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Zhou Y, Zhang X, Gao Y, Peng Y, Liu P, Chen Y, Guo C, Deng G, Ouyang Y, Zhang Y, Han Y, Cai C, Shen H, Gao L, Zeng S. Neuromedin U receptor 1 deletion leads to impaired immunotherapy response and high malignancy in colorectal cancer. iScience 2024; 27:110318. [PMID: 39055918 PMCID: PMC11269305 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110318] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) exhibits significant heterogeneity, impacting immunotherapy efficacy, particularly in immune desert subtypes. Neuromedin U receptor 1 (NMUR1) has been reported to perform a vital function in immunity and inflammation. Through comprehensive multi-omics analyses, we have systematically characterized NMUR1 across various tumors, assessing expression patterns, genetic alterations, prognostic significance, immune infiltration, and pathway associations at both the bulk sequencing and single-cell scales. Our findings demonstrate a positive correlation between NMUR1 and CD8+ T cell infiltration, with elevated NMUR1 levels in CD8+ T cells linked to improved immunotherapy outcomes in patients with CRC. Further, we have validated the NMUR1 expression signature in CRC cell lines and patient-derived tissues, revealing its interaction with key immune checkpoints, including lymphocyte activation gene 3 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4. Additionally, NMUR1 suppression enhances CRC cell proliferation and invasiveness. Our integrated analyses and experiments open new avenues for personalized immunotherapy strategies in CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulai Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Long School of Medicine, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yinghui Peng
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yihong Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Cao Guo
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Gongping Deng
- Department of Emergency, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China
| | - Yanhong Ouyang
- Department of Emergency, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Yueyang People’s Hospital, Yueyang Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University, Yueyang, Hunan 414000, China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Changjing Cai
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Le Gao
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Shan Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
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Shivarudrappa AH, John J, Vashisht M, Ge H, Liu S, Chen J, Siddoway K, Dong R, Chen Z, Wang JH. Differential tumor immune microenvironment coupled with tumor progression or tumor eradication in HPV-antigen expressing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) models. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1405318. [PMID: 39055715 PMCID: PMC11269233 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1405318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an etiological factor of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To investigate the role of HPV antigen in anti-tumor immunity, we established mouse models by expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 in a SCC tumor cell line. We obtained two HPV antigen-expressing clones (C-225 and C-100) transplantable into C57BL/6 recipients. We found that C-225 elicited complete eradication in C57BL/6 mice (eradicated), whereas C-100 grew progressively (growing). We examined immune tumor microenvironment (TME) using flow cytometry and found that eradicated or growing tumors exhibited differential immune profiles that may influence the outcome of anti-tumor immunity. Surprisingly, the percentage of CD8 and CD4 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was much higher in growing (C-100) than eradicated (C-225) tumor. However, the TILs upregulated PD-1 and LAG-3 more potently and exhibited impaired effector functions in growing tumor compared to their counterparts in eradicated tumor. C-225 TME is highly enriched with myeloid cells, especially polymorphonuclear (PMN) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), whereas the percentage of M-MDSC and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) was much higher in C-100 TME, especially M2-TAMs (CD206+). The complete eradication of C-225 depended on CD8 T cells and elicited anti-tumor memory responses upon secondary tumor challenge. We employed DNA sequencing to identify differences in the T cell receptor of peripheral blood lymphocytes pre- and post-secondary tumor challenge. Lastly, C-225 and C-100 tumor lines harbored different somatic mutations. Overall, we uncovered differential immune TME that may underlie the divergent outcomes of anti-tumor immunity by establishing two SCC tumor lines, both of which express HPV16 E6 and E7 antigens. Our experimental models may provide a platform for pinpointing tumor-intrinsic versus host-intrinsic differences in orchestrating an immunosuppressive TME in HNSCCs and for identifying new targets that render tumor cells vulnerable to immune attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpitha H. Shivarudrappa
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jessy John
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Silvia Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jingxin Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Karen Siddoway
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rui Dong
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Narmada BC, Khakpoor A, Shirgaonkar N, Narayanan S, Aw PPK, Singh M, Ong KH, Owino CO, Ng JWT, Yew HC, Binte Mohamed Nasir NS, Au VB, Sng R, Kaliaperumal N, Khine HHTW, di Tocco FC, Masayuki O, Naikar S, Ng HX, Chia SL, Seah CXY, Alnawaz MH, Wai CLY, Tay AYL, Mangat KS, Chew V, Yu W, Connolly JE, Periyasamy G, Plissonnier ML, Levrero M, Lim SG, DasGupta R. Single-cell landscape of functionally cured chronic hepatitis B patients reveals activation of innate and altered CD4-CTL-driven adaptive immunity. J Hepatol 2024; 81:42-61. [PMID: 38423478 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss or functional cure (FC) is considered the optimal therapeutic outcome for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the immune-pathological biomarkers and underlying mechanisms of FC remain unclear. In this study we comprehensively interrogate disease-associated cell states identified within intrahepatic tissue and matched PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) from patients with CHB or after FC, at the resolution of single cells, to provide novel insights into putative mechanisms underlying FC. METHODS We combined single-cell transcriptomics (single-cell RNA sequencing) with multiparametric flow cytometry-based immune phenotyping, and multiplexed immunofluorescence to elucidate the immunopathological cell states associated with CHB vs. FC. RESULTS We found that the intrahepatic environment in CHB and FC displays specific cell identities and molecular signatures that are distinct from those found in matched PBMCs. FC is associated with the emergence of an altered adaptive immune response marked by CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and an activated innate response represented by liver-resident natural killer cells, specific Kupffer cell subtypes and marginated neutrophils. Surprisingly, we found MHC class II-expressing hepatocytes in patients achieving FC, as well as low but persistent levels of covalently closed circular DNA and pregenomic RNA, which may play an important role in FC. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides conceptually novel insights into the immuno-pathological control of HBV cure, and opens exciting new avenues for clinical management, biomarker discovery and therapeutic development. We believe that the discoveries from this study, as it relates to the activation of an innate and altered immune response that may facilitate sustained, low-grade inflammation, may have broader implications in the resolution of chronic viral hepatitis. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS This study dissects the immuno-pathological cell states associated with functionally cured chronic hepatitis B (defined by the loss of HBV surface antigen or HBsAg). We identified the sustained presence of very low viral load, accessory antigen-presenting hepatocytes, adaptive-memory-like natural killer cells, and the emergence of helper CD4 T cells with cytotoxic or effector-like signatures associated with functional cure, suggesting previously unsuspected alterations in the adaptive immune response, as well as a key role for the innate immune response in achieving or maintaining functional cure. Overall, the insights generated from this study may provide new avenues for the development of alternative therapies as well as patient surveillance for better clinical management of chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balakrishnan Chakrapani Narmada
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 60 Biopolis St., #02-01 Genome, Singapore 138672; Experimental Drug Development Centre, A∗STAR, 10 Biopolis Way, Chromos, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Atefeh Khakpoor
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Niranjan Shirgaonkar
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 60 Biopolis St., #02-01 Genome, Singapore 138672
| | - Sriram Narayanan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Pauline Poh Kim Aw
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 60 Biopolis St., #02-01 Genome, Singapore 138672
| | - Malay Singh
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Kok Haur Ong
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Collins Oduor Owino
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 60 Biopolis St., #02-01 Genome, Singapore 138672; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jane Wei Ting Ng
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Chuing Yew
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Veonice Bijin Au
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Reina Sng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Nivashini Kaliaperumal
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Htet Htet Toe Wai Khine
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Otsuka Masayuki
- Translational Immunology Institute (TII), SingHealth-DukeNUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore 169856, Singapore
| | - Shamita Naikar
- Translational Immunology Institute (TII), SingHealth-DukeNUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore 169856, Singapore
| | - Hui Xin Ng
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Su Li Chia
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Myra Hj Alnawaz
- Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore
| | - Chris Lee Yoon Wai
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amy Yuh Ling Tay
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kamarjit Singh Mangat
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Valerie Chew
- Translational Immunology Institute (TII), SingHealth-DukeNUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore 169856, Singapore
| | - Weimiao Yu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore; Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - John Edward Connolly
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Giridharan Periyasamy
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, A∗STAR, 10 Biopolis Way, Chromos, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - Massimo Levrero
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France; Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; University of Lyon Claude Bernard 1 (UCLB1), Lyon, France; Department of Medicine SCIAC and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Center for Life Nanosciences (CLNS), University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Seng Gee Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore; Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore.
| | - Ramanuj DasGupta
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 60 Biopolis St., #02-01 Genome, Singapore 138672.
