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Yue B, Gao Y, Hu Y, Zhan M, Wu Y, Lu L. Harnessing CD8 + T cell dynamics in hepatitis B virus-associated liver diseases: Insights, therapies and future directions. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1731. [PMID: 38935536 PMCID: PMC11210506 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1731] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection playsa significant role in the etiology and progression of liver-relatedpathologies, encompassing chronic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventual hepatocellularcarcinoma (HCC). Notably, HBV infection stands as the primary etiologicalfactor driving the development of HCC. Given the significant contribution ofHBV infection to liver diseases, a comprehensive understanding of immunedynamics in the liver microenvironment, spanning chronic HBV infection,fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC, is essential. In this review, we focused on thefunctional alterations of CD8+ T cells within the pathogenic livermicroenvironment from HBV infection to HCC. We thoroughly reviewed the roles ofhypoxia, acidic pH, metabolic reprogramming, amino acid deficiency, inhibitory checkpointmolecules, immunosuppressive cytokines, and the gut-liver communication in shapingthe dysfunction of CD8+ T cells in the liver microenvironment. Thesefactors significantly impact the clinical prognosis. Furthermore, we comprehensivelyreviewed CD8+ T cell-based therapy strategies for liver diseases,encompassing HBV infection, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC. Strategies includeimmune checkpoint blockades, metabolic T-cell targeting therapy, therapeuticT-cell vaccination, and adoptive transfer of genetically engineered CD8+ T cells, along with the combined usage of programmed cell death protein-1/programmeddeath ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors with mitochondria-targeted antioxidants.Given that targeting CD8+ T cells at various stages of hepatitis Bvirus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV + HCC) shows promise, we reviewedthe ongoing need for research to elucidate the complex interplay between CD8+ T cells and the liver microenvironment in the progression of HBV infection toHCC. We also discussed personalized treatment regimens, combining therapeuticstrategies and harnessing gut microbiota modulation, which holds potential forenhanced clinical benefits. In conclusion, this review delves into the immunedynamics of CD8+ T cells, microenvironment changes, and therapeuticstrategies within the liver during chronic HBV infection, HCC progression, andrelated liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Yue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yuxia Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yi Hu
- Microbiology and Immunology DepartmentSchool of MedicineFaculty of Medical ScienceJinan UniversityGuangzhouGuangdongChina
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Yangzhe Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
| | - Ligong Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumour Interventional Diagnosis and TreatmentZhuhai Institute of Translational MedicineZhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Jinan UniversityZhuhaiGuangdongChina
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Liu Y, Zhao Y, Song H, Li Y, Liu Z, Ye Z, Zhao J, Wu Y, Tang J, Yao M. Metabolic Reprogramming in Tumor Immune Microenvironment: Impact on Immune Cell Function and Therapeutic Implications. Cancer Lett 2024:217076. [PMID: 38906524 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Understanding of the metabolic reprogramming has revolutionized our insights into tumor progression and potential treatment. This review concentrates on the aberrant metabolic pathways in cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer cells differ from normal cells in their metabolic processing of glucose, amino acids, and lipids in order to adapt to heightened biosynthetic and energy needs. These metabolic shifts, which crucially alter lactic acid, amino acid and lipid metabolism, affect not only tumor cell proliferation but also TME dynamics. This review also explores the reprogramming of various immune cells in the TME. From a therapeutic standpoint, targeting these metabolic alterations represents a novel cancer treatment strategy. This review also discusses approaches targeting the regulation of metabolism of different nutrients in tumor cells and influencing the tumor microenvironment to enhance the immune response. In summary, this review summarizes metabolic reprogramming in cancer and its potential as a target for innovative therapeutic strategies, offering fresh perspectives on cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sheng Jing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Huisheng Song
- Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medica University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, Guangdong, 511500, China
| | - Yunting Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510182, China
| | - Zihao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China
| | - Zhiming Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China
| | - Jianzhu Zhao
- Department of oncology, Sheng Jing hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China
| | - Yuzheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China
| | - Jun Tang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sheng Jing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, China.
| | - Maojin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China.
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Hu N, Li H, Tao C, Xiao T, Rong W. The Role of Metabolic Reprogramming in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment: Mechanisms and Opportunities for Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5584. [PMID: 38891772 PMCID: PMC11171976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115584] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
As one of the emerging hallmarks of tumorigenesis and tumor progression, metabolic remodeling is common in the tumor microenvironment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of global tumor-related mortality, causing a series of metabolic alterations in response to nutrient availability and consumption to fulfill the demands of biosynthesis and carcinogenesis. Despite the efficacy of immunotherapy in treating HCC, the response rate remains unsatisfactory. Recently, research has focused on metabolic reprogramming and its effects on the immune state of the tumor microenvironment, and immune response rate. In this review, we delineate the metabolic reprogramming observed in HCC and its influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. We discuss strategies aimed at enhancing response rates and overcoming immune resistance through metabolic interventions, focusing on targeting glucose, lipid, or amino acid metabolism, as well as systemic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; (N.H.); (H.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Haiyang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; (N.H.); (H.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Changcheng Tao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; (N.H.); (H.L.); (C.T.)
| | - Ting Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Weiqi Rong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; (N.H.); (H.L.); (C.T.)
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Chen H, Li J, Cao D, Tang H. Construction of a Prognostic Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Macrophage Polarization-Related Genes. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2024; 11:857-878. [PMID: 38751862 PMCID: PMC11095518 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s453080] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is related to macrophage polarization (MP). Our aim was to identify genes associated with MP in HCC patients and develop a prognostic model based on these genes. Results We successfully developed a prognostic model consisting of six MP-related genes (SCN4A, EBF3, ADGRB2, HOXD9, CLEC1B, and MSC) to calculate the risk score for each patient. Patients were then classified into high- and low-risk groups based on their median risk score. The performance of the MP-related prognostic model was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and ROC curves, which yielded favorable results. Additionally, the nomogram demonstrated good clinical effectiveness and displayed consistent survival predictions with actual observations. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed enrichment of pathways related to KRAS signaling downregulation, the G2M checkpoint, and E2F targets in the high-risk group. Conversely, pathways associated with fatty acid metabolism, xenobiotic metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and adipogenesis were enriched in the low-risk group. The risk score positively correlated with the number of invasion-related genes. Immune checkpoint expression differed significantly between the two groups. Patients in the high-risk group exhibited increased sensitivity to mitomycin C, cisplatin, gemcitabine, rapamycin, and paclitaxel, while those in the low-risk group showed heightened sensitivity to doxorubicin. These findings suggest that the high-risk group may have more invasive HCC with greater susceptibility to specific drugs. IHC staining revealed higher expression levels of SCN4A in HCC tissues. Furthermore, experiments conducted on HepG2 cells demonstrated that supernatants from cells with reduced SCN4A expression promoted M2 macrophage polarization marker, CD163 in THP-1 cells. Reduced SCN4A expression induced HCC-related genes, while increased SCN4A expression reduced their expression in HepG2 cells. Conclusion The MP-related prognostic model comprising six MPRGs can effectively predict HCC prognosis, infer invasiveness, and guide drug therapy. SCN4A is identified as a suppressor gene in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chen
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianhao Li
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Cao
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Tang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China
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Zhang Y, Guo F, Wang Y. Hypoxic tumor microenvironment: Destroyer of natural killer cell function. Chin J Cancer Res 2024; 36:138-150. [PMID: 38751439 PMCID: PMC11090795 DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2024.02.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, immunotherapy has made remarkable progress in treating certain tumors and hematological malignancies. However, the efficacy of natural killer (NK) cells, which are an important subset of innate lymphocytes used in anticancer immunotherapy, remains limited. Hypoxia, a critical characteristic of the tumor microenvironment (TME), is involved in tumor development and resistance to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Moreover, hypoxia contributes to the impairment of NK cell function and may be a significant factor that limits their therapeutic effects. Targeted hypoxia therapy has emerged as a promising research area for enhancing the efficacy of NK cell therapy. Therefore, understanding how the hypoxic TME influences NK cell function is crucial for improving antitumor treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfei Zhang
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Feifei Guo
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
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Hsu CY, Mustafa MA, Kumar A, Pramanik A, Sharma R, Mohammed F, Jawad IA, Mohammed IJ, Alshahrani MY, Ali Khalil NAM, Shnishil AT, Abosaoda MK. Exploiting the immune system in hepatic tumor targeting: Unleashing the potential of drugs, natural products, and nanoparticles. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 256:155266. [PMID: 38554489 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155266] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic tumors present a formidable challenge in cancer therapeutics, necessitating the exploration of novel treatment strategies. In recent years, targeting the immune system has attracted interest to augment existing therapeutic efficacy. The immune system in hepatic tumors includes numerous cells with diverse actions. CD8+ T lymphocytes, T helper 1 (Th1) CD4+ T lymphocytes, alternative M1 macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells provide the antitumor immunity. However, Foxp3+ regulatory CD4+ T cells (Tregs), M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are the key immune inhibitor cells. Tumor stroma can also affect these interactions. Targeting these cells and their secreted molecules is intriguing for eliminating malignant cells. The current review provides a synopsis of the immune system components involved in hepatic tumor expansion and highlights the molecular and cellular pathways that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. It also overviews the diverse range of drugs, natural products, immunotherapy drugs, and nanoparticles that have been investigated to manipulate immune responses and bolster antitumor immunity. The review also addresses the potential advantages and challenges associated with these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chou-Yi Hsu
