2 * (0.036)] + [Expression level of BRD8 * (0.140)]. The RiskScore was positively associated with the poor survival, which was verified with the dataset from ICGC database. Further analysis revealed that the RiskScore was independent of any other clinical feature, while it was linked with the infiltration levels of six types of immune cells. Our study reported the survival-associated IRGs in LIHC and then constructed IRGs-based RiskScore as prognostic indicator for screening patients with high risk of short survival. Both the screened IRGs and IRGs-based RiskScore were clinically significant, which may be informative for promoting the individualized immunotherapy against LIHC.
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18
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Kwiecień I, Rutkowska E, Polubiec-Kownacka M, Raniszewska A, Rzepecki P, Domagała-Kulawik J. Identification of PD-1 ligands: PD-L1 and PD-L2 on macrophages in lung cancer milieu by flow cytometry. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2021; 10:1679-1689. [PMID: 34012784 PMCID: PMC8107752 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-20-1103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains unexpected and in some patients the resistance to anti-programmed death-1 (anti-PD-1) and anti-programmed death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) agents is observed. One of possible explanation may be PD-L2 activity. PD-1 ligands: PD-L1 and PD-L2 are present on cancer cells but also, not without significance, on alveolar macrophages (AMs) contributing to immune-suppression in the tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to analyse PD-L2, PD-L1 expression on AMs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in relation to PD-1 positive T lymphocytes. Methods Seventeen patients with lung cancer were investigated. BALF cells from the lung with cancer (clBALF) and from the opposite “healthy” lung (hlBALF) and peripheral blood (PB) lymphocytes were investigated. Flow cytometry method was used. Results We found that 100% of CD68+ AMs from the clBALF were PD-L1 and PD-L2-positive. Unexpectedly, fluorescence minus one (FMO) PD-L1 and PD-L2 stained controls and isotype controls also showed strong autofluorescence. The hlBALF AMs exhibited a similar PD-L1 and PD-L2 autofluorescence. The median proportion of PD-1+ T lymphocytes was higher in the clBALF than the hlBALF and PB (28.9 vs. 23.4% vs. 15.6%, P=0.0281). Conclusions We discussed the opportunities of exploring the PD-1-PD-L1/PD-L2 pathway in the lung cancer environment, which may help to find new potential biomarkers for immunotherapy. We concluded that precise identification by flow cytometry of macrophages in the BALF is possible, but our study showed that the autofluorescence of macrophages did not allow to assess a real expression of PD-L2 as well as PD-L1 on AMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Kwiecień
- Military Institute of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Rutkowska
- Military Institute of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Agata Raniszewska
- Military Institute of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Rzepecki
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Domagała-Kulawik
- Medical University of Warsaw Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy, Warsaw, Poland
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19
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Lu Q, Zhang Y, Chen X, Gu W, Ji X, Chen Z. Prognostic significance and immune infiltration of microenvironment-related signatures in pancreatic cancer. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e24957. [PMID: 33761652 PMCID: PMC9282111 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000024957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is 1 of the highly fatal and most aggressive types of malignancies and accounts for the vast majority of Pancreatic Cancer. Numerous studies have reported that the tumor microenvironment (TME) was significantly correlated with the oncogenesis, progress, and prognosis of various malignancies. Therefore, mining of TME-related genes is reasonably important to improve the overall survival of patients with PDAC.The Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data algorithm was applied to identify differential expressed genes. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses, protein-protein interaction network construction and module analysis, overall survival analysis and tumor immune estimation resource database analysis were then performed on differential expressed genes.Data analysis indicated that higher immune scores were correlated with better overall survival (P = 0.033). Differential expression analysis obtained 90 intersection genes influencing both stromal and immune scores. Among these intersection genes, CA9, EBI3, SPOCK2, WDFY4, CD1D, and CCL22 were significantly correlated with overall survival in PDAC patients. Moreover, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that CA9, SPOCK2, and CD1D were the most significant prognostic genes, and were closely correlated with immune infiltration in TCGA cohort. Further analysis indicated that CD1D were significantly related with immune cell biomarkers for PDAC patients.In summary, our findings provide a more comprehensive insight into TME and show a list of prognostic immune associated genes in PDAC. However, further studies on these genes need to be performed to gain additional understanding of the association between TME and prognosis in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Lu
- Department of General surgery, Tongzhou People's Hospital
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of General surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaojian Chen
- Department of General surgery, Tongzhou People's Hospital
| | - Weihong Gu
- Department of General surgery, Tongzhou People's Hospital
| | - Xinrong Ji
- Department of General surgery, Tongzhou People's Hospital
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of General surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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20
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Xiang X, Wang J, Lu D, Xu X. Targeting tumor-associated macrophages to synergize tumor immunotherapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:75. [PMID: 33619259 PMCID: PMC7900181 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00484-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 365] [Impact Index Per Article: 121.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The current treatment strategies in advanced malignancies remain limited. Notably, immunotherapies have raised hope for a successful control of these advanced diseases, but their therapeutic responses are suboptimal and vary considerably among individuals. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are often correlated with poor prognosis and therapy resistance, including immunotherapies. Thus, a deeper understanding of the complex roles of TAMs in immunotherapy regulation could provide new insight into the TME. Furthermore, targeting of TAMs is an emerging field of interest due to the hope that these strategies will synergize with current immunotherapies. In this review, we summarize recent studies investigating the involvement of TAMs in immune checkpoint inhibition, tumor vaccines and adoptive cell transfer therapies, and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting TAMs as an adjuvant therapy in tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Xiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, CAMS, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianguo Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, CAMS, Hangzhou, China
| | - Di Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, CAMS, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, CAMS, Hangzhou, China.