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Tevetoğlu F, Çomunoğlu N, Yener HM. The impact of the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subgroups on laryngeal cancer prognosis. Sci Prog 2024; 107:368504241266087. [PMID: 39044316 PMCID: PMC11271122 DOI: 10.1177/00368504241266087] [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] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
The absence of improvement in survival rates across various cancers, including laryngeal cancer, has led to an increasing interest in understanding the immune response to cancer. In head and neck cancers, immune modulatory mechanisms such as immune microenvironment and immune infiltration are important in cancer pathogenesis. This study aims to explore the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) subgroups in the immune microenvironment and evaluate their impact on tumor histopathological characteristics and prognosis. The study included 50 patients who underwent laryngectomy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, in Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Medicine Department of Otorhinolaryngology, between January 2016 and January 2018. Pathology specimens were evaluated using immunohistochemistry to assess the expressions of the CD3, CD20, CD8, CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 markers, identifying subgroups of TILs. The investigation aimed to uncover how these subgroups influence tumor histopathological features and survival outcomes. The high infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 had a positive impact on disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence-free survival. In addition, overall survival was positively affected by high CD3 and CD4 infiltrations. However, no significant relationship was observed between the expressions of CD8, FoxP3, and CD25 and any of the survival parameters. The infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 positive cells indicative of a robust antitumoral immune response-emerged as favorable prognostic factors in laryngeal cancer. These findings suggest that enhancing the infiltration of CD3, CD20, and CD4 lymphocytes could be a therapeutic strategy worth exploring in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fırat Tevetoğlu
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Nil Çomunoğlu
- Pathology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Haydar Murat Yener
- Otorhinolaryngology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Türkiye
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Yang X, Yan Y, Wang F, Tian J, Cao Q, Liu M, Ma B, Su C, Duan X. Aspirin prevents colorectal cancer by regulating the abundance of Enterococcus cecorum and TIGIT +Treg cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13592. [PMID: 38867002 PMCID: PMC11169407 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64447-0] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Although aspirin can reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), there is still uncertainty about its significance as a treatment for CRC, and the mechanism of aspirin in CRC is not well understood. In this study, we used aspirin to prevent AOM/DSS-induced CRC in mice, and the anti-CRC efficacy of aspirin was assessed using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and by determining the mouse survival rate and tumour size. 16S rDNA sequencing, flow cytometry (FCM), and Western blotting were also conducted to investigate the changes in the gut microbiota, tumour immune microenvironment, and apoptotic proteins, respectively. The results demonstrated that aspirin significantly exerted anti-CRC effects in mice. According to 16S rDNA sequencing, aspirin regulated the composition of the gut microbiota and dramatically reduced the abundance of Enterococcus cecorum. FCM demonstrated that there were more CD155 tumour cells and CD4 + CD25 + Treg cells showed increased TIGIT levels. Moreover, increased TIGIT expression on Treg cells is associated with reduced Treg cell functionality. Importantly, the inhibition of Treg cells is accompanied by the promotion of CD19 + GL-7 + B cells, CD8 + T cells, CD4 + CCR4 + Th2 cells, and CD4 + CCR6 + Th17 cells. Overall, aspirin prevents colorectal cancer by regulating the abundance of Enterococcus cecorum and TIGIT + Treg cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Yang
- School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- School of Inspection, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Yajuan Yan
- School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Fengkui Wang
- General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Jinhua Tian
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Qian Cao
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Miao Liu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Bin Ma
- Department of Oncology Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yinchuan, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
| | - Chunxia Su
- School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
| | - Xiangguo Duan
- School of Inspection, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
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Luce A, Abate M, Scognamiglio G, Montella M, Iervolino D, Campione S, Di Mauro A, Sepe O, Gigantino V, Tathode MS, Ferrara G, Monaco R, De Dominicis G, Misso G, Gentile V, Franco R, Zappavigna S, Caraglia M. Immune cell infiltration and inflammatory landscape in primary brain tumours. J Transl Med 2024; 22:521. [PMID: 38816839 PMCID: PMC11140972 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05309-1] [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: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary malignant brain tumours are more than one-third of all brain tumours and despite the molecular investigation to identify cancer driver mutations, the current therapeutic options available are challenging due to high intratumour heterogeneity. In addition, an immunosuppressive and inflammatory tumour microenvironment strengthens cancer progression. Therefore, we defined an immune and inflammatory profiling of meningioma and glial tumours to elucidate the role of the immune infiltration in these cancer types. METHODS Using tissue microarrays of 158 brain tumour samples, we assessed CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD138, Granzyme B (GzmB), 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX), Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), O-6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT) and Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC results were correlated using a Spearman correlation matrix. Transcript expression, correlation, and overall survival (OS) analyses were evaluated using public datasets available on GEPIA2 in Glioblastoma (GBM) and Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) cohorts. RESULTS Seven out of ten markers showed a significantly different IHC expression in at least one of the evaluated cohorts whereas CD3, CD4 and 5-LOX were differentially expressed between GBMs and astrocytomas. Correlation matrix analysis revealed that 5-LOX and GzmB expression were associated in both meningiomas and GBMs, whereas 5-LOX expression was significantly and positively correlated to TG2 in both meningioma and astrocytoma cohorts. These findings were confirmed with the correlation analysis of TCGA-GBM and LGG datasets. Profiling of mRNA levels indicated a significant increase in CD3 (CD3D, CD3E), and CD138 (SDC1) expression in GBM compared to control tissues. CD4 and 5-LOX (ALOX5) mRNA levels were significantly more expressed in tumour samples than in normal tissues in both GBM and LGG. In GBM cohort, GzmB (GZMB), SDC1 and MGMT gene expression predicted a poor overall survival (OS). Moreover, in LGG cohort, an increased expression of CD3 (CD3D, CD3E, CD3G), CD8 (CD8A), GZMB, CD20 (MS4A1), SDC1, PD-L1, ALOX5, and TG2 (TGM2) genes was associated with worse OS. CONCLUSIONS Our data have revealed that there is a positive and significant correlation between the expression of 5-LOX and GzmB, both at RNA and protein level. Further evaluation is needed to understand the interplay of 5-LOX and immune infiltration in glioma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Luce
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Abate
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
- Laboratory of Precision and Molecular Oncology, Biogem Scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, 83031, Ariano Irpino, Italy
| | - Giosuè Scognamiglio
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Montella
- Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Pathology Unit, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Iervolino
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Severo Campione
- Department of Advanced Technology, Pathology Unit, Cardarelli Hospital, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Annabella Di Mauro
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Orlando Sepe
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Gigantino
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Madhura S Tathode
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Gerardo Ferrara
- Pathological Anatomy and Cytopathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Monaco
- Department of Advanced Technology, Pathology Unit, Cardarelli Hospital, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianfranco De Dominicis
- Department of Advanced Technology, Pathology Unit, Cardarelli Hospital, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella Misso
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Vittorio Gentile
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Renato Franco
- Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Pathology Unit, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Zappavigna
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
| | - Michele Caraglia
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
- Laboratory of Precision and Molecular Oncology, Biogem Scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, 83031, Ariano Irpino, Italy