- Department of Pharmacy, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan City 71710, Taiwan
| | | | - Ashwani Kumar
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560069, India; Department of Pharmacy, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan 303012, India
| | - Atreyi Pramanik
- Institute of Pharma Sciences and Research, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Rajiv Sharma
- Institute of Pharma Sciences and Research, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Faraj Mohammed
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq
| | | | - Imad Jasim Mohammed
- College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Mohammad Y Alshahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
| | | | | | - Munther Kadhim Abosaoda
- College of technical engineering, the Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq; College of technical engineering, the Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Iraq; College of technical engineering, the Islamic University of Babylon, Iraq
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7
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Shan L, Zhao N, Wang F, Zhai D, Liu J, Lv X. Caffeine in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Cellular Assays, Animal Experiments, and Epidemiological Investigation. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:1589-1605. [PMID: 38495344 PMCID: PMC10941793 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s424384] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of caffeine in treating various liver diseases has made substantial progress in the past decade owing to advances in science, technology, and medicine. However, whether caffeine has a preventive effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its mechanism are still worth further investigation. In this review, we summarize and analyze the efficacy and safety of caffeine in the prevention of HCC. We conducted a review of articles published in PubMed and Web of Science in the past 2 decades until December 6, 2023, which were searched for using the terms "Caffeine" and "Hepatocellular Carcinoma." Studies have found that coffee intake is negatively correlated with HCC risk, especially caffeinated coffee. Recent studies have found that caffeine has beneficial effects on liver health, decreasing levels of enzymes responsible for liver damaging and slowing the progression of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Caffeine also acts against liver fibrosis through adenosine receptors (ARs), which promote tissue remodeling by inducing fibrin and collagen production. Additionally, new studies have found that moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages can decrease various the levels of various collagens in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Furthermore, polyphenolic compounds in coffee can improve fat homeostasis, reduce oxidative stress, and prevent liver steatosis and fibrosis. Moreover, many in vitro studies have shown that caffeine can protect liver cells and inhibit the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells. Taken together, we describe the benefits of caffeine for liver health and highlight its potential values as a drug to prevent various hepatic diseases. As a protective agent of liver inflammation, non-selective AR inhibitor caffeine can inhibit the growth of HCC cells by inhibiting adenosine and AR binding to initiate immune response, providing a basis for the future development of caffeine as an adjuvant drug against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Shan
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengling Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dandan Zhai
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiongwen Lv
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, People’s Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230032, People’s Republic of China
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Choi SH, Cho HB, Choi JH, Kim HJ, Jang HJ, Cho S, Maeng E, Park H, Ryu KS, Park KH, Park KS. Nano-chemical priming strategy to enhance TGF-β resistance and anti-tumor activity of natural killer cells. J Control Release 2024; 367:768-778. [PMID: 38341178 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.008] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy based on adoptive transfer of natural killer (NK) cells is a promising strategy for circumventing the limitations of cancer treatments. However, components of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), compromise the therapeutic efficacy of NK cells significantly. To address these limitations, we developed a novel method of engineering NK cells for adaptive transfer. The method is based on nanogels that serve two functions: (1) they overcome the TGF-β-mediated stress environment of the TME, and (2) they enhance the direct anti-tumor activity of NK cells. Previously, we demonstrated that cationic compounds such as 25 K branched polyethylenimine (25 K bPEI) prime NK cells, putting them in a 'ready-to-fight' state. Based on these findings, we designed nanogels that have two primary characteristics: (1) they encapsulate galunisertib (Gal), which is used clinically to inhibit TGF-β receptor activity, thereby blocking TGF-β signaling; and (2) they provide cells with a surface coating of 25 K bPEI. When grown in culture medium containing TGF-β, nanogel-treated NK cells demonstrated greater migration ability, degranulation activity, and cytotoxicity towards cancer cells than untreated NK cells. Additionally, the in vivo efficacy of nanogel-treated NK cells against PC-3 xenografts was significantly greater than that of Chem_NK cells primed by 25 K bPEI alone. These findings suggest that Gal-loaded 25 K bPEI-coated nanogels exert anti-tumor effects via chemical priming, as well suppressing the effects of TGF-β on NK cells. We also expect 25 K bPEI-based nanogels to have great potential to overcome the suppressive effects of the TME through their NK cell-priming activity and delivery of the desired chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hee Choi
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Hui Bang Cho
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ho Choi
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jin Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jung Jang
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Seohyun Cho
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunchong Maeng
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Hail Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Seo Ryu
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun-Hong Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyung-Soon Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea.
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Gondaliya P, Driscoll J, Yan IK, Ali Sayyed A, Patel T. Therapeutic restoration of miR-126-3p as a multi-targeted strategy to modulate the liver tumor microenvironment. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0373. [PMID: 38358374 PMCID: PMC10871752 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired natural killer (NK) cell-mediated antitumor responses contribute to the growth of liver tumors. Expression of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 9 (ADAM9) increases shedding of membrane-bound major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A and results in evasion from NK cell-mediated cytolysis. ADAM9 is also involved in angiogenesis and tumor progression and is a target of miR-126-3p, a tumor suppressor that is downregulated and alters tumor cell behavior in the liver and other cancers. We evaluated the restoration of miR-126-3p and modulation of the miR-126-3p/ADAM9 axis as a therapeutic approach to simultaneously enhance NK cell-mediated cytolysis while targeting both tumor cells and their microenvironment. METHODS Precursor miRNAs were loaded into milk-derived nanovesicles to generate therapeutic vesicles (therapeutic milk-derived nanovesicles) for the restoration of functional miR-126-3p in recipient cancer cells. RESULTS Administration of therapeutic milk-derived nanovesicles increased miR-126-3p expression and reduced ADAM9 expression in target cells and was associated with an increase in membrane-bound major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A. This enhanced NK cell cytolysis in adherent tumor cells and in multicellular tumor spheroids while also impairing angiogenesis and modulating macrophage chemotaxis. Moreover, IV administration of therapeutic milk-derived nanovesicles with adoptive transfer of NK cells reduced tumor burden in orthotopic hepatocellular cancer xenografts in mice. CONCLUSION A directed RNA therapeutic approach can mitigate NK cell immune evasion, reduce angiogenesis, and alter the tumor cell phenotype through the restoration of miR-126-3p in liver tumor cells. The pleiotropic effects elicited by this multi-targeted approach to modulate the local tumor microenvironment support its use for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyush Gondaliya
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Julia Driscoll
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Irene K. Yan
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Adil Ali Sayyed
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Tushar Patel
- Department of Transplantation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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10
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Hu C, Yang S, Zhang T, Ge Y, Chen Z, Zhang J, Pu Y, Liang G. Organoids and organoids-on-a-chip as the new testing strategies for environmental toxicology-applications & advantages. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 184:108415. [PMID: 38309193 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
An increasing number of harmful environmental factors are causing serious impacts on human health, and there is an urgent need to accurately identify the toxic effects and mechanisms of these harmful environmental factors. However, traditional toxicity test methods (e.g., animal models and cell lines) often fail to provide accurate results. Fortunately, organoids differentiated from stem cells can more accurately, sensitively and specifically reflect the effects of harmful environmental factors on the human body. They are also suitable for specific studies and are frequently used in environmental toxicology nowadays. As a combination of organoids and organ-on-a-chip technology, organoids-on-a-chip has great potential in environmental toxicology. It is more controllable to the physicochemical microenvironment and is not easy to be contaminated. It has higher homogeneity in the size and shape of organoids. In addition, it can achieve vascularization and exchange the nutrients and metabolic wastes in time. Multi-organoids-chip can also simulate the interactions of different organs. These advantages can facilitate better function and maturity of organoids, which can also make up for the shortcomings of common organoids to a certain extent. This review firstly discussed the limitations of traditional toxicology testing platforms, leading to the introduction of new platforms: organoids and organoids-on-a-chip. Next, the applications of different organoids and organoids-on-a-chip in environmental toxicology were summarized and prospected. Since the advantages of the new platforms have not been sufficiently considered in previous literature, we particularly emphasized them. Finally, this review also summarized the opportunities and challenges faced by organoids and organoids-on-a-chip, with the expectation that readers will gain a deeper understanding of their value in the field of environmental toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Institute of Biomaterials and Medical Devices, Southeast University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Sheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Institute of Biomaterials and Medical Devices, Southeast University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Tianyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Institute of Biomaterials and Medical Devices, Southeast University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Yiling Ge
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Institute of Biomaterials and Medical Devices, Southeast University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Zaozao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, China; Institute of Biomaterials and Medical Devices, Southeast University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Geyu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China.
