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Wang Y, Xu M, Yao Y, Li Y, Zhang S, Fu Y, Wang X. Extracellular cancer‑associated fibroblasts: A novel subgroup in the cervical cancer microenvironment that exhibits tumor‑promoting roles and prognosis biomarker functions. Oncol Lett 2024; 27:167. [PMID: 38449793 PMCID: PMC10915806 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor invasion and metastasis are the processes that primarily cause adverse outcomes in patients with cervical cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which participate in cancer progression and metastasis, are novel targets for the treatment of tumors. The present study aimed to assess the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment through single-cell RNA sequencing. After collecting five cervical cancer samples and obtaining the CAF-associated gene sets, the CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment were divided into myofibroblastic CAFs and extracellular (ec)CAFs. The ecCAFs appeared with more robust pro-tumorigenic effects than myCAFs according to enrichment analysis. Subsequently, through combining the ecCAF hub genes and bulk gene expression data for cervical cancer obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Ontology databases, univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were performed to establish a CAF-associated risk signature for patients with cancer. The established risk signature demonstrated a stable and strong prognostic capability in both the training and validation cohorts. Subsequently, the association between the risk signature and clinical data was evaluated, and a nomogram to facilitate clinical application was established. The risk score was demonstrated to be associated with both the tumor immune microenvironment and the therapeutic responses. Moreover, the signature also has predictive value for the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and bladder urothelial carcinoma, which were also associated with human papillomavirus infection. In conclusion, the present study assessed the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment, and a subgroup of CAFs that may be closely associated with tumor progression was defined. Moreover, a signature based on the hub genes of ecCAFs was shown to have biomarker functionality in terms of predicting survival rates, and therefore this CAF subgroup may become a therapeutic target for cervical cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuehan Wang
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Mingxia Xu
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Yeli Yao
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Songfa Zhang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Yunfeng Fu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
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Zahmanova G, Aljabali AAA, Takova K, Minkov G, Tambuwala MM, Minkov I, Lomonossoff GP. Green Biologics: Harnessing the Power of Plants to Produce Pharmaceuticals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17575. [PMID: 38139405 PMCID: PMC10743837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are increasingly used for the production of high-quality biological molecules for use as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in industry. Plants have proved that they can produce life-saving therapeutic proteins (Elelyso™-Gaucher's disease treatment, ZMapp™-anti-Ebola monoclonal antibodies, seasonal flu vaccine, Covifenz™-SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine); however, some of these therapeutic proteins are difficult to bring to market, which leads to serious difficulties for the manufacturing companies. The closure of one of the leading companies in the sector (the Canadian biotech company Medicago Inc., producer of Covifenz) as a result of the withdrawal of investments from the parent company has led to the serious question: What is hindering the exploitation of plant-made biologics to improve health outcomes? Exploring the vast potential of plants as biological factories, this review provides an updated perspective on plant-derived biologics (PDB). A key focus is placed on the advancements in plant-based expression systems and highlighting cutting-edge technologies that streamline the production of complex protein-based biologics. The versatility of plant-derived biologics across diverse fields, such as human and animal health, industry, and agriculture, is emphasized. This review also meticulously examines regulatory considerations specific to plant-derived biologics, shedding light on the disparities faced compared to biologics produced in other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Alaa A. A. Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan;
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - George Minkov
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK;
| | - Ivan Minkov
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
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Beihammer G, König-Beihammer J, Kogelmann B, Ruocco V, Grünwald-Gruber C, D’Aoust MA, Lavoie PO, Saxena P, Gach JS, Steinkellner H, Strasser R. An oligosaccharyltransferase from Leishmania donovani increases the N-glycan occupancy on plant-produced IgG1. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1233666. [PMID: 37615026 PMCID: PMC10442823 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1233666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
