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Gu X, Zhu Y, Su J, Wang S, Su X, Ding X, Jiang L, Fei X, Zhang W. Lactate-induced activation of tumor-associated fibroblasts and IL-8-mediated macrophage recruitment promote lung cancer progression. Redox Biol 2024; 74:103209. [PMID: 38861833 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the tumor microenvironment are closely associated with the metabolic phenotype of tumor cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in tumor growth and metastasis. Existing studies have suggested that lactate produced by tumor cells can activate CAFs, yet the precise underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, we initially identified that lactate derived from lung cancer cells can promote nuclear translocation of NUSAP1, subsequently leading to the recruitment of the transcriptional complex JUNB-FRA1-FRA2 near the DESMIN promoter and facilitating DESMIN transcriptional activation, thereby promoting CAFs' activation. Moreover, DESMIN-positive CAFs, in turn, secrete IL-8, which recruits TAMs or promotes M2 polarization of macrophages, further contributing to the alterations in the tumor microenvironment and facilitating lung cancer progression. Furthermore, we observed that the use of IL-8 receptor antagonists, SB225002, or Navarixin, significantly reduced TAM infiltration and enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 treatment. This finding indicates that inhibiting IL-8R activity can attenuate the impact of CAFs on the tumor microenvironment, thus restraining the progression of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyu Gu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yifei Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jincheng Su
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832002, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiangyu Su
- Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xu Ding
- Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Xiang Fei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Wentian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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Zha J, Zhang J, Lu J, Zhang G, Hua M, Guo W, Yang J, Fan G. A review of lactate-lactylation in malignancy: its potential in immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1384948. [PMID: 38779665 PMCID: PMC11109376 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lactic acid was formerly regarded as a byproduct of metabolism. However, extensive investigations into the intricacies of cancer development have revealed its significant contributions to tumor growth, migration, and invasion. Post-translational modifications involving lactate have been widely observed in histone and non-histone proteins, and these modifications play a crucial role in regulating gene expression by covalently attaching lactoyl groups to lysine residues in proteins. This discovery has greatly enhanced our comprehension of lactic acid's involvement in disease pathogenesis. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the intricate relationship between lactate and tumor immunity, the occurrence of lactylation in malignant tumors, and the exploitation of targeted lactate-lactylation in tumor immunotherapy. Additionally, we discuss future research directions, aiming to offer novel insights that could inform the investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhui Zha
- Department of Urology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junan Zhang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jingfen Lu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangcheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengzhan Hua
- Department of Basic Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiming Guo
- Department of Sports Medicine Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Endocrinology Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Gang Fan
- Department of Urology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Chang H, Chen H, Ma T, Ma K, Li Y, Suo L, Liang X, Jia K, Ma J, Li J, Sun D. Multi-omics pan-cancer study of SPTBN2 and its value as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9764. [PMID: 38684762 PMCID: PMC11059406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60780-6] [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: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SPTBN2 is a protein-coding gene that is closely related to the development of malignant tumors. However, its prognostic value and biological function in pan-cancer, especially pancreatic cancer (PAAD), have not been reported. In the present study, a novel exploration of the value and potential mechanism of SPTBN2 in PAAD was conducted using multi-omics in the background of pan-cancer. Via various database analysis, up-regulated expression of SPTBN2 was detected in most of the tumor tissues examined. Overexpression of SPTBN2 in PAAD and kidney renal clear cell cancer patients potentially affected overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval. In PAAD, SPTBN2 can be used as an independent factor affecting prognosis. Mutations and amplification of SPTBN2 were detected, with abnormal methylation of SPTBN2 affecting its expression and the survival outcome of PAAD patients. Immunoassay results demonstrate that SPTBN2 was a potential biomarker for predicting therapeutic response in PAAD, and may influence the immunotherapy efficacy of PAAD by regulating levels of CD8 + T cells and neutrophil infiltration. Results from an enrichment analysis indicated that SPTBN2 may regulate the development of PAAD via immune pathways. Thus, SPTBN2 is a potential prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy target based on its crucial role in the development of PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Chang
- Division of Cholelithiasis Minimally Invasive Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, 116001, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Taiheng Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Kexin Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Yi Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Lida Suo
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Xiangnan Liang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Kunyu Jia
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Jiahong Ma
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Jing Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Deguang Sun
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116021, China.
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Zhao J, Liu Z, Yang K, Shen S, Peng J. DNA methylation regulator-based molecular subtyping and tumor microenvironment characterization in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1333923. [PMID: 38736884 PMCID: PMC11082416 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1333923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Backgroud Although recent studies have reported the regulation of the immune response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through DNA methylation, the comprehensive impact methylation modifications on tumor microenvironment characteristics and immunotherapy efficacy has not been fully elucidated. Methods In this research, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of the patterns of DNA methylation regulators and the profiles of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HCC, focusing on 21 specific DNA methylation regulators. We subsequently developed a unique scoring system, a DNA methylation score (DMscore), to assess the individual DNA methylation modifications among the three distinct methylation patterns for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Results Three distinct methylation modification patterns were identified with distinct TME infiltration characteristics. We demonstrated that the DMscore could predict patient subtype, TME infiltration, and patient prognosis. A low DMscore, characterized by an elevated tumor mutation burden (TMB), hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and immune activation, indicates an inflamed tumor microenvironment phenotype with a 5-year survival rate of 7.8%. Moreover, a low DMscore appeared to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy in the anti-CTLA-4/PD-1/PD-L1 cohort. Conclusions In brief, this research has enhanced our understanding of the correlation between modifications in DNA methylation patterns and the profile of the tumor microenvironment in individuals diagnosed with HCC. The DMscore may serve as an alternative biomarker for survival and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsheng Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhengtao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keda Yang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sijia Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Organs and Computational Medicine in Zhejiang Province, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Peng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Shao J, Xu Y, Olsen RJ, Kasparian S, Sun K, Mathur S, Zhang J, He C, Chen SH, Bernicker EH, Li Z. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Cell-Free DNA Predicts Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer. Cells 2024; 13:715. [PMID: 38667328 PMCID: PMC11049556 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080715] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) drastically improve therapeutic outcomes for lung cancer, but accurately predicting individual patient responses to ICIs remains a challenge. We performed the genome-wide profiling of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in 85 plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples from lung cancer patients and developed a 5hmC signature that was significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS). We built a 5hmC predictive model to quantify the 5hmC level and validated the model in the validation, test, and control sets. Low weighted predictive scores (wp-scores) were significantly associated with a longer PFS compared to high wp-scores in the validation [median 7.6 versus 1.8 months; p = 0.0012; hazard ratio (HR) 0.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.03-0.54] and test (median 14.9 versus 3.3 months; p = 0.00074; HR 0.10; 95% CI, 0.02-0.50) sets. Objective response rates in patients with a low or high wp-score were 75.0% (95% CI, 42.8-94.5%) versus 0.0% (95% CI, 0.0-60.2%) in the validation set (p = 0.019) and 80.0% (95% CI, 44.4-97.5%) versus 0.0% (95% CI, 0.0-36.9%) in the test set (p = 0.0011). The wp-scores were also significantly associated with PFS in patients receiving single-agent ICI treatment (p < 0.05). In addition, the 5hmC predictive signature demonstrated superior predictive capability to tumor programmed death-ligand 1 and specificity to ICI treatment response prediction. Moreover, we identified novel 5hmC-associated genes and signaling pathways integral to ICI treatment response in lung cancer. This study provides proof-of-concept evidence that the cfDNA 5hmC signature is a robust biomarker for predicting ICI treatment response in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Shao
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (R.J.O.)
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Yitian Xu
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Randall J. Olsen
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (R.J.O.)
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Saro Kasparian
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Kai Sun
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
| | - Sunil Mathur
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
| | - Jun Zhang
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
| | - Chuan He
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Shu-Hsia Chen
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
| | - Eric H. Bernicker
- Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (E.H.B.)
| | - Zejuan Li
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA (R.J.O.)
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (S.M.); (S.-H.C.)