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11
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Du Y, Pollok KE, Shen J. Unlocking Glioblastoma Secrets: Natural Killer Cell Therapy against Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5836. [PMID: 38136381 PMCID: PMC10741423 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) represents a paramount challenge as the most formidable primary brain tumor characterized by its rapid growth, aggressive invasiveness, and remarkable heterogeneity, collectively impeding effective therapeutic interventions. The cancer stem cells within GBM, GBM stem cells (GSCs), hold pivotal significance in fueling tumor advancement, therapeutic refractoriness, and relapse. Given their unique attributes encompassing self-renewal, multipotent differentiation potential, and intricate interplay with the tumor microenvironment, targeting GSCs emerges as a critical strategy for innovative GBM treatments. Natural killer (NK) cells, innate immune effectors recognized for their capacity to selectively detect and eliminate malignancies without the need for prior sensitization, offer substantial therapeutic potential. Harnessing the inherent capabilities of NK cells can not only directly engage tumor cells but also augment broader immune responses. Encouraging outcomes from clinical investigations underscore NK cells as a potentially effective modality for cancer therapy. Consequently, NK cell-based approaches hold promise for effectively targeting GSCs, thereby presenting an avenue to enhance treatment outcomes for GBM patients. This review outlines GBM's intricate landscape, therapeutic challenges, GSC-related dynamics, and elucidates the potential of NK cell as an immunotherapeutic strategy directed towards GSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanning Du
- Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA;
| | - Karen E. Pollok
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jia Shen
- Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA;
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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12
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Tang W, Sun G, Ji GW, Feng T, Zhang Q, Cao H, Wu W, Zhang X, Liu C, Liu H, Huang T, Liu L, Xia Y, Wang X. Single-cell RNA-sequencing atlas reveals an FABP1-dependent immunosuppressive environment in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007030. [PMID: 38007237 PMCID: PMC10679975 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007030] [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] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-cell RNA sequencing, also known as scRNA-seq, is a method profiling cell populations on an individual cell basis. It is particularly useful for more deeply understanding cell behavior in a complicated tumor microenvironment. Although several previous studies have examined scRNA-seq for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, no one has tested and analyzed HCC with different stages. METHODS In this investigation, immune cells isolated from surrounding normal tissues and cancer tissues from 3 II-stage and 4 III-stage HCC cases were subjected to deep scRNA-seq. The analysis included 15 samples. We distinguished developmentally relevant trajectories, unique immune cell subtypes, and enriched pathways regarding differential genes. Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation were performed to demonstrate the interaction between fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARG). In vivo experiments were performed in a C57BL/6 mouse model of HCC established via subcutaneous injection. RESULTS FABP1 was discovered to be overexpressed in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) with III-stage HCC tissues compared with II-stage HCC tissues. This finding was fully supported by immunofluorescence detection in significant amounts of HCC human samples. FABP1 deficiency in TAMs inhibited HCC progression in vitro. Mechanistically, FABP1 interacted with PPARG/CD36 in TAMs to increase fatty acid oxidation in HCC. When compared with C57BL/6 mice of the wild type, tumors in FABP1-/- mice consistently showed attenuation. The FABP1-/- group's relative proportion of regulatory T cells and natural killer cells showed a downward trend, while dendritic cells, M1 macrophages, and B cells showed an upward trend, according to the results of mass cytometry. In further clinical translation, we found that orlistat significantly inhibited FABP1 activity, while the combination of anti-programmed cell death 1(PD-1) could synergistically treat HCC progression. Liposomes loaded with orlistat and connected with IR780 probe could further enhance the therapeutic effect of orlistat and visualize drug metabolism in vivo. CONCLUSIONS ScRNA-seq atlas revealed an FABP1-dependent immunosuppressive environment in HCC. Orlistat significantly inhibited FABP1 activity, while the combination of anti-PD-1 could synergistically treat HCC progression. This study identified new treatment targets and strategies for HCC progression, contributing to patients with advanced HCC from new perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Gu-Wei Ji
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hengsong Cao
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyi Zhang
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chuan Liu
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hanyuan Liu
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian Huang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Liu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongxiang Xia
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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13
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Zhang XX, Yu X, Zhu L, Luo JH. Establishment of a 6-signature risk model associated with cellular senescence for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35923. [PMID: 37986376 PMCID: PMC10659633 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035923] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
This study focused on screening novel markers associated with cellular senescence for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer. The RNA-seq expression profile of BRCA and clinical data were obtained from TCGA. The pam algorithm was used to cluster patients based on senescence-related genes. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify co-expressed genes, and LASSO-Cox analysis was performed to build a risk prognosis model. The performance of the model was also evaluated. We additionally explored the role of senescence in cancer development and possible regulatory mechanism. The patients were clustered into 2 subtypes. A total of 5259 genes significantly related to senescence were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. LASSO-Cox finally established a 6-signature risk model (ADAMTS8, DCAF12L2, PCDHA10, PGK1, SLC16A2, and TMEM233) that exhibited favorable and stable performance in our training, validation, and whole BRCA datasets. Furthermore, the superiority of our model was also observed after comparing it to other published models. The 6-signature was proved to be an independent risk factor for prognosis. In addition, mechanism prediction implied the activation of glycometabolism processes such as glycolysis and TCA cycle under the condition of senescence. Glycometabolism pathways were further found to negatively correlate with the infiltration level of CD8 T-cells and natural killer cells but positively correlate with M2 macrophage infiltration and expressions of tissue degeneration biomarkers, which suggested the deficit immune surveillance and risk of tumor migration. The constructed 6-gene model based on cellular senescence could be an effective indicator for predicting the prognosis of BRCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Xia Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Linping Campus, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Linping Campus, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Pathology Department, Linping Campus, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun-Hua Luo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Linping Campus, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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14
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Yang D, Kuang T, Zhou Y, Su Y, Shen J, Yu B, Zhao K, Ding Y. Tumor-associated endothelial cell prognostic risk model and tumor immune environment modulation in liver cancer based on single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing: Experimental verification. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:110870. [PMID: 37690233 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To build a prognostic and immunotherapeutic response prediction model for liver cancer based on marker genes of tumor-associated endothelial cell (TEC). METHOD Single cell sequencing data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) liver cancer patients were utilized to identify TEC subpopulations. Models were built from transcriptomic and clinical data of TCGA liver cancer patients. The GSE76427 and ICGC databases were used as independent validation sets. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to verify the ability of the model to predict survival. XCELL, TIMER, QUANTISEQ, CIBERSORT, CIBERSORT-ABS, and ssGSEA were applied to evaluate tumor immune cell infiltration. The TIDE score was used to predict the effect of immunotherapy. Immune blockade checkpoint gene, tumor mutational load and GSVA enrichment analyses were further explored. The expression levels of candidate genes were measured and validated by real-time PCR between liver cancer tissues and adjacent nontumor liver tissues. RESULTS Eighty-seven genes were identified as marker genes for TECs. IGFBP3, RHOC, S100A16, FSCN1, and CLEC3B were included in the constructed prognostic model. Time-dependent ROC curve values were higher than 0.700 in both the model and validation groups. The low risk group exhibited high immune cell infiltration and function than the higher risk group. The TIDE score indicated that the low-risk group benefited more from immunotherapy than the high-risk group. The risk score and multiple immune blockade checkpoint genes and immune-related pathways were strongly correlated. CONCLUSION Novel signatures of TEC marker genes showed a powerful ability to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in patients with liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dashuai Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Tianrui Kuang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Yang Su
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College in Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430060, Hubei, China.
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Kailiang Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Youming Ding
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430060, China.
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15
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Wang Y, Sun P, Hao X, Cao D, Liu J, Zhang D. Decreased DIO3OS Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and is Associated with Immune Infiltration. Biochem Genet 2023; 61:1791-1806. [PMID: 36802306 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10345-5] [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: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma has become one of the most shared cancers in the whole world because of its high morbidity, poor survival rate, and low recovery rate. LncRNA DIO3 opposite strand upstream RNA (DIO3OS) has been reported to be obviously important in several human cancers, while its biological function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Here, DIO3OS gene expression data and clinical information of HCC patients were extracted from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the university of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Xena database. In our study, the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare DIO3OS expression between healthy individuals and HCC patients. It was found that patients with HCC had significantly lower DIO3OS expression than healthy individuals. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis showed that high DIO3OS expression tended to predict better prognosis and higher survival rate in HCC patients. In addition, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) assay was used to annotate the biological function of DIO3OS. It was found that DIO3OS was significantly correlated with immune invasion in HCC. This was also aided by the subsequent ESTIMATE assay. Our study provides a novel biomarker and therapeutic strategy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhan Wang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ping Sun
- Department of Immunology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xinping Hao
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Weifang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Weifang, 261041, Shandong Province, China
| | - Daihong Cao
- Dpartment of Pathology, Shanxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Taiyuan, 030000, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Jiangyue Liu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Daijuan Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, Shandong Province, China.
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16
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Yang D, Zhao F, Su Y, Zhou Y, Shen J, Yu B, Zhao K, Ding Y. Integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing identifies a signature based on NK cell marker genes to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:10609-10621. [PMID: 37296316 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04965-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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prognostic modeling of NK cell marker genes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma based on single cell sequencing and transcriptome data analysis. METHODS Marker genes of NK cells were analyzed according to single cell sequencing data of hepatocellular carcinoma. Univariate Cox regression, lasso regression analysis, and multivariate Cox regression were performed to estimate the prognostic value of NK cell marker genes. TCGA, GEO and ICGC transcriptomic data were applied to build and validate the model. Patients were divided into high and low risk groups based on the median risk score. XCELL, timer, quantitative sequences, MCP counter, EPIC, CIBERSORT and CIBERSORT-abs were performed to explore the relationship between risk score and tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally the sensitivity of the model to chemotherapeutic agents was predicted. RESULTS Single-cell sequencing identified 207 marker genes for NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. Enrichment analysis suggested that NK cell marker genes were mainly involved in cellular immune function. Eight genes were selected for prognostic modeling after multifactorial COX regression analysis. The model was validated in GEO and ICGC data. Immune cell infiltration and function were higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group. The low-risk group was more suitable for ICI and PD-1 therapy. Half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of Sorafenib, Lapatinib, Dabrafenib, and Axitinib were significantly different on the two risk groups. CONCLUSION A new signature of hepatocyte NK cell marker genes possesses a powerful ability to predict prognosis and immunotherapeutic response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dashuai Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Fangrui Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Yang Su
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College in Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Kailiang Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China.
