Concomitant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection promotes lung tumor growth through enhancing Treg development

Pan-cancer analysis reveals NUP37 as a prognostic biomarker correlated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment in glioma

Nucleoporin 37 kDa (NUP37), a member of the nucleoporin family, has been reported to regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of several tumor types. However, its role in the tumor immune microenvironment is unclear. Here, we evaluated the expression, methylation, copy number alteration, and prognostic significance of NUP37 using RNA-seq and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We observed higher expression of NUP37 in 28 of 29 tumor types, and high NUP37 expression predicted worse survival status of patients in 15 tumors. Using data from the cBioportal database, we described the gene variation of NUP37 in glioma and pan-cancer. We further assessed the role of NUP37 in the tumor immune microenvironment using immune infiltration data. NUP37 expression was positively associated with the infiltration levels of immunosuppressive cells, such as nTregs, iTregs, and tumor-associated macrophages, and negatively correlated with immune killer cells, such as CD8+ T and NK cells across cancers. Furthermore, NUP37 expression was associated with immune checkpoints and immune regulation-related genes. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of anti-cancer drugs were obtained from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in the Cancer database. The correlation between half-maximal inhibitory concentration and NUP37 expression was evaluated. The patients with the evaluated expression of NUP37 were resistant to several anti-cancer drugs. These results suggest that NUP37 is a potential oncogene and prognostic biomarker in glioma and pan-cancer. Tumor tissues with high NUP37 expression exist in a relatively immunosuppressive microenvironment and are resistant to several anti-cancer drugs.

Is Mycobacterium tuberculosis carcinogenic to humans?

We highlight the ability of the tuberculosis (TB) causing bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), to induce key characteristics that are associated with established IARC classified Group 1 and Group 2A carcinogenic agents. There is sufficient evidence from epidemiological case-control, cohort and meta-analysis studies of increased lung cancer (LC) risk in pre-existing/active/old TB cases. Similar to carcinogens and other pathogenic infectious agents, exposure to aerosol-containing Mtb sprays in mice produce malignant transformation of cells that result in squamous cell carcinoma. Convincing, mechanistic data show several characteristics shared between TB and LC which include chronic inflammation, genomic instability and replicative immortality, just to name a few cancer hallmarks. These hallmarks of cancer may serve as precursors to malignant transformation. Together, these findings form the basis of our postulate that Mtb is a complete human pulmonary carcinogen. We also discuss how Mtb may act as both an initiating agent and promoter of tumor growth. Forthcoming experimental studies will not only serve as proof-of-concept but will also pivot our understanding of how to manage/treat TB cases as well as offer solutions to clinical conundrums of TB lesions masquerading as tumors. Clinical validation of our concept may also help pave the way for next generation personalized medicine for the management of pulmonary TB/cancer particularly for cases that are not responding well to conventional chemotherapy or TB drugs.

Immunoenhancement effects of chitosan-modified ginseng stem-leaf saponins-encapsulated cubosomes as an ajuvant

Nanoparticle delivery of functional molecules and vaccine is a promising method for enhancing the immune response. The objective of this study was to design chitosan (CS)-modified ginseng stem-leaf saponins (GSLS)-encapsulated cubosomes (Cub-GSLS^CS) as a vaccine delivery system and explore its immunologic activity and adjuvanticity. In this study, CS-modified GSLS-encapsulated cubosomes (Cub-GSLS^CS) were prepared. The storage stability of GSLS and that of ovalbumin (OVA) were measured. Additionally, the immunopotentiation of Cub-GSLS^CS were assessed on potentiating macrophage in vitro, and the adjuvant activity was evaluated through immune response triggered by OVA model antigen. The encapsulation efficiency of optimized Cub-GSLS^CS was about 65 % with Im3m nanostructure. The Cub-GSLS^CS showed excellent stability and sustained release for up to 28 days. In vitro, Cub-GSLS^CS nanoparticles improved cellular uptake, stimulated cytokines secretion of IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, and generated more inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) to produce higher levels of nitric oxide (NO) compared with other groups. Furthermore, the immunoadjuvant effects of OVA encapsulated Cub-GSLSCS nanoparticles (Cub-GSLS^CS-OVA) were observed through immunized mice. Results showed that the ratio of CD4+/CD8 + T lymphocytes was increased in Cub-GSLS^CS-OVA group. In addition, Cub-GSLS^CS-OVA nanoparticles induced dramatically high OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a levels and stimulated the secretion of cytokines. Cub-GSLS^CS may be a potential vaccine delivery system and induce a long-term sustained immunogenicity.