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Sammarco E, Rossetti M, Salfi A, Bonato A, Viacava P, Masi G, Galli L, Faviana P. Tumor microenvironment and clinical efficacy of first line immunotherapy-based combinations in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Med Oncol 2024; 41:150. [PMID: 38740647 PMCID: PMC11090963 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02370-0] [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: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The impact of tumor microenvironment (TME) in influencing clinical response to first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based treatment in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is unclear. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) could identify biomarkers related to immune checkpoints and immune cell population. This study retrospectively characterized TME from 28 RCC patients who received first line ICI-based therapy through IHC assessment of selected markers and explored preliminary evidence about their possible correlation with treatment efficacy. We found a significantly higher count of CD80+, CD163+ cells and their ratio in RCC with clear cell component compared to those without clear cell features; additionally, patients with metastatic disease at diagnosis were associated with higher expression of CD163+ cells, while higher count of CD4+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were found in RCC with sarcomatoid features. Patients achieving partial or complete response were associated with lower expression of CD163+ cells (median 28 vs 47; p = 0.049). Furthermore, lower expression of CD163+ was associated with better PFS (median PFS 20.0 vs 4.7 months; HR 0.22 p = 0.011) and OS (median OS NR vs 14.4 months; HR 0.28 p = 0.036). A longer OS was reported in PD-L1 CPS negative patients (median OS NR vs 11.8 months; HR 0.20 p = 0.024). High infiltration of CD163+ macrophages, who typically present "anti-inflammatory" M2-like phenotype, could identify a subgroup of patients with poor survival after receiving first-line ICI.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/immunology
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Kidney Neoplasms/pathology
- Kidney Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Kidney Neoplasms/immunology
- Kidney Neoplasms/metabolism
- Male
- Female
- Middle Aged
- Aged
- Retrospective Studies
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Adult
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis
- Aged, 80 and over
- Treatment Outcome
- Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Sammarco
- Medical Oncology Unit, Livorno Hospital, Azienda Toscana Nord Ovest, Livorno, Italy
| | - Martina Rossetti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessia Salfi
- Medical Oncology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Adele Bonato
- Medical Oncology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Viacava
- Pathology Unit, Livorno Hospital, Azienda Toscana Nord Ovest, Livorno, Italy
| | - Gianluca Masi
- Medical Oncology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Galli
- Medical Oncology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Pinuccia Faviana
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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8
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Liu Y, Ali H, Khan F, Pang L, Chen P. Epigenetic regulation of tumor-immune symbiosis in glioma. Trends Mol Med 2024; 30:429-442. [PMID: 38453529 PMCID: PMC11081824 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.02.004] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Glioma is a type of aggressive and incurable brain tumor. Patients with glioma are highly resistant to all types of therapies, including immunotherapies. Epigenetic reprogramming is a key molecular hallmark in tumors across cancer types, including glioma. Mounting evidence highlights a pivotal role of epigenetic regulation in shaping tumor biology and therapeutic responses through mechanisms involving both glioma cells and immune cells, as well as their symbiotic interactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic regulation that impacts glioma cell biology and tumor immunity in both a cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous manner. Moreover, we provide an overview of potential therapeutic approaches that can disrupt epigenetic-regulated tumor-immune symbiosis in the glioma TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Heba Ali
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Fatima Khan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Lizhi Pang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Peiwen Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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9
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He JY, Li ZM, Chen YT, Zhao BH, Yu C. Development and validation of a prognostic prediction model for cervical cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy: a study based on TCGA database. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:1721-1736. [PMID: 38737688 PMCID: PMC11082820 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-1772] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Background Radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced or inoperable cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC). However, treatment failure for CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy still occurs due to local recurrence and distant metastasis. The previous prediction models were focused on all CESC patients, neglecting the prognostic differences under different treatment modalities. Therefore, there is a pressing demand to explore novel biomarkers for the prognosis and sensitivity of radiotherapy in CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy. As a single biomarker has limited effect in stratifying these patients, our objective was to identify radioresponse-related mRNAs to ameliorate forecast of the prognosis for CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy. Methods Sample data on CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We randomly separated these patients into a training and test cohorts using a 1:1 ratio. Differential expression analysis was carried out to identify radioresponse-related mRNA sets that were significantly dysregulated between complete response (CR) and radiographic progressive disease (RPD) groups, and univariate Cox regression analyses, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method and multivariate Cox regression were performed to identify the radioresponse-related signature in the training cohort. we adopted survival analysis to measure the predictive value of the radioresponse-related signature both in the test and entire cohorts. Moreover, we developed a novel nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy. In addition, immune infiltration analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were conducted to preliminarily explore possible mechanisms. Results This study included a total of 92 CESC patients subjected to radical radiotherapy. We developed and verified a risk score model based on radioresponse-related mRNA. The radioresponse-related mRNA signature and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage were served as independent prognostic factors for CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy. Moreover, a nomogram integrating radioresponse-related mRNA signature with FIGO stage was established to perform better for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. Mechanically, the low-risk group under the risk score of this model had a better survival status, and the distribution of CD4 T cells was potentially involved in the regulation of radiotherapy response in CESC, leading to a better survival outcome in the low-risk group. Conclusions This study presents a new radioresponse-related mRNA signature that shows promising clinical efficacy in predicting the prognosis of CESC patients treated with radical radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yan He
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhi-Min Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Ya-Ting Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Bi-Huan Zhao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Chang Yu
- Preventive Medicine Clinic, Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, China
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10
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Huang Z, Liu X, Guo Q, Zhou Y, Shi L, Cai Q, Tang S, Ouyang Q, Zheng J. Extracellular vesicle-mediated communication between CD8 + cytotoxic T cells and tumor cells. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1376962. [PMID: 38562940 PMCID: PMC10982391 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1376962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumors pose a significant global public health challenge, resulting in numerous fatalities annually. CD8+ T cells play a crucial role in combating tumors; however, their effectiveness is compromised by the tumor itself and the tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in reduced efficacy of immunotherapy. In this dynamic interplay, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as pivotal mediators, facilitating direct and indirect communication between tumors and CD8+ T cells. In this article, we provide an overview of how tumor-derived EVs directly regulate CD8+ T cell function by carrying bioactive molecules they carry internally and on their surface. Simultaneously, these EVs modulate the TME, indirectly influencing the efficiency of CD8+ T cell responses. Furthermore, EVs derived from CD8+ T cells exhibit a dual role: they promote tumor immune evasion while also enhancing antitumor activity. Finally, we briefly discuss current prevailing approaches that utilize functionalized EVs based on tumor-targeted therapy and tumor immunotherapy. These approaches aim to present novel perspectives for EV-based tumor treatment strategies, demonstrating potential for advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Huang
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xuehui Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qinghao Guo
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yihang Zhou
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Linlin Shi
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Qingjin Cai
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Shupei Tang
- Department of Shigatse Branch, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shigatse, China
| | - Qin Ouyang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ji Zheng
- Department of Urology, Urologic Surgery Center, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
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11