| | - Youming Ding
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 99 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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17
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Hu B, Xin Y, Hu G, Li K, Tan Y. Fluid shear stress enhances natural killer cell's cytotoxicity toward circulating tumor cells through NKG2D-mediated mechanosensing. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:036108. [PMID: 37575881 PMCID: PMC10423075 DOI: 10.1063/5.0156628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells metastasize to distant organs mainly via hematogenous dissemination, in which circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are relatively vulnerable, and eliminating these cells has great potential to prevent metastasis. In vasculature, natural killer (NK) cells are the major effector lymphocytes for efficient killing of CTCs under fluid shear stress (FSS), which is an important mechanical cue in tumor metastasis. However, the influence of FSS on the cytotoxicity of NK cells against CTCs remains elusive. We report that the death rate of CTCs under both NK cells and FSS is much higher than the combined death induced by either NK cells or FSS, suggesting that FSS may enhance NK cell's cytotoxicity. This death increment is elicited by shear-induced NK activation and granzyme B entry into target cells rather than the death ligand TRAIL or secreted cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ. When NK cells form conjugates with CTCs or adhere to MICA-coated substrates, NK cell activating receptor NKG2D can directly sense FSS to induce NK activation and degranulation. These findings reveal the promotive effect of FSS on NK cell's cytotoxicity toward CTCs, thus providing new insight into immune surveillance of CTCs within circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Youhua Tan
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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18
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Rong Y, Dong F, Zhang G, Tang M, Zhao X, Zhang Y, Tao P, Cai H. The crosstalking of lactate-Histone lactylation and tumor. Proteomics Clin Appl 2023; 17:e2200102. [PMID: 36853081 DOI: 10.1002/prca.202200102] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Lactate was once considered to be a by-product of energy metabolism, but its unique biological value was only gradually explored with the advent of the Warburg effect. As an end product of glycolysis, lactate can act as a substrate for energy metabolism, a signal transduction molecule, a regulator of the tumor microenvironment and immune cells, and a regulator of the deubiquitination of specific enzymes, and is involved in various biological aspects of tumor regulation, including energy shuttling, growth and invasion, angiogenesis and immune escape. Furthermore, we describe a novel lactate-dependent epigenetic modification, namely histone lactylation modification, and review the progress of its study in tumors, mainly involving the reprogramming of tumor phenotypes, regulation of related gene expression, mediation of the glycolytic process in tumor stem cells (CSCs) and influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. The study of epigenetic regulation of tumor genes by histone modification is still in its infancy, and we expect that by summarizing the effects of lactate and histone modification on tumor and related gene regulation, we will clarify the scientific significance of future histone modification studies and the problems to be solved, and open up new fields for targeted tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Rong
- The First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine (Gansu Provincial Hospital), Lanzhou, China
- General Surgery Clinical Medical Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine for Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Gansu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fengyuan Dong
- Geriatrics Department, Lianyungang First People's Hospital, Lianyugang, China
| | - Guiqian Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine (Gansu Provincial Hospital), Lanzhou, China
- General Surgery Clinical Medical Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine for Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Gansu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mingzheng Tang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine (Gansu Provincial Hospital), Lanzhou, China
- General Surgery Clinical Medical Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine for Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Gansu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiashuang Zhao
- The First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine (Gansu Provincial Hospital), Lanzhou, China
- General Surgery Clinical Medical Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine for Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Gansu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Cadre Ward of General Surgery Department, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengxian Tao
- Cadre Ward of General Surgery Department, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hui Cai
- General Surgery Clinical Medical Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine for Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Gansu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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19
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Zhi L, Wang X, Gao Q, He W, Shang C, Guo C, Niu Z, Zhu W, Zhang X. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining natural killer cell fate: Phenotype and function. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115136. [PMID: 37453199 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are derived from hematopoietic stem cells. They belong to the innate lymphoid cell family, which is an important part of innate immunity. This family plays a role in the body mainly through the release of perforin, granzyme, and various cytokines and is involved in cytotoxicity and cytokine-mediated immune regulation. NK cells involved in normal immune regulation and the tumor microenvironment (TME) can exhibit completely different states. Here, we discuss the growth, development, and function of NK cells in regard to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors are those that influence NK cells to promote cell maturation and exert their effector functions under the control of internal metabolism and self-related genes. Extrinsic factors include the metabolism of the TME and the influence of related proteins on the "fate" of NK cells. This review targets the potential of NK cell metabolism, cellular molecules, regulatory genes, and other mechanisms involved in immune regulation. We further discuss immune-mediated tumor therapy, which is the trend of current research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingtong Zhi
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Xing Wang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Qing Gao
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Wenhui He
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Chongye Shang
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Changjiang Guo
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Zhiyuan Niu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China
| | - Wuling Zhu
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Innovation for Synthetic Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453003, PR China.
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China.
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20
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Benoit A, Vogin G, Duhem C, Berchem G, Janji B. Lighting Up the Fire in the Microenvironment of Cold Tumors: A Major Challenge to Improve Cancer Immunotherapy. Cells 2023; 12:1787. [PMID: 37443821 PMCID: PMC10341162 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy includes immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) such as antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) or the programmed cell death protein/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis. Experimental and clinical evidence show that immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) provides long-term survival benefits to cancer patients in whom other conventional therapies have failed. However, only a minority of patients show high clinical benefits via the use of ICI alone. One of the major factors limiting the clinical benefits to ICI can be attributed to the lack of immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment. Such tumors are classified as "cold/warm" or an immune "desert"; those displaying significant infiltration are considered "hot" or inflamed. This review will provide a brief summary of different tumor properties contributing to the establishment of cold tumors and describe major strategies that could reprogram non-inflamed cold tumors into inflamed hot tumors. More particularly, we will describe how targeting hypoxia can induce metabolic reprogramming that results in improving and extending the benefit of ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Benoit
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
| | - Guillaume Vogin
- Centre National de Radiothérapie François Baclesse, L-4005 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg;
- Ingénierie Moléculaire et Physiopathologie Articulaire (IMoPA), Université de Lorraine—UMR 7365, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Caroline Duhem
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg;
| | - Guy Berchem
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg;
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, L-4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Bassam Janji
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
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21
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Zhang Q, Liu J, Lin H, Lin B, Zhu M, Li M. Glucose metabolism reprogramming promotes immune escape of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:519-536. [PMID: 37455832 PMCID: PMC10344893 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex process that plays an important role in its progression. Abnormal glucose metabolism in HCC cells can meet the nutrients required for the occurrence and development of liver cancer, better adapt to changes in the surrounding microenvironment, and escape the attack of the immune system on the tumor. There is a close relationship between reprogramming of glucose metabolism and immune escape. This article reviews the current status and progress of glucose metabolism reprogramming in promoting immune escape in liver cancer, aiming to provide new strategies for clinical immunotherapy of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyue Zhang
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
| | - Jinchen Liu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
| | - Haifeng Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570216, Hainan Province, China
| | - Bo Lin
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
| | - Mingyue Zhu
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
| | - Mengsen Li
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570216, Hainan Province, China
- Institution of Tumor, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 570102, Hainan Province, China
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22
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Yamamoto D, Hongo H, Kosaka T, Aoki N, Oya M, Sato T. The sialyl-Tn antigen synthase genes regulates migration-proliferation dichotomy in prostate cancer cells under hypoxia. Glycoconj J 2023; 40:199-212. [PMID: 36806956 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-023-10104-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
A low-oxygen (hypoxia) tumor microenvironment can facilitate chemotherapy and radiation therapy resistance in tumors and is associated with a poor prognosis. Hypoxia also affects PCa (prostate cancer) phenotype transformation and causes therapeutic resistance. Although O-glycans are known to be involved in the malignancy of various cancers under hypoxia, the expression and function of O-glycans in PCa are not well understood. In this study, the saccharide primer method was employed to analyze O-glycan expression in PCa cells. Results showed that the expression of sTn antigens was increased in PCa cells under hypoxia. Furthermore, it was found that ST6GalNAc1, the sTn antigen synthase gene, was involved in the migration-proliferation dichotomy and drug resistance in PCa cells under hypoxia. The results of this study will contribute to the development of novel diagnostic markers and drug targets for PCa under hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Yamamoto
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 223-8522, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Hongo
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Kosaka
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Natsumi Aoki
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mototsugu Oya
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshinori Sato
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 223-8522, Kanagawa, Japan.
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23
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Revamping the innate or innate-like immune cell-based therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: new mechanistic insights and advanced opportunities. MEDICAL ONCOLOGY (NORTHWOOD, LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 40:84. [PMID: 36680649 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-01948-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
A cancerous tumour termed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by inflammation and subsequently followed by end-stage liver disease and necrosis of the liver. The liver's continuous exposure to microorganisms and toxic molecules affects the immune response because normal tissue requires some immune tolerance to be safeguarded from damage. Several innate immune cells are involved in this process of immune system activation which includes dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. The liver is an immunologic organ with vast quantities of innate and innate-like immune cells subjected to several antigens (bacteria, fungal or viral) through the gut-liver axis. Tumour-induced immune system engagement may be encouraged or suppressed through innate immunological systems, which are recognized promoters of liver disease development in pre-HCC conditions such as fibrosis or cirrhosis, ultimately resulting in HCC. Immune-based treatments containing several classes of drugs have transformed the treatment of several types of cancers in recent times. The effectiveness of such immunotherapies relies on intricate interactions between lymphocytes, tumour cells, and neighbouring cells. Even though immunotherapy therapy has already reported to possess potential effect to treat HCC, a clear understanding of the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune cell pathways still need to be clearly understood for better exploitation of the same. The identification of predictive biomarkers, understanding the progression of the disease, and the invention of more efficient combinational treatments are the major challenges in HCC immunotherapy. The functions and therapeutic significance of innate immune cells, which have been widely implicated in HCC, in addition to the interplay between innate and adaptive immune responses during the pathogenesis, have been explored in the current review.
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24
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Zhang J, Han H, Wang L, Wang W, Yang M, Qin Y. Overcoming the therapeutic resistance of hepatomas by targeting the tumor microenvironment. Front Oncol 2022; 12:988956. [DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.988956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Multifactorial drug resistance is regarded as the major cause of treatment failure in HCC. Accumulating evidence shows that the constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), including cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor vasculature, immune cells, physical factors, cytokines, and exosomes may explain the therapeutic resistance mechanisms in HCC. In recent years, anti-angiogenic drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown satisfactory results in HCC patients. However, due to enhanced communication between the tumor and TME, the effect of heterogeneity of the microenvironment on therapeutic resistance is particularly complicated, which suggests a more challenging research direction. In addition, it has been reported that the three-dimensional (3D) organoid model derived from patient biopsies is more intuitive to fully understand the role of the TME in acquired resistance. Therefore, in this review, we have focused not only on the mechanisms and targets of therapeutic resistance related to the contents of the TME in HCC but also provide a comprehensive description of 3D models and how they contribute to the exploration of HCC therapies.