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Park JE, Jo J, Youk J, Kim M, Yoon SH, Keam B, Kim TM, Kim DW. Prognostic utility of body composition parameters based on computed tomography analysis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Insights Imaging 2023; 14:182. [PMID: 37880430 PMCID: PMC10600077 DOI: 10.1186/s13244-023-01532-4] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of body composition parameters based on computed tomography (CT) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received ICI treatment. METHODS This retrospective study analyzed the data from advanced NSCLC patients treated with ICI therapy between 2013 and 2019. We included patients with NSCLC who underwent baseline CT scans. The exclusion criteria included patients who received three or more lines of chemotherapy, those with insufficient clinical information, or those without treatment response evaluation. RESULTS A total of 136 patients were enrolled. Among the volumetric body composition parameters, patients in the highest quartiles (Q2-4) of the visceral fat index (VFI) exhibited a higher response rate to ICI therapy than those in the lowest quartile (Q1) of VFI (Q1 vs. Q2-4: 18.2% vs. 43.1%, p = 0.012). Patients with a VFI in Q2-4 had significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (PFS, Q1 vs. Q2-4: 3.0 months vs. 6.4 months, p = 0.043; OS, Q1 vs. Q2-4: 5.6 months vs. 16.3 months, p = 0.004). Kaplan-Meier analysis based on the VFI and visceral fat Hounsfield unit (HU) revealed that patients with VFI in Q1 and HU in Q2-4 had the worst prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Visceral fat volume is significantly associated with treatment outcomes in ICI-treated patients with NSCLC. Moreover, fat quality may impact the treatment outcomes. This finding underscores the potential significance of both fat compartments and fat quality as prognostic indicators. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT Visceral fat volume is significantly associated with treatment outcomes in ICI-treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Moreover, fat quality may impact the treatment outcomes. This finding underscores the potential significance of both fat compartments and fat quality as prognostic indicators. KEY POINTS • We found that visceral fat volume positively correlated with treatment response and survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. • Additionally, a trend toward a negative correlation between visceral fat attenuation and survival was observed. • The findings highlight the prognostic utility of fat compartments and fat quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, South Korea
| | - Jaemin Jo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, South Korea
| | - Jeonghwan Youk
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea
| | - Miso Kim
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.
| | - Soon Ho Yoon
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.
| | - Bhumsuk Keam
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea
| | - Tae Min Kim
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea
| | - Dong-Wan Kim
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea
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Kim ME, Lee JS. Immune Diseases Associated with Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15584. [PMID: 37958564 PMCID: PMC10647753 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115584] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with a decline in immune function, thereby causing an increased susceptibility to various diseases. Herein, we review immune diseases associated with aging, focusing on tumors, atherosclerosis, and immunodeficiency disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying these conditions are discussed, highlighting telomere shortening, tissue inflammation, and altered signaling pathways, e.g., the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, as key contributors to immune dysfunction. The role of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in driving chronic tissue inflammation and disruption has been examined. Our review underscores the significance of targeting tissue inflammation and immunomodulation for treating immune disorders. In addition, anti-inflammatory medications, including corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and novel approaches, e.g., probiotics and polyphenols, are discussed. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and adoptive T-cell therapy, has been explored for its potential to enhance immune responses in older populations. A comprehensive analysis of immune disorders associated with aging and underlying molecular mechanisms provides insights into potential treatment strategies to alleviate the burden of these conditions in the aging population. The interplay among immune dysfunction, chronic tissue inflammation, and innovative therapeutic approaches highlights the importance of elucidating these complex processes to develop effective interventions to improve the quality of life in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jun Sik Lee
- Department of Biological Science, Immunology Research Lab & BK21-Four Educational Research Group for Age-Associated Disorder Control Technology, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea;
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Mamun MAA, Zhang Y, Zhao JY, Shen DD, Guo T, Zheng YC, Zhao LJ, Liu HM. LSD1: an emerging face in altering the tumor microenvironment and enhancing immune checkpoint therapy. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:60. [PMID: 37525190 PMCID: PMC10391765 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00952-0] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of various cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) causes immunosuppressive functions and aggressive tumor growth. In combination with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), epigenetic modification-targeted drugs are emerging as attractive cancer treatments. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a protein that modifies histone and non-histone proteins and is known to influence a wide variety of physiological processes. The dysfunction of LSD1 contributes to poor prognosis, poor patient survival, drug resistance, immunosuppression, etc., making it a potential epigenetic target for cancer therapy. This review examines how LSD1 modulates different cell behavior in TME and emphasizes the potential use of LSD1 inhibitors in combination with ICB therapy for future cancer research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A A Mamun
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jin-Yuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- Key Laboratory of Endometrial Disease Prevention and Treatment Zhengzhou China, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Ting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yi-Chao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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9
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Wang X, Zhou J, Li Z, Chen X, Wei Q, Chen K, Jiang R. A novel pyroptosis-related prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma: Identification and multi-angle verification. Front Genet 2023; 14:1160915. [PMID: 37077542 PMCID: PMC10106613 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1160915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is an aggressive disease of heterogeneous characteristics with poor prognosis and high mortality. Pyroptosis, a newly uncovered type of programmed cell death with an inflammatory nature, has been determined to hold substantial importance in the progression of tumors. Despite this, the knowledge about pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in LUAD is limited. This study aimed to develop and validate a prognostic signature for LUAD based on PRGs.Methods: In this research, gene expression information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) served as the training cohort and data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was utilized as the validation cohort. PRGs list was taken from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) and previous studies. Univariate Cox regression and Lasso analysis were then conducted to identify prognostic PRGs and develop a LUAD prognostic signature. The Kaplan-Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were employed to assess the independent prognostic value and forecasting accuracy of the pyroptosis-related prognostic signature. The correlation between prognostic signature and immune infiltrating was analyzed to examine the role in tumor diagnosis and immunotherapy. Further, RNA-seq as well as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis in separate data sets was applied in order to validate the potential biomarkers for LUAD.Results: A novel prognostic signature based on 8 PRGs (BAK1, CHMP2A, CYCS, IL1A, CASP9, NLRC4, NLRP1, and NOD1) was established to predict the survival of LUAD. The prognostic signature proved to be an independent prognostic factor of LUAD with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity in the training and validation sets. High-risk scores subgroups in the prognostic signature were significantly associated with advanced tumor stage, poor prognosis, less immune cell infiltration, and immune function deficiency. RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that the expression of CHMP2A and NLRC4 could be used as biomarkers for LUAD.Conclusion: We have successfully developed a prognostic signature consisting of eight PRGs that providing a novel perspective on predicting prognosis, assessing infiltration levels of tumor immune cells, and determining the outcomes of immunotherapy for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Wang
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaona Li
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuqiong Chen
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qianhui Wei
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kaidi Chen
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Richeng Jiang
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Tianjin Lung Cancer Center, Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Richeng Jiang,
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The CXCL10/CXCR3 Pathway Contributes to the Synergy of Thermal Ablation and PD-1 Blockade Therapy against Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15051427. [PMID: 36900218 PMCID: PMC10000434 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As a practical local therapeutic approach to destroy tumor tissue, thermal ablation can activate tumor-specific T cells via enhancing tumor antigen presentation to the immune system. In the present study, we investigated changes in infiltrating immune cells in tumor tissues from the non-radiofrequency ablation (RFA) side by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of tumor-bearing mice compared with control tumors. We showed that ablation treatment could increase the proportion of CD8+T cells and the interaction between macrophages and T cells was altered. Another thermal ablation treatment, microwave ablation (MWA), increased the enrichment of signaling pathways for chemotaxis and chemokine response and was associated with the chemokine CXCL10. In addition, the immune checkpoint PD-1 was especially up-regulated in the infiltrating T cells of tumors on the non-ablation side after thermal ablation treatment. Combination therapy of ablation and PD-1 blockade had a synergistic anti-tumor effect. Furthermore, we found that the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis contributed to the therapeutic efficacy of ablation combined with anti-PD-1 therapy, and activation of the CXCL10/CXCR3 signaling pathway might improve the synergistic effect of this combination treatment against solid tumors.