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Li X, Li J, Li J, Liu N, Zhuang L. Development and validation of epigenetic modification-related signals for the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:51. [PMID: 38212708 PMCID: PMC10782594 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09815-2] [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: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the world's most common malignancies. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in characteristics beyond the DNA sequence. Epigenetic information is essential for maintaining specific expression patterns of genes and the normal development of individuals, and disorders of epigenetic modifications may alter the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and affect the development of cancer. This study elucidates the relationship between epigenetics and the prognosis of CRC patients by developing a predictive model to explore the potential value of epigenetics in the treatment of CRC. METHODS Gene expression data of CRC patients' tumor tissue and controls were downloaded from GEO database. Combined with the 720 epigenetic-related genes (ERGs) downloaded from EpiFactors database, prognosis-related epigenetic genes were selected by univariate cox and LASSO analyses. The Kaplan-Meier and ROC curve were used to analyze the accuracy of the model. Data of 238 CRC samples with survival data downloaded from the GSE17538 were used for validation. Finally, the risk model is combined with the clinical characteristics of CRC patients to perform univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis to obtain independent risk factors and draw nomogram. Then we evaluated the accuracy of its prediction by calibration curves. RESULTS A total of 2906 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between CRC and control samples. After overlapping DEGs with 720 ERGs, 56 epigenetic-related DEGs (DEERGs) were identified. Combining univariate and LASSO regression analysis, the 8 epigenetic-related genes-based risk score model of CRC was established. The ROC curves and survival difference of high and low risk groups revealed the good performance of the risk score model based on prognostic biomarkers in both training and validation sets. A nomogram with good performance to predict the survival of CRC patients were established based on age, NM stage and risk score. The calibration curves showed that the prognostic model had good predictive performance. CONCLUSION In this study, an epigenetically relevant 8-gene signature was constructed that can effectively predict the prognosis of CRC patients and provide potential directions for targeted therapies for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Nannan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Liwei Zhuang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
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12
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Li Y, Liu Y, Kang Z, Guo J, Liu N. Tumor microenvironment heterogeneity in bladder cancer identifies biologically distinct subtypes predicting prognosis and anti-PD-L1 responses. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19563. [PMID: 37949863 PMCID: PMC10638294 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44028-3] [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: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BCa) is heterogeneous in the tumour microenvironment (TME). However, the role of the TME in BCa in modulating the response to immunotherapy has not been fully explored. We therefore analysed fractions of immune cells using CIBERSORTx and clustered BCa into subtypes. We also analyzed weighted correlation networks to generate immunotherapy-related hub genes that we used to construct a prediction model using multivariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses. We found that BCa comprised three subtypes (C1‒C3). The prognosis of the patients was the most favourable and the response rate to anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was the highest in C1 among the three subtypes. Immune cells, including CD8+, CD4+ memory activated, and follicular helper T cells, activated NK cells, and M1 macrophages infiltrated the C1 subtype. The C2 subtype was enriched in M0 macrophages and activated mast cells, and the C3 subtype was enriched in B and resting immune cells. Mechanistically, the enhanced immunogenicity of subtypes C1 and C2 correlated positively with a higher response rate, whereas the dysregulated ECM-related pathways in the C2 subtype and glycolytic and fatty acid metabolic pathways in the C3 subtype impaired the responses of patients to anti-PD-L1 therapy. We also constructed a TME-related signature based on 18 genes that performed well in terms of overall survival. In conclusion, we determined prognoses and anti-PD-L1 responses by analysing TME heterogeneity in BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- YaFei Li
- Department of Urology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Urology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China.
| | - Zhengjun Kang
- Department of Urology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China.
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Department of Urology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Nan Liu
- Department of Urology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
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13
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Gao X, Zuo S. Immune landscape and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: focus on innate and adaptive immune cells. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:1881-1899. [PMID: 36773210 PMCID: PMC10543580 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01015-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for roughly 90% of all cases of primary liver cancer, and the cases are on the rise. The treatment of advanced HCC is a serious challenge. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has marked a watershed moment in the history of HCC systemic treatment. Atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab has been approved as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC since 2020; however, the combination therapy is only effective in a limited percentage of patients. Considering that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has a great impact on immunotherapies for HCC, an in-depth understanding of the immune landscape in tumors and the current immunotherapeutic approaches is extremely necessary. We elaborate on the features, functions, and cross talk of the innate and adaptive immune cells in HCC and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of various immunotherapies for advanced HCC, as well as future projections. HCC consists of a heterogeneous group of cancers with distinct etiologies and immune microenvironments. Almost all the components of innate and adaptive immune cells in HCC have altered, showing a decreasing trend in the number of tumor suppressor cells and an increasing trend in the pro-cancer cells, and there is also cross talk between various cell types. Various immunotherapies for HCC have also shown promising efficacy and application prospect. There are multilayered interwoven webs among various immune cell types in HCC, and emerging evidence demonstrates the promising prospect of immunotherapeutic approaches for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqiang Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. 28, Guiyi Street, Guiyang, 550000, Guizhou, China
- Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Shi Zuo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. 28, Guiyi Street, Guiyang, 550000, Guizhou, China.
- Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
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14
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Topchyan P, Lin S, Cui W. The Role of CD4 T Cell Help in CD8 T Cell Differentiation and Function During Chronic Infection and Cancer. Immune Netw 2023; 23:e41. [PMID: 37970230 PMCID: PMC10643329 DOI: 10.4110/in.2023.23.e41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4 and CD8 T cells are key players in the immune response against both pathogenic infections and cancer. CD4 T cells provide help to CD8 T cells via multiple mechanisms, including licensing dendritic cells (DCs), co-stimulation, and cytokine production. During acute infection and vaccination, CD4 T cell help is important for the development of CD8 T cell memory. However, during chronic viral infection and cancer, CD4 helper T cells are critical for the sustained effector CD8 T cell response, through a variety of mechanisms. In this review, we focus on T cell responses in conditions of chronic Ag stimulation, such as chronic viral infection and cancer. In particular, we address the significant role of CD4 T cell help in promoting effector CD8 T cell responses, emerging techniques that can be utilized to further our understanding of how these interactions may take place in the context of tertiary lymphoid structures, and how this key information can be harnessed for therapeutic utility against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paytsar Topchyan
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Siying Lin
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Weiguo Cui
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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15
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Ali W, Xiao W, Jacobs D, Kajdacsy-Balla A. Survival and Enrichment Analysis of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Genes in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1899. [PMID: 37895248 PMCID: PMC10606556 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101899] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The escalating prevalence of bladder cancer, particularly urothelial carcinoma, necessitates innovative approaches for prognosis and therapy. This study delves into the significance of genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process inherently linked to carcinogenesis and comparatively better studied in other cancers. We examined 1184 EMT-related gene expression levels in bladder urothelial cancer cases through the TCGA dataset. Genes shown to be differentially expressed in relation to survival underwent further network and enrichment analysis to uncover how they might shape disease outcomes. Our in silico analysis revealed a subset of 32 genes, including those significantly represented in biological pathways such as VEGF signaling and bacterium response. In addition, these genes interact with genes involved in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Additionally, some of those 32 genes have been linked to immunomodulators such as chemokines CCL15 and CCL18, as well as to various immune cell infiltrates. Our findings highlight the prognostic utility of various EMT-related genes and identify possible modulators of their effect on survival, allowing for further targeted wet lab research and possible therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Ali
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (W.X.); (D.J.)