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25
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Li D, Zhang X, Jiang L. Molecular mechanism and potential therapeutic targets of liver metastasis from gastric cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1000807. [PMID: 36439439 PMCID: PMC9682021 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1000807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by high invasion and poor prognosis. The occurrence of liver metastasis seriously affects advanced GC prognosis. In recent years, great progress has been made in the field of GC liver metastasis. The abnormal expression of related genes leads to the occurrence of GC liver metastasis through metastasis cascades. The changes in the liver microenvironment provide a pre-metastasis condition for GC cells to colonize and grow. The development of several potential therapeutic targets might provide new therapeutic strategies for its treatment. Therefore, we reviewed the regulatory mechanism of abnormal genes mediating liver metastasis, the effect of liver resident cells on liver metastasis, and potential therapeutic targets, hoping to provide a novel therapeutic option to improve the quality of life and prognosis of GC patients with liver metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Difeng Li
- The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Clinical Experimental Center, Jiangmen Key Laboratory of Clinical Biobanks and Translational Research, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen, China
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Medical Bioactive Molecular Developmental and Translational Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Antitumor Active Substance Research and Development, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Lili Jiang
- The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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26
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Hu M, Yao W, Shen Q. Advances and challenges of immunocheckpoint inhibitors in the treatment of primary liver cancer. Front Genet 2022; 13:1005658. [PMID: 36246617 PMCID: PMC9561712 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1005658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, which clinically characterized by occult onset, rapid development, easy recurrence and poor prognosis. With the rapid development of tumor immunotherapy research, tumor immunotherapy has also achieved remarkable clinical efficacy, and jointly promoted the overall improvement of tumor immunology from mechanism research to clinical transformation, from single discipline to multi-disciplinary integration. Immunotherapy has obvious advantages in treatment-related toxicity and efficacy compared with traditional therapy. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), immunotherapy alone or in combination with other therapies may help to control tumor progression, and there are many immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) widely used in clinical or ongoing clinical trials. However, tumor immunology research is still facing many challenges. How to effectively evaluate the efficacy, whether there are related biomarkers, the generation of immune tolerance and the lack of clinical trials to objectively evaluate the efficacy are still urgent problems to be solved, but it also brings new research opportunities for basic and clinical immunology researchers. The study of treatment of ICIs of PLC has become a hot spot in clinical research field. This paper summarizes and prospects the research progress and challenges of ICIs for PLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Hu
- Department of Oncology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Weirong Yao
- Department of Oncology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Qinglin Shen
- Department of Oncology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
- *Correspondence: Qinglin Shen,
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27
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Zhu Y, Lin X, Zhou X, Prochownik EV, Wang F, Li Y. Posttranslational control of lipogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:120. [PMID: 36038892 PMCID: PMC9422141 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01340-1] [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: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment typically occurs in response to increased nutritional, translation and proliferative demands. Altered lipid metabolism is a marker of tumor progression that is frequently observed in aggressive tumors with poor prognosis. Underlying these abnormal metabolic behaviors are posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of lipid metabolism-related enzymes and other factors that can impact their activity and/or subcellular localization. This review focuses on the roles of these PTMs and specifically on how they permit the re-wiring of cancer lipid metabolism, particularly within the context of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahui Zhu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.,Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.,School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Xingrong Lin
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.,Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.,Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Edward V Prochownik
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Pittsburgh Liver Research Center and The Hillman Cancer Center of UPMC, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Youjun Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China. .,Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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28
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Functional crosstalk and regulation of natural killer cells in tumor microenvironment: Significance and potential therapeutic strategies. Genes Dis 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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NK Cells and Other Cytotoxic Innate Lymphocytes in Colorectal Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147859. [PMID: 35887206 PMCID: PMC9322916 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147859] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite its complex pathogenesis and progression, CRC represents a well-fitting example of how the immune contexture can dictate the disease outcome. The presence of cytotoxic lymphocytes, both CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, represents a relevant prognostic factor in CRC and is associated with a better overall survival. Together with NK cells, other innate lymphocytes, namely, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), have been found both in biopsies of CRC patients and in murine models of intestinal cancer, playing both pro- and anti-tumor activities. In particular, several type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) with cytotoxic functions have been recently described, and evidence in mice shows a role for both NK cells and ILC1 in controlling CRC metastasis. In this review, we provide an overview of the features of NK cells and the expanding spectrum of innate lymphocytes with cytotoxic functions. We also comment on both the described and the potential roles these innate lymphocytes can play during the progression of intestinal cancer leading to metastasis. Finally, we discuss recent advances in the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional regulation of cytotoxic innate lymphocytes in CRC.
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30
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Ran GH, Lin YQ, Tian L, Zhang T, Yan DM, Yu JH, Deng YC. Natural killer cell homing and trafficking in tissues and tumors: from biology to application. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:205. [PMID: 35768424 PMCID: PMC9243142 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01058-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, a subgroup of innate lymphoid cells, act as the first line of defense against cancer. Although some evidence shows that NK cells can develop in secondary lymphoid tissues, NK cells develop mainly in the bone marrow (BM) and egress into the blood circulation when they mature. They then migrate to and settle down in peripheral tissues, though some special subsets home back into the BM or secondary lymphoid organs. Owing to its success in allogeneic adoptive transfer for cancer treatment and its "off-the-shelf" potential, NK cell-based immunotherapy is attracting increasing attention in the treatment of various cancers. However, insufficient infiltration of adoptively transferred NK cells limits clinical utility, especially for solid tumors. Expansion of NK cells or engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cells ex vivo prior to adoptive transfer by using various cytokines alters the profiles of chemokine receptors, which affects the infiltration of transferred NK cells into tumor tissue. Several factors control NK cell trafficking and homing, including cell-intrinsic factors (e.g., transcriptional factors), cell-extrinsic factors (e.g., integrins, selectins, chemokines and their corresponding receptors, signals induced by cytokines, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), etc.), and the cellular microenvironment. Here, we summarize the profiles and mechanisms of NK cell homing and trafficking at steady state and during tumor development, aiming to improve NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang He Ran
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical, Jiamusi University, 154007, Jiamusi, China
- Institute of Materia Medica, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Qing Lin
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical, Jiamusi University, 154007, Jiamusi, China
- Institute of Materia Medica, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Tian
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical, Jiamusi University, 154007, Jiamusi, China.
| | - Dong Mei Yan
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical, Jiamusi University, 154007, Jiamusi, China.
| | - Jian Hua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA.
| | - You Cai Deng
- Institute of Materia Medica, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China.
- Department of Clinical Hematology, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China.
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31
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Qiao H, Mao Z, Wang W, Chen X, Wang S, Fan H, Zhao T, Hou H, Dong M. Changes in the BTK/NF-κB signaling pathway and related cytokines in different stages of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Eur J Med Res 2022; 27:96. [PMID: 35729649 PMCID: PMC9210047 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-022-00723-x] [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: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are blindness-causing neuritis; their pathogenesis is still not fully elucidated. Although it has been determined that Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) and NF-κB are associated with NMOSD, the changes that occur in different periods remain unknown. The study aimed to demonstrate the changes in the BTK/NF-κB pathway and related chemokines in different stages of NMOSDs. Methods A total of 32 patients with NMOSD were selected as the experimental group, and 32 healthy volunteers were included in the control group. In this study, the BTK/NF-κB pathway and related chemokines in the cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood samples of patients with NMOSD were analyzed in the acute or remission phase. Results BTK, NF-κB, PI3K, IKK, CXCL2, and CXCL12 levels in the NMOSD group in the acute or remission phase were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion The BTK/NF-κB pathway plays a vital role in the progression of NMOSD pathology. Our results shed light on its important role as a therapeutic target for NMOSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Qiao
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuofeng Mao
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xingtai People's Hospital, Xingtai, Hebei, 054000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xingtai People's Hospital, Xingtai, Hebei, 054000, People's Republic of China
| | - Suhuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haolong Fan
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianyi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiqing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Dong
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China.
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A novel epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene signature for the immune status and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatol Int 2022; 16:906-917. [PMID: 35699863 PMCID: PMC9349121 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-022-10354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background This study clarified whether EMT-related genes can predict immunotherapy efficacy and overall survival in patients with HCC. Methods The RNA-sequencing profiles and patient information of 370 samples were derived from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, and EMT-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures database. The signature model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis in TCGA cohort. Validation data were obtained from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset of patients with HCC. Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariate Cox analyses were employed to estimate the prognostic value. Immune status and tumor microenvironment were estimated using a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). The expression of prognostic genes was verified using qRT-PCR analysis of HCC cell lines. Results A signature model was constructed using EMT-related genes to determine HCC prognosis, based on which patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. The risk score, as an independent factor, was related to tumor stage, grade, and immune cells infiltration. The results indicated that the most prognostic genes were highly expressed in the HCC cell lines, but GADD45B was down-regulated. Enrichment analysis suggested that immunoglobulin receptor binding and material metabolism were essential in the prognostic signature. Conclusion Our novel prognostic signature model has a vital impact on immune status and prognosis, significantly helping the decision-making related to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12072-022-10354-3.