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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21
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Wang X, Liang C, Yao X, Yang RH, Zhang ZS, Liu FY, Li WQ, Pei SH, Ma J, Xie SQ, Fang D. PKM2-Induced the Phosphorylation of Histone H3 Contributes to EGF-Mediated PD-L1 Transcription in HCC. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:577108. [PMID: 33324209 PMCID: PMC7725877 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.577108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
High expression of programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells usually inhibits the proliferation and functions of T cells, leading to immune suppression in tumor microenvironment. However, very little has been described regarding the mechanism of PD-L1 overexpression in HCC cells. In the present study, we found epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation promoted the expression of PD-L1 mRNA and protein in HCC cells. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) could reverse EGF-induced the expression of PD-L1 mRNA and protein. Subsequently, we also observed that the phosphorylation level of Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) at Ser37 site was also increased in response to EGF stimulation. Expression of a phosphorylation-mimic PKM2 S37D mutant stimulated PD-L1 expression as well as H3-Thr11 phosphorylation in HCC cells, while inhibition of PKM2 significantly blocked EGF-induced PD-L1 expression and H3-Thr11 phosphorylation. Furthermore, mutation of Thr11 of histone H3 into alanine abrogated EGF-induced mRNA and protein expression of PD-L1, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay also suggested that EGF treatment resulted in enhanced H3-Thr11 phosphorylation at the PD-L1 promoter. In a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced rat model of HCC, we found that the expression of phosphorylated EGFR, PKM2 nuclear expression, H3-Thr11 phosphorylation as well as PD-L1 mRNA and protein was higher in the livers than that in normal rat livers. Taken together, our study suggested that PKM2-dependent histone H3-Thr11 phosphorylation was crucial for EGF-induced PD-L1 expression at transcriptional level in HCC. These findings may provide an alternative target for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Chao Liang
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Xin Yao
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Ruo-Han Yang
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Zhan-Sheng Zhang
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Fan-Ye Liu
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Wen-Qi Li
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shu-Hua Pei
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Jing Ma
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Song-Qiang Xie
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,Institute of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Dong Fang
- Institute for Innovative Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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22
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Liu BQ, Bao ZY, Zhu JY, Liu H. Fibrinogen-like protein 2 promotes the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the hepatocellular carcinoma tumor microenvironment. Oncol Lett 2020; 21:47. [PMID: 33281958 PMCID: PMC7709556 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma can be classified into cellular and non-cellular components. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are cellular components of this microenvironment that serve an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2) has been demonstrated to promote tumor progression by regulating cellular components of the tumor microenvironment in various types of malignant tumor. The present study aimed to determine the expression of FGL2 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its effect on the tumor microenvironment in order to determine novel targets for liver cancer treatment. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription quantitative PCR were performed to determine the expression level of FGL2 and the correlation with surface markers of human MDSCs in hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, a mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line overexpressing FGL2 was established by stable transfection of a lentivirus expressing FGL2. In addition, fresh bone marrow cells extracted from mouse femurs were in vitro cultured using conditioned medium derived from the cell line overexpressing FGL2. An orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model was also established. The results demonstrated that FGL2 expression level in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues was closely associated with tumor size. FGL2 level was positively correlated with the expression level of the MDSC surface markers CD11b and CD33 in hepatocellular carcinoma. The in vitro results demonstrated that FGL2 could maintain the undifferentiated state of bone marrow cells, therefore promoting MDSC accumulation. Furthermore, in the orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model, we observed that overexpression of FGL2 could promote tumor growth and significantly increase the number of MDSCs in the tumors and spleen. Taken together, these findings suggested that FGL2 may promote hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth by promoting the accumulation of MDSCs in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Qian Liu
