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Ma R, Sun JH, Wang YY. The role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the formation of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:128. [PMID: 38884843 PMCID: PMC11182817 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-024-01394-0] [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: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
CD8 + T cells exert a critical role in eliminating cancers and chronic infections, and can provide long-term protective immunity. However, under the exposure of persistent antigen, CD8 + T cells can differentiate into terminally exhausted CD8 + T cells and lose the ability of immune surveillance and disease clearance. New insights into the molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion suggest that it is a potential way to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by restoring the function of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important executor of immune homeostasis and tolerance, inhibiting the expansion and function of many components of the immune system. Recent studies have shown that TGF-β is one of the drivers for the development of exhausted CD8 + T cells. In this review, we summarized the role and mechanisms of TGF-β in the formation of exhausted CD8 + T cells and discussed ways to target those to ultimately enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China
- Institute of Medical Sciences, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China
- Cancer Institute, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China
| | - Jin-Han Sun
- Graduate School, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China
| | - Yan-Yang Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.
- Institute of Medical Sciences, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.
- Cancer Institute, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.
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Earl Gray L, Lambright CS, Evans N, Ford J, Conley JM. Using targeted fetal rat testis genomic and endocrine alterations to predict the effects of a phthalate mixture on the male reproductive tract. Curr Res Toxicol 2024; 7:100180. [PMID: 39007079 PMCID: PMC11239482 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2024.100180] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Administration of phthalates in utero disrupts gene expression and hormone levels in the fetal rat testis, which are key events in an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) for the Phthalate Syndrome. These measures can be used to predict the postnatal adverse effects of phthalate esters (PEs) on male rat sexual differentiation. Here, pregnant rats were exposed to dibutyl (DBP)- and diisononyl (DINP) phthalate on gestational days 14 to 18 individually and as a mixture (DBP,250 mg/kg/d; DINP, 750 mg/kg/d; and DBP 250 mg/kg/d plus DINP 750 mg/kg/d). We found that each PE reduced testosterone production (T Prod) and related gene transcripts by about 50 % and that they acted in a dose additive manner, reducing T Prod and gene expression by 75 % as a mixture. Based upon effects on T Prod, DINP was 0.33 times as potent as DBP and thus the DBP + DINP mixture was predicted to be equivalent to 500 mg DBP/kg/d. Logistic regression models of T Prod predicted that the adverse effects of the DBP + DINP mixture group versus the DBP and DINP individual treatments would reduce anogenital distance (AGD) by 27 % versus 10 %, increase hypospadias in 18 % versus < 1 %, induce epididymal agenesis in 46 % versus 10 %, and increase areolae/nipples in 4.8 % versus < 0.1 % of the, respectively. These predictions were highly consistent with effects from previously published dose response studies on the male reproductive effects of DBP. In summary, these results support the use of this New Approach Method to predict the detrimental effects of PEs and PE mixtures, replacing or reducing the need to run long-term, resource and animal use intensive extended one-generation reproduction studies for this class of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Earl Gray
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch, PHITD, CPHEA, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, United States
| | - Christy S. Lambright
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch, PHITD, CPHEA, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, United States
| | - Nicola Evans
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch, PHITD, CPHEA, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, United States
| | - Jermaine Ford
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, United States
| | - Justin M. Conley
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch, PHITD, CPHEA, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, United States
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Wiley MB, Bauer J, Alvarez V, Mehrotra K, Cheng W, Kolics Z, Giarrizzo M, Ingle K, Bialkowska AB, Jung B. Activin A signaling stimulates neutrophil activation and macrophage migration in pancreatitis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9382. [PMID: 38654064 PMCID: PMC11039671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60065-y] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute Pancreatitis (AP) is associated with high mortality and current treatment options are limited to supportive care. We found that blockade of activin A (activin) in mice improves outcomes in two murine models of AP. To test the hypothesis that activin is produced early in response to pancreatitis and is maintained throughout disease progression to stimulate immune cells, we first performed digital spatial profiling (DSP) of human chronic pancreatitis (CP) patient tissue. Then, transwell migration assays using RAW264.7 mouse macrophages and qPCR analysis of "neutrophil-like" HL-60 cells were used for functional correlation. Immunofluorescence and western blots on cerulein-induced pancreatitis samples from pancreatic acinar cell-specific Kras knock-in (Ptf1aCreER™; LSL-KrasG12D) and functional WT Ptf1aCreER™ mouse lines mimicking AP and CP to allow for in vivo confirmation. Our data suggest activin promotes neutrophil and macrophage activation both in situ and in vitro, while pancreatic activin production is increased as early as 1 h in response to pancreatitis and is maintained throughout CP in vivo. Taken together, activin is produced early in response to pancreatitis and is maintained throughout disease progression to promote neutrophil and macrophage activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark B Wiley
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Jessica Bauer
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Valentina Alvarez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kunaal Mehrotra
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Wenxuan Cheng
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Zoe Kolics
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael Giarrizzo
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Komala Ingle
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Agnieszka B Bialkowska
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Barbara Jung
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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Zhang F, Qi Y, Li J, Liu B, Liu Z, Cui X. Activin A induces apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells through endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. Oncol Rep 2024; 51:29. [PMID: 38131250 PMCID: PMC10777458 DOI: 10.3892/or.2023.8688] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) superfamily, has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers. However, it remains unclear whether activin A induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. In the present study, BrdU, flow cytometry and western blotting were used to examine cell proliferation, apoptosis and protein expression, respectively. The present study revealed that activin A inhibited human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and upregulated the protein levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), growth arrest and DNA damage‑inducible protein 34 (GADD34), cleaved‑caspase‑3 and caspase‑12. Furthermore, the administration of activin A did not alter the levels of suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic 3 (Smad3) or phosphorylated (p)‑Smad3 proteins, whereas, it significantly elevated the levels of ActRIIA and p‑extracellular signal regulated kinase proteins 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) proteins in A549 cells. The apoptotic effects of activin A on A549 cells were attenuated by the ERK inhibitor FR180204, which also downregulated CHOP and caspase‑12 protein levels. Additionally, activin A increased intracellular calcium flux in A549 cells, and the calcium ion chelator BAPTA acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA‑AM) inhibited activin A‑induced A549 cell apoptosis, whereas the calcium agonist ionomycin significantly increased apoptosis of A549 cells induced by activin A. These findings indicated that the activation of the ER stress pathway resulting in apoptosis of A549 cells triggered by activin A is facilitated by the ActRIIA‑ERK1/2 signaling and calcium signaling. The present findings suggest that the agonists of ERK and calcium signaling exhibit promising clinical therapeutic potential for the induction of apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglin Zhang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Clinical Immunology in Jilin, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yan Qi
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Clinical Immunology in Jilin, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Clinical Immunology in Jilin, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Boyang Liu
- Department of Genetics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Department of Scientific Research, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, P.R. China
| | - Zhonghui Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Clinical Immunology in Jilin, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Xueling Cui
- Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Clinical Immunology in Jilin, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
- Department of Genetics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
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