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Ke S, Wang C, Su Z, Lin S, Wu G. Integrated Analysis Reveals Critical Ferroptosis Regulators and FTL Contribute to Cancer Progression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:897683. [PMID: 35651950 PMCID: PMC9149379 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.897683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The carcinogenesis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involve complex molecular mechanisms, and ferroptosis is related to the development and therapeutic efficacy of HCC, but the specific mechanism and prognostic role of ferroptosis-related genes in HCC have not been elucidated. Methods: Differentially expressed gene analysis, Cox regression, and unsupervised consensus clustering were applied to identify crucial ferroptosis regulators and establish ferroptosis-related subtypes in HCC. Random forest analysis and survival analysis were adopted to confirm FTL as the hub prognostic and diagnostic ferroptosis regulator in HCC. Results: The ferroptosis-related subtypes based on the crucial prognostic ferroptosis regulators showed that patients in fescluster A had a higher survival probability (p < 0.001) and better clinical characteristics than patients in fescluster B in the TCGA-LIHC cohort. Patients with a high tumor mutation burden (TMB) in fescluster B presented a significantly poorer prognosis. FTL was the core ferroptosis regulator, and its low expression revealed a significant survival advantage compared with its high expression (p = 0.03). The expression and predictive value of FTL were both closely related to the clinical features (p < 0.05). Expression of FTL accurately distinguished HCC from normal tissues in the TCGA-LIHC cohort, ICGC cohort, and GSE14520 dataset. In addition, higher infiltrating fractions of immune cells, such as activated CD8+ T cells and Gamma delta T cells, mainly enriched immune-related signaling pathways, including the IL2-STAT3 signaling pathway and interferon-gamma response signaling pathway, and higher expression of immune checkpoints, including PDCD1, CTLA4, TIGIT, and CD83, were presented in patients with high FTL expression (p < 0.05). Patients with high FTL were more sensitive to some targeted drugs, such as cisplatin, dasatinib, and sorafenib, than those with low FTL (p < 0.05). A nomogram based on FTL accurately predicted the prognosis of HCC. Further knockdown of FTL was determined to significantly inhibit cell proliferation and migration in HCC. Conclusion: Our study validated ferroptosis-related subtypes and FTL with effective prognostic value in HCC and was beneficial for identifying candidates suitable for targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy, thereby offering further insight into individual treatment strategies to improve disease outcomes in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoying Ke
- Hepatological Surgery Department, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Congren Wang
- Hepatological Surgery Department, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Zijian Su
- Hepatological Surgery Department, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Shaoze Lin
- Hepatological Surgery Department, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Gongle Wu
- Hepatological Surgery Department, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
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Zecca A, Barili V, Olivani A, Biasini E, Boni C, Fisicaro P, Montali I, Tiezzi C, Dalla Valle R, Ferrari C, Cariani E, Missale G. Targeting Stress Sensor Kinases in Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Infiltrating Human NK Cells as a Novel Immunotherapeutic Strategy for Liver Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:875072. [PMID: 35677052 PMCID: PMC9168800 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.875072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells may become functionally exhausted entering hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and this has been associated with tumor progression and poor clinical outcome. Hypoxia, low nutrients, immunosuppressive cells, and soluble mediators characterize the intratumor microenvironment responsible for the metabolic deregulation of infiltrating immune cells such as NK cells. HCC-infiltrating NK cells from patients undergoing liver resection for HCC were sorted, and genome-wide transcriptome profiling was performed. We have identified a marked general upregulation of gene expression profile along with metabolic impairment of glycolysis, OXPHOS, and autophagy as well as functional defects of NK cells. Targeting p38 kinase, a stress-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase, we could positively modify the metabolic profile of NK cells with functional restoration in terms of TNF-α production and cytotoxicity. We found a metabolic and functional derangement of HCC-infiltrating NK cells that is part of the immune defects associated with tumor progression and recurrence. NK cell exhaustion due to the hostile tumor microenvironment may be restored with p38 inhibitors with a selective mechanism that is specific for tumor-infiltrating-not affecting liver-infiltrating-NK cells. These results may represent the basis for the development of a new immunotherapeutic strategy to integrate and improve the available treatments for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Zecca
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Valeria Barili
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Olivani
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Biasini
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Carolina Boni
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Paola Fisicaro
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ilaria Montali
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Camilla Tiezzi
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Ferrari
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Missale
- Unit of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Laboratory of Viral Immunopathology, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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35
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Xu B, Peng Z, An Y, Yan G, Yao X, Guan L, Sun M. Identification of Energy Metabolism-Related Gene Signatures From scRNA-Seq Data to Predict the Prognosis of Liver Cancer Patients. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:858336. [PMID: 35602603 PMCID: PMC9114438 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.858336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasingly common usage of single-cell sequencing in cancer research enables analysis of tumor development mechanisms from a wider range of perspectives. Metabolic disorders are closely associated with liver cancer development. In recent years, liver cancer has been evaluated from different perspectives and classified into different subtypes to improve targeted treatment strategies. Here, we performed an analysis of liver cancer from the perspective of energy metabolism based on single-cell sequencing data. Single-cell and bulk sequencing data of liver cancer patients were obtained from GEO and TCGA/ICGC databases, respectively. Using the Seurat R package and protocols such as consensus clustering analysis, genes associated with energy metabolism in liver cancer were identified and validated. An energy metabolism-related score (EM score) was established based on five identified genes. Finally, the sensitivity of patients in different scoring groups to different chemotherapeutic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors was analyzed. Tumor cells from liver cancer patients were found to divide into nine clusters, with cluster 4 having the highest energy metabolism score. Based on the marker genes of this cluster and TCGA database data, the five most stable key genes (ADH4, AKR1B10, CEBPZOS, ENO1, and FOXN2) were identified as energy metabolism-related genes in liver cancer. In addition, drug sensitivity analysis showed that patients in the low EM score group were more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents AICAR, metformin, and methotrexate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ziqi Peng
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yue An
- Department of Endoscopy, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guanyu Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xue Yao
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lin Guan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Guan, ; Mingjun Sun,
| | - Mingjun Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Guan, ; Mingjun Sun,
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36
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Carroll HK, Duffy AG, O'Farrelly C. Liver Immunology, Immunotherapy, and Liver Cancers: Time for a Rethink? Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:212-224. [PMID: 35263795 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1744143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The complex immune system of the liver has a major role in tumor surveillance, but also partly explains why current immune therapies are poorly effective against liver cancers. Known primarily for its tolerogenic capacity, the hepatic immune repertoire also comprises diverse populations of armored immune cells with tumor surveillant roles. In healthy people, these work together to successfully identify malignant cells and prevent their proliferation, thus halting tumor formation. When frontline hepatic immune surveillance systems fail, compromised hepatic immunity, driven by obesity, infection, or other pathological factors, allows primary or secondary liver cancers to develop. Tumor growth promotes the normal tolerogenic immunological milieu of the liver, perhaps explaining why current immunotherapies fail to work. This review explores the complex local liver immune system with the hope of identifying potential therapeutic targets needed to best overcome immunological barriers in the liver to create an environment no longer hostile to immunotherapy for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey K Carroll
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Mater Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Austin G Duffy
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Mater Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cliona O'Farrelly
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
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37
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Zhang W, Zhao Z, Li F. Natural killer cell dysfunction in cancer and new strategies to utilize NK cell potential for cancer immunotherapy. Mol Immunol 2022; 144:58-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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38
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Zhang Y, Zhai Z, Duan J, Wang X, Zhong J, Wu L, Li A, Cao M, Wu Y, Shi H, Zhong J, Guo Z. Lactate: The Mediator of Metabolism and Immunosuppression. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:901495. [PMID: 35757394 PMCID: PMC9218951 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.901495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Warburg effect, one of the hallmarks of tumors, produces large amounts of lactate and generates an acidic tumor microenvironment via using glucose for glycolysis. As a metabolite, lactate not only serves as a substrate to provide energy for supporting cell growth and development but also acts as an important signal molecule to affect the biochemical functions of intracellular proteins and regulate the biological functions of different kinds of cells. Notably, histone lysine lactylation (Kla) is identified as a novel post-modification and carcinogenic signal, which provides the promising and potential therapeutic targets for tumors. Therefore, the metabolism and functional mechanism of lactate are becoming one of the hot fields in tumor research. Here, we review the production of lactate and its regulation on immunosuppressive cells, as well as the important role of Kla in hepatocellular carcinoma. Lactate and Kla supplement the knowledge gap in oncology and pave the way for exploring the mechanism of oncogenesis and therapeutic targets. Research is still needed in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Zhao Zhai
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Jiali Duan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Xiangcai Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Jinghua Zhong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Longqiu Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - An Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Miao Cao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Yanyang Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Huaqiu Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Huaqiu Shi, ; Jianing Zhong, ; Zhenli Guo,
| | - Jianing Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Huaqiu Shi, ; Jianing Zhong, ; Zhenli Guo,
| | - Zhenli Guo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Huaqiu Shi, ; Jianing Zhong, ; Zhenli Guo,
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39
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Sun H, Kim E, Ryu J, Lee H, Shin EA, Lee M, Lee H, Lee JH, Yoon JH, Song DG, Kim S, Lee JW. TM4SF5-mediated liver malignancy involves NK cell exhaustion-like phenotypes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:49. [PMID: 34921636 PMCID: PMC8739317 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant extracellular matrix and immune cell alterations within the tumor microenvironment promote the pathological progression of liver carcinogenesis. Although transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) is involved in liver fibrosis and cancer, its mechanism avoiding immune surveillance during carcinogenesis remains unknown. We investigated how TM4SF5-mediated signaling caused immune evasion using in vitro primary cells and in vivo liver tissues from genetic or chemically induced mouse models. TM4SF5-transgenic and diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer mouse models exhibited fibrotic and cancerous livers, respectively, with enhanced TM4SF5, pY705STAT3, collagen I, and laminin γ2 levels. These TM4SF5-mediated effects were abolished by TM4SF5 inhibitor, 4'-(p-toluenesulfonylamido)-4-hydroxychalcone (TSAHC). TM4SF5-dependent tumorigenesis involved natural killer (NK) cell exhaustion-like phenotypes including the reduction of NK cell number or function, which were blocked with TSAHC treatment. TM4SF5 expression in cancer cells downregulated stimulatory ligands and receptors for NK cell cytotoxicity, including SLAMF6, SLAMF7, MICA/B, and others. TM4SF5 suppression or inhibition reduced STAT3 signaling activity and recovered the receptor levels and NK cell surveillance, leading to reduced fibrotic and cancerous phenotypes, and longer survival. Altogether, these findings suggest that TM4SF5-mediated STAT3 activity for extracellular matrix modulation is involved in the progression of liver disease to HCC and that TM4SF5 appears to suppress NK cells during liver carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunseung Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunmi Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Ryu