| | - Weirui Xiao
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (W.X.); (D.J.)
| | - Daniel Jacobs
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (W.X.); (D.J.)
| | - Andre Kajdacsy-Balla
- Professor of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
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16
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Liu L, Wu M, Huang A, Gao C, Yang Y, Liu H, Jiang H, Yu L, Huang Y, Wang H. Establishment of a high-fidelity patient-derived xenograft model for cervical cancer enables the evaluation of patient's response to conventional and novel therapies. J Transl Med 2023; 21:611. [PMID: 37689699 PMCID: PMC10492358 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04444-5] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (r/m CC) often has poor prognosis owing to its limited treatment options. The development of novel therapeutic strategies has been hindered by the lack of preclinical models that accurately reflect the biological and genomic heterogeneity of cervical cancer (CC). Herein, we aimed to establish a large patient-derived xenograft (PDX) biobank for CC, evaluate the consistency of the biologic indicators between PDX and primary tumor tissues of patients, and explore its utility for assessing patient's response to conventional and novel therapies. METHODS Sixty-nine fresh CC tumor tissues were implanted directly into immunodeficient mice to establish PDX models. The concordance of the PDX models with their corresponding primary tumors (PTs) was compared based on the clinical pathological features, protein biomarker levels, and genomic features through hematoxylin & eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and whole exome sequencing, respectively. Moreover, the clinical information of CC patients, RNA transcriptome and immune phenotyping of primary tumors were integrated to identify the potential parameters that could affect the success of xenograft engraftment. Subsequently, PDX model was evaluated for its capacity to mirror patient's response to chemotherapy. Finally, PDX model and PDX-derived organoid (PDXO) were utilized to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of neratinib and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) combination strategy for CC patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutation. RESULTS We established a PDX biobank for CC with a success rate of 63.8% (44/69). The primary features of established PDX tumors, including clinicopathological features, the expression levels of protein biomarkers including Ki67, α-smooth muscle actin, and p16, and genomics, were highly consistent with their PTs. Furthermore, xenograft engraftment was likely influenced by the primary tumor size, the presence of follicular helper T cells and the expression of cell adhesion-related genes in primary tumor tissue. The CC derived PDX models were capable of recapitulating the patient's response to chemotherapy. In a PDX model, a novel therapeutic strategy, the combination of ACT and neratinib, was shown to effectively inhibit the growth of PDX tumors derived from CC patients with HER2-mutation. CONCLUSIONS We established by far the largest PDX biobank with a high engraftment rate for CC that preserves the histopathological and genetic characteristics of patient's biopsy samples, recapitulates patient's response to conventional therapy, and is capable of evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic modalities for CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liting Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anni Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chun Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Han Jiang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Long Yu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yafei Huang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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17
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Sun L, Su Y, Jiao A, Wang X, Zhang B. T cells in health and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:235. [PMID: 37332039 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01471-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells are crucial for immune functions to maintain health and prevent disease. T cell development occurs in a stepwise process in the thymus and mainly generates CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets. Upon antigen stimulation, naïve T cells differentiate into CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic effector and memory cells, mediating direct killing, diverse immune regulatory function, and long-term protection. In response to acute and chronic infections and tumors, T cells adopt distinct differentiation trajectories and develop into a range of heterogeneous populations with various phenotype, differentiation potential, and functionality under precise and elaborate regulations of transcriptional and epigenetic programs. Abnormal T-cell immunity can initiate and promote the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of T cell development, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell classification, and differentiation in physiological settings. We further elaborate the heterogeneity, differentiation, functionality, and regulation network of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in infectious disease, chronic infection and tumor, and autoimmune disease, highlighting the exhausted CD8+ T cell differentiation trajectory, CD4+ T cell helper function, T cell contributions to immunotherapy and autoimmune pathogenesis. We also discuss the development and function of γδ T cells in tissue surveillance, infection, and tumor immunity. Finally, we summarized current T-cell-based immunotherapies in both cancer and autoimmune diseases, with an emphasis on their clinical applications. A better understanding of T cell immunity provides insight into developing novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Sun
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Immune Related Diseases, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China
| | - Yanhong Su
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Immune Related Diseases, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China
| | - Anjun Jiao
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Immune Related Diseases, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Immune Related Diseases, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China
| | - Baojun Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China.
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China.
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Immune Related Diseases, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China.
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18
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Wang J, Ge H, Tian Z. Immunotherapy Plus Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Sarcomas: Is There a Potential for Synergism? Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:385-397. [PMID: 37313391 PMCID: PMC10258041 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s410693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a highly heterogeneous malignant tumor derived from mesenchymal tissue. Advanced STS has a poor response to the current anti-cancer therapeutic options, with a median overall survival of less than two years. Thus, new and more effective treatment methods for STS are needed. Increasing evidence has shown that immunotherapy and radiotherapy have synergistic therapeutic effects against malignant tumors. In addition, immunoradiotherapy has yielded positive results in clinical trials for various cancers. In this review, we discuss the synergistic mechanism of immunoradiotherapy in cancer treatment and the application of this combined regimen for the treatment of several cancers. In addition, we summarize the existing evidence on the use of immunoradiotherapy for the treatment of STS and the relevant clinical trials that are currently ongoing. Furthermore, we identify challenges in the use of immunoradiotherapy for the treatment of sarcomas and propose methods and precautions for overcoming these challenges. Lastly, we propose clinical research strategies and future research directions to help in the research and treatment of STS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Wang
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Ge
- Department of Radiotherapy, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhichao Tian
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
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19
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Bawden E, Gebhardt T. The multifaceted roles of CD4 + T cells and MHC class II in cancer surveillance. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 83:102345. [PMID: 37245413 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
CD4+ T cells exhibit diverse functions in cancer surveillance. Concordantly, single-cell transcriptional analyses have revealed several distinct CD4+ T-cell differentiation states in tumours, including cytotoxic and regulatory subsets associated with favourable or unfavourable outcomes, respectively. These transcriptional states are determined and further shaped by dynamic interactions of CD4+ T cells with different types of immune cells, stromal cells and cancer cells. Therefore, we discuss the cellular networks in the tumour microenvironment (TME) that either promote or impede CD4+ T-cell cancer surveillance. We consider antigen/Major histocompatibility complexclass-II (MHC-II)-dependent interactions of CD4+ T cells with both professional antigen-presenting cells and cancer cells, the latter of which can directly express MHC-II, at least in some tumours. Additionally, we examine recent single-cell RNA sequencing studies that have shed light on the phenotype and functions of cancer-specific CD4+ T cells in human tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bawden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Thomas Gebhardt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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20
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Song J, Gao X, Yang M, Hao W, Ji DK. Recent Advances of Photoactive Near-Infrared Carbon Dots in Cancer Photodynamic Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030760. [PMID: 36986621 PMCID: PMC10051950 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that employs exogenously produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells. ROS are generated from the interaction of excited-state photosensitizers (PSs) or photosensitizing agents with molecular oxygen. Novel PSs with high ROS generation efficiency is essential and highly required for cancer photodynamic therapy. Carbon dots (CDs), the rising star of carbon-based nanomaterial family, have shown great potential in cancer PDT benefiting from their excellent photoactivity, luminescence properties, low price, and biocompatibility. In recent years, photoactive near-infrared CDs (PNCDs) have attracted increasing interest in this field due to their deep therapeutic tissue penetration, superior imaging performance, excellent photoactivity, and photostability. In this review, we review recent progress in the designs, fabrication, and applications of PNCDs in cancer PDT. We also provide insights of future directions in accelerating the clinical progress of PNCDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxing Song