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11
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Smith DA, Sadler MC, Altman RB. Promises and challenges in pharmacoepigenetics. CAMBRIDGE PRISMS. PRECISION MEDICINE 2023; 1:e18. [PMID: 37560024 PMCID: PMC10406571 DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacogenetics, the study of how interindividual genetic differences affect drug response, does not explain all observed heritable variance in drug response. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, and histone acetylation may account for some of the unexplained variances. Epigenetic mechanisms modulate gene expression and can be suitable drug targets and can impact the action of nonepigenetic drugs. Pharmacoepigenetics is the field that studies the relationship between epigenetic variability and drug response. Much of this research focuses on compounds targeting epigenetic mechanisms, called epigenetic drugs, which are used to treat cancers, immune disorders, and other diseases. Several studies also suggest an epigenetic role in classical drug response; however, we know little about this area. The amount of information correlating epigenetic biomarkers to molecular datasets has recently expanded due to technological advances, and novel computational approaches have emerged to better identify and predict epigenetic interactions. We propose that the relationship between epigenetics and classical drug response may be examined using data already available by (1) finding regions of epigenetic variance, (2) pinpointing key epigenetic biomarkers within these regions, and (3) mapping these biomarkers to a drug-response phenotype. This approach expands on existing knowledge to generate putative pharmacoepigenetic relationships, which can be tested experimentally. Epigenetic modifications are involved in disease and drug response. Therefore, understanding how epigenetic drivers impact the response to classical drugs is important for improving drug design and administration to better treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delaney A Smith
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marie C Sadler
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- University Center for Primary Care and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Russ B Altman
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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12
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chen L, Huang Y, Dong B, Gu Y, Li Y, Cang W, Sun P, Xiang Y. Low Level FLT3LG is a Novel Poor Prognostic Biomarker for Cervical Cancer with Immune Infiltration. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:5889-5904. [PMID: 36274829 PMCID: PMC9579815 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s384908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) ligand (FLT3LG), a growth factor, binds to FLT3 on dendritic cell (DCs) to enhance their differentiation and expansion. It has shown great potential as an immunotherapy target for cancers. However, the expression and function of FLT3LG in cervical cancer remain largely unknown. Materials and Methods In this study, we obtained the expression of FLT3LG, the clinical prognosis in cervical cancer, via multiple databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the TISIDB database, and Tumor Immune Estimate Resource (TIMER). The results were further investigated using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) cytology specimens in 489 patients. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier Cox regression and prognostic nomogram analyses were used to assess FLT3LG's clinical significance in cervical cancer patients. All calculations used the R package. Results As a result, FLT3LG expression decreased in cervical cancer compared with standard samples. And the low expression of FLT3LG was associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis indicated that FLT3LG might serve as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer. Additionally, it indicated that the FLT3LG had the highest odds ratio (OR=10.519; (7.371-27.071)) for detecting CIN 2+. In addition, our result also demonstrated that expression of FLT3LG was closely related to immune cells, immune inhibitors, immunostimulators, receptors, and chemokines in CESC. Conclusion Research on FLT3LG provided insight into its critical function. Hence, the low expression of FLT3LG may be a valuable biomarker in CESC patients linked with immune infiltration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuxuan Huang
- Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children’s Critical Diseases Research, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Binhua Dong
- Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children’s Critical Diseases Research, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Gu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ye Li
- Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children’s Critical Diseases Research, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Cang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pengming Sun
- Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children’s Critical Diseases Research, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China,Pengming Sun, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Child Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-591-87558732; +86-591-97279671, Fax +86-591-87551247, Email
| | - Yang Xiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Yang Xiang, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuai Fu Yuan Wang Fu Jing, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-1065296068, Fax +86-1065296218, Email
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13
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Fernández-Ruiz M. Diagnostic and therapeutic approach to pulmonary infiltrates in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE QUIMIOTERAPIA : PUBLICACION OFICIAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE QUIMIOTERAPIA 2022; 35 Suppl 3:67-73. [PMID: 36285862 PMCID: PMC9717448 DOI: 10.37201/req/s03.15.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and the programmed cell death (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis has transformed the treatment paradigm for multiple cancer types. ICIs are able to restore T-cell-mediated antitumor responses and do not entail an increased risk of infection per se. However, immunotherapy is associated to a unique form of toxicity due to the off-target effects on healthy tissues of the excessively enhanced immune response in form of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Although ICI-induced pneumonitis ranks the fifth of all irAEs in terms of frequency of occurrence, it is associated with a relevant attributable mortality. This review summarizes the incidence, risk factors, clinical and radiological presentation, and therapeutic approach of ICI-induced pneumonitis. Particular focus is on the differential diagnosis of new or worsening pulmonary infiltrates in cancer patients receiving ICI therapy. Finally, the impact on the risk of opportunistic infection of ICIs and immunosuppressive therapy used to treat associated irAEs is reviewed. The diagnosis and management of suspected ICI-induced pneumonitis remains clinically challenging Current management of CMV infection in cancer patients (solid tumors). Epidemiology and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fernández-Ruiz
- Mario Fernández-Ruiz, Unit of Infectious Diseases. Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre". Centro de Actividades Ambulatorias, 2ª planta, bloque D. Avda. de Córdoba, s/n. Postal code 28041. Madrid, Spain.
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14
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Pyroptosis: a novel signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in gliomas. Hum Cell 2022; 35:1976-1992. [PMID: 36129672 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-022-00791-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors and are highly malignant with a poor prognosis. Pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, promotes the inflammatory cell death of cancer. Studies have demonstrated that pyroptosis can promote the inflammatory cell death (ICD) of cancer, thus affecting the prognosis of cancer patients. Therefore, genes that control pyroptosis could be a promising candidate bio-indicator in tumor therapy. The function of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in gliomas was investigated based on the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Repository of Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data (Rembrandt) databases. In this study, using the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering method, 26 PRGs from the RNA sequencing data were divided into two subgroups. The LASSO and Cox regression was used to develop a 4-gene (BAX, Caspase-4, Caspase-8, PLCG1) risk signature, and all glioma patients in the CGGA, TCGA and Rembrandt cohorts were divided into low- and high-risk groups. The results demonstrate that the gene risk signature related to clinical features can be used as an independent prognostic indicator in glioma patients. Moreover, the high-risk subtype had rich immune infiltration and high expression of immune checkpoint genes in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The analysis of the Submap algorithm shows that patients in the high-risk group could benefit more from anti-PD1 treatment. The risk characteristics associated with pyroptosis proposed in this study play an essential role in TIME and can potentially predict the prognosis and immunotherapeutic response of glioma patients.
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15
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High IGKC-Expressing Intratumoral Plasma Cells Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169124. [PMID: 36012390 PMCID: PMC9408876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade (ICB) constitutes the current limiting factor for the optimal implementation of this novel therapy, which otherwise demonstrates durable responses with acceptable toxicity scores. This limitation is exacerbated by a lack of robust biomarkers. In this study, we have dissected the basal TME composition at the gene expression and cellular levels that predict response to Nivolumab and prognosis. BCR, TCR and HLA profiling were employed for further characterization of the molecular variables associated with response. The findings were validated using a single-cell RNA-seq data of metastatic melanoma patients treated with ICB, and by multispectral immunofluorescence. Finally, machine learning was employed to construct a prediction algorithm that was validated across eight metastatic melanoma cohorts treated with ICB. Using this strategy, we have unmasked a major role played by basal intratumoral Plasma cells expressing high levels of IGKC in efficacy. IGKC, differentially expressed in good responders, was also identified within the Top response-related BCR clonotypes, together with IGK variants. These results were validated at gene, cellular and protein levels; CD138+ Plasma-like and Plasma cells were more abundant in good responders and correlated with the same RNA-seq-defined fraction. Finally, we generated a 15-gene prediction model that outperformed the current reference score in eight ICB-treated metastatic melanoma cohorts. The evidenced major contribution of basal intratumoral IGKC and Plasma cells in good response and outcome in ICB in metastatic melanoma is a groundbreaking finding in the field beyond the role of T lymphocytes.