N-Glycosylation of immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) at the heavy chain Fc domain (Asn297) plays an important role for antibody structure and effector functions. While numerous recombinant IgG1 antibodies have been successfully expressed in plants, they frequently display a considerable amount (up to 50%) of unglycosylated Fc domain. To overcome this limitation, we tested a single-subunit oligosaccharyltransferase from the protozoan Leishmania donovani (LdOST) for its ability to improve IgG1 Fc glycosylation. LdOST fused to a fluorescent protein was transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and confocal microscopy confirmed the subcellular location at the endoplasmic reticulum. Transient co-expression of LdOST with two different IgG1 antibodies resulted in a significant increase (up to 97%) of Fc glycosylation while leaving the overall N-glycan composition unmodified, as determined by different mass spectrometry approaches. While biochemical and functional features of "glycosylation improved" antibodies remained unchanged, a slight increase in FcγRIIIa binding and thermal stability was observed. Collectively, our results reveal that LdOST expression is suitable to reduce the heterogeneity of plant-produced antibodies and can contribute to improving their stability and effector functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gernot Beihammer
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- acib - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia König-Beihammer
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin Kogelmann
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- acib - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Valentina Ruocco
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Grünwald-Gruber
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Johannes S. Gach
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Herta Steinkellner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Shanmugaraj B, Jirarojwattana P, Phoolcharoen W. Molecular Farming Strategy for the Rapid Production of Protein-Based Reagents for Use in Infectious Disease Diagnostics. PLANTA MEDICA 2023; 89:1010-1020. [PMID: 37072112 DOI: 10.1055/a-2076-2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are a major breakthrough in biomedical research with a wide range of applications from diagnostics to therapeutics. Strategic construct design, consistent expression platforms, and suitable upstream and downstream techniques are key considerations to produce commercially viable recombinant proteins. The recombinant antigenic protein production for use either as a diagnostic reagent or subunit vaccine formulation is usually carried out in prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression platforms. Microbial and mammalian systems dominate the biopharmaceutical industry for such applications. However, there is no universal expression system that can meet all the requirements for different types of proteins. The adoptability of any expression system is likely based on the quality and quantity of the proteins that can be produced from it. The huge demand of recombinant proteins for different applications requires an inexpensive production platform for rapid development. The molecular farming scientific community has been promoting the plant system for nearly 3 decades as a cost-effective alternative to produce high-quality proteins for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Here, we discuss how plant biotechnology could offer solutions for the rapid and scalable production of protein antigens as low-cost diagnostic reagents for use in functional assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Perawat Jirarojwattana
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Muthamilselvan T, Khan MRI, Hwang I. Assembly of Human Papillomavirus 16 L1 Protein in Nicotiana benthamiana Chloroplasts into Highly Immunogenic Virus-Like Particles. JOURNAL OF PLANT BIOLOGY = SINGMUL HAKHOE CHI 2023; 66:1-10. [PMID: 37360984 PMCID: PMC10078042 DOI: 10.1007/s12374-023-09393-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancers in women, and vaccination against the virus is one of most effective ways to prevent these cancers. Two vaccines made of virus-like particles (VLPs) of HPV L1 proteins are currently commercially available. However, these HPV vaccines are highly expensive, and thus not affordable for women living in developing countries. Therefore, great demand exists to produce a cost-effective vaccine. Here, we investigate the production of self-assembled HPV16 VLPs in plants. We generated a chimeric protein composed of N-terminal 79 amino acid residues of RbcS as a long-transit peptide to target chloroplasts, the SUMO domain, and HPV16 L1 proteins. The chimeric gene was expressed in plants with chloroplast-targeted bdSENP1, a protein that specifically recognizes the SUMO domain and cleaves its cleavage site. This co-expression of bdSENP1 led to the release of HPV16 L1 from the chimeric proteins without any extra amino acid residues. HPV16 L1 purified by heparin chromatography formed VLPs that mimicked native virions. Moreover, the plant-produced HPV16 L1 VLPs elicited strong immune responses in mice without adjuvants. Thus, we demonstrated the cost-effective production of HPV16 VLPs in plants. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12374-023-09393-6.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Md Rezaul Islam Khan
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673 Korea
| | - Inhwan Hwang
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673 Korea
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