- Department of Transplant and Hepatobilliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China.,Department of Anorectal Surgery, The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Ye Bao
- Department of Transplant and Hepatobilliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Yi Zhu
- Department of Transplant and Hepatobilliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Transplant and Hepatobilliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
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Prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L2 expression in patients with digestive system cancers: A meta-analysis. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 88:106946. [PMID: 33182023 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Programmed death ligand-2 (PD-L2)has been detected in various cancers. However, its prognostic value in digestive system cancers (DSCs) remains unclear. Accordingly, this meta-analysis investigated the prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L2 in patients with DSCs. METHODS We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov., Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases for eligible studies up to April 30, 2020. The hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR), and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of the outcomes were calculated. RESULTS Twenty two studies with 4886 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that PD-L2 overexpression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (HR 1.470, 95% CI: 1.252-1.728, p < 0.001) and worse disease-free survival (DFS) (HR1.598, 95% CI: 1.398-1.826, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PD-L2 was a significant prognostic indicator of worse OS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HR 1.703, 95% CI: 1.456-1.991, p < 0.001) and colorectal cancer (HR 3.811, 95% CI: 1.718-8.454, p = 0.001). Concerning clinicopathologic factors, PD-L2 overexpression was associated with lymphatic metastasis (OR 1.394., 95% CI: 1.101-1.764, p = 0.006), tumor metastasis (OR 1.599, 95% CI: 1.072-2.383, p = 0.021), and the histopathological stage (OR 0.704, 95% CI: 0.566-0.875, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION PD-L2 overexpression in DSCs after surgery might predict a poor prognosis, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer. Larger patient cohorts are needed to validate its prognostic role.
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24
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Armstrong SA, He AR. Immuno-oncology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Present and the Future. Clin Liver Dis 2020; 24:739-753. [PMID: 33012456 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly prevalent and lethal cancer that many therapeutics are being tested for this disease. It has the potential to be a highly immune-responsive tumor given its inflammatory origins. The first immunotherapies were anti-programmed death-1 monotherapies, which improved response rates and survival. Novel immunotherapy combinations and immunotherapy show promise in frontline treatment. The novel antibody therapy combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab may be practice changing. Although these landmark studies seem to offer new treatment options, the role of immunotherapy in the liver transplant setting is uncertain until the safety of this approach is defined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Armstrong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - Aiwu Ruth He
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
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25
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Zhang Q, Yu X, Zheng Q, He Y, Guo W. A Molecular Subtype Model for Liver HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Based on Immune-Related Genes. Front Oncol 2020; 10:560229. [PMID: 33072587 PMCID: PMC7538624 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.560229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world with a very poor prognosis. Immunotyping is of great significance for predicting HCC outcomes and guiding immunotherapy. Therefore, we sought to establish a reliable prognostic model for HBV-related HCC based on immune scores. We identified immune-related modules of The Cancer Genome Atlas LIHC and GSE14520 data sets through weighted gene co-expression network analysis and evaluated HCC through a non-negative matrix factorization algorithm. Through further bioinformatics analyses, we identified causes for prognostic differences between subtypes. The results illustrate a significant difference in prognosis based on immunotypes, which may stem from metabolic disorders and increased tumor invasion associated with the high expression of genes related to stem cell characteristics. In conclusion, we identified a novel HBV-related HCC immune subtype and determined its immunological characteristics, which provides ideas for further individualized immunotherapy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qingyuan Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
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26