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16
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Zhang M, Ma J, Guo Q, Ding S, Wang Y, Pu H. CD8 + T Cell-Associated Gene Signature Correlates With Prognosis Risk and Immunotherapy Response in Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:806877. [PMID: 35273597 PMCID: PMC8902308 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.806877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is correlated with improved patient prognosis, but underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. To identify biomarkers to improve early diagnosis and treatment of LUAD, we downloaded 13 immune cell line-associated datasets from the GEO database. We identified CD8+ T cell-associated genes via weighted correlation network analysis. We constructed molecular subtypes based on CD8+ T cell-associated genes and constructed a multi-gene signature. We identified 252 CD8+ T cell-associated genes significantly enriched in immune function-related pathways and two molecular subtypes of LUAD (immune cluster 1 [IC1] and IC2) using our CD8+ T cell-associated gene signature. Patients with the IC2 subtype had a higher tumor mutation burden and lower immune infiltration scores, whereas those with the IC1 subtype were more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Prioritizing the top candidate genes to construct a 10-gene signature, we validated our model using independent GSE and TCGA datasets to confirm its robustness and stable prognostic ability. Our risk model demonstrated good predictive efficacy using the Imvigor210 immunotherapy dataset. Thus, we established a novel and robust CD8+ T cell-associated gene signature, which could help assess prognostic risk and immunotherapy response in LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China.,Clinical Trial Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Jianli Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Qiuyue Guo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Shuang Ding
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Haihong Pu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
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17
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Screening of Immune-Related Genes and Predicting the Immunotherapeutic Effects of Formononetin in Breast Cancer: A Bioinformatics Analysis. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:9942373. [PMID: 35463082 PMCID: PMC9033346 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9942373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective Immunotherapy is a promising breast cancer treatment. Nonetheless, tumor heterogeneity and the interaction between immune cells in the tumor microenvironment limit its effectiveness. Formononetin—extracted from the Chinese medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus—can inhibit tumor growth, induce apoptosis and angiogenesis, and reverse multidrug resistance. However, its efficacy and mechanism of action on the immune cells in breast cancer remain unclear. Here, we screened immune-related genes of breast cancer to determine the potential of formononetin as a therapeutic. Methods GSE103512 and GSE139038 breast cancer microarray data and immune-related gene data were obtained from the GEO and ImmPort databases, respectively, to analyze the differentially expressed immune-related genes (IRGs) in breast cancer tissues compared with normal breast tissues. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed using the STRING database to screen differentially expressed IRGs based on the topological parameters. The Kaplan–Meier test was applied to detect differentially expressed IRGs associated with breast cancer survival, and the interaction of formononetin with differentially expressed IRGs was analyzed using molecular docking. Finally, the relationship between differentially expressed IRGs and breast cancer immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the TIMER2.0 database. Results A total of 29 differentially expressed IRGs of breast cancer were screened through GEO and ImmPort databases and 10 key differentially expressed IRGs based on the topological parameters from the PPI network. Among these, CXCL12, ESR1, IGF1, and FOS were associated with breast cancer survival. Furthermore, IGF1, ESR1, and CXCL12 were found to have stable binding sites for formononetin. These genes were associated with substantial immune cell infiltration in breast cancer tissues. Conclusion In conclusion, formononetin may exert antitumor effects by acting on CXCL12, ESR1, and IGF1 and may have a potential synergistic effect with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Targeting TCTP sensitizes tumor to T cell-mediated therapy by reversing immune-refractory phenotypes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2127. [PMID: 35440620 PMCID: PMC9019109 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29611-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a powerful approach to cancer treatment. However, immunotherapeutic resistance limits its clinical application. Therefore, identifying immune-resistant factors, which can be targeted by clinically available drugs and it also can be a companion diagnostic marker, is needed to develop combination strategies. Here, using the transcriptome data of patients, and immune-refractory tumor models, we identify TCTP as an immune-resistance factor that correlates with clinical outcome of anti-PD-L1 therapy and confers immune-refractory phenotypes, decreased T cell trafficking to the tumor and resistance to cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated tumor cell killing. Mechanistically, TCTP activates the EGFR-AKT-MCL-1/CXCL10 pathway by phosphorylation-dependent interaction with Na, K ATPase. Furthermore, treatment with dihydroartenimsinin, the most effective agent impending the TCTP-mediated-refractoriness, synergizes with T cell-mediated therapy to control immune-refractory tumors. Thus, our findings suggest a role of TCTP in promoting immune-refractoriness, thereby encouraging a rationale for combination therapies to enhance the efficacy of T cell-mediated therapy. Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) regulates several cellular processes, including apoptosis, and is overexpressed in several cancer types. Here, the authors report that high levels of TCTP are associated with poor response to anti-PD-L1 and that TCTP targeting increases the efficacy of T cell-mediated anti-tumor therapy.
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Abstract
Tumor cell spheroids are one of the three-dimensional (3D) culture systems that can be used to study the features of tumor cells in a more physiologic condition. Indeed, this 3D culture system has been validated in preclinical studies to select anticancer drugs. Tumor cell spheroids can be obtained through employing different procedures, and here I describe in detail how to obtain spheroids from tumor cell lines of colorectal carcinoma (CRC). I analyze the procedures employed to evaluate the phenotype and growth of tumor cells in this 3D culture system. Also, interaction with immune cells is considered. Indeed, it is relevant to define whether the antitumor effects exerted by different cytotoxic lymphocyte subsets are similar when tumor cells are used either as cells adherent to a plastic substrate or floating spheroids. To obtain optimal results in this complex system, some parameters must be considered, such as those related to poorly defined experimental variables including biological and biophysical features of tumor cell lines and the quality (purity and time to use after generation) of antitumor effector lymphocyte subsets. Also, I describe in detail the methods to generate these lymphocyte subsets and to characterize their cytotoxic potential and effectiveness in killing tumor cells. Human natural killer cells and T lymphocytes expressing the γδ T cell receptor (in particular Vδ2 T cells) are considered among the cytotoxic lymphocyte populations. Eventually, it should be possible to obtain reliable and feasible results to study the molecular mechanisms involved in recognition and killing of CRC spheroids exerted by effector lymphocytes. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Generation of tumor cell spheroids Basic Protocol 2: Evaluation of ATP content of spheroids Basic Protocol 3: Evaluation of antigen expression by cell spheroids Basic Protocol 4: Generation of effector lymphocytes Basic Protocol 5: Coculture of spheroids and lymphocytes Basic Protocol 6: Evaluation of lymphocyte cytotoxicity using crystal violet staining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Poggi
- Molecular Oncology and Angiogenesis Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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20
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Xu B, Lu M, Yan L, Ge M, Ren Y, Wang R, Shu Y, Hou L, Guo H. A Pan-Cancer Analysis of Predictive Methylation Signatures of Response to Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:796647. [PMID: 34956232 PMCID: PMC8695566 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.796647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, tumor immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has been introduced and widely adopted for various tumor types. Nevertheless, tumor immunotherapy has a few drawbacks, including significant uncertainty of outcome, the possibility of severe immune-related adverse events for patients receiving such treatments, and the lack of effective biomarkers to determine the ICI treatments' responsiveness. DNA methylation profiles were recently identified as an indicator of the tumor immune microenvironment. They serve as a potential hot spot for predicting responses to ICI treatment for their stability and convenience of measurement by liquid biopsy. We demonstrated the possibility of DNA methylation profiles as a predictor for responses to the ICI treatments at the pan-cancer level by analyzing DNA methylation profiles considered responsive and non-responsive to the treatments. An SVM model was built based on this differential analysis in the pan-cancer levels. The performance of the model was then assessed both at the pan-cancer level and in specific tumor types. It was also compared to the existing gene expression profile-based method. DNA methylation profiles were shown to be predictable for the responses to the ICI treatments in the TCGA cases in pan-cancer levels. The proposed SVM model was shown to have high performance in pan-cancer and specific cancer types. This performance was comparable to that of gene expression profile-based one. The combination of the two models had even higher performance, indicating the potential complementarity of the DNA methylation and gene expression profiles in the prediction of ICI treatment responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxiang Xu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingjie Lu
- Department of Oncology and Cancer Rehabilitation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Linlin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Minghui Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Yong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Ru Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongqian Shu
- Department of Oncology and Cancer Rehabilitation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Hou
- Center for Statistical Science, Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
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21