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Lee
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ae Shin
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Minhyeong Lee
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Haesong Lee
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Geun Song
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Semi Kim
- Immunotherapy Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Weon Lee
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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40
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Cao J, Zhang C, Jiang GQ, Jin SJ, Wang Q, Wang AQ, Bai DS. Identification of hepatocellular carcinoma-related genes associated with macrophage differentiation based on bioinformatics analyses. Bioengineered 2021; 12:296-309. [PMID: 33380242 PMCID: PMC8806327 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2020.1868119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophage differentiation is associated with tumorigenesis, including the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we explored the value of macrophage differentiation-associated genes (MDGs) in the prognosis of HCC using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. We performed multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify the hub genes affecting HCC patient prognoses. The correlations between hub genes and macrophage differentiation and immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA4) were investigated. Finally, the potential mechanism was examined with gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). In total, seventeen differentially expressed MDGs were obtained after intersecting data from the two databases. Multivariate analysis indicated that CDC42 expression was an independent prognostic indicator in both databases. Furthermore, CDC42 showed a strong correlation with the tumor infiltration levels of immune cells in HCC tissue. Correlation analysis revealed that CDC42 expression was positively associated with M2 macrophage markers and immune checkpoint inhibitors, which indicated that CDC42 expression might be related to M2 macrophage differentiation and HCC cell immune tolerance. Finally, GSEA showed that CDC42 expression was most significantly related to the Wnt signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study showed that CDC42 expression might be an important MDG in HCC and may prove to be a new gene for studying macrophage differentiation in HCC. Abbreviations: HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; TCGA: The Cancer Genome Atlas; ICGC: International Cancer Genome Consortium; GSEA: gene set enrichment analysis; GO: Gene Ontology; KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; K-M: Kaplan-Meier; AUC: the area under the ROC curve; TNM: Tumor size/lymph nodes/distance metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Guo-Qing Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Sheng-Jie Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Ao-Qing Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Dou-Sheng Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
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41
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Cao L, Zhu YQ, Wu ZX, Wang GX, Cheng HW. Engineering nanotheranostic strategies for liver cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2021; 13:1213-1228. [PMID: 34721763 PMCID: PMC8529922 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v13.i10.1213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma have continued to increase over the last few years, and the medicine-based outlook of patients is poor. Given great ideas from the development of nanotechnology in medicine, especially the advantages in the treatments of liver cancer. Some engineering nanoparticles with active targeting, ligand modification, and passive targeting capacity achieve efficient drug delivery to tumor cells. In addition, the behavior of drug release is also applied to the drug loading nanosystem based on the tumor microenvironment. Considering clinical use of local treatment of liver cancer, in situ drug delivery of nanogels is also fully studied in orthotopic chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and ablation therapy. Furthermore, novel therapies including gene therapy, phototherapy, and immunotherapy are also applied as combined therapy for liver cancer. Engineering nonviral polymers to function as gene delivery vectors with increased efficiency and specificity, and strategies of co-delivery of therapeutic genes and drugs show great therapeutic effect against liver tumors, including drug-resistant tumors. Phototherapy is also applied in surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Combination strategies significantly enhance therapeutic effects and decrease side effects. Overall, the application of nanotechnology could bring a revolutionary change to the current treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cao
- Department of Pathology, Quanzhou Women's and Children's Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yu-Qin Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Quanzhou Women's and Children's Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zhi-Xian Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Disease, The 900th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force, Fuzhou 350025, Fujian Province, China
| | - Gao-Xiong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Quanzhou Women's and Children's Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Hong-Wei Cheng
- School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, Fujian Province, China
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42
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Borgia M, Dal Bo M, Toffoli G. Role of Virus-Related Chronic Inflammation and Mechanisms of Cancer Immune-Suppression in Pathogenesis and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174387. [PMID: 34503196 PMCID: PMC8431318 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis is dependent on a chronic inflammation caused by several factors, including hepatotropic viruses, such as HCV and HBV. This chronic inflammation is established in the context of the immunotolerogenic environment peculiar of the liver, in which the immune system can be stimulated by HCV and HBV viral antigens. This complex interaction can be influenced by direct-acting antiviral drug treatments, capable of (almost totally) rapidly eradicating HCV infection. The influence of anti-viral treatments on HCC pathogenesis and progression remains to be fully clarified. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be classified as a prototypical inflammation-driven cancer that generally arises from a background of liver cirrhosis, but that in the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), could develop in the absence of fibrosis or cirrhosis. Tumor-promoting inflammation characterizes HCC pathogenesis, with an epidemiology of the chronic liver disease frequently encompassing hepatitis virus B (HBV) or C (HCV). HCC tumor onset and progression is a serial and heterogeneous process in which intrinsic factors, such as genetic mutations and chromosomal instability, are closely associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which may have features associated with the etiopathogenesis and expression of the viral antigens, which favor the evasion of tumor neoantigens to immune surveillance. With the introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies for HCV infection, sustained virological response (SVR) has become very high, although occurrence of HCC and reactivation of HBV in patients with co-infection, who achieved SVR in short term, have been observed in a significant proportion of treated cases. In this review, we discuss the main molecular and TME features that are responsible for HCC pathogenesis and progression. Peculiar functional aspects that could be related to the presence and treatment of HCV/HBV viral infections are also dealt with.
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Abstract
Hypoxia is an important feature of the tumor microenvironment, and is closely associated with cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metabolism and the tumor immune response. All these factors can further promote tumor progression, increase tumor aggressiveness, enhance tumor metastatic potential and lead to poor prognosis. In this review, these effects of hypoxia on tumor biology will be discussed, along with their significance for tumor detection and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (12387Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Clinical Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (12387Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Clinical Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (12387Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Clinical Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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44
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Lei J, Zhang D, Yao C, Ding S, Lu Z. Development of a Predictive Immune-Related Gene Signature Associated With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patient Prognosis. Cancer Control 2021; 27:1073274820977114. [PMID: 33269615 PMCID: PMC8480351 DOI: 10.1177/1073274820977114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the third leader cancer-associated cause of death globally, but the etiological basis for this complex disease remains poorly clarified. The present study was thus conceptualized to define a prognostic immune-related gene (IRG) signature capable of predicting immunotherapy responsiveness and overall survival (OS) in patients with HCC. Methods: Five differentially expressed IRG associated with HCC were established the immune-related risk model through univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses. Patients were separated at random into training and testing cohorts, after which the association between the identified IRG signature and OS was evaluated using the “survival” R package. In addition, maftools was leveraged to assess mutational data, with tumor mutation burden (TMB) scores being calculated as follows: (total mutations/total bases) × 106. Immune-related risk term abundance was quantified via “ssGSEA” algorithm using the “gsva” R package. Results: HCC patients were successfully stratified into low-risk and high-risk groups based upon a signature composed of 5 differentially expressed IRGs, with overall survival being significantly different between these 2 groups in training cohort, testing cohort and overall patient cohort (P = 1.745e-06, P = 1.888e-02, P = 4.281e-07). No association was observed between TMB and this IRG risk score in the overall patient cohort (P = 0.461). Notably, 19 out of 29 immune-related risk terms differed substantially in the overall patient dataset. These risk terms mainly included checkpoints, human leukocyte antigens, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and major histocompatibility complex class I. Conclusion: In summary, an immune-related prognostic gene signature was successfully developed and used to predict survival outcomes and immune system status in patients with HCC. This signature has the potential to help guide immunotherapeutic treatment planning for patients affected by this deadly cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasheng Lei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, BengBu Medical College, BengBu, China
| | - Dengyong Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, BengBu Medical College, BengBu, China
| | - Chao Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, BengBu Medical College, BengBu, China
| | - Sheng Ding
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, BengBu Medical College, BengBu, China
| | - Zheng Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, BengBu Medical College, BengBu, China
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45
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Hou Y, Zhang G. Identification of immune-infiltrating cell-related biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma based on gene co-expression network analysis. Diagn Pathol 2021; 16:57. [PMID: 34218795 PMCID: PMC8255019 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-021-01118-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often caused by chronic liver infection or inflammation. Searching for potential immunotherapy targets will aid the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC. Methods Firstly, detailed HCC data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. GDCRNATools was used for the comprehensive analysis of RNA sequencing data. Subsequently, the CIBERSORT package was used to estimate infiltration scores of 22 types of immune cells in complex samples. Furthermore, hub genes were identified via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. In addition, multiple databases were used to validate the expression of hub gene in the tumor tissue. Finally, prognostic, diagnostic and immunohistochemical analysis of key hub genes was performed. Results In the present study, 9 hub genes were identified using WGCNA and PPI network analysis. Furthermore, the expression levels of 9 genes were positively correlated with the infiltration levels of CD8-positive T (CD8+ T) cells. In multiple dataset validations, the expression levels of CCL5, CXCR6, CD3E, and LCK were decreased in cancer tissues. In addition, survival analysis revealed that patients with LCK low expression had a poor survival prognosis (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that CCL5, CD3E and LCK were expressed at low levels in HCC cancer tissues. Conclusion The identification of CCL5, CXCR6, CD3E and LCK may be helpful in the development of early diagnosis and therapy of HCC. LCK may be a potential prognostic biomarker for immunotherapy for HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13000-021-01118-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghui Hou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng City, No.306 Jiankang Street, Linqing City, 252600, Shandong Province, China
| | - Guizhi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng City, No.306 Jiankang Street, Linqing City, 252600, Shandong Province, China.