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Chinnadurai R, Scandolara R, Alese OB, Arafat D, Ravindranathan D, Farris AB, El-Rayes BF, Gibson G. Correlation Patterns Among B7 Family Ligands and Tryptophan Degrading Enzymes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1632. [PMID: 33014820 PMCID: PMC7494748 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of dysfunctional T cell immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) need to be well defined. B7 family molecules provide both co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals to T cells while tryptophan degrading enzymes like Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) and Tryptophan 2,3 Dioxygenase (TDO) mediate tumor immune tolerance. It is necessary to identify their in situ correlative expression, which informs targets for combined immunotherapy approaches. We investigated B7 family molecules, IDO, TDO and immune responsive effectors in the tumor tissues of patients with HCC (n = 28) using a pathway-focused quantitative nanoscale chip real-time PCR. Four best correlative expressions, namely (1) B7-1 & PD-L2, (2) B7-H2 & B7-H3, (3) B7-2 & PD-L1, (4) PD-L1 & PD-L2, were identified among B7 family ligands, albeit they express at different levels. Although TDO expression is higher than IDO, PD-L1 correlates only with IDO but not TDO. Immune effector (Granzyme B) and suppressive (PD-1 and TGF-β) genes correlate with IDO and B7-1, B7-H5, PD-L2. Identification of the in situ correlation of PD-L1, PD-L2 and IDO suggest their cumulative immuno suppressive role in HCC. The distinct correlations among B7-1, B7-2, B7-H2, and B7-H3, correlation of PD-1 with non-cognate ligands such as B7-1 and B7-H5, and correlation of tumor lytic enzyme Granzyme B with IDO and PD-L2 suggest that HCC microenvironment is complexly orchestrated with both stimulatory and inhibitory molecules which together neutralize and blunt anti-HCC immunity. Functional assays demonstrate that both PDL-1 and IDO synergistically inhibit T cell responses. Altogether, the present data suggest the usage of combined immune checkpoint blocking strategies targeting co-inhibitory B7 molecules and IDO for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghavan Chinnadurai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, United States
| | - Rafaela Scandolara
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, United States
| | - Olatunji B Alese
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Dalia Arafat
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Deepak Ravindranathan
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alton B Farris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Bassel F El-Rayes
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Greg Gibson
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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27
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Shakerin P, Sedighi Moghadam B, Baghaei K, Safaei Naraghi Z, Kamyab Hesari K, Asadzadeh Aghdaei H, Shokouhi Shoormasti R, Fazeli MS, Nourizadeh M. Increasing the expression of programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2) but not 4-1BB ligand in colorectal cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:5689-5697. [PMID: 32661872 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05289-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint (ICP) molecules modulate the immune response by either inducing or preventing T cell activation. Over-expression of some ICPs on malignant cells has been shown to regulate anti-tumor immune responses. We aimed to investigate the expression levels of two immune checkpoint molecules which have not been studied extensively in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Programmed Death Ligand 2 (co-inhibitory) and 4-1BB ligand (co-stimulatory) were assessed in tumor tissues of CRC patients compared to the adjacent normal tissues. Following tissue excision during surgical operation from 21 CRC patients, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis and semi-quantitative real-time PCR were done for measuring the expressions of PD-L2 and 4-1BBL genes. In protein level, indirect immunohistochemistery (IHC) was performed on tissue sections. We revealed that PD-L2 was expressed in about 81% CRCs and insignificantly correlated with the tumor differentiation grade. Although a 3.25-fold change in the gene expression of PD-L2 was found in tumor tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissues (P = 0.005), but decreased level of 4-1BBL in counterpart tissues was not significant. Our results were confirmed by IHC for PDL-2 (P = 0.02) and 4-1BBL, however it was not statistically significant for the latter one. Although not significant, we could find an association between the elevated expression of PD-L2 and the tumor differentiation grade. Increased expression of negative regulator of the anti-tumor immune responses like PD-L2, as a prominent way of tumor escape, can be considered for cancer immunotherapy approaches in CRC patients using blocking monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parastoo Shakerin
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Bijan Sedighi Moghadam
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Kaveh Baghaei
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Safaei Naraghi
- Department of Dermatopathology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kambiz Kamyab Hesari
- Department of Dermatopathology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti
- Immunology, Asthma, & Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Fazeli
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine. Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nourizadeh
- Immunology, Asthma, & Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran.