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Vlachostergios PJ. Integrin signaling gene alterations and outcomes of cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. Am J Transl Res 2021; 13:12386-12394. [PMID: 34956460 PMCID: PMC8661141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune evasion is a hallmark of cancer and is associated with resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. Several interactions between tumor and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment are effected through integrin signaling; however the latter has been underrecognized as a pathway that could have an impact on oncological outcomes after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of genomic alterations in the integrin signaling pathway in ICI-treated patients with advanced cancers. METHODS Next generation sequencing (NGS) data from tumor samples of patients with advanced cancers treated with ICIs (anti-PD-1/PD-L1, anti-CTLA4 or both) were queried from four independent publicly available cohorts for mutations and structural variations in 72 integrin signaling pathway genes (Gene Set: GOBP_CELL_ADHESION_MEDIATED_BY_INTEGRIN). The Kaplan Meier method was used to assess the association between mutated and unmutated genes with overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). All results were reported at the 0.05 significance level. RESULTS The largest cohort included 1662 patients (discovery set) and comprised 350 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 321 melanoma, 214 bladder, 151 renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 138 head neck (HN), 126 esophageal/gastric (EG), 117 glioma, 110 colorectal (CRC), 90 cancer of unknown primary (CUP), and 45 breast cancer patients. ICI treatments included PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors (n=1256), anti-CTLA4 inhibitors (n=146) or both (n=260). 170 patients (10% of the entire cohort) harbored mutations in PIK3CG (6%), RET (3%), SYK (1.4%), LYN (1.4%), PTPN11 (1.3%), and CRKL (0.1%) genes. Presence of these mutations was more frequent in melanoma (18%), followed by CRC (14.5%), CUP (11%), and NSCLC (11%). Patients with mutated tumors experienced a significantly longer median OS (41 months) compared to those without alterations (16 months, log-rank P<0.001). The favorable prognostic value of PIK3CG, RET, SYK, LYN, PTPN11, and CRKL alterations was confirmed in three melanoma cohorts (validation set, n=212, P=0.024). Assessment of mutation status of these genes in a fourth cohort of NSCLC patients (n=75) revealed a predictive significance as well, with regard to PFS after treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab combination (P=0.048). CONCLUSION Mutations and/or structural variations in integrin signaling genes may have prognostic and predictive value in patients with metastatic malignancies who receive ICIs. Although confirmation in larger studies with concurrent investigation of underlying immunologic mechanisms is needed, these findings pose therapeutic implications for co-targeted approaches to overcome immune evasion and resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis J Vlachostergios
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine New York 10021, NY, USA
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22
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Long Q, He L, Peng J, Meng Q, Zhang C, Chen M, Wang X, Zhu W, Zheng F, Dong P, Deng W. Prognostic, clinicopathological, and immune correlation of NLRP3 promoter methylation in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e528. [PMID: 34709757 PMCID: PMC8530444 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Long
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liru He
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Changlin Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Miao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaonan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wancui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fufu Zheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pei Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wuguo Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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23
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Molecular classification of hepatocellular carcinoma: prognostic importance and clinical applications. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 148:15-29. [PMID: 34623518 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03826-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal human malignancy with a very low overall and long-term survival rate. Poor prognostic outcomes are predominantly associated with HCC due to a huge landscape of heterogeneity found in the deadliest disease. However, molecular subtyping of HCC has significantly improved the knowledge of the underlying mechanisms that contribute towards the heterogeneity and progression of the disease. In this review, we have extensively summarized the current information available about molecular classification of HCC. This review can be of great significance for providing the insight information needed for development of novel, efficient and personalized therapeutic options for the treatment of HCC patients globally.
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24
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Dutta S. Immunotherapy of tumors by tailored nano-zeolitic imidazolate framework protected biopharmaceuticals. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:6391-6402. [PMID: 34582540 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01161h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In cancer immunotherapy, antibodies have acquired rapidly increasing attention due to their sustained immune effect by target specific delivery without any adverse effects. Among many recent strategies, controlled delivery of monoclonal antibodies, check point inhibitor storage and tumor-specific targeted delivery have enabled biodegradable immunotherapeutic delivery via translation of tailored nano-zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) with encapsulated biopharmaceuticals. In addition, a robust antitumor immunity was developed by anti-programmed death ligand-1 (anti-PD-L1) antibody delivery by ZIF-8 with polyethylene glycol (PEG) protection by forming a multiple immunoregulatory system. The unique biorecognition capability of antibodies, encapsulated in ZIFs, was recognized by using growth on different substrates, such as bioconjugates on gold nanorods, to transform them into plasmonic nanobiosensors with sensitivity of the refractive index profile of surface plasmons to track the conjugating antibody. Herein, we have discussed the mechanistic window of antibody delivery-based immunotherapy via the encapsulation of antibodies within ZIFs as an emerging tool for protecting biopharmaceuticals from the complex cellular microenvironment and hyperthermia to enable an antitumor immune response. To fully achieve the potential of antibodies upon ZIF encapsulation, more endeavors should be undertaken in the biodegradable engineering of ZIF-surfaces via forming cellular or polymeric layers to gain higher in vivo circulation time without inhibiting endocytosis by tumor cells. The possible future prognosis for achieving ZIF-protected biocompatible and biodegradable immunotherapeutic antibody delivery systems of therapeutic significance is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saikat Dutta
- Biological & Molecular Science Laboratory, Amity Institute of Click Chemistry Research & Studies, Amity University, Noida, India 201303.
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25
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Dobre EG, Constantin C, Costache M, Neagu M. Interrogating Epigenome toward Personalized Approach in Cutaneous Melanoma. J Pers Med 2021; 11:901. [PMID: 34575678 PMCID: PMC8467841 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11090901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations have emerged as essential contributors in the pathogenesis of various human diseases, including cutaneous melanoma (CM). Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic modifications are highly dynamic and reversible and thus easy to regulate. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the latest research findings on the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in CM initiation and development. We believe that a better understanding of how aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, along with other molecular processes, affect the genesis and clinical behavior of CM can provide the clinical management of this disease a wide range of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as potential therapeutic targets that can be used to prevent or abrogate drug resistance. We will also approach the modalities by which these epigenetic alterations can be used to customize the therapeutic algorithms in CM, the current status of epi-therapies, and the preliminary results of epigenetic and traditional combinatorial pharmacological approaches in this fatal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena-Georgiana Dobre
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91–95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (M.C.); (M.N.)
| | - Carolina Constantin
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania;
- Pathology Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marieta Costache
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91–95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (M.C.); (M.N.)
| | - Monica Neagu
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91–95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (M.C.); (M.N.)
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania;
- Pathology Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
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26
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Can Immune Suppression and Epigenome Regulation in Placenta Offer Novel Insights into Cancer Immune Evasion and Immunotherapy Resistance? EPIGENOMES 2021; 5:epigenomes5030016. [PMID: 34968365 PMCID: PMC8594685 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes5030016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Cancer progression involves genetic and epigenetic alterations, accompanied by aggressive changes, such as increased immune evasion, onset of metastasis, and drug resistance. Similar to cancer, DNA hypomethylation, immune suppression, and invasive cell behaviours are also observed in the human placenta. Mechanisms that lead to the acquisition of invasive behaviour, immune evasion, and drug and immunotherapy resistance are presently under intense investigations to improve patient outcomes. Here, we review current knowledge regarding the similarities between immune suppression and epigenome regulation, including the expression of repetitive elements (REs), endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and transposable elements (TEs) in cells of the placenta and in cancer, which are associated with changes in immune regulation and invasiveness. We explore whether immune suppression and epigenome regulation in placenta offers novel insights into immunotherapy resistance in cancer, and we also discuss the implications and the knowledge gaps relevant to these findings, which are rapidly being accrued in these quite disparate research fields. Finally, we discuss potential linkages between TE, ERV and RE activation and expression, regarding mechanisms of immune regulation in placenta and cancer. A greater understanding of the role of immune suppression and associated epigenome regulation in placenta could help to elucidate some comparable mechanisms operating in cancer, and identify potential new therapeutic targets for treating cancer.