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Xiaobo Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Weiju Hao
- School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Ding-Kun Ji
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Correspondence:
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21
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Lahiri A, Maji A, Potdar PD, Singh N, Parikh P, Bisht B, Mukherjee A, Paul MK. Lung cancer immunotherapy: progress, pitfalls, and promises. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:40. [PMID: 36810079 PMCID: PMC9942077 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01740-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 209.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the primary cause of mortality in the United States and around the globe. Therapeutic options for lung cancer treatment include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Medical management is often associated with the development of treatment resistance leading to relapse. Immunotherapy is profoundly altering the approach to cancer treatment owing to its tolerable safety profile, sustained therapeutic response due to immunological memory generation, and effectiveness across a broad patient population. Different tumor-specific vaccination strategies are gaining ground in the treatment of lung cancer. Recent advances in adoptive cell therapy (CAR T, TCR, TIL), the associated clinical trials on lung cancer, and associated hurdles are discussed in this review. Recent trials on lung cancer patients (without a targetable oncogenic driver alteration) reveal significant and sustained responses when treated with programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. Accumulating evidence indicates that a loss of effective anti-tumor immunity is associated with lung tumor evolution. Therapeutic cancer vaccines combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can achieve better therapeutic effects. To this end, the present article encompasses a detailed overview of the recent developments in the immunotherapeutic landscape in targeting small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Additionally, the review also explores the implication of nanomedicine in lung cancer immunotherapy as well as the combinatorial application of traditional therapy along with immunotherapy regimens. Finally, ongoing clinical trials, significant obstacles, and the future outlook of this treatment strategy are also highlighted to boost further research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aritraa Lahiri
- grid.417960.d0000 0004 0614 7855Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal 741246 India
| | - Avik Maji
- grid.416241.4Department of Radiation Oncology, N. R. S. Medical College & Hospital, 138 A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata, 700014 India
| | - Pravin D. Potdar
- grid.414939.20000 0004 1766 8488Department of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, 400026 India
| | - Navneet Singh
- grid.415131.30000 0004 1767 2903Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012 India
| | - Purvish Parikh
- Department of Clinical Hematology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302022 India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400012 India
| | - Bharti Bisht
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Division of Thoracic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Anubhab Mukherjee
- Esperer Onco Nutrition Pvt Ltd, 4BA, 4Th Floor, B Wing, Gundecha Onclave, Khairani Road, Sakinaka, Andheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400072, India.
| | - Manash K. Paul
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA ,grid.411639.80000 0001 0571 5193Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104 India
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22
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PLEKHA4 Is a Prognostic Biomarker and Correlated with Immune Infiltrates in Glioma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:4504474. [PMID: 36714030 PMCID: PMC9881441 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4504474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Objective Gliomas are the most common and life-threatening intracranial tumors. Immune infiltration of the tumor microenvironment significantly affects tumor prognosis in glioma. Recently, PLEKHA4 was reported to be upregulated in melanoma and closely associated with tumor genesis and development, but its role in glioma is poorly understood. Our aim was to investigate the expression, functional role, and prognostic value of PLEKHA4 in glioma. Methods The expression levels of PLEKHA4 in 33 types of cancer in the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database were collected via the UCSC Xena browser. The clinical samples of glioma patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. Immunohistochemistry was used to verify PLEKHA4 expression in tumor tissues. We assessed the influence of PLEKHA4 on survival of glioma patients by survival module and GEPIA. Then, we downloaded datasets of glioma from TCGA and investigated the correlations between the clinical characteristics and PLEKHA4 expression using logistic regression. Moreover, we used TIMER to explore the collection of PLEKHA4 expression and immune infiltration level in glioma and to analyze cumulative survival in glioma. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed using the TCGA dataset. Results PLEKHA4 transcript levels were significantly upregulated in multiple cancer types, including gliomas. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis verified that PLEKHA4 was overexpressed in gliomas compare to the corresponding normal tissues. Univariable survival and multivariate cox analysis show that increased PLEKHA4 expression significantly correlated with age, tumor grade, IDH mutation status, and 1p/19q codel status, and higher PLEKHA4 had shorter OS, DSS, and PFI. Specifically, PLEKHA4 expression level had significant positive correlations with infiltrating levels of B cell, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and DCs in glioma, and upregulation of PLEKHA4 expression was significantly related to immune cell biomarkers and immune checkpoint expression in glioma. In addition, several GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) items associated with immune response, JAK STAT signal pathway, and cell cycle were significantly enriched in the high PLEKHA4 expression phenotype pathway. Conclusions Our findings proposed that PLEKHA4 was an independent prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in glioma, and targeting PLEKHA4 might improve immunotherapy in glioma. Of course, these findings also need basic experiments and further clinical trials to confirm in the future.
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23
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Jiang J, Huang Y, Zeng Z, Zhao C. Harnessing Engineered Immune Cells and Bacteria as Drug Carriers for Cancer Immunotherapy. ACS NANO 2023; 17:843-884. [PMID: 36598956 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy continues to be in the spotlight of oncology therapy research in the past few years and has been proven to be a promising option to modulate one's innate and adaptive immune systems for cancer treatment. However, the poor delivery efficiency of immune agents, potential off-target toxicity, and nonimmunogenic tumors significantly limit its effectiveness and extensive application. Recently, emerging biomaterial-based drug carriers, including but not limited to immune cells and bacteria, are expected to be potential candidates to break the dilemma of immunotherapy, with their excellent natures of intrinsic tumor tropism and immunomodulatory activity. More than that, the tiny vesicles and physiological components derived from them have similar functions with their source cells due to the inheritance of various surface signal molecules and proteins. Herein, we presented representative examples about the latest advances of biomaterial-based delivery systems employed in cancer immunotherapy, including immune cells, bacteria, and their derivatives. Simultaneously, opportunities and challenges of immune cells and bacteria-based carriers are discussed to provide reference for their future application in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjuan Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zishan Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunshun Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
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24
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Liu Y, He E, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Chen S, Wu X, Zeng Y, Leng P. WW domain binding protein 2 (WBP2) as an oncogene in breast cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic prospects-a narrative review. Gland Surg 2022; 11:1984-2002. [PMID: 36654949 PMCID: PMC9841001 DOI: 10.21037/gs-22-716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objective WW domain binding protein 2 (WBP2), considered an emerging breast cancer gene, functions as a binding partner for WW domain proteins. The WBP2 gene is involved in mediating the malignant development and clinical drug resistance of breast cancer, but its potential mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of WBP2 in breast cancer, which will help to provide new methods for clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Methods The PubMed database was searched using the terms "WW Domain Binding Protein 2" or "WBP2", "breast cancer" or "breast neoplasms" or "human cancer" from January 1997 through August 2022. Through the screening and evaluation of titles and abstracts, about 120 English articles were included in this study. Key Content and Findings By describing the multiple regulatory functions of WBP2 at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels, and summarizing how WBP2 as a key node crosstalks multiple signaling pathways, we reveal the ability of WBP2 to promote breast cancer malignant progression. In different subtypes of breast cancer, the mechanism of WBP2-mediated drug resistance is related to estrogen receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) 2 status, and hormones may be an essential factor in WBP2-mediated drug resistance. In addition, we discuss the application prospects of WBP2 in targeted therapy and immunotherapy and propose therapeutic strategies to overcome drug resistance in breast cancer by jointly targeting WBP2 and its related molecules. This provides a theoretical basis for the innovation of breast cancer targeted drugs. Conclusions WBP2 is a promising target for breast cancer therapy. Nuclear WBP2, as the main functional form of WBP2 after its activation, is a meaningful indicator for the diagnosis and prediction of breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Enping He
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College (China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital), Chengdu, China
| | - Yanling Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ya’an People’s Hospital, Ya’an, China
| | - Yitong Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingshuang Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Youqing Zeng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Leng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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25
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Church C, Pulliam T, Longino N, Park SY, Smythe KS, Makarov V, Riaz N, Jing L, Amezquita R, Campbell JS, Gottardo R, Pierce RH, Choi J, Chan TA, Koelle DM, Nghiem P. Transcriptional and functional analyses of neoantigen-specific CD4 T cells during a profound response to anti-PD-L1 in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e005328. [PMID: 36252564 PMCID: PMC9472219 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) often responds to PD-1 pathway blockade, regardless of tumor-viral status (~80% of cases driven by the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)). Prior studies have characterized tumor-specific T cell responses to MCPyV, which have typically been CD8, but little is known about the T cell response to UV-induced neoantigens. METHODS A patient in her mid-50s with virus-negative (VN) MCC developed large liver metastases after a brief initial response to chemotherapy. She received anti-PD-L1 (avelumab) and had a partial response within 4 weeks. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to determine potential neoantigen peptides. Characterization of peripheral blood neoantigen T cell responses was evaluated via interferon-gamma (IFNγ) ELISpot, flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. Tumor-resident T cells were characterized by multiplexed immunohistochemistry. RESULTS WES identified 1027 tumor-specific somatic mutations, similar to the published average of 1121 for VN-MCCs. Peptide prediction with a binding cut-off of ≤100 nM resulted in 77 peptides that were synthesized for T cell assays. Although peptides were predicted based on class I HLAs, we identified circulating CD4 T cells targeting 5 of 77 neoantigens. In contrast, no neoantigen-specific CD8 T cell responses were detected. Neoantigen-specific CD4 T cells were undetectable in blood before anti-PD-L1 therapy but became readily detectible shortly after starting therapy. T cells produced robust IFNγ when stimulated by neoantigen (mutant) peptides but not by the normal (wild-type) peptides. Single cell RNAseq showed neoantigen-reactive T cells expressed the Th1-associated transcription factor (T-bet) and associated cytokines. These CD4 T cells did not significantly exhibit cytotoxicity or non-Th1 markers. Within the pretreatment tumor, resident CD4 T cells were also Th1-skewed and expressed T-bet. CONCLUSIONS We identified and characterized tumor-specific Th1-skewed CD4 T cells targeting multiple neoantigens in a patient who experienced a profound and durable partial response to anti-PD-L1 therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of neoantigen-specific T cell responses in MCC. Although CD4 and CD8 T cells recognizing viral tumor antigens are often detectible in virus-positive MCC, only CD4 T cells recognizing neoantigens were detected in this patient. These findings suggest that CD4 T cells can play an important role in the response to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Church
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas Pulliam
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Natalie Longino
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Song Y Park
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kimberly S Smythe
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Vladimir Makarov
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-oncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Nadeem Riaz
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lichen Jing
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Robert Amezquita
- Biostatistics Bioinformatics and Epidemiology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jean S Campbell
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Biostatistics Bioinformatics and Epidemiology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Robert H Pierce
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jaehyuk Choi
- Department of Dermatology, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Timothy A Chan
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - David M Koelle
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul Nghiem
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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26
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Tian Z, Yao W. PD-1/L1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy in the treatment of sarcomas. Front Immunol 2022; 13:898255. [PMID: 36072581 PMCID: PMC9441887 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.898255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent clinical need for new therapeutic regimens for the effective treatment of advanced sarcomas. Accumulating evidence suggests that programmed death receptor-1/programmed death protein ligand-1 (PD-1/L1) inhibitors have synergistic effects with chemotherapy and have been approved for treatment of lung cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, and breast cancer. In this review, we reviewed the synergistic mechanism of PD-1/L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy in the treatment of cancers, and the application of this combined regimen in several cancers, followed by a summary of the current evidence on the application of this combined regimen in the treatment of sarcomas as well as the main clinical trials currently underway. Based on the findings of this review, we believe that this combined approach will play an important role in the treatment of some subtypes of sarcomas in the future.
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Peng X, Zheng T, Guo Y, Zhu Y. Amino acid metabolism genes associated with immunotherapy responses and clinical prognosis of colorectal cancer. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:955705. [PMID: 35992263 PMCID: PMC9388734 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.955705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on amino acid metabolism-related genes (AAMRGs), this study aimed at screening out key prognosis-related genes and finding the underlying correlation between the amino acid metabolism and tumor immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer. A total of 448 amino acid metabolism-related genes were obtained from MsigDB. The risk signature was built based on differential expression genes, univariate Cox, and LASSO analyses with 403 patients’ data downloaded from the TCGA database. Survival analysis and independence tests were performed to confirm the validity of the risk signature. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), tumor mutation burden (TMB), the score of tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE), the immunophenoscore obtained from The Cancer Immunome Atlas database, and the IC50 of drugs were used to find the relationship among the risk signature, immune status, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity of colorectal cancer. We identified five amino acid metabolism-related genes for the construction of the risk signature, including ENOPH1, ACAT1, ALDH4A1, FAS, and ASPG. The low-risk group was significantly associated with a better prognosis (p < 0.0001). In the entire set, the area under the curve (AUC) for 1, 3, and 5 years was 0.717, 0.734, and 0.764, respectively. We also discovered that the low-risk subgroup was related to more activity of immune cells, had higher expression of some immune checkpoints, and was more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. ssGSEA revealed that except the processes of glutamine histidine, lysine, tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine metabolism, the other amino acid metabolism pathways were more active in the samples with the low risk scores, whereas the activities of synthesis and transportation of most amino acids were similar. Hedgehog signaling, WNT/β-catenin signaling, mitotic, notch signaling, and TGF-β signaling were the top five pathways positively associated with the risk score. To sum up, AAMRGs were associated with the immune microenvironment of CRC patients and could be applied as biomarkers to predict the prognosis and immunotherapy response of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Peng
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Zheng
- Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, Ltd, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yong Guo
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Zhu, ; Yong Guo,
| | - Ying Zhu
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Zhu, ; Yong Guo,
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28
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Duhen T, Gough MJ, Leidner RS, Stanton SE. Development and therapeutic manipulation of the head and neck cancer tumor environment to improve clinical outcomes. FRONTIERS IN ORAL HEALTH 2022; 3:902160. [PMID: 35937775 PMCID: PMC9354490 DOI: 10.3389/froh.2022.902160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical response to cancer therapies involves the complex interplay between the systemic, tumoral, and stromal immune response as well as the direct impact of treatments on cancer cells. Each individual's immunological and cancer histories are different, and their carcinogen exposures may differ. This means that even though two patients with oral tumors may carry an identical mutation in TP53, they are likely to have different pre-existing immune responses to their tumors. These differences may arise due to their distinct accessory mutations, genetic backgrounds, and may relate to clinical factors including previous chemotherapy exposure and concurrent medical comorbidities. In isolation, their cancer cells may respond similarly to cancer therapy, but due to their baseline variability in pre-existing immune responses, patients can have different responses to identical therapies. In this review we discuss how the immune environment of tumors develops, the critical immune cell populations in advanced cancers, and how immune interventions can manipulate the immune environment of patients with pre-malignancies or advanced cancers to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael J. Gough