Strain-specific behavior of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in A549 lung cancer cell line

BACKGROUND

A growing body of evidence has shown the association between tuberculosis (TB) infection and lung cancer. However, the possible effect of strain-specific behavior of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) population, the etiological agent of TB infection in this association has been neglected. In this context, this study was conducted to investigate this association with consideration of the genetic background of strains in the M.tb population.

RESULTS

We employed the elastic net penalized logistic regression model, as a statistical-learning algorithm for gene selection, to evaluate this association in 129 genes involved in TLRs and NF-κB signaling pathways in response to two different M.tb sub-lineage strains (L3-CAS1and L 4.5). Of the 129 genes, 21 were found to be associated with the two studied M.tb sub-lineages. In addition, MAPK8IP3 gene was identified as a novel gene, which has not been reported in previous lung cancer studies and may have the potential to be recognized as a novel biomarker in lung cancer investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study provides new insights into the mechanistic association between TB infection and lung cancer. Further mechanistic investigations of this association with a large number of M.tb strains, encompassing the other main M.tb lineages and using the whole transcriptome of the host cell are inevitable.

Trained Immunity for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Knowledge and Future Opportunities

Memory formation, guided by microbial ligands, has been reported for innate immune cells. Epigenetic imprinting plays an important role herein, involving histone modification after pathogen-/danger-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/DAMPs) recognition by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Such "trained immunity" affects not only the nominal target pathogen, yet also non-related targets that may be encountered later in life. The concept of trained innate immunity warrants further exploration in cancer and how these insights can be implemented in immunotherapeutic approaches. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of innate immune memory and we reference new findings in this field, highlighting the observations of trained immunity in monocytic and natural killer cells. We also provide a brief overview of trained immunity in non-immune cells, such as stromal cells and fibroblasts. Finally, we present possible strategies based on trained innate immunity that may help to devise host-directed immunotherapies focusing on cancer, with possible extension to infectious diseases.

Structure-based Discovery of Narirutin as a Shikimate kinase Inhibitor with Anti-tubercular Potency

BACKGROUND

Shikimate pathway is essential for tubercular bacillus but it is absent in mammals. Therefore, Shikimate kinase and other enzymes in the pathway are potential targets for the development of novel anti-tuberculosis drugs.

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, Shikimate kinase is selected as the target for in silico screening of phytochemicals with an aim to discover a novel herbal drug against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).

METHODS

A structure-based drug discovery approach is undertaken for the execution of the objective. Virtual screening of phytochemical database NPACT against the target, Shikimate kinase (PDB ID 3BAF), is carried out followed by toxicity and drug-likeness filtration. Finally, a lead, narirutin was selected for in vitro anti-tubercular study.

RESULTS

Narirutin, present in citrus fruits, emerges as the lead. It is considered to be non-toxic with predicted high LD50 value, 12000 mg/kg body weight. The phytochemical is tested for its antitubercular activity in vitro. It has MIC99 62.5 μg/mL against the MtbH37Rv strain.

CONCLUSION

This is the first-ever report to show anti-tuberculosis potency of narirutin.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin and anti-PD-L1 combination therapy boosts immune response against bladder cancer

Background

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a critical immune checkpoint molecule which promotes immunosuppression by binding to PD-1 on T-cells in tumor immunity. We have previously identified that activation of toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4), which serves an important role in the induction of antitumor immune response during Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy, could upregulate PD-L1 expression in bladder cancer (BCa) cells through the classical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and subsequently weaken the cytotoxicity of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL). It is, therefore, necessary to investigate the possible potential relationship between PD-L1 expression and BCG immunotherapy.

Materials and methods

In this study we investigated the effects of BCG treatment on PD-L1 expression in BCa cells and also evaluated the efficacy of BCG and anti-PD-L1 combination therapy in immunocompetent orthotopic rat BCa models.

Results

We found that PD-L1 expression was obviously upregulated in BCa cells in response to BCG treatment both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, BCG and anti-PD-L1 combination treatment activated a potent antitumor immune response with the increase in the number and activity of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells, as well as the reduction in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and eventually elicits prominent tumor growth inhibition and prolonged survival, and was found to be much more effective than either agent alone.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the adaptive dynamic regulation of PD-L1 in response to BCG immunotherapy and suggest that combination of BCG immunotherapy with PD-L1 blockade may be an effective antitumor strategy for improving treatment outcomes of BCa.