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27
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Fu Y, Peng Y, Zhao S, Mou J, Zeng L, Jiang X, Yang C, Huang C, Li Y, Lu Y, Wu M, Yang Y, Kong T, Lai Q, Wu Y, Yao Y, Wang Y, Gou L, Yang J. Combination Foretinib and Anti-PD-1 Antibody Immunotherapy for Colorectal Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:689727. [PMID: 34307367 PMCID: PMC8298272 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.689727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have achieved unprecedented success in cancer immunotherapy. However, the overall response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for many cancers is only between 20 and 40%, and even less for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an efficient immunotherapeutic strategy for CRC. Here, we developed a novel CRC combination therapy consisting of a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Foretinib) and anti-PD-1 antibody. The combination therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice, led to improved tumor regression without relapse (83% for CT26 tumors and 50% for MC38 tumors) and prolonged overall survival. Mechanistically, Foretinib caused increased levels of PD-L1 via activating the JAK2-STAT1 pathway, which could improve the effectiveness of the immune checkpoint inhibitor. Moreover, the combination therapy remodeled the tumor microenvironment and enhanced anti-tumor immunity by further increasing the infiltration and improving the function of T cells, decreasing the percentage of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and inhibiting their polarization toward the M2 phenotype. Furthermore, the combination therapy inhibited the metastasis of CT26-Luc tumors to the lung in BALB/c mouse by reducing proportions of regulatory T-cells, TAMs and M2 phenotype TAMs in their lungs. This study suggests that a novel combination therapy utilizing both Foretinib and anti-PD-1 antibody could be an effective combination strategy for CRC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyin Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujia Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shengyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Mou
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Vaccine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lishi Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chengli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuyan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yin Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengdan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qinhuai Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yangping Wu
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqin Yao
- West China School of Public Health and Healthy Food Evaluation Research Center/No. 4 West China Teaching Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lantu Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinliang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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28
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Three-Dimensional Culture Models to Study Innate Anti-Tumor Immune Response: Advantages and Disadvantages. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143417. [PMID: 34298630 PMCID: PMC8303518 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Several approaches have shown that the immune response against tumors strongly affects patients' clinical outcome. Thus, the study of anti-tumor immunity is critical to understand and potentiate the mechanisms underlying the elimination of tumor cells. Natural killer (NK) cells are members of innate immunity and represent powerful anti-tumor effectors, able to eliminate tumor cells without a previous sensitization. Thus, the study of their involvement in anti-tumor responses is critical for clinical translation. This analysis has been performed in vitro, co-incubating NK with tumor cells and quantifying the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. In vivo confirmation has been applied to overcome the limits of in vitro testing, however, the innate immunity of mice and humans is different, leading to discrepancies. Different activating receptors on NK cells and counter-ligands on tumor cells are involved in the antitumor response, and innate immunity is strictly dependent on the specific microenvironment where it takes place. Thus, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems, where NK and tumor cells can interact in a tissue-like architecture, have been created. For example, tumor cell spheroids and primary organoids derived from several tumor types, have been used so far to analyze innate immune response, replacing animal models. Herein, we briefly introduce NK cells and analyze and discuss in detail the properties of 3D tumor culture systems and their use for the study of tumor cell interactions with NK cells.
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29
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Immune Aging and Immunotherapy in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137016. [PMID: 34209842 PMCID: PMC8269421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune functions decline as we age, while the incidence of cancer rises. The advent of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has not only revolutionized cancer therapy, but also spawned great interest in identifying predictive biomarkers, since only one third of patients show treatment response. The aging process extensively affects the adaptive immune system and thus T cells, which are the main target of ICB. In this review, we address age-related changes regarding the adaptive immune system with a focus on T cells and their implication on carcinogenesis and ICB. Differences between senescence, exhaustion, and anergy are defined and current knowledge, treatment strategies, and studies exploring T cell aging as a biomarker for ICB are discussed. Finally, novel approaches to improve immunotherapies and to identify biomarkers of response to ICB are presented and their potential is assessed in a comparative analysis.
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30
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Palmieri G, Rozzo CM, Colombino M, Casula M, Sini MC, Manca A, Pisano M, Doneddu V, Paliogiannis P, Cossu A. Are Molecular Alterations Linked to Genetic Instability Worth to Be Included as Biomarkers for Directing or Excluding Melanoma Patients to Immunotherapy? Front Oncol 2021; 11:666624. [PMID: 34026645 PMCID: PMC8132875 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.666624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The improvement of the immunotherapeutic potential in most human cancers, including melanoma, requires the identification of increasingly detailed molecular features underlying the tumor immune responsiveness and acting as disease-associated biomarkers. In recent past years, the complexity of the immune landscape in cancer tissues is being steadily unveiled with a progressive better understanding of the plethora of actors playing in such a scenario, resulting in histopathology diversification, distinct molecular subtypes, and biological heterogeneity. Actually, it is widely recognized that the intracellular patterns of alterations in driver genes and loci may also concur to interfere with the homeostasis of the tumor microenvironment components, deeply affecting the immune response against the tumor. Among others, the different events linked to genetic instability—aneuploidy/somatic copy number alteration (SCNA) or microsatellite instability (MSI)—may exhibit opposite behaviors in terms of immune exclusion or responsiveness. In this review, we focused on both prevalence and impact of such different types of genetic instability in melanoma in order to evaluate whether their use as biomarkers in an integrated analysis of the molecular profile of such a malignancy may allow defining any potential predictive value for response/resistance to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Palmieri
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Carla Maria Rozzo
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria Colombino
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Milena Casula
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Sini
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Antonella Manca
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Marina Pisano
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Valentina Doneddu
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Panagiotis Paliogiannis
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Antonio Cossu
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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31
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Li C, Wang Y, Gong Y, Zhang T, Huang J, Tan Z, Xue L. Finding an easy way to harmonize: a review of advances in clinical research and combination strategies of EZH2 inhibitors. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:62. [PMID: 33761979 PMCID: PMC7992945 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01045-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 inhibitors (EZH2i) have garnered increased attention owing to their anticancer activity by targeting EZH2, a well-known cancer-promoting factor. However, some lymphomas are resistant to EZH2i, and EZH2i treatment alone is ineffective in case of EZH2-overexpressing solid tumors. The anti-cancer efficacy of EZH2i may be improved through safe and effective combinations of these drugs with other treatment modalities. Preclinical evidence indicates that combining EZH2i with other therapies, such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and endocrine therapy, has complementary or synergistic antitumor effects. Therefore, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of the individual constituents of the combination therapies is fundamental for their clinical application. In this review, we have summarized notable clinical trials and preclinical studies using EZH2i, their progress, and combinations of EZH2i with different therapeutic modalities, aiming to provide new insights for tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.,Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yueqing Gong
- Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Tengrui Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.,Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jiaqi Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.,Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhen Tan
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixiang Xue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China. .,Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
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32
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Emerging noninvasive methylation biomarkers of cancer prognosis and drug response prediction. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 83:584-595. [PMID: 33757849 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide being responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Epigenetic alterations are key in directing the aberrant expression of tumor-associated genes that drive cellular malignant transformation and cancer progression. Among epigenetic alterations, DNA methylation is the most deeply studied one in relation to environmental exposure. Tissue biopsies have traditionally been the main procedure by which a small sample of body tissue is excised to confirm cancer diagnosis or to indicate the primary site when cancer has spread. In contrast, the analysis of circulating tumor-derived material, or tumor circulome, by means of liquid biopsy of peripheral blood, urine, saliva or sputum is a noninvasive, fast and reproducible alternative to tissue biopsy. Recently, the assessment of epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in circulating free DNA has been proved possible. These marks can be associated to prognosis and response to a variety of treatments including chemotherapy, hormonotherapy or immunotherapy. Epigenetic biomarkers may offer some advantages over RNA or genetic biomarkers given their stability in bodily fluids and their high tissue-specificity. While many challenges are still ahead, the unique advantages of these types of biomarkers is urging the scientific community to persevere in their clinical validation and integration into reliable prediction models. This review aims at recapitulating the emerging noninvasive DNA methylated biomarkers of importance for prediction of prognosis and drug response in cancer.
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33
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Molecular phenotypes of circulating tumor cells and efficacy of nivolumab treatment in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21573. [PMID: 33299117 PMCID: PMC7726556 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78741-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the treatment of recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Biomarkers of the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs have been extensively investigated. In this study, we aimed to analyze whether molecular phenotypes of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with treatment responses and clinical outcomes in patients with R/M HNSCC treated with nivolumab. Peripheral blood samples were collected before treatment initiation and after four infusions of nivolumab. CTCs isolated by depletion of CD45-positive cells were analyzed to determine the expression of EPCAM, MET, KRT19, and EGFR using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. CTC-positive samples were analyzed to determine the expression of PIK3CA, CCND1, SNAI1, VIM, ZEB2, CD44, NANOG, ALDH1A1, CD47, CD274, and PDCD1LG2. Of 30 patients treated with nivolumab, 28 (93.3%) were positive for CTCs. In 20 CTC-positive patients, molecular alterations in CTCs before and after nivolumab treatment were investigated. Patients with MET-positive CTCs had significantly shorter overall survival than those with MET-negative CTCs (p = 0.027). The expression level of CCND1 in CTCs of disease-controlled patients was significantly higher than that of disease-progressed patients (p = 0.034). In disease-controlled patients, the expression level of CCND1 in CTCs significantly decreased after nivolumab treatment (p = 0.043). The NANOG expression in CTCs was significantly increased in disease-controlled patients after nivolumab treatment (p = 0.036). Our findings suggest that the molecular profiling of CTCs is a promising tool to predict the treatment efficacy of nivolumab.