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46
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Phenotypic Characterization by Single-Cell Mass Cytometry of Human Intrahepatic and Peripheral NK Cells in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061495. [PMID: 34198593 PMCID: PMC8231799 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Overall response rates of systemic therapies against advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unsatisfactory. Thus, searching for new immunotherapy targets is indispensable. NK cells are crucial effectors and regulators in the tumor microenvironment and a determinant of responsiveness to checkpoint inhibitors. We revealed the landscape of NK cell phenotypes in HCC patients to find potential immunotherapy targets. Using single cell mass cytometry, we analyzed 32 surface markers on CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells, which included Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs). We compared peripheral NK cells between HCC patients and healthy volunteers. We also compared NK cells, in terms of their localizations, on an individual patient bases between peripheral and intrahepatic NK cells from cancerous and noncancerous liver tissues. In the HCC patient periphery, CD160+CD56dim NK cells that expressed Siglec-7, NKp46, and NKp30 were reduced, while CD49a+CD56dim NK cells that expressed Siglec-10 were increased. CD160 and CD49a on CD56dim NK cells were significantly correlated to other NK-related markers in HCC patients, which suggested that CD160 and CD49a were signature molecules. CD49a+ CX3CR1+ Siglec-10+ NK cells had accumulated in HCC tissues. Considering further functional analyses, CD160, CD49a, CX3CR1, and Siglec-10 on CD56dim NK cells may be targets for immunotherapies of HCC patients.
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47
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Wu F, Wei H, Liu G, Zhang Y. Bioinformatics Profiling of Five Immune-Related lncRNAs for a Prognostic Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:667904. [PMID: 34123835 PMCID: PMC8195283 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.667904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common tumors worldwide, has the fifth highest mortality rate, which is increasing every year. At present, many studies have revealed that immunotherapy has an important effect on many malignant tumors. The main purpose of our research was to verify and establish a new immune-related lncRNA model and to explore the potential immune mechanisms. We analysed the pathways and mechanisms of immune-related lncRNAs by bioinformatics analysis, screened key lncRNAs based on Cox regression analysis, and determined the characteristics of the immune-related lncRNAs. On this basis, a predictive model was established. Through a comparison of specificity and sensitivity, we found that the constructed model was superior to the known markers of HCC. Then, the cell types were identified by the relative subgroup (CIBERSORT) algorithm for RNA transcripts. A signature model was eventually constructed, and we proved that it was a survival factor for HCC. Moreover, five kinds of immune cells were significantly positively correlated with the signature. The results indicated that these five kinds of lncRNAs may be related to the immune infiltration of hepatocellular carcinoma. To verify these findings, we selected the top coexpressed lncRNA, AC099850.3, for further study. We found that AC099850.3 could promote the migration and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. RT-PCR experiments found that AC099850.3 could promote the expression of the cell cycle molecules BUB1, CDK1, PLK1, and TTK, and western blotting to prove that the expression of the molecules CD155 and PD-L1 was inhibited in the interference group. In conclusion, we used five kinds of immune-related lncRNAs to construct prognostic signatures to explore the mechanism, which provides a new way to study therapies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Hepatic-biliary-pancreatic Institute, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hangzhi Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Hepatic-biliary-pancreatic Institute, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guiyuan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Hepatic-biliary-pancreatic Institute, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Youcheng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Hepatic-biliary-pancreatic Institute, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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48
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Damiris K, Abbad H, Pyrsopoulos N. Cellular based treatment modalities for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12:290-308. [PMID: 34131562 PMCID: PMC8173328 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i5.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver and is unfortunately associated with an overall poor prognosis and high mortality. Early and intermediate stages of HCC allow for treatment with surgical resection, ablation and even liver transplantation, however disease progression warrants conventional systemic therapy. For years treatment options were limited to molecular-targeting medications, of which sorafenib remains the standard of care. The recent development and success of immune checkpoint inhibitors has proven to be a breakthrough in the treatment of HCC, but there is an urgent need for the development of further novel therapeutic treatments that prolong overall survival and minimize recurrence. Current investigation is focused on adoptive cell therapy including chimeric antigen receptor-T cells (CAR-T cells), T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte cells, which have shown remarkable success in the treatment of hematological and solid tumor malignancies. In this review we briefly introduce readers to the currently approved systemic treatment options and present clinical and experimental evidence of HCC immunotherapeutic treatments that will hopefully one day allow for revolutionary change in the treatment modalities used for unresectable HCC. We also provide an up-to-date compilation of ongoing clinical trials investigating CAR-T cells, TCR engineered T cells, cancer vaccines and oncolytic viruses, while discussing strategies that can help overcome commonly faced challenges when utilizing cellular based treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Damiris
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
| | - Hamza Abbad
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
| | - Nikolaos Pyrsopoulos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
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Pelosi A, Fiore PF, Di Matteo S, Veneziani I, Caruana I, Ebert S, Munari E, Moretta L, Maggi E, Azzarone B. Pediatric Tumors-Mediated Inhibitory Effect on NK Cells: The Case of Neuroblastoma and Wilms' Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102374. [PMID: 34069127 PMCID: PMC8156764 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Neuroblastoma (NB) and Wilms’ tumor (WT) are the most common childhood solid extracranial tumors. The current treatments consist of a combination of surgery and chemotherapy or radiotherapy in high-risk patients. Such treatments are responsible for significant adverse events requiring long-term monitoring. Thus, a main challenge in NB and WT treatment is the development of novel therapeutic strategies to eliminate or minimize the adverse effects. The characterization of the immune environment could allow for the identification of new therapeutic targets. Herein, we described the interaction between these tumors and innate immune cells, in particular natural killer cells and monocytes. The detection of the immunosuppressive activity of specific NB and WT tumor cells on natural killer cells and on monocytes could offer novel cellular and molecular targets for an effective immunotherapy of NB and WT. Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in the control of cancer development, progression and metastatic dissemination. However, tumor cells develop an array of strategies capable of impairing the activation and function of the immune system, including NK cells. In this context, a major event is represented by the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) composed of stromal cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated macrophages, regulatory T cells and cancer cells themselves. The different immunoregulatory cells infiltrating the TME, through the release of several immunosuppressive molecules or by cell-to-cell interactions, cause an impairment of the recruitment of NK cells and other lymphocytes with effector functions. The different mechanisms by which stromal and tumor cells impair NK cell function have been particularly explored in adult solid tumors and, in less depth, investigated and discussed in a pediatric setting. In this review, we will compare pediatric and adult solid malignancies concerning the respective mechanisms of NK cell inhibition, highlighting novel key data in neuroblastoma and Wilms’ tumor, two of the most frequent pediatric extracranial solid tumors. Indeed, both tumors are characterized by the presence of stromal cells acting through the release of immunosuppressive molecules. In addition, specific tumor cell subsets inhibit NK cell cytotoxic function by cell-to-cell contact mechanisms likely controlled by the transcriptional coactivator TAZ. These findings could lead to a more performant diagnostic approach and to the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies targeting the identified cellular and molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pelosi
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
| | - Piera Filomena Fiore
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
| | - Sabina Di Matteo
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
| | - Irene Veneziani
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
| | - Ignazio Caruana
- Department of Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children’s Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (I.C.); (S.E.)
| | - Stefan Ebert
- Department of Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children’s Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (I.C.); (S.E.)
| | - Enrico Munari
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
| | - Enrico Maggi
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
- Correspondence: (E.M.); (B.A.)
| | - Bruno Azzarone
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (P.F.F.); (S.D.M.); (I.V.); (L.M.)
- Correspondence: (E.M.); (B.A.)
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50
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Xiang S, Li J, Shen J, Zhao Y, Wu X, Li M, Yang X, Kaboli PJ, Du F, Zheng Y, Wen Q, Cho CH, Yi T, Xiao Z. Identification of Prognostic Genes in the Tumor Microenvironment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2021; 12:653836. [PMID: 33897701 PMCID: PMC8059369 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.653836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. The efficacy of immunotherapy usually depends on the interaction of immunomodulation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aimed to explore the potential stromal-immune score-based prognostic genes related to immunotherapy in HCC through bioinformatics analysis. Methods: ESTIMATE algorithm was applied to calculate the immune/stromal/Estimate scores and tumor purity of HCC using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) transcriptome data. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was analyzed by the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery database (DAVID). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were performed for prognostic gene screening. The expression and prognostic value of these genes were further verified by KM-plotter database and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. The correlation of the selected genes and the immune cell infiltration were analyzed by single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). Results: Data analysis revealed that higher immune/stromal/Estimate scores were significantly associated with better survival benefits in HCC within 7 years, while the tumor purity showed a reverse trend. DEGs based on both immune and stromal scores primarily affected the cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway. Among the DEGs, three genes (CASKIN1, EMR3, and GBP5) were found most significantly associated with survival. Moreover, the expression levels of CASKIN1, EMR3, and GBP5 genes were significantly correlated with immune/stromal/Estimate scores or tumor purity and multiple immune cell infiltration. Among them, GBP5 genes were highly related to immune infiltration. Conclusion: This study identified three key genes which were related to the TME and had prognostic significance in HCC, which may be promising markers for predicting immunotherapy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixin Xiang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Hospital (T.C.M) Affiliated to Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Parham Jabbarzadeh Kaboli
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuan Zheng
- Neijiang Health and Health Vocational College, Neijiang, China
| | - Qinglian Wen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chi Hin Cho
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, China.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tao Yi
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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