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28
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Pinato DJ, Guerra N, Fessas P, Murphy R, Mineo T, Mauri FA, Mukherjee SK, Thursz M, Wong CN, Sharma R, Rimassa L. Immune-based therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene 2020; 39:3620-3637. [PMID: 32157213 PMCID: PMC7190571 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1249-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death. The immune-rich contexture of the HCC microenvironment makes this tumour an appealing target for immune-based therapies. Here, we discuss how the functional characteristics of the liver microenvironment can potentially be harnessed for the treatment of HCC. We will review the evidence supporting a therapeutic role for vaccines, cell-based therapies and immune-checkpoint inhibitors and discuss the potential for patient stratification in an attempt to overcome the series of failures that has characterised drug development in this disease area.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Pinato
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK.
| | - Nadia Guerra
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Petros Fessas
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK
| | - Ravindhi Murphy
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK
| | | | - Francesco A Mauri
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK
| | - Sujit K Mukherjee
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London, UK
| | - Mark Thursz
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London, UK
| | - Ching Ngar Wong
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W120HS, UK
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Medical Oncology and Haematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center-IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini, 20090, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
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29
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Abstract
HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with several etiologic causes, mostly inflammation-associated. Different inflammatory responses in the liver can be triggered by different etiological agents. The inflammatory process can be resolved or be persistent, depending on the etiology and multiple other factors. Chronic inflammation, tissue remodeling, genetic alterations, and modifications in cellular signaling are considered to be key processes promoting immunosuppression. The progressive immunosuppression leads to the inactivation of anti-tumor immunity involved in HCC carcinogenesis and progression. Tumor cellular processes including DNA damage, necrosis, and ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress can affect both immune-surveillance and cancer-promoting inflammation, supporting a mutual interdependence. Here, we review the current understanding of how chronic liver injury and inflammation is triggered and sustained, and how inflammation is linked to HCC. The identification of many hepatic microenvironmental inflammatory processes and their effector molecules, has resulted in extensive translational work and promising clinical trials of new immunomodulatory agents.
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30
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Li W, Qie J, Zhang Y, Chang J. Spatiotemporal Changes in Checkpoint Molecule Expression. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1248:167-200. [PMID: 32185711 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, have led to therapeutic breakthrough in patients with advanced malignancy, covering the lung, breast, gastrointestinal, head and neck, urinary system, lymphoma, and solid tumor harboring MSI/dMMR. In certain cancer types, the expression level of immune checkpoint molecule will be required if the immune-based approaches are considered, especially the PD-L1 expression. However, in other types, survival benefit has been proven regardless of PD-L1 expression. It raises a question of how to select patients for immune therapy and whether the expression of immune checkpoint molecules will be optimal biomarkers. Before answering this question, a comprehensive map for the expression of immune checkpoint molecules is needed. In this chapter, we describe our current knowledge on the spatiotemporal changes in the expression of checkpoint molecules. We discuss the different frequencies of expression depending on tumor types and stages, the different patterns between primary and metastatic tumors, as well as the change of expression before and after treatment. The expression of PD-L1 has been most studied, but the threshold that separate "positive" and "negative" PD-L1 expressions and the consistency of testing platform remain under debate. Better understanding on the tumor microenvironment and expression of checkpoint molecules will help to identify patients who will benefit from checkpoint blockade therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jingbo Qie
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, 130 Dongan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jinjia Chang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
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31
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Zhou K, Guo S, Li F, Sun Q, Liang G. Exosomal PD-L1: New Insights Into Tumor Immune Escape Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:569219. [PMID: 33178688 PMCID: PMC7593554 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.569219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As a classical immune checkpoint molecule, PD-L1 on the surface of tumor cells plays a pivotal role in tumor immunosuppression, primarily by inhibiting the antitumor activities of T cells by binding to its receptor PD-1. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have demonstrated unprecedented promise in treating various human cancers with impressive efficacy. However, a significant portion of cancer patients remains less responsive. Therefore, a better understanding of PD-L1-mediated immune escape is imperative. PD-L1 can be expressed on the surface of tumor cells, but it is also found to exist in extracellular forms, such as on exosomes. Recent studies have revealed the importance of exosomal PD-L1 (ExoPD-L1). As an alternative to membrane-bound PD-L1, ExoPD-L1 produced by tumor cells also plays an important regulatory role in the antitumor immune response. We review the recent remarkable findings on the biological functions of ExoPD-L1, including the inhibition of lymphocyte activities, migration to PD-L1-negative tumor cells and immune cells, induction of both local and systemic immunosuppression, and promotion of tumor growth. We also discuss the potential implications of ExoPD-L1 as a predictor for disease progression and treatment response, sensitive methods for detection of circulating ExoPD-L1, and the novel therapeutic strategies combining the inhibition of exosome biogenesis with PD-L1 blockade in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijian Zhou
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shu Guo
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Shu Guo,
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guoxin Liang
- Cancer Therapy Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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