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Mo Z, Cao Z, Luo S, Chen Y, Zhang S. Novel Molecular Subtypes Associated With 5mC Methylation and Their Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Immunotherapy. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:562441. [PMID: 33195409 PMCID: PMC7645064 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.562441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has been reported in the prognosis of a variety of cancers, however, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated yet. This study aimed at identifying the molecular subtypes associated with 5mC and establishing a relevant score to predict its prognosis in HCC. Methods Somatic gene mutation data and gene expression data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Molecular subtypes were identified by unsupervised clustering based on the expression of 5mC regulators, and the molecular features of each subtype were investigated by survival, mutation, gene set variation, and immune cell infiltration analyses. Next, we performed a differentially expressed analysis based on the new subtypes and selected the overlapping genes for further analysis. We undertook univariate Cox analysis to analyze these genes and constructed a prognostic model by lasso regression analysis. Meanwhile, survival and gene set enrichment analyses were used to explore the prognosis and the relevant pathways, respectively. The LIRI cohort from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database was used as a reference to validate the 5mC subtypes and 5mC score. Results Twenty-one types of 5mC regulators were employed in this study, and three 5mC-associated molecular subtypes were identified. These three subtypes presented significant differences in prognosis, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint inhibitors, signaling pathways, and mutational features. Compared with cluster 3, cluster 2 exhibited significantly increased expression of PD-L1, TIM3, Galectin9, CTLA4, and CD80, while PD-L1, TIM3, and CD80 were higher in cluster 2 than in cluster 1. Furthermore, a 5mC-related score, composed of seven genes (SGPP2, SALL4, B3GNT7, ROR1, MYBL2, SLC7A1, and CAND2), was proven to be significantly associated with prognosis. The established subtypes and scores were thus successfully verified by the validated cohort. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify a novel molecular subtype based on 5mC regulators. The identification of the 5mC-associated subtype may help reveal the potential relation between 5mC and immunity and provide novel insights for the development of individualized therapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuomao Mo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhirui Cao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoju Luo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijun Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Huang Z, Su W, Lu T, Wang Y, Dong Y, Qin Y, Liu D, Sun L, Jiao W. First-Line Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Landscape and Future Progress. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:578091. [PMID: 33117170 PMCID: PMC7577011 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.578091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Most of these patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with the advanced stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis, and thus decrease the 5-year survival rate to about 5%. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can act on the inhibitory pathway of cancer immune response, thereby restoring and maintaining anti-tumor immunity. There are already ICIs targeting different pathways, including the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) pathway. Since March 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) as the second-line option for treatment of patients with advanced squamous NSCLC. Additionally, a series of inhibitors related to PD-1/PD-L1 immune-checkpoints have helped in the immunotherapy of NSCLC patients, and modified the original treatment model. However, controversies remain regarding the use of ICIs in a subgroup with targeted oncogene mutations is a problem that we need to solve. On the other hand, there are continuous efforts to find biomarkers that effectively predict the response of ICIs to screen suitable populations. In this review, we have reviewed the history of the continuous developments in cancer immunotherapy, summarized the mechanism of action of the immune-checkpoint pathways. Finally, based on the results of the first-line recent trials, we propose a potential first-line immunotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of the patients with NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangfeng Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenhao Su
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Tong Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuanyong Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanting Dong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yi Qin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dahai Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lili Sun
- Department of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Wenjie Jiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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Yang C, Xia BR, Zhang ZC, Zhang YJ, Lou G, Jin WL. Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: Adjuvant, Combination, and Neoadjuvant. Front Immunol 2020; 11:577869. [PMID: 33123161 PMCID: PMC7572849 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.577869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Surgery and chemotherapy are the primary treatments for ovarian cancer; however, patients often succumb to recurrence with chemotherapeutic resistance within several years after the initial treatment. In the past two decades, immunotherapy has rapidly developed, and has revolutionized the treatment of various types of cancer. Despite the fact that immunotherapy response rates among ovarian cancer patients remain modest, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)- and TCR-engineered T cells is rapidly developing. Therapeutic efficiency could be improved significantly if immunotherapy is included as an adjuvant therapy, in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the use of anti-angiogenesis drugs, and poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). Newly developed technologies that identify therapeutic targets, predict treatment efficacy, rapidly screen potential immunotherapy drugs, provide neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and utilize nanomedicine technology provide new opportunities for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and have the potential to prolong patient survival. However, important issues that may hinder the efficacy of such approaches, including hyperprogressive disease (HPD), immunotherapy-resistance, and toxicity of the treatments, including neurotoxicity, must be taken into account and addressed for these therapies to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Yang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Bai-Rong Xia
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhao-Cong Zhang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yong-Jian Zhang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Ge Lou
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Barragan I. Epigenetics modulates the complexity of the response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade. EBioMedicine 2020; 60:103005. [PMID: 32987318 PMCID: PMC7522086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barragan
- Instituto de investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, Campus de Teatinos s/n, Málaga, 29010, Spain; Laboratorio de Biología Molecular del Cáncer (LBMC), Centro de investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias (CIMES), Universidad de Málaga (UMA), C/ Marqués de Beccaría n°3, 29010, Málaga, Spain; Unidad de gestión Clínica Intercentros de Oncología Médica, Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, IBIMA, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29010, Málaga, Spain; Group of Pharmacoepigenetics, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Epigenetic Mechanisms of Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10071061. [PMID: 32708698 PMCID: PMC7407667 DOI: 10.3390/biom10071061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated to be highly efficient in treating solid tumors; however, many patients have limited benefits in terms of response and survival. This rapidly led to the investigation of combination therapies to enhance response rates. Moreover, predictive biomarkers were assessed to better select patients. Although PD-L1 expression remains the only validated marker in clinics, molecular profiling has brought valuable information, showing that the tumor mutation load and microsatellite instability (MSI) status were associated to higher response rates in nearly all cancer types. Moreover, in lung cancer, EGFR and MET mutations, oncogene fusions or STK11 inactivating mutations were associated with low response rates. Cancer progression towards invasive phenotypes that impede immune surveillance relies on complex regulatory networks and cell interactions within the tumor microenvironment. Epigenetic modifications, such as the alteration of histone patterns, chromatin structure, DNA methylation status at specific promoters and changes in microRNA levels, may alter the cell phenotype and reshape the tumor microenvironment, allowing cells to grow and escape from immune surveillance. The objective of this review is to make an update on the identified epigenetic changes that target immune surveillance and, ultimately, ICI responses, such as histone marks, DNA methylation and miR signatures. Translational studies or clinical trials, when available, and potential epigenetic biomarkers will be discussed as perspectives in the context of combination treatment strategies to enhance ICI responses in patients with solid tumors.
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Pérez-Ruiz E, Melero I, Kopecka J, Sarmento-Ribeiro AB, García-Aranda M, De Las Rivas J. Cancer immunotherapy resistance based on immune checkpoints inhibitors: Targets, biomarkers, and remedies. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 53:100718. [PMID: 32736034 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main public health problems in the world. Systemic therapies such as chemotherapy and more recently target therapies as well as immunotherapy have improved the prognosis of this large group of complex malignant diseases. However, the frequent emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) mechanisms is one of the major impediments towards curative treatment of cancer. While several mechanisms of drug chemoresistance are well defined, resistance to immunotherapy is still insufficiently unclear due to the complexity of the immune response and its dependence on the host. Expression and regulation of immune checkpoint molecules (such as PD-1, CD279; PD-L1, CD274; and CTLA-4, CD152) play a key role in the response to immunotherapy. In this regard, immunotherapy based on immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs) is a common clinical approach for treatment of patients with poor prognosis when other first-line therapies have failed. Unfortunately, about 70 % of patients are classified as non-responders, or they progress after initial response to these ICIs. Multiple factors can be related to immunotherapy resistance: characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME); presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), such as CD8 + T cells associated with treatment-response; presence of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs); activation of certain regulators (like PIK3γ or PAX4) found present in non-responders; a low percentage of PD-L1 expressing cells; tumor mutational burden (TMB); gain or loss of antigen-presenting molecules; genetic and epigenetic alterations correlated with resistance. This review provides an update on the current state of immunotherapy resistance presenting targets, biomarkers and remedies to overcome such resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Pérez-Ruiz
- Medical Oncology Department, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Costa del Sol, 29603 Marbella, Malaga, Spain.