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, United States
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Liu Q, Wang L, Lin H, Wang Z, Wu J, Guo J, Wen S, Ran L, Yue Z, Su X, Wu Q, Tang J, Li Z, Hu L, Xu L, Ye L, Huang Q. Tumor-Specific CD4+ T Cells Restrain Established Metastatic Melanoma by Developing Into Cytotoxic CD4– T Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:875718. [PMID: 35784297 PMCID: PMC9243303 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.875718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are the main focus of efforts to understand anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy. The adoptive transfer of tumor-reactive cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes expanded and differentiated in vitro has long been considered the primary strategy in adaptive anti-tumor immunity, however, the majority of the transferred tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells differentiated into CD39+CD69+ exhausted progenies, limiting its effects in repressing tumor growth. Contrarily, less attention has been addressed to the role of CD4+ T cells during tumorigenesis. Using a mouse model of metastatic melanoma, we found that transferring tumor-specific CD4+ T cells into recipients induces substantial regression of the established metastatic tumors. Notably, in vitro activated CD4+ T cells developed into cytotoxic CD4- T cells in vivo and get exhausted gradually. The blockade of PD-L1 signaling resulted in an expansion of tumor specific CD4+ T cells, which could better control the established metastatic melanoma. Moreover, the tumor-specific memory CD4+ T cell can prevent mice from tumor metastasis, and the tumor-specific effector CD4+ T cells can also mitigate the established metastatic tumor. Overall, our findings suggest a novel mechanism of CD4+ T cells in curtailing tumor metastasis and confirm their therapeutic role in combination with PD-L1 blockade in cancer immunotherapy. Hence, a better understanding of cytotoxic CD4- T cell-mediated tumor regression could provide an alternative choice for patients exhibiting suboptimal or no response to CD8+ T cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Liu
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Qiao Liu, ; Lilin Ye, ; ; Qizhao Huang,
| | - Lisha Wang
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huayu Lin
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jialin Wu
- Department of Respiratory Disease, General Hospital of Xinjiang Military Command, Urumqi, China
| | - Junyi Guo
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Stomatological Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuqiong Wen
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Stomatological Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Ran
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengliang Yue
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xingxing Su
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing Wu
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianfang Tang
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhirong Li
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Hu
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lifan Xu
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lilin Ye
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Qiao Liu, ; Lilin Ye, ; ; Qizhao Huang,
| | - Qizhao Huang
- Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Immunotherapy, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qiao Liu, ; Lilin Ye, ; ; Qizhao Huang,
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30
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Peng X, Xu Z, Guo Y, Zhu Y. Necroptosis-Related Genes Associated With Immune Activity and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer. Front Genet 2022; 13:909245. [PMID: 35783272 PMCID: PMC9243386 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.909245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims at screening out the key necroptosis-related genes in colorectal cancer and elucidating the role of necroptosis-related genes in the immune activity and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The CRC patients’ data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The non-negative matrix factorization method was applied to identify new molecular subgroups. Survival analysis and single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis were performed to determinate the differences in the overall survival time and immune status of the subgroups. Prognostic model was constructed on the basis of univariate Cox regression and LASSO analysis. Functional analyses were used to explore the potential mechanisms. Based on prognostic related necroptosis genes, we identify two molecular subgroups with significantly different survival. The better prognosis was associated with more active immune infiltration and upregulated expression of immune checkpoints. We screened nine necroptosis related genes as key prognostic genes and established a risk model, which showed a good potential for survival prediction in colorectal cancer. Nomogram assessment showed that the model had high reliability for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. The high-risk and low-risk group also has different sensitivity to immunotherapy and commonly used drugs for colorectal cancer. Overall, necroptosis related genes were involved in the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer patient, could be utilized to predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer and develop more individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Peng
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhili Xu
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Guo
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Guo, ; Ying Zhu,
| | - Ying Zhu
- The First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Guo, ; Ying Zhu,
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Eberst G, Vernerey D, Laheurte C, Meurisse A, Kaulek V, Cuche L, Jacoulet P, Almotlak H, Lahourcade J, Gainet-Brun M, Fabre E, Le Pimpec-Barthes F, Adotevi O, Westeel V. Prognostic value of CD4+ T lymphopenia in non-small cell lung Cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:529. [PMID: 35546670 PMCID: PMC9092669 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09628-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data regarding the prognostic influence of peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphopenia in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, we investigated the prognostic value of T lymphopenia in NSCLC. MATERIALS Treatment-naive patients with a pathological diagnosis of NSCLC, at clinical stage I to IV were included in the prospective TELOCAP1 study. Lymphocytes count was evaluated in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphopenia were defined as an absolute count of < 500/μL and < 224/μL respectively. The prognostic value of T lymphopenia was analyzed in the whole population, in local/loco-regional (stage I-IIIB) and in advanced (stage IV) NSCLC disease, using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models for survival curves and multivariate analysis, respectively. RESULTS Between July 2010 and January 2014, 169 evaluable patients with clinical stage I to IV NSCLC were prospectively enrolled. The prevalence of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphopenia was similar in the study population (around 29%). Patients with CD4+ T lymphopenia showed lower overall survival than those with CD4+ T lymphocytes count > 500/μL (median overall survival (OS) 16.1 versus 21.7 months, hazard ratio (HR): 1.616 [95% CI: 1.1-2.36], p = 0.012). This association with OS was especially marked in local/loco-regional NSCLC stages (median OS, 21.8 versus 72 months, respectively, HR: 1.88 [95% CI: 0.9-3.8], p = 0.035). Multivariate analysis confirmed the worse prognosis associated with CD4+ T lymphopenia in local/loco-regional NSCLC, but not in metastatic patients (HR 2.028 [95% CI = 1.065-3.817] p = 0.02). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that patients with CD4+ T lymphocytes count ≤500/μL displayed a high risk of death regardless of NSCLC clinical stage. There was no obvious relationship between CD8+ T lymphopenia and clinical outcome. CONCLUSION We identified CD4+ T lymphopenia as an independent prognostic factor in local/loco-regional stages of NSCLC and CD4+ T lymphopenia is also associated with a high risk of death, regardless of NSCLC clinical stage. TRIAL REGISTRATION EUDRACT: 2009-A00642-55.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Eberst
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France. .,Methodology and Quality of Life in Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Besançon, France. .,Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, EFS BFC, INSERM, UMR1098, RIGHT, Besançon, France.
| | - Dewi Vernerey
- Methodology and Quality of Life in Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Besançon, France.,Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, EFS BFC, INSERM, UMR1098, RIGHT, Besançon, France
| | - Caroline Laheurte
- Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, EFS BFC, INSERM, UMR1098, RIGHT, Besançon, France.,INSERM CIC-1431, Clinical Investigation Center in Biotherapy, Biomonitoring Platform, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Aurélia Meurisse
- Methodology and Quality of Life in Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Vincent Kaulek
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France
| | - Laurie Cuche
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France
| | - Pascale Jacoulet
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France
| | - Hamadi Almotlak
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Jean Lahourcade
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France
| | - Marie Gainet-Brun
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France
| | - Elizabeth Fabre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Le Pimpec-Barthes
- Department of Thoracic surgery, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Adotevi
- Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, EFS BFC, INSERM, UMR1098, RIGHT, Besançon, France.,INSERM CIC-1431, Clinical Investigation Center in Biotherapy, Biomonitoring Platform, F-25000, Besançon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Virginie Westeel
- Chest Disease Department, University Hospital, 3 Boulevard Fleming, 25030, Besançon, France.,Methodology and Quality of Life in Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Besançon, France.,Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, EFS BFC, INSERM, UMR1098, RIGHT, Besançon, France
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