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Immunology and Immunotherapy Department, Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CUN), Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra (UNAV), 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Joanna Kopecka
- Department of Oncology, Turin School of Medicine, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
| | - Ana Bela Sarmento-Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Oncobiology and Hematology and University Clinic of Hematology and Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research - Group of Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (iCBR/CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC), and Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Marilina García-Aranda
- Research Unit, Hospital Costa del Sol, Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC) and Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29603 Marbella, Malaga, Spain.
| | - Javier De Las Rivas
- Cancer Research Center (CiC-IBMCC, CSIC/USAL), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and University of Salamanca (USAL), and Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
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Quagliano A, Gopalakrishnapillai A, Barwe SP. Understanding the Mechanisms by Which Epigenetic Modifiers Avert Therapy Resistance in Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:992. [PMID: 32670880 PMCID: PMC7326773 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of resistance to anti-cancer therapeutics remains one of the core issues preventing the improvement of survival rates in cancer. Therapy resistance can arise in a multitude of ways, including the accumulation of epigenetic alterations in cancer cells. By remodeling DNA methylation patterns or modifying histone proteins during oncogenesis, cancer cells reorient their epigenomic landscapes in order to aggressively resist anti-cancer therapy. To combat these chemoresistant effects, epigenetic modifiers such as DNA hypomethylating agents, histone deacetylase inhibitors, histone demethylase inhibitors, along with others have been used. While these modifiers have achieved moderate success when used either alone or in combination with one another, the most positive outcomes were achieved when they were used in conjunction with conventional anti-cancer therapies. Epigenome modifying drugs have succeeded in sensitizing cancer cells to anti-cancer therapy via a variety of mechanisms: disrupting pro-survival/anti-apoptotic signaling, restoring cell cycle control and preventing DNA damage repair, suppressing immune system evasion, regulating altered metabolism, disengaging pro-survival microenvironmental interactions and increasing protein expression for targeted therapies. In this review, we explore different mechanisms by which epigenetic modifiers induce sensitivity to anti-cancer therapies and encourage the further identification of the specific genes involved with sensitization to facilitate development of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Quagliano
- Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Anilkumar Gopalakrishnapillai
- Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Sonali P. Barwe
- Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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An Y, Wu Z, Wang N, Yang Z, Li Y, Xu B, Sun M. Association between body mass index and survival outcomes for cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Transl Med 2020; 18:235. [PMID: 32532255 PMCID: PMC7291531 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02404-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been increasingly applied in the treatment of several kinds of malignancies. Some clinical demographic characteristics were reported to be associated with the ICIs efficacy. The purpose of our current meta-analysis was to clearly evaluated the relationship between BMI and ICIs efficacy for cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. METHODS A systematic search of Pubmed, EMBASE and conference proceedings was performed to investigate the influence of BMI on ICIs efficacy. Pooled analysis for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and immune-related adverse effects (IRAEs) were analyzed in current study. RESULTS A total of 13 eligible studies comprising 5279 cancer patients treated with ICIs were included in the analysis. The pooled analysis showed there is positive association between high BMI and improved OS and PFS among patients with ICIs treatment (OS: HR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.55-0.71, P < 0.0001; I2 = 26.3%, P = 0.202); PFS: HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.61-0.83, P < 0.0001; I2 = 0%, P = 0.591). There is no significant difference between the incidence of all grade IRAEs between obese, overweight patients and normal patients (Overweight vs Normal: pooled RR = 1.28, 95% CI 0.76- 2.18, P = 0.356; Obese vs Normal: pooled RR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.85- 2.17, P = 0.207). CONCLUSION An improved OS and PFS were observed in patients with high BMI after receiving ICIs treatment compared with patients of low BMI. No significant association between BMI and incidence of IRAEs was found in cancer patients after ICIs treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue An
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing bei Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhonghua Wu
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningning Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing bei Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhidong Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing bei Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Boyang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing bei Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingjun Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing bei Road, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China.
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Biological Factors behind Melanoma Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114071. [PMID: 32517213 PMCID: PMC7313051 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern immunotherapy together with targeted therapy has revolutionized the treatment of advanced melanoma. Inhibition of immune checkpoints significantly improved the median overall survival and gave hope to many melanoma patients. However, this treatment has three serious drawbacks: high cost, serious side effects, and an effectiveness limited only to approximately 50% of patients. Some patients do not derive any or short-term benefit from this treatment due to primary or secondary resistance. The response to immunotherapy depends on many factors that fall into three main categories: those associated with melanoma cells, those linked to a tumor and its microenvironment, and those classified as individual ontogenic and physiological features of the patient. The first category comprises expression of PD-L1 and HLA proteins on melanoma cells as well as genetic/genomic metrics such as mutational load, (de)activation of specific signaling pathways and epigenetic factors. The second category is the inflammatory status of the tumor: “hot” versus “cold” (i.e., high versus low infiltration of immune cells). The third category comprises metabolome and single nucleotide polymorphisms of specific genes. Here we present up-to-date data on those biological factors influencing melanoma response to immunotherapy with a special focus on signaling pathways regulating the complex process of anti-tumor immune response. We also discuss their potential predictive capacity.
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Wang HL, Li KZ, Li JL, Hu BL. Prognostic value of AKAP13 methylation and expression in lung squamous cell carcinoma. Biomark Med 2020; 14:503-512. [PMID: 32208871 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2020-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to analyze the prognostic value and clinical significance of AKAP13 mRNA expression and AKAP13 methylation in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Materials & methods: The mRNA expression and methylation of AKAP13 data of LUSC patients were downloaded from the Broad GDAC Firehose database and analyzed. Results: AKAP13 mRNA expression was downregulated and methylation was upregulated in LUSC tissue. Three CpG sites of AKAP13 were associated with overall survival. Combination of AKAP13 mRNA and methylation revealed 11 CpG sites associated with overall survival of LUSC patients. AKAP13 mRNA expression was associated with distant metastasis of LUSC, no associations were found between methylation status of CpG sites and clinical features. Conclusion: AKAP13 mRNA and its methylated CpG sites are potential prognostic indicators in LUSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Lin Wang
- Second Department of Chemotherapy, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China
| | - Ke-Zhi Li
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China
| | - Ji-Lin Li
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China
| | - Bang-Li Hu
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China
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Filipovic A, Miller G, Bolen J. Progress Toward Identifying Exact Proxies for Predicting Response to Immunotherapies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:155. [PMID: 32258034 PMCID: PMC7092703 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical value and utility of checkpoint inhibitors, a drug class targeting adaptive immune suppression pathways (PD-1, PDL-1, and CTLA-4), is growing rapidly and maintains status of a landmark achievement in oncology. Their efficacy has transformed life expectancy in multiple deadly cancer types (melanoma, lung cancer, renal/urothelial carcinoma, certain colorectal cancers, lymphomas, etc.). Despite significant clinical development efforts, therapeutic indication of approved checkpoint inhibitors are not as wide as the oncology community and patients would like them to be, potentially bringing into question their universal efficacy across tumor histologies. With the main goal of expanding immunotherapy applications, identifying of biomarkers to accurately predict therapeutic response and treatment related side-effects are a paramount need in the field. Specificities surrounding checkpoint inhibitors in clinic, such as unexpected tumor response patterns (pseudo- and hyper-progression), late responders, as well as specific immune mediated toxicities, complicate the management of patients. They stem from the complexities and dynamics of the tumor/host immune interactions, as well as baseline tumor biology. Search for clinically effective biomarkers therefore calls for a holistic approach, rather than implementation of a single analyte. The goal is to achieve dynamic and comprehensive acquisition, analyses and interpretation of immunological and biologic information about the tumor and the immune system, and to compute these parameters into an actionable, maximally predictive value at the individual patient level. Limitation delaying swift incorporation of validated immuno-oncology biomarkers span from standardized biospecimens acquisition and processing, selection of proficient biomarker discovery and validation methods, to establishing multidisciplinary consortiums and data sharing platforms. Multi-disciplinary efforts have already yielded some approved (PDL-1 and MSI-status) and other advanced tests (TMB, neoantigen pattern, and TIL infiltration rate). Importantly, clinical trial taskforces now recognize the imperative of the biomarker-driven trial design and execution, to enable translating biomarker discoveries into the clinical setting. This will ensure we utilize the “conspiracy” between the peripheral and intra-tumoral dynamic markers in shaping responses to checkpoint blockade, for the ultimate patient benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George